WATERLOO -- Community members have come together to search for dozens of missing guinea pigs believed to be lost in a Waterloo park.

Several people were scouring Heasley Park on Friday with pet food and cages in hopes of finding some of the rodents on the loose.

On Thursday, the Guinea Pig Sanctuary said there could be more than 40 in the wooded area.

This comes after a 10-year-old boy playing in the park found three critters there on Monday.

"I was going to go look for frogs and then I found these guys," said Cayden Eggett.

He adds that he was "confused, scared, and worried" when he found them, but is excited to offer them a new home now.

While it’s unclear how they got there, the sanctuary believes someone may be dumping them at the spot.

“With more hands on deck, there will be more of a chance of finding these guinea pigs,” one searcher said.

As of Friday afternoon, at least 15 have been found.