How did you start your rescue?

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gingerpig

gingerpig

Adult Guinea Pig
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If you are someone who runs a rescue,did you start taking in a few homeless guineas and build up? How many do you house? How do you do your fundraisingDo you have time to work as well, or do they take up absolutely all your time? (Sorry, so many questions! :)) Do you have to have council permission? Are you in your own homes doing it or do you have a big rescue centre?

I think you do a fantastic job. It's only since joining this site that I realised there were GP rescues. We have dog and cat rescues near us but I haven't come across a guinea one before. I won't buy from pet shops anymore now I'm educated!

Thanks for reading . . .

Edit: This is not just nosiness :) It's just that I wondered about getting involved and am thinking about starting one. Of course I know there is a lot more I need to know regarding health, care etc, I'm not about to rush into anything don't worry xx
 
I think before you start to even consider starting up your own rescue you should volunteer at one, after a little while start fostering and then if you think you would be able to run a rescue go for it. However, like you said you are going to need a little more knowledge and to find out exactly what is involved but I don't think it would be a good idea just to start a rescue. O0
 
I used to work with the lady who ran norwich cavy rescue, I got my first 4 piggies from her and I also helped her clean out once a week. She closed down her rescue and moved away leaving no guinea pig rescues in the Norwich area. I was hooked on piggies by then so decided to start up a rescue myself. I started with a few hutches in my back garden and as time went on I brought sheds and started getting bigger and better. We now have 3 big heated sheds and 1 storage shed. I also have a small number of hutches outside, 3 in my bedroom and the entire spare room for piggies ;D I have 30 resident guinea pigs and rabbits and at the busiest time have had up to 115 in total at the rescue but prefer to keep the numbers much lower than that so I can spend more time with them. I work 2/3 days a week (alternate weeks) and the rest of the time I am here. Running the rescue does literally take over my life. My version of a cozy night in front of the TV is watching Dr who whilst cleaning out spiny mice and eating my tea all at the same time ;D I am often cleaning out or bathing piggies until 11 or 12pm but I love it :D. I am going away for 4 days at the beginning of June, it will be the first holiday I have had in years but its like running a military operation organising carers for the animals whilst I am away. Running a rescue is very time consuming and financially draining but does have its rewards when you see an animal go off to a fab new home. Like cavy crazy has said, I would definatly recommend doing voluntary work at another rescue before starting up yourself O0
 
:) i began by volunteering for the RSPCA as a fosterer. We don't have an animal centre in Raeading and all the rescues are kept in private homes. I only 'do' guinea pigs and as I have 3 children and a husband (who has no interest in pets let alone rescues!) and a full time job, I keep my rescues to under 20, but have gone above. I also have some Resident guineas here.

On 20 guinea pigs (the rescues) I spend over £1000 a year on fresh food. Vets bills are RSPCA paid (though shampoos and any extras are paid for me). Dry food now comes from SPH Supplies because you lovely people mention the rescue when you shop, my basic hay (Meadow) and Medibed is paid for by RSPCA but I buy the good stuff for them.

Haven't had a holiday for at least 10 years, but can't say I miss them, would rather spend free time with the guineas.

I would advise fostering for a larger rescue first and always set yourself a limit!
 
I admire everyone who does rescue - they are all so dedicated. Like you Gingerpig, I wanted to do something to help. I wanted to help out at the local dogs home when I went part time but had to do something at home because I had a very destructive puppy at the time and couldn't go out of the house too much so I decided to take in unwanted guineas. I started about 10 years ago and just built up to 7 guineas, all females, and each time one died I would replace it with another, either from a rescue or by word of mouth - people whose kids didn't want them anymore. I don't re-home at all though. At the moment I have 5 girls, and 3 boys who were born to a rescue that I got in January.

I know that what I'm doing is nowhere near what the others do on this forum, but I am kind of helping. I feel I'm doing something useful but recognise that I'm not the right type of person to do re-homing and am staying within my limits. I have quite hefty vet bills because the guineas I get are usually older and may already have health problems. Perhaps you could start doing this (you may be already). Would you be able to re-home? The reason I couldn't do this is that I get too attached, I don't trust anyone else and yet I'd hate having to tell someone I'm not prepared to re-home to them.

Good luck with whatever you decide. This is certainly the right place to come - I've learnt loads and loads on here.
 
:) JB's right, it sounds corny but good Forever Homes are just as important as rescues, maybe you could take in special needs pigs...
 
I have to say I couldn't do it without my homevisitor. We think along the same lines and its great to have her support :)
 
Thanks for all your replies, they made great reading and food for thought. My biggest probs as I see it is lack of time (I work from home, have clients in,(nails), there are gaps between though sometimes long ones . .. I have 2 kids (who I know are as soft and emotional as I am and would become attached to every single pig), and a hubby who is already horrified that we have 5 piggies of our own. Thinking of losing older/sick piggies would so upset my kids, they've not got over losing Mitzi our rabbit yet, they still cry often when they are reminded of her by something and she died in December . . .

I just feel like I want to help though, maybe fostering is the way to go for the minute . . . anyway thanks again, I'm not about to do anything in a rush :)
 
Unfortunately I can't 'pop by' so its not an option, otherwise I would do it my self. A lot of rehoming can be done over the internet with the use of pigtures but I like first timers to get a home visit. I think everyone rehomes differently and its because of that that if people can't rehome from me because they have a lot of pigs/use woodshavings then there will be a rescue that will rehome to them and therefore no excuse to use pet shops.

I also link up people with homes to offer (that are out of our area) and people who have pigs they can no longer keep but I can't take in (usually because I'm full). This is either done over the internet and I just pass on an address or the pigs come to me for the day and the 'adopter' comes and choose which pigs they want. This done when the person rehoming doesn't want anyone at their house for whatever reason. I do a certain amount of 'vetting' in these cases but the owner does most of it, I'm just there in case the new owner has any questions :)

Most people are happy to accept that we only want the best for the guineas and either make the changes or look elsewhere, but we've had a bit of abuse, nothing major though ::)

GP: also think about the special needs pigs, this also helps rescues out BIG time :)
 
as others have said the main criteria is time, space and money but I would say what the overiding consideration is ...............do you have the unquestioning support of your family?

Rescue work can easily take over your life and there are occassions (!) when this may be at the expense of time or energy with your family. If they are not 110% behind you I doubt it would be a success.

I'm really fortunate that I have a tremendously supportive family and a husband that shares my passion for animals and rescue (both gp and cats) without their support and encouragement I just wouldn't be able to continue. It's not about whether they share the chores necessarily (mine don't help all the time) but it's about understanding why I'm doing it and that if a cat/gp has a chance of a good home nothing stands in the way of me getting them in asap.........if it means I'm not available for cook/clean/taxi/mum duties they simply accept that that is the way it is, no griping, no moans, no complaining! I'm sure all those who are successful with rescue at whatever level will agree that family support is just so important. And your kids have to live with a mum who has a reputation for being slightly nutty !

All the statistics show that very many rescues collapse within the first 12 months, lack of family support quite possibly is a contributing factor. The idea is a very long way from the reality but that is the way many of us have chosen to go and don't forget even if you rescue just 6 piggies a year, you have made a difference to 6 little lives and in my book that's got to be a great thing to do.
 
That is so true summerleaze, my family moans at me about just a few guineas, if I started up a rescue. ::) O0
 
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