Slightly baffled

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kez_s

I am slightly baffled, I came on this forum after spending weeks and weeks researching everything I could about guinea pigs and you've all been fantastic and offered great advice and info - so thank you!

But at the same time I came on here at first thinking I would buy two guinea pigs from a pet shop or a breeder and you all gave me great advice and showed me how much better it is to offer a home to guinea pigs that are in a rescue centre and looking at all the good work they do and reading so many upsetting stories this for me was def the way to go.

Since this time I have contacted my local rescue centre on several occasions by several methods and have yet to receive a reply. I am not really sure what to do next though a rescue centre further afield has offered for me to contact them if I have no luck with the one in my area.

I fully understand how busy they must be and no doubt have so much to do but at the same time if I am not the only person experiencing this then surely loving homes that could be given are then faced with the situation of what to do next and you don't want to keep bothering someone. I personally wouldn't contact a breeder or a pet shop but I think some people in the end may decide to and I just think this is where there could be a problem.

If you can't get a rescue centre to contact you then surely this causes a chicken and egg situation, a person who may have initially decided to contact a rescue centre can't get any response for love or money so in the end resorts to breeders/pet shops, etc., then could end up faced with a problem of a pregnant guinea pig, etc., and then has to try and find a solution to the problem, the pet shop/breeder always then has demand for them this in turn is never going to solve the problem.

It's slightly like the situation that I have been advised there are some rescue centres that won't home to forces families, if they are turned down purely because of statistics that a forces family may abandon their pet where do they then go if they know this won't happen? Not everyone is the same and surely with the current financial climate many people are abandoning their pets in choice of feeding their families over their pets the statistics for those are probably higher than that of a forces family abandoning theirs but yet a forces family may be turned down.

I know that I can offer a loving home, I may have small children and whilst the pets may be "theirs" in theory and in name, it's my husband and I who will have full responsibility for them, I know that I can financially afford to have pets and be prepared for anything that arises, I know that I have people to look after them in the event of a holiday or even could go to the rescue centre and use their boarding facility thus in turn supporting them in financial way which I understand is so very much needed.

It's just that right now I can see where at times it's not so straightforward for those wanting to adopt and may turn to other options of getting their pet and thus the problem continues.
 
I think KingBoris had similar problems getting in contact with their local rescue too, but they're in Australia.

As a rescuer myself, I know the pressures of running a rescue and having to deal with the enquiries, but I do check my email daily (and get an alert when there is new mail), I work full time so am not contactable by phone during the day though which is why I have my email on the website and not my phone number, although I'm happy for people to have my phone number once we're in contact.

It is terribly difficult sometimes as looking after the pigs has to come first, and for example in January when I had a whole maternity unti in my home, it was really difficult to keep up, but as you say, without it no homes will be found!

I would perservere. They may be away, or busy, or have problems at home. Perhaps leave one more message or email just to say you hope you're not being a nuisance but are just keen to rehome some needy piggies, and could they ring you at their earliest convenience. Other than that you'll need to go further afield.

Good luck!

Sophie
x
 
I do think it's sometimes a shame when rescues don't get in touch or they're not forthcoming, I contacted a rescue a few years back and they were so rude to me on the phone LOL, it really put me off. Thankfully it was a rare experience, but miserable all the same. In your case I'd say they're perhaps just busy, or could you try contacting some further afield? Try to perservere, the right pigs will come along I promise :)
 
yes i did have that problem,i tried contacting alot and reguarly for around 2 months and barely got replys,
in the end i got my guinea pigs and after speaking with the lady who runs the rescue i can now understand every minute that i waited,
her life was absolutely crazy doing everything she could to help the piggies and unfortunantly she found it very hard to keep up with all the adoptions,
she told me what she does and i have nothing but admiration for her and the next time i get more piggies i will be going back to her even if it does take forever,because in the end i made a great friend out of it(rescue lady) and got my piggies, all good things take time,I'm sure it wont take long for them to get back to you,and just remember once you have passed all the requirements this time you most probably wont have to go through it again which means next time the process should be alot more straightforward x
 
I am currently between Basingstoke & Farnham in Hampshire and I move to Tidworth in Wiltshire in 3 weeks, so was hoping to get everything ready prior to us moving and hopefully reserve 2 guinea pigs for when we move so they don't have any further disruption once they've left the rescue centre and can come straight to Tidworth.

Wanted to get as much info/advice of what I need for them so I can get it all ready for a homecheck. I already have bought a v large two tier hutch, a large run with shade and an access door, was going to buy one of the tubes on a site mentioned on here for the ramp. Just need to know what else I need to buy, didn't want to get everything now as I know a lot of rescue centres sell stuff and that in turn would help them further.

Also seen that through a link on here a recommended vet is in Ludgershall which is only a couple of mins away from Tidworth.
 
Thanks, too far away for me to help you out. I really hope you can find a rescue that will respond to you, and help you find your piggies. xxxxx
 
nutmeg said:
Thanks, too far away for me to help you out. I really hope you can find a rescue that will respond to you, and help you find your piggies. xxxxx
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Thank you, all your piggies you've shown are gorgeous, I would have had major problems picking from them. I really hope you find wonderful homes for them. I think after seeing your pics as well I am going to go for two boars!x
 
kez_s said:
Thank you, all your piggies you've shown are gorgeous, I would have had major problems picking from them. I really hope you find wonderful homes for them. I think after seeing your pics as well I am going to go for two boars!x
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Good decision :) :) :)
 
What about rescuing some from a freeads site such as Preloved? Just an idea, there's often piggies on there who need a new home :)
 
Most reputable rescues would wish to homevisit you in the home that the piggies are going to live in. In addition, moving is initially very disruptive to any family and maybe not the best time to be getting/concentrating on new pets. Just the whole unpacking thing must be a nightmare I should think.

However, I would suggest that you contact a rescue after you have moved and settled in to your new house. That way you can be homevisited and there will be no need to reserve any guinea pigs for several weeks - you will be able to adopt them almost straightaway which is better all round really.

I understand your concerns and I suppose it is baffling. Sadly, most rescues are like me - one man bands, struggling to juggle work/rescue/family life. We don't have an army of helpers as so many of the public rescue centres that are open to the public do. It's just something we are passionate about and we try our best.

It is frustrating I know when everyone talks about all these animals that need homes - from where you are sitting it must be very puzzling.

There are two little piggies just waiting somewhere for you, once you get them you'll be overjoyed and all this will be forgotten. However, I would urge you to be patient and leave it until you have moved.

Good luck and let us see the pics when they do arrive. :)
 
summerleaze said:
Most reputable rescues would wish to homevisit you in the home that the piggies are going to live in. In addition, moving is initially very disruptive to any family and maybe not the best time to be getting/concentrating on new pets. Just the whole unpacking thing must be a nightmare I should think.
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We are very lucky as our removals basically do this for us! And when having children in forces life you have to be unpacked and sorted and get them settled asap! Most wives I know move one day, kids in new school the next day and house, unpacked whilst they are at school! It's the way we have to be to keep our children as least disturbed as possible! Hopefully for us we may not have to do this again for a long time.

Looking at several rescue centres already babies that have been born have been reserved even though they cannot leave for several weeks, this is what I was working on when it came to timings, if we ended up with younger ones. I've tried to cover myself for every possibility. Also one I've looked at you can't even visit the centre for another 2 weeks, so it would be nice to perhaps touch base prior to.

I also wanted to make sure that I have time to get everything that I need for the homecheck and as I move in just over 2 weeks!

I think anyone who works or runs a rescue centre does an amazing job especially in such hard times and to never know what you're going to be up against next must be really exhausting, though I bet the emotional rewards are amazing.

Thank you for your advice it's very much appreciated,x
 
Kez,

I have contacted you and even gave you my phone number but you have not contacted me. I am confused and embarrassed by this post.

Did you decide that you were unable to meet my adoption terms and conditions?
 
fi.cantillon said:
Kez,

I have contacted you and even gave you my phone number but you have not contacted me. I am confused and embarrassed by this post.

Did you decide that you were unable to meet my adoption terms and conditions?
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Hang on Fi, this is nothing to do with you, you have been brilliant, I was just trying to do as you asked and try and stay closer to home prior to contacting you and giving it my final shot before I did so that at least you know I've done everything I could when I did contact you.
 
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