so many guinea pig in rescue!

[liquorice allsorts]

i think this forum is wonderful, but when i see all these piggies needing homes, i feel so tempted to get more, and wonder why i look, do other members feel the same?i feel so sad that the rescues are so full, i am on a mission now to find people who are looking to buy guineas, and refer them to rescues!

 

[MrsWilsoncroft]

i think this forum is wonderful, but when i see all these piggies needing homes, i feel so tempted to get more, and wonder why i look, do other members feel the same?i feel so sad that the rescues are so full, i am on a mission now to find people who are looking to buy guineas, and refer them to rescues!

I agree hun, its so sad when the rescues are full of them needing loving homes.
I spoke to a lady the other day saying she rescued some that were going to be used for snake food, it makes me sick to think people bred them to use as food
x

 

[CandyFloss]

I agree and wish I could have more. I regularly fall in love with some in the rescues I see on here ... but if I did get more I know it could upset my groups hierarchy or cause problems and maybe I wouldnt have enough time and I would be giving my current piggies less room.... so I talk myself out of it. 7 for me is enough to manage thinking of time, space and money.
x

 

[liquorice allsorts]

yes we have five, i do think though that rescues could take up offers of peopls wishing to foster for them,even if it is only a small amount, surely that would help a bit?

 

[flintstones]

yes we have five, i do think though that rescues could take up offers of peopls wishing to foster for them,even if it is only a small amount, surely that would help a bit?

Most rescue's do use foster homes when they have to many Guinea Pig's but the sick ones or the new arrivals have to stay in rescue to be assessed and get healthy.

 

[ninz]

Are people allowed to use guinea pigs as food for snakes? Is that even legal?

When I was looking at videos on guinea pigs... I saw a horrible video on youtube where this person pushed a guinea pig into a snake and the squeal was so horrible, I felt sick. I reported it but I do not think youtuube are going to do anything about it. It's sick to see 8...

 

[liquorice allsorts]

Most rescue's do use foster homes when they have to many Guinea Pig's but the sick ones or the new arrivals have to stay in rescue to be assessed and get healthy.

well i am trying to help a rescue, am waiting to hear back, could the piggy train not deliver from rescues across the country to people who are willing to foster? i dont mind what questions i am asked, anyone can come and meet us and our pets, seems such a shame i am willing to do this, but no body takes me up on it.

 

[Member W]

i foster, but honestly every piggy i foster it's a struggle to not keep them! haha! i just remember that if i did that it would mean the next lot that needed a foster home would be stuck. and the one's in the rescues are the lucky ones x

 

[Rhiannan]

I would love to adopt more guinea-pigs but I simply don't have the room. Maybe in the future rolleyes

 

[MerryPip]

The problem is that most of us are doing as much as we can in terms of piggy training, donations, fundraising and fostering.

We can't all rehome everything either. My OH wasn't keen on having mor ethan two and now we have four but I can see what she means now as they are hard work and are literally eating me out of house and home!

I owuld love to rescue more pigs but it's not viable. Makes me sad to see them all waiting for good homes. We need to recruit more owners... I'm working on my colleauge at work - she is a previous pig owner and is keen on having more and has the coolest idea for an indoor cage with a tube through the wall in her conservatory into an outdoor run. When she eventually gives in and homes a herd of girls they will be spoilt rotten!

 

[liquorice allsorts]

i foster, but honestly every piggy i foster it's a struggle to not keep them! haha! i just remember that if i did that it would mean the next lot that needed a foster home would be stuck. and the one's in the rescues are the lucky ones x

but if i did foster having five of my own would make it easier to let them go, i do all i can on here really, sending donations for wish lists, buying calendars and cosies where some of the profit goes towards a rescue, i am not new to keeping guinea pigs at all, just fairly new to the forum .

 

[NatalieMT]

I see multiple piggies pictures posted on the rescue section everyday that I'd have in a heartbeat if I had more space! But at the moment I'm cleaning out an 8ft by 2ft double layer and a 6ft by 2ft double layer hutch and that takes a lot of time and the bedding is costly. I just can't be getting another hutch to fill with piggies unfortunately.

That's just the way it goes, we can all do our best to help but realistically no one can keep taking in guinea pigs for rehome, there has to come a point where you decide you have enough animals. If I ever have a spare hutch I'd get rescues to fill it back up with but my maximum is 14. I have 13 right now but I don't want another one that may come and rock the boat so to speak.

 

[Hanwombat]

but if i did foster having five of my own would make it easier to let them go, i do all i can on here really, sending donations for wish lists, buying calendars and cosies where some of the profit goes towards a rescue, i am not new to keeping guinea pigs at all, just fairly new to the forum .

i was soooo close to keeping 'toby' and marble but i remembered that i got them all on the intention of rehoming them to good homes

 

[liquorice allsorts]

which of course they all got

 

[summerleaze]

well i am trying to help a rescue, am waiting to hear back, could the piggy train not deliver from rescues across the country to people who are willing to foster? i dont mind what questions i am asked, anyone can come and meet us and our pets, seems such a shame i am willing to do this, but no body takes me up on it.

It's a really kind offer to foster but it is worth bearing in mind the logistics of it all.

I can't speak for other rescues but I wouldn't be comfortable with someone fostering for me that wasn't on my door step. There are simply too many issues preventing this from happening and it's not really in the best interests of the guinea pigs either. (Issues such as vets bills, rehoming the piggies etc)


There are of course lots of rescues around the country who do their very best for those they have in their care but every single one of us
has to consider time, space and money.

It would be irresponsible of a rescue to go beyond what is appropriate for our own individual circumstances.

Many of us do what we can using our own homes, our own time, our own money and our own blood, sweat and tears ! (Rescues aren't all great big organisations open to the public with paid staff!)

We also suffer too, knowing that there are so many piggies in need of our help but the real help comes from people adopting them and making room for others to come in.

Sadly, enquiries for adoption in rescues seem to have decreased and yet people are still getting them from pet shops and trawling the freeads looking for piggies.

It's such a shame that people's first thought isn't always rescue

 

[ghostbusterbunny]

When my mum and I hear about people wanting guinea pigs we always point out rescues now each and every time.

I really wish I could adopt more but I think my parents actually will disown me. Since April I have adopted 14 guinea pigs from Milhaven, adopted three from P@H (this was before I found Milhaven) and one was free to a good home on here. My plan in April was to add to my two pet-shop piggles and maybe have a small herd of 5-7... I now have 20 guinea pigs...

Who knows though. My shed will house another 2-4 comfortably so come next year I might be on the lookout for some perfect new additions! For now though all I can do is support and keep pointing out the rescue route to people!

 

[liquorice allsorts]

It's a really kind offer to foster but it is worth bearing in mind the logistics of it all.

I can't speak for other rescues but I wouldn't be comfortable with someone fostering for me that wasn't on my door step. There are simply too many issues preventing this from happening and it's not really in the best interests of the guinea pigs either. (Issues such as vets bills, rehoming the piggies etc)


There are of course lots of rescues around the country who do their very best for those they have in their care but every single one of us
has to consider time, space and money.

It would be irresponsible of a rescue to go beyond what is appropriate for our own individual circumstances.

Many of us do what we can using our own homes, our own time, our own money and our own blood, sweat and tears ! (Rescues aren't all great big organisations open to the public with paid staff!)

We also suffer too, knowing that there are so many piggies in need of our help but the real help comes from people adopting them and making room for others to come in.

Sadly, enquiries for adoption in rescues seem to have decreased and yet people are still getting them from pet shops and trawling the freeads looking for piggies.

It's such a shame that people's first thought isn't always rescue

thankyou for this, i do see your point, unfortunately there arent many rescues in Essex, that i can approach to help, i either need to set one up myself(and believe me i know how hard this would be to do properly, annd i dont do things unless i DO do them properly) i am going to spread the word though about rescues, but we really could do with a good one here x

 

[liquorice allsorts]

yay! have heard this morning that we have been accepted to foster by a rescue, just got to wait now, as the one that they wanted us to have they have now rehomed, which of course is good.x

 

[youthnovels]

See I have the space for a few foster piggies but I just don't have the time really. Not with my six, four rabbits and a hamster it would be unfair on the animals.

I do wish I could do more sometimes. 8...

 

[MerryPip]

See I have the space for a few foster piggies but I just don't have the time really. Not with my six, four rabbits and a hamster it would be unfair on the animals.

I do wish I could do more sometimes. 8...

I'm in the same place. i'd love to do more but my 4 boys and turtle take up enough of my time without any more.

We all wish we could do more and until people's attitude to animals (and sometimes other humans...) changes then there will be animals in rescue.

We just need to keep doing what we can when we can and keep supporting those who can do that bit more like the rescues and, although many seem to think they are a waste of time, the RSPCA.

If every individual on here did something for piggies this year that would make an enormous difference. Unfortunately there are many many more out there who are working hard at over breeding, abandoning and ill treating piggies through intent or ignorance.

Chin up and just take joy in the stories where there has been a difference made like Suzy's Sarah, the two girls Lisajazz is treating with nasty wounds.

As a group of people we can and do make a difference everyday to another piggy, somewhere in the world.

 

[herbertsmum]

I think its to do with housing and living costs. I know so many people who have moved recently because they cant afford where they are. We just make ends met atm.

I rent and if I moved my probable only option with 3 dogs would be buy a caravan and find somwhere to live in it.

I am pets for life kind of person so my guinea pigs woudl come too, my only sacrifice would be they would **** have to live out in a shed rather than indoors (which wont be much warmer anyway). I get the idea my central heating would come from three dogs lol

 

[gizmo01]

I agree hun, its so sad when the rescues are full of them needing loving homes.
I spoke to a lady the other day saying she rescued some that were going to be used for snake food, it makes me sick to think people bred them to use as food
x

we have a suspicion that is what rocky was bred for. he was due to be PTS before we rescued him

 

[Pat Shields]

It's such a shame that people's first thought isn't always rescue

I know it's dogs and not guinea pigs, but around here there is an awareness-raising effort going on, with billboards by the roadside and stickers on automobiles saying "Don't breed or buy while shelter dogs die." Because a different thought has been planted in their heads, I've seen many people go to the shelter and get a dog rather than going to a pet store or breeder and buying one. It saves a lot of lives in this area, Maybe a similar program could be started there for GPs?

I rent and if I moved my probable only option with 3 dogs would be buy a caravan and find somwhere to live in it. I am pets for life kind of person so my guinea pigs woudl come too, my only sacrifice would be they would **** have to live out in a shed rather than indoors (which wont be much warmer anyway). I get the idea my central heating would come from three dogs lol

I'm the same sort of person; I'd live in my car before I'd go someplace that would not allow the pets who have come to depend upon me.

About the 3 dogs being "central heating" - several years ago we had a terrible ice storm here, and many people went without power or heat for up to 3 weeks. I was without power and heat for 4 days; the outside temperature was about 26 degrees F (-3.33 C). However, my house was very small, and I kept myself and the pets in one room, and the two dogs I had at the time really did warm the place, so much that I ended up taking off most of the covers I used at night because it was just too hot!