Question about rescue bonding policies

[brittanyandpigs]

Hi everyone, I just joined the forum today to ask about this. I've done some reading but have a few questions.

Background info: We currently have three female guinea pigs, with one of them living alone currently. We did try bonding her with our other pair, but she drew blood and so we separated them (but keep them in the same room for mental stimulation).

We rescued our currently single pig (Frog) to be a companion for her cagemate (Waffles, who passed away due to chronic health issues several months ago). The rescue that we adopted her from was really great: we brought Waffles into the shelter to meet Frog, but they were both very timid and wouldn't interact. It wasn't a problem though because the rescue had a policy that you can bring them home, and you have a month to establish a bond. After a few scuffles and a lot of patience, they did form an amazing bond, and Frog was honestly the best caregiver for Waffles that we could have imagined. Really, I'm so thankful to Frog for being able to provide that for Waffles.

Frog wasn't showing any signs of depression when Waffles passed, and we were preparing to move to a new province, so we decided to wait to adopt. Now that we've moved, settled into our new house, and gotten permission from the landlord to expand our piggy family, so it was time to start looking.

TLDR/the important bits: We sent an application for another single girl. The rescue contacted us a few days ago and told us that they don't offer trial/bonding periods or - in their words - "refunds." If she wasn't able to bond with Frog, our options would be to 1) just keep them separate or 2) surrender the pig back to the rescue. I would never surrender an animal, but I also want what's best for both pigs - which I don't think is living the rest of their lives alone. I emailed them back, thanked them for their time, and withdrew our application. But now I'm feeling a mixture of frustrated/depressed/defeated. Ethically, it just doesn't sit right with me.

Because this is only the 2nd rescue I've tried to adopt from, I don't have a ton of experience with this. Is it normal to not offer a trial adoption for the purposes of bonding? I'm going to reach out to another rescue and ask before applying this time. But if all of the nearby rescues have this policy, what should I do?

Thanks in advance for any advice and also just for giving me a space to vent about this.

Picture of Frog (L) and Waffles (R):

 

[Wiebke]

Hi everyone, I just joined the forum today to ask about this. I've done some reading but have a few questions.

Background info: We currently have three female guinea pigs, with one of them living alone currently. We did try bonding her with our other pair, but she drew blood and so we separated them (but keep them in the same room for mental stimulation).

We rescued our currently single pig (Frog) to be a companion for her cagemate (Waffles, who passed away due to chronic health issues several months ago). The rescue that we adopted her from was really great: we brought Waffles into the shelter to meet Frog, but they were both very timid and wouldn't interact. It wasn't a problem though because the rescue had a policy that you can bring them home, and you have a month to establish a bond. After a few scuffles and a lot of patience, they did form an amazing bond, and Frog was honestly the best caregiver for Waffles that we could have imagined. Really, I'm so thankful to Frog for being able to provide that for Waffles.

Frog wasn't showing any signs of depression when Waffles passed, and we were preparing to move to a new province, so we decided to wait to adopt. Now that we've moved, settled into our new house, and gotten permission from the landlord to expand our piggy family, so it was time to start looking.

TLDR/the important bits: We sent an application for another single girl. The rescue contacted us a few days ago and told us that they don't offer trial/bonding periods or - in their words - "refunds." If she wasn't able to bond with Frog, our options would be to 1) just keep them separate or 2) surrender the pig back to the rescue. I would never surrender an animal, but I also want what's best for both pigs - which I don't think is living the rest of their lives alone. I emailed them back, thanked them for their time, and withdrew our application. But now I'm feeling a mixture of frustrated/depressed/defeated. Ethically, it just doesn't sit right with me.

Because this is only the 2nd rescue I've tried to adopt from, I don't have a ton of experience with this. Is it normal to not offer a trial adoption for the purposes of bonding? I'm going to reach out to another rescue and ask before applying this time. But if all of the nearby rescues have this policy, what should I do?

Thanks in advance for any advice and also just for giving me a space to vent about this.

Picture of Frog (L) and Waffles (R):

Hi and welcome

Great that you are supporting rescue adoption!

Bonding and even speed dating at the rescue is very time intensive, and the majority of rescues cannot afford it.
Since there are rather few Canadian rescues with guinea pigs (even fewer specialist guinea pig and rabbit rescues), you will unfortunately just have to lump it and bond at home with the option for either next door company or returning the adopted guinea pig to the rescue if things don't work out. An adoption fee is generally never refunded since rescues are charities living on fundraising, so they need all the money they can get - they do have to take time and process the whole adoption, after all.

You can only ever deal with what is available within your reach and what is available for adoption at any time, and that is extremely variable not just across the world but also within each country and at the time you are lloking for a new friend.

We do have a step-by-step bonding guide, which takes you through all stages with their attendant behaviours and dynamics (including when a bonding has failed for every stage) from the run up to the post-intro 2 weeks dominance phase: Bonding and Interaction: Illustrated social behaviours and bonding dynamics

I have occasionally adopted on spec for particular reasons (including over larger distances), and not all of these bondings have come off, so I fully understand where you are coming from.

 

[brittanyandpigs]

Hi and welcome

Great that you are supporting rescue adoption!

Bonding and even speed dating at the rescue is very time intensive, and the majority of rescues cannot afford it.
Since there are rather few Canadian rescues with guinea pigs (even fewer specialist guinea pig and rabbit rescues), you will unfortunately just have to lump it and bond at home with the option for either next door company or returning the adopted guinea pig to the rescue if things don't work out. An adoption fee is generally never refunded since rescues are charities living on fundraising, so they need all the money they can get - they do have to take time and process the whole adoption, after all.

You can only ever deal with what is available within your reach and what is available for adoption at any time, and that is extremely variable not just across the world but also within each country and at the time you are lloking for a new friend.

We do have a step-by-step bonding guide, which takes you through all stages with their attendant behaviours and dynamics (including when a bonding has failed for every stage) from the run up to the post-intro 2 weeks dominance phase: Bonding and Interaction: Illustrated social behaviours and bonding dynamics

I have occasionally adopted on spec for particular reasons (including over larger distances), and not all of these bondings have come off, so I fully understand where you are coming from.

Thank you for the thoughtful response and also the very helpful guide!

I'm not concerned about the adoption fee being returned, I donated often to the rescue that I adopted Frog from because I know they need it, and my plan would be to do the same thing again with our future piggy. I was just surprised they would even mention that - the adoption fee is really the cheapest thing about owning a guinea pig - but I guess there are people who would be upset about not 'getting their money back.'

What I am really concerned with is the rescue not having a policy for bringing the pig back if the bond didn't work out. I'd be happy to do the bonding at home, but unfortunately they said if it failed, I would have to surrender the pig. I feel that carries a lot more weight and also consequences for future adoptions. Am I wrong about that?

 

[Wiebke]

Thank you for the thoughtful response and also the very helpful guide!

I'm not concerned about the adoption fee being returned, I donated often to the rescue that I adopted Frog from because I know they need it, and my plan would be to do the same thing again with our future piggy. I was just surprised they would even mention that - the adoption fee is really the cheapest thing about owning a guinea pig - but I guess there are people who would be upset about not 'getting their money back.'

What I am really concerned with is the rescue not having a policy for bringing the pig back if the bond didn't work out. I'd be happy to do the bonding at home, but unfortunately they said if it failed, I would have to surrender the pig. I feel that carries a lot more weight and also consequences for future adoptions. Am I wrong about that?

You would be shocked and surprised what amount of harrassment, abuse and time wasting hassle rescue people have to put up with.

But yes, adopting this way means a bigger risk for the adopter.

Please keep in mind that that the current pet situation is getting out of hand between the post-pandemic pet dump and the price hike. I don't know any rescue in any country that is not maxed out on available space.

 

[Lady Kelly]

Thank you for the thoughtful response and also the very helpful guide!

I'm not concerned about the adoption fee being returned, I donated often to the rescue that I adopted Frog from because I know they need it, and my plan would be to do the same thing again with our future piggy. I was just surprised they would even mention that - the adoption fee is really the cheapest thing about owning a guinea pig - but I guess there are people who would be upset about not 'getting their money back.'

What I am really concerned with is the rescue not having a policy for bringing the pig back if the bond didn't work out. I'd be happy to do the bonding at home, but unfortunately they said if it failed, I would have to surrender the pig. I feel that carries a lot more weight and also consequences for future adoptions. Am I wrong about that?

Maybe reach out to them with your concerns. It might just be the terminology they use and it may not have an impact on future adoptions at all. I have returned a pig to the rescue before after a failed bonding and subsequently being unable to bond with any of the group to form two pairs. The rescue were very understanding and allowed me to return her very quickly (to help make it easier on me as I was already building attachment). At the end of the day keeping another pair of group in a separate cage just would not work for me

 

[Pound Shilling & Pig]

I think there maybe a few reasons for this policy. I agree it may just be a case of terminology but also legal responsibility. If you adopt a piggy and sign an adoption form then that piggy becomes your responsibility, so if it was returned to the rescue new paper work( a surrender form) would need to be completed and signed returning it back into their care. The form should include a reason for surrender, in which you could say you were returning her as the bonding had failed and it was in her best interest to not live alone. I don't think this should impact negatively on future adoptions but as said above let them know your concerns.
The problem for the rescue in letting you have her for a trial period before adopting would be that technically she would still be their responsibility but not under their care. Making an exception for someone could be problematic as it would mean having different rules for different people. And changing their rules to allow trial periods could result in a lot of people not fully committed to wanting to adopt or the responsibility that comes with it "giving it a go" then randomly returning guinea pigs, which would not be in the best interest of the piggies.
I hope you are successful in finding a friend for Frog.