Starting a Guinea Pig Rescue?

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Squiggies

Hi - I currently have 5 boars and am considering offering to rescue unloved piggies for rehoming as I have space for quite a few but would like any advice anyone can offer! I am a bit worried that I will be inundated and not be able to turn anyone away but I do have a couple of fosterers available to help out. As I only have boars can anyone give me any advice re boars and sows being housed near each other is it best to keep the sows well out of sniffing distance of the boars? Maybe I would be better just rehoming boars as they seem to be most in need of rescue.
If anyone has started a similar small scale rescue I would love to hear all the good an bad things!
Thanks
Great site by the way, can't believe its taken me so long to join!
Lou x
 
Hi Lou,

Welcome to the forum. I want to set up a rescue too. I've got room for 5 pigs as well as the 5 that I have got. I have decided for now I can only take in pigs that are quite healthy as funds means I couldn't afford vet fees right now. But I'm saving up for that. I think the best thing to do is put some money away each week or each month for possible vet fees, you could also ask the RSPCA or maybe the PDSA about getting help with vet fees if you start a rescue.

I have three boars and two sows and cannot house them close to one another, I've tried but the boys can smell the girls and one of my girls goes mad when she can smell the boys! But this is just my lot, it may be different for others.

I also do not want to get my address out to everyone, just be aware of safety. Maybe an e-mail address first off and then phone number. :)

Good luck!

Louise
x
 
There are lots of threads like this about, maybe read through some of that info rather than everyone explaining again ;D ;D O0
 
Yeah there are loads on the Rescue forum here, I started one last week and there are others too. :)

Louise
x
 
My boars and sows are in the same shed and I've never had any fallings out, but it could happen between boars that are not used to being around sows maybe.

The RSPCA pay my vet bills and provide me with adoption and surrender certicates (important in case someone tries to claim back 'their' guinea- and they do ::) ). Often I take in 'healthy pigs only to find its not so 'healthy and needs treatment of some kind.

What area are you in? You could start by taking in guins for another rescue. Care sheets are good to hand out too :)

I just put out my email addy, not my home address nor telephone number, simply because email is quicker for me and if needed we can exchange phone numbers.
 
There are quite a few of us on the forum who are small scale rescues, I do it on my own in my own home and I fund myself. My maximum is about 12 - 15 guinea pigs and yes they seem to be mainly boars.

I wish you luck, it's a very worthwhile thing to do.
 
I think I will have a chat to the local Animals In Distress as thats where I got my latest addition and I know that they said they had a waiting list of piggies waiting to some in so they might be quite supportive. I'm in Devon, I know there is another small rescue not too far away bit apart from that I don't know of any others.
I will go and have a look at the rescue forum, haven't found it yet but probably that was because I was so busy reading everything else.
Thanks
all.
Lou x
 
Yeah as others have already said it is easier to volunteer for another over crowded rescue that way you don't have to deal with turning pigs away or becoming overcrowded O0

Oh and good on you for rescuing 0:)
 
I think it is a very worthwhile thing to do and within a couple of years, I would like to do something like that also :)
 
Hi - Little Brambles, glad to hear from you again, we have emailed each other directly recently when I found you on another site! I am in Paignton and when I decide to take the plunge I might get in touch and come over to see how your set up works, I think you said you prefer to neuter your rescue boars. I need to look into this as none of my lot have been done and it is probably something I need to consider for future rescues, do you have a vet you can recommend in South Devon?
Lou x
 
Thats the question Squiggies, getting a good piggy vet. Even if there isn't one vets that see rescue pigs seem to become guinea pig competent if they are interested (not all are), you'll be helping a whole community of pigs, not just the ones you rehome :)
 
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