Cavy Rescues

Why rescue?

Throughout the UK guinea pigs in rescues are looking for secure and loving homes with owners prepared to find out what guinea pigs need and care for them properly. Too many guinea pigs are bought on impulse from pet superstores with hutches that are too small and woefully inadequate advice.

Guinea pigs like the company of their own kind and obviously you should choose a same-sex pair or they will breed. Pet superstores often will not guarantee the sex of the guinea pigs they sell! Rescues often have bonded pairs of guinea pigs looking for homes.

Rescues are keen to educate new guinea pig owners and support them if they are worried about anything once they take the guinea pigs home. They may even board the guinea pigs for you when you are on holiday.

Where to find a cavy rescue

Online you can simply search for your local area plus the term ‘guinea pig rescue’ or ‘cavy rescue’. Because some people call guinea pigs cavies you should search for both terms.

Guinea Pig Rehome is a good place to start your search. Not only can you search for guinea pigs looking for homes currently, but they also have a list of cavy rescues.

What to check for

Make sure everyone in the family who will be in contact with the guinea pigs has handled an adult guinea pig. Allergies to guinea pig urine or dander are relatively common but baby guinea pigs may not cause those allergies to develop until they are older. One of the common reasons for giving up guinea pigs for rehoming is an allergy to them.