|
"When most people consider homeless animals, they usually think about cats and dogs. True, most of the animals in shelters worldwide fall into these categories. Did you know that there are hundreds of homeless birds, rodents, reptiles, and other small companion pets in shelters and rescues and that these animals are not always listed on shelter websites?
Because of this many people wind up buying guinea pigs in pet stores, while guinea pigs are being euthanized in shelters, primarily due to limited space and lack of adopters.
But why do guinea pigs wind up in shelters? Primarily, they come from homes where they were considered to be cheap, disposable 'pocket pets' useful as starter animals for children. Since pet stores usually do a terrible job of educating people about cavy care, these guinea pigs are frequently neglected and unhealthy.
So what does a rescue do? Well, we maintain contact with volunteers at the shelters, and when guinea pigs arrive, they notify us and we try to make space. Priority is always given to guinea pigs in high-kill shelters or those who charge only a minimum adoption fee, because reptile owners often seek out these shelters for snake food....
OCCH is a 501(c)3 nonprofit charity. In addition to shelter outreach, we coordinate a private adoption program and attend many local events where we provide public education and fun accessories for all kinds of small pets."
|
