Vicki Nielsen - Over 10 Years in Rescue

[Allysse]

This is an article I wrote to commemorate Vicki Nielsen's 10th year in rescue. She has been in rescue for 12 years now.

Little known to society is a selfless woman who tends to the needs of small animals. Vicki Nielsen has been running the Jack Pine Guinea Pig Rescue for the past ten years, seeing the everyday hardships of these animals because of careless or abusive owners. The Jack Pine Guinea Pig Rescue rescues animals for various reasons. The top three reasons why guinea pigs are taken to the rescue are neglectful owners, near euthanasia at the pound, or owners that simply don't want to take care of them anymore.

After daily chores Nielson still works toward the animals' well being. Making phone calls, writing emails, contacting various pounds, she is a woman who never stops working for the animals. She spends all of her time, money, and energy making sure that guinea pigs and other animals have shelter, a healthy diet, and a loving family.

The general public might wonder why Nielsen goes to such great lengths to provide so much for these small animals, but people who know her see that she is a very strong, compassionate, and knowledgeable person. These qualities may be seen as justification as to how Nielsen has remained a guinea pig rescuer for such a long time. While most rescuers aren't able to keep rescuing because of space or financial issues, Nielsen has. Caring for abandoned guinea pigs is financially straining. Aside from family and friends that give small donations, Nielsen has been solely funding her rescue.

Most people do not know Vicki Nielsen, or about the rescue that she runs. If more people understood her cause they could help supply her rescue with the much-needed materials for all the deserving animals under her care. If society knew, maybe they would think about whom they are affecting when they dispose of their pets or purchase from breeders. But society does not know, so she ends up caring for a large number of the unwanted. Vicki Nielsen has remained one of the most influential people in the guinea pig world; it's time society gave her some credit.

[Talishan]

Hear, hear.

I also want to give her credit for her very accurate, informative, and clear reference articles, sample letters to the editor and other items that she has written. They help too.

[Lynx]

For anyone who was looking for a deserving rescue to support, Vicki's would certainly be an admirable one to choose. Many of her pigs are aging (a good portion are not adoptable) and require medical care. She is quite knowledgeable herself and has a good vet.

[Sunny]

Great article Love4cavies. Very nice writing indeed and a very worthy cause. Thanks for bringing Jack Pine Guinea Pig Rescue to the public's attention.

Where did the article run? I also commend the newspaper/magazine/rag that ran the piece. Bravo!!

[Allysse]

It ran at my school:)

The pioneer press turned me down, even though my grandpa was the chief editor there for a long time. I should try the Star Tribune, they're more liberal.

[pinta]

You could try formatting it as a letter to the editor. Newspapers like younger people participating in the editorial pages. Be sure to include your age, grade and school.

Vicki has been a great source of info for me for years although she has an annoying habit of calling me a pinhead.

[Allysse]

Oh you like it and you know it.

I did submit it as a letter to the editor.

[pinta]

You need to twist it slightly for a letter to the editor. Start off asking why there is so little in the papers about good news and one thing you would like to see is more stories on animal rights. Then segue into "how right here locally there is a person" - etc. etc/ etc.

The way it is they know it's an article, not a letter to the editor.

[Allysse]

Ah, good pointers. Are you allowed to re-submit letters to the editor?

[pinta]

No, they're onto you now(well, you can, but they're onto you now). You can retool it and send to a different paper though.