Guinea Pig in Henderson, KY

User avatar
Sef
I dissent.

Post   » Thu Jun 25, 2020 9:02 pm


I spotted this little guy today:

Image

He is at the Henderson, KY Humane Society. I don't think I have ever seen a guinea pig listing for them; naturally, I'm a little concerned that they may not know how to take care of one (can't tell what they're feeding him in that photo). I sent an email to our area rescue this evening, but wondered if we have anyone in that area. It *looks* like they may provide transport to rescues, but I need more information.

Poor little guy. :(

User avatar
Lynx
Celebrate!!!

Post   » Thu Jun 25, 2020 10:52 pm


I hope he finds a good home with knowledgeable caretakers.

User avatar
Sef
I dissent.

Post   » Thu Jun 25, 2020 11:10 pm


I just sent them an email; hopefully they'll write back tomorrow. That shelter has 46 cats and I think it said 14 dogs, so that can't be a very pleasant place for him. I also contacted the guinea pig rescue in Sellersburg to see if they might be able to take him if I can get him there. She is pretty full (expecting 7 more females this weekend), but said she would be willing to make room for him. I wish I could take him myself. As it is, the GP rescue is getting a 5-6 year old male tomorrow, and she said, "I was just getting ready to write to you..." She was hoping I would be interested. The woman surrendering him was in tears when she called the rescue; tragic personal situation has forced her to give him up. At his age, he will be a lot harder to place.

Right now is really not a good time for me to take in anybody, with my job situation being a big question mark. Now I'm in a real quandary.

User avatar
Sef
I dissent.

Post   » Fri Jun 26, 2020 9:55 am


I'm so pissed. The Humane Society turned him over to a pet store yesterday. I contacted them, but am sure they won't want to work with me. They actually have contests and give hedgehogs and guinea pigs away as prizes. God. :(

User avatar
Lynx
Celebrate!!!

Post   » Fri Jun 26, 2020 2:00 pm


Prizes! What a crappy way to find a good home for a pet.

User avatar
Sef
I dissent.

Post   » Fri Jun 26, 2020 3:11 pm


It gets worse. They wrote back to me this morning, and not only do they sell guinea pigs and hedgehogs or give them away as prizes, but they also breed them. Their FB page is littered with pictures of babies, and they mentioned it in their somewhat dismissive response to me.

I alerted the Humane Society to it, but they didn't really say much about it. I thought they'd be shocked to learn that an animal in their care ended up with a breeder, but...not so much.

The whole thing just has me feeling really bummed today. If only I had seen the Petfinder listing sooner...

User avatar
Lynx
Celebrate!!!

Post   » Fri Jun 26, 2020 9:13 pm


It is discouraging to find people who you think should care about animals (the Humane Society), don't care the way they should.

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mmeadow
Supporter 2004-2022

Post   » Fri Jun 26, 2020 10:59 pm


Oh, I'd be seething! I'm sorry, Sef.

User avatar
ItsaZoo
Supporter in 2023

Post   » Sat Jun 27, 2020 1:04 am


Apparently the Humane Society Mission Statement doesn't mean diddly, since it specifically states they work to adopt or place animals once they're spayed or neutered.

User avatar
Lynx
Celebrate!!!

Post   » Sat Jun 27, 2020 8:24 am


You could write the main office and complain.

They deserve a complaint.

Guinea pig lives matter.

User avatar
Sef
I dissent.

Post   » Sat Jun 27, 2020 10:01 am


Agree. What I did do, was send them an email with contact information for the guinea pig rescue---and told them I'd be happy to try to help arrange transport with any other guinea pigs in the future (fortunately, a rarity there). They actually sounded appreciative and gave me the impression that they would pass the information along to their staff. They didn't comment about the "critter" place being a breeder/pet store. I added, "Hopefully your adoption center will flag [that business] so that this doesn't happen again." They have my contact info as well.

The breeder had no interest in working with me to get the little guy transported to the rescue. Even if they don't breed him, they'll sell him.

This little guy deserved better. The shelter told me somebody found him wandering around the neighborhood, caught him and took him to the shelter. No way to know if that's true or not (many owners will give a story like that rather than admit they're surrendering their own animal--or pay a surrender fee), but it all just makes me sick.

Bookfan
For the Love of Pigs

Post   » Mon Jun 29, 2020 3:07 pm


Dammit!!! Wish I lived closer. I might be willing to offer enough to the breeder.. Probably not, but I'd sure go in there & push for some arrangement. That beautiful little guy's caught my heart.

It's about a 3 hr drive from here. Which would be a bit much, esp. with covid worries and my deteriorated health. It would take someone with a great deal of charm to talk the store owner to hand over the pig for whatever $. I'm pretty straightforward, kind of the opposite of charming. I'd just walk in and say, "Ok. Hand him over."

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