Looking for foster or placement near Baltimore asap

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Rescue565

Post   » Mon Aug 15, 2022 2:43 pm


A friend in Baltimore found a Guinea pig outside, in a tiny cage and soaking wet in the rain. She brought him/her home & there’s been some improvement but knows she is not the proper home and she wants to do the right thing. She has a cat, is not home enough and she’s not going to make the commitment to adopt another one so he/she would have a partner. She said she’s calling 311 if she can’t find placement by tomorrow. I’ve made calls, posted in another group that helped me out 9 years ago and emailed the contact I had from back then and I’ve had zero luck. Does anyone have suggestions I can pass along? I really don’t want to see the poor thing go to an overflowing shelter. (If I didn’t have a dog where small animals are not safe, I’d drive down from PA and foster myself)

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Lynx
Celebrate!!!

Post   » Mon Aug 15, 2022 4:49 pm


I guess if I had time to find a good home, I would search out some exotics vets who care for guinea pigs and see if they have a placement bulletin board or if any of the staff know of a guinea pig rescue in the area.

Baltimore is pretty big.

Rescue565

Post   » Mon Aug 15, 2022 5:19 pm


Thanks for the suggestion! I hadn’t thought about vets who specialize in exotic pets. I can make a list tonight and call as many as possible in the morning. I’ve contacted the gp rescues in Maryland & Virginia. Haven’t heard back from any yet and may not since every dog rescue I work with is overflowing with the pets people are discarding after getting them at the beginning of Covid. It’s a nightmare. Thx again for the vet idea.

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Catie Cavy
Supporter 2011-2020

Post   » Mon Aug 15, 2022 7:24 pm


The closest I know of are the Metropolitan Guinea Pig Rescue (mgpr.org) and Helping All Little Pipsqueaks (https://www.thepipsqueakery.org). HALP has a branch in New Jersey and sometimes has transport. Although, as you say, most if not all rescues are inundated. If they can’t help, they can probably offer suggestions. You could try messaging them on Facebook for a quicker response.

Rescue565

Post   » Mon Aug 15, 2022 7:40 pm


Thanks! I sent an email to mgpr but HALP is new to me. I’ll try to reach them!

Rescue565

Post   » Wed Aug 17, 2022 5:21 pm


I’m devastated to give this update. I called, messaged or emailed every single guinea pig rescue I could find and had zero replies. Couldn’t even reply with a single suggestion. I called vets who work with guinea pigs and they were unable to help but at least didn’t just ignore me. I’ve posted here and on another forum where I didn’t receive a single reply. It’s looking like this poor little soul who fought so hard to live will be in a Baltimore City shelter by Friday. And as I said at the start, I am devastated and heartbroken.

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Catie Cavy
Supporter 2011-2020

Post   » Wed Aug 17, 2022 6:34 pm


I just messaged HALP and MPGR on Facebook. Don’t know if it will help but sometimes rescues are quicker to respond on Facebook. I also asked about the Baltimore shelter. Some shelters are better than others, and they may be an okay place to take a guinea pig.

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Catie Cavy
Supporter 2011-2020

Post   » Wed Aug 17, 2022 6:51 pm


I heard back from both. HALP just said the only nearby rescue they know of is MGPR. MGPR just said they are full. Neither one commented about how the Baltimore shelter is. The BARCS google reviews seem positive. The Maryland SPCA seems like they may do more screening but I’m not sure if they take guinea pigs. Shelters aren’t necessarily a bad place to take guinea pigs. I adopted 2 of my guinea pigs from my local shelter and of course gave them a wonderful home.

ETA: HALP just messaged me again. They said they are not familiar with the Baltimore shelters, but they know MGPR works closely with a few. They didn't know which ones. Again, I don't think BARCS or the SPCA would be bad places to take a guinea pig. Not as good as a rescue, but I think they'll take good care of the guinea pig and do some screening.

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Catie Cavy
Supporter 2011-2020

Post   » Wed Aug 17, 2022 7:32 pm


I heard back from MGPR about the Baltimore shelters. They said they may have heard that ACACS is no longer taking small animals, but they weren’t sure. I’m not sure what ACACS is. They said in the past, ACACS would contact them with the sick guinea pigs and moved the well ones to other shelters if MGPR could not take them. MGPR said it's a real mess everywhere with everyone being full. They said some of the full rescues are still taking in guinea pigs (didn’t say which ones, may not be in the area) but they are struggling to afford to care for them.

I'm not sure why things are so bad everywhere. Maybe it's partly the result of the pandemic. Best wishes to you and thank you for caring.

Rescue565

Post   » Wed Aug 17, 2022 9:09 pm


I’m very glad to hear they don’t ignore everyone. That sure was quick! I also contacted HALP on fbook and that was Monday literally begging for any place I could turn. I emailed MGPR, again begging. That doesn’t matter now & it’s unimportant to anyone here what I think about them. I used to live in Baltimore and have been very involved in rescue. I have no idea what ACACS is. There is BCAS - Baltimore County Area Shelter and then of course there is BARCS. BARCS does a great job and has a lot of support but it is still never enough and too many animals are put down due to space. BCAS is the last place on earth any animal wants to find itself. Not because there’s anything wrong with the people who work there, but they are underfunded and overpopulated at all times. I have contacted every rescue I work with in MD, DE, PA, NJ and VA. They are dog rescues & always overwhelmed as it is. They wouldn’t even know how to begin taking care of guinea pigs properly and starting another network from scratch. I don’t know what other kind of rescues she could be referring to. If she’s referring to gp rescues, welp, they don’t reply to me. I appreciate you reaching out to them and getting answers for me. I’m despondent over how this is ending but I have tried every single thing I know to do. I have good results 95% of the time so this has been a very depressing experience and to say I feel helpless would just be a start to the feelings I’m having. Just the saddest thing ever right now. Again, thank you. Glad this little guy is not COMPLETELY invisible.

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Sef
I dissent.

Post   » Wed Aug 17, 2022 11:54 pm


Thank you for trying to help this little one. I'm seeing so many shelters and rescues over-run right now, and I don't really understand why. My buddy who runs a guinea pig rescue in Indiana says she hasn't had many adoptions so far this year, and there is a long waiting list for others that need to be surrendered. It really is a sad situation.

I wish I lived closer. I could at least foster until a forever home is found.

Sending good thoughts your way. I know that isn't really what you need most right now, but I'll keep fingers crossed that something works out for this guy.

Talishan
You can quote me

Post   » Fri Aug 19, 2022 8:53 pm


This humane society --

https://bmorehumane.org
https://bmorehumane.org/adopt/adopt-a-small-animal/

-- doesn't look bad. Of course anyone can present themselves well on the internet and I know nothing about them, but in general a humane society that takes small animals and knows something about how to care for them is preferable to a city shelter (pound).

Good luck and blessings to this little one. Bless your friend for finding him and taking him in, and you for trying so very hard to help.

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