I was recently asked via email about how to start a small rescue in one's home. Let's assume that you are single and, of course, work full-time.
I would like this thread to be an on-going discussion on ideas for starting a small rescue with these basic circumstances.
My very first thought on this, is one of education and being a role model. A lesson learned by me, is that rescue is not necessarily about saving individual animals, it's about education and prevention. It's about stopping the problem at the source. What's the source? Your next door neighbor. That's pretty much the way I look at it.
Therefore, many, many people have an opportunity to do rescue! In fact, as I'm sitting here thinking about this, I'm starting to get a concrete idea of something that could be done. I'm going to offer up a suggestion of a model that I think would be relatively easy to do and replicate.
Okay. Some assumptions:
1. You currently have at least one (preferrably two) guinea pigs.
2. You currently have or CAN make a model cage for your guinea pigs (size-wise: a 2x4 grid cage for 2 guinea pigs).
3. You currently subscribe to all proper guinea pig care and management practices.
4. You are able to have people come to your home to look at your guinea pigs and any guinea pigs that you may have for adoption. That is, if you rent, this is okay with your landlord, and if you own, your neighbors aren't going to have a fit.
5. You are computer savvy enough to upload digital images to a website and are willing to learn a little bit of basic html if you don't know it already.
6. Ideally, you have or have access to a color printer (copy stores).
7. You could create another 2x4 grid cage and have the financial means to support two more guinea pigs. This is a big deal. Even for just two rescue guinea pigs for someone who doesn't do rescue, this usually means a vet visit. Most rescues need treatment for mites at the least. Males may need to be neutered, depending on your circumstances. $$.
8. You have an email account and are willing to publish your phone number (only a very small number of rescues don't publish their phone number).
9. Again, you have the space in your home for your "model" cage and environment for your guinea pigs, as well as the ones for adoption.
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Okay, what am I missing?
10. You need to have a good vet, and also know of good vets to recommend in your general area.
11. You should have (meaning be able buy and store) extra supplies for making a proper cage for a new guinea pig caretaker (adopter).
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How much money is that to get started?
hmmm, without the pigs, it usually costs around $100 to $150 to make and completely accessorize a cage. Could be more or less depending on what you get and where you live. Add vet bills, and additional weekly costs for the additional guinea pigs (food, bedding, hay, etc.), and you should be to roughly figure out your expenses.
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Now, because you are starting small - ONLY TWO GUINEA PIGS - your promotion expenses should be able to stay small, too.
You can create a free webpage on Petfinder. You can list your guinea pigs for adoption on the Cavy Classifieds and also all of the other resources mentioned on the Additional Resources page. You can probably find a free want ad paper to advertise in, in your neighborhood. You can print out flyers to post up in various places in your neighborhood.
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Where to get the guinea pigs? There is no shortage of guinea pigs needing rescue. Just don't go and get them from a pet store like the misguided girl in my other post.
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Then there is the rather involved issue of screening, contracts, policies and whatnot. But I don't want to go into all of that in this first post.
===========
There are a number of other issues, but how is this for a start?
I would like this thread to be an on-going discussion on ideas for starting a small rescue with these basic circumstances.
My very first thought on this, is one of education and being a role model. A lesson learned by me, is that rescue is not necessarily about saving individual animals, it's about education and prevention. It's about stopping the problem at the source. What's the source? Your next door neighbor. That's pretty much the way I look at it.
Therefore, many, many people have an opportunity to do rescue! In fact, as I'm sitting here thinking about this, I'm starting to get a concrete idea of something that could be done. I'm going to offer up a suggestion of a model that I think would be relatively easy to do and replicate.
Okay. Some assumptions:
1. You currently have at least one (preferrably two) guinea pigs.
2. You currently have or CAN make a model cage for your guinea pigs (size-wise: a 2x4 grid cage for 2 guinea pigs).
3. You currently subscribe to all proper guinea pig care and management practices.
4. You are able to have people come to your home to look at your guinea pigs and any guinea pigs that you may have for adoption. That is, if you rent, this is okay with your landlord, and if you own, your neighbors aren't going to have a fit.
5. You are computer savvy enough to upload digital images to a website and are willing to learn a little bit of basic html if you don't know it already.
6. Ideally, you have or have access to a color printer (copy stores).
7. You could create another 2x4 grid cage and have the financial means to support two more guinea pigs. This is a big deal. Even for just two rescue guinea pigs for someone who doesn't do rescue, this usually means a vet visit. Most rescues need treatment for mites at the least. Males may need to be neutered, depending on your circumstances. $$.
8. You have an email account and are willing to publish your phone number (only a very small number of rescues don't publish their phone number).
9. Again, you have the space in your home for your "model" cage and environment for your guinea pigs, as well as the ones for adoption.
-----------
Okay, what am I missing?
10. You need to have a good vet, and also know of good vets to recommend in your general area.
11. You should have (meaning be able buy and store) extra supplies for making a proper cage for a new guinea pig caretaker (adopter).
=========
How much money is that to get started?
hmmm, without the pigs, it usually costs around $100 to $150 to make and completely accessorize a cage. Could be more or less depending on what you get and where you live. Add vet bills, and additional weekly costs for the additional guinea pigs (food, bedding, hay, etc.), and you should be to roughly figure out your expenses.
==========
Now, because you are starting small - ONLY TWO GUINEA PIGS - your promotion expenses should be able to stay small, too.
You can create a free webpage on Petfinder. You can list your guinea pigs for adoption on the Cavy Classifieds and also all of the other resources mentioned on the Additional Resources page. You can probably find a free want ad paper to advertise in, in your neighborhood. You can print out flyers to post up in various places in your neighborhood.
===========
Where to get the guinea pigs? There is no shortage of guinea pigs needing rescue. Just don't go and get them from a pet store like the misguided girl in my other post.
===========
Then there is the rather involved issue of screening, contracts, policies and whatnot. But I don't want to go into all of that in this first post.
===========
There are a number of other issues, but how is this for a start?
