Furry Friends Guinea Pig Rescue

Furry Friends Guinea Pig Rescue is a 501(c)3 organization which was formed in order to save helpless guinea pigs, primarily from shelters where they may be euthanized, and find them loving forever homes. The rescue also works to educate the public and promote larger cages and the highest level of care. If you are interested in adopting a guinea pig, please read our 'adoptions' page and fill out our adoption application.

In December 2005, I started Furry Friends Guinea Pig Rescue in order to save homeless guinea pigs throughout Southeast Pennsylvania. In the three years since the rescue's beginning, 250 guinea pigs have been placed into new, loving homes. I started the rescue as a freshman in high school and now, three years later, I am a senior applying to college! In light of my plan for next year, to be enrolled as a full-time undergraduate student, I am working on closing Furry Friends Guinea Pig Rescue. I am no longer accepting guinea pigs into the rescue and am working on finding homes for the remaining cavies. If you are interested in adopting a furry friend, I still have several guinea pigs in the rescue looking for forever homes!

If you are interested in releasing a guinea pig, please contact another local rescue such as Have A Heart Guinea Pig Rescue, the Delaware County SPCA, or Chester County SPCA. I would like to thank Glenolden Animal Hospital for the wonderful veterinary care they have always provided for my rescue guinea pigs. Thank you also to Sue Baxter, a liason for the Delco SPCA, for aiding me in my efforts and always being willing to help. It is also important to thank my family, especially my parents, for supporting me thoughout this endeavor! They have aided me every step of the way and this would in no way have been possible without their help.

These past three years have been so rewarding for me. I know that my life will not be the same without the twenty-five or so guineas in the rescue that I'm used to caring for daily. Some of my favorite memories include their chorus of squeaks at dinner time, getting to know each new cavy that entered the rescue, and watching them leave with new, loving owners.

I hope that the guinea pigs that I have placed into new homes are all happy and healthy and having the times of their lives with their new owners! Please feel free to contact me at Furry_Friends@comcast.net with questions or comments. Also please remember throughout this holiday season that, if you are interested in giving a child an animal as a present, please research the care associated with the animal and understand that, as the parent, the animal will be your responsibility too! Remember to think adoption first!

Thank you and have a wonderful holiday season,

Grace Spring

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Background

After adopting 6 guinea pigs from a New Jersey guinea pig rescue, Grace Spring recognized the growing guinea pig overpopulation problem and the dire need for more rescues. When Grace, who was 14 years old at the time and a freshman in high school, convinced her parents to let her start a guinea pig rescue, she began making preparations, planning, and saving money. She built several cubes and coroplast cages in the basement, where the rescue would be located, and started buying supplies. Grace received support in starting her rescue from Glenolden Animal Hospital and Back to Nature Feed Store.When all preparations were finished, including starting a website on Petfinder and making adoption applications and contracts, Grace and her family went to the Delaware County SPCA to rescue three female guinea pigs. Furry Friends Guinea Pig Rescue was started on December 9, 2005!

Since its start, FFGPR has grown from housing 3 guinea pigs to an average of 30! Many more cages were built to accommodate all of the cavies. The rescue continues to take in guinea pigs from local SPCAs where they are in danger of being euthanized and from private owners who can no longer care for them. Furry Friends is now in the last step in receiving its 501c3 non profit status!

Goals

In the future, Furry Friends Guinea Pig Rescue wants visit a local nursing home monthly to share the joy that guinea pigs bring with the residents.

The rescue also wants to visit elementary schools in the area more frequently in order to promote proper guinea pig care and education.