Okay, so I just reread the thread, and I personally think that of all the options, shelter, rescue, individual, while they all have their pros and cons, rescues have the most pros. That's just me though. If patience is not one of your virtues, a shelter or individual are other great options, but you don't have the health guarantee necessarily, or, necessarily, the continued contact for guinea pig help
specific to your pig. Also, you would probably more easily get transportation help with a rescue, because they'll have contacts with guinea pig lovers all over the area. Many rescuers like to come to your home anyway to do the adoption in order to make sure your set up is suitable (if this is the case though, they might have a restriction on how far they travel).
So that's basically my way of saying I'm including some that aren't quite as close to you as is instinctively ideal. I am also including some of the shelters I really like, but I don't know NY geography super well, so sorry if some aren't realistic.
Adopt a Guinea Pig in PA/NJ/NY/WV: NY-Life Long Tails-Two Bonded, One Single
I would recommend the first bonded pair in this listing (the baby girl listed second shouldn't be a single pig for her forever home). If the daughter is five months old and they're still getting along, odds are very low they would become unbonded, from my understanding. They're also both young so they're less set in their ways (generalization), and they'll have more time on the good diet and care you're providing them, possibly making them less prone to health problems (generalization).
Erie County SPCA Erie County SPCA (not sure of NY geography) always has a ton of pigs, and my hunch is they don't put them all on the website. It seems like they have more small animal experience with the average shelter, and since they house so many regularly I would guess they would have more of an idea of how differing pig's personalities. You could contact them and see if they had either a loner pig, or a good pair for a first time , but prepared owner. They also have off site adoption locations, described here:
The SPCA Serving Erie County: Off-Site adoption photos and locations Adopt a Guinea Pig in PA/NJ/NY/WV: NY-Lollypop Farm in Fairport-Class Photo The Lollypop Farm in Fairport is a shelter that's worth the trip. They have some of the most adorable guineas I have ever seen, and also have what seems like above average guinea pig experience.
Adopt a Guinea Pig in PA/NJ/NY/WV: NY/NJ/PA-Rescued piggie girl needs a home This beautiful girl is being housed by an experienced guinea pig person who saved her from CL, and is fostering her, though is not affiliated with a rescue. She is willing to travel to a good adopter. Contact her to find out if she thinks this pig would be a good single pig.
Adopt a Guinea Pig in PA/NJ/NY/WV: NY-Craigslist-b/w guinea pig Just posting this one because the pig is in your area. It's an older CL ad, so the pig might be gone. Didn't seem like the poster was screening.
Here are some more of the Life Long Tails pigs:
Adopt a Guinea Pig in PA/NJ/NY/WV: NY-Life Long Tails Their mailing address is Cheektowaga, but they operate out of foster homes, so some of the pigs might turn out to be near you.
http://www.petfinder.com/shelters/NY473.html Amiable Animals is a rescue run by a woman over at GuineaLynx. I think they only have one guinea pig available for adoption, but it seems like the rescue offers referrals to other guinea pigs available for adoption. Worth a shot, if none of the other links work out.
And here are two NJ rescues that have tons of piggies and might be willing to work out a train:
North Jersey Guinea Pig and Hamster Rescue and
Have-A-Heart Guinea Pig Rescue .
Good luck, and I hope this helps!