Where to get piggies in Regina, Saskatchewan? - Guinea Pig Cages, Care, Store, Photos of Guinea Pigs and More Forum!

grEEEn · #1 12-30-06, 09:48 pm

Because I realise this is a pro-rescue anti-petshop forum, I want to know where other people get their pigs when they can't find any in their own province/state... "in need of a good home"

I regularly check the Regina humane society - there's rarely a guinea pig on there Regina Humane Society - Available Pets - Photo Catalogue
I don't check Saskatoon SPCA as often, but here's a link there (no small furry animals at all right now) Saskatoon SPCA Adoptable Animals
And I tried Petfinder, there's no guinea pigs in my province at all! Petfinder pet list

So the next time I want a piggy, why can't I get another petstore pig

**CavySpirit** · #2 12-30-06, 09:57 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by grEEEn

So the next time I want a piggy, why can't I get another petstore pig

Are you asking a hypothetical question or not? I really don't want members of this forum wasting their time looking for a hypothetical pig for you to adopt.

If you really are looking for a pig, this thread belongs in the Adoptables forum. If you aren't, again, I don't want members wasting their time.

And believe me, in an entire state or province, there ARE guinea pigs in need of a home. One only has to be motivated to find them. If you are looking for rationalizations to buy a guinea pig, don't waste our time. I'm sick of rehashing the same old arguments. Go buy one and find another forum to talk about your purchase.

**PiggieMom** · #3 12-30-06, 10:01 pm

Piggie trains can be arranged many times to bring a pig in need closer to you. There are so many places that are overwhelmed, that they are happy to find a way to get the pig to a good home. I live in a rural area of Michigan. I drove two and a half hours to adopt my first pair. Drove another three hours in an atempt to meet up with someone to adopt a girl (it didn't work out, she had been adopted earlier that morning). And drove seven hours to adopt my trio. The seven hour trip was my choice, I actually have five people willing to help me at a later date. If I had accepted their help I would have only had to drive an hour. But I was in the mood for a road trip. There have been many members here who don't drive, but have found people to bring their pigs in need to them.

In short, you just need to try harder. Check the adoption forum here, on guinealynx.com and pigloo.com. Find the rescue closest to you, then start a thread requesting a piggie train. With a little hard work you can save a pig's life.

**Himino** · #4 12-30-06, 10:02 pm

Have you tried calling the shelters not just looking at there online pages. I know my local shelters hardly ever lists them, if at all. I am currently looking to adopt and had to call around to find a shelter with guinea pigs. So try that then get back to us.
The reason not to get a guinea from a petstore is stated in almost every thread in the kitchen. We don't support it, period. It gives money to the people we are trying to stop. Also when buying from a petstore 95% of the time you are going to get a sick animal. So why go through the trouble? It will do you better in the long run to try and adopt.

And like PiggieMom said there are always piggie trains. So don't think buying one is the only way. If you truly want a pig bad enough you'll find a way to make it work!

**smartorl** · #5 12-30-06, 10:30 pm

If there is no streamlined method of locating a pig in your area, because trust me they are there, maybe you could help to orchestrate one. As others stated above, alot of shelters, the one I volunteer at included, don't have the resources or the time to list their animals, especially the small ones. If you haven't called them personally, then you really don't know. Many times, if they don't have the resources to house them on site, many don't, they know of private sector groups and fostered animals that are available.

grEEEn · #6 12-31-06, 08:19 am

alright, probably did post in the wront area, sorry. I am not looking to a dopt another right now, I'm just saying I got both of mine from pet stores - one of them was surrendered, and the other wasn't. The last time I did see a guineapig on the Regina page, he was adopted by the time I called. It just doesn't seem to be such a problem where I live, that's why I asked the question. I Thought maybe it would be taken as good news? Anyways, now I know how to go about it when I'm ready for another.

It is my dream to eventually have 3 guinea pigs, as my boyfriend's nickname is "Wolf"

already got a hideyhouse made of straw, another from sticks, I'll find a way to make one appear to be brick!

**smartorl** · #7 12-31-06, 08:30 am

Due to the fact that overpopulation is a prevalent problem, the fact that there are no programs or groups in your area is a sad testiment, or it could be that you haven't really checked into it. It could be that they are promptly euthenized when surrendered or in some areas, sadly handed over to pet shops. If you are looking for validation for your decision to buy from a store, you will not get it here, not with so many being euthenized every day BECAUSE of pet shops and the problems they create.

**thalestral** · #8 12-31-06, 09:24 am

If there are petshops selling guinea pigs near you then you can bet there are guinea pigs needing homes. You don't get one without the other.

Call the rescues and check the classifieds, it might take a little longer than just walking into a pet shop, but it is so worth it.

**Slave to the Wheek** · #9 01-01-07, 03:14 am

Don't forget to call veterinary offices. I had a friend who was an assistant, and the volume of pets dumped off at vet offices is quite surprising.

**Slave to the Wheek** · #10 01-01-07, 03:22 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by thalestral

If there are petshops selling guinea pigs near you then you can bet there are guinea pigs needing homes. You don't get one without the other.

Why is it so hard for people to get this? Why not ask yourself where DO all the pet store piggies go when
-kids get bored,
-mom has allergies,
-dog tries to eat,
-dad says it stinks
-turns out pet store sold pregnant pig
-no one wants to pay the vet bill
....and whatever other lame reasons people give for not wanting their pet store purchase?

Simple critical thinking says that those pigs are "disposed" of somehow. Yet, because they are not seen as worth the effort of finding they somehow deserve whatever fate befalls them.

**Marina_7** · #11 01-01-07, 04:16 pm

Here in British Columbia too, there are not that many guinea pigs up for adoption in shelters either. I am currently looking for a female companion for my sow, and the majority of few adoptables out there are males.

CANADA has a smaller human population than the US by far! So, here there are not so many homeless animals. And there are few kill shelters in the whole of Canada (none in B.C) So, naturally there will be a smaller amount of homeless guinea pigs....

Try Craigslist- there is often postings for guinea pigs that need good homes.
And also post your own ad "Wanted Guinea pig" You will more likely get some replies- thats how I adopted Lark (my girl.)

Also, contact a local 4H club- they can often point you in the right direction in adopted a healthy, non-petstore animal.

Good Luck in finding your new pig(gies.) But, please don't buy from a petstore, you will just be supporting their sales and will end up with a sickly, often unsocialized pig. I used to work at Petcetera and have seen it all. Guinea pigs with mites, ringworm, returned after a year when their nails are curled into their paws.....pretty sad. It is better in the long run to just stay clear of petstores!

grEEEn · #12 01-01-07, 04:27 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Marina_7

Here in British Columbia too, there are not that many guinea pigs up for adoption in shelters either. I am currently looking for a female companion for my sow, and the majority of few adoptables out there are males.

CANADA has a smaller human population than the US by far! So, here there are not so many homeless animals. And there are few kill shelters in the whole of Canada (none in B.C) So, naturally there will be a smaller amount of homeless guinea pigs....

Try Craigslist- there is often postings for guinea pigs that need good homes.
And also post your own ad "Wanted Guinea pig" You will more likely get some replies- thats how I adopted Lark (my girl.)

Also, contact a local 4H club- they can often point you in the right direction in adopted a healthy, non-petstore animal.

Good Luck in finding your new pig(gies.) But, please don't buy from a petstore, you will just be supporting their sales and will end up with a sickly, often unsocialized pig. I used to work at Petcetera and have seen it all. Guinea pigs with mites, ringworm, returned after a year when their nails are curled into their paws.....pretty sad. It is better in the long run to just stay clear of petstores!

Thank you so much for the very helpful and valid info! Last time I checked, Saskatchewan was still a few thousand short of a million people. But because there's so much farm land there should be 4H club a plenty - but aren't those looked down on too? I have had a pet store guinea pig get sick and die on me before, so I've been extra careful since then. I have friends at work who keep an eye out for pigs for me, and whenever there's been someone who needs to dump their ferret they've given us a call before too -_-

**VoodooJoint** · #13 01-01-07, 04:59 pm

Yes, 4H is looked down on too. Why would anyone want to support a bunch of children breeding animals? If you contact the local 4Hers looking for GPs what you will find are child breeders trying to find people to dump their culls on.

In the future Marina_7 please do not recommend 4H as a means of finding animals. We do not support breeding on this forum which is something I am certain you know. We do not appreciate anyone trying to undermine our message.

**Himino** · #14 01-01-07, 10:42 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by VoodooJoint

Yes, 4H is looked down on too. Why would anyone want to support a bunch of children breeding animals? If you contact the local 4Hers looking for GPs what you will find are child breeders trying to find people to dump their culls on.

In the future Marina_7 please do not recommend 4H as a means of finding animals. We do not support breeding on this forum which is something I am certain you know. We do not appreciate anyone trying to undermine our message.

4-H does in some places involve breeding, but I don't think it fair to generalize.

**Marina_7** · #15 01-01-07, 11:53 pm

gREEn, glad if I was some help. Also try calling local shelters and ask to leave your contact info so that they can contact you if any guinea pigs come in. Good way to show that you have great interest and will offer the pig a fantastic home. Statistically, Canada is really underpopulated- Less than a million in Saskatchewan? Here in BC, there are 4.1 Million people. Nothing compared to 36 M in California.... We need more people and piggies

VoodooJoint, I am also very proadoption and antibreeding, so I didn't purposely post about 4H to support breeding. Sorry, if I came across that way. It is possible that they may have an older animal which, after a life of breeding, needs a good home. I think that would be a better way of obtaining a pig than buying from a petstore.

**VoodooJoint** · #16 01-01-07, 11:56 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Marina_7

VoodooJoint, I am also very proadoption and antibreeding, so I didn't purposely post about 4H to support breeding. Sorry, if I came across that way. It is possible that they may have an older animal which, after a life of breeding, needs a good home. I think that would be a better way of obtaining a pig than buying from a petstore.

You are still helping a breeder dump a "useless" animal to make room for more breeding. It makes no sense to be prorescue on one hand and be helping out the breeders with the other.

**kavykrazy** · #17 01-02-07, 01:30 am

The last pig I got was from a former 4-H kid. She only had the one pig and didn't do any breeding. She showed for a couple of years, but for some reason she is getting out of the cavy project. Her mom brought the pig to my local feedstore and dropped her off. I happened in just after the pig was dropped off. I didn't like the thought of the poor pig being left in an unheated building after being kept in a warm house so I brought her home. Poor Pebbles went crazy when she heard my other pigs wheeking.

This feedstore is a major drop point for unwanted small animals. It is really sad to see pets dropped off. For awhile a monitor owner and a boa owner checked regularly to see if there were any rabbits available. The stupid rabbit owners never even asked what would happen to their pets.

grEEEn · #18 01-02-07, 08:37 am

that's so sad about the feedstore bunnies, if I had to give up Boris before he died I would have gotten one of my friends to take him in

I will deffinatly give the local shelters my contact info when I'm ready for another piggy, that sounds like the best way to go. I have 2 boys that are going to finally become cagemates tonight - after living side by side since September. Not sure if I want to try a 3rd boy later on, or what yet.

**VoodooJoint** · #19 01-02-07, 08:59 am

grEEEn - Please read the rules of the forum http://www.guineapigcages.com/forum/...ing-rules.html

Especially this paragraph

Multiple Accounts- You are allowed only one account per member on this forum. If you are a Cavy Cager or Cavy Slave and found to have multiple accounts, all your accounts will be banned without notice and you will not be allowed to rejoin. If you are a Cavy Star or Cavy Champion and have multiple accounts, all your accounts except your primary account will be banned and you will be issued a stern warning not to create any more accounts. Last but certainly not least, if you are BANNED from cavycages forum under a temporary ban, signing up under a new name to post while your old name is banned will automatically earn you a permanent ban from the forum. There was a reason why you earned a temporary ban and if you just take it, it's over relatively soon and you can come back and post. If you are BANNED permanently, that means don't come back. Everytime you TRY to rejoin or even manage to sneak past us and rejoin, you will be caught and banned again.

**Sabriel** · #20 01-02-07, 09:04 am

I wouldn't generalize about Canada too much. Homeless pigs may not be a problem in the west, but in Ontario it's a big problem. We have quite a few kill shelters out here. And they aren't just in Toronto and the surrounding area, they also have a kill shelter back home in Windsor (a shelter which is full to the brim. at the moment.)

Canada's population isn't distributed very well. Ontario and Quebec seem to get the lion's share of people, though with Vancouver being a popular destination for immigrants I am sure BC will continue to grow. And Alberta's oil boom is attracting lots of people due to work shortages in other parts of the country.

Life in Canada is not always the same as what you see on Corner Gas.