Welcome to the forum, first off. Second, I live in a remote part of central Texas. The nearest rescue to me is more than four hours one way. But I put the word out to my local shelters and exotics vets and soon had five little guys from people who no longer wished to care for their furry friends. The point is, there is always a way to get Guinea Pigs without buying if you don't mind a little leg work. If there is a pet shop anywhere near you, there are probably people who have tired of their piggers and want to find someone to take them off of their hands. Like I said, I have five, all of them rehomes. Take out an add in your local paper, call a few exotics vets, put the word out at local shelters. And have a little patience, soon you will have more piggies than you ever thought possible.