Saturday, February 19, 2011

Why You Should Donate to Our Rescue

Ok, let me preface this by saying I am not trying to send anyone on a guilt trip. We have only had two donations (which were very generous, thank you) since we had our donate button installed, and while I am grateful for any donation, I was hoping for a better response. We are certainly not in dire straits, but even small donations can be used to help the guinea pigs. So here is my list of reasons why you should consider hitting that button:
1. WE SPEND OUR MONEY WISELY.
I was paying $15 for a 25 lb. bag of premium guinea pig food at our local feed store. When I went to Tractor Supply, I found a comparable food in a 50 lb. bag for around $18. Double the food, only a few bucks more, so I had to switch. The good news is, the guinea pigs still love it. While Romaine and carrots are a must-have each week, I wait until certain produce is on sale before I buy it. We're always looking for ways to save.
2. BUT WE'RE NOT CHEAP!
That being said, it does not mean that we skimp on care or food for our guinea pigs. I don't care if cedar bedding is less expensive; it's toxic. I don't care if lettuce is out of season; I buy it. If a guinea pig is hurt or sick, it goes to the vet.
3. WE SUPPORT THE LOCALS WHEN POSSIBLE.
We may have switched pellets, but we still buy our bedding from the feed store up the road. They've been hit as hard as everyone else and we'd like them to stay in business. We also like to promote local businesses that have helped us, such as Piggy Bed Spreads. By using the fleeces, we are able to cut down on our bedding expenses even further.
4. WE HAVE A STRICT NO BREEDING/BUYING POLICY.
Absolutely NONE of our guinea pigs have gotten pregnant while they were here, nor have any of them come from us buying them from pet stores. The vast majority of our guinea pigs were purchased at pet stores, the owners tired of them, and they came to us. We have had only two new litters, from sows that were pregnant before they arrived. It's like Jurassic Park: No unauthorized breeding!
5. WE SUPPORT OTHER ANIMAL RESCUE ORGANIZATIONS.
Just because we specialize in guinea pigs does not mean we don't care about other animals. Our goats, donkey, barn cats and one of our dogs were adopted, and we support organizations like Farm Sanctuary and Best Friends Animal Society. If I feel another guinea pig rescue could give someone what they need, I am happy to pass on that information. We're all in this together!
I realize we are not an "official" nonprofit. We may be private, but we are always nonprofit, which to us means not even attempting to make money from our adoptions. Adoption fees are in place to ensure that our guinea pigs go to responsible homes. Only $6 buys bedding for one week for 27 guinea pigs; $9 provides 25 lbs. of pellets.
I guess I wanted to write this to let our followers know their donations are always used wisely, whether it is financial or in the form of cages, food, bedding, etc. My purpose in life is to take care of these animals, not take advantage of anyone. So, if you've been considering it, go ahead and hit the donate button, and it will be much appreciated.

1 comment:

  1. I can't believe you've only had 2 litters. I don't breed either and from just one person we got 3 pregnant pigs. We did buy a pregnant guinea pig from a pet store because she was grossly not be taken care of.

    I hope you get more donations though. :D

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