Cavy is the general term used when describing any of 14 species of South American rodents that includes guinea pigs, and at Sunday’s event, many of OC Cavy Haven’s furry, wide-eyed charges were placed with pre-approved adoptive families who had submitted five-page applications.
Educating the public about the need for adoption of these animals and providing information on how to care for them is the group’s focus, Hoglind said.
The message they want to get across is “Guinea pig adoption is the better option.” Better than buying them from a pet store, Hoglind said, when so many of these animals are euthanized at shelters before they can be rescued.
While many people think of cats and dogs when they decide to rescue an animal from a shelter, guinea pigs are abandoned just as often, and the majority of shelters aren’t equipped to care for them.
Most shelters have wire cages for animals, and guinea pigs can’t be kept in cages with wire floors because their feet are delicate and easily damaged. They also require a specialized diet of fresh green vegetables, high quality grass hay and pellets.
Why are there so many abandoned guinea pigs in the first place?
Hoglind said many parents think guinea pigs make good “starter pets,” and more often than not, it’s an impulse buy. Parents then mistakenly think kids can take care of them without any help or supervision.
Hoglind’s daughter, Courtney Brooks, 11, who got her first guinea pig when she was 7, volunteers at the OC Cavy Haven adoption events and said parents need to work with kids to monitor the feeding, keep the cage clean and make sure their pet is getting enough attention if they want a happy guinea pig. And if a guinea pig is happy, you’ll know it.
They “popcorn,” a rather frenetic activity where they throw themselves into the air, twisting, turning and basically, jumping for joy.
