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Guinea Pig Rescue Directory: USA, Canada, UK, Australia

Published 9/2/2012 | Updated 12/8/2024
Category: Ask HappyCavy | HappyCavy

Ask Hammy

I’m wondering where your humans find new pigs when you are looking for mates?

You are all such a good looking bunch, Dot is great, so any helpful suggestions are most appreciated. I’m happy to drive great distances to find the right pig(s).

Karen in Euenge, Oregon

Hi, Karen!

Thanks for your wonderful question! And a very happy “hai there” to a fellow citizen of the Pacific Northwest!

Admittedly, it isn’t easy finding new guinea pigs to adopt in Oregon since our State is without a major guinea pig shelter or rescue organization that exclusively handles guinea pig adoptions. Because of this, our Humans have had to become quite adept at scouting for adoptable guinea pig. In fact, Human #1 keeps a running list on his computer machine of rescues and shelters that accept and re-home guinea pigs in the Northwest and beyond.

Update 2/27/2015: The Portland Guinea Pig Rescue

Portland, Oregon now has its own guinea pig rescue!

The Portland Guinea Pig Rescue is run by a small group of knowledgeable, dedicated volunteers. We should know. We adopted Winnie and Rosie from them!

Visit http://pdxguineapigs.org for adoption info, photos of available guinea pigs, and to make a donation if you feel compelled.

Wheek!

After some incessant wheeking on the part of the HappyCavies, Human #1 has agreed to help us put together this post of guinea pig rescue and shelter organizations where you can go to find guinea pigs to adopt.

The Where To Find Guinea Pigs To Adopt List is grouped into the following categories:

Online Directories: Online guinea Pig adoption listings
Oregon & Pacific Northwest: Find guinea pigs in Oregon
USA National: USA guinea pig shelters
UK National: UK guinea pig shelters (addition)
Australia: Australia guinea pig shelters (addition)

I hope this list helps you in your search. Good luck! 😀

Online Listings USA

Adopt A Pet Online Search. An online pet adoption database.

Craigslist. The oldest, and arguably most-used, classified listing website available today. Your local Craiglist message board is a great way to start your search for guinea pigs in need of Forever Homes.

Guinea Pig Adoption Network. A classified service with guinea pig listings arranged by geographic location. Though not the easiest website to navigate, it boasts a large enough database to warrant further investigation.

Guinea Pig Finder. This website is an excellent go-to resources to find private adoptions, guinea pigs at rescues and shelters, and listings of guinea pig rescues and shelters around the world. Plus, the directory is carefully managed to exclude intentionally bred guinea pigs.

PetFinder. Pet Finders hosts a great online database of guinea pigs available for adoption around the world.

Small Mammal Adoption Listings (USA) RescueMe.org offers a free online listing service for guinea pigs and other small mammals. Adoptable animals are arranged according to US state, but you are also able to browse listings for nearly every country.

 

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Where To Find A Guinea Pig In Oregon & Beyond

The “Where To Find Guinea Pigs To Adopt” List wouldn’t be complete without a local resource for fellow Oregonians, so this section was moved almost straight to the top.

Below you will find a list of shelters and rescues in Oregon, Washington, and Idaho that shelter and re-home guinea pigs.

HappyCavy has verified that each organization listed in this section act to provide shelter and re-homing services for guinea pigs. If you don’t see an Oregon shelter listed below, chances are that they do not handle guinea pig adoptions. Please leave a comment for corrections or additions.


Oregon (OR):

Apollo Cavy Sanctuary (Salem)
Blue Mountain Humane Society (La Grande)
Bright Side Animal Center (Redmond) – formerly Humane Society of Redmond
Columbia Gorge Humane Society (The Dalles)
Columbia Humane Society (St. Helens)
* adopts guinea pig on a “case by case” basis
Coos Bay Humane Society (Coos Bay)
* only adopts guinea pigs “in extreme circumstances”
Friends of the Animal Shelter (Ashland)
* not a “strong source for guinea pig rescue”
Green Hill Humane Society (Eugene)
Heartland Humane Society (Corvallis)
Humane Society of Central Oregon (Bend)
Humane Society of The Ochocos (Prinville)
Klamath Animal Shelter (Klamath Falls)
Oregon Humane Society (Portland Metro)
The Portland Guinea Pig Rescue (Portland, OR)
Safe Haven Humane Society (Tangent)
Shady Grove Animal Rescue (Beaverton)

Idaho (ID):

Kootenai Humane Society (Hayden)
Idaho Humane Society (Boise, ID)

Washington State (WA):

Vanellope Guinea Pig Sanctuary (Chehalis)
Humane Society for Seattle & King County (Seattle)
Humane Society of Central Washington (Yakima)
Humane Society of Tacoma and Pierce County (Tacoma)
Kitsap Humane Society (Silverdale)
Seattle Animal Shelter (Seattle)
Spokane Humane Society (Spokane)
Vanellope Guinea Pig Sanctuary (Lewis County)

 

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Where To Find A Guinea Pig – USA & Canada

Other Resources

USA Rescue Organizations (Guinea Lynx)

USA Small Mammal Listings (RescueMe.org)

Canadian Rescue Organizations (Guinea Lynx)

Alabama (AL):

North Alabama Ferret and Small Animal Rescue (Florence)

Alaska (AK):

Daisy Acres Critter Services (Fairbanks)
Haines Animal Rescue (Haines)
Junipers Guinea Pig Rescue (Eagle River)

Arizona (AZ):

AZ Guinea Pigs Rescue (Phoenix)
Humane Society of Southern Arizona (Tucson)

Arkansas (AR):

Grandma’s Animals (Cabot)
Texarkana Guinea Pig Rescue (Texarkana)

California (CA):

Cavy House Guinea Pig Rescue (La Honda)
Cavy Spirit Guinea Pig Rescue (San Francisco Bay Area)
Cavy World (El Sobrante, CA)
LA Guinea Pig Rescue (Los Angeles)
North Star Rescue (San Francisco)
Orange County Cavy Haven (Garden Grove)
Southern California Guinea Pig Rescue (Southern California)
Wee Companions Small Animal Adoption Inc. (San Diego)
Rabbit & Pocket Pet Adoptions (San Fernando Valley)

Colorado (CO):

Cavy Care Inc. (Denver & Aurora)
Foohills Animal Shelter (Golden)

Connecticut (CT):

Connecticut Humane Society

Delaware (DE):

Guinea Pig Finder

Florida (FL):

Crazy Cavies Guinea Pig Rescue (Coral Springs)
H.A.L.O Rescue (Indian River County)
Luv-A-Pet Rescue (Royal Palm Beach)
Piggyville (Tampa)

Georgia (GA):

Oakhurst Guinea Pig Rescue (Decatur)

Hawaii (HI):

Hawaiian Humane Society (Honolulu)
Hawaii Island Humane Society (Kailua-Kona)

Idaho (ID): See Oregon and Beyond Section

Illinois (IL):

Fur Angels Animal Sanctuary (Aurora)
The Critter Corral (Steger)

Indiana (IN):

Max Cavies Guinea Pig Haven (Auburn)
EARPS Exotic Animal Rescue (Indianapolis)
Camp Cavy Rescue (Northwest Indiana)
Rescued Guinea Pigs Inc. (Scottsburg)

Iowa (IA):

Cherished Cavies (Hiawatha)
Furry Friends Refuge (Des Moines)

Kansas (KS):

The T. Russell Reitz Animal Shelter (Manhattan)
Helping Hands Humane Society, Inc. (Topeka)

Kentucky (KY):

Woodford Humane Society (Versailles)

Louisiana (LA):

For the Love of Rats Rescue (Walker)
Magic Happens Rescue (Baton Rouge)
Magic Happens Rabbit Rescue (New Orleans)


Maine (ME):

If you know of a guinea pig rescue in Maine, let us know!

Maryland (MD):

Metropolitan Guinea Pig Rescue (DMV area)
Small Angels Rescue (Frederick)

Massachusetts (MA):

Guinea Pig Sanctuary (Salisbury)
Methuen Adoption Center Nevins Farm (Methuen)

Michigan (MI):

The Cozy Cavy Guinea Pig Rescue (Holt)
Rabbit and Small Animal Rescue (Westland, Oak Park, Romulus)
Tiny Paws Rescue (Warren)
West Michigan Critter Haven (Grand Rapids Area)

Minnesota (MN):

Lovely Cavy Sanctuary and Rescue (Sauk Center)
Minnesota Pocket Pet Rescue (Twin Cities)

Mississippi (MS):

Guinea Pig Finder
Mississippi Animal Rescue League (Jackson)

Missouri (MO):

Humane Society of Missouri (St. Louis)

Montana (MT):

Humane Society of Western Montana (Missoula)

Nebraska (NE):

Nebraska Humane Society (Omaha)

Nevada (NV):

CARE & Reno Small Animal Rescue (Fernley)
Reno Small Animal Rescue & Reptile (Reno)
Nevada SPCA (Las Vegas)
Vegas Friends Of Guinea Pig Rescue (Las Vegas)

New Hampshire (NH):

Animal Rescue League of New Hampshire (Bedford)

New Jersey (NJ):

Monmouth County SPCA (Eatontown)
North Jersey Guinea Pig and Hamster Rescue (Budd Lake)

New Mexico (NM):

Albuquerque Animal Welfare (Albuquerque)

New York (NY):

My Hope’s In You Small Animal Rescue (Poughkeepsie)
Oswego County Guinea Pig Rescue (Pennellville)
Porcellus Place Guinea Pig Rescue (Copiague)

North Carolina (NC):

Asheville Guinea Pig Rescue (Asheville)

North Dakota (ND):

Circle of Friends Humane Society (Grand Forks)

Circle of Friends Humane Society (Havelock)

Ohio (OH):

Alchemy Acres (Salem)
CJ’s Cavy Caves and Guinea Pig Rescue (Uniontown)
Woopsadaisy Guinea Pig Rescue (Ashville)

Oklahoma (OK):

Happy Acres Animal Sanctuary (Sulphur)

Oregon (OR): See Oregon and Beyond Section

Pennsylvania (PA):

Judge’s Park (Edinburg)
Erie Guinea Pig Rescue (Erie)
Wheek Care Guinea Pig Rescue (New Kensington/Pittsburgh Area)

Rhode Island (RI):

The Rhode Island SPCA (East Providence)
Providence Animal Rescue League (Providence)

South Carolina (SC):

Cullen’s Archangel Rescue (Columbus)

South Dakota(SD):

Sioux Falls Humane Society (Sioux Falls)
Western Hills Humane Society (Spearfish)

Tennessee (TN):

Guardian Angel Pet Rescue (Collierville)
East Tennessee Guinea Pig Rescue (Lenoir City)

Texas (TX):

Austin Guinea Pig Rescue (Austin)
Paw-Some Small Critter Rescue, Inc. (Lake Jackson)
Second Chance Cavy Rescue (San Antonio)
Texas Rustlers Guinea Pig Rescue (Lewisville)
Utah (UT):

Best Friends Animal Society (Kanab)
OC Small Paws (Hurricane)
Utah Humane Society (Murray)

Vermont (VT):

Mendon Mountain Cavies (Mendon)

Virginia (VA):

Metropolitan Guinea Pig Rescue
This Little Piggie Rescue (Fredericksburg)
Tuna’s Guinea Pig Rescue (Virginia Beach)

Washington State (WA): See Oregon and Beyond Section

Washington, DC:

Homeward Trails Animal Rescue
Metropolitan Guinea Pig Rescue

West Virginia (WV):

Kanawha-Charleston Humane (Charleston)

Wisconsin (WI):
K&R Small Animal Sanctuary (Appleton)
Underdog Pet Rescue (Monona)
Wisconsin Humane Society (Racine)

Wyoming (WY):

Lit’l Bit of Love Animal Rescue and Sanctuary (Carpenter)

 

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Where To Find A Guinea Pig – UK

UK Rescue Organizations from GuineaLynx

April Lodge Guinea Pig Rescue (Kent, UK)
Bobtails and Guinea Pig Rescue (Surrey, UK)
Gertie’s Guinea Pig Rescue (Northumberland, Tyne and Wear, Newcastle, UK)
Guinea Pig Rescue Centres (All counties, UK)
* a directory of guinea pig shelters, not all links work
HULA Animal Rescue (Aspley Guise, UK)
North East Guinea Pig Rescue (North East, UK)
RSPCA Suffolk Central (Woodbridge, UK)
Wheek & Squeak Guinea Pig Rescue (Bishops Waltham, Southampton, Hampshire, UK)
Sians Guinea Pig Rescue (Bracknell, UK)

 

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Where To Find A Guinea Pig – Australia

Australian Cavy Sanctuary
Australian Online Pet Rescue Database
Cavy Central Guinea Pig Rescue (New South Wales)
Porsche’s Rescue for Small Animals (Sydney)
Cavy Angel’s Guinea Pig Rescue (Gold Coast Elanora)
The Fox Resistance (Brisbane)
Gold Coast Guinea Pig Rescue
Guinea Pig Australia
* search by state, includes all animals in some states

 

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Where To Find A Guinea Pig – New Zealand

Auckland Cavy Care Rescue (Auckland)

 

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Jancis
Jancis
12 years ago

I got my two piggies from here! She was lovely and so helpful and runs it all from her small home!
http://gbhrescue.webs.com/

Hammy
Reply to  Jancis
12 years ago

Thanks, Jancis! I’ll add them to the list 😀

karwask
karwask
12 years ago

Thanks Hammy, I’m glad that my question prompted a really excellent and extensive list for people to refer to in the future. As it is with me, after looking at many of the shelters that you named but now I see there are many more, and searching Craig’s List in any reasonable driveable distance, for some months, I just happened to find a private party with two bonded young female pigs that has the right kind of looks for me. It was a win win situation as it turned out guinea pigs were not allowed in this condo complex and the renters didn’t know that until they had already taken them in. I had to drive to Salmon Creek, WA to get them, but, hey, it was a scenic drive and I had never been before.

Now, they have a good home with me, Stella and Cocoa, and they are just finished with their quarantine process ready to be introduced to the original older female; Charlotte. I’m a bit nervous about this next part as these new pigs are young and very frisky. The family that had them before let them run free in the carpeted living room most of the time, probably putting them in their small C & C enclosure for the night. So….they are pretty skiddish and used to running all over vs. my older pig who doesn’t venture off the carpet. I’m still trying to work out how to do this and who will help.

If all goes well, I have a new 5 X 2 C & C with a little side area, like yours to house them all together. Well, I hope, in the end, I will be able to house them all together and/but I’ve learned quite a lot from your experience with Dot and appreciate your sharing to help others, like me.

…stay tuned…

Hammy
Reply to  karwask
12 years ago

So happy to hear that you were able to find a few rescues to welcome into your home! Yes, the introduction process is quite unpredictable, but since they are young, perhaps they will integrate into the herd without much conflict.

Give Stella, Cocoa, and Charlotte a nose rub from us! Good luck with introductions, please keep us updated on how it goes! 😀

Aria
Aria
12 years ago

You’re lucky you have so many breeders in Oregon. I don’t have any where I live! I had to get mine from a breeder.

Hammy
Reply to  Aria
12 years ago

All of the organizations in the Oregon section are humane societies, did you mean to write, “You’re lucky you have so many rescues…”?

If so, you probably have at least 1 humane society in your area that accepts guinea pigs to re-home. Where are you located?

Maddie Cybulski
11 years ago

I got my guinea pig thunder fro my cousin in Iowa who could not take care of it, he got him from a pet shop there so im not sure were he really came from! he is currenty 5 years old and doing very well!

trackback
11 years ago

[…] a total of 84 votes cast, the winning rescue for The Amazing Guinea Pig Rescue Bedding Contest […]

MaryElizabeth Ann Scott
MaryElizabeth Ann Scott
10 years ago

There is a rescue in Kanab, UT that houses many guinea pigs called Best Friends Animal Society

Hammy
Reply to  MaryElizabeth Ann Scott
10 years ago

Thanks for the tip! We just added Best Friends Animal Society in Kanab, Utah.

HappyCavy
7 years ago

Thanks for the tip, Brian! We’ve just added them to our rescue list 🙂


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The HappyCavy guinea pig blog shares the joys and challenges of raising happy and healthy guinea pigs.

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