Beaver County Humane Society: Other Animals Grant Report

How did this grant help your organization and the pets in your care?

After 11 guinea pigs were abandoned at our shelter unexpectedly, our team scrambled to get them a comfortable place to rest while we determined our next steps. After they had gone through our regular medical check-up and been cleared for adoption (we did place one pregnant guinea pig with a trusted, small animal-specific rescue in our area), we recognized that, at the time, we did not have the resources to care for all 10 of the remaining pigs appropriately.

This grant enabled us to gather all the fresh vegetables, pellets, hay, and other comforting amenities to ensure their stay with us was pleasant. We didn't know how long they would be with us, but we're pleased to report that most of the guinea pigs were adopted within two months of their arrival.

Additionally, this grant helped cover the unexpected medical costs associated with their care.

How many pets did this grant help?

11

Please provide a story of one or more specific pets this grant helped.

Matcha and Caramel Macchiato were the last remaining guinea pigs from the group. They’d passed a two-month mark, and we were curious as to why these sweet pigs had been overlooked. Our diligent animal-care team had noted that these two were somewhat less socialized than their brothers and sisters, so we provided them even more enrichment activities — such as veggies and greens in stacking cups, tunnel time, and sniffle mats — and time with people.

We moved their cage to the front lobby of our shelter so visitors could see them playing and enjoying their surroundings — they were active pigs! We even held a guinea-pig yoga class to increase their visibility to potential adopters.

On Aug. 23, Sarra D. arrived at BCHS. She’d been browsing our adoption page, looking to add another guinea pig to her family (she already had a guinea pig at home). When we told her Matcha and Caramel Macchiato’s story, she decided to adopt them both! She was absolutely beaming in her adoption photo, and when we followed up with her, she told us that the pigs were calm, eating well, and comfortable. They fit right in with her other pig, and she couldn’t be happier that she came to BCHS to find her newest guinea-pig pals.