Guinea pigs are small rodents that make adorable little pets. They live longer than other rodents but aren’t a lifelong commitment.
Whatever the reason you’re interested in adopting a guinea pig, choosing where you’ll get them from is an important step.
You’ll find guinea pigs all over Michigan in pet stores and even some breeders, but choosing to rescue one or two from a reputable rescue is a decision you can be proud of.
There isn’t an abundance of guinea pig rescues in Michigan, but there are several to look into. We have the most comprehensive list to help you find your next pet.
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Why Guinea Pig Rescues Are Necessary
You’ve probably heard of other animal rescues for dogs, cats, and horses, but other animals need rescuing from wild and neglectful homes.
That’s why there are rescues that are specifically for guinea pigs or that at least are open to welcoming them into their rescue.
Guinea pig rescues are necessary for several reasons. The main reasons guinea pigs end up needing rescues are due to:
- Owners not able to afford what the animal needs to survive
- Owners not able to afford any medical care
- The animals being neglected and abused, intentionally or unintentionally
- Wild animals are in need of medical care and can’t survive in the wild
Rescues will take these small rodents in and help find them a new home. Finding a new home gives them a second chance and allows them to live the rest of their lives in a home where they’ll receive all the love and care they need.
The Top Guinea Pig Rescues in Michigan
If you’re a guinea pig lover living in Michigan, adopting one from a reputable guinea pig rescue is a great option compared to stopping by a local pet store. Here are the six best guinea pig rescues in Michigan to save you the trouble of hunting down a rescue.
1. The Cozy Cavy Guinea Pig Rescue
One of Michigan’s best guinea pig rescues is The Cozy Cavy Guinea Pig Rescue.
Unlike some of the other rescues on our list, this one focuses primarily on saving these small rodents, educating people on how to care for them, and on interesting things about the breed.
The staff at this nonprofit rescue are knowledgeable about the breed and ensure that everyone who is interested in adopting one of their adoptable guinea pigs knows what they’re getting into.
Educating people on the guinea pigs helps prevent the rodents from being surrendered down the line.
They encourage people to adopt guinea pig pairs or trios, but if you’re only interested in one, that’s not a deal breaker for them.
The application process is extensive because they only allow qualified and loving people to adopt these animals.
The Cozy Cavy Guinea Pig Rescue is known for updating its website, so you can check online to see what guinea pigs are still available for adoption. They also welcome those who want to foster before committing to taking a guinea pig home forever.
The Cozy Cavy Guinea Pig Rescue Details:
- Location: Holt
- Phone Number: 517-614-2590
- Website: The Cozy Cavy Guinea Pig Rescue
2. Furget Us Not Rescue
If you’re interested in another tremendous nonprofit and volunteer-based guinea pig rescue in Michigan, you need to consider Furget Us Not Rescue. The volunteers are located in Michigan, and foster homes are throughout the Midwest.
Even though the volunteers can live in other states besides Michigan, they currently only allow residents of Michigan to adopt their guinea pigs and other animals. They have animals besides guinea pigs, like dogs, cats, birds, reptiles, and other small rodents.
When rescuing guinea pigs from Furget Us Not Rescue, the application process is extensive. While that can seem daunting, that’s a sign of a qualified and ethical rescue. They want to ensure their animals go to loving homes that won’t give up on them.
If you’re interested in adopting guinea pigs from this rescue, you can see available pets on their website. You can filter to guinea pigs only to see their animals.
They require an application, you to be over 21 years old, a reference from a vet, and a home visit to ensure you’re qualified to care for the guinea pig.
Furget Us Not Rescue Details:
- Location: Shelby Township
- Phone Number: 248-667-8386
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: Furget Us Not Rescue
3. Shiawassee Humane Society
The Shiawassee Humane Society is another excellent rescue operation to look into when you’re considering adopting a guinea pig.
While their organization primarily helps find foster cats and dogs and permanent families, they regularly help rescue guinea pigs.
Shiawassee Humane Society is a much larger operation than other rescues, but that means they tend to have more animals that need loving homes.
When looking at the Shiawassee Humane Society, you can filter through all their adoptable and foster animals to see who is the best fit for your family.
If you don’t see any guinea pigs on their website, they still have them available. You can visit them in person or call them to see what guinea pigs are available at the moment or be notified when they rescue more guinea pigs.
Much like other rescues, their application process is extensive, with references and a home visit required. They can organize a meet and greet between the guinea pig and other animals in your home if you request.
Shiawassee Humane Society Details:
- Location: Owosso
- Phone Number: 989-723-4262
- Website: Shiawassee Humane Society
4. Michigan Humane
Another humane society worth looking at when adopting a guinea pig is the Michigan Humane with several locations across Metro Detroit.
Like other humane societies, they primarily focus on dogs and cats but rescue other animals, including guinea pigs, from time to time.
They have a licensed vet on staff to provide all necessary medical care to the animals to make sure they’re healthy and ready to head home.
You can filter through their website to see if there are any guinea pigs available currently or visit them in person and browse the shelter.
Be sure to head to their “smalls and exotics” page on their website to view where the guinea pigs will be listed. They provide plenty of education on taking care of these animals and ongoing support if you need or want it.
Since guinea pigs do well in pairs, they encourage interested parties to adopt two at a time, but they won’t hold it against you if you prefer only to adopt one at the moment.
Michigan Humane Details:
- Location: Detroit
- Phone Number: 866-648-6263
- Website: Michigan Humane
5. Tiny Paws Rescue & Sanctuary, Limited
As you might guess by the name, Tiny Paws Rescue and Sanctuary primarily focuses on smaller animals, including guinea pigs.
This rescue is a nonprofit, and all the people who volunteer with them are passionate about removing animals from neglectful environments and finding them their forever home.
This rescue’s website is on Facebook, but they’re very active and regularly post photos of their guinea pigs and other animals needing homes.
They’re outstanding in letting people know if the animals have been adopted or not so that no one wastes their time trying to adopt a particular guinea pig.
The Tiny Paws Rescue and Sanctuary owner has been helping animals for most of their life and are particular about who they let adopt their animals. Like other rescues, prepare for an application that includes references and a home visit.
They know quite a lot about the background of the animals they rescue, which they share with new owners. Requiring much information from prospective adoptees helps them choose the right person and ensure the animal receives the care they need.
Tiny Paws Rescue & Sanctuary, Limited Details:
- Location: Warren
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: Tiny Paws Rescue & Sanctuary, Limited
6. West Michigan Critter Haven
Opening in 2009, West Michigan Critter Haven had a mission to educate the community on various small animals and the care they need in domestic situations.
They’ve since helped rescue hundreds of rabbits, guinea pigs, and other small animals from terrible conditions.
West Michigan Critter Haven focuses most of its attention on education, and they love teaching people how to care for guinea pigs, so they live the best life possible.
They save them from neglectful situations, shelters, and if they find them lost in the wild.
They host regular events where you can meet some of the animals they have for adoption or learn more about their rescue and how to help.
If you want to adopt or foster a guinea pig, you can see what they have available on their website or by emailing them for more information.
Something we love about this rescue is that they have several online resources on care for particular breeds. You can consult this whenever you need to adopt your new guinea pig.
West Michigan Critter Haven Details:
- Location: Grand Rapids
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: West Michigan Critter Haven
Conclusion For “Best Guinea Pig Rescues in Michigan”
Guinea pigs make loveable pets that anyone would be happy to have in their home.
When considering the option to adopt a guinea pig, the best thing you can do is look into a rescue. They often host adoption events so you can get to know the animals and then welcome one into your home.
If you’re looking into guinea pig adoption in Michigan, be sure to check out these six guinea pig rescues throughout the state.
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