These Gold Coast guinea pigs need a new home — and you could help
THEY have cuteness in spades, but is it enough for these guinea pigs to gain a new family?
Gold Coast
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THEY are taking social media by storm with their beady eyes, cuddly nature and downright cuteness but a record number of guinea pigs in a Gold Coast shelter are looking for homes.
The AWLQ Gold Coast Rehoming and Education Centre have six guinea pigs, three times the usual number, for adoption and have been making people swoon with their Facebook pictures.
But prospective families haven’t come forward and the shelter was so overstocked that public donations were needed to house them over the weekend.
AWLQ communication manager Brooke Whitney said the call out for cages on Facebook had provided shelter for the guinea pigs after numbers increased when one of the animals was dumped out the front of the shelter in a box.
IN PICTURES: GUINEA PIGS UP FOR ADOPTION
“We had someone late Friday afternoon do a dump and run and it was delivered in a cardboard box,” she said.
“So we did the call out on Facebook that we needed cages and someone gave us a delivery of cages.
“We couldn’t squeeze them in together because if they don’t get along they can be quite vicious.”
The influx comes after the shelter had 17 puppies for adoption earlier this month.
“When the 17 puppies left we got a few more litters and we had 22 puppies in total, so there was puppies everywhere,” she said.
Like the puppies, the guinea pigs are looking for a loving family and new home.
“Social media sharing is pretty rife with the guinea pig photos at the moment,” Ms Whitney said.
“They are a commitment ... a family responsibility.
“They make really good first pets but I think we rehomed only one over the weekend so not a huge follow up from Facebook.”
Prospective owners will need to have a hutch, a place for the guinea pigs to enjoy grass and somewhere warm during the winter months.
“They can freeze outside so it’s important they have somewhere warm either inside or on the veranda,” Ms Whitney said.
Although the shelter now has plenty of cages, sawdust, water bottles and guinea pig loos are still needed and can also be dropped off at the shelter.
“We open daily from 10am until 5pm,” Ms Whitney said.
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