LANSING, Mich. — The Cozy Cavy Guinea Pig Rescue is a nonprofit that works to rehabilitate guinea pigs and educate new owners. Lisa Trubac is a guinea pig lover and has been an advocate for rehabilitation for the last 11 years.
Trubac started the rescue from inside her home and has since been able to move to 2358 Delhi Commerce Drive, Suite 2 in Holt, after selling homemade cage liners, corner hides and tunnels with her mom.
"I started the rescue because, especially after COVID, there was such a huge need for it. A lot of people walk into a pet store get guinea pigs, they're sold as a really low maintenance pet for children, so people often don't realize what they're getting themselves into," said Trubac.
Because of common misconceptions like these, many end up not properly cared for and become sick.
"A lot will come in with upper respiratory infections, which can be deadly, that can turn deadly for a guinea pig really quickly. It's basically just a cold, but it can turn into pneumonia. It can inflammation that will paralyze nerves and cause some paralysis in their face and prevent them from eating correctly," said Trubac.
Trubac began taking guinea pigs into her home, but before she knew it, she needed to find a larger space to house the guinea pigs. The rescue currently has a waiting list of 250 guinea pigs, however, she will take in more in the case of an emergency.
"A lot of people will just kind of set them free, which is not good for them. They have no ability to survive outside what so ever, so a lot of people will just kind of find them in parks, in their yards, in dumpsters, in parking lots, wherever. And then, we get calls all over the state with people bringing them that they found, some people will just leave them behind apartment complexes when they move out," said Trubac.
Trubac recommends testing your allergies before adopting a guinea pig and welcomes all interested in adoption to stop by and meet the guinea pigs.
You can find more information about supporting the rescue, guinea pig maintenance and adoption on their website.
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