When you hear the term “whoops-a-daisy,” you usually think of someone dropping the sentence when a little one has accidentally knocked over something they shouldn’t have, or when a little one has taken a tumble.
By the time you finish reading this article, whoops-a-daisy will have a whole new meaning to you, and that meaning has something to do with one of my favorite furry little creatures: guinea pigs.
Located in Ashville, Ohio is the Woopsadaisy Guinea Pig Rescue, a non-profit that offers a sanctuary for homeless guinea pigs to spend their time here until they find a new forever home.
They started back in early fall of 2018, and since then they have helped numerous guinea pigs find homes with loving people. On January 1st, they officially became a 501(c)(3). Around the end of December, Woopsadaisy had reached its max – with forty-five guinea pigs living at the rescue!
While I am sure having so many little piggies around can be adorable and fun, Woopsadaisy’s ultimate goal is not only to make sure that these little guys find a good home with good people but to better educate those that they go home with.
“We are here to work with potential piggy parents and help to educate them, so they can give the best care possible to their new family member. We are always here to help and answer questions, even after adoption. The biggest thing I have noticed with rescues is the lack of follow up and continued support throughout the animals’ lifetime.”
Rachel is the awesome human behind Woopsadaisy Guinea Pig Rescue. She posts pictures and stores about the piggies, making sure that everyone on Facebook is kept up-to-date with all the latest guinea pig news.
More importantly, she makes sure that the piggies receive the care that they need. She shares that, “many piggies that we see have not been properly cared for, either by an unhealthy diet, wrong bedding, lack of general care, wrong cage size, etc. By taking in these pigs and rehabbing them, we can find them wonderful homes and educate new piggy parents about the right kind of care their pig needs.”
Rachel started this project as a self-funded rescue, but recently Woopsadaisy became a 501(c)(3). “Currently the majority of the funds come from my own pocket. It began as a self-funded rescue helping homeless piggies. Now that we are 501(c)(3) registered, I hope to apply for grants and work with some guinea pig related companies as well as accept donations.”
Other than being self-funded, the next funding resource would be from adoption fees. These help to cover the costs of the piggy’s stay in terms of bedding, food, and hay. Outside of just covering for food and bedding, Rachel says they could also use some help with vet exams, as the cost adds up real quick.
Another way you can help with some of their more urgent needs is by giving them unwanted, good guinea pig cages. “Cages are always helpful as well. This allows us to always be capable of taking in emergencies. The most recent was a group of 6 piggies left abandoned in a home.”
If you’d like to help Woopsadaisy Guinea Pig rescue, be sure to share the word around with friends, family and throughout social media. Once more funds become available, they will start building a website with more information about their organization and mission.
“Our Facebook page is our number one point of contact, with email being second. We post regularly on our Facebook about all the pigs we have available, along with updates, educational posts, and some cute pig related ones as well. The end of the year, we will send out newsletters to all the adoptive parents thanking them for their support, what we have achieved this year, and any additional information needed.”
Woopsadaisy Guinea Pig Rescue has closed since this article was written.
