Thank you for caring enough to contact Austin Guinea Pig Rescue about rehoming your guinea pigs.

Due to the overwhelming number of unwanted animals surrendered to local shelters, we are committed to rescuing and fostering those animals at risk for being euthanized at the shelters. This means we are unable to take in surrenders from the general public, when owners want to give or "donate" their guinea pigs to us.

We are happy to help by giving advice on how to keep your guinea pigs(s), or how to rehome your guinea pigs on your own.

If you find a guinea pig (in a yard, park, box, behind a dumpster), take them to an animal shelter and report them as a stray (see below). You can let them know to contact Austin Guinea Pig Rescue if they need support (they know who we are). If you are dealing with an animal abandoned on a property, call 311 as abandoning an animal is considered animal cruelty.

Please do NOT release your pet to the wild, in a forest, park, or other public area. They will suffer injury, starvation, or death. Domestic animals do not have the same instincts as wild animals.  We receive calls all the time from individuals who have found stray, injured, or malnourished animals. You can read more information on what happens to animals that are turned loose here.

Option 1: Keep your pet

If you are able to meet your guinea pigs’ basic needs of shelter, fresh water, and food including hay, and if you are physically able to keep their habitat clean, they are actually better off in their stable, known surroundings. A shelter setting often involves constant traffic, barking predator animals, and no one with time to interact with them at all. They are often kept on spare counter space in wire-bottomed cages lined with newspaper, and appropriate food is not always available. Shelters will do the best they can with what they have available, but your home setting is often much better.
If your pets are not getting the attention they deserve (with your children), they may be content with the company of just their own speciesif you have more than one guinea pig. Guinea pigs do not need as much human interaction as a dog would. You do need to meet the basic requirements of their physical care as described above. If you are trying to pair guinea pigs and having issues, there is some good information here.

If you have allergies, you can try another type of bedding or hay, such as fleece bedding or orchard grass hay.
If there is another concern and would like some advice from experienced guinea pig rescuers, please contact us ataustingpr@gmail.com or onFacebook/Instagram.

Option 2: Be your own foster and advertise to find a new home for your pets

Continue to care for your guinea pigs until you find the right home, and advertise your pets as follows:

  • In Travis county, Austin Animal Center's (AAC) site is Home to Home. Owners can post their pets and connect with potential adopters. Click this link to make a profile for your pets (select ‘Austin Animal Center’ as the shelter).
  • Post your pet(s) on Rehome. Click on this link to create a profile for your pets.
  • Post on Austin Pets Alive's (APA) PASS Facebook page or Williamson County Pet Rehome page.
  •  Create social media posts with pictures and videos of your guinea pigs, with pertinent adoption information (their names, age, personality info, any special needs, supplies included) and a rehoming fee.

Aside from advertising online, you can

  • Let your neighbors and friends know you are looking for a new home for your pets.
  • Place ads in local newspapers such as the Austin American-Statesman (512-445-4000 or online) in category Pets and Livestock or the Austin Chronicle (512-454-5767 or online).
  • With permission, place flyers on veterinary, pet supply, supermarket, or restaurant bulletin boards.
  • Post on Craigslist in the Pets category.

Requesting a $25+ fee in the post/ad discourages people wanting a free animal for the wrong reasons. People willing to commit to giving your guinea pigs a good home will readily pay a fee. Consider offering your guinea pigs and their food, cage, and supplies as a "package deal." 

  • To screen people who answer your ad/post, ask the potential adopter questions about their previous pets (what happened to them), current pets, why they have decided to adopt guinea pigs, and the type of living arrangement they would provide. Explain that you are asking questions because you want the person and the animals to be happy.
  • Say no if you feel the home is not suitable. You can politely tell the applicant that you have another interested party and will get back to them after speaking with the other party.

Tips to help you find your pets a good home:

  • Make sure they are well socialized and communicate all you can about their personalities, likes, dislikes, etc. Spend some quality time with your guinea pigs, petting them, sitting on the floor with them, feeding them by hand. Knowing your guinea pigs means you can find them the best fitting home where they will be treated well and are less likely to be rehomed again.
  • Take your pets to a vet for a check-up so you can let people know your pets are healthy and up-to-date on veterinary care.

It may take some time to find a new home for your pets. Please reach out if you have been trying to rehome your guinea pigs for several months without success.
If you receive additional inquiries after you rehome your pet(s), we would appreciate you referring the callers to Austin Guinea Pig Rescue, local shelters, or other rescue groups. There are many more wonderful animals seeking homes.

Option 3: Surrender your pet to a shelter

Austin Animal Center in Austin assists animal owners residing within the City of Austin and unincorporated communities within Travis County.

  • For non-urgent surrender or stray intake assistance, AAC's Pet Resource Center can be reached at 512-974-2000. It may take time to get an appointment so call as soon as you decide to surrender them.
  • For sick, injured, or abandoned animals, and for other urgent matters, please call 311.
  • If you are facing eviction or have a sick or injured animal in your possession, please visit AAC in person at 7201 Levander Loop, Building A, Austin, TX 78702 from 11 am-6 pm for surrender assistance. 

Williamson County Regional Animal Shelter in Georgetown (1855 SE Inner Loop, 512-943-3322) will accept animals within Williamson County.

Please check out these other websites and local area shelters: