Guinea Pig Donations
My name is Saskia Chiesa and I live in Los Angeles. I started LAGPR some 20 years ago. My love of guinea pigs began when when I held a little piggie in my hands for the very first time. It was love at first sight I started LAGPR after arriving here in 1998 from The Netherlands. I was blown away by the lack of rescue support and resources for guinea pigs here in LA. I learned there were not just dog rescues but breed specific dog rescues even. There were rat rescues, turtle rescues, pigeon rescues and tons of bunny rescues but nothing at all for guinea pigs. I haven't looked back from that first day I opened the doors.
"Guinea pigs are such gentle, humble and innocent little beings. Each one of them has a unique personality with endearing and quirky traits"
If I have learned anything in the years of doing this work is that there is a tremendous need for the services we provide. Surrender request come in every day, usually between 2 - 6 daily. We have a waiting list for intakes and not a day goes by that guinea pigs show up at some of the 12 local animals shelters we cover. We offer free wellness checks and nail clips for all guinea pigs regardless of whether they were adopted from us. We have a phenomenal team of volunteers who donate all their free time who assist with anything from adoptions, medicating, feeding, cage cleaning and guinea pig bubble baths.
Each year we rescue thousands of guinea pigs from private parties and the local animal shelters here in Los Angeles. People find them on hiking trails, in cages in or by the trash bin, in backyards and in boxes discarded by the roadside. We work with law enforcement when our assistance and expertise is needed for a neglect and or hoarding case. We specialize in getting sick pigs healthy and back on their feet. I make educational YouTube videos on everything guinea pig to freely share all I have learned in my many years of caring for these humble and gentle creatures.
"More than 2000 guinea pigs were rescued
and adopted out last year alone"
I think we are doing a good job servicing our local community but my ambitions go beyond that. My goal is to open up a low cost guinea pig specific teaching clinic. A place where guinea pig and their owners can get low cost treatment and veterinaries from all over the world can come and learn the intricacies of guinea pig medicine. We will also be able to initiate studies to learn more about common illnesses, their causes and treatments. A very exciting project that I am so very passionate about. Estimation is that we will need $150,000 to get the project going and hope is that the clinic will pay for itself.
"At any time we have as little as 120 and as many as
350 guinea pigs in our care"
Guinea pigs are such gentle, humble and innocent little beings. Each one of them has a unique personality with endearing and quirky traits. They are so very depended on their care takers which makes them so very vulnerable. I am so blessed and so very thankful that the universe conspired to make me the voice of these precious little fur-balls. It is very humbling to be able to do this work and I am deeply grateful to be in a position to do so.
Will you donate?
Your donation today will allow us to buy pellets and hay, pay the veterinary bills and all the other many expenses that come with operating a rescue shelter.
It costs over $150,000 a year to run the rescue at its current capacity and without funds from fellow guinea pig lovers we would not even get close to making the impact we make today.
Our donors
S
Steve
donated
$104.15
AJ
Anthony Johnson
donated
$10.70
I hope I can keep donating after Biden is done with me.
JC
Jasmine Cruz
donated
$8.62
M
Melissa
K
Kim
donated
$100
Thank you Saskia! If I had not learned how to hand-feed Nibbles from your videos, he would have died 3 months sooner. The three months I had to hand-feed my little buddy were a wonderful bonding experience.
CB
Carol Bowers
donated
$10
Thank you for your helpful guinea pig tutorials. It helped me spot a potential problem with my boy before it turned into something nasty. I’m really grateful. Sending piggie hugs from the UK
S
Selin
donated
$5
I lost my little piggy Truffle on an angel day at angel hours, 11/11/2020, in the 11th hour, at the age of 8; he made me who I am today, and I wouldn't be here without him or his brother. I love you so much and miss you, Truffle, but I am happy you are not in pain anymore, and running free. I wanted to donate to this shelter because of everything you do for little piggies everywhere, and because now Truffle can live on through saving another piggy's life with a bit of spare money from his university student mama :) Fly high till I see you again my chonky piggy <3
TM
Tony Meinerding
donated
$26.27
Thank you for all you do! Keep going knowing that love comes your way from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia!
EP
Emmalen Pope
Thank you SO much for all that you do for guinea pigs!
M
Mark
donated
$100
Donation from Giada and Dylan Lee. Thank you for the great work you do.
MD
Mike Davis
BB
Brigitte Brunette
donated
$5.50
Hi Saskia, I wanted to make this donation in memory of, but I don't know Karalee Trapp's email. I don't have much to donate, but Karalee Trapp lost another pig a few days ago, her pig Fluffy recently passed, and she's being evicted on top of that, Her landlord wants to renovate and sell the place she currently living in. She is a good mod getting up so early so she can help keep the chat running smoothly. I'm really not good at giving out advice to someone grieving a loss. I was wondering if maybe you could give message her or something? I'm sure she'd appreciate it. I know she's on your facebook, so I don't know if you're aware of her situation and what all has happened to her since I know you are so busy. Anyway whoever reads this message. Someone ( Lisa Firmin ) had made a donation in Butthead's memory when I lost him back at the end of August, and that was nice of her. Now Karalee Trapp has lost another Piggy in a 2 month time period, and I want to do the same for Karalee Trapp that Lisa did for me when I lost my fur baby. I Hope all is well with you and your family. Thank You for all you do. Sincerely Brigitte Brunette aka I Thought It Was Funny
TC
Tarina Craig
donated
$5.50
Your work is amazing! I now want to adopt my own guinea pig from watching your YouTube videos!! Thanks!
R
Rochelle
Love what you do for the piggies! We still adore our babies Thank you
Y
Yujie
donated
$10/Q
I'm really touched by your story and your Youtube channel. I used to have a guinea pig Julio abandoned by his previous owner. However, sadly Julio passed last year. I'm not in a good position now to pet more guinea pigs; but I hope I could make some little contribution to this community and see more pigs are helped and they could find a good owner and a family.
VW
Anonymous
donated
$10.70
V
vernon
donated
$10.70
A
Angela
donated
$26.27
In Memory of Pedro Thank you for all you do to love and protect the piggies in your care. I have learned so much from your videos, and I know that my boys are benefitting from the knowledge I've gained since discovering your channel.
B
Bethany
donated
$50
Hello from the UK. I find your videos so helpful for looking after my piggies and they have given me a lot of confidence in performing health checks and bathing them. I'm grateful for the information and the loving care that you provide piggies over in Los Angeles. We might be half a world apart but you have made a big difference to me and many other people all over the world.
C
Cicely
donated
$21.08
AZ
Alice Zhai
donated
$104.15
JR
Jane Rawlinson
donated
$10/M
M
Meghan
donated
$31.46
K
Kayla
donated
$30
A
Alana
donated
$5
RA
Rohit Anand
donated
$150
In loving memory of our dear and beloved Guinea Pig Milo.
KO
Anonymous
AD
Alexandra Dumais
donated
$52.23
For Pedro❤️ Thank you, for taking care of the sweet boy while he was sick. My heart hurts, I’m so sorry this happened. I loved Pedro since day one. You guys did absolute miracles on him, he loved you guys endlessly. Thank you for all the work you do to help piggy’s like Pedro. Fly high buddy, popcorn around, and we will all see you again some day. 💕
N
Nicola
donated
$31.46
MW
Anonymous
donated
$21.08