The Critter Connection, Inc.

The stories of the guinea pigs we've taken in are as varied as the pigs themselves. Some pigs have been straightforward owner surrenders due to relocation, unemployment, allergies, or children who were no longer taking care of their pets. In many of these cases, the pigs were in good health; in a few, they were a little underfed or dehydrated.

Many of the pigs, though, have sadder stories. We've taken in guinea pigs that were severely malnourished and dehydrated, had skin problems and mites because of poor housing conditions, temporary paralysis and permanent blindness caused by undetected infections, and a list of other problems directly attributed to neglect and abuse.

These animals have been left behind in apartments; set loose in parks and wooded areas where they don't know how to fend for themselves; left in dumpsters or outside shelters; or been part of large-scale rescues after authorities have charged breeders or hoarders with animal cruelty.

Some of these guinea pigs were near death when we got them. We've lost some, despite testing the limits of veterinary medicine. We've saved many more and placed them in new homes with owners who adore them. It's an ongoing effort, though, and there are always more guinea pigs who need our help.

We do quite a bit on our Pig Notes blog, our Squidoo pages, our main Web site, and more. But we're venturing out onto Twitter as a way to stay connected with folks, sharing the bits and pieces of our daily lives at the rescue. Scurry over to our Twitter page and find out how you can follow us either by signing up for Twitter yourself or by subscribing to the RSS feed (just like you would a blog).

Mohandas Gandhi

• "To my mind, I hold that the more helpless a creature, the more entitled it is to protection by man from the cruelty of man."


• "The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated."

Jenny Daltry -- herpetologist and National Geographic Emerging Explorer

• "If we valued the works of nature as much as the works and deeds of people, we would all be richer by far. Any ancient forest, polar bear or species of snake is more complex and improbable than Wi-Fi, the Mona Lisa or landing a man on the moon. What price would you pay to keep such treasures?"