JPGPR is a "no-kill" guinea
pig shelter, meaning that piggies aren't euthanized just because
no one is willing to adopt them. Since 1993, JPGPR has been taking
in needy piggies and giving them love, care, and the attention
they need and deserve. Piggies stay at JPGPR until they are adopted
by loving (and stringently screened) families. If the new family
doesn't work out for any reason, the piggies are always welcomed
back to JPGPR. And for the little piggies who never get adopted,
they can stay at JPGPR for as long as they live.
Of course, taking care of piggies ain't
cheap! The JPGPR piggies need housing, food, hay, and medical
care... and all that takes money. That's why we try to help out
with donations when we can. One shelter supporter's favorite
way to help the shelter is to make a donation when something
good happens to him. For example, one time he was sad (and mad!)
because he thought he had lost his keys and was going to have
to spend a lot of money to replace them. When he found the keys
the next day, he decided to donate the money he had already earmarked
for key replacements and penalties. That way, everyone was happy...
he had his keys back, and JPGPR got the money he had already
written off anyway. And good karma, too!
If you
would like to make a much-needed and appreciated donation to
JPGPR, there are several ways to do it:
1. JPGPR guinea pigs are especially wild
about delicious bluegrass hay from Kleenmama's Hay Loft. Proform
Guinea Pig Food is also much appreciated. If you would like to
order these items and have them shipped directly to JPGPR please
contact Linda Clark-Lee at kleenmama@aol.com
or 253-847-3896. If you'd rather donate money that JPGPR can use
on future orders Linda can help you with that as well. Personal
checks, money orders or Pay Pal are accepted. The Hay Loft also
has lovely timothy and alfalfa hay available. Please visit www.kmshayloft.com
for more information about this wonderful new supplier.
2. JPGPR gets many of its supplies from
American Pet Diner (APD). APD has a special fund set up for JPGPR,
which the shelter uses to pay for the stuff it buys. If you would
like to donate this way, all you have to do is call APD and tell
them you want to make a donation to "The Jack Pine Guinea Pig Rescue Fund," tell them how much you want to donate,
and give them your credit card number. Your donation is then
credited to the fund and ready for use the next time JPGPR does
its shopping. This way to donate is quick and easy (it usually
takes less than 10 minutes). This is also an especially good
way to donate because the money goes farther than if you bought
specific items... JPGPR can combine your donation with others
to buy in larger quantities and save on both the economy-sized
items and on the shipping in bulk orders. If you want to donate
this way, all you have to do is call APD at 1-800-656-2691 (toll-free)
(8 a.m. - 5 p.m. PST). If you want more information on APD and
its many great products, just visit their website at www.americanpetdiner.com.
3. JPGPR also buys some its supplies from
the Oxbow Hay Company. Oxbow now has an option allowing you to
buy a gift certificate for JPGPR. Or, if you prefer, you can
also buy specific items for the shelter from Oxbow and have them
shipped directly to the shelter at the following address: Jack Pine Guinea Pig Rescue, 26515
Apollo Street NE, Stacy, Minnesota 55079. The piggies especially like the following items
from Oxbow: Cavy Cuisine and Cavy Performance pellets and timothy
and orchard grass hay. To order from Oxbow Hay Company, just
go to their website at www.oxbowhay.com.
4. And finally, of course,
you can always send donations directly to the shelter, which
is especially good for smaller donations. Just send a check or
money order to Jack
Pine Guinea Pig Rescue, 26515 Apollo Street NE, Stacy, Minnesota
55079.
If you have any questions,
you can contact the shelter at JPGPR@aol.com.
We hope that you will
consider making a donation to JPGPR. Some piggies have been abused,
neglected, and unloved, and JPGPR gives them a second chance
at happiness.
I has been my extreme privilege to meet
many wonderful people who love animals and act upon their concern
for animal welfare. Making the world a better place for animals
can take many forms. Not everybody can fill their home (and almost
every waking minute) with cast off unwanted animals. Animal lovers
find a variety of ways to help. Some provide temporary foster
homes for animals that need special care. Others spread the word
about animal rescue by referrals, pamphlets or posters. Some
people tirelessly write letters trying to change policies or
conditions to improve animal's lives or ease their suffering.
Many folks show their concern about pet overpopulation by adopting
from shelters and shopping at pet stores that do not indiscriminately
sell live animals. Some bold souls actively teach pet responsibility
and care with handouts, talks, information booths, etc. Then
there is the guardian angels that help by donating money and
supplies, or offering their own time and assistance, to shelters
that constantly run short of such things. The possibilities and
opportunities to help animals are endless and the need is always
there. The following poem is dedicated to all our friends and
fellow animal lovers, with a special thank you for personal kindness
and generosity shown to my shelter and cavies. YOU help keep
us going!
I AM THE VOICE
(part Voice
of the Voiceless, written by Ella Wheeler Wilcox)
I am the voice of the voiceless;
Through me the dumb shall speak,
Till the deaf world's ear be made to hear,
The wrongs of the wordless weak.
From street, from cage and from kennel,
From stable and zoo, the wail
Of my tortured kin proclaims the sin
Of the mighty against the frail.
Oh shame on the mothers of mortals,
Who have not stooped to teach
O f the sorrow that lies in dear, dumb eyes,
The sorrow that has not speech.
And I am my brother's keeper,
And I will fight his fight;
And speak the word for beast and bird,
Till the world shall set things right.
We especially
thank the following for their encouragement, referrals, assistance,
donations and other acts of kindness over the last few months.
YOU help keep us going! This year I will be gradually replacing
many of the shabbier cages here with roomy "luxury suites".
Much of the money donated in 2004 will be used to purchase pans
and materials to build new cages for the guinea pigs.
Sandy Anderson
West Group Employees
(special thanks to Chris Schoenberger and Dianne Neidermeir)
Dr. Lori Pfeifer
and staff at Elm Creek Animal Hospital/Champlin, MN
Sybil Bohnett
Karen Moore
Susan and Kent
Brunnell
Allianz Life Insurance
Company
Traci Johnson
Shawn Tromiczak
Isanti County
Humane Society
Lois Novacek
Magi Henning
Christina Perry
Kara Khan
Dr. Mary Olson
and staff at East Central Veterinarian/Cambridge, MN
Sally Morton
Allysse Henry
Paula Griffin
Erin Moore
Northwoods Humane
Society
Sue Simons
Colleen Niebuhr
Ann Wen
Leann Ticknor
GuineaLynx for
Cavy Health Record Books (www.guinealynx.info)
Lisa Moline
Charles Rawn -
Carver/Scott Humane Society
Animal Humane
Society - Golden Valley, MN
Kelly Rogers
Barbara Foster
Marcia Quist
Dr. Grant Gugisberg,
Carver Lake Veterinary Center (in memory of Nermal)
Aiden Schermerhorn
(in honor of Angel, adopted through Allysse Henry)
Dawn Lange
Nancy Cooper
Heidi Greger
Mary Britton Clouse
Don, Sara, Christopher
and Zachary Andreen (in honor of Holly Andreen's birthday)
The Alaris Group,
Inc. (in honor of Holly Andreen's birthday)
Christine Heerlyn
AND
All of the kind people who decided
to share their homes with our guinea pigs! (To see a list of
people who have recently adopted from us, click here!)
Special appreciation
to:
Lea Martin - The Jack Pine Guinea Pig
Rescue (JPGPR) logo was designed and donated by Minnesota artist
Lea Martin. Lea has great talent for drawing animals, both pets
and wildlife - and can even do custom drawings of your favorite
pet from photos. A growing choice of Lea's SuzieQ designs and
items can be ordered directly from her web site at SuzieQ's Gifts or from her eBay page. Proceeds (or as Lea calls it,
"moola") from sales of JPGPR design items are generously
donated to the shelter to help cover daily care and veterinary
expenses of the rescued guinea pigs here. To see some of Lea's
JPGPR designs, click here! Lea is
truly one of JPGPR's guardian angels.
Richard Robinson - without Richard there
would be no JPGPR web site. This web site was Richard's idea.
He set it up, covers the cost of keeping it open, makes everything
look good and work smoothly. When I send Richard written material
for the web site (not nearly as often as I should!), I can't
wait to see his finished product. It always looks much more interesting
once he's done jazzing it up and adding pictures. Richard is
a great friend, and I am very grateful for all the time and talent
he shares with the shelter.
Lyn Zantow -- for much appreciated help with our web site.
Lyn has been a guardian angel to guinea pig rescues everywhere, offering help
and support in so many different ways. Lyn's creativity and enthusiasm for
guinea pig projects is astounding. Countless pet piggies and their owners
also enjoy better care and greater guinea pig knowledge thanks to Lyn's
wonderful www.GuineaLynx.info web site.
Dwayne Rawlings - Dwayne was one of my
shelter's first supporters. We were corresponding by snail mail
and faxes long before I got my first computer - which Dwayne
donated. He was a constant source of kind words and encouragement,
as well as donations he could barely afford. I am still inspired
by Dwayne's hard fought crusades to improve the lives of animals
he cared so much about - despite his own failing health. Dwayne
became a treasured friend, one that I miss deeply since he left
this world on January 10, 2001 to become Head Greeter and Comforter
at the Rainbow Bridge. (To see a special memorial to Dwayne,
please click here.)
Wally Nielsen - my generous, ever patient
husband. Wally is tolerant of the guinea pigs, but really wouldn't
mind seeing them all leave the house. In fact, Wally has been
know to offer people "six pigs for the price of one"
when they come out to adopt. Despite his lack of genuine fondness
for the pigs, Wally continues to pay most of the enormous cost
of keeping the rescues, and even accompanies me on long or scary
(eek - city driving!) rides to pick up unwanted pigs.
Please forgive me if
I have missed anybody. My records continue to be such a mess.
I am working on it, and hope to update this list regularly.
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Cavy Kisses to
All Our Contributors!
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OFTEN REMEMBERED, FOREVER IN MY
HEART
Donations in memory of ...
Xuxa - euthanized after a month
long battle with cancer, deeply missed by Jennifer Stohl
Hadji - this sweet pig will always
hold a special place in Joann Sequeira's heart
Olga - cherished and much missed
by owner Betsy and Auntie Gina Morrow
Mollywog - a lovely gentle pig
whose life ended much too soon, honored by Teresa Nelson
Aspen & Pigpen - lovingly
remembered by Kim Shinnick as two of the most beautiful and gentle
souls she's had the honor of knowing
Fiona - cherished and constant
companion of Susan Firestone, deeply missed
Mini and Willie - two fragile
souls lovingly cared for and treasured by JoAnn Sequeira
Nibbles - "He was such a
silly little character" that delighted Colleen Niebuhr and
brightened her days
Sabrina - a very special little
sow, loved and missed by Angela and Josh Brassow
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Drawing of Sabrina done
by her young owner, Josh
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Nermal - a very special guinea
pig much loved and sadly missed by Kelly and Brian Giesler
Ollie - "He was such a wonderfully
special pig, one who truly liked people. I'll miss his beautiful
piggie lips and huge pea-eyed face" - deeply loved and missed
by Linda Clark-Lee
Lovely Farina - a sweet little
sow much missed by owner Todd and the rest of her family
In memory of sweet wooly-bear
Teddy, companion of Majandra since their early days and dad of
Seamus; missed by Jill and Jill's parents - Mariana Kopzca
In memory of 3 very special guinea
pigs - Snickers, Snowy and Itsy. Much loved and deeply missed
by their human and guinea pig family. - Holly, John, Jordan and
James Andreen
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Snowy
|
Every rescuer has had that one special
case cross their path and leave a permanent mark on their heart.
Snowy is my special Happy Ending. Snowy's background was heartbreaking.
At 5 years old Snowy had spent most of her life alone in a bare
aquarium in a dark unfinished basement seldom visited by the
family that owned her. Food, water, bedding - that was all Snowy
had. No hay, no toys, very little attention and love. Soon
after I took Snowy in Holly Andreen contacted me about adopting
a guinea pig. She was pretty specific - wanted a gray (silver)
baby sow, preferably with short smooth coat. Holly's dream pig.
During our conversation I told Holly about the neglected old
white longhaired sow I'd just gotten in. Holly decided she had
to meet Snowy. Holly and her family fell in love with little
Snowy and decided she was the piggy they wanted. From that point
on Snowy's life couldn't have been more different or more wonderful.
She was treated like a princess, received hugh amounts of love
and attention from Holly, her husband John and their two boys
- Jordan and James. Snowy had companion pigs she could hang
out with if she felt sociable. Home was a spacious cage with
plenty of toys, unlimited hay and neighbor pigs to watch. Anytime
the family went on vacation or a trip for more than one night,
Snowy went along. Special pains were taken to insure Snowy luxurious
comfort while traveling. The first part of Snowy's life sucked
so bad I still get choked up thinking about it. Thanks to Holly
and her family, little princess Snowy enjoyed a guinea pig's
heaven on earth for the remainder of her life. I am sad to think
that Snowy is no longer a part of my world, but she will always
be in my heart.
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