I'm getting ready to move to the Melbourne/Palm bay area of Florida. Life is chaotic right now but I am very set on keeping my two guinea pigs. I've looked around for places that do pet boarding, but they're mostly for dogs and cats and only for a week or so at a time.
I'm going to be moving into a temporary apartment that doesn't allow for guinea pigs, or else I have to pay an extortionate price to keep them there. I'm also going to be in England for another 3-4 months following that. I'm really... so at a loss of what to do. I don't know who would even be willing to watch them for that long, and if it would cost me a fortune in the end.
Any help or suggestions are sincerely appreciated.
I'm also potentially moving to England sometime next year permanently, and if at all possible I would like to bring them with me as well. If not England, Canada, which I already know freely allows guinea pigs. The hard part is going to be transporting them. I don't know what international airlines would let me take them with me, and I'm terrified of flying them as cargo... I love them to pieces and I don't want to kill them due to the shock of flying. Carry on is the best option, but from what I have looked there aren't many (if any) airlines that do it.
Does anybody have experience with this crazy stuff? I feel like I am going crazy myself.
Looking for temporary foster care/boarding for my two girls
Hi Tinosaur,
First off - where abouts are you now? if you can find a fosterer (someone who regularly fosters for rescues and has space) that may be a good answer. I have fostered in the past. it would depend on where you are and how many you have etc.
As for moving to England, i hate to be the bearer of bad news, but it's pretty much impossible to do without having to have to pigs in quarantine for 4 months. I'm from the UK, currently living in the US. I moved my three pigs over from the UK to the US a few years ago. There was a lot of paper work and it was expensive but very doable. They travelled as cargo and were around 3-4 at the time. It was scary for them, but they were ok. Didn't get sick, back to their usual selves pretty soon. They do have to be in full health before they travel however. How old are you pigs? any medical issues? Genders?
Getting into the UK from any non-european territory is a non-starter UNLESS you are happy for them to stay in govt. facilitated quarantine for 4 months. As a British student living in America for studies, i have been looking into this for several year and contacted the necessary govt authorities. The bottom line is that there is no way around the quarantine. Even though cats and dogs and even rabbits I believe may be exempt under certain circumstances, guinea pigs absolutely have to be quarantine for the full period - no exceptions.
My conclusion has been that i just can't move until I no longer have my pigs. I'm not prepared to adopt them out, and I'm not prepared to have them stay in govt. facilities for 4 months so I'm going to be here for the rest of their lives. I haven't done as much research into the quality of govt. quarantine sites, but I'm almost certain that - given their short lives and their need to company and the relative ignorance of many about guinea pig health issues, and their average age - it's not a good option. The problem is that the UK and Europe are rabies-free. I've looked into getting them certified rabies free by a vet, by the govt., verifying that they are indoor pets, and even flying into a non-european country and driving into Europe/UK. I've not found any legal workaround.
Again, I'm sorry to bring this bad news to you. If you are close to where i am, i may be able to foster your pigs while you relocate to Florida. But you still have a hard decision on your hands about your move to Britain.[/b]
First off - where abouts are you now? if you can find a fosterer (someone who regularly fosters for rescues and has space) that may be a good answer. I have fostered in the past. it would depend on where you are and how many you have etc.
As for moving to England, i hate to be the bearer of bad news, but it's pretty much impossible to do without having to have to pigs in quarantine for 4 months. I'm from the UK, currently living in the US. I moved my three pigs over from the UK to the US a few years ago. There was a lot of paper work and it was expensive but very doable. They travelled as cargo and were around 3-4 at the time. It was scary for them, but they were ok. Didn't get sick, back to their usual selves pretty soon. They do have to be in full health before they travel however. How old are you pigs? any medical issues? Genders?
Getting into the UK from any non-european territory is a non-starter UNLESS you are happy for them to stay in govt. facilitated quarantine for 4 months. As a British student living in America for studies, i have been looking into this for several year and contacted the necessary govt authorities. The bottom line is that there is no way around the quarantine. Even though cats and dogs and even rabbits I believe may be exempt under certain circumstances, guinea pigs absolutely have to be quarantine for the full period - no exceptions.
My conclusion has been that i just can't move until I no longer have my pigs. I'm not prepared to adopt them out, and I'm not prepared to have them stay in govt. facilities for 4 months so I'm going to be here for the rest of their lives. I haven't done as much research into the quality of govt. quarantine sites, but I'm almost certain that - given their short lives and their need to company and the relative ignorance of many about guinea pig health issues, and their average age - it's not a good option. The problem is that the UK and Europe are rabies-free. I've looked into getting them certified rabies free by a vet, by the govt., verifying that they are indoor pets, and even flying into a non-european country and driving into Europe/UK. I've not found any legal workaround.
Again, I'm sorry to bring this bad news to you. If you are close to where i am, i may be able to foster your pigs while you relocate to Florida. But you still have a hard decision on your hands about your move to Britain.[/b]
Thank you. Currently, I am in Maine. I will be here until the 24th.
I've been sitting on this for a few days, and I think I'm just going to try to find someone locally where I am *currently* rather than try to drive them to Florida where they can't stay with me anyway.
My boyfriend and I are crossing our fingers to end up in Canada. It's our hope... but time will tell. I think I'd be OK with quarantine if that had to be the case. They are still very young. Not quite a year old yet (May of next year they will be). So the thing that makes me most nervous is flying. I don't want to stress them..
But for NOW, if anyone knows of someone in the Maine/midcoast area that can foster my girls for up to 6 months... I'd really really appreciate it.
I've been sitting on this for a few days, and I think I'm just going to try to find someone locally where I am *currently* rather than try to drive them to Florida where they can't stay with me anyway.
My boyfriend and I are crossing our fingers to end up in Canada. It's our hope... but time will tell. I think I'd be OK with quarantine if that had to be the case. They are still very young. Not quite a year old yet (May of next year they will be). So the thing that makes me most nervous is flying. I don't want to stress them..
But for NOW, if anyone knows of someone in the Maine/midcoast area that can foster my girls for up to 6 months... I'd really really appreciate it.
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WindeSpirit
- Sewing for a Cause
Can try contacting Mainly Rat Rescue to see if they might know of anyone.
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