The Godfather of Guinea Pigs (Part 3)
“I often catch myself thinking when faced with a mystery, “What would Peter do?”"
I moved in circles that couldn’t have been further from Peter Gurney's, but I would always make time to visit him because of our mutual love for guinea pigs. Despite my crazy and exciting jet-set lifestyle, Peter's infectious enthusiasm always made me feel better when I was feeling down. By then, I had become familiar with all of his books and teachings, and it was around that time that I realized he had become my go-to guinea pig guru!
I would visit, get my cuppa and biscuits, sit down at his feet, and he would talk. Talk about new discoveries he had made, sick piggies that were surrendered to him that he fixed up and would go through the case history step by step. And me? I loved it so much; I lapped it all up. Finally, something I actually wanted to learn! He would tell of his visits to the wonderful Phedra Stanley-Spencer, who started the Cambridge Cavy Trust and whom he had the utmost respect for, and from whom he learned much. She was an important figure in his life, and I had the pleasure of meeting her when I was last in the UK some years ago. We just spent a few hours there, but in those few hours, I learned a lot!
About 1997, I moved to Los Angeles. Not long after my arrival, I decided LA needed a guinea pig rescue because there was none. So, in 1999, I opened the doors, and guinea pigs started streaming in. Oh my, was there a need in Los Angeles! And like every rescue, I would get sick animals from time to time. As a newbie to rescue, I continued to reach out to Peter all the time for advice. I’d describe the symptoms, he would ask me questions, and tell me what to get and how to use it. Most of the time, we had the pig right as rain in no time. His book Piggy Potions, a collection of all-natural remedies, became an invaluable resource. From him, I learned how effective grapefruit seed extract is for all manners of fungus on a guinea pig.
I wonder all the time about that day we met. Of course, there are no coincidences, right? What were the odds?
Peter passed in 2006 after years of fighting the dreaded C. The international guinea pig community was shattered and absolutely heartbroken. He is the OG, the original gangster! He would have loved it if I called him that if he were still here. We both would have had a good giggle over that. And that is how I want him to be remembered - as the first fierce fighter for the innocents without a voice.
And boy, I miss him. I often catch myself thinking when faced with a mystery, “What would Peter do?”"
I moved in circles that couldn’t have been further from Peter Gurney's, but I would always make time to visit him because of our mutual love for guinea pigs. Despite my crazy and exciting jet-set lifestyle, Peter's infectious enthusiasm always made me feel better when I was feeling down. By then, I had become familiar with all of his books and teachings, and it was around that time that I realized he had become my go-to guinea pig guru!
I would visit, get my cuppa and biscuits, sit down at his feet, and he would talk. Talk about new discoveries he had made, sick piggies that were surrendered to him that he fixed up and would go through the case history step by step. And me? I loved it so much; I lapped it all up. Finally, something I actually wanted to learn! He would tell of his visits to the wonderful Phedra Stanley-Spencer, who started the Cambridge Cavy Trust and whom he had the utmost respect for, and from whom he learned much. She was an important figure in his life, and I had the pleasure of meeting her when I was last in the UK some years ago. We just spent a few hours there, but in those few hours, I learned a lot!
About 1997, I moved to Los Angeles. Not long after my arrival, I decided LA needed a guinea pig rescue because there was none. So, in 1999, I opened the doors, and guinea pigs started streaming in. Oh my, was there a need in Los Angeles! And like every rescue, I would get sick animals from time to time. As a newbie to rescue, I continued to reach out to Peter all the time for advice. I’d describe the symptoms, he would ask me questions, and tell me what to get and how to use it. Most of the time, we had the pig right as rain in no time. His book Piggy Potions, a collection of all-natural remedies, became an invaluable resource. From him, I learned how effective grapefruit seed extract is for all manners of fungus on a guinea pig.
I wonder all the time about that day we met. Of course, there are no coincidences, right? What were the odds?
Peter passed in 2006 after years of fighting the dreaded C. The international guinea pig community was shattered and absolutely heartbroken. He is the OG, the original gangster! He would have loved it if I called him that if he were still here. We both would have had a good giggle over that. And that is how I want him to be remembered - as the first fierce fighter for the innocents without a voice.
And boy, I miss him. I often catch myself thinking when faced with a mystery, “What would Peter do?”"
