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I think we are doing a good job servicing our local community but the 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.
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Fellow Guinea Pig LoversMy name is Saskia Chiesa. 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" 
The main guinea pig room
Each year we rescue thousands of guinea pigs from the local shelters and private parties.If I have learned anything in the years of doing this work it 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.
"More than 2000 guinea pigs were rescued and adopted out last year alone" Rejected baby Pippy weighing only 60 grams at 10 days old
when she arrived. She is thriving now.
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.
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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. Learn more about guinea pigs by watching some of the videos on our channel
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.