30/06/2023
Chuffnut is feeling somewhat humbled and very emotional at the moment🥰💕🤗
We made this post last week after feeling overwhelmed with the stress and committment needed to run a rescue shelter for so many years. Almost 17 years trying to make better life for abandoned, unwanted, abused and reluctantly surrendered guinea pigs. After 17 years, the problem of homeless guinea pigs seems to be getting worse, NOT better.
17 years of wearing our hearts on our sleeves, wearing the heartbreak of sick animals, of ones we can't save, of the ongoing cost both financially and emotionally...and physically!
We do hate asking for help, especially financial help, which is why we tend not to ask for help directly. Instead, we usually highlight the struggles that we live every day, as do many other private shelters across the country.
So the reponse to our post was...just amazing. A handful of beautiful humans gave donations to the shelter. This has taken off the immediate pressures we have been feeling. I cannot thank each and every one of you anywhere near enough, especially as.so many folks are.doing it hard at the moment, with rises in livibg coata and interest rates :( The piggies will benefit, and my stress levels will lift a little to give me the energy to push through. For the pigges sake...
Thank you, to all you piggy angels out there ###
ANNOUNCEMENT:
For almost 17 years, Chuffnut has run a rescue dedicated to Guinea Pigs. At any one time, we can have over 200 animals in our care and a number in foster homes.
Over the last 2-3 years, the cost to run Chuffnut Cavies shelter has more than doubled. Quality hay used to be around $12 per bale. We are now paying $28. Pellets have gone up in price by 10% per year. Vegies cost a royal fortune! Veterinary care has skyrocketted due to increasing costs for the vets to run their practices. Since December 2022 - only 6 months - this shelter has paid over $20,000 in vet care, with a further $3000 still on account at one clinic.
This shelter is funded (and most of rhe time, single-handedly run) by the shelter manager who works a paid job to fund the care of the animals. And $20,000 is more than 1/3 of the ANNUAL income that is earned. Adoption fees add only a tiny part of the income to the shelter.
At times, over the years, kind donations have helped keep the shelter afloat when times got tough. But unlike some other shelters, we are not a registered charity and we don't continually fundraise and ask others to pay all our costs, especially now, as many people are doing it tough since COVID. There are even some shelters who constantly ask for donations, even to fund the cost of their own personal pets. We don't do this. Any kind donations that have been made to Chuffnut have always been put towards the care of the shelter animals waiting for their new homes.
Sadly, our business model is no longer financially viable as costs have now outweighed income, and to increase income means having to commit to more paid work days which means less time to care for the beautiful piggies that need a helping hand to find forever homes. And this would not be good for the piggies :(
Thus, Chuffnut Cavies will be forced to massively downsize and/or close entirely. We are extremely sad about this prospect but also extremely tired as well as emotionally and financially stressed.
We will be holding a massive adoption drive for July and August to get these beautiful furries into homes. Where we go after that is yet to be decided :'(
Thank you all for reading our sob story. We cherish each and every one of our adoptive and foster homes and our supporters, and could not have acheived what we have achieved over the last 16+ years without you all.
Thank you
Lil (Lyn Chuffnut Smith)
Shelter Manager
Paypal [email protected]
