Whenever Brigette Brouillard seeks a break from her phone and animals, she finds solace in trail running. On one of her runs, she stumbled upon a large cardboard box off the trail, and her curiosity compelled her to take a look. To her shock, the box was packed with six little furry and bald animals!
Even though Brigette wanted a break from animals, helpless critters seemed to be drawn to her. As the Executive Director at the Second Chances Wildlife Center, a non-profit dedicated to wildlife rehabilitation and education, she was the perfect person to step in and save them.
A Very Random Discovery
Initially, when Brigette noticed the box lying on its side, she couldn’t ignore it. Her instincts kicked in, and she opened it, only to find six adult Guinea pigs! No humans were in sight; someone had abandoned them! Thankfully, Brigette intervened just in time, as these animals would have likely faced starvation or become prey to other wildlife in Cherokee Park, Kentucky.
“I looked inside, and it took me a minute to process. Six adult Guinea pigs!! No people in sight. Someone had dumped them!” she shared in a Facebook post.
The box contained both furry and hairless Guinea pigs, the latter known as Skinny pigs. According to Brigette, Guinea pigs are not native to Kentucky, and if she had not discovered them in time, they would have perished or been harmed by dogs or other wildlife.
“Perhaps they were hoping someone would find them, or thought they would be okay at Cherokee Park,” said Brigette. “Whatever the case, I took the box and walked off the trail.” However, the box was bulky and heavy, making it difficult for her to return to her car alone, so she flagged down a passerby for assistance.
Fortunately, a kind man offered her a ride, taking her and her “six talkative guinea piggies” back to her vehicle. While the little animals were likely bewildered by the events unfolding, they undoubtedly felt immense relief at being saved from dire circumstances.
A Very Happy Ending
Once home, Brigette provided the six Guinea pigs with nourishment and care. Leveraging her extensive network, she quickly found them all suitable forever homes. Her social media post about this ‘crazy rescue story’ caught the attention of many who were eager to assist.
“Now I have six guinea pigs at my house waiting for their forever home peeps to pick them up. I have found all of them awesome homes and we may keep two. What are the odds that it happened to be me that ran past these little gals?” she remarked.
Since Guinea pigs thrive in social settings, Brigette ensured they were adopted in pairs. “All guinea pigs are in their new forever homes. They went to amazing families with experience, and none of the piggies went alone,” she later updated her followers. She hopes they will enjoy happy lives with their new families.
