Whenever Brigette Brouillard wants a break from her phone and animals, she heads out for a trail run. About three miles into her jog, she stumbled upon a surprising sight: a large cardboard box off the trail. Curiosity got the better of her, and she decided to take a peek inside. To her astonishment, the box was filled with six furry and bald creatures!
Though she had intended to escape the chaotic animal world for a while, helpless little creatures found their way to her anyway. Brigette, an Executive Director at Second Chances Wildlife Center (a non-profit organization dedicated to wildlife rehabilitation and education), couldn’t just walk past them. These animals could not have asked for a better rescuer.
A Very Random Discovery
Upon spotting a cardboard box turned on its side, Brigette’s instincts kicked in, and she had to investigate. Fortunately, her curiosity saved these animals, who would have likely perished alone 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 her Facebook post.
Inside the box were six Guinea pigs, both furry and hairless. The hairless ones, known as Skinny pigs, are smaller and have higher metabolisms. According to Brigette, Guinea pigs are not native to Kentucky and if she had not found them when she did, they would have either starved or become prey for dogs or wildlife.
“Perhaps they were hoping someone would find them, or thought they would be OK at Cherokee Park,” Brigette reflected. “Whatever the case, I took the box and walked off of the trail.” The box was heavy and too cumbersome for her to carry back three miles, so she flagged down a passerby for assistance.
Fortunately, a kind man offered to drive her and her “six talkative guinea piggies” back to her car. Though the guinea pigs were likely bewildered, they were deeply grateful to have been rescued from imminent danger.
A Very Happy Ending
Once back at her home, Brigette provided the guinea pigs with food and treats. Thanks to her vast network, she quickly found loving homes for all of them.
Her social media post about the ‘crazy rescue story’ drew a lot of interest, with people eager to help out.
“Now I have six guinea pigs at my house waiting for their forever family to pick them up. I have found all of them awesome homes and we may keep two. What is the luck that it happened to be me who ran past these little gals?” she exclaimed.
As Guinea pigs are social animals, Brigette managed to adopt them out in pairs. “All guinea pigs are in their new forever homes. They went to amazing families with experience and none of the piggies had to go by themselves,” she shared in an update.
We hope that they live long, happy lives with their new families.
