The following is the text of an article from the Middletown Press, Middletown, Connecticut dated October 26, 2006.

Rescuing smallest pets

Critter Connection is haven for unwanted guinea pigs

By Diana Carr, Contributing writer

DURHAM — "They're the forgotten ones," says Cindy Kuester. "I do this because they need someone to speak up for them and give them a voice."

Kuester is talking about the small animals who often "take a back seat" to dogs and cats. Thanks to her huge commitment of time and energy, and her even bigger heart, more than 400 guinea pigs have been helped by her rescue, The Critter Connection.

It began in March 2004, when a co-worker told her about a friend in New Hampshire who had come upon three abandoned guinea pigs in the woods. "That's how it started," says Kuester. "At that point, I decided there needed to be more help for guinea pigs. I knew there were no rescues for them in this state. They had no place to go." After meeting the New Hampshire woman halfway, she returned to Connecticut with the hapless creatures in tow and found them homes."

"I've always loved guinea pigs," she says. "I've had them for years — ever since I saw one in a pet store and felt sorry for it sitting in a little cage."

Kuester got a Web site through petfinder.com, a free listing service for rescues, and she spread word of her new venture to shelters and pounds. In May, the rescue was recognized as a non-profit charity (all donations are tax-deductible), with Kuester as the president, Whitney Potsus as the vice-president, and Jenn Coleman as the secretary/treasurer.

Kuester takes in neglected and unwanted guinea pigs from pounds, shelters, and other rescue organizations, as well as from people who can no longer keep their pets (perhaps due to severe allergies or an upcoming move). She cares for them, provides medical care for the neglected cases, and finds them homes, mainly via her Web site.

She also educates the public about the proper care of guinea pigs. She, Potsus and Coleman give seminars "wherever we're invited," such as the Beardsley Zoo (in Bridgeport) and Durham Feed.

"Sometimes people bring their guinea pigs and ask us to show them how to trim their nails or groom them," Kuester says.

She usually has between 35 and 50 guinea pigs in her home at any given time, three of whom are pets. The are grouped into three categories: hospice/sanctuary (permanent residents with health issues that keep them from being adopted; there are currently 18), those who are up for adoption, and females that come in with no history (they are held for 60 days for a "pregnancy watch," as pregnant pigs are not put up for adoption).

Kuester, who has a full-time job, devotes all her spare time to the betterment of these small creatures. A typical day means getting up at 5:30 a.m., feeding, watering, and if necessary, medicating, the guinea pigs and her own pets. After a day at the office, she arrives home at 5 p.m. and does it all over again, as well as cleans their habitats, keeps appointments with her veterinarian (usually several times a week), makes appointments for adoptions, and responds to e-mail inquiries. Amidst all this flurry of activity, she finds time to make dinner and spend time with her other pets, finally "calling it a day" at 11 p.m.

A cursory glance at the pigs' living conditions reveals that these "critters" are not only well-cared for, but are basking in love. "We try to get as close to their natural habitat as possible," says Kuester. "Gone are the days of the rinky-dink pet store cages."

Their spacious accomodations are the equivalent of a five-star hotel, with hiding houses, huge hay baskets, toys, tunnels, clean bedding, perching shelves covered with fleece, and fleece hammocks.

Kuester lights up when she talks about her wee friends. "They are very intelligent and sociable, and they make wonderful family pets."

She goes on to say, "Every guinea pig that passes through here has its own story. And the stories are all heartwarming."

She recalls Rouge's story. Found outside an apartment complex in December 2005, Rouge had obviously been abandoned.

"The person that found her contacted my veterinarian, who provided my name and number. She was brought to me that night. She was in terrible shape due to neglect and being on her own. Guinea pigs can't survive outdoors. I had to build her up, and she had to go through several months of medical treatment. She still has to be monitored for possible future health problems. But she's doing great now, and is living happily as one of our sanctuary pigs."

Rouge, who lives with another sanctuary pig called Boswell, acually turned out to be quite the heroine. One day when Kuester was walking past their habitat, she noticed that Rouge "was making unnatural movements in the direction of Boswell, quite persistently. I'd never seen a guinea pig do this." She immediately thought something was wrong with her and stopped to check her out.

She was fine, but Boswell had a swollen eye. "The moment I picked Boswell up, she relaxed and began chattering away. After I treated Boswell's eye and put him back in with her, she very contentedly curled up with him. She had been trying to tell me that something was wrong with her buddy. I was amazed by this level of communication."

Sadly, Kuester has seen some heart-wrenching cases, too.

But the happy endings keep her going. "Rescuing a guinea pig from indescribable horrors, and then bringing him along to being healthy and happy and living in a permanent home with a caring family, is a very rewarding experience."

Our thanks to the Middletown Press for their coverage of our efforts.