We lit a candle in North Carolina

 

Happy Birthday Peter! Thank you for teaching people all over the world how to care for guinea pigs.

Cheers! From Kerry, Ceilidh and Shannon aka the Piggyville Girls from Swannanoa, North Carolina, USA. 

2026 Peter Gurney Memorial Candle Lighting for the Prairie Pigs

This lovely little lady is our Emily who bravely volunteered to represent the Prairie Pigs at this year's candle lighting (whee know our Peter Gurney candle is safely enclosed, but it still looks a tiny bit dangerous...).

This year, the day of the candle lighting comes only a week after our beloved matriarch Lovely Rita departed for the Rainbow Bridge.  Emily and her friend Charlotte were taught how to be proper guinea pigs by Lovely Rita in the first little while after they arrived here, when the two of them were only a few months old.  LR was as kind and gentle as she was beautiful, one of the Great Ladies in the history of the Prairie Pigs, and we will always remember her, on Peter Gurney Candle Lighting Day and every other day of the year too.

Here is a photo of Lovely Rita with her two tiny protégées in happier times:

 

Peter Gurney Memorial Candle Lighting 2026

It is almost 8 p.m. here in England and we are getting ready to light our candle in memory of Peter Gurney and all of our beloved guinea pigs who have departed for the Rainbow Bridge.

We are also remembering many other pets who have lived here at Piggyfriends down the years as well as our human daddy who carried bales of hay, moved pens and cut grass in all weathers for us to enjoy.

Oberon has lit our candle this year and our Slave is watching over him so that he does not singe his whiskers. A piece of his favourite celery is ensuring that he does not get too close to the flame.

We are particularly thinking about our dear Valentine whom we lost only last week. It seems appropriate to include a photo of him with his brother Rafael, who misses him greatly. Valentine is at the back of the photo.

We hope that many people have joined us in lighting their own memorial candles to keep this tradition going.