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Let's be honest. When people think about the pet industry, they usually think about dogs and cats.
Dogs dominate social media, TV adverts and industry events. Cats aren't far behind. But rabbits, guinea pigs and other small pets? They can sometimes feel like the ‘forgotten’ members of the pet world. Then Piggy Fest happened.
As the agency supporting Supreme Petfoods, lead sponsor of Pigg Fest – Guinea Pig Festival 2026 - we were lucky enough to be part of the UK's first-ever official celebration of the cavia porcellus. And if anyone still thinks small pets are niche, the numbers tell a very different story.
The goal was to sell 500 tickets but, in the end, more than 2,700 people descended on Jimmy's Farm & Wildlife Park for a day dedicated entirely to guinea pigs. That's more than five times the original target, with people travelling from all over the UK and even the Netherlands to be there.
There's quite obviously a huge community hiding in plain sight. According to UK Pet Food, there are around 700,000 pet guinea pigs living in UK homes, with around 1.2% of households owning at least one.
It wasn't just the turnout at Piggy Fest that impressed us, it was the passion. The socials went crazy and when you see thousands of owners chatting about enrichment, swapping care tips, queueing to meet guinea pig influencers (yes, that's a thing) and celebrating the pets they absolutely adore, the statistics suddenly become very real.
It felt like this community that had finally been given its moment.
One wonderfully bonkers idea...
Piggy Fest was the brainchild of Rik Cridland, aka ‘The Guinea Pig Guy’. Founder of HayPigs! friend of Nobull and font of all piggy knowledge. If you saw HayPigs! on Dragon's Den, you'll already know Rik has a brilliant knack for taking simple ideas and turning them into products that genuinely improve pet lives. He’s funny, super-creative and he really loves these squeaky little animals.
Piggy Fest might be a concept that many people would have laughed. A whole festival for guinea pigs?? But Rik and his impressive line-up of sponsors believed in it enough to make it happen. Sometimes the best ideas are the ones that sound a little crazy, after all.
Small pets are becoming a much bigger part of what we do
For the Pet Team at Nobull, the day reinforced something we've been feeling for a while.
Small pets deserve more attention.
Over the last few years, we've had the privilege of working with Supreme Petfoods, helping tell the stories behind one of the UK's most respected small pet nutrition brands. We also work closely with the Rabbit Welfare Association & Fund (RWAF), supporting PR print and broadcast campaigns that encourage better rabbit welfare and responsible ownership.
Now we're even more excited to be starting work with Guinea Pig Welfare UK, another organisation doing incredible work to improve the lives of guinea pigs through education, rescue and advocacy.
The more we work in this space, the more we realise these audiences are incredibly engaged. They don't just buy products - they want to learn, share experiences and give their pets the very best lives possible.
As marketers, that's exactly the kind of community you want to help grow if you’re a brand. Because pet ownership in the UK is changing.
People increasingly see their pets as members of the family, whatever species they happen to be. That means they're looking for expert advice, trusted brands and businesses that genuinely care about welfare.
Piggy Fest only confirmed to us that the demand, enthusiasm and passion is already there. More than 2,700 people turned up for a festival dedicated to guinea pigs – read that back?! Importantly, the event raised over £2,000 for guinea pig rescue organisations. The organisers are already planning an even bigger event next year and there’s no doubt that it’s going to be a hit.
Not bad for the ‘forgotten’ pets.
Find out more about Piggy Fest here.
And see you there next year.
Picture credit: Jane Lloyd and HayPigs!
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