Help Archives - Page 8 of 12 - Second Chance Animals

Why I Volunteer at Second Chance

Special guest blog post by Morganne, Second Chance Volunteer

As a volunteer, I package pet food that gets delivered to (human food) pantries and, in some cases, I package donated pet toys for fundraisers. I even fold newsletters for upcoming fundraisers. To make all those cats and dogs out there happy, that’s why it’s done.

In many instances, it helps the owners too. There are people out there who can’t afford to feed their pets or themselves at times, and it’s truly heartbreaking because of the sacrifices those people make to keep their furry companions around. Sometimes, their pets are all they have.

Pets are like loved ones, losing even one is very painful, no matter how old you are. Even animals have feelings for their human companions, so it’s important that we give them the support they need to be happy and healthy.

Although bagging food or toys can be a little tedious, I do it because it feels good to help animals and humans alike. They need us, as much as we need them. That’s why I keep coming back every week and feel honored to be providing this service for the greater good.

Click here for more information on volunteering at Second Chance.

Dogs Who Faced a Certain Death Ready for a Second Chance

Helping Dogs Rescued from the South Korean Meat Trade

To look at one-year old Liam, an adorable Labrador retriever mix, you would be hard pressed to guess all that he’s been through in his short life. Liam eyes every visitor to the dog room at the Adoption Center and barks to make sure he’s got your attention. Liam is one of five dogs that we brought back from a Maryland rehabilitation center last month. They were part of a group of approximately 120 dogs rescued from the South Korean Meat Trade that were being cared for by the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS).

Second Chance has long partnered with the HSUS as an emergency placement partner and we are often called upon to help with cases like this. South Korea is currently contemplating a dog meat ban and the farm where Liam and the other dogs came from is transitioning to growing cabbage and other crops through the Humane Society International/South Korea’s “Model for Change Program”. We are proud to work with the HSUS to give these dogs the best start at a new life.

All five dogs are doing amazing. They’ve obviously been through a lot in their short lives, but the dogs have made great progress. They were so shy when we first met them, and we have been in awe watching them get brave enough to explore our play yard and begin to come out of their shells.

Since they’ve never had the chance to be a dog, they will need patient families who can help with things like walking on leash who are ready to give them the great life they deserve. Liam is currently available for adoption. Jackson, Star and Buttons are still at the our Almost Home facility in North Brookfield where shelter pets entering Massachusetts complete their state-mandated 48-hour quarantine and receive any care they may need before they are ready for adoption. They are just waiting for kennel space to open up at the adoption center so they too can find their forever homes. The fifth pup is being fostered and we suspects he has already stolen his foster’s heart.

If you are interested in adopting one of these special pups, you can find the available dogs’ bios on our adoptable dog page or come visit during adoption hours: Monday through Friday – 10am to 3pm, Thursday evenings from 5 to 7pm and Saturdays from 11am to 4pm.

Want to help more pets like Liam get their second chance? Your donation can save lives! Thank you.

A Call for Change to Help Homeless Pets in Massachusetts

Your Help is Needed – Sign the Petition Today!

It’s time to help homeless pets in MA by demanding that the state follow the ASV (Association of Shelter Veterinarians) national best practice standards and stop burdening shelters with regulations that go against what is national best practices so we can get more homeless pets in homes.

Did you know that Massachusetts is the ONLY state that makes shelters isolate pets from out of state for 48 hours even though they come in with health certificates? This causes a huge financial burden to shelters and is against the national best practices because it causes undue stress on these pets with longer hold times in isolation before being allowed to be put up for adoption.

Did you know that when pet supply stores generously give a FREE adoption center within their building to shelters to bring in rescue animals to promote their adoption, the Massachusetts Department of Agriculture treats the animals as if they were owned by the pet supply stores and require shelters to pay for a vet exam every 7 days instead of what is in the shelter regulations? Why? These animals do not become pet supply store owned animals simply by being brought into the building. And no pet that has already been deemed healthy and ready for adoption needs to go to the vets every 7 days (instead of every 180 as is required in the shelter regulations). This puts another unnecessary burden on shelters for financial costs. These wonderful adoption centers in these stores are often a lifeline for shelter pets to get seen and adopted!

It is time for us to stand up for shelter pets. So many pets are being euthanized in overcrowded shelters in other states when they could come to shelters with space in MA but shelters in MA cannot afford the 48 hold isolation facilities that are required. No other state does this!

We want to see MA be like every other state in the country and welcome homeless pets into the state with a health certificate. These health certificates are done by a veterinarian and state that the pet is healthy and can travel. Every other state in the country accepts this without further burden of a 48 hour hold EXCEPT Massachusetts.

Shelter pet’s lives are at stake and we need to make a change. Please help! We need your signature today to demand change. The longer this goes on, the more pets sit in shelters longer or worse never get a chance.

You can read the shelter regulations on the state of MA website to see just how burdensome they are, costing shelters and you the adopters more money, causes shelter pets to sit in shelters longer and to risk additional stress related illnesses on the pets and prevents shelters from helping more pets. Shelters are now closing or on the brink of closing, free adoption space in pet supply stores go empty because they cannot afford these burdensome and unnecessary costs. This leaves less space for pets at risk of euthanasia.

Your signature TODAY could make all the difference to get attention on this fight. Shelters and rescues in MA live in fear of fighting back, animals need someone to fight for them, and this is the way we need to do it! Thank you for helping and please spread the word!

How you can help: 1) Sign the petition, 2) Share this petition, 3) Demand change from your legislators, and 4) Get the word out to help shelter pets!

Thank you for helping shelter pets!

Bugs Bunny & Leif Need Your Help

These two sweeties named Bugs Bunny and Leif came to Second Chance from a crowded Georgia shelter. They are both suffering from a very painful eye condition called entropion. This is when the eyelid is rolled in, causing the haired portion to rub the surface of the eye. You can see that poor Leif, the black cat on the right, has it much worse.

When they arrived, both had developed secondary infections which we’ve been treating. Now they are ready for their life-changing surgeries so they can get their ‘second chance.’ They are being cared for by our amazing Almost Home team who tell us that Bugs Bunny loves to ride on shoulders.

Bugs was able to get his surgery this week, but may need an additional surgery to fully correct the painful condition.

Please help them get the surgeries they need so they can be the amazing family pets they long to be. If you are able, please consider making a donation to help Bugs Bunny and Leif, and pets like them, to get the care they need.

Read the Winter 2023 Newsletter

Second Chance Looks Back at a Record-Breaking Year

READ NOW

Now Offering a Military Discount

To honor those who serve or have served, Second Chance is now offering a 10% discount for active military and veteran pet owners on veterinary exams, surgeries and dental procedures for your pets.*

To learn more or to schedule an appointment for you pet, call your local Second Chance Community Veterinary Hospital:

North Brookfield:(508) 637-1333

Southbridge: (774) 318-1101

Springfield: (413) 739-2343

Worcester: (774) 243-1234

*This discount cannot be combined with other discounts – ID required.

Record-Breaking 44,017 Pets Helped in 2022!

Second Chance Animal Services helped a record-breaking 44,017 pets to live better lives in 2022. We credit our caring and compassionate staff, volunteers, and supporters, but also the great need for help from area pets for the astounding results and know that there is still much work to be done.

Second Chance CEO and founder Sheryl Blancato is deeply grateful to everyone who made this possible. “I am probably biased, but I think we have the most amazing team of employees and volunteers anywhere. Our supporters truly care about animals. Many people don’t know this, but I personally open nearly all envelopes that arrive at Second Chance, and I’m heartened to read the beautiful notes that accompany some donations. We couldn’t do all that we do without the support of these three groups.”

Unfortunately, there’s no time to rest. Given the current economic climate, we know the need will only grow this year. Many are facing what can be called economic euthanasia. When people’s finances are limited and an emergency arises, they may not be able to afford a necessary surgery to stop the suffering. Second Chance has amazing surgeons at our hospitals that can perform these surgeries and we offer subsidized rates for those that qualify so that everyone can have access to the care they need.

Second Chance aims to always be ready to help. We aren’t just committed to keeping pets in their homes whenever possible. We are also an emergency partner for several agencies. Last year we helped with natural disasters and pets rescued from medical breeding facilities and the meat trade. We must keep fighting for pets in need.

For anyone wishing to help, donations can be made online at www.secondchanceanimals.org/help or by mail to Second Chance, PO Box 136, East Brookfield, MA 01515.

Make a Resolution to Help Pets

It’s that time of year again when we choose to participate in activities to better ourselves or to do something to help others. Why not make your resolution to help the animals this coming year! Here are some great ways you can help pets:

ADOPT A SHELTER PET – You can give a pet a great life by welcoming them into your life. Visit our website to see available pets.

VOLUNTEER or FOSTER – Second Chance is always welcoming volunteers and fosters to help care for pets. To learn more, visit our volunteer page.

DONATE – Donating money or supplies can help more than you know! You can view our wishlist online or make a donation now.

BECOME A MONTHLY DONOR – You can help pets all year long when you become a monthly donor.

Already a monthly donor? Thank you! We are so grateful to all our Pet Pal Champions. Your support saves lives all year long.

Walks with Socks

She lead the way across the open field heading back to the parking lot when I saw a man waving at me. He asked if he could say hi to my dog and we approached a couple on a morning walk. “We just said good-bye to our dog of 15 years” he told me with that crack in his voice that I know all too well. “I could see her looking at us and I just needed to say hi.”

“She’s not my dog. She lives at Second Chance Animal shelter,” I told the older couple that wanted to introduce themselves to my little black companion. “They call her Socks, I call her Nelly or Nell.” She approached the man and rose on her hind legs and gave him a hug. He smiled and laughed and hugged her back. I told her down, she sat down in front of him. I made a click sound with my mouth and she turned and came to me. I gave her the hand cue to sit. She sat. I gave her the hand cue to lay down. She did. I told her to come up, she came up and got a treat. “She has me trained well.” I smiled at them.

“She is such a good girl,” they said. “She’s so smart,” they noticed. She sat beside me as we spoke and then she approached the woman and startled her as she jumped up to give her a hug too. She laughed and petted her and hugged her back. “She is so sweet.”

“She’s a hugger,” I said, grinning.

I told them I take her out a couple times a week. We discussed her life at the shelter and the training and conditioning we have been doing together. They told me I was a good person for doing what I was doing. What they did not know is that this girl has done as much for me as I have done for her. Nell came into my life and into the shelter at a time when I needed her and I knew that she was going to need me. And so, she became “my girl” from that day until the day she goes to her new home.

So, because of the amazing program at Second Chance called ‘Dogs Day Out’ this girl and I have spent so much time together these past few months. We have hiked a lot of miles in the summer heat, playing in the autumn leaves and walking briskly through the winter snow and wind. I took a week off from work at the beginning of the fall and spent it with her and we hiked almost 50 miles in 6 days at about 10 different locations. She is truly a great companion. She is a great friend. She is a great dog.

I’ve been volunteering at SCAS for years now and every pup I have met is amazing in their own way. Some I only meet once and never see them again and some stay longer so I get to know them better. I get dogs, I just get them. And now and again I meet one that just gets me. And this girl gets me. You see, eventually I plan to work with dogs/animals full time; so behavior and training are things I am constantly studying and reading about. I’m always trying to develop my conditioning methods and skills so, finding a girl like Nell that is so intelligent and emotionally complex was like finding a real hidden gem. A true diamond in the ruff!

I started this blog with the story about the couple mourning the passing of their beloved dog and wanting to say hi to Socks/Nell for a reason. I tell that story because it is not the only time it happened. There have been several times where someone asked if they could say hi to her. Because she was looking at them like she wanted to say hi. And she walked over and hugged them, and they smile and laugh and embrace her and tear up and with that crack in their voice that tells me that they just lost their dog. Coincidence? Maybe. Or does she just have a sense? I don’t know but it has happened enough that it makes me wonder.

If I had the home and the yard that she needs and deserves she would be my girl forever. There is no question about that. But I have made a promise to her. I promised her that with all my heart, the staff and I would find her the perfect people to take her home for good and give her the Second Chance that she deserves.

If my girl sound like the friend you are looking for come by and say hi and maybe we can all go for a hike. Or maybe just stop in for a free hug.

Mike -long time SCAS volunteer

For the Animal Lover who has Everything

If you’re scratching your head and trying to come up with holiday gift ideas, consider making a donations to Second Chance in the names of friends and family members. When you provide the gift recipient’s name and address, we’ll let them know how your thoughtful gift is saving lives and keeping pets in their homes.

Make a Holiday Gift

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