$5
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Second Chance Pet Adoptions is the oldest no-kill animal rescue organization in the Triangle region of North Carolina, established in 1987 by three women—Cheri, Judy, and Deborah—who began rescuing stray and abandoned cats and dogs in their own homes. From building backyard cat condos to officially incorporating as a nonprofit and opening an adoption center, Second Chance Pet Adoptions’ mission has remained consistent over the decades: to champion homeless cats and dogs who are healthy or treatable in the quest to find their forever homes and to engage with our community to promote responsible pet ownership, ultimately reducing future generations of homeless animals. As of this writing (Feb. 2021), over 15,000 lives have been saved by our staff and volunteers. Today, Second Chance operates out of a facility that holds 120 animals and welcomes over 3,500 visitors per year. We make a lifetime commitment to our animals and will always welcome back a returned pet.
In addition to our rescue programs, three special programs uniquely position Second Chance to combat animal homelessness in the greater Raleigh area:
Heeling Hearts: According to the American Heartworm Society, North Carolina ranks 7th-highest in the nation in the number of heartworm-positive pets thanks to the prevalence of mosquitoes here. Second Chance rescues and treats dozens of dogs each year whose hearts are big, but broken. We cure them of heartworm disease and list them for adoption—as the same adoption fee as a dog who never had heartworms. Doing so puts them on an even playing field with all other dogs seeking homes, increasing the likelihood that they will be adopted at all and adopted faster than they would have been without treatment.
Hearts to Home: While shelters and rescues in the south are overcrowded, shelters and rescues in northern states are much emptier. Second Chance partners with rescues and shelters in Maryland, New Jersey, and other northern states to: identify at-risk dogs in local shelters in and around Raleigh; pull these dogs and place them into temporary foster homes; and then, with the help of volunteers, drive them up north. Most of the dogs we rescue through this program are either adopted within a few days or weeks of their journey!
Kitty Clip: In an effort to reduce the population of homeless cats and increase the health of unaltered cats (stray or owned), Second Chance funds the spay/neuter surgeries of cats belonging to or cared for by residents of Wake County, who pay just $5 per cat for the procedure. Through Kitty Clip, over 1,000 cats are spayed and neutered each year at a price that virtually every resident of the county can afford.
Second Chance Pet Adoptions receives no government funding; as such, all of these programs are enabled by the generous support of the community. With your help, every animal can get a second chance to find love!
