Second Chance: Donate Your Time & Skills

02 Apr Second Chance: Donate Your Time & Skills

The recent success of Second Chance’s premiere fundraising event, Wine & Whiskers, was thanks to the generosity of its community members. And homeless pest like me are so very fortunate that this is a community of compassionate people with creative ways of giving.  Business owners gave goods, service providers gave their services, artists gave their art and many people gave their time. Over 80 volunteers contributed to make the fun-rasier work.  And many keep giving all year long…

Image by Jenny Williams for Second Chance

For example, artists like Lynne Kunke or Jenny Williams developed unique ways to use their art to help save lives. You can check out Jenny’s efforts on her new webpage: 66dogs.com.  There you will see watercolors of pets waiting for adoption, including highlights of their unique and positive traits. I love the one she did of me – “Sweet & Spunky” is my tag line!

We can always use the talents of photographers like Kaycee Clark and Marta Alfred, who provide photos of adoptable pets like me for our social media postings. Those images really capture the attention of potential adopters.

You can start helping out at any age.  Many young people from the area have used their birthday parties as donation drives for the shelter and Chloe Barth makes colorful and functional duct tape wallets to raise money for Second Chance. On rainy days, young people can come in and make cat toys or read to an animal…

We’ve also had various civic groups run donation drives using our Amazon wishlist for needed shelter supplies. And if you’ve got some space in your vehicle, you can help us transport animals to and from spay/neuter appointments.

Volunteering directly at the shelter with the animals is always incredibly rewarding as well. Do you need a running buddy? I would love to hit the trails with you, like I do with Robert Datsko or Janet Haw. We explore the river trail and other beautiful runs on the 52 acres at Angel Ridge Ranch or the adjacent BLM/RAT.

If you’re more into cuddling on a couch with a furry friend, we have a yearning for that too. Maura Reilly, Julie Mehrer, and Linda McNeill get lots of kitty love from the cats, although I wouldn’t say no to a hug or two either…

We’re always in need of people for our Mobile Adoption Program too, like my friends Morgan and Soren. Year-round, we do monthly events in Montrose and in the summer, we go to the Ridgway and Telluride Farmers markets. We’ve have many great adoptions at these venues and it helps us to be better socialized as well.

If you are a social person you can help us out by sharing our Facebook and newsletter posts and inviting your friends to visit our shelter when they’re in town. And don’t forget about donating, shopping, and volunteering at our Thrift Shop, which generates 65% of operating revenue!

Thank you for doing what you can. Every bit makes a difference and helps to save lives.

Image by Jenny Williams for Second Chance

My name is Lola “L-O-L-A Lola” and I am a compact (under 30 lbs) bundle of smiles, love, and goodness.  I don’t know why my last family abandoned me, but I am ready for my new family who will take me on walks and let me play with all the dogs and people I meet. I am also a great lap dog…

My friend Chelsey is a lot like me. She has some bull breed in her too, but her gentle and sweet nature makes her about as threatening as a Ladybug. She is also playful and happy and ready for a family and a home.

Editor’s note: It’s no secret. The Telluride region is dog heaven. Well, pet heaven. Unless you are one of our furry friends who gets caught in the maw of neglect and abuse. Then heaven is on hold until Second Chance Humane Society comes to the rescue. Second Chance is the region’s nonprofit dedicated to saving animals’ lives and promoting responsible pet parenting and human-animal bond. In her weekly blog, executive director Kelly Goodin profiles at least one, generally two of the many animals now living at the no-kill shelter, Angel Ridge Shelter, a dog and a cat, hoping to find them loving permanent homes. The column is sponsored by Ted Hoff of Cottonwood Ranch & Kennel, who from time to time exercises his skills as a dog whisperer, partnering with Kelly and her staff to help train a particularly challenging animal.

Ted & a few friends

By the by, there is no better place to park your pup than Cottonwood whenever you head out of town (for locals) or are heading to town and staying somewhere that does not allow pets. Consider joining Ted’s Very Important Dog (VID) Club for added benies. (Details on Ted’s website.)