Second Chance: Here to Help

19 Mar Second Chance: Here to Help

The following is a note from the team (staff and board) at Second Chance. Plans are to send out updates about community programs and services shortly. Contact them at 907.626.2273 for additional information.

Dear Second Chance Supporters,

We hope you and your families are safe and healthy. One of the many reminders during these very uncertain times is the importance of our loved ones and of supporting one another. We are also reminded of how essential community is. We are grateful to those of you who have been reaching out to us with support and concern.

Our mission is “Connecting Pets, People and Community While Saving Lives.” We have been spending the last several days adjusting our operations to best match the need of our communities while adhering to the guidelines of how to best keep our communities, staff and pets safe.

Below please find current changes to operations:

•  We remain committed to providing high-quality care to our pets with a goal of keeping them healthy and adoptable.

•  We are anticipating a significant increase in stray and abandoned pets in the coming weeks and are preparing for this by seeking adoptive homes for our current shelter population so we can make space now for those coming in.

•  We are establishing an emergency foster care network to meet the sheltering needs that our facilities cannot fulfill and networking with our regional animal welfare partners to share resources and make necessary preparations.

•  In alignment with safety protocols, we have put a hold on all our community dog-training classes and volunteer orientations at the shelter and are reducing our public hours, public areas and public contact.

•  We are now receiving adopters by appointment basis only from 2-5 pm Wednesday through Saturday. Part of this reduction for public hours is also so we can devote additional time to increasing sanitizing routines to all our public areas.

•  We are actively encouraging community members, who are prepared to do so, to adopt pets into your families at this time. Currently, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there is no evidence that companion animals can spread COVID-19 or that they might be a source of infection in the United States.

•  If you are ready to adopt please call ahead as we can discuss the adoption process and provide paperwork and procedures in advance to minimize your time at the shelter.

•  We will be following up soon with details on our emergency foster care network, but if you have an interest now in helping in that way please contact us today.

•  In the coming weeks our community members are going to need support in caring for their pets. Our pets are an incredible emotional support for so many of us and Second Chance is going to continue working hard to keep pets and people together throughout this challenging time.

•  Whether it be in providing families with pet food or with resources for caring for pets or even providing a temporary home for them, we are here to help and are planning to provide support networks for all these needs while reaching out to learn about additional needs.

•  We are expanding our Pet Food Bank. This is a service we have had available to low income families and are anticipating an increase in demand for this service. We are currently accepting donations toward this program and working on a process where interested community members can directly order food for us to distribute to families in need.

We are also extending our community medical program, for as long as we can sustain it. Pets are part of our families and they need care during these times as well so our community medical program is available, by appointment, to support families in keeping their pets healthy too. Low-income individuals and families can schedule an appointment for a free medical exam and a full menu of low-cost non-emergency services such as vaccinations, heart-worm prevention, micro-chipping, etc (visit our website to learn more). Pets will receive individual appointments and can be dropped off and picked up at our Shelter’s medical facility in Ridgway.

As for our Thrift Shops, currently they are closed for purchasing items, but we are still processing donations of salable items such as clothing that is not torn or stained, household items, sporting equipment, etc. Donations can be dropped at either our Ridgway or Telluride Shops between 2-4 PM (or by appointment). As always, we are not accepting electronics and please call in advance for furniture donations.

With our Thrift Shops (which provide 76% of our operating revenue) temporarily closed and our largest fundraising event of the year postponed, it goes without saying that we need community support now more than ever to maintain our shelter and community services at this time. We thank you for any level of donation you can provide.

Thank you all for all that you do. Wishing you all health & strength during these challenging times.