11 Oct Second Chance: Foster Homes Needed for Shelter Pets!
Second Chance Humane Society’s Animal Resource Center (SCHS) and Thrift Shops have been serving San Miguel, Ouray and Montrose Counties since 1994. The shelter is open to the public Tuesday through Saturday 11am – 5:30pm. Community veterinary services are available by appointment.
View shelter pets and services online: www.adoptmountainpets.org.
Go here for more options from Second Chance.
You’ve heard in the last few months how Second Chance is at capacity, and we have a waiting list of people who need to surrender a dog or cat. The situation is not unique to us and most shelters around the country are experiencing the same thing. And that said, we appreciate the confidence our community has in us, turning to Second Chance after the difficult decision to surrender a pet is made.
Of course, our first goal is adoption. More adoptions mean more space for incoming animals. To help find people to care for our pets, we are always working to introduce our dogs and cats to potential adopters. We offer occasional discounts for certain furry friends and participate in programs such as “Empty the Shelters.” We have extended our hours to be open both weekend days to work better with the schedules of working families. We have pets out in the community at farmers’ markets, festivals, and pet adoption events nearly every weekend. Our social media features adoptable pets, and we have weekly newspaper ads that showcase our dogs and cats.
We also have a program called “Getting to Know You” Foster-to-Adopt, where approved adopters can take a pet home for a few days to see if he or she is the right fit.
One way we can open more space in the shelter is to place pets in foster homes. Foster placement can be a few days, a few weeks, or until the pet is adopted. Candidates for fostering often have issues that are better tackled in a home: illness or injury, stress, or inability to adjust to a group situation. Puppies and kittens who are too young to be in a shelter, or nursing mothers and their litters are best cared for in foster homes. Sometimes a pet just needs a break from shelter life. Our wonderful fosters have been instrumental in allowing a pet to be their true self by relaxing, exploring, and meeting people in the community.
The process of becoming a foster volunteer involves completing a foster application and having a home visit to confirm that the venue is safe and secure. It’s a great way to have the love of a pet in your home without making a long-term commitment.
Being a foster volunteer is both challenging and extremely rewarding. The challenge comes from bringing a new pet into your home and working through the adjustment period. The reward is knowing you are giving the pet a chance to heal and trust so that they can be more quickly placed into a forever home. Second Chance provides all the food, medications, and supplies needed for the duration of the foster period.
Ambrose
Ambrose is a young, smart, sweet dog who has bloomed in foster care. He’s gone hiking, visited all the local towns, gone jeeping, and played with his foster family. Honestly, he’s had a great vacation! But what he’d really like is a home and a forever family.
AND… To continue the Second Chance Highlights section, we want to share the following:
We recently had the unique opportunity to help a paralyzed dog. A local man was helping an unhoused woman and her dog, Lily. Paralyzed in her hind quarters, Lily was developing sores from dragging herself around. They reached out to Second Chance, desperate to get help for her. We were able to provide a wheelchair to this sweet little dog and her family. Lily is now happily wheeling around town!
Kids Feeding Pets
This year, Norwood Public Schools implemented the house system which includes a commitment to community projects. The first project was a pet food drive, where they collected over 800 lbs of food to donate to local shelters. We are so honored to be one of the recipients of this generous donation. The other shelter that benefitted was our friends at Hoof and Paw.
Our Pet Pantry is stocked! If you or someone you know is struggling to afford pet food, reach out to our shelter or stop by during our open hours. 11-5:30 Wednesday-Sunday. (970)626-2273.
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