04 Oct Second Chance: Shopping to Help Homeless Cats & Dogs!
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 walk into your local Second Chance Shop or gallery and you walk out with a treasure. Maybe a unique piece of art, a funky sweater, a new-to-you piece of furniture, or the perfect sports equipment. The clerk at the register says, “Thank you,” but the thank you comes from all of us at Second Chance. Do you realize you also helped a homeless pet have a brighter future?
You helped provide resources to families struggling to afford their pet’s medical care or food. You helped reduce pollution and waste in the community. When you check back often to find more treasures and donate goods, you’ll start to know the people who work there, the people who shop there, and the pets we have for adoption.
Resale shops are ubiquitous in non-profit fundraising, providing much-needed funds to help important causes. In addition, they are a public face for the organization. Our stores serve to raise awareness about our mission and services while expanding our community beyond those who adopt pets from us, see us at events, or take advantage of all that we offer. Our stores are a win-win for both Second Chance and the community. We employ people, offer affordable shopping, and keep usable items out of landfills.
Nicholas Gilman, Executive Director, says:
“Our stores are part of our outreach to communities that care deeply about animals and the people Second Chance serves. Your patronage provides us with the opportunity to save more lives and to help more pets and people.”
Donations are the start of a process that means so much to us.
We always need quality, clean, useable items. Our donation center in Ridgway is always busy. Our Telluride shop accepts donations as well. From the point where items are handed over to us, they go through sorting, determining saleability, and pricing. Things we cannot use are often donated to other organizations. We also work with individuals who take clothing, books, and goods to places like the Ute Indian Reservation for distribution to needy families.
Ensuring you are bringing us the right things is key to helping us make a difference with our shops. All donations should be re-sellable. With that in mind, please donate good, current, clean items. If it’s broken or stained, we cannot resell it. Think of it this way: If you wouldn’t use it, wear it, or give it to someone you care about, it’s probably not something we can sell. We encourage sorting before dropping off to help us keep our trash removal fees down.
Second Chance has three unique shops, Our Ridgway thrift shop (309 Sherman Street) is a trove of clothing, shoes, accessories, books, household items, linens, sporting goods, furniture, and more. Across the parking lot, is our Paws for Art Gallery where you will find art, photography, antiques, collectibles, furniture, and other treasures. In Telluride (335 W Colorado Ave), we have Sit, Stay, Shop! an upscale resale emporium where we stock the shop with a mix of quality merchandise.
Paws gallery
Telluride shop
Kiki is a beautiful senior girl who has been with us off and on for a long time. She was adopted, then returned when her person went to hospice care. She has been in a couple of foster homes, but is now back at the shelter. Please consider adding this deserving, sweet cat to your family.
Kiki
AND… To continue the Second Chance Highlights section, we want to share the following:
Fabulous Foster Volunteers
When you visit our shelter, there are typically a few pets who are not there to meet you. Currently, that list includes Ambrose, Elvis, and Chevy. These lucky pets are in foster homes where they are being loved. Foster can be a short-term break for an animal or it can last until they find their forever homes. We see such different sides of pets once they are in a home and out of the shelter environment. Foster care is also our preferred placement for young puppies, kittens, expectant and nursing mothers. (Kittens volunteer fosters, you have been rock stars this year!)
Elvis, for example, came to us a few weeks ago. He’s a senior cat, who was terrified at the shelter. He hid his entire body under blankets or beds. After just a few days with our wonderful foster volunteer, Sue, he’s a different cat.
She reports: “Elvis has come out and let me pet him. He is quite affectionate and purrs. He is eating and using the litter box. He is gorgeous and I think he is either grieving or just very confused about life right now. But I think he will be fine.”
Ambrose and Chevy have been with us quite a while, and were starting to show signs of “shelter stress.” Both are young dogs, with lots of energy who can benefit from one-on-one attention. They’re relaxing, learning, and taking a break with foster volunteers right now.
To meet any of our foster-placed pets, please call ahead so we can arrange a time. (970)626-2273
If you’d like to learn more about fostering, reach out to our shelter manager and/or fill out the application online.
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED
Paws for Art Gallery in Ridgway needs volunteers!
It’s an easy job where the only skill needed is a friendly smile. You can bring a book to read when customers are not in the gallery! Shifts are typically four-hours long.
Contact Lynda at the Ridgway Thrift shop by email or fill out a volunteer application online.
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