25 Jun Second Chance: Not Who I Am!
Since 1994, the Animal Resource Center and the Shops of Second Chance Humane Society (SCHS) have been dedicated to serving animals in Southwestern Colorado. Adoption hours are every day from 11 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. The facility is located at 177 County Rd 10, Ridgway, CO. View shelter pets and services online atsecondchancehumane.org.
View shelter pets and services online: www.adoptmountainpets.org
Donate here or mail to: PO Box 2096, Ridgway, CO, 81432.
Go here for more about Second Chance.
If you’ve ever walked through the halls of an animal shelter, you’ve probably noticed a few things right away: it’s loud, space is limited, and even the cleanest facilities carry the unmistakable scent of the animals who live there.
Now imagine experiencing all of that with senses up to four times stronger than your own, and being surrounded by it 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
It’s easy to see how even the most resilient person might go a little crazy! For shelter pets, that’s the reality they face every day while they wait for their forever families.
At Second Chance, we do everything we can to make our animals’ stay as comfortable as possible. Dogs enjoy daily walks, mental enrichment activities, playgroups, and office time with staff. Cats live in communal spaces where they can play with toys, enjoy catnip, and soak up attention during snuggle sessions with visitors.
We are constantly working to improve the care and enrichment we provide. But the truth is, no matter how much love and effort go into an animal shelter, it will never be as comfortable as a home.
The constant noise, unfamiliar smells, and lack of consistency create a stressful environment. This is especially challenging for sensitive animals, including seniors, nursing mothers, pets with medical conditions, and animals who are already anxious or reactive. The longer they remain in the shelter, the more that stress can affect them.
It isn’t uncommon for an animal’s personality to change during an extended stay at a shelter, so the pets you meet at the shelter isn’t always an accurate reflection of who they truly are.
Many shelter behaviors develop as coping mechanisms after weeks or months of stress. Once an animal settles into a home environment, those behaviors often disappear. A dog who barks frantically at other dogs during a crowded walk through the shelter may never exhibit that behavior elsewhere. A cat who seems withdrawn and uninterested may become playful and affectionate once it feels safe.
When considering adoption, we encourage you to keep an open mind. Shelter animals are carrying the weight of an incredibly stressful experience, and many of the “undesirable” behaviors you see are temporary responses to their environment rather than permanent personality traits.
Take time to talk with shelter staff. Learn about the animal’s history, personality, and behavior outside the kennel. If you’re unsure, consider an adoption trial or fostering opportunity. Seeing a pet in a home environment can reveal the loving companion hidden beneath the stress of shelter life.
Every shelter animal has a story, and many are waiting for someone willing to look beyond the kennel door and see who they truly are. The greatest gift you can give them is more than a forever home. You can give them the chance to be themselves again.
Buddy is a large, young dog who struggles with shelter stress. When he first arrived, he was outgoing, adventurous, and eager to meet new people. As his stay has lengthened, he’s become more hesitant about going outside and meeting strangers. But beneath that uncertainty is a sweet, soft-hearted dog who simply needs a chance to decompress.
Please come meet him today!
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