Project Second Chance

Project Second Chance Dedicated to rescuing, rehabilitating & finding homes for homeless dogs from PR & high kill shelters We aren’t your typical rescue.

Project Second Chance is a 501(c)(3) is an Alexandria-based nonprofit dedicated to rescuing, rehabilitating, & finding forever homes for homeless dogs in Puerto Rico, disaster hit areas, high kill shelters or in emergency need. In addition to providing transport to DC/MD/VA for adoption, we also cover medical costs, spay and neuter stray dogs in Puerto Rico, and run feeding routes for stray dogs t

hat would otherwise starve on the streets. We believe kindness matters and in supporting the local community. Since Hurricane Maria, we have saved over 3.000 homeless dogs. And, during the pandemic, we have raised over $20,000 to support local businesses in the Alexandria community through our pay it forward campaign. Through this effort, we invited families applying for a rescue dogs to spend $25 or more at local businesses in lieu of an application fee to our rescue. It was a huge success and made a direct impact on our local community. When we rescue dogs off the streets of Puerto Rico, from high kill shelters, or take in dogs in dire need of medical treatments, we invest extensive time, resources, and funds to get each dog ready and healthy for adoption. Not only do we cover transportation costs which can include flights, long drives, and multiple transfers; but all of our rescues receive comprehensive medical care (including specialty care when needed), vaccinations, micro chips, deworming, and multiple veterinary check ups from the moment we rescue them to the moment they reach their new family’s home (and sometimes after!). To keep the adoptions accessible to all families willing to give our rescues the best home, our adoption fee never covers the amount that we invest in each dog, which is why your donations are critical to continue our mission.

Let’s give a big welcome to Sandy. ❤️‍🩹 She needs some extra TLC. Her mom unexpectedly passed away and Sandy’s world was...
08/25/2024

Let’s give a big welcome to Sandy. ❤️‍🩹 She needs some extra TLC. Her mom unexpectedly passed away and Sandy’s world was turned upside down since. No one wanted her to end up in a shelter and, let’s be honest, senior pittie mixes are often overlooked. We were asked to help and said yes, yes, yes. We are honored to help Sandy find her forever home. She’s pretty special— she greeted us with kisses and butt wiggles and showed off that she knew sit, down, stay and was perfect on a leash. She happily greeted other dogs at the rescue and was a pawfect lady. We are in love with her. You will be too.

Meet Benjamin. This 4 year old shih tzu is ready for his forever home. Benny is about 10 lbs and is a puppy mill survivo...
08/25/2024

Meet Benjamin. This 4 year old shih tzu is ready for his forever home. Benny is about 10 lbs and is a puppy mill survivor. Until recently, he has not known kindness. Everything he’s experiencing is new to him as he spent his life restricted for one purpose—breeding. We have learned that he loves comfy couches, car rides, soft blankets, lots of love, and snacks! He’s not a fan of walks but will obstinately accompany you for a short stroll. He prefers to nap (and snore). He’s more of a Netflix and chill kind of guy. No outdoor adventures for him! He’s crate trained, house broken, gentle, and goofy. He would prefer a quieter home with a comfy couch that’s he’s allowed on.

Sherlock and Holmes are looking for forever homes. These 4 month old Bassett mixes are goofy, playful, and full of perso...
08/25/2024

Sherlock and Holmes are looking for forever homes. These 4 month old Bassett mixes are goofy, playful, and full of personality. They are crate trained, learning to go potty outside, and adjusting to foster life well. We just love watching these lil lowriders romp around. It makes your heart smile. They see Dr. Terrio this week and will get their last round of vaccinations. They can be adopted together or separately.

🚨🚨🚨🚨HELP! If you see this dog in Guaynabo, Puerto Rico, please contact us immediately. He is a very recent rescue and wa...
08/22/2024

🚨🚨🚨🚨HELP! If you see this dog in Guaynabo, Puerto Rico, please contact us immediately. He is a very recent rescue and was receiving medical treatment, but got loose and ran off. We are so worried about him.

Frank is adoption pending! ♥️ He’ll have two we**ie siblings and the pawfect family. 🌭 Stayed tuned for pupdates. 🐶 ...
08/22/2024

Frank is adoption pending! ♥️ He’ll have two we**ie siblings and the pawfect family. 🌭 Stayed tuned for pupdates. 🐶 **iedog

Breeze and Hula got their final vaccines. 🙌🏻 These two are the sweetest puppies. We cannot get over how gentle, loving, ...
08/20/2024

Breeze and Hula got their final vaccines. 🙌🏻 These two are the sweetest puppies. We cannot get over how gentle, loving, and just perfect they are. They play so well with each other, are gentle with kids, and love people. Dr. Terrio gave them an A+++++++. Now let’s find them the perfect home!

Happy Adoption Day, Sunny ☀️!
08/20/2024

Happy Adoption Day, Sunny ☀️!

What a pawfect Sunday. Flip Flop (now Tulip) headed to her forever home. She was so excited to see mom and dad and gladl...
08/18/2024

What a pawfect Sunday. Flip Flop (now Tulip) headed to her forever home. She was so excited to see mom and dad and gladly joined them to celebrate their anniversary! Congrats to the family!

Flip Flop is adoption pending. This sweet pup found the pawfect match for her. ♥️♥️♥️
08/15/2024

Flip Flop is adoption pending. This sweet pup found the pawfect match for her. ♥️♥️♥️

Second surgery complete for Brutus. 🙌🏻 A big thank you to Dr. Norton and Dr. Bedard at for tackling hip and eye surgery...
08/13/2024

Second surgery complete for Brutus. 🙌🏻 A big thank you to Dr. Norton and Dr. Bedard at for tackling hip and eye surgery today as a superhero duo today. Brutus received the best care from his surgical team. ♥️ And we cannot say thank you enough to all of his supporters who donated to make the surgeries possible, including and the ! We are beyond grateful for your big hearts. And we know Brutus is too. We’ll keep you posted on his recovery. It has taken a village to give Brutus the second chance he deserves and seeing such kindness is a gift. ❤️‍🩹

We had a puppy play date this weekend and Sunny found her forever home! Hula loved the extra cuddle time, but is looking...
08/12/2024

We had a puppy play date this weekend and Sunny found her forever home! Hula loved the extra cuddle time, but is looking for love too! She’d love a yard and friends to play with. ♥️

A big thank you to our amazing volunteer Mark for fostering sweet Bear and getting her ready for adoption day. Mark is a...
08/03/2024

A big thank you to our amazing volunteer Mark for fostering sweet Bear and getting her ready for adoption day. Mark is a superhero to rescue dogs! He’s fostered so many—giving them a second chance and lots of love. We appreciate him soooo much! 🙌🏻🐶♥️

Brutus needs your help. We are still raising funds for his second (much needed) surgery to adjust the pins in his hip an...
08/02/2024

Brutus needs your help. We are still raising funds for his second (much needed) surgery to adjust the pins in his hip and also fix his eye. Please donate via Venmo or stop by BRUT Champagne and Wine Bar and donate this weekend. ♥️🐶♥️

We are thrilled—Bear is adoption pending. This sweet girl heads home next week to a wonderful family with chow and sheph...
07/28/2024

We are thrilled—Bear is adoption pending. This sweet girl heads home next week to a wonderful family with chow and shepherd experience. Exactly what she needed along with lots of love and kindness. She fell in love with her pawrents-to-be and can’t wait for adoption day. You can just see all the love in the photos. ♥️♥️♥️

Sunny and Flip Flop are looking for forever homes. These adorable pups are 14 weeks old and under 20 lbs. they will be a...
07/25/2024

Sunny and Flip Flop are looking for forever homes. These adorable pups are 14 weeks old and under 20 lbs. they will be about 30 to 45 lbs fully grown. Both of these little ladies are super sweet, playful, and love to cuddle. They would make the perfect companion for a pet parent or family with kiddos. They would do best in a home with no feline family members. Please apply at www.project-secondchance.org/adopt. We hope to begin application interviews this coming week.

Healing is a journey. Brutus just had his follow-up appointment with Dr. Norton at Southpaws. Based on the x-rays, it ap...
07/24/2024

Healing is a journey. Brutus just had his follow-up appointment with Dr. Norton at Southpaws. Based on the x-rays, it appears that some of the screws are causing him discomfort and he is now limping. It was recommended that he have a procedure as soon as possible to adjust and/or remove the screws. This will cost $1800. This procedure is absolutely necessary to give him the best chance of a full recovery. If Brutus walks well after the adjustment, we are hopeful that he will not need a hip replacement. However, that final answer will not be known until he is finished growing. 🙏 This has been a difficult rescue case for all of us. Brutus faced so much neglect and abuse as a young puppy. He didn’t deserve any of this. Please help us give him the best chance of recovery so that he can live a long and happy life — walking, running, and playing like he was meant to before facing such unkindness. He is such a sweetheart and is so grateful. You can just see it in his eyes. We would appreciate your support for this next round of surgery. Venmo is the quickest way for us to access the donations and get the surgery scheduled as soon as possible. We don’t want him to be in pain. Please help with Brutus’s journey. ♥️🐶♥️

Splash was adopted today! Happy Gotcha Day, lil one. We are so thrilled. She’s going to have such a fun life with her ne...
07/22/2024

Splash was adopted today! Happy Gotcha Day, lil one. We are so thrilled. She’s going to have such a fun life with her new furry sibling and parents. Woo hoo!

Traveling and leaving your dog with a new sitter? Do your research. While Rover has some great sitters, not everyone can...
07/16/2024

Traveling and leaving your dog with a new sitter? Do your research. While Rover has some great sitters, not everyone can be trusted on their network. If you need pet-sitting referrals, please reach out to us. We love Passionately Pets in Alexandria. And our rescue team also offers dog-sitting for our beloved PSC alums. ♥️🐶♥️

Like many new pandemic pet owners, Nia Morgan knew her puppy, Zorro, had grown very attached to her due to all the time she spent at home with him. So she was understandably hesitant about leaving him for the first time with a sitter she’d hired through Rover, a popular platform for booking dog an...

Welcome to PSC, Bear. This sweet girl is 6 months old and weighs 20 lbs. We are working to get her strong and healthy. B...
07/15/2024

Welcome to PSC, Bear. This sweet girl is 6 months old and weighs 20 lbs. We are working to get her strong and healthy. But she should be ready for a furever family soon. Want to help us save more? Please donate. ♥️🐶♥️

Yay for Splash. 🙌🏻 She is adoption pending! She met PSC alum Maggie and her family and it was a pawfect fit. They playe...
07/14/2024

Yay for Splash. 🙌🏻 She is adoption pending! She met PSC alum Maggie and her family and it was a pawfect fit. They played so well together and even hopped in the kiddie pool to splash around. ♥️🐶♥️

Splash is all smiles because she is ready for a forever home. She’s 13 weeks and weighs 12 pounds. Her goofy personality...
07/13/2024

Splash is all smiles because she is ready for a forever home. She’s 13 weeks and weighs 12 pounds. Her goofy personality is guaranteed to make your day better. She loves to play, nap in your arms, and give kisses. But what she loves most is jumping into kiddie pools (and water bikes). She loves water. She’s too lil to swim yet, but we suspect she’ll love it. Apply to be her forever family at https://www.project-secondchance.org/adopt.

Please help! They are at capacity and we all know that means a terrible ending for some of these dogs.
06/29/2024

Please help! They are at capacity and we all know that means a terrible ending for some of these dogs.

Meet Hula. ♥️ She just arrived from Puerto Rico. She was rescued with her sisters from the jungle area where they were g...
06/28/2024

Meet Hula. ♥️ She just arrived from Puerto Rico. She was rescued with her sisters from the jungle area where they were getting attacked by enormous iguanas. Seriously! It was Flip Flop and Hula’s screams for help that got our attention and the reason they were all saved! She is a bit of a mystery mix and about 11 weeks old. She loves her crate, meal time, enjoys naps and cuddles, and is gentle and playful. She’s about 8 lbs and will be medium-sized once fully grown. She’s ready for adoption. Apply at www.project-second chance.org.

Meet Flip Flop. ♥️ She just arrived from Puerto Rico. She is mystery mix and about 11 weeks old. She is ready for her fu...
06/28/2024

Meet Flip Flop. ♥️ She just arrived from Puerto Rico. She is mystery mix and about 11 weeks old. She is ready for her furever home. She loves her crate, enjoys naps and cuddles, and is gentle and playful. She’s about 10 lbs and will be medium-sized once fully grown. Apply at www.project-second chance.org.

Breeze, Sunny, and Splash were making friends this weekend at . We are now accepting applications for these girls. They ...
06/24/2024

Breeze, Sunny, and Splash were making friends this weekend at . We are now accepting applications for these girls. They are about 11 weeks old and sooooo sweet and adorable. They have small paws and will be small to medium sized once fully grown. Apply at www.project-secondchance.org. .

Such a cutie! We hate to see homeless senior pups. 💔
06/24/2024

Such a cutie! We hate to see homeless senior pups. 💔

Our friends at Stafford County Animal Shelter need your help. They do everything they can to not have to euthanize anima...
06/24/2024

Our friends at Stafford County Animal Shelter need your help. They do everything they can to not have to euthanize animals, but they are beyond capacity. Please spread the word as they need to find forever homes for current residents to make space for new ones. Let’s not let these precious lives perish.

🚨 URGENT PLEA FOR HELP 🚨

We at Stafford County Animal Shelter are reaching a breaking point. Our resources and staff are exhausted, and we desperately need your help.

💔This month alone, we’ve had a record 32 dogs surrendered to our shelter in just 20 days.💔

In addition, this month we’ve housed 23 stray dogs, with only 18 being reunited with their owners so far. In total, this leaves us with 57 dogs currently in our care - 41 of them are available for adoption.

This situation is unprecedented and simply not maintainable. Despite reaching out to our community countless times in the past few months, we find ourselves in an even worse situation each time we catch a glimpse of relief and the fact is, we are now at a breaking point.

We are NOT a no-kill facility. The harsh reality is that without immediate assistance, we are running out of options for these loving animals who deserve a second chance.

If you or someone you know is looking to adopt a dog or if your organization can help, we implore you to please step forward. Your help can make all the difference. Come rescue one of our many dogs and give them the loving home they so desperately need. 🐾❤️

Until further notice, we will be taking surrenders on an emergency only basis. Additionally, adoption fees will be waived for the remainder of the month.

Please share this post and help us spread the word.

We LOVE of PSC Alums. Check out Stella (formerly Millie) living her best life. ♥️ She’s out and about with cooling gea...
06/21/2024

We LOVE of PSC Alums. Check out Stella (formerly Millie) living her best life. ♥️ She’s out and about with cooling gear and loving pawrents. Awwwww! ♥️🐶♥️

This is how you recover from hip surgery. Naps. Love. And your fave toy. Keeping our fingers crossed that this sweet boy...
06/21/2024

This is how you recover from hip surgery. Naps. Love. And your fave toy. Keeping our fingers crossed that this sweet boy heals in the best way possible. 🤞

Daisy and Duke headed to their forever home yesterday. We are so thrilled that they get to stay together and will be so ...
06/15/2024

Daisy and Duke headed to their forever home yesterday. We are so thrilled that they get to stay together and will be so loved. A big thank you to Eva and Travis for fostering and getting them ready for their second chance. ♥️♥️♥️

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Mailing Address Only: , Project Second Chance , 610 Madison Street, Suite 101 #622
Alexandria, VA
22314

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A message from our youngest (and best) volunteer! 🐶🐾♥️

Our new rescues have arrived from Puerto Rico 🇵🇷 🐾♥️

When you feel like giving up, remember to keep fighting. Bunny arrived at our rescue only able to use one leg, with severe wounds requiring surgical care, a kidney infection, malnourished, and serious dental issues. Look at her now! A big thank you to Dr Kocen for not giving up on her. Acupuncture and laser therapy along with Bunny’s will to succeed has made a miracle happen. #dachshundlovers #rescuedismyfavoritebreed #projectsecondchance

Bunny is cruising in her new Bionic Pets cart! #projectsecondchance #rescuedismyfavoritebreed #dachshund #bionicpets #robodog

Our rescues will be at @brutwinebarva Sunday from 1 to 4 PM. Come out and meet cupcake and her friends, enjoy a glass of bubbles, buy a bottle of wine to benefit our rescues, and just have a great Sunday. If you’re interested in adopting, we highly recommend completing an application in advance at www.project–secondchance.org/adopt. 🐾♥️🐶 🫧 #projectsecondchance #adoptme #rescuedismyfavoritebreed #puppies

The Easter Bunny has arrived with wheels! 🌭🚗💨 #projectsecondchance #weeniedog #specialneeds #rescuedismyfavoritebreed #nevergiveup

Still thinking about all the fun we had on Sunday at @brutwinebarva at Barks & Bubbles.

Cheers to rescue dogs. 🥂🐾🐶 Join us for a wine and bubbly sale to benefit our @project_second_chance rescues on Sunday, April 10 from 1-5pm.♥️ @brutwinebarva will be offering select wines for $25 to benefit @project_second_chance. Even better, for $20, you can taste 10 wines and decide what to buy. The PSC team will be your guest bartenders out front on the patio (or inside if it rains). We’ll also have gourmet dog treats and cute toys for sale thanks to @pamperedpetboutique. The patio will be standing room only for the event. Limited space but doggies are welcome. If you want to stay and dine, your furry friend may want to stay home. We’ll have rescue puppies present too! Please spread the word as we need to raise emergency funds for our medical needs cases. Come on by to shop or dine! We can’t wait to see you. Can’t attend, contact Brut by Sunday to order your bottles for pickup! #projectsecondchance #brütchampagneandwinebar #pamperedpets #winesale #bubbles #rescuedog

Check out Stella’s progress. With a lil prompting from foster mom, Stella is on the move and mastering stairs! 🙌🏻🐾🐶 Way to go Stella! #projectsecondchance #fosteringsaveslives #puppylove #specialpuppy

Waffles arrived late last night and is ready to play this morning. ♥️🐶🐾 #happypuppy #puppylove #rescuedismyfavoritebreed #sato #puertorico #virginia

Happy Holidays from Chutney and the PSC Team! 🎄⛄️🐾🎁 #projectsecondchance #rescuedog #homeforthehowlidays

Mack has made so much progress. He was abandoned in Puerto Rico and left to die. When we rescued him, he was severely anemic, needed blood transfusions, and had mysterious infections attacking his entire body. It took tons of diagnostics, lots of around-the-clock care, and emergency treatments to stabilize him. He now suffers from autoimmune issues. But the good news is, with continued care, his episodes have decreased. He went 8 months without a “Mack attack.” And we were ready with a treatment plan that either when he did have one. He’s finally living his best life ever and has a family that loves him. PSC has stayed involved to help transition his medical care since he was so complicated. But we are happy to say that he has a forever family and got his second chance. Please donate today so we can help other dogs like Mack with medical needs. You can donate via PayPal or Venmo at www.project-secondchance.org. #givingtuesday #teammack #rescuedog #specialneeds #sato #donate

We saw Ollie (formerly Gnocchi) this week! He was getting his final round of 💉 and looked so happy and loved. He and mom are just adorable together. ♥️♥️♥️ #projectsecondchance #sato #rescuedog #puppylove #thisiswhywerescue

Happy Adoption Day Rigatoni (now Ruby). We are so happy for you. #adopted #loved #rescuedismyfavoritebreed #sato #projectsecondchance #alexandriava

Just some Monday puppy love to brighten your day. #projectsecondchance #puppylove #sato #adoptdontshop❤️ #alexandriava

Happy Adoption Day Rugby. We are so happy for you and your new family. We know you’ll be spoiled, loved, and cherished. ♥️ #projectsecondchance #sato #rescuedog #puppy #puertorico #virginia #puppylove #adoptdontshop

Happy Adoption Day, Scooter. You and your mama are going to be sooooo happy. That makes us even happier. 🐾🙌🏻♥️🐶 #projectsecondchance #adopted #loved #rescuedog #sato #adoptdontshop #puertoricotovirginia #dc #alexandriava

What do y’all think of Paddle’s progress? This is after two days! We won’t give up and obviously he won’t either! 🙌🏻🙌🏻🙌🏻 #projectsecondchance #paddle #sato #rescuedog #swimmerslegsyndrome #wegotthis #specialneeds

Thank you all for your well wishes for Lemon! She is out of the ICU and headed home for lots of TLC. It’ll take time to fully recover from the pneumonia, but we are so relieved. She’s a fighter! #projectsecondchance #lemon #rescuedog #superstar

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Project Second Chance: Making A Difference One Sato At A Time

For almost 20 years, the founder of Project Second Chance, Tara Zurawski, has been rescuing satos in Puerto Rico as part of other rescue initiatives. After Hurricane Maria destroyed Puerto Rico in 2017, the homeless animal population reached crisis levels on the streets of Puerto Rico. That’s when Tara formed Project Second Chance. PSC started feeding routes for homeless dogs so they would not die of starvation and dehydration, initiatives to spay and neuter homeless dogs to try and limit the number of puppies born on the streets, and, most importantly, asked the community to begin caring for these animals as volunteers, feeders, transporters, and fosters. And recognizing that the people of Puerto Rico are also suffering from the lasting effects of Hurricane Maria, earthquakes, and now the pandemic, PSC also provides assistance to our human helpers.

PSC strongly believes that the solution to the animal welfare crisis in Puerto Rico begins with community action. The community must care, act, and solve the problem. We strive to provide the tools and support for broad community action.

All of our rescues are placed in loving foster homes, rather than a shelter environment. This allows them to heal in the comfort of a home and avoid the stress of a shelter experience. And, once they are healthy and strong, we transport them to the DC metropolitan area for placement in loving homes.

Since PSC formed, we have rescued over 1,500 homeless dogs (and 1 kitten) from the streets of Puerto Rico. We are proud of our efforts to date, but have so much work left to do! Please consider supporting our efforts through donations, volunteering, or adopting.

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