Second Chance Animal Rescue

09/04/2024

Petsense by Tractor Supply is PURRRRR-ty great! Four more lucky kitties have found their forever homes! 🏡✨ Thank you adopters for giving these furballs a Second Chance at happiness. ❤️ We know they'll be very loved!!

09/03/2024

Support Our Rebuilding Efforts! 🐾

Exciting news! You can now contribute to our rebuilding efforts even if you aren’t able to attend our upcoming event. Simply visit the link below to donate and help us create a better future for the animals in our care. Every little bit counts, and we appreciate your support more than words can express! 🙏 Thank you for being part of our journey.

Help Us Rebuild Our Shelter! Join us at Hollywood Corners to help us raise money for the rebuild Second Chance Animal Shelter! This event is free to attend with many activities including a silent auction and raffles. Your $25 meal ticket includes a meal catered by Hollywood C...

09/02/2024

⭐️ BIG EVENT ⭐️ Join us at Hollywood Corners on October 20th to help us raise money for the rebuild Second Chance Animal shelter! This event is free to attend with many activities including a silent auction and raffles. Your $25 meal ticket includes a meal catered by Hollywood Corners with a sandwich, side, and drink as well as a small donation to Second Chance! Your furry friends are also welcome to join the event on the pet-friendly patio and during our pet costume contest. We hope you will help us reach our fundraising goal as we enter this new chapter of Second Chance Animal Rescue!

Help Us Rebuild Our Shelter! Join us at Hollywood Corners to help us raise money for the rebuild Second Chance Animal Shelter! This event is free to attend with many activities including a silent auction and raffles. Your $25 meal ticket includes a meal catered by Hollywood C...

08/31/2024

We are pleased to report that the installation of a new roof at Second Chance Animal Rescue has been successfully completed. This crucial improvement directly addresses one of the primary contributors to the mold issues that previously compromised the safety and integrity of our facility.

The replacement of the roof represents a key milestone in our comprehensive renovation efforts. By ensuring the shelter is now better protected against environmental factors, we have taken a significant step toward creating a secure and healthy environment for both our staff and the animals in our care.

As we continue to advance in our renovation process, we remain steadfast in our commitment to enhancing the shelter’s infrastructure to support our mission. The completion of this new roof not only mitigates a critical risk but also reinforces our dedication to providing a safe and sustainable space for our operations moving forward.

We appreciate the ongoing support from our community as we work diligently to bring this project to fruition. Further updates will be provided as additional milestones are achieved.

08/27/2024

🎉 Happy National Dog Day! 🎉

We are thrilled to share some of the wonderful photos of our alumni dogs that we received from our amazing adopters. Each photo captures the joy and love these dogs have found in their forever homes, and we’re so grateful to be a part of their stories. 🐶❤️

A huge thank you to all our adopters for sharing these heartwarming moments. Your updates not only bring us immense joy but also highlight the positive impact of our work. We truly appreciate every one of you and the love you give to these special dogs.

Enjoy these beautiful snapshots friends, and thank you for making a difference in the lives of these wonderful pets!

08/26/2024

A poll shows 25% of Gen Zers say they have given up their pet because it is too expensive. 🥺
In a survey of almost 2,000 people, 85% of pet owners admitted that inflation is making pet ownership more expensive with 41% saying they are struggling to afford costs. Some pet owners said they have gone into debt for their pets for expenses like medical emergencies and pet insurance…

A recent survey shows most pet owners admit that inflation is making it more expensive to have a furry companion, while others say they have racked up debt for their pet.

08/25/2024

🎉 **Happy One-Year Anniversary!** 🎉

It’s hard to believe that a whole year has flown by since we partnered with Petsense by Tractor Supply #7237 in Choctaw to help cats and kitties find their forever homes! 🐾💖 We’re so grateful for the amazing support and the countless successful adoptions that have happened over the past year.

A huge thank you to Petsense #7237 for being such a fantastic partner and for helping us make this year truly purr-fect! If you’re in Choctaw and looking for pet supplies or a new furry friend, be sure to stop by and check out the store. You might just meet your next best friend!

Here’s to many more years of successful adoptions and happy tails! 🐱✨

08/23/2024

🎉 Congratulations, Rose Grimm, on Four Incredible Years at Second Chance Animal Rescue!🎉

Today, we celebrate Rose’s four-year anniversary as our Shelter Director, and we couldn’t be more grateful for her dedication, passion, and leadership. Since August 2020, Rose has guided our team through countless challenges with unwavering determination and a genuine love for the animals in our care.

Her commitment to expanding her knowledge and implementing innovative programs has made a lasting impact on our shelter and the animals we serve. Rose’s ability to lead with compassion, inspire her team, and connect deeply with each animal has truly set her apart.

We’re excited to see the continued growth and success under your guidance, Rose. Thank you for all you do! 🐾💙

“Meet the Community: Helping Oklahoma” showcases the important work of local nonprofits across our Great State. This episode features Second Chance Animal Sa...

08/19/2024

Udderly Amazing News! 🥳🥳

It’s an udder delight to share that our building has been thoroughly inspected by OSHA and officially cleared of mold! 🐄🎉 This milestone brings us one hoof/paw closer to reopening our doors with a safe and healthy environment for our staff and animals.

A big moooo-ve forward like this wouldn’t be possible without your support, and we’re so grateful! Stay tuned as we continue to moooo-ve ahead in creating a brighter, pasture-perfect future for Second Chance Animal Rescue!

08/18/2024

Did you know we have some kitties available for adoption? We're so grateful for our partnership with Petsense by Tractor Supply in Choctaw, because even though our shelter building is temporarily closed, we can still do lifesaving work with Petsense by our side! If you're looking for a new fluffy friend, you can find all these precious kitties at their store, so don't miss out! ❤

08/17/2024

Today our Shelter Manager Eva visited Full Circle Obedience to observe a training class led by the owner of Full Circle and current Second Chance Board Member Sydney Head! ❤🐶

Training builds so much confidence in a dog and can help them become more adaptable to anything the world throws at them. Once Second Chance reopens, we'll be working with our shelter dogs on more structured and proactive basic training to help them be successful in their new homes!

Thank you Sydney for sharing your incredible knowledge with us! ❤

08/12/2024

We are deeply heartbroken to share the news of the passing of Louisa McCune one of Oklahoma’s most remarkable animal advocates. Her loss leaves a profound void, and words can hardly capture the essence of her spirit.

Louisa McCune was a beacon of kindness, intelligence, and unwavering commitment. Her elegance and fierce compassion extended far beyond the typical realms of advocacy. As the director of the Kirkpatrick Foundation, she championed not only the arts but also the cause of animal welfare with a passion that transformed countless lives.

Her tireless efforts against cockfighting and her advocacy for humane conditions in the agricultural industry were just a few facets of her boundless dedication. Louisa played a crucial role in securing essential funding for organizations such as Oklahoma Alliance for Animals and Oliver and Friends Farm Rescue and Sanctuary. Her relentless pursuit of justice and commitment to improving the lives of those around her made a profound impact. Her legacy will endure through the many lives she touched and the significant advancements she achieved in animal welfare and beyond.

08/12/2024

We’re excited to share some important progress in our mission to create a safer and more comfortable environment for our beloved staff and animals at Second Chance Animal Rescue.

All reusable building contents have been decontaminated and stored off-site, and the building itself has been completely gutted, with all contents safely hauled away.

These crucial steps bring us closer to reopening our doors with a renewed space that prioritizes the health and well-being of everyone involved. We remain committed to our mission and can’t wait to welcome you back to a revitalized rescue where every life is cherished.

We’re also excited to share that we’ll be meeting with a Norman architect this month to discuss the next steps in our renovation. We’ll keep you updated as we know more about the exciting changes ahead.

Thank you for your continued support as we work toward a brighter, safer future for our furry friends. Stay tuned for more updates and ways you can contribute to our journey!

08/10/2024

Today marks the start of the 10th annual "Clear the Shelters" campaign, running from August 10 to September 10! This amazing initiative, led by NBCUniversal Local, has helped over 1 million pets find new homes and raised millions for shelters since 2015. NBC and Telemundo owned stations, along with affiliated stations, partner with animal shelters and rescues nationwide to promote pet adoption and raise needed funds.

Last year's campaign led to over 158,000 adoptions and raised over $575,000, with participation from more than 1,400 shelters and rescues across 49 states and territories, including the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and Guam. A few of our critters found placement too!!

Even though we are currently closed for remodels and do not have any animals in our rescue program, we believe this monthly initiative is immensely beneficial to our community and the animals within it. We encourage you to consider adopting from a local shelter this month to receive free goodies and celebrate the important event of rescuing and saving the lives of dogs and cats in Oklahoma.

08/08/2024

Daisy, formerly Vanilla Bean, is living it up with her family and just celebrated her 3rd Gotcha Day on August 1! It's a perfect time for a summer celebration--keep enjoying the sun, Daisy! 🌊🥎🌊

Her dad Mason shared the following with us:
"We call her Daisy now! She’s so smart and loving! She’s doing great! We love life with her! Her favorite toy is a tennis ball, and she loves to go swimming!"

08/08/2024

Congratulations to Blanchard Animal Control, Glenpool Animal Control and Shelter, Purcell Animal Shelter, Tuttle Animal Shelter, Holdenville Animal Shelter, and Wynnewood Animal Shelter on achieving a remarkable 90% save rate for cats and dogs this past year! This recognition from Best Friends Animal Society and Common Bonds is a testament to your hard work and dedication to animal welfare. Your efforts are making a significant impact in reducing unnecessary euthanasia and improving the lives of countless animals. Thank you for your continued commitment to creating a brighter future for shelter animals across Oklahoma. 🐶🐱

Six Oklahoma animal shelters achieved a 90% save rate, for the first time, for cats and dogs entering the shelters in the past year. Blanchard Animal Control, Glenpool Animal Control and Shelter, Purcell Animal Shelter, Tuttle Animal Shelter, Holdenville Animal Shelter, and Wynnewood Animal Shelter all received recognition for reaching this milestone by Best Friends Animal Society and Common Bonds. Best Friends and Common Bonds Oklahoma are working across the state to provide support for nonprofit animal services and increase shelter engagement to help end the needless euthanasia of shelter animals

08/05/2024

Today we have a heartwarming update from Brian and his Second Chance alumni pup Archie! We're so happy to be a part of your story, and think it's amazing that this amazing companionship all started from a day of volunteering. Helping out needy critters helps us too! Thank you Brian for adopting, and please give Archie some love for us! ❤

"I’m coming up on my 10 year anniversary with my best friend Archie. Words cannot describe what I owe Second Chance for blessing me with this amazing dog. I will never forgot the first time I met Archie. I was a young volunteer at Second Chance learning what it took to take care of a dog. I was in charge of caring for the small dogs. Out of all of them, he was the only one who not only didn’t bark at me, but pressed himself up against the kennel to get pets. We became close then….

Little did I know he would get adopted out. He was gone for a good month or so, and I was honestly heartbroken. Never would I thought I would fall in love with a smaller dog, as I wanted a larger one. Fate would have it he would come back, and I know lightning doesn’t strike twice. I adopted Archie in the summer of 2014.

Little did I know I adopted a soul dog. He ended up with me the rest of my college years, eventually traveling cross country through my various life changes and now is living his golden years with me in my home in Texas.

Just want to say thank you Second Chance so much for bringing him into my life. He’s the best thing that has ever happened to me. Had him now for 10 years and am hoping to get many more."

08/02/2024

Happy Dogust 1st! Today we celebrate the universal birthday of all shelter dogs. Adoption is an amazing journey, and if you don't know the birth date of your adopted pet, today is the perfect day to celebrate them!

07/30/2024

Effective August 1!!

Planning on traveling outside the US with your pet? Make sure you know the new guidelines for them to get back into the US! These guidelines go into effect 8-1-24!

https://navc.com/download/2024_Embrace-Updates-to-CDC-Dog-Regulation,.pdf?emci=1986dbc3-3a48-ef11-86c3-6045bdd9e096&emdi=ef8d9b23-844e-ef11-86c3-6045bdd9e096&ceid=11853528

07/29/2024

I met with some concerned constituents about Oklahoma’s pet overpopulation problem.

Thousands of stray and unwanted pets are destroyed annually because there are not enough homes for them. I listened to their ideas on better ways to reduce the number of stray and unwanted pets in Oklahoma. Here are a few of their suggestions, and I’d like to hear yours too:

Pet Overpopulation Ideas for Oklahoma:

🐾 Create a Statewide Agency or Task Force: Establish an Oklahoma Department of Animal Welfare or a dedicated task force to oversee pet protections, spay/neuter programs, and the enforcement of humane treatment laws.

🐾 Statewide Spay/Neuter Program: Implement a low-cost or free spay/neuter program funded by state grants or partnerships with local veterinarians and animal shelters. Consider creating mobile spay/neuter clinics to reach rural areas.

🐾 Strengthen Laws Against Puppy Mills: Enforce stricter regulations on commercial breeding operations to ensure animals are treated humanely. Require regular inspections and impose stiff penalties for non-compliance.

🐾 Public Awareness Campaigns: Launch campaigns to educate the public about the importance of spaying/neutering pets, adopting from shelters, and reporting animal cruelty. Promote the sale of Animal Friendly License Plates, with $20 from each plate going into the Pet Overpopulation Fund. Individuals or families who qualify for low income will be issued a voucher that can be submitted to participating veterinarians for a sterilization procedure. Animal Friendly License Plate Applications can be picked up at tag agencies, from the Oklahoma Tax Commission, or printed from here:https://okvma.org/wp-content/uploads/OK-State-License-Plate-Application-Animal-Friendly.pdf

Investing in solutions to address Oklahoma’s pet overpopulation problem is a win-win-win situation for everyone involved. Pets benefit because it will effectively reduce pet overpopulation and fewer unwanted animals will be destroyed in the future. Veterinarians benefit because they are assisting with a community issue. The public, state, and local government benefit because costs associated with stray animals are reduced. These costs include capturing, housing, caring for, and euthanizing stray animals; medical costs associated with human bites; expenses related to stray animals injured by automobiles; and property damage caused by stray animals.

Please feel free to share your thoughts and ideas in the comments. 🐾

07/24/2024

We are thrilled to share old pictures from Adam Karim's Eagle Project from August 2021! The boys finished ahead of schedule and had a wonderful time building a bench, seeing our animals, and learning about our organization. Volunteering is truly amazing, and even though our rescue is currently closed for remodel, the bench is still holding strong for our next opportunities. Thank you, Adam and team, for your hard work and dedication!

07/20/2024

🌟DO YOU NEED A FAKE PET?🌟

Recently, a fan shared with us that a family member moved into assisted living and deeply missed having a cat. Due to limited mobility, having a real pet was a concern. Our Shelter Director knew just the thing!

Years ago, she discovered a lifelike toy cat that simulates purrs, has realistic fur and is interactive with the user, providing companionship without the need for feeding or watering. Studies show that these realistic companions can improve quality-of-life and overall well-being for aging loved ones. Lightweight, self-contained robotic pets also allow dementia patients or those suffering from anxiety and others to keep their comforting animal friends with them wherever they go. As time has passed, the company who released these realistic cats have now expanded to dogs and birds too!!

We know many of you might already be familiar with these options that bring joy to those who can no longer care for real pets, but for those who aren’t, we are sharing a link in our comment section below. If you’ve ever purchased one of these animated pets, whether a dog or a cat, please leave a review below to help others make an informed choice too. Together, we can find creative solutions to bring the joy of pets to those who need it most, even when traditional pet ownership isn't possible.

07/13/2024

07/08/2024

Too funny not to share!! 🐉

THIRSTDAY FUNNIES!

07/04/2024

Dapper Dogs Pet Photography

07/01/2024

Today Second Chance sat down with Common Bonds Oklahoma and Best Friends Animal Society, as well as shelter partners across Oklahoma for a discussion about the state of animal welfare in our communities and the broader United States. Best Friends representative Michelle led us through a presentation comparing yearly data on intake and changes in lifesaving gap (the number of cats and dogs who would have had to be saved to achieve the 90% save rate threshold for the year) to help us better focus our efforts to help animals in need. Even though our shelter building is under construction, we still feel a duty to spread awareness and help our community grow more unified in our goals of finding homeless pets a family and reducing unnecessary euthanasia.

Nationally, the lifesaving gap for cats has stayed relatively stable over the last four years. Oklahoma has done some amazing work to shrink our lifesaving gap for cats by about 75% since 2019, while keeping intake numbers steady. In 2023, if only 1500 more cats had been adopted from shelters, that would mean that 90% of cats in Oklahoma shelters left the shelter safe and healthy! ❤️

Unfortunately, the entire nation had a much harder year finding placements for dogs, as the lifesaving gap worsened for the third year in a row and surpassed pre-pandemic levels for the first time. Adoptions are down substantially across the U.S.; Oklahoma had 20% fewer adoptions in 2023 than 2019. Without available homes, shelters across the south are overflowing with perfectly adoptable animals, and they’re desperate to send these dogs to less overpopulated northern states so they have a chance to live a happy life. In many cases shelters aren’t able to secure placement, and tragically, the dogs left behind lose their lives. 😢

Michelle was careful to remind us that these statistics are a reflection of what’s going on, and while it’s absolutely heartbreaking, it’s important not to disparage shelters or shelter workers for having low save rates or worsening numbers. The people who gravitate to animal welfare do so because they care about animals, and no one who works at a shelter ever wants to make these hard choices. It’s up to everyone–shelter workers and our communities alike–to work to increase adoptions and change the outcomes for these animals to avoid euthanasia for space or length of stay. It takes a lot to step up and really do the hard work, but as you all know, they’re absolutely worth it. 🐶❤️🐱

Stay cool! ☀️🧊🌡️
-Second Chance

06/27/2024

🏳️‍🌈 Happy Pride Month, Y'all! 🏳️‍🌈

The Second Chance team is committed to making our shelter a safe place for EVERYONE in our community. We don't judge our animals, and we won't be judging their new families either!

This week we attended a webinar hosted by Fear Free Pets about creating inclusive spaces in the pet professional industry and learned how we can better provide a safe and respectful environment that reduces Fear, Anxiety, and Stress for people and animals. Below are some snippets from the webinar compiled from the panelists' responses; we hope you learn something too!

Before we get started, I want to give a special shout out to Second Chance's LGBTQIA+ staff members--y'all rock, keep being awesome! 🏳️‍🌈

--

1. What are the biggest challenges you face as LGBTQ+ in animal care?
❤ I’m visibly q***r and wear pronoun pins so there’s always a sense of fear of discrimination. If an office is not outwardly accepting and doesn’t have anti-discrimination policies, it’s not guaranteed to be safe for people like me. There has been a horrifying resurgence of violence recently, including stripping women of bodily autonomy. Practicing the best medicine we can is what we do as professionals, but we cannot sacrifice our personal integrity because of someone else’s lack of compassion.

2. How can we face those challenges?
🧡 No one should have to tolerate bigotry, homophobia, or transphobia. We must create initiatives to improve inclusivity and increase safety of LGBTQ+ community members. Matter-of-fact visibility shows that we are supportive; we can have different views and also choose humanity–it’s harder to hate someone close up; however, my practice will not continue business relationships with anyone who gives less than kindness and acceptance to my staff.

3. Allies ask: What can we do to help?
💛 Educate and advocate--start with basic terminology and move up from there! Use inclusive language and try to gently correct others if they make a mistake. If you see something say something! Look up the gender identity bill of rights. Take the Harvard Implicit Association Quiz, and attend DEI trainings (available online free or paid--Purdue has great diversity training for vet med specifically). Be the ally who makes it happen and make the LGBTQ+ people around you feel like they are safe to participate.

4. Allies ask: What would you suggest to someone who isn’t comfortable asking how to refer to someone?
💚 It's really okay to ask, and it's okay to make a mistake. If you're trying, it’s a great learning opportunity and you've got the spirit! The sincere effort alone will be appreciated, so if you misspeak just correct yourself and move on. It takes time to build fluency; you can also find an article to inform you or ask a trusted friend for help.

5. How important is visibility?
💙 Visibility is enormous. My practice was visible and inclusive from the start. The community saw it and the client base gravitated to us. In school, I didn’t have anyone like me to look up to; I didn’t see myself in anyone around me and I felt like I was alone. It’s important to lead by example and be willing to say this is who I am, and I welcome anyone to join me on this path. My q***r clients are so happy to find a place where they won’t be discriminated against. Where they don’t have to worry about bringing their spouse or partner to say a last goodbye to their furbaby, or otherwise hide their true self to avoid discrimination.

6. What does progress look like for LGBTQ+ people in and out of animal care?
💜 Lead from the front. Everyone has power and can take opportunities to make change. We have to start where we are and decide each next accessible step. Once that’s fluent and part of practice, what is the next step? We can have that vision for everything we’re doing. We must actively move toward goals. This can include legislation to protect our rights, positive practice management, establishing organizations and peer support.