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Cheers to 8 Years: BottleMixx’s Mega-Milestone for the Animals!

Virtual Hugs of Appreciation for BottleMixx’s 8th Anniversary Gift!

From left to right: Second Chance’s Board President, Dave Ballesteros, presents honors to BottleMixx owners Ellen and Bruce McKim at their bottle shop. 

In honor of National Hugging Day, Second Chance sents all of the virtual hugs we can to a Second Chance sponsor that has changed the lives of thousands of stray and abandoned cats and dogs: BottleMixx!

Ellen and Bruce McKim opened BottleMixx, an independent bottle shop, in 2012. Dog-friendly from the start, BottleMixx offers a vast selection of beer and wine for purchase, hosted regular tasting events and anniversary parties pre-pandemic (many as fundraisers for Second Chance!), and has swapped their indoor bar for outdoor seating as of late.

As a Platinum Paw sponsor of Second Chance, a Grand Champion sponsor of the Heeling Hearts program, and an annual sponsor of both our 5k/fun walk and our auction/gala, BottleMixx plays an important role in helping us save stray and abandoned cats and dogs who need their second chances. They have truly served the animals in every capacity possible: they are sponsors, event hosts, and dog foster parents; Ellen, a regular volunteers at Durham Bulls Bark in the Park games and other events before the pandemic canceled fundraisers, was on our Board of Directors and served as co-chairwoman of the Evening of Pawsibilities; and Ellen and Bruce even adopted two of their three dogs, Rocky and Duc, from Second Chance!

This past October (2020), BottleMixx celebrated its 8-year anniversary. Since opening in 2012, they’ve donated and matched all tips–and their celebration this year included not just 8 years of successful business but also having donated over $100,000 to local animal rescue organizations! We are honored to be the organization that has received most of their very generous donations.

To thank them for the endless support they’ve given to our mission, Second Chance has presented them with a sponsorship plaque as well as a trophy in celebration of their major milestone. We, and the animals, thank the owners and staff at BottleMixx from the bottom of our hearts!

The McKims’ dogs enjoying a Thanksgiving meal from their boarding facility, another Second Chance supporter, Dog Tales (Durham, NC)!

New Year, New Homes! Sampson & Delilah’s Transport Tale

In mid-December, we received a call from a partner-in-rescue about two young pups that were found on the side of the road by animal control. In order to prevent them from having to be exposed to shelter life at such a young age, we immediately claimed them to be a part of our Hearts to Home transport program. What is the Hearts to Home transport program and why do we have it? Our volunteer coordinator, Megan, can give you a quick explanation in the video below!

After a volunteer picked up the two pups, Sampson and Delilah arrived at Second Chance Pet Adoptions. They were a bit scared from all the change, but excited for the attention and love they were getting! That evening, they went to their temporary foster homes for a couple of weeks until they were ready to be transported to their committed rescue up north. Take a look at this adorable TikTok of them choosing their collars (of course, holiday collars!).

@secondchancencpets

It’s time get fancy and ready for our foster home! 😍 #adoptdontshop #adoptme #fosterdogs

♬ Cutie – GTech

After spending the pawlidays in warmth, peace, and love in their foster homes, transport day finally came! Sampson and Delilah were on the road to their second chance at life.


On January 3, only ONE DAY after transport, Sampson and Delilah went to their forever homes! Thanks to our transport program, volunteers, and rescue partners up North, we were able to solidify homes for Sampson and Delilah before they even arrived.

HELP US SAVE MORE LIVES

A Heart Worth Saving: Cooper’s Happy Tail!

Platinum Paw to Golden Paw: Triangle Law Group Heels Hearts!

Cooper is all smiles with his sponsor, Laurie Gengo, owner of Triangle Law Group

A 2-year-old yellow lab sat in an overcrowded shelter 186 days ago after having been found as a stray. As a gorgeous and young dog, there should have been hope for a family to save him quickly. Unfortunately for Cooper, he had heartworm disease. Transmitted through mosquito bites, heartworms can kill cats and dogs by invading their hearts and lungs. Giving the prevalence of mosquitoes here in North Carolina, heartworm-positive dogs like Cooper languish in shelters. Though prevention is cheap, treatment is costly, so rescue organizations and adopters alike have overlooked otherwise-healthy, adoptable dogs with heartworms, preferring instead to rescue dogs who don’t come with a high price tag right out of the gate.

There was no telling how long Cooper would have to sit in a cage alone while potential adopters passed over him for cheaper and less-intimidating options. About a month after his arrival, Second Chance learned of this adorable pup, and without hesitation, we pulled him and entered him into our Heeling Hearts program, established in November of 2017 for heartworm-positive dogs. Because of our donors and our generous discount from our partner vets, we can treat their heartworm disease and level the adoption playing field for them.

As a Platinum Paw sponsor of Second Chance and a Grand Champion sponsor of the Heeling Hearts program, Triangle Law Group funded Cooper’s heartworm treatment (and so many more!). To thank them for their extremely generous support, they were given the oppawtunity to give one of our heartworm-positive dogs the name of their choice–that being Cooper! Cooper has now completed his heartworm treatment and lives the spoiled life with his new mom Barbara–who also kept his name! It is thanks to Triangle Law Group’s owner, Laurie Gengo, and her team that he got his second chance! Thank you, Triangle Law Group!

Cooper went happily home with Barbara on July 9, 2020

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