Rescuing animals is no easy job–but seeing animals in their new homes makes it all worth it a hundred times over.

AUGUST 23, 2017

BUDDY AND NUGGET

Ohhh these babies! These are Dawn-Marie’s boys. Dawn-Marie is one of our amazing dog foster mamas. At any given time, she has several Second Chance pups in training in her home. These two? These are Buddy and Nugget, two “foster failures” as we say around here. In other words, Dawn-Marie was taking care of these pups and decided she couldn’t let them go! Their foster home became their forever home.

AUGUST 16, 2017

BIMINI, NOW OLABISI

If cats have nine lives, judging by this photo, we’re going to guess that this one is probably Olabisi’s favorite one. In 2009, she was homeless and in need of a second chance–as was her mama…and her siblings… We rescued the whole family and named this shy tabby girl Bimini. Sophie adopted her, and she was given both a new name and a new life. Olabisi is one of over 12,000 animals we have been able to save the lives of, in part thanks to those who join us at the Evening of Pawsibilities. We hope to see you at our auction this year, hamming it up in the photo booth or celebrating big raffle or live auction wins. Purchase your ticket today!

AUGUST 9, 2017

JUNIOR

Soooo who remembers Junior?! This boy was brought into our rescues by one of our dedicated volunteers, Patti (who still comes in for cat care almost every Wednesday!). Now 8 years old, we received this photo from his adopter and forever dad, Todd. Doesn’t he have the prettiest “sit”?! 

AUGUST 2, 2017

Donna and Ms. Beasley

Donna, volunteering at Happy Hour at Bottle Revolution in June 2017,

spends some time loving on Second Chance pup Ms. Beasley.

Hi there! I’m Donna, a Second Chance Pet Adoptions volunteer. As an animal lover and pet owner, I’ve always admired rescues and tried to help in any way I could. Until Second Chance, it was always through donations, never “hands on” experience. In January of this year, I decided to fill out a volunteer application. This was by no means a random decision. Aside from their name catching my attention among the many rescues I could’ve gone to, the story of how Second Chance came to be truly touched my heart. After meeting staff member Rachel and some other volunteers at my first event, I knew I had made the right decision. It was obvious to me that Second Chance put their heart and soul into helping find care and quality homes for our furry friends.

Being a part of Second Chance is truly being part of a family. For lack of a better phrase, I would say I felt “good vibes” the first day I walked in. Having never worked with a rescue before, I wasn’t quite sure what I was getting into. I’m happy to say my expectations were greatly exceeded. The Director, Lisa, and the rest of the team make you feel comfortable right away, they are always grateful, and they will even join you in a spontaneous Electric Slide after a glass of wine. 😉

Seriously though, so many homeless animals need our help, our voice, and our resources to survive. Second Chance provides those animals with hope. They provide love for these animals and action in the form of volunteers and donations. In working with homeless dogs and cats, we are reminded of the definition of pure, unconditional love. Though they’ve been through hell, they forgive. They are cautious, yet open to trust. They are teachers to humans that love is not just a feeling, it is healing.

Why do I spend my free time volunteering for Second Chance? I do it because everyone needs a little shelter from the storm, especially those who can’t speak up. WE ARE THEIR VOICE. We are their advocates. We volunteer because animals deserve to feel love just as much as humans do.

On a personal note, working with this amazing organization has given me a “second chance” as well. After some less-than-desirable circumstances, I found exactly what my heart needed: a chance to be someone’s hero. One look into the innocent eyes of an animal and my heart is overflowing! Volunteering at Second Chance has literally changed my outlook on life. You’ve all heard the phrase, “who rescued who?” For me, that’s easy. They definitely rescued me.

Donna with other volunteers at the Lafayette Village Wine Walk

Donna, far left, enjoyed dancing the Electric Slide with other

Second Chance volunteers and board members at the

Lafayette Village Wine Walk fundraiser in April 2017.

The staff and volunteers at Second Chance are tirelessly committed to giving homeless cats and dogs a second chance to find love–but we can’t do it without your contributions to our non-profit rescue organization. Like Donna, you can be a hero to the animals: chip in today!

JULY 26, 2017

TIP OF THE ICEBERG

What we’re about to give you here, these are the warm and fuzzies to end all warm and fuzzies. We’ve been collecting photos of Second Chance pets for our Family Tree and we’re serving them all up for you in a nice album to peruse. Since we’ve rescued over 12,000 animals in our three decades of saving lives, there are plenty more to go–we’ll continue to add all throughout the 30th anniversary celebration, so if you haven’t yet, please submit your photos and videos of your Second Chance babies, past and present! Bring your photo to an event, deliver or mail it to the Second Chance Adoption Center, or send it via email or Facebook.

JULY 19, 2017

Slickdeals Gives Back

SLICKDEALS

This isn’t a photo of a dog in his new car, but it’s just as heartwarming, because what we’re about to tell you will make it possible for more animals to find their forever homes. One year ago, we partnered with Slickdeals, the largest deal-saving money on the internet, in their #SlickdealsGivesBack program. The deal was simple: as our supporters enjoyed great savings on their goods, we would save more animals. We asked you to sign up, to shop, and to save, and Slickdeals would donate money on your behalf. Second Chance fam, we were astonished to receive a check for $10,541. We are in awe of the amazing generosity of Slickdeals and their commitment to creating a better world. To learn more about how you can save lives by saving money, click here.

JULY 12, 2017

ALVIN

How. Funny. Is. This. Photo?! Alvin was adopted from Second Chance a couple of years ago. Leslie sent us this pic back in January and it cracked us up!  It’s good to have a place to call home!

JULY 5, 2017

SNICKERS AT HOME

After waiting for his forever home since October of 2015, Snickers went home last week. Here he is enjoying the heck out of his new life!  

JUNE 28, 2017

KYLO

In December of 2016, we rescued Kylo and his siblings–a whole little batch of kittens.  In January of this year, he was adopted. When he was first brought home, he was shy and nervous, hiding a lot, but his new family was patient with him. Within a matter of weeks, laying on the floor next to him, Kylo learned to trust his humans and became their little snuggle bug soon after! He loves sleeping with them and laying on a blanket on the couch. He’s also become very active and he loves to play in his kitty tunnel. Another Second Chance family made possible by your support!

JUNE 21, 2017

CLAY

Clay. Eleven years old. Over two years at Second Chance. Adopted.  Congratulations to our amazing boy and his new parents. There is a purrfect family out there for every kitty, and thanks to all of you, we can give each one safety, comfort, and love until they meet their match.

JUNE 7, 2017

IAN (NOW TOKI)

This little black kitty, above, is Toki (known as Ian when he was with us) with his new pal, Frankie, in his new home. Adopted in April, this 1-year-old boy came to us as a stray. He was SO affectionate, and we love seeing that he is playful with his new family!

MAY 31, 2017

RUSSELL THE MUSCLE

Mister Russell here is a tripod doggie that was adopted from Second Chance two years ago. (We rescued him from a county shelter as a young pup and he was named Jamison in our program.) As you can tell from his big ol’ grin, he’s happy and healthy in his forever home! Don’t you just want to eat him up?! (And not just because he’s in a hot dog costume!) It turns out that Russell is actually in a competition to have his portrait painted–why not vote for this amazing guy today? 🙂 Click here to vote!

MAY 24, 2017

MADDIE

So thrilled to get this update–and to know that Maddie and her foster mom got to visit at the Family Reunion we held at Racing for Rescue on May 7…exactly what the event was designed for!

MAY 17, 2017

ROCKY

About a month ago, Rocky celebrated his first “gotcha day” anniversary. He had been surrendered by his former owner to a county shelter and we rescued him and brought him into our program. One month later, he found his new home, and we are so tickled by his little party–there is clearly a lot of love in his house!

MAY 10, 2017

PLEASE NOTE: There were no blog updates the week of May 8-12, 2017, as the staff member who maintains this blog was out of the office.

MAY 3, 2017

TIKI

Another beautiful Second Chance success story! We’ve had a fabulous 30 years of matchmaking and we are so excited to celebrate all of our adoptions at the Second Chance Family Reunion on Sunday. Remember, if you’re joining us, please bring great photos like these for our Family Tree bulletin board. They will really make the day complete!

APRIL 26, 2017

WRIGLEY

This birthday girl is 9 years old!  Wrigley was adopted from us in 2008 and has had an awesome life ever since! So glad her mama will be joining us at Racing for Rescues and the Family Reunion–this is what the Reunion is all about, after all!

APRIL 19, 2017

How Adopting a Dog Will Change Your Life

By Carly at The Carly Collective (source)

It’s hard to believe it’s almost been a year since adopting Kona but It’s harder to believe I almost let her go. I couldn’t imagine life without my four-legged, wet-nosed best friend now.

Kona’s Story

I decided to foster for Second Chance Pet Adoptions in the early summer of 2016. The day before I picked up Kona from the shelter, I selfishly told a friend I didn’t want a female or a pit. She was exactly what I thought I didn’t want, but everything I needed.

I immediately started crying when I saw her. Tyler and I picked her up from Second Chance and took her home to our tiny college apartment. She was scared of most noises, nervous to be touched, and hesitant about us. She was overjoyed when I gave her toys, a collar, and a bath almost as if she’d never received these things before. Over the next few months, we started bonding and it was if she had become a new dog.

In September, it was time to put her up for adoption. I was so devastated that I cried for days. I had never cried about something so much in my life. She had already received multiple adoption applications at the center and a nice family was supposed to look at her during the weekend. I tried to tell myself I was doing the right thing.

When the family called and said they no longer were interested in Kona, I took it as a sign. Obviously, they weren’t interested in her because she was MY dog. I wanted the best life for Kona and I knew she would be happiest with me. A couple days before my twenty-second birthday, I adopted Kona. She was the best gift I’ve ever received.

What You’ll Learn

Adopting a dog will change your life drastically. You are responsible for another living creature. They depend on you for food, shelter, and safety. You can’t splurge on those new boots you want because you’ll need that money for the dog walker or a vet visit. You will learn how to put yourself second and your dog’s needs first. Do you think I want to wake up at 7 am every morning to take Kona out? Even if it’s downpouring?

However, it’s all worth it when you see their smiling face after a long day at work. Or when they scootch a little closer to you in bed. They’ll teach you all you need to know about unconditional love because they’re full of it. You can scorn them for an accident or eating your sandwich when you’re not looking *cough* *cough* and they still want to give you kisses and play. I swear they make your heart 10 times bigger, just by being there…

Finally, adopting a dog will be like adopting a best friend. Everywhere I go, Kona has to go too. She is always by my side and there for me when I need her. Whenever I’m upset, she consoles me. If I’m scared, she’ll try to protect me. (Keyword: try) And on days it’s hard for me to get out of bed, she’ll give me the extra push I need to get outside. I never feel lonely anymore. I’d rather stay in with my dog nowadays than spend money on drinks at the bar.

More on Adopting

According to the ASPCA, 6.5 million companion animals (dogs and cats) enter U.S. animal shelters nationwide every year. These animals are given to the shelter for numerous reasons. Some owners have given them up or some have been found on the street. While shelters do the best they can, most shelters do not have enough space or money to host these animals for long.

Each year, approximately 1.5 million shelter animals are euthanized. It personally scares me to think Kona could have been a statistic. If you want to help lower these numbers, you can make a difference by adopting a furry friend, opening your home to a foster, or donating to a reputable foundation.

I will never be able to thank Second Chance Pet Adoptions enough for all they have done for me. Please check out https://www.secondchancenc.org/ for information on how you can help. They are the oldest no-kill rescue organization in Wake County, NC.

APRIL 12, 2017

Eli

ELI

Marsha recently celebrated the 6-month anniversary of Eli’s “gotcha day” and sent us an updated photo. Look at this stud!! This handsome little man was actually being fostered by Marsha and she decided that her home was his forever home. He sure looks like a guy who knows he’s lucky, doesn’t he?  Looking forward to seeing photos like these–and dogs in the flesh!–at the Family Reunion on May 7! If you’ve adopted from us, please come, bring your fur baby, and bring their photo for the Family Tree bulletin board!

APRIL 5, 2017

KINSTON

This message from Ruth, one of our dedicated volunteers, about a kitty she adopted from us in late February of this year gives us the warm and fuzzies–and perfectly shows what we will be celebrating this year! On May 7, in addition to our annual 5K run/2K walk to benefit homeless animals, we’ll be having our first ever Family Reunion to celebrate three decades of finding the perfect fit for our furry friends and their family members with this fabulous community of volunteers, adopters, donors, and supporters! Our Family Reunion registration page is NOW OPEN!  If you can’t/don’t want to do the 5K/2K, this registration form is for you! (You do not need to register to join us, but if you want an event t-shirt–and you do!–you must register to guarantee a shirt in your size!)

MARCH 29, 2017

BARNEY AND TABITHA

Back in January, a lovely woman named Tina and her family adopted two little kittens named Barney and Tabitha. Well guess what–Barney and Tabitha have a big ol’ best friend! This is a photo of them in their new home with their new doggo. We love how comfortable they are there–one big happy family! It’s photos like these that we hope all of you who have adopted from us will bring to Racing for Rescues and the Family Reunion! We’ll have a big Family Tree bulletin board there on May 7 for you to tack up your pictures–can’t wait to see them!

MARCH 22, 2017

ROCKET

When foster parents decide to adopt their foster animals, it’s called a “foster failure,” but as you can see from reading Rocket’s story, foster “failures” are success stories nonetheless! Thanks so much to Marty for fostering for us, adopting from us, sharing this story, and–most of all–giving Rocket exactly the kind of loving family he needed.  To all our past and present fosters, volunteers, and adopters: we are looking forward to hearing more stories and seeing more photos like these (and by all means, bring your pets!) at Racing for Rescues and our Family Reunion!

MARCH 15, 2017

KONA

In June of 2016, we held our “Art to the Rescue” fundraiser, which was covered by a journalist named Carly with The CW22. In July 2016, we rescued a 2-year-old Boston terrier mix from a high-kill shelter. She was a scared, shy little girl in need of a foster home; Carly signed up to foster Kona for us. Kona soon blossomed into a playful and loving lady. Carly fell in love with Kona, who wiggled her butt and LOVED belly tickles as much as she enjoyed cuddles and Netflix time. In September of 2016, Carly decided that Kona didn’t need to be up for adoption–she was already in her forever home. As you can see, Kona still very much enjoys cuddling and is wonderfully happy with her forever mom.

MARCH 8, 2017

CLARENCE

For everyone who’s been following along with Clarence’s story (he’s our one-eyed kitten that many of you met at BottleMixx during our Paws and Pours event–or saw his video that day): he got adopted yesterday! Preeta will be his perfect new mom! Thanks to Linda and to BEST kittens and Billy-bear for fostering this special boy, to Care First Animal Hospital for giving him great medical care, to Paul for sponsoring his adoption fee, and to Preeta for not only taking Clarence home, but donating to Second Chance in memory of her beloved Puck as well. It takes a village to do what we do!

MARCH 1, 2017

ELENA LEE

Elena Lee was an adult kitty living in a shelter–until Second Chance came into her life. We rescued her in October 2015 and she lived here for a few months as a quiet girl. She gave head bumps and liked to get rubbed behind her ears. A year ago, Dana brought her home, so they recently celebrated her “gotcha” day and we got an updated photo! Happy anniversary, sweet girl!

FEBRUARY 22, 2017

WRIGLEY (FORMERLY MARCELINE)

We found Marceline as a 3-month-old baby stuck in a high-kill shelter. We rescued her and could tell she was a smart girl right away, as she quickly learned right from wrong. Well–now Wrigley in her forever home–she’s even smarter than we realized! This girl knows the safest way to ride in a car is in a safety seat!

FEBRUARY 15, 2017

LUCY AND LUKE

In honor of our director’s birthday this week, we’re featuring her Second Chance babies for #warmandfuzzieswednesday! Lucy the pup and Luke the kitty cat were both adopted by Lisa. Luke was adopted in 2009 and Lucy in 2014–after having puppies! (All were healthy and got adopted, too!) We’ll add one more “L” word to describe Luke and Lucy: LUCKY! They couldn’t have gotten a better home than with Lisa!

FEBRUARY 8, 2017

BETTY (FORMERLY NOELLE)

We got a great picture from the owner of Betty (formerly Noelle)! She turned a year old in October. As an adult, one ear is up, while the other is down. How adorable is that?! Her mom says: “Betty has gotten along great with every dog we’ve introduced her to. She’s a good running buddy. She does great with kids. She’s not scared of anything – vacuum cleaners, storms, etc. She’s still a professional table surfer. Our trainer suggested putting an invisible fence around our kitchen table. I didn’t want to do that so she goes to her bed while we eat. We tested her DNA – she’s one super mutt! Hound, beagle, lab, terrier, German Shepherd. Looking at her, she might have some Carolina dog in her also. The DNA test doesn’t include Carolina dog so we don’t know for sure. She’s active and playful, but is willing to stop and snuggle some now that she’s a big girl. ” Awww!

FEBRUARY 1, 2017

POE AND CALLIE

One of our cat care volunteers, Chris, recently adopted a black kitty named Poe from us…to join Callie, a Second Chance adoptee formerly known as Calypso…and sent us an update! Chris says: “Poe is a very sweet, energetic, and happy-go-lucky little boy who had no problem adjusting to his new environment. As soon as he came into the house, he knew he was home. He and Callie have quickly become very close and they hang out and play all day. In fact, Callie has become very protective of Poe and watches over him at all times. Poe’s most favorite activity is ‘fetch.’ I throw a little stuffed chipmunk, he takes off after it at full speed, and then he slides across the living room floor while grabbing the squirrel on his way past. Afterward, he proudly carries back his ‘prey’ and we start all over again. It’s great entertainment for me and Callie!” Thanks so much for the update, Chris–and for taking such great care of our kitties!

JANUARY 25, 2017

ROSALEIGH AND HOLLY

Look. At. These. Two. Snugglebugs. The larger of the pair is our Rosaleigh (one of the litter of lab puppies we had last July), who recently welcomed a new baby sister, Holly (who was rescued from a local shelter). Rosaleigh is clearly a dream of a big sis and she and Holly are obviously bonded already! Please watch your step as you exit–don’t slip in our puddle of tears.

JANUARY 18, 2017

BRYSON

This is what we aim for: a cat who feels SO secure in their forever home that everything in it is theirs–including the dog beg!  (Just kidding…or are we?) Bryson here was found (along with his sister) at a Chick-fil-A and both went to live with one of our current board members. We just can’t get enough of his expression!

JANUARY 11, 2017

“Go outside in the snow,” they said. “It’ll be fun,” they said. #NOPE

TEGAN

Tegan came to us from the Wake County Animal Center (WCAC) as “Lulu.” She had a badly broken leg and was in the “rescue only” portion of the shelter. When we arrived at WCAC to bring some pups back to Second Chance, WCAC’s rescue coordinator, Cindy, asked us to stop and meet Tegan. Cindy explained that Tegan was a really sweet girl, but she would need to be euthanized the next day if no rescue took her.

We met her, and she was amazing—and treatable! We were thrilled to advance our mission by taking Tegan in and getting her medical assistance. After recovering from an amputation, Tegan’s winning personality quickly secured her a new “forever home” with parents Jessica and Mike. She’s been a rising star at recent Second Chance events—and her fame will only increase now that she’s on Instagram! See more pictures like these by following her @TeganTheTripawd!