‘When they come to us in bad shape, and then we see them go to a new home and they’re thriving – that’s what retains us going’: Established in August 2023, Second Chances Animal Rescue has helped dozens of at-risk animals discover their eternally properties
An investigation of animal cruelty close to Iron Bridge stays ongoing after the carcasses of an unknown variety of puppies had been present in a cage on a aspect street final month.
But a brand new animal rescue in Sault Ste. Marie just lately positioned and saved the mom of that litter, Roxy, who gave beginning to a wholesome litter of eight pups on Friday.
Called ‘Second Chances Animal Rescue,’ the group was based by 5 native animal lovers this previous August: Aleigha McLean, Melissa Pritchard, Shannon Wilson, Mikayla Huckerby, and Maddisyn Evans.
The concept to kind the rescue got here after the group’s co-founders acknowledged a startling uptick in folks abandoning their animals.
“Shelters have been at capacity and full, so people have been letting their animals loose outside and out in the bush,” McLean mentioned. “Just yesterday, somebody dropped off two dogs in Goulais proper beside the freeway. They’re nonetheless someplace misplaced within the bush across the freeway.
“People are getting desperate and doing that kind of stuff, so we thought maybe we could alleviate some of that because we hate to see that happen.”
Day to day, the group will obtain messages by their social media page about an animal in want of help. The rescue will decide if they’ve the assets to assist and if they’ve an applicable foster to match the animal with.
From there, the volunteers will get the animal vaccinated, microchipped, after which schedule deworming and flea prevention practices when vital. If the animal isn’t spayed or neutered, the rescuers will arrange an appointment on the Sault Animal Hospital throughout the river.
“Any fundraising we do goes towards the spaying and neutering,” McLean mentioned. “If they get adopted before they’re spayed or neutered, then it’s up to the owners to go through with it. But we can drive them across if they need us.”
Besides dogs and cats, Second Chances Animal Rescue has additionally fostered rabbits, bearded dragons, rats, guinea pigs, and even a canary.
“If we have the room, we’ll accept them,” McLean mentioned. “We’re not ‘drop it off at our house no matter what.’ We’re strategic about the numbers we bring in and if we’ll be able to rehome them properly.”
One of the group’s greatest rescues occurred earlier this month once they managed to home three litters of kittens after a farmer in Thessalon was able to put off them.
“The farmer was going to round them all up in a sac and drown them, so someone was able to convince them about our rescue, and we got them all into homes,” McLean mentioned. “They were all feral when we got them, but we have a lot of volunteers who will socialize them, so they were all ready to be a pet inside.”
A proud pet proprietor herself, McLean advised SooToday that Roxy and her brand-new litter of pups have been doing nice for the reason that beginning on Friday.
“She’s going to be an amazing dog for someone when she does get adopted,” she mentioned. “She has a great temperament, and for coming from such a bad situation, she’s such a well-rounded and gentle dog, and is in really good health herself.”
“She can get spayed in eight weeks when she’s done nursing. Her story resonated with a lot of people, and several people have actually donated.”
The new rescue had been made conscious of Roxy’s dire scenario by a 3rd celebration in recent weeks. Worried a couple of repeat incident from Iron Bridge, the nameless celebration managed to persuade the proprietor there was home for Roxy to go to.
Without having to contact the earlier homeowners in any respect, the brand new rescue obtained Roxy safely, and she or he gave beginning simply a short while later.
“All of us were so devastated when we read the original story,” McLean mentioned. “But even though some bad things did happen in her past, it’s going to be positive in her future now.”
Currently being cared for at one of many co-owner’s properties, Roxy and her litter will quickly be transferred to a foster home and ultimately positioned for adoption.
“They’re all good weight and nursing well,” McLean mentioned. “Roxy is a rottweiler mix and the puppies are believed to be a rottweiler-lab mix. They’re all doing really well so far.”
On Saturday, fosters with Second Chances Animal Rescue got here collectively exterior the Station Mall for a meet and greet the place members of the general public may work together with a few of their furry animals in individual and discover them new properties.
“We adopted a few cats already today,” McLean mentioned. “It’s a great way to see if there’s a connection there. We ask them about their home situation, and if it’s a dog, we ask a few more questions because each dog has very individual needs.”
“Even if no animal was adopted today, it’s still a win because the animals are still socializing.”
Since establishing themselves final month, the rescue has positioned animals in round 20 foster properties, and practically 70 pets have already discovered their eternally properties.
Between 15 and 20 animals are at present searching for their eternally home.
“We do this just for the animals,” McLean mentioned. “When they come to us in bad shape, and then we see them go to a new home and they’re thriving – that’s what keeps us going.”
Second Chances Animal Rescue is at present ready to get their non-profit charity utility authorized. Until then, the group is wanting ahead to operating extra storage gross sales, kitten cuddling stations, and different fundraisers to maintain the operation sustainable.
“The community support has been fantastic,” McLean mentioned. “We’ve broken even or lost money on some animals, but with more fundraising and getting that application approved, we’ll be able to offset costs.”
