Pet adoptions from shelters and rescues in Massachusetts urgently need your support, especially those that did not receive the grant for fee-waived adoptions. These organizations tirelessly work to provide a safe haven for countless animals, offering them a second chance at life. Without the grant, adoption fees may be a barrier for some potential pet owners, leaving these loving animals without homes. Your support can make a significant difference in ensuring that these animals find the forever families they deserve. Moreover, adoption fees are crucial for furthering the work and mission of these organizations, including Second Chance. These fees help cover some, but not all, of the cost of medical care, food, shelter, and other essential services, which allows shelters and rescues to continue their compassionate work. While this grant provided temporary relief, only 8 out of over 200 shelters were fortunate enough to benefit from it. When the grant is gone, the mission of all shelters and rescues continue, and they cannot survive without charging adoption fees. Although these fees do not cover the entire cost of caring for the animals, they help to offset some of the expenses. By choosing to adopt from these shelters and rescues that do still have to charge an adoption fee, you not only save a life but also help alleviate the burden on these vital community resources, ensuring they can keep their doors open to more animals in need. Please consider adopting, donating, or volunteering—every bit of help counts.

Second Chance has always believed that we need to get to the root causes of why pets end up in shelters in the first place.  That is why the bulk of our work is on programs and services to keep pets out of shelters.  The current crisis in shelters and rescues show that we can never build enough shelters or big enough shelters to house every pet that is in need.  But we CAN create programs and services to keep pets out of shelters.  That is why we have so many programs that include access to affordable veterinary care, safe havens for domestic violence victims and community programs such as community vaccine clinics that prevent disease in the communities.  Please support these programs to help keep pets out of shelters in the first place.

Sheryl Blancato