Regular Hours:
MONDAY 10 am – 3 pm
TUESDAY 10 am – 3 pm
WEDNESDAY 10 am – 3 pm
THURSDAY 10 am -3 pm & 5-7 pm
FRIDAY 10 am – 3 pm
SAT 11 am – 4 pm
CLOSED ON SUNDAY
The effects of the pandemic have created a perfect storm, this time on land. As COVID-19 took hold here in Massachusetts, residents took advantage of all the extra time at home to welcome a pet into their family. While many veterinary practices were forced to reduce services or temporarily close, veterinary staff in vet hospitals determined to be there for pets embraced a new curbside procedure and quietly became the essential workers for pets across the state. Those that could worked long hours to see all the pets who needed help immediately and had nowhere else to turn. They were there for the pets that needed them, but it’s taken a toll on their spirit.
The country was already facing a veterinarian and vet tech shortage before the pandemic. Now we have more pets that need care and veterinary hospitals and practices are seeing their staff numbers dwindle due to burnout. Current wait times at some local emergency hospitals are lengthy while some other emergency hospitals have decided to temporarily or permanently close.
Second Chance Animal Services, no strangers to saving pet lives, are meeting the crisis head on with an ironic solution. We have significantly reduced the capacity of the low-cost spay and neuter program at ourNorth Brookfield Community Veterinary Hospital for the foreseeable future to help save the lives of pets in critical need.
Our colleagues at area emergency veterinary hospitals tell us they are doing their best to keep up with demand, but they are strained and operating beyond capacity. The situation is dire. Wait times often exceed 12 hours at some facilities and others have made the decision to close for the remainder of the summer.
Second Chance has significantly reduced the capacity of their low-cost spay & neuter program to do their part to help. Day after day, pet owners are bringing pets to us in critical need of emergency surgical care. Without our help, these pets would die, suffer needlessly, or be put to sleep because surgery cannot be scheduled in time to save the pet. We could not let this happen. We need to help as many pets as we can.
We ask for your patience and understanding. We have been working to alleviate the backlog of pets waiting which began in March of 2020 when spay and neuter services were suspended to conserve critical supplies that were then hard to acquire. Our spay and neuter capacity is not only back to pre-pandemic levels, but higher than pre pandemic.
We encourage pet owners to consider using the spay and neuter services at Second Chance’s Springfield or Worcester hospitals. Second Chance wants to be sure that there is surgical space to help as many pets in immediate urgent need as we can. Spay and neuter surgery is important but life-threatening critical needs must come first. We need to be here for those pets who need urgent surgeries.
Why should my pet be groomed?
When should I start grooming my puppy professionally?
How often should I be getting my pet groomed?
How can I get my puppy used to being groomed?
Is there anything I should do between salon visits?
With the lifting of state COVID restrictions, Second Chance is excited to welcome everyone back inside our facilities. For everyone’s comfort, we have a few temporary rules as we adjust and staff members complete vaccinations.
-Masks will be required in animal adoption rooms and lobbies (due to confined spaces)
-Please continue to observe social distancing when possible.
-All potential adopters must fill out our adoption survey so we can better help you find the right pet.
-During high visitor times, we use a number system to hold your place in line. We assist as many people as we have staff to accommodate. This allows us to give you a better, personalized experience by having a dedicated adoption counselor.
-Adoptions are on a first come, first serve basis.
Starting Tuesday, June 1st, pet owners will once again be able to accompany pets for office visits.
-Masks will be required in exam rooms and lobbies (due to confined spaces)
-We ask that you limit visitors to two pet owners in a room at one time
-Please continue to observe social distancing when possible. (If there are too many people in the lobby, you may be asked to wait outside)
Curbside service will continue to be available for pet owners who wish to remain in their cars while their pet is brought inside for exams.
Our weekly vaccine clinics are now exclusively by pre-registration – eliminating lines and long waits and allowing us to help more pets. Pet owners will remain outside while their pet is brought inside for registered treatments and promptly returned.
Second Chance was recently featured on the Bob Katzen Show’s Let’s Pay It Forward segment where Lindsay Doray shared how we help 40,000 animals every year to live better lives:
Helping 40,000 pets a year means we go through A LOT of supplies. When a company steps up to help with a supply donation, we get really excited – because it means we can help even more pets.
Lindsay & Butters check out a special delivery from AvaCare Medical
This week AvaCare Medical delivered 1,500 puppy pads to Second Chance. Aside from the obvious use – PUPPIES! – we can use these pads in all our veterinary hospitals for pre-op and post-op care. A donation like this helps us keep veterinary care affordable – and when we keep veterinary care affordable, it helps keep pets out of shelters and with the people they love.
Steven Zeldes, CEO of AvaCare Medical (one of the largest medical supplies companies in the US) says that “at AvaCare Medical, we try to give back to worthy causes, and Second Chances’ mission of giving animals a second chance really touched us. It’s our privilege to be of assistance with helping these animals!”
AvaCare’s donation is already hard at work at Second Chance, helping us provide lifesaving surgeries. AvaCare Medical has a special discount code for 10% off all puppy pads for Second Chance and their supporters: SECONDCHANCEANIMALS10.
Is your company interested in helping save lives? Contact Lindsay.doray@secondchanceanimals.org to learn more about how your company can give back with a donation.
GIVING SHELTER PETS THE BEST CHANCE
EAST BROOKFIELD, MA – January 27, 2021 – Second Chance Animal Services has received a $70,000 grant from PetSmart Charities to help prepare more shelter pets for adoption and ensure they are ready to find loving homes. This grant will assist in providing veterinary care to homeless pets so they can get the ‘second chance’ they deserve.
With three full-service veterinary hospitals and a transport quarantine facility, Second Chance is uniquely qualified to help at-risk homeless pets.
“We are grateful for the continued support of PetSmart Charities in our work to help pets in need,” said Second Chance Development Director Lindsay Doray. “So many pets come through our transport program after sitting in overcrowded shelters across the country. Here in Massachusetts, we have many families hoping to find a new family pet. These funds will help us to update vaccinations and provide spay neuter surgeries and veterinary care so each pet can start their new life with their new family.”
“Second Chance Animal Services continues to provide critical care to shelter pets, effectively reducing the homeless pet population and shortening their shelter stay,” said Johnny Jenkins, associate relationship manager at PetSmart Charities. ‘We are proud to support this work that will give homeless pets the best chance at finding loving homes.”
Since 1994, through its partnership with nearly 4,000 humane societies, SPCAs and pet rescues across North America, PetSmart Charities has helped more than 9.5 million pets to find loving homes via its in-store adoption program in over 1,650 PetSmart® stores. The leading funder of animal welfare has also donated nearly $430 million to positively impact communities, to help preserve families, to improve access to veterinary care and to connect people and pets through initiatives like this with Second Chance.
Second Chance helps over 40,000 pets each year through a variety of programs. For more information on Second Chance, visit www.secondchanceanimals.org.
“As the coordinator for Project Good Dog at the Worcester County Sheriff’s Office I have seen many dogs in need come through our door, none more frightened and shut down than May. May was a seven month old Hound mix who Second Chance rescued from an unfortunate situation that left her with extreme anxiety caused by the trauma she experienced at such a young age. May was fearful of everyone and everything. Going outdoors, just three steps down the hall, was like running a marathon for her. When she finally did get outside she would do backflips on the leash trying to get back in. We couldn’t get her to eat, to come out of her crate, to interact at all.
I was so afraid we wouldn’t be able to help her, shedding tears over this poor puppy, not knowing what to do for her. Then one day I climbed in her crate with her to say goodnight – yeah I wasn’t giving up on this girl – and Miss May gave me kisses! I was so shocked and it was at that moment I knew she would be okay.
Gradually with plenty of patience, time and consistency May came out of her shell and grew to trust us. Every small accomplishment by May made all of us at Project Good Dog so happy as we knew how difficult it was for her and how far she’d come. When she barked for the first time we all erupted in cheers. When she began to play with the other dogs we looked on in silent awe of this strong, beautiful girl. In the eleven weeks May spent at Project Good Dog she learned not only her basic commands, but how to have fun, how to trust, how to love. She learned how to truly be a dog.
Fast forward five years and May is amazing, living in her forever home with me! I just couldn’t let her go when she completed the program, I knew she needed me. As it turned out I needed her just as much. Today May is silly, quirky, affectionate and playful. She loves to go outside in her yard and she is an absolute nut for food of all kinds! May makes me laugh every day, and with her strength and resilience she has taught me so much more than I could ever teach her. I truly have no idea where May would be without Second Chance and Project Good Dog.”
We are humbled! Thank you for voting Second Chance Animal Services BEST NON-PROFIT in the 2020 Best of Central Mass.
Congratulations to our very own Dr. Jackie Celmer, finalist for BEST VETERINARIAN.
We are so proud of the work Dr. Jackie and all our caring and compassionate veterinarians do each day, providing access to world class veterinary care for all. Your support helps our doctors keep pets in their homes with the people who love them. Thank you!
Second Chance Animal Services takes the health and safety of staff, volunteers, hospital clients and adopters seriously, especially at this unprecedented time.
Our staff now wear masks and are washing their hands with increased frequency in addition to daily temperature checks to ensure that they are healthy for the protection of all. Our veterinary hospitals have remained opened throughout the pandemic with precautions in place. Hospital clients remain in their vehicles while we care for their pets. A veterinarian calls to discuss each pets’ medical care and pets are redelivered back to their owners along with any medication, if necessary. Our spay/neuter program was limited for a short time due to supply issues but has now resumed. Our adoption center has also remained open during the pandemic, limiting visitors to one family at a time and disinfecting in between.
As of 5/25/20, we have entered our phase 1 plan. The current guidelines that have been in place throughout the pandemic continue. Spay/neuter is now fully resumed at our Springfield and Worcester locations and remains limited at our North Brookfield location to accommodate the increased need for emergency surgeries. We are prioritizing clients with cancelled appointments followed by scheduling new patients.
Our plan will closely follow the phase plan for the state, so please watch our website for additional changes in restrictions. We expect all of our current programs that are on hold including walk in vaccine clinics, spa days and mobile adoptions to be back in full operation shortly.
Thank you for your patience as we weathered this crisis together. We are grateful for your support and cooperation and are very proud to have continued to serve pets throughout this pandemic and look forward to resuming all services as we move forward.