About

A Second Chance started on Facebook in 2013. We had lost our sweet baby, Petey at the end of 2012. In January I was missing having a dog so I started going to the shelter. I saw this dog.

And I was hooked. I promised him I would get him out of the shelter and bring him home. But there was a couple of caveats.

First caveat...I had injured my knee and was in need of surgery. Yeah.

Second caveat...husband. He was not in the same place as I was in needing another dog. He still missed Petey way too much. So. I went to the shelter after work. On my days off. I sent even sent videos of him to my husband from the shelter. Some had music set to them. I spared nothing. (BTW, my husband has since fallen for Chance's charms and loves him like crazy now.)

Eventually, my husband said ok. Not the least bit happy about it, but, ok. So we went to the shelter and got this big knuckle head. He was just a wee bit excited to get out of the shelter...look at that tail! He was on 4 point alert...giving his fare well tour.

We named him Chance. After the dog in the Disney movie, Homeward Bound. I loved that dog.

Paper work in hand, we were off to the vet for his checkup and then to the groomer for a bath. (It took a good four times before we got him to smell pretty good. And he was soft as a baby!!!

In March I had my knee surgery. He was my constant companion. I believe I owe my recovery to him. He forced me to get up and move. And move we did. For a while after surgery, I walked him on crutches. Eventually the crutches weren't needed any longer and we were good to go. I even started riding my bike with him!!! Now, THAT is fun!!! And a whole other story in itself.

Anyway, during this time I started a facebook page for dogs in need. Lost dogs. Dogs that people have rescued. Dogs that need rescued. I called it A Second Chance.

All along, I had played with the idea of taking photos of the shelter dogs in hopes of getting them adopted. I was met with much resistance. I would ask if I could take photos and was told no over and over again. But, I kept going back and kept asking. Finally someone told me yes...only photos of dogs available for adoption. I said thanks and turned around started taking pictures. Now, I'm not even sure if this person had the authority to tell me yes or no. But I didn't care. I had permission. And when someone questioned me, I told them I had permission, and all was well. Except for one thing. I would go home from the shelter and cry all the way home. I didn't feel like I was making any difference at all. So I stopped.

Until one day in November 2014, I was contacted by Katie King from the Pensacola News Journal. She had seen some of the photos I posted on A Second Chance and wanted to use them for an article they were running on the shelter's first Clear the Kennel Adoption Event. I happily said yes, please do! She used Bruce and Recess...two of my favorites. Bruce, a sweet big boy that had been overlooked for too long, and Recess, a goofy little fellow.

The day after the event I found out that Bruce was the first dog to be adopted!!!! You really cannot imagine my joy. I knew then that it does make a difference. And I set out to do just that. I promoted A Second Chance and networked and got the following up. The readers went from 20 to over 800 in a few months. And it grows daily.

Somewhere along the way, I was approached to become an 'official' volunteer at the shelter! Now, if you know me, you know I am not a volunteer type person. But this was different. I am so happy to be part of something that will help these dogs have a better life while in the shelter and to eventually find a home and family. I look forward to going in and seeing all my little friends...giving treats...taking photos...and taking them for walks.

There is much that goes into A Second Chance. Thank goodness my good friend, Vonnie, agreed to be an administrator and help with the site. She handles all the fundraising, research, and finding new ways to help the animals at the shelter. She also volunteers at the shelter helping do whatever she can. She currently has 2 dogs...one a street rescue, Otis (the little howling bad ass below). The other is the smiling Lana...a former ECAS dog that was hit by a car.

So between us, we have made A Second Chance what it is today...a site solely for the benefit of the dogs at Escambia County Animal Shelter. We hope to utilize this website as a place to come for information. Any information pertaining to dogs...fostering, adopting, training, feeding. And anything that can benefit any rescues or shelters.