SC Pet Rescue asks for help on “$5 Fridays” to remain operational

Second Chance Pet Rescue, a small No Kill Shelter in Grove, Oklahoma is struggling to keep their doors open due to the impact the Covid 19 pandemic has had on operational funding.

“Covid 19 is keeping our thrift shop closed and has forced us to halt adoptions; and with no end to the crisis in sight, operational funds are running dangerously low,” said Lysa Boston, Shelter Manager.

“Our thrift shop normally provides approximately $13,000 towards the shelter’s operational revenue EACH MONTH,” Boston explained. “The shop has been closed since early March due to the pandemic; we were still struggling to recover financially after the shop was closed for almost three months last summer due to the flood,” she added.

Boston said that Covid 19 also forced the rescue to cancel their largest fundraiser, Barkaritaville, which was scheduled for the end of May. “We are anticipating a loss of over $16,000 in revenue from the cancelation of Barkaritaville.”

Boston said that despite the lack of income, monthly bills must still be paid and shelter pets still need to be cared for every day. Boston shared some figures which she said may surprise many people.

• Providing care for homeless pets comes at a significant cost; last year the shelter spent an average of $342 on each and every pet that came through their doors.
• The shelter is currently caring for 74 dogs and 22 cats and receives calls every day to help more animals with no other place to go. They receive no state or federal funding.
• 2017-the shelter took in an average of 26 dogs each month and a total of 323 dogs that year. We adopted out 75 dogs, transferred out 181 dogs and the average length of stay was 104 days.
• 2018-the shelter took in an average of 37 dogs each month and a total of 449 dogs that year. We adopted out 149 dogs, transferred out 204 dogs and reduced the average length of stay to 75 days.
• 2019-the shelter took in an average of 64 dogs each month and a total of 767 dogs that year. We adopted out 223 dogs, transferred out 565 dogs and the average length of stay was reduced to just 42 days!

Boston said that these numbers demonstrate the impact that the shelter has on the animals in the community and demonstrate the necessity of their continued survival and success. She said the shelter is committed to saving even more lives and offering more support to the pets in the area and the families who love them. She believes that the loss of shelter services would have a devastating impact on homeless pets in our community.

“We have cut back on everything that we can without impacting the quality of our animal care,” Boston said. “We will not be able to sustain operations much longer without additional funds.”
“We can’t imagine our community without our Second Chance Pet Rescue...the pets would have no other options and nowhere to go.”
To support the shelter, donations can be made via Facebook, or through our secure website here: https://www.secondchancepetsponsors.org/.../Five_Dollar_Frida...
You may also mail a check to Second Chance Pet Rescue, 64301 E 290 Road, Grove, OK 74344