This month’s recipient of HeidiTown Gives Back is Second Chance Humane Society in Ridgway, Colorado, just next door to Ouray. In fact, Second Chance not only serves Ouray and Ridgway, but the tri-county area of Ouray County, San Miguel County and Montrose County.
I started the HeidiTown Gives Back Campaign in January 2012. Each month, a Colorado nonprofit of my choosing gets a free ad space here on HeidiTown.com and a post about their organization. I chose Second Chance because I wanted to highlight an nonprofit near the location of the first annual HeidiTown Fest.
Second Chance is also the featured nonprofit at HeidiTown Fest. Throughout the festival weekend I will solicit donations for Second Chance at each of our social gatherings.
Second Chance has been in Ridgway for 21 years and in 2011, they purchased Angel Ridge Ranch. The 52 acres property allows them to run a cage free animal shelter. Haven’t heard of a cage free animal shelter? Neither had I, but the concept is gaining popularity within the animal rescue community.
Kelly Goodin, the executive direct of Second Chance says that studies have shown that dogs that don’t have to be cooped up in a cage while at a shelter are much less prone to sickness and much more emotionally stable.
The big upside for a cage free shelter is that a healthy, happy animal is much easier to adopt out and Second Chance rescues rarely spend more than a couple weeks at the facility.
This makes complete sense to me. I’m much happier and healthier when I can run free.
Second Chance rescue cats are also kept in a mostly cage free environment, although Goodin says some cats prefer a cage over being social.
Second Chance operates two thrift stores; one in Ridgway and one in Telluride. One hundred percent of the proceeds of these stores go directly to the shelter. If you’re in the area, go shop for a good cause!
Outreach is a big part of what Second Chance is all about. Their vision is, “loving homes for all pets” and their mission is “saving animals’ lives and promoting responsible pet parenting and the human-animal bond.”
They accomplish this through educational programs and even provide behavioral classes at the ranch, so that people can tackle issues before these issue result in the dog being surrendered to a shelter.
They also have an onsite clinic offering low cost spay and neutering service.
Please visit Second Chance Humane Society at AdoptMountainPets.org and like them on Facebook here.