>>> OVER THE PAST YEAR SECOND CHANCE ANIMAL SERVICES HAS BEEN
BUSY HELPING TO RESCUE AND FIND NEW HOMES FOR PETS FROM
HURRICANE RAVAGED PUERTO RICO AND FLORIDA.
BASED OUT OF CENTRAL MASSACHUSETTS, SECOND CHANCE IS
OPENING A NEW LOCATION IN SPRINGFIELD.
THE NON-PROFIT OFFERS VETERINARY CARE FOR PETS,
AND IS ALSO A SHELTER WITH LOCATIONS IN EAST BROOKFIELD AND
WORCESTER.
CAROLEE MCGRATH SAT DOWN WITH SECOND CHANCE'S LINDSAY DORAY TO
LEARN MORE.
>> OBVIOUSLY WHEN THE HURRICANES HIT, THERE WERE A LOT OF PETS IN
NEED THAT NEEDED SOME PLACE TO GO.
WE ENDED UP TAKING IN OVER 120 ANIMALS BETWEEN -- I THINK WE
TOOK 99 FROM FLORIDA AND 20 SOMETHING FROM PUERTO RICO TO
GET THEM OUT.
THE ANIMALS WE TOOK, JUST TO BE CLEAR FOR EVERYBODY, WERE
ANIMALS ALREADY SITTING IN SHELTERS DOWN THERE, BUT BECAUSE
OF ALL THE DAMAGE AND EVERYTHING, PEOPLE THAT WERE
FORCED TO EVACUATE, THEY NEEDED PLACEMENT -- TEMPORARILY
PLACEMENT FOR THEIR PETS.
IT WOULD HAVE HAD AN UNDETERMINED FUTURE FOR THE
ANIMALS ALREADY SITTING IN THE SHELTERS, WE TOOK THEM OUT OF
THERE, KNOWING THERE WAS NOBODY LOOKING FOR THEM, WE BROUGHT
THEM UP THERE SO THEY COULD FIND LOVING HOMES AND BE ADOPTED OUT,
SO THERE WAS LESS ANIMALS FOR THEM TO KIND OF DEAL WITH IN THE
AFTERMATH OF EVERYTHING.
>> YOU ALSO HAVE A RELATIONSHIP WITH A SHELTER IN PUERTO RICO,
AS WELL?
>> WE DO.
WE MENTOR A SHELTER IN PUERTO RICO, AND WE ARE ESTABLISHING A
SPAY-NEUTER PROGRAM DOWN THERE.
BEFORE THE HURRICANES EVER HAPPENED, WE WERE HELPING THEM
OUT WITH PLACEMENT FOR ANIMALS DOWN THERE.
IT'S BECOME A LITTLE BIT MORE DIFFICULT, OBVIOUSLY, WITH ALL
THE HURRICANES, GETTING FLIGHTS IN AND OUT OF THERE AND FINDING
AN AIRLINE WILLING TO FLY THEM HERE OR EVEN A PILOT OR SOMEBODY
WILLING TO FLY THEM UP HERE TO US, TYPICALLY THAT HE STUFF EASY
VERY COSTLY.
THE FUNDS ARE NEEDED TO DO THAT OR WE NEED TO FIND SOMEBODY OR
HAVE SOMEBODY COME FORWARD SAYING THEY CAN HELP US WITH
THAT.
RIGHT NOW WE ARE AT THE MERCY OF GETTING THEM ONTO WHATEVER
FLIGHTS WE CAN AND THEN BRINGING THEM IN AND GETTING THEM READY
FOR ADOPTION.
>> YOU DO ADOPTION AND ALSO HAVE THREE CLINICS, WORCESTER, AND
SPRINGFIELD AND NORTH SPRINGFIELD.
>> THOSE ARE -- THEY'RE FULL HOSPITALS NOW.
FULL SERVICE, OVER EVERYTHING FROM WELLNESS EXAMS TO SPAY
NEUTER TO SPECIALTY SURGERIES AND EVERYTHING IN BETWEEN, EACH
ONE IS KIND OF UNIQUE IN THEIR OWN, NORTH BROOKFIELD DOES HAVE
AN ADVANCED CARE UNIT SO WE CAN SET UP ANIMALS ON IVs OR
OXYGEN IF NEEDED, WHICH IS GREAT.
WITH ALL THE FACILITIES AND THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE COMING TO US IN
NEED TO HAVE ONE THAT CAN DO A LITTLE EXTRA FOR THE CRITICALLY
ILL PETS IS GREAT.
MOST OF THE PEOPLE COMING TO US, THEY CAN'T AFFORD TO GO TO A
PRIVATE VET PRACTICE.
IT WOULD BE OUT OF THEIR REACH.
>> BECAUSE YOU GUYS ARE NONPROFIT.
TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT ECLINICS THAT YOU DO EACH SPRING FOR
PEOPLE.
DO YOU GO OUT INTO THE COMMUNITY?
>> WE HAVE A NUMBER OF PROGRAMS, WE OFFER THE VACCINE CLINICS
WHERE WE WILL DO LIKE THE TOWN -- THE TOWN-RUN VACCINE
CLINICS AND HAVE PROGRAMS CALLED LIKE HOMEBOUND TO THE RESCUE
WHICH WILL UTILIZE OUR MOBILE UNITS, WE BRING THOSE OUT TO
SENIOR HOUSING AND LOW INCOME HOUSING, AND WE'LL OFF CLINICS
FOR THE RESIDENTS OF THOSE BUILDINGS.
THAT IS GRANT FUNDED, ENTIRELY GRAND FUNDED.
WITHOUT THE SUPPORT AND SPONSORSHIP, THAT WOULD NOT
EXIST.
WE SET UP AND GO AND DO THOSE BECAUSE A LOT OF THE PEOPLE
LIVING THERE, THEY DON'T HAVE A LOT OF TRANSPORTATION.
SO GETTING TO ONE OF OUR HOSPITALS IS DIFFICULT FOR THEM.
SO TO BE ABLE TO BRING IT TO THEIR DOORSTEP IS HUGE.
>> WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO PEOPLE, WHAT DOES THAT PET MEAN TO THAT
PERSON?
>> EVERYTHING.
FOR MOST -- ESPECIALLY FOR THE ELDERLY, IT MAY BE THEIR SOLE
DAILY COMPANION, TAKING THAT AWAY, BECAUSE THERE'S THIS
MENTALITY OUT THERE, IF THEY CAN'T AFFORD A PET, THEY
SHOULDN'T HAVE ONE.
WE LOOK AT THAT AS THE WRONG WAY OF THINKING.
FOR OUR SENIORS, THAT IS EVERYTHING TO THEM, THAT'S WHO
THEY WAKE UP TO EVERY SINGLE MORNING, IT KEEPS THEM GOING AND
ACTIVE.
FOR THEM NOT TO HAVE THAT, I JUST -- TO ME, THAT'S JUST
AWFUL.
THEY'VE ALREADY BEEN THROUGH ENOUGH.
THEY NEED THE ASSISTANCE AND NEED THE PET BECAUSE IT GIVES
THEM A PURPOSE, IT'S THEIR COMPANION, TO BE ABLE TO BRING
THOSE SERVICES TO THEM, THEY'RE VERY GRATEFUL TO IT.
>> TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE WORK YOU'RE DOING IN
SPRINGFIELD, I KNOW YOU'RE BUILDING A NEW FACILITY AND
THERE'S A GREAT NEED?
>> ABSOLUTELY.
SO WE CURRENTLY ARE ON 501 BELMONT AVENUE.
WE WILL BE MOVING TO OUR NEW MUCH LARGER LOCATION, AT 67
MULLBERRY STREET.
AND WE ARE REALLY EXCITED FOR IT, IT WILL GIVE US A LOT MORE
SPACE, THE NEED IS DEFINITELY OUT THERE BETWEEN OUR
FACILITIES, WE ARE SEEING ABOUT 650 OR MORE ANIMALS EVERY SINGLE
WEEK COMING THROUGH OUR PROGRAMS AND SERVICES THAT NEED HELP.
SO WE REALLY NEED THE SUPPORT OF THE COMMUNITY AND EVERYBODY TO
BE ABLE TO OFFER THESE SERVICES AND CONTINUE TO NOT HAVE TO SAY
NO WHEN SOMEBODY COMES IN IN NEED.
THERE IS A LOT OF IT.
>> THE END OF MAY IS WHEN IT OPENS?
>> YEAH.
WE HAVE OUR RIBBON CUTTING SET FOR MAY 23, FROM 2:00 TO
4:00 P.M., THE OFFICIAL RIBBON CUTTING IS 3:30.
>> LINDSEY, THANK YOU FOR COMING IN TO TALK TO US ABOUT THE WORK
YOU DO IN THE COMMUNITY FOR PEOPLE'S PETS.
IT'S REALLY A COMPANION FOR SO MANY PEOPLE.
>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING US, WE ARE EXCITED TO BE HERE AND
LOOKING FORWARD TO BRINGING MORE SERVICES TO SPRINGFIELD.