Who We Are

We are a grass roots effort made up
of people from all walks of life, people just like you, who have one thing in common .....

...... A Concern For Animals

It is that common thread that has brought us together to make things better in Tioga County and nearby areas for our animal friends.

Look into the eyes of a homeless dog or cat and you will find the essence for the formation of Second Chance Animal Sanctuaries, (SCAS), a non-profit charity for Tioga County. In 2001, after a visit to Best Friends Animal Sanctuary in Utah, Sue Cook of Wellsboro unveiled a dream of compassion to help our animals. She spoke of healthy domestic animals being euthanized, malnourished, or abandoned close by. She spoke of elderly or lower income families lacking the assistance to continue caring for the pets they loved so dearly. Most importantly Sue spoke of the compassion for animals she witnessed throughout Tioga County and the lack of assistance those caring people found when needs to help their own or their neighbors' beloved pets arose.

Today Second Chance Animal Sanctuaries’ various programs enrich the lives of animals and assist the guardians responsible for their care. Programs to assist the elderly with veterinary care, a humane education program for our youth, and assisting families and animals in crisis situations start the list. The Perfect Match program aggressively seeks to find homes for pets and finds pets for those seeking their companionship. Pet owners unable to keep their pets due to unforeseen changes in their lives, people with unexpected pups and kittens, individuals seeking homes for the beloved pets of deceased relatives, and homes reestablished due to those countless reasons in between all become a priority to Second Chance.

Being a nonprofit 501 (c)(3) organization, SCAS has been funded entirely by individual and business donations. All time and energies spent by board members and supporters has been purely voluntary. All donations are kept strictly within this county, as Second Chance is a county-based organization and has no “parent” organization which they are accountable to for any of their funds. Second Chance hopes to make Tioga County a role model for other areas to follow.

Although our ultimate goal is to provide for a lifetime care sanctuary for animals without a home, every time SCAS matches a homeless animal with a person who is looking for that special pet, or each time a senior citizen or a person with an emergency situation is helped, it truly warms the heart to know that a human being and an animal have found happiness together.

“We, the volunteers of SCAS, have been amazed at the number of people who have come forth, empathizing with the plight of so many animals. It has really opened our eyes to the fact that the people of Tioga County are good at heart, and care about and love their animals. We truly welcome them to join with us.”