Our Mission

  • To provide humane, no-kill sanctuaries for the care and rehabilitation of abandoned and at-risk animals. 
  • To provide compassionate, animal-friendly environments that respect the dignity and total needs of all animals under our care and protection. 
  • To provide outreach programs and networks for animal adoptions, public respect and appreciation of animals, and  awareness of animal needs as well as human responsibilities. 

Our vision is, through example, advocacy, and outreach, to make a real difference in not only the animals we help but in future treatment and respect for all life, great or small.

 

Our Story

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 nonprofit charity for Tioga County and surrounding communities. 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 witnessed throughout Tioga County and beyond 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. Nearly all time and energies spent by board members and supporters has been purely voluntary. All donations are kept strictly within this county and neighboring communities as Second Chance is a locally-based organization and has no “parent” organization which they are accountable to for any of their funds. Second Chance hopes to make our facility in Tioga County a role model for other areas to follow.

Second Chance Animal Sanctuaries was the fortunate recipients of 10 acres of beautiful land, donated by Dorothy Condict of Tioga County. On this land they have built their Heading Home Center for stray and abandoned animals in September 2016. 

Since that time we have adopted over 800 cats and dogs into forever homes and have reunited nearly 150 stray dogs and cats with their owners. Living in this rural location, we feel blessed at the success of our Heading Home Center!