Steve Sapontzis

<p><span style="color: #000000; font-size: medium;">Second Chance began in 2003 as&nbsp;<strong>Second Chance Rescue for Small Dogs</strong>. &nbsp;At that time, there were very few small dogs available for adoption on the Mendocino Coast. &nbsp;And there were more and more older people retiring here, people who would love the company of a small dog. &nbsp;In the San Francisco Bay Area, there were many small dogs looking for good homes but stuck in overcrowded animal shelters. &nbsp;We started bringing the supply to meet the demand--we brought mature, small dogs and found homes for them on the coast with folks who wanted a mature little dog. &nbsp;In four years we found homes for over 100 dogs.<br /><br />Even before doing the rescue,&nbsp;<strong>we started in the 1990s&nbsp;</strong>bringing up hundreds and thousands of pounds of dry dog food to the Ft. Bragg Food Bank to distribute to its dog-owning clients. &nbsp;We are continuing this program. &nbsp;Especially in these tough economic times, many folks can barely afford to feed themselves. &nbsp;Yet their dog is their family, so it has to eat too. &nbsp;The Food Bank does a great job of distributing the food we continue to bring them, at least 250 pounds every week. &nbsp;In 2010, we started also supplying food to Ft. Bragg&rsquo;s Lighthouse Church and Willits&rsquo; St. Anthony&rsquo;s Church to give to dog owners at their free kitchens.<br /><br /><strong>In 2007</strong>, working with the Mendocino County spay/neuter clinics, &nbsp;we started providing free canine spay/neuter for coast dog owners trying to make it on a limited income. &nbsp;In 2009, we added the Mendocino Animal Hospital in Ukiah to this program. &nbsp;Preventing the birth of puppies for whom there are no homes is crucial to reducing animal suffering.<br /><br /><strong>In 2008</strong>&nbsp;we began helping low-income coast pet owners with vet bills for their pets. &nbsp;We can&rsquo;t always afford to pay the whole bill, but we can provide enough (maximum of $100) for folks to get their sick or injured pets seen by a veterinarian and to get treatment started.<br /><br />In&nbsp;<strong>November 2008</strong>, just in time for Thanksgiving, we started providing free Frontline flea/tick treatments for the dogs of clients of the Food Bank. &nbsp;We continue to do this, and are up to 140 dogs monthly. &nbsp;We now provide free collars, leashes, and sweaters, treats and toys, too, for those dogs. &nbsp;October 2010 was our first annual free shots and microchips clinic at the Food Bank.<br /><br />Second Chance is a project of Hayward Friends of Animals Humane Society. &nbsp;<strong>HFoA</strong>&nbsp;was founded by Jeanne Gocker and Steve Sapontzis (author of Morals, Reason, and Animals) in&nbsp;<strong>1985&nbsp;</strong>and has worked throughout northern California to help animals. &nbsp;We are a tax-exempt, not-for-profit, public-benefit, 501(c)3 charity. &nbsp;<br /><br /><strong>We are an&nbsp;entirely volunteer organization, with office space and most administrative expenses donated, all the funds we receive can be devoted to helping animals. &nbsp;All&nbsp;donations&nbsp;to Second Chance qualify as&nbsp;itemized deductions&nbsp;on both your federal and state individual income taxes. &nbsp;And all funds donated to Second Chance are spent to help animals on the Mendocino Coast.&nbsp;</strong></span><br /><span style="color: #000000; font-size: medium;"><strong>&nbsp;</strong><br /><strong>We welcome your help and support.</strong></span></p>

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