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Second Chance Animal Rescue Donate

About us

Rescue is who we are — not just what we do

Since 2014, Second Chance Animal Rescue has given San Diego's most vulnerable dogs and cats a path from shelter to sofa.

Close-up portrait of an adoptable shelter dog

Our story

It started with one full van

In 2014, a small group of San Diego volunteers couldn't walk past the kennels at capacity. They started pulling dogs and cats with nowhere else to go, fostering them in spare rooms and garages, and finding them homes one weekend adoption table at a time.

A decade later, that scrappy effort has grown into an adoption center, a low-cost community clinic, and a network of hundreds of foster families — but the heart of it is unchanged. We still believe no animal should run out of time.

What "no-kill" means

Every healthy or treatable animal gets to live

No-kill does not mean we never make hard decisions. It means we never euthanize an animal for lack of space, time, or money. The only times we say goodbye are for irremediable suffering or a genuine, documented danger to the public — never convenience.

Living this commitment takes more foster homes, more medical care, and more patience than a traditional shelter. That is exactly why donors and volunteers matter so much.

A volunteer walking a dog outside the rescue

What guides us

Our values

No-kill, no exceptions

Healthy and treatable animals are never euthanized for time or space. Every life gets the time it needs.

Care comes first

Medical treatment, behavior support, and rehabilitation before placement — never a rush to the door.

Community over walls

Foster homes, volunteers, and donors are the rescue. We invest in people as much as animals.

Honest stewardship

Transparent about where gifts go and the outcomes they make possible — no inflated promises.

Our impact

Illustrative example metrics — replace with Second Chance's real figures.

5,000+
Dogs & cats placed since 2014
300+
Active foster & volunteer homes
2,000
Spay/neuter surgeries a year
100%
No-kill commitment

Who we are

Board & staff

Placeholder bios — replace with real team. The cards below mark where each board member and staff lead's photo, name, and short bio will go.

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Executive Director

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Director of Operations

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Veterinary Lead

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Board Chair

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Volunteer Coordinator

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Foster Program Lead

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Want to be part of the next chapter?