PetSmart Charities Awards $200,000 to Second Chance Animal Services

EAST BROOKFIELD — Second Chance Animal Services recently received a $200,000 grant from PetSmart Charities, the leading funder of animal welfare in North America, toward the purchase and renovation of a new location for its Community Veterinary Hospital in Springfield. After five months of hard work and setbacks that included delays from extensive water damage in January, Second Chance announced a grand opening date of Wednesday, May 23.

Second Chance had been leasing a building on Belmont Avenue in Springfield, offering full-service veterinary care ranging from routine exams and vaccines to in-house blood testing and urinalysis, X-rays, spay/neuter surgery, dental surgery, and more. Its community veterinary hospitals provide high-quality veterinary service to all, with subsidized pricing for qualified households. Word spread throughout the community, and the growing demand for services quickly outgrew the space. The move to a new and larger location at 67 Mulberry St. in the heart of Springfield this month will allow Second Chance to meet the need for veterinary care.

“We are extremely grateful to PetSmart Charities for this grant, which will allow us to better serve the Springfield area,” said Sheryl Blancato, Second Chance CEO. “PetSmart Charities continues to be an important partner in our mission of helping pets in need in the underserved communities in Massachusetts.”

Regional Relationship Manager Sima Thakkar will speak on behalf of PetSmart Charities at the ribbon-cutting ceremony. The grand opening will include an open house from 2 to 4 p.m. and a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 3:30 p.m. Hamden County Sheriff Nicholas Cocchi and Springfield Regional Chamber President Nancy Creed are also expected to address the attendees.

Second Chance is a nationally recognized organization that provides innovative programs and services to help animals. It helps more than 34,000 pets a year through adoption, low-cost spay/neuter services, veterinary care, community outreach, educational programs, training, a pet-food pantry, and other services.