Second Chance Animal Services Performs 65,000th Spay/Neuter Surgery

WORCESTER — Second Chance Animal Services hit a milestone recently, performing its 65,000th spay/neuter surgery. The procedure was performed at Second Chance’s Community Veterinary Hospital in Worcester.

Second Chance began its low-cost spay/neuter program in 2005 at its East Brookfield shelter to help stem pet homelessness in the surrounding community. Today, hundreds of pets come to the nonprofit’s hospitals each month for spay/neuter surgery in state-of-the-art surgical suites made possible by grants and generous donors. Second Chance’s new educational hospital in Southbridge plans to begin low-cost spay/neuter surgeries later this year.

COO of Hospitals Amanda Normandin said she is extremely proud of this milestone and the work the spay/neuter teams have accomplished. “We know just how important spay/neuter services are. Not only does the program help prevent pet homelessness, but it also improves the lives of pets receiving the surgery. Many of the emergency surgeries we perform are on female pets suffering from pyometra, a potentially deadly infection of the uterus. Routine spays and neuters can help protect pets from many life-threatening conditions, including pyometra and testicular cancer.”

Second Chance surgeons are specially trained to perform the highest-quality high-volume surgeries. Pets check in early morning and are discharged later the same day so they can recuperate in the comfort of their own homes with their owners.

Second Chance founder and CEO Sheryl Blancato is proud of the longstanding low-cost spay/neuter program. “Thanks to these surgeries, less pets are ending up in Massachusetts shelters, which means more pets in shelters are getting a second chance.”

Pet owners who would like to take advantage of this program for their pet can visit www.secondchanceanimals.org and fill out a SPOT application under the Vet Care tab.