Second Chance Pet Resale Shop to reopen over Labor Day Weekend

The Second Chance Pet Resale Store in downtown Grove will have a Grand Reopening on Labor Day Weekend. The shop, which is the main financial support for the Second Chance Pet Rescue, was flooded on June 23 and required total remodeling. Second Chance Board member Ivan Devitt and Rotary president, Carol LaRue (right) lent their support as Lysa Boston, shelter manager (left) and Resale Shop Manager Marion Metcalf told the crowd about the reopening. Donations are being accepted for the Resale Shop Monday to Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The announcement was made during last week's Grove Rotary meeting.

The no-kill Second Chance Pet Rescue in Grove has taken in 453 dogs and 204 cats so far this year, according to shelter manager, Lysa Boston. Speaking at last week's Grove Rotary meeting, Boston says it costs between $30,000 and $40,000 a month to provide care, food and medicine for the dogs and cats in the shelter.

The local rescue receives no government funds and is completely dependent on donations, adoptions fees, some small grants and sales from its resale shop. In late June the Second Chance Pet Resale Shop was completely destroyed by a flash flood. Since that time volunteers have been struggling to remodel the store so it can reopen.

The Resale Shop manager, Marion Metcalf, told Rotary members that the remodeling is now nearly complete and the shop is taking donations to reopen the shop. "We plan a Grand Re-opening during Labor Day weekend. We are now taking donations Monday to Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.," Metcalf said. The Resale Shop is located at 220 E 3rd Street, in downtown Grove.

The resale shop sells all types of items including clothes, furniture, dishes, books and decorator items. "Every donation is appreciated," she said. They are also in need of display cases.

The proceeds are used to support the animal shelter which is the only no-kill rescue in Delaware County. The nonprofit group normally cares for more than 110 dogs and 70 cats each day according to the shelter manager.

"We go through 500 pounds of dog food each week," Boston noted.. There are comparable amounts of cat food and cat litter used as well. The shelter is always in need of dog and cat food as well as normal cleaning supplies such as Dawn, bleach, and paper towels.

Boston has served as shelter manager for about one year. Previously she was the manager of the Joplin Humane Society. She told Rotary members, "When I took the job, I thought I would be slowing down. But boy was I mistaken. The phone rings constantly and the door buzzer goes off all day."

She noted that the shelter accepts owner surrenders as well as takes in animals from the Grove City Animal Shelter and some other rescues in the area. "We have adopted out 162 dogs and 98 cats this year. In addition, we have transferred 313 dogs and 44 cats to several out-of-state no-kill shelters," which saves those animals from euthanasia. 

All animals are fully vaccinated and spayed or neutered before they are available for adoption. In addition, the shelter microchips all animals.  All of this costs money. "We administer approximately 175 vaccines monthly and perform 40 to 75 heartworm tests monthly."

The shelter has about five employees and relies heavily on volunteers. Volunteers are needed to walk dogs, give baths as well as socialize dogs and cats. Drivers are also needed who are willing to transport animals to veterinarians and to out-of-state rescues. 

Delaware County has no animal shelter and the county sheriff's office normally does not respond to animal complaints unless there are injuries to animals or people. The Ottawa County Sheriff's office does have a deputy assigned to animal control.