Our Interview with Melissa’s Second Chances
How long has your organization been around?
We took our first dog in January of 2019 and we haven’t stopped since!
What motivated you to start your organization?
Our founder Melissa has spent her lifetime working in animal shelters and in animal welfare. When her daycare and boarding business Melissa’s Menagerie was expanding into a larger space she saw it as the perfect opportunity to open a rescue in her current building. And she did it!
What is the goal of your organization?
Our goal is to give animals in need a Second Chance at being a beloved family pet.
What is something about your organization that many people either don’t understand or have misconceptions about?
The general public may assume that animals don’t receive quality care in a shelter, but that isn’t true for most shelters, especially ours! The animals that live in our building get tons of hands on enrichment, 1 on 1 time with volunteers and staff and outside time with each other. Most of our animals live in loving foster homes while they wait for their forever. No one wants to “take their dog to a shelter” but if you have to re-home an animal it’s actually the safest way to do so and sets the animal up for the most long term success.
Since its creation, what kind of results or progress have you seen in the community?
We know that 2000 animals have found furever families since we opened our doors! That’s so many furry family members in the place they were always supposed to be!
What are you most proud of?
There is so much to be proud of. We have overcome a lot of struggles and we have had a lot of growing pains during our first year and a half of operations. But I’m most proud when an adopter sends us a photo of them and their family member and tells us how we made their life better. It reminds me that this is just as much about the people as it is the animals.
Is there a big initiative your organization is currently working on you want the public to know about?
We are working to secure funding to host an Annual Home for the Holidays Event which will serve as a fundraiser and adoption event for several rescues in the Kansas City area!
What community events are coming up that you want people to know about?
We are hosting a volleyball tournament on 9/26. It’s one of our largest fundraisers of the year! We would love the public to sign their team up to play or businesses to sponsor us!
What are some ways people can get involved?
We are always looking for fosters, volunteers, adopters and donors! Find the information you need to get started on our website mscrescue.org or send us an email to hello@mscrescue.org
What is the best place(s) for people to find your organization online?
Our website! mscrescue.org. You can also find us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter!
Is there anything else not included in the questions above that you’d like to share with us?
As a new organization we do not have the funding for a lot of staff. More than half of our management positions are filled by volunteers!