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CORNING - Second Chance Pet Rescue and Adoption has been working hard for the past five years to improve the lives of the dogs that end up in the Corning Animal Shelter. We've made some substantial improvements.
In their first year, they increased adoption rates 1,000 percent. They began training and exercising the dogs to keep them adoptable and took them to weekly and monthly adoption events.

They started listing the dogs on www.petfinder.com, where 75 percent of adoptions become reality.

Second Chance Pet Rescue established sound relationships with a variety of breed-specific rescues and local area shelters where dogs have been transferred and rehomed.

The shelter caretaker began reading up on pit bulls and attending meetings and conferences so that he could better advocate for the pit bulls at the shelter.

The shelter learned that real pit bulls are intelligent, highly trainable and make great family companions.

The shelter established a pit bull ambassador program which they call Pit Bull Promenade Showcase. The ambassador dogs are spayed/neutered and started on obedience training and preparation for their AKC Canine Good Citizen certification.

Of biggest concern for the shelter was the lack of an exercise area and bigger, more humane and animal friendly pens.

They knew that to get a dog adoptable, and keep it adoptable, there must be plenty of time and room to play and get to know the dogs. They put in an outside kennel area, protected from the elements, where dogs are housed in much more spacious pens, even allowing a small wading pool in the heat of summer for each pen.

They put in small play yard made with farm pallets. This allowed the dogs in the showcase area room to play. This is not only critical for pit bulls, but also for any dog that is in a shelter situation.

The play yard was makeshift and the shelter has plans to improve and expand the area to make it even more animal friendly. Thanks to a generous grant from Animal Farm Foundation their dreams were realized. The new play yard boasts 1,900 square feet from the previous 334 square feet. The play yard has a digging area, a pool area, and three toy boxes.

The shelter is working on an agility area where the dogs can exercise their minds and learn practical skills before they find their new homes.

The mission of Animal Farm Foundation is "to restore the image of the American pit bull terrier and to protect him from discrimination and cruelty."

To learn more about Animal Farm Foundation, visit their Web site at www.animalfarmfoundation.org.

While the play yard is not for the exclusive use of the pit bulls in their ambassador program, preference will be given to them. Information on Second Chance Pet Rescue is available from the shelter's caretaker, Debbie Eaglebarger, at 824-1985 or at their Web site at www.second-chance-pets.org.

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