- April 19, 2024
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Animal Emergency Hospital of Volusia is hosting a bash to raise funds for Second Chance Rescue, in Flagler County.
BY WAYNE GRANT | STAFF WRITER
Halloween is a popular event and, this year, even dogs can take part.
Animal Emergency Hospital of Volusia will host an Oct. 20 Spooky Open House, featuring a pet costume contest and other events to raise money for Second Chance Rescue, a shelter in Bunnell. The event is set for noon to 4 p.m. at the hospital, located at 696 S. Yonge St.
For $10, visitors can go home with a professional photo of their dog in costume. If they don’t have a costume, they can pick one out to keep at the event, according to Dr. Diane Johnson, veterinarian at the hospital.
“We wanted to have a Halloween-themed event and decided to partner with Second Chance,” she said.
Animal Emergency provides care for animals on nights, weekends and holidays. They are a veterinary hospital dedicated to emergency and critical care for pets when the family veterinarian is not available.
There will be food vendors, door prizes, merchandise for purchase and even a blessing of the animals at noon, Johnson said.
Second Chance Rescue takes in homeless animals, including cats and even horses, and prepares them for adoption. Many of the dogs stay at foster homes provided by Second Chance volunteers until a home is found.
Dogs will be available for adoption at the event.
“Every dog deserves a loving home,” Stanley said. “We want to get as many dogs in forever homes as we can.”
Stanley said all of the animals up for adoption can be seen on second-chance-rescue.org. All have been spayed and neutered, have received their shots and have had microchips implanted.
One of the dogs up for adoption is Rusty, the hound that was the subject of a fundraiser a couple of months ago because he needed surgery on his hips. Rusty had been kept in a small cage as a pup and his rear hips did not develop properly.
“Rusty is half-way done,” said Vicki Stanley, a volunteer. “He needs one more surgery.”
Stanley said that in the first operation, it was discovered that his hip bones were fractured.
“He was in pain but was still so sweet and gentle,” she said.
If no home is found for animals at Second Chance, they live out their lives at the facility, according to Stanley.
“They will not be euthanized,” she said. “Their time will not run out.”
She said there has been an increase recently in homeless animals because people have been dumping dogs in the Everglades. Volunteers have transported them to shelters around the state.
“We have beautiful dogs rescued from the Everglades,” she said.
Johnson said they have been remodeling the Animal Emergency facility since opening in May and plan to have a grand opening with tours the weekend following the Halloween event. Previously, they were located in Holly Hill, since 2001.
“We want people to see our new facility,” Johnson said. “We’re excited to have a state-of-the-art emergency room.”
