Mary and the other foster care providers are doing wonderful things to help cats. I did find it quite difficult to communicate with Mary, though. We would start a conversation and I eould get either no answer or a non-answer, then she would stop responding abruptly, leaving me hanging. She says she works in a hospital and gets poor reception. I found that puzzling because I worked in a hospital myself and never had any such issues. It would take repeated tries to try to get an answer or just a commitment to a date and time. This was extremely frustrating. I am sure she is crazy busy trying to coordinate visits, fosters, picking up cats, and adoptions. I would think it might be a great help to her to find a volunteer who would work to coordinate these things for her. read more

I recently adopted from Second Chance and I can't recommend them enough. Mary cares so much about finding good homes for each of the cats and even after adoption, she checks in to ensure a perfect fit and to reassure even the newest of cat owners. While meeting each cat before adoption, Mary could tell me every detail about their personalities and how they would adjust to a new home. Couldn't be happier with my decision to adopt from here and would absolutely do it again. read more

I just adopted a sweet adorable kitten from Second Chance and it was a great experience. Her foster took such great care of her and made sure to explain everything to me so that I could give the best life to my new companion which I am so grateful for. They really take care of their cats and make sure you're ready to take care of them too! read more

Second Chance Shelter for Cats - Animal Shelters Near Me

See all

Sheera, owner of 2nd Chance Shelter, is a living angel. She takes in cats of ALL AGES and finds them homes. Her shelter is strictly NO KILL. I was a total dog person, but 2nd Chance has converted me. I got my feisty little fur ball, FRED, from Sheera 2 years ago and now I don't know how I got along without him. Please, please, please, avoid the breeders and support your local shelters. If a kitten is too much for you, consider a beautiful adult cat that has already been trained and oodles of love to give. 2nd Chance Shelter and Sheera 10 golden stars for you! Second Chance Shelter for Cats Jamaica Plain, MA 02130 Phone: 617-522-1852 Email: sheerak@earthlink.net read more

I inquired about adopting a kitten, filled out the form and then had visits with the cats in a short period of time. This part went fine and I met a few kittens I liked but one stood out to my fiance and I. We fell in love with a kitten and were told it was not necessary to put down a deposit because those kittens weren't ready to be shown to a bunch of people yet. The NEXT day at 8am I sent an email (our main form of communication to this point) to Sheera and it went unanswered until 5pm at which point all seemed well and she said that it was great and she would let the foster mom know. I was so happy and excited. When I got out of work I called the other woman and was told that SHE HAD ADOPTED HIM OUT. She Accepted a deposit for him. I did my best not to cry on the phone. It was a terrible feeling. We were not told he was being shown. We were not contacted first before she let someone put down a deposit (which we were told was not needed) and no one checked to see if there were messages from us. When we called Sheera her response was not to apologize, but to send us photos of other cats for adoption. It was a slap in the face. They didn't care about how upset we were. We felt lied to and incredibly hurt. They didn't even ask us for money. If they had I would have been ready to put a deposit down right there on that kitten. edit to add: Saving grace that made this a 2 star review vs 1 star was one of the foster moms, named anne, who took the time to text me and tell me how sorry she was about the whole thing. I would give anne a high review on her own. It was very nice of her to send me a message. read more

Great! Just great! 1)NO KILL shelter. Which already deserves 10 stars. No matter how many homeless cats there are, nobody will kill them (unlike famous MSPCA!) 2)Sheera (the owner) is very accommodating and we still keep in touch though I adopted my cat a while ago. Every time I have questions she answers them. 3)For those who are looking - great selection of cats! So many of them (sad on the other hand, so many left behind animals) you will certainly find The One (or even two!). PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE go and adopt there!!! Find yourself a furry soul mate! Good luck! read more

Where to begin! As a person who grew up with cats but had never gone through the adoption process myself, I couldn't ask for a better experience. Second Chance is a shelter that clearly cares about their cats and works hard to do right by them, and it shows. They are very available and always helpful, and they clearly know their cats well. It's wonderful to see a no-kill shelter that treats their cats like family, working their hardest to ensure their cats get to live their best lives in safe, loving homes. Not only do they help you along the way, but they also establish a lasting connection and make it clear that your relationship with the shelter doesn't end when the cat goes home with you. The (few) negative reviews appear to mostly come from people who didn't meet their standards for adoption; all I can say about that is that I don't think their standards are unreasonable by any stretch of the imagination, and that those reviews say more to me about the reviewer than the shelter. I've also seen comments occasionally about their adoption fees...once you see their cats and meet their people you'll see that every penny is well spent on supporting the cats at their shelter. Furthermore, the fact that it's all-volunteer (no employees) makes the amazing work they're doing all the more meaningful - everyone working at this shelter clearly puts their own time, effort, and money into running this shelter not because it's a job, but because they truly care about the animals. If you're an animal lover looking to adopt a cat, I strongly suggest you consider Second Chance! read more

I got my cat Roma from Second Chance in 2011 and she is the best cat ever. I initially came to donate food and toys from my cat that passed away. After getting a tour of all the cats and the shelter I decided I would become a volunteer. I fell in love with Roma as she was such a love bug and ended up taking her home to foster and then eventually adopt. I cant imagine not having my little buddy with me! Sheera takes in cats of all ages and conditions and helps feral cats all over the city. If you are looking for a cat or kitten please consider Second Chance! read more

Second Chance Shelter for Cats - Roma. Adopted November 2011 - Animal Shelters Near Me

Second Chance was responsive, proactive, and fair during the entire application process, and I couldn't be happier with the cat I ended up adopting from them. Sheera was knowledgeable and friendly, and obviously cares very much about the cats she's taking care of and finding them quality homes. She made sure I knew everything I needed for caring for the one year-old cat I took home, and even gave me medicine at no cost for an amoeba my cat's vet had found. The only negative I would say is that the house they use to keep the cats is a little intimidating to walk up to at night -- a sign on the door letting you know you're in the right place would be helpful! read more

Very loving, wonderful shelter. We adopted a cat who turned out to have a fatal disease that was not foreseeable. Sheera (the owner) was incredibly supportive, coming over to help me repeatedly with medical care, and paying most of the cost of care on her own. We later adopted two cats, both of whom were living with a foster mom who keeps cats for Second Chance. The foster mom (Colleen) keeps a very clean house with many cats, and is incredibly loving and hands-on with all of them. She also came over with the second cat to help us with the two cats' adjustment to the house and each other. Our two cats each had had medical services before we adopted them and both were doing very well. I could not recommend Second Chance more highly. read more

I've just simply got to step up as a fan of the Second Chance Shelter. I got 2 kittens from Sheera a little over a year ago and she has been nothing but helpful as we dealt with common kitten issues like diarhea and ringworm. She came by with medicine (no charge) and was available constantly for advice. Our cats are now happy and healthy and we love them. It's also amazing to have her as a resource as a no kill shelter. We recently found a feral kitten, barely alive in our garage and Sheera took her in, gave her medicine, killed her fleas and nursed her back to health. I understand Tara's feelings of being offended that Sheera wouldn't adopt a cat to her. I'm sure the conversation could have been more tactful, but Sheera gives her all to these cats. She sacrifices time and money and attention and I think that gives her the right to set whatever criteria she believes are in the best interest of the cats. One can debate the pros and cons of indoor versus outdoor cats, but if Sheera believes its safest and best for cats to be indoor only, she has the right to say she will only adopt to houses that will keep the cats indoors. Anyway, I think it's a wonderful service she provides. And she was a great and helpful place for us to adopt from. read more

I adopted a pair of 1 year old sisters from Sheera a couple weeks ago and it was a great experience. I call them my pirate kitties because they (each) have a problem with their left eye where the lid is fused to the eyeball, making them look like pirates lol. These poor ladies are only a year old but have been with Sheera for 8 months, likely because of their eyes which don't require any care except not scaring them from the left! So they are like kittens learning the wonders of life from having a big apartment to run around and carbonation (no, really, one will sit watching the bubbles for 5 minutes at a time). Sheera knows everything about each of the cats and really cares that they all go to good homes. She even waits a week to cash your donation check until she follows up with you that everything is going well. She even gave them a flea treatment on the way out the door, just in case. Thank you! read more

Working with Sheera was an absolute nightmare. She was abrasive, unresponsive, and at times, downright rude. She seemed more concerned with her own opinions than whether a cat received a loving home. In addition, she forwarded my information to someone outside the shelter without my knowledge or consent. Save yourself the headache and go to a different shelter. read more

Wonderful shelter. I met the owner with two cats at Cambridge Petco. She spent her Saturday sitting at the store and trying to find cats a good home. A lot of us can be negative towards people we don't like but how many can do what Sheera does? I didn't adopt the cat this time. However, I made a donation and would love to donate more. I admire people who saves animals, protect them and advocate their rights. Great job Second Chance! read more

I am a life long cat owner and lover. All of my cats have been rescue cats. Just about everyone I know that is closest to me has a cat. We're cat people. Indoor/outdoor cat people. I have never had a cat get hurt or fall into any harm whatsoever because of it's outdoor life. Nor have I ever had a veterinarian tell me to keep my cats indoor. On the contrary, my cats have always received glowing reviews from vets. Why all this set up you ask? Oh, I'll tell you. Because I recently expressed interest in two kittens at 2nd Chance and was told they don't adopt to those who will let the cats outdoors. There are just too many harms out there that could befall the kitty. True, yes. But I reference my above statement of no harm ever befalling my cats. I am a competent cat owner, indoor or outdoor. But not according to Sheera. She took the opportunity to call me and interrogate me about my last cat, who died last year at the ripe old age of 12. And while he did disappear and never come home, anyone who knows anything about cats (and I assume Sheera does) knows that they are solitary in the face of death and often go off to die alone. Especially when sick or injured, which my cat was. Words cannot express the offence I took at her and her hateful inquisition. The love expressed by Bryan and Quinn for their cats is a love all cat owners share, especially those of us who have never known life without one. So for a woman who calls her shelter an "expensive hobby" to insult my emotions and fitness as a mother of my cat was one of the worst things I have ever experienced. I support shelters wholeheartedly and used to volunteer at one in my hometown. But the elitist, self-serving attitude Sheera took toward me shows me that she cares more about herself than the well being of her cats. Please, continue to adopt from shelters, but be wary of those who run them. No matter how fit you are to care for and love a cat unconditionally, it will NEVER be enough for them. If I could give 0 stars, I would. I miss the days of giving cats away from cardboard boxes in front of the grocery store. read more

Thanks to this wonderful shelter, I have the most beautiful and perfect pet cat, Sushi! Sheera and her shelter deserve more than 5 stars.

I usually never read yelp but "Sarah H's" review was brought to my attention. It makes no sense but since she names me personally, we have not adopted to any Sarah H since 2012, and only 1 person from Waltham this year (who was very nice). Obviously this is a fabrication from someone rejected to adopt that feels the childish need to vent cowardly under a false name. As for sharing information to "someone outside the shelter", our adopters are aware that they receive a great coupon book when we give Petsmart their information. Otherwise, we are a small shelter and our inconsequential list of adopters is neither of interest to anyone-nor divulged. -Sheera/2nd chance read more

This is a no-kill shelter that knows cats and is devoted to finding the right home for each animal. I adopted my first Second Chance cat 12 years ago and kept in touch, annually. When he died, I went back. I have visited larger, adoption institutions that are better organized, but less personal. Today, I brought home another very special cat from Second Chance. The shelter in JP is bare bones. There are foster homes affiliated with Second Chance that are homier. If you can work around the shelter's schedule and are a serious adopter, Sheera, the owner, and her colleagues, will go the distance with you. read more

Another reviewer noted Sheera, who runs Second Chance, as elitist. I would like to add ignorant to that list. My boyfriend and I have had or been around cats our whole lives. We just moved in together, after living with and raising kittens with my best friend, who kept them when we separated. In looking around for somewhere to adopt again, we found Second Chance. While Sheera was responsive, upon reading in our application that we have a snake, she emailed us that she was not comfortable with us bringing kittens into a home with an animal that would "eat them at the 1st opportunity." Instead of taking to the time to research about ball pythons -- their size and what they eat -- Sheera bought into stereotypes about reptiles and barred us from having the chance to meet kittens. She asked us no other questions (the snake's disposition, size, where it was and where the kittens would be) and couldn't be bothered to give a different sort of animal her respect. I'm skeptical of someone who won't take the time to do their job thoroughly or to understand all animals, and will gladly give my business to another one of the many No Kill shelters in the Boston area. read more

We have been searching for a cat for my sister in laws home and were looking everywhere to save any cats life that fit well in her home/family.We finally decided to check pet smart as we knew that they had cats that they house for shelters and unfortunately were let down. We had high hopes as the staff at pet smart were very attentive and helped us meet all the cats they had to love. They gave us the Information for the volunteer leader in order to contact as we found a cat we hoped to bring home for her family but we were not able to get a hold of anyone. We called over and over and over on the designated number on the flyer given by petsmart and had no luck in getting in touch wth anyone to get an application. We decided to go back to petsmart and ask the staff if there was another way to contact the volunteers as we were eager and even if we could not adopt him we wanted to see if they had more cats the rescue. Luckily, the day we came to petsmart the staff informed us that a volunteer from second chance was at petsmart. We waited for a while and the volunteer eventually came to speak to us. We began to speak to her and immediately could smell alcohol reeking off of her which made us uncomfortable. We began to speak to her about how to adopt the cat we were in interest in and she informed us that someone had recently submitted an application and we expresssed our sadness and frustration as we have been continuously calling to try to get an application for adoption. The volunteer, who mind you was slurring her words and swaying into us, Informed us that she would put in a "good word for us" as she understood our frustration. We did not at all feel confident that she would follow through as she was inebriated and not only did we notice but the staff at petsmart additionally made comments regarding her level of sobriety was unprofessional and it made all of us uncomfortable. The volunteer then gave us her personal phone number and her bosses email and encouraged us to email to ask for an application. We did as she encouraged and found out the cat we were interested in was no longer available. We respectfully expressed our frustration and then received a nasty and unprofessional email in response stating that we "did not constantly contact them" and that we should contact a shelter that has paid employees as they are volunteers. She then proceeded to belittle and patronize us and inform us of the salaries of the CEOs of the MSPCA and how they put down cats and how we should only be happy that the cat we were interested in went to a home and was not euthanized. We never once stated that we did not want the cat to have a good home we only stated that we were frustrated that we could not get in contact with them to submit an application. Unfortunately, we will not be using this shelter to adopt a cat that is in need of a home as we do not feel they respect others. I am expecting that we will get a nasty response as the lady below me how had a similar experience in September. Very, very disappointing :/ read more

we got our kitten seamus from sheera. she could not have been nicer or more passionate- truly an inspiration to us.

Sheera is a very kind caring person who puts the cats first. She is not doing this for profit but for the satisfaction of finding all kinds of cats loving homes. read more

I have cats of my own. I live in a neighborhood when I never know when I cat is going to find me, that is why I don't need to go to a shelter to adopt one. Tara, you have been very lucky with your cat. Unless that you live in a farm, a lot of people get their "outdoor" cats killed by cars, mistreated by crazy people in the streets or in bad fights with other cats, etc. None to mentioned that they can get diseases faster than indoor cats even when they are vaccinates. One of my cats got lost from people that I never heard about until they moved away and left no address behind. Each shelter has her own policies. Besides that, many of the cats that Sheera post in petfinder are in foster homes, and the people that are fostering them have a very important thing to say about them. For example, if I am fostering a kitty that I found outside abandoned or a litter, I can say that I do not want them outdoors ever again and that is the way that you will find it in petfinder. (Sheera is a VERY CAREFUL person that knows her business well and yes, it is expensive. Years ago, she used her own wages to lift this business. Someone that knows her already post that in a website). When cats die from natural causes they die very slow. It may take days for them to die. I wouldn't like that for ANY of my cats. Vets recommend euthanasia when they are in their terminal days to relieve the cat of a long agony. The ones that die the way your cat did are the felines in the jungle or stray cats because NOBODY CAN HELP THEM. I have brought stray kittens to Sheera's shelter and even last February she went an extra mile and brought a tamable cat that I trapped in my neighborhood to another non-killing shelter because she didn't have space in hers by them. She adored this cat!!! Just go to a kill shelter like the MSPCA (I can care less for those that handle a huge budget and kill healthy cats claiming no space) or the shelter that you used to volunteer to get your kittens. I see that you are careful with your cats, but also lucky too. I am with Sheera! She HAS SEEN TOO MUCH! SHE IS VERY, VERY CAREFUL AND CAUTIOUS AND FOR HER BE SAFE THAN SORROW WORKS. THAT ALSO WORKS FOR ME. . read more

After losing a beloved member of our feline family, we were looking for a pair of kittens or young cats to fill the void. My 11-year-old cat is still very active and missed his playmate. Eventually my search, through Petfinder, brought me to contact Sheera. I filled out the application and she referred me to the foster mom, Colleen. My husband and I went to meet and adopt the kittens at her home. The set up for the fosters was amazing! Everything was clean and basically a cat heaven, lots of toys and climbers. After having these sweet babies in my home, I can tell they were well-loved and frequently handled. They are happy, healthy, playful little balls of joy. My older cat is taking on the roll of surrogate parent but is enjoying having playmates again as well. It is obvious that this shelter deeply cares about the animals and provides the greatest socialization possible so the transition was smooth and easy. read more