For context: this happened 9 years ago back in 2017. I am finally writing a review about this situation because it still BAFFLES me to this day. We still crack jokes about this situation at any given time. At the time I was 13 years old and my mom and I were looking for a small dog to adopt. We were browsing shelters all around DFW trying to find the perfect fit for our family. We stumbled across Second Chance and decided to take a look at their small dogs, and that's when we found the cutest little brown Chihuahua! She was perfect, super adorable and amazing temperament. My mom and I instantly fell in love with her and were practically begging to fill out the adoption application. Once one of the adoption counselors sat down with us, she asked us basic questions (have you owned a dog before, was the dog spayed/neutered) etc! Basic questions that we easily had the answers to. Then the lady informs us that the little dog is heartworm positive, and asks us if we know what that is. Well yes we do know what heartworm is! She then asks if we have ever had experience with a dog that is heartworm positive. (This is when it gets absolutely ridiculous) My mom, thinking she was adding important insight and HOPING to inform the counselor that we will in fact actively treat her condition, said that she did have experience with a heartworm positive dog.....WHEN SHE WAS 5 YEARS OLD. IN MEXICO. IT WAS HER FATHERS DOG. My mom, at no fault of her own, once again let the counselor know what this was literally 25-30 YEARS AGO. And it technically wasn't her dog. She just grew up with this dog and knew that when her father first adopted it, it was heartworm positive. And of course they treated and cured the dog of heartworm as well! But, it didn't matter. The lady took the little dog out of my hands and said they don't adopt to anyone who has had a dog in the past that was heartworm positive. My mom was baffled and once again tried explaining that it wasn't her dog. They didn't care. I was sooooo upset and honestly I was mad at my mom for even saying anything but in retrospect it wasn't her fault. That rule is absolutely ridiculous especially if it apparently counts towards when you were a child with no autonomy over what animal happens to be in your life. I don't know if they still operate like this, but do yourself a favor and just go to Operation Kindness. A million times better and amazing customer service as well. This is where we ended up finding our new member to the family, Bella! This place definitely has first come first serve on animals but with their STAFF (as seen in other reviews posted) and they make it very obvious by the insane rules and "criteria" they use for adopting out a dog/cat. I am 22 years old now and still would not recommend. read more

Second chance rescues dogs from kill shelters. If your looking for a dog,stop here first.. Great animals read more

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Just recently adopted a sweet kitten from this facility and it was such an easy process! Was able to take my baby home within an hour of getting there. I can't remember the lady's name i spoke to but customer service was amazing, wish i could've took all the kitties home, there were so many ),: Overall amazing place , go adopt!!!!! read more

Second Chance SPCA - Kitten - Animal Shelters Near Me - Plano, Texas

What a great little shelter! The staff were great to work with. They really seem to go above and beyond. Our new pup has been a great addition to of family. read more

I adopt my little friend in Feb. I can't thank Second Chance for giving Woody ( Foxtrot) a second chance. He's has been such a great change in our life. We love him so much and he has help our little girl to come out of her depression after she's lost her brother. Thank u for his second chance. read more

I adopted a little dog last year and he was vaccinated and fixed and he is a joy to too him for a checkup being a year older and he passed in flying color and also was a very good dog. It is well worth to get a dog there and they are healthy and ready for a home. They have crazy names but I changed it from murky Crew to Pete read more

What a wonderful organization! We adopted our little girl Nala (formally called Allie) there. She is actually a big girl, a black lab/pit bull mix almost 2 years old. Second Chance took her in after she was captured pregnant, gave birth to a liter of puppies, they were all adopted out but not Nala, but Second Chance took her in and now we have her. What a little love she is!!!. She was scared and tentative at first but now as happy as can be and is at home with her best friend Jake (another recent rescue) an Katie our 14 year old Daschund/Chihuahua mix. Thank you Second Chance SPCA for being so loving, caring and efficient! read more

This is a great dog rescue. We recently found our adorable chi mix here. She was taken care of by the rescue, and they were great about letting my other dog meet her. read more

While this organization aims to save dogs from kill situations, the way they go about it seems more like a group of dog hoarders. We had the same experience as Jessica Rewald's review - volunteers have first dibs on the animals held there and there is no visibility into this part of the process. If this is truly the case, this organization should just call a spade a spade and request adopters donate more $ or time to the organization. This org definitely seems to need operational help. They are boarded up in a small house near railroad tracks, and the backyard is muddy with dog runs closely grouped outside under pergolas. I'm worried about the welfare of the large dogs outside from a cleanliness and comfort perspective. After driving away from them, I'm choosing to vote with my wallet and donate my time and $'s to a more well-run and transparent rescue organization. read more

Absolutely love this place!! We recently adopted our dog from there. All the employees care so much for the animals. The place is kept nice and clean too. They all said good bye to our pup as she left! Y'all are amazing! read more

This is one shelter my wife and I try to support whenever we can. We visited the facility to leave some items and met the volunteers who were very enthusiastic. Saw a few dogs and cats at the shelter who looked very well taken care of and comfortable. Will continue to support this shelter. read more

Great experience. The adoption process is easy - - yet thorough - - and you can definitely tell want good homes for their rescues. If you save one, you inversely save another by giving this wonderful shelter extra room. If you're on the fence, just do it. One of the best decisions we have ever made. read more

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We had such a wonderful experience with Second Chance! I highly recommend to anyone looking for your forever pet. Our adoption went so smooth & we found our beloved puppy, Mulligan. Everyone at the shelter was extremely friendly, professional & genuine. The facility was very clean and well maintained. It's clear to see they want the best possible environment for these animals who have been through so much. The shelter only takes animals that would otherwise be euthanized. What a beautiful organization & group of people with big hearts. We met Mulligan on a Thursday evening (5 min before they closed) The staff members encouraged us to take our time meeting him & there was no rush. They explained that we wouldn't be able to adopt him until the next day (which I thought was pretty soon) and they didn't know all of his back-round but we could get that information from Kendall, the director of operations the following day. We fell in love with this little guy and came back 1st thing in the am to see if we would be lucky enough to bring him home. I was surprised how quick & seamless the adoption was. I had my 15 mo old son with me (who cannot sit still) and they staff really helped us through the process. Kendall provided me with all of his info and asked us a few questions to be sure we were a good fit. The adoption fee was nothing (when you think about the vet care). All pets are spayed/neutered, vaccinated, chipped etc. They even provide a complimentary puppy trainer if any behavior issues arise. We reached out to her about a month after adoption. Laura came out to our house and had great advice. We really had such a great experience with Second Chance SPCA. I cannot thank them enough for everything they have done. Without their resources and the people behind this organization, our sweet Mulligan wouldn't be alive today. I can't imagine our world without him. He is the sweetest dog with the best personality. If you are looking for your next forever pet, I highly recommend RESCUING period. SAVE A LIFE, they make the BEST pets. Again, I highly recommend Second Chance! read more

Second Chance SPCA - Animal Shelters Near Me - Plano, Texas

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I went into this location and almost immediately the woman at the front desk (red hair, maybe late 50s) started frowning. I asked her about the cats and mentioned that my mom had my cat after I went to college. All of a sudden, she starts interrogating me about my cat, like I'm some kind of criminal. I tried to pet one of cats, because the door was open and she sharply spat "YOU CAN'T GO IN THERE". I backed up, kind of surprised at her hostility and she started to interrogate me even more about why I didn't take my cat with me to college (it's against the rules). Then she told me "I don't feel comfortable adopting a pet to you, if you had one and didn't care for it. I asked her why she was interrogating me and she told me that she wasn't; she was just concerned and that I clearly "didn't like being questioned" and that I could leave. Seriously, WTF. I gave my mom my car, because I went to college. She's 12 years old in human years which any cat owner knows is a long time. She has her own electronic constantly flowing water bowl, so that her water remains crisp and fresh. She gets a mixture of wet and dry food and it always has a little olive oil poured into it, so her coat will stay beautiful and rich. Obviously, my cat is well taken care of and she is comfortable at my mom's apartment. Thus, it would be cruel to uproot her to a completely new location, at her age. Idk wtf is wrong with the red haired, older front desk lady, but she needs to chill. Her awful personality literally kept a pet from being adopted. I understand that it is important to shelters to make sure that the pets are given to a safe and loving home, but interrogating customers and writing them off the second they walk in the door is not the way to go about doing it. I don't want to discourage you from adopting a pet, if you can give a pet a supportive and loving home. However, if you choose to come into this off-brand SPCA, be prepared for insolence, unprofessionalism and just a generally weird vibe. read more

My wife and I went looking for a cat and went to a few shelters. This was the last stop for us and the staff was helpful from the start. They introduced us to the cats and let us spend some alone time with one we requested. They were upfront the entire time about what was necessary to complete the adoption paperwork. We even got to meet our cats foster mom. We got necessary documents the next day and walked away with our beautiful bobtailed baby cat. The people there put the pets first. It's a great place to go and I am so thankful we found our furry friend there. read more

Second Chance SPCA - This is our cat adopted from the Second Chance SPCA - Animal Shelters Near Me - Plano, Texas

Adopted joey almost 2 years ago in december. he is such a sweetheart!!! we were provided with the best service and i could tell this shelter provided a loving upbringing to all their animals. Best animal shelter i've been to. read more

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I got my precious little girl Chihuahua Nessie from Second Chance SPCA. The staff were awesome, friendly and kind. They had taken such good care of her she was ready to become an immediate member of my family. I have attended the birthday party for the shelter and their love for animals is very apparent. I recommend for anyone looking to find a new fur baby, go to Second Chance. read more

Second Chance SPCA - Nessie - Animal Shelters Near Me - Plano, Texas

I adopted from Second Chance SPCA of Plano and am so happy that I did. The staff members that helped us with meeting dogs and providing recommendations on fit/match were incredibly helpful and kind. They were genuine and it was clear that they cared about the well-being of the dogs. The adoption process itself was smooth and easy! The staff was honest about the conditions and what had happened to our adopted pup and her siblings, which was greatly appreciated. If you are looking to adopt, I recommend checking out Second Chance SPCA of Plano! I hope you find the friend you're looking for. read more

The people at Second Chance SPCA are wonderful! We went to adopt one cat and took home two. They were so helpful and gave us tips on how to help the cats get along. We even went back a second time with more questions and got more suggestions. They care about the animals and want to make sure they are given the best homes possible. My husband and I went to a few other adoption places and we liked the people at Second Chance the best. Highly recommend them! read more

One of the best kept shelters in the area. This animal shelter is a great place to adopt from. They are a no-kill shelter and rescue animals, some are saved from being euthanized! The staff is very welcoming and very informative. They make sure their animals are in good health before they are up for adoption. Their animals are their first priority and they hold the right to decline your request to adopt if they feel you are not suitable match for the animal. All animals are given names and they are treated like one of their own. The volunteer staff set aside time to walk the dogs several times a day, play with the dogs, give them treats, and make sure they have plenty of time to make other animal friends. Plenty of TLC and socialization! The shelter is very clean and sanitary. This shelter doesn't smell bad when you walk in, like you would expect. It's actually very surprising. When you walk in it'll make your heart smile instead of feeling sorry or sad for these animals, because you know that the staff is caring for them like family! They are relocating to a different location (not too far from the current location though) so be on the look-out for an new address. Definitely check it out! Adopt don't shop! :) read more

Second Chance SPCA blessed us with our baby Arnold on May 9, 2014. He has been a great addition to the family & perfect in every way. Second Chance made the adoption process so easy for us, we got to take him home the same day. They truly care for animals & it shows! Thank You Second Chance SPCA!! read more

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If you're not familiar with this place, you definitely need to come check it out. They are a 501 3 C non-profit no-kill animal shelter. They rescue dogs and cats some City shelters right before they are to be euthanized. I could tell that the staff genuinely cares about the well-being of the animals. They do have volunteer opportunities so if you love dogs or cats, but can't keep them at home for whatever reason and you can come here and love on the animals all you want. If you're interested in adopting, give them a call and schedule a time to come in and you will have access to a play area for you to interact with the dog or cat. read more

I have adopted 2 dogs from here. Both wonderful experiences! The establishment is clean and the volunteers are friendly and knowledgable. No-kill is the way to go!!! read more

Great experience in pet adoption. We didn't know of this SPCA until we started looking for a new dog. They are in a smaller facility that is very close to downtown Plano. We were greeted warmly and found our new puppy within 10 minutes. After spending 10 minutes with the dog and another 10 to go through the adoption screening, we were able to take our new boy home. They have even followed up to ensure that he is doing well. We were very impressed with this SPCA. read more

We adopted a wonderful kitten from here five years ago. Squeakers is our big boy now and we love him so much. Second Chance SPCA had rescued our kitten's siblings and his mother. Great place to adopt! read more

We adopted our sweet little puggle from here, and they were amazing! They had us bring our older dog up to make sure they would get along, and they became best friends instantly. I appreciated their thorough adoption process to make sure we were the perfect fit. Their facility is always clean and everyone there is friendly and approachable, ready to help you find your new addition to your family. The next dog we adopt won't come from anywhere else but here! read more

This place was so ridiculous it wasn't even funny. We were looking to bring a new fur baby home today, but not from here! We walked in the door and there was a cute cat I wanted to hold. The lady said I couldn't cuz it had behavior issues. Ok. So then I go to the cat room and was told I couldn't hold two different cats I was interested in because they were "grumpy today"...Umm...Any animal we expressed interest in, we weren't allowed to touch. So we are just going to stick to the free to good home ads on Craigslist. Just out of curiosity I asked how much a cat was, lol. The woman said she wanted $100 for a 6 year old cat. I almost laughed in her face!!It was insane! This place is run by the type of animal lovers that give animal lovers a bad name. What a waste of time. read more

After a few weeks of calling, emailing, and visiting local shelters/rescues, we decided to drive up to Plano this past Saturday and check out Second Chance. As other reviewers have noted, there are three things that stand out about this place: The customer service, cleanliness/atmosphere, and happiness of the animals housed there. For a small shelter, there were plenty of dogs and cats to look at. There was even a "visitation area" outside where we could let our current dog get acquainted with the dog we were wanting to adopt. Most of the workers here are volunteers and you can tell their hearts are really in it. After seeing other shelters and meeting their employees/volunteers, it was like night and day. They are conveniently open 7 days a week. This makes it easy for folks who work all week to stop by. We have rescued Mr. Gizmo and are very thankful that Second Chance gave him a second chance at having a family! read more

Second Chance is such a great place. We felt so welcome right when we walked In the door! We wanted a cat/kitten and were escorted directly to the cat room. We found our girl Ivy! The adoption process was quick and simple. Kendel gave us all the information she had on Ivy and we felt so comfortable knowing we were taking home a healthy cat. I would highly recommend Second Chance! Kendel and her volunteers make it possible for animals who might get overlooked at a larger shelter find a furrever home! Thanks Second Chance for making it possible to find the purrfect cat for our family! read more

I recently adopted Clary, a 5 month old female kitten, and I could not be happier. This little girl is in excellent condition, physically and socially. It's apparent in her personality that she was surrounded by love and showered in affection. The shelter itself is impressively clean, and everyone in the facility seems to genuinely care for and enjoy the animals. read more

Got my girl here 10 years ago, still stop in from time to time to pet the dogs. Love it

I volunteer here, and we all love it. Come find a furry friend!

We had a dog that passed away last summer and we were looking for a new one to open our hearts and home to. We came here and were turned away by the EXTREMELY rude "counselor" lady that most everyone else is complaining about on here, because we did not give our old dog heart worm preventative. What? We gave our dog heart worm preventative maybe once or twice, but then never did again because our vet never advised us to do so. The RUDE lady then said that if we didn't give our old dog the medicine that we wouldn't give this new one any either. Again, what?? If we are advised to do so we would? We were willing to give a 3 year old dog a FOREVER HOME and she turned us down to let the poor thing sleep in a cage again that night instead of a bed simply because no one told us before to give our old dog heart worm preventative.. They need to start rethinking their priorities. read more

I know the most important thing is that animals go to a good home, however I would like to express how very sad I am with how the whole adoption, or ALMOST adoption, process turned out for me. I first saw the dog I wanted as he was brought into the shelter on Tuesday, April 11th. I thought he was beautiful and sweet and while I was told I could not play with him yet, I sat outside his cage to "meet" him. I asked if I could fill out an adoption application right then so I didn't miss out on the opportunity to adopt him but I was told that the facility does not let people fill out the application until they are ready to take a pet home that day, and unfortunately he wouldn't be available until he was checked by a vet. I asked if there was a way to be put on a waiting list but was told no and to call back Thursday or Friday and maybe they would know more about when he would be adoptable. I called Thursday, April 13, and nobody picked up but I left a message saying I was still interested in him, asking if he had a name yet and inquiring if he had a doctors appointment set up. I also called several times on Friday but they didn't answer their phone. No one got back to me so Saturday, April 15th, I just stopped in. In the days that had passed they named him Tony, but still nobody knew when his vet appointment would be and when he would be available. I was able to play with him for a while though, and then I brought my boyfriend back later that day so the two of them could meet. I asked again if I could fill out an adoption application so that as soon as he was ready to go the paperwork wouldn't hold things up. I was told that I could not do this ahead of time, and that as soon as he was available his adoption was on a first come first serve basis so I should check back in on Tuesday when Kendall, their director, would be around to schedule his vet appointment. It was only after leaving another message on April 18th letting Kendall know I was interested in adopting Toney and planning on visiting him later that afternoon did I finally get a return call. Their director informed me that he was never going to be up for adoption because a staff member or volunteer had filled out an application to adopt him. I am not upset with the volunteers who let me play with Tony, I had a wonderful time petting and playing with this dog. I do wish though that someone had told me that all of the staff/volunteers first must decide that they DON'T want a new dog before the animal will ever be available for adoption to the public. I was truly under the impression that the only thing I was waiting for was an "All clear" from the veterinarian. The volunteers spent a ton of time talking to me and knew I intended to adopt Tony the day he became available. Over the course of a week I had in depth conversations with 3 volunteers and causally saw several others as I came and went. I knew the brand of food Tony had been eating and what steps to take after the adoption. I knew I would get a file for Tony and that is what I would take to his new vet. I picked out a veterinarian near my house and called about the pricing for the heart worm preventative medicine that he would need. I bought a dog crate that was his size, a collar and leash and a running harness for him. I am happy he is going to a loving home and I wish each animal had so many people interested in them. However, my hopes are that they start to caution people who are interested in new animals that the staff and volunteers have first pick so that they don't have to feel as disappointed as I do now. read more

Went in today to adopt a kitty, really loved and bonded with an older cat and was pretty set on adopting him. The lady came to help us and was asking questions about past pets and we told her we had a cat in the past that had kittens and then passed from old age. She asked if we had the father cat too and we said no it was a neighbors male cat that roamed around outside that got her pregnant. She then informed us that we could not adopt any animals from them because they didn't adopt to people that had "outside" pets. I explained to her that she wasn't an "outside" cat she was an inside cat but was free to go inside and out as she pleased through the doggy door and we didn't leave her outside overnight or when we weren't home. That wasn't good enough for her, she said they couldn't adopt to us. Ridiculous that they would pass up a good home for their animals just because we don't keep them locked in the house. So we walked away without our new friend. Ridiculous!! Could've had a great home :( read more

First & foremost, you adopt for companionship & to also fill that missing void into your life or family. My friends & I visited this facility late Sunday afternoon in the hopes of adopting a dog named Merlin. As for the other Yelpers describing the red haired woman reminiscent of my middle school principal Ms. Francis are definitely spot on. We informed the lady that we were looking at adopting a puppy, reaching adulthood to about medium size. We didn't know the dog's name at the time so we looked around & meandered thru out the building looking mostly at empty kennels. eventually we were led out towards the backyard where they kept the rest of the other dogs. We were a little perturbed & asked why were the dogs outside separated (caged up on 'dirt' ground). She said, these are the larger dogs & are separated from the small ones inside the building. I tried to assimilate what her response was since it seemed to contradict what we were seeing - there were tiny dogs there too. Ultimately, our concerns were negated as soon as we were finally introduced to this locked up little pup. Instantly we connected with this 4 month old dog. At this point, Ms. Francis still hasn't formally introduced herself nor twitched a muscle in her face. She took Merlin & started walking towards this little staged up patio. We all looked at each other & followed Ms Francis instinctively as if we were all mind communicating. Inspite of feeling a bit awkward at this point, we trudged forward & focused on Merlin. Once we were all corralled & sat down, we got the chance to pet Merlin for the first time. He reciprocated his interest as he interacted, showed his toys, & seem to love all the attention. I asked, how long does the adoption process normally take. The woman said, it's same day adoption. I was very happy to hear her answer. She then proceeded to ask us questions like do we have a house, if we currently have a dog, what's our pet history like, & where will the dog stay (inside or out)? Shortly after her quick evaluation came to an abrupt stop. She said, i can't let you adopt this dog! After spending over 5 minutes & getting acquainted with Merlin, we we're shocked & immediately asked what led her to make such hasty decision? Apparently during our brief interrogation, we weren't decisive enough whether Merlin was going to be an indoor or an outdoor dog. She convinced herself that if we adopt Merlin, he's most likely gonna stay outdoors perhaps caged up on dirt ground. We were all livid since we couldn't find a way to rectify Ms Francis' irrationality. And that was the culmination of our adoption process. Behind the impassive exterior of this woman is equally as cold & empty inside. I know she was just doing her job & looking out for the dogs best interest but you don't treat people like that. We walked ourselves out of the building abhorred by this experience. I just hope the next person will be more prepared & not go thru the disappointment we went through. read more

Very disappointed to say the least. I was shocked at the lack of professionalism and friendliness at this shelter. The 1 star reviews are 100% accurate and I would not recommend this shelter to anyone...spare yourself the insult. read more

We had a wonderful experience at Second Chance SPCA. They were instrumental in helping us find a great addition to our family. It is apparent that they love and care about animals. They saved our sweet Sierra from euthanasia from another shelter and then provided the necessary medicine and special care needed to get her healthy. We appreciate the time, energy and love that they showed to Sierra. read more

Worst place ever! Mocha which is the woman the decides if you take a pup or not has the worst service! She told us that they "NEVER ANSWER THE PHONES DURING REGULAR BUSINESS HOURS" I called 5 minutes after leaving and she answered. I tried making a complaint and she tried to be smart and say she was the highest member on the board. My husband and I live alone and wanted a puppy since we don't have kids, we decided that we would come back after bringing our proof of pet deposit and I was trying to call to see what else I needed before making a second trip and she never answered us. We decided to not go back after this rude woman refused to answer a phone. We have visited multiple pet shelters and by far this was the most rude woman we came to encounter. They need to do something about her. read more

My wife and I had been debating adopting a fourth fur baby but made up our minds when we saw Madonna (now Phoebe) on the Second Chance website. She is the third dog we've adopted over the years from this shelter and each experience has been wonderful. We got to spend some time in their yard with Phoebe and then arranged a meeting with two of our dogs. Kendel spent a lot of time with us and the dogs, monitoring behaviors and helping us to ensure the dogs were a good match. They were, and now Phoebe is a great member of our pack. We appreciate the efforts Second Chance makes on behalf of both the animals and the adoptees to make sure it is a good adoption for all. read more