Meet The Board

Second Chance was founded in July 2003 by Elizabeth Fitzgerald and Melody Acres as a Santa Barbara based Cocker Spaniel breed rescue covering Central California. By expanding our network of fosters and volunteers, we now cover all of California and have built a Sanctuary in Jamestown, CA and opened a low cost spay and neuter clinic in 2024.

Board of Directors

Our board of directors is comprised solely of volunteers.

Elizabeth Fitzgerald: Ms Fitzgerald is a founder and has served as president of Second Chance Cocker Rescue, Inc since inception.  She previously served five years as president of Bunnies Urgently Needing Shelter and was on the board of directors for K-9 PALS for meany years, both in Santa Barbara, CA. She has been active in the animal rescue community since 1995. Professionally she  is a retired software engineer and project manager for high-tech companies.

Debra Shelton: Ms Shelton is a practicing licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in California, and she has used her Cocker Spaniels in her practice, with both adults and children, for many years. She has been a volunteer over the last 26 years with several organizations, and she began fostering and assisting with Cocker Rescue in November of 2012. She became a volunteer and board member with Second Chance Cocker Rescue in March of 2013. She is now our Vice-President.

Michele Gitomer: Ms. Gitomer begged her family for a Cocker Spaniel when she was 10. Ever since then, she has been deeply involved in canine love and care. She and her family have fostered and volunteered with SCCR since 2012. Ms. Gitomer has been involved with social media for SCCR; writing the weekly blogs, e-newsletters and posting photos and updates on Facebook and Instagram. Besides her love for dogs, she has two beautiful children and works full-time as a TV and film editor. She is now our co Vice-President.

 Leslie Costa: .Dr Costa’s professional life was in healthcare where she worked in nursing, education and management in  Oakland, CA. Since early childhood she wanted a Cocker Spaniel. She fulfilled that dream in 1983 and ever since has loved, spoiled and cared for Cocker Spaniels that lived very happy lives. Dr Costa became involved with SCCR in 2007. She became a volunteer Board Member in 2021 and Treasurer in 2022.

Advisory Board

Dr Tayna Jackson, DVM