The last few years we have started seeing more and more young cockers who are already blind from cataracts. One and two year old babies who have never been able to see the world. The most recent girl is Lulu. Lulu is an absolutely beautiful little cocker girl who is only 2 1/2 years old and almost completely blind already.  She has a pretty black coat with white on her chest & tummy.  We had her evaluated by a specialist and is a good candidate for cataract surgery, thank goodness. She will be scheduled for surgery in late May/early June after she has recovered from her spay surgery. The cost will be $3,000. It is a lot of money but we think giving Lulu a whole lifetime of sight is worth it.

Donate towards Lulu’s surgery

Here is William II (so he doesn’t get confused with Wm I – my step son) in his spring/summer home in Lookout Mountain TN – a beautiful little town on a lovely mountain outside of Chattanooga.  He’s with his new buddy Jackie (who was adopted in Bolinas CA) standing in snow flurries and it’s 29 degrees – wondering what snow and cold weather are about..

Of all the photos of adult female Cockers on the websites, the one of Maizie was the least appealing, and she was the last dog I was interested in.  The picture was taken at the shelter, and she was a sad, matted mess.  By the time I met her, she’d been clipped and bathed, and her perky, curious personality had begun to emerge.  After we walked her around the shopping center where the adoption event was being held, and had lunch, we decided she was “a keeper”.  She had to have some growths (or cysts) removed from her chest before I could bring her home, and Second Chance Cocker Rescue really didn’t want me to take her until the vet had determined that the growths were benign.  But, by that time, I was anxious to have her.  We would face the biopsy results together.  Fortunately, they were all benign.  She’s had several removed since with no problems.

We soon changed her name to Baby – partly because that’s what everyone calls her, even without knowing her name.  Looking at that first, sad photo, you’d never believe it, but we’re stopped on our walks all the time with people saying, “What a beautiful dog!”  And she is!  She may also be the most pampered dog on earth.  She certainly is the sweetest and most lovable.  She and I have recently started volunteer visiting hospice patients and patients in a near-by convalescent hospital.  She is gentle and loving, and all the patients adore her.  (She doesn’t mind the extra attention!)  She loves cats and enjoys visiting the next-door neighbor cats, as well as being with the cat at the dog sitter’s, on the rare occasions I have to leave her.  Having been abandoned, she has real separation anxiety, so she goes pretty much everywhere with me.  She’s so sweet and well-behaved that she’s welcome everywhere.  And she loves children, making a bee-line whenever she sees one.  She is then so gentle that even timid children end up petting and loving her.  She tolerates all sorts of mauling from them – eye-squeezing, ear-pulling, full-mouth-on-the-nose kisses.

That’s my pillow she’s on, in the picture (at the top).  But she’ll move over enough for me to get in when I’m ready!  The other picture is with my great-granddaughter.  She is now the center of my life, and I can’t imagine being without my Baby. Know that I’ll always be more grateful to Second Chance for her than I can express.

–Joan Toole

Annie came from the Stockton shelter. She was a mess but she cleaned up good. However at the tender age of 3 she was completely blind from cataracts.  We took her to the eye specialist and determined she was a good candidate for surgery. Annie could see again! We did not hesitate and scheduled her surgery.

Annie had her cataract surgery last week. It was a little more intensive than we thought but she came through like a champ. Her new dad Bill says, “Annie is doing great.  It’s like a whole new world opened for her. Thanks so much.” We say thank YOU!  Without your support Annie would not be able to see again today and although it cost more than we anticipated we think Annie is worth it!

Donate towards Annie’s surgery

Guess who is 10 years old this year? We are! Wow, we are thrilled to still be here doing exactly what we love to do. We have grown a little more and rescued a few more dogs each year. Now 10 years later we have a lot to celebrate. Over 700 dogs rescued.  Over 70 dogs placed and cared for in Sanctuary homes. Rescuing dogs over the entire state of California, we are leading the pack.

We started our annual Second Chance Cocker Rescue Picnic in 2009 and now  two other rescue groups in California and one in Mass are holding their own cocker picnics. Colton said “Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery,” boy are we flattered. While often imitated by, we are not affiliated with any other groups; we stand alone, with you, our supporters, making every dog rescued possible. We are going to be celebrating everyone of those dogs this year and we want you all to join us!

We have reserved the parks, started planning and are very excited about our very own original SCCR Fifth Annual Cocker Reunion Picnic and birthday party.  The Sacramento picnic will lead off on June 22, and then Santa Barbara will follow up on July 20. Keep the dates free, make your reservations and tell your dogs to pack their bags because it would not be a proper Cocker Reunion without them.

We want to showcase all our dogs at the picnics so we are going to create a collection of collages of all the dogs we have rescued over the last 10 years. Please send us pictures of all your “kids” with their families so we don’t miss anyone. You can email, text or snail mail them  to Elizabeth at 805-687-4674 or Second Chance Cocker Rescue, PO Box 3325, Santa Barbara, CA 93105.

We will also be remembering all our kids that have gone over the Rainbow Bridge. Please send us their pictures too so we can celebrate their lives and remember how much they touched our lives.

We are signing up volunteers to help with the planning. Let us know if you would like to help us and reserve those dates!

     I just wanted to give you guys an update! Trigger is still doing great! my family just love him and every day I realize how perfect his is for our family.  We have discovered that if you howl, he will howl back in response like you started some sort of barking chain.  It is so cute when ever we have a bad day we just start to howl and he sings along with us!

I had hip surgery in December (I know, only 20 and hip surgery) and he was my little buddy, by my side when I couldn’t walk, and now my rehab partner when I exercise through the neighborhood!