Dear Second Chance Cocker Rescue:

I was lying in bed last night, snuggled between my parents and thinking how much SCCR changed my life. A year-and-a-half ago, I was lying abandoned in a backyard, starving, wet from the rain, matted and cold, next to the dead body of my brother. My ears hurt. My eyes hurt. I simply did not know what to do. Then, through a series of miracles, my life turned around.  Things are so much different now! Now I live indoors and I get to sleep wherever I feel most comfortable. I get three home-cooked meals a day, grooming and veterinary care. I get love and affection. I get to go for walks. I get to go places!

If it wasn’t for you and your community of supporters, I know that I would have been just another faceless put-to-sleep statistic in a shelter. But it is the SCCR community, from the volunteers, to the foster/sanctuary/adopter homes, to those that donate and those that “comment” or hit the “share” button on Facebook, that turn lives like mine from despair to comfort. I want to thank the SCCR community from the bottom of my heart for giving me a name, a face and a second chance.

Very sincerely,
Gus (formerly Mr. Marvin)

You know the saying, one man’s trash is another mans treasure? We it sure can apply to dogs too.  Beau and his sister Sami had lived as outdoor dogs all their lives.  Now that they were old and worn out they were brought to their local shelter and thrown away. The shelter was ready to euthanize them because they thought they were unadoptable but we disagreed and so did Beau’s new mom.

You may remember another sanctuary cocker, Charles, who, despite a fierce battle lost his life following surgery several months ago.  His passing broke the hearts of all who knew him especially those of his foster family. While they have been thinking of getting another dog they just could not bring themselves to do it… until they met Beau.  Like Charles, Beau is another sweet black senior with a graying muzzle and they couldn’t pass him up. When they first met, Beau climbed in his new Dad’s lap and gave him a big fat kiss.  That sealed the deal.

On our follow up here is what his new mom, Carrie, says about Beau:

“Oh, we sure are enjoying Beau.  He's such a good boy and a very quick learner... I took him to Andrew's soccer practice on Monday and held my breath as he was attacked by kids of all sizes.  He never shied away, growled, or showed any signs of irritation; the kids were in his face, hugging him, sitting near him, etc.  His tail never stopped wagging!  He rides in the car right next to Drew and just enjoys the ride.  Beau has let Rudy know who's boss which is a relief because the puppy can be overwhelming.  I can't believe, for his age, how much energy he has.  We all walk each night; he walks fast but isn't a big puller, get back and play ball, and then he settles down for the evening in his bed.  His cookie trick is precious.  I give him and Rudy the cookie treats Joanne sent home and he takes it, throws it in the air, dives on it, and then eventually eats it.  I constantly find him in the stance puppies use to play.  His coat is coming in beautifully and is soft and shiny...What I really like about Beau is that he also enjoys his independence; so I can leave the room and he doesn't feel the need to follow me everywhere; especially when I go upstairs.  He can relax and rest when he needs to, perhaps this is because he's older and confident.  He's a very accomplished snuggler too!  Can you tell how well he fits in...lol

…I often find myself thinking of Charles when Beau walks by.  That shiny black coat out of the corner of your eye brings me some peace.”

Beau is a lucky guy to have found this family and SCCR is lucky to have such wonderful people willing to open their hearts and homes to our sweet sanctuary dogs. Sami is still waiting. We told her it just takes time to find special families but they are worth the wait.

Hobbs on a long car trip to Henry Woods

Karma Collars is a small business with big heart. When Amy McMullan designer/owner of Karma Collars offered SCCR an amazingly generous gift, we were delighted.   The offer was to custom design a collar for SCCR and to give SCCR half of the selling price for every collar of that design sold.  Basically, Karma Collars offered to create and sell an SCCR collar and give us the profit.

Amy has been a professional designer for more than ten years and a champion of underdogs her entire life.  Karma Collars grew naturally from her work with rescued pit bulls.  The correct gear is especially important when working with larger, more powerful breeds and when Amy could not find quality gear naturally she began designing her own.  Soon she was making collars for friends and Karma Collars grew organically from there.  Amy has always loved all dogs and has donated countless hours to shelters and rescues her entire adult life.  When asked about cockers, Amy humorously describes her lifelong love of them and her own childhood cocker Phoebe.  She remembers being almost obsessed with wanting a cocker and pestering her single-mom mother until she caved.   Despite a rather temperamental nature, Phoebe lived a long and healthy life with Amy.

Designing collars for smaller dogs has special challenges.  There is less surface area with which to work and the smaller size limits the products that can be used.  The leather Karma Collars uses is also thicker to promote its lasting quality.  Smaller dogs cannot handle double layers and some of the other design options of larger collars.  The result is a challenge to the designer to reach deep and tap their innermost creativity.   The SCCR collar design was inspired by the craftsman style homes near the Sacramento  park where Amy walks her dogs, works and lives; the cocker spaniels she knows and SCCR.  Amy describes the SCCR design as having a craftsman or art deco style that matches the classic look of our cockers.  The collar is suitable however for all smaller breeds of dogs or for larger dogs where the look of a lighter collar is preferred.  The original design is fully-studded which has greater durability, is easier to maintain, easier to clean and less likely to get caught on things.  But Karma offers the option to replace the large studs with stones or jewels upon request—just call or email to let them know.

Karma’s philosophy is to make hand-crafted works of art that will stand the test of time in both function and taste.  Karma Collars are designed with the big picture in mind of supporting  a cleaner environment by crafting collars that will not end up in landfills.  They use USA made materials whenever possible and meat by-product leather and avoid trendy/novelty designs. Karma Collars are crafted to draw positive attention to our four-legged friends.  Buy a Karma Collar and when you hold it in your hands you will know you hold quality.  Place it on your dog and you will see that Karma met its goals.

To order the original design SCCR collar click on this link (or call 916-502-1004 for additional customization):

http://karmacollars.com/products/the-second-chance-rescue-collar