Grants and Awards Initiative

Home / Grants and Awards / Second Chance® Grants
Grants and Awards Initiative

Second Chance® Grants

Financial assistance to help offset the costs of rescuing animals who are homeless or the victims of human cruelty

Every year, countless animals suffer deplorable abuse and neglect. Often, local shelters and rescue groups are saddled with the steep expenses of saving, sheltering, and caring for these animals in desperate need.

Apply Now »

American Humane’s Second Chance grant offers financial assistance to help offset the costs of rescuing animals who are homeless or victims of human cruelty. Our grant aims to advance and facilitate the lifesaving efforts that give animals a second chance at life when they have nowhere else to turn.

Due to the overwhelming number of abuse cases nationwide, the Second Chance® Fund is offered only in select cases of animal abuse or neglect. Funding is awarded on a case-by-case basis.

Stories of Resilience

Willow’s Recovery

Willow, a one-year-old Sheepdog, was found on a roadside in El Paso, Texas, a victim of severe abuse with burns and a gunshot wound. Her situation was critical, and her chances seemed slim. However, the intervention of a Second Chance grant from American Humane marked the turning point in Willow’s life.

The grant provided Willow with life-saving medical care, addressing not only her immediate injuries but also her heartworm disease and pyometra, a serious infection. The comprehensive care funded by the grant went beyond treating her physical ailments. It also offered Willow the behavioral therapy she needed to rebuild her trust in humans.

Willow’s recovery was remarkable. With each visit, the veterinary clinic staff saw her not as a patient, but as a symbol of what their work and the Second Chance grant could accomplish. Her constantly wagging tail became a barometer of her recovery and the positive environment fostered by the clinic.

Leialoha’s New Beginning

Buried alive by her owner, Leialoha was found unable to stand, her fur almost entirely gone, and her skin burnt by the sun. Rescuers rushed the one-year-old pup to an emergency clinic, where she received life-saving care funded by American Humane’s Second Chance® grant. This grant covered the critical treatments needed for her recovery: from cleaning and treating her wounds to soothing her skin and helping her gain weight.

Remarkably, Leialoha’s spirit remained unbroken. After weeks of care, she began to show signs of healing, her fur started to regrow, and she cautiously wagged her tail for the first time. Her sweet demeanor and forgiving eyes revealed an extraordinary capacity for love and trust.

Thanks to the Second Chance grant, Leialoha’s story is one of hope triumphing over despair, showcasing the incredible impact of support and compassion in the aftermath of cruelty. Now on the mend and with the love of a foster family, Leialoha is on her way to a full recovery and a life filled with the kindness she always deserved.

Drex’s Road to Recovery

Drex, a young puppy, faced a dire fate after being found injured on the roadside, his paws bleeding and nails torn from being dragged behind a car. With no space or funds to care for him, the shelter that took him in was one day away from making the heartbreaking decision to euthanize. At the last moment, a rescue group stepped in to save him.

Requiring extensive surgery to repair his damaged paws and constant medical attention, Drex’s situation seemed bleak. However, the generosity of donors like you allowed American Humane to step in with a Second Chance® grant, providing for his expensive medical needs.

Thanks to the grant and the unwavering care of his rescuers, Drex’s story turned from one of tragedy to triumph. He has healed not just in body but in spirit, blossoming into a joyful, energetic dog with a love for life. Fetch is now his favorite game, and his outgoing personality makes him the life of the dog park.

Drex’s journey reminds us of the transformative power of compassion. Your support gives animals like Drex the second chance they need to find happiness and love in a forever home.