After over a year of preparation, Second Chance Animal Shelter has expanded its mission with the opening of Second Chance Animal Hospital, a full-service veterinary clinic designed to provide affordable pet care while generating revenue to support the nonprofit shelter.
The clinic held a soft opening July 11 at 2093 Alex Harvin Highway, completing a goal Shelter Director Kim Coulter first shared early last year as part of the organization's long-term vision.
"It's actually been in the works for a while," Coulter said. "We know there's a need, not only for a regular veterinary office in Manning, but one that is geared toward the community and offers affordable services."
The clinic is open to the public and offers routine veterinary care, including wellness exams, vaccinations, spay and neuter surgeries, heartworm testing, microchipping, nail trims and diagnostic services. Current pricing includes $30 exams, $20 rabies vaccinations, cat neuters starting at $95 and dog spays starting at $225.
Coulter said making veterinary care more affordable benefits both pet owners and the shelter.
"If animals are spayed and neutered and vaccinated, animal control may receive fewer animals," she said. "It's an overall effect that we're hoping for."
The hospital currently operates Thursday through Saturday and uses contracted veterinarians from Pets Inc. in Columbia. While emergency care is limited to clinic hours for now, Coulter said the Saturday availability fills a gap for many local pet owners. The long-term goal is to expand operating days as the practice grows.
Calls regarding appointments placed outside clinic hours are forwarded directly to the shelter, allowing staff to answer questions and schedule appointments throughout the week.
The clinic's first weekend exceeded expectations.
"We had quite a few surgeries, quite a few patients," Coulter said, noting the opening weekend primarily consisted of spay and neuter procedures.
Although the hospital operates as a business, all proceeds remain under the umbrella of Second Chance Animal Shelter and will help fund daily shelter operations.
"We don't get any funding from anywhere," Coulter said. Revenue from the clinic will help provide veterinary care, food, vaccines and other necessities for shelter animals.
To further address pet overpopulation, the hospital will host periodic low-cost clinics throughout the year. Its first Trap-Neuter-Return event is scheduled for Friday, July 17, offering feral cat spay or neuter surgery, rabies vaccination and ear tipping for $90. Coulter said future promotions could include free microchip events and other community outreach efforts.
Beyond affordability, Coulter hopes the clinic will become an educational resource for pet owners.
"Our whole goal is to make things affordable so people can do the right thing," she said. "We're hoping that through education in the community and our prices we'll be able to help the overall picture."
While the new clinic is expected to help support the shelter financially, Second Chance continues to rely on donations and volunteers to care for the hundreds of animals that pass through its doors each year. The shelter's greatest current needs include dog food, puppy food, canned dog food, canned puppy food, dry cat food, cat litter, laundry bleach, Blue Dawn dish soap, laundry detergent and paper towels.
The shelter is also seeking volunteers to help walk dogs, assist with daily animal care and support fundraising events as the organization expands its services.
Donations may be dropped off directly at Second Chance Animal Shelter or at The Manning Times office, which serves as a community collection point and will ensure donated items are delivered to the shelter. Appointments for Second Chance Animal Hospital can be made by calling 803-435-8001 or by messaging the shelter's Facebook page.
