More room to help more animals: Second Chance announces major Worcester expansion

Second Chance Animal Services has purchased a Park Avenue property five times larger than its current Worcester location, with plans for an expanded veterinary hospital and community resource center

For families struggling to afford veterinary care, getting a sick or injured pet the help it needs can sometimes come down to something painfully simple: Is there an appointment available? Can they afford it? Can they even get there?

Second Chance Animal Services is planning a major Worcester expansion designed to make the answers to those questions a little easier.

The nonprofit animal welfare organization has purchased the former Plywood Plus property at 600 Park Ave., where it plans to create an expanded Community Veterinary Hospital and resource center serving pets and the people who care for them.

The new property is approximately five times larger than Second Chance’s current Worcester location at 831 Main St. and is expected to open by the end of 2027, according to the organization’s announcement.

The veterinary hospital itself is planned to be about three times larger than the existing Worcester hospital, giving Second Chance room for more veterinarians, appointments, surgeries, preventive care and treatment.

“We work to keep pets in their homes whenever possible, and access to care is critical to making that happen,” Second Chance CEO Sheryl Blancato said in the announcement. “A larger facility means more veterinarians, more appointments, more surgeries, and more support for our community.”

That philosophy — helping animals by helping the people who love them — has become an increasingly important part of animal welfare work. For some families, the barrier to keeping a beloved pet isn’t a lack of commitment. It’s the cost of medical care, transportation, access to services or a sudden financial crisis.

Second Chance has operated its Worcester Community Veterinary Hospital since 2017, providing full-service veterinary care at affordable prices. Worcester is one of four Community Veterinary Hospitals operated by the East Brookfield-based organization.

But the plans for 600 Park Ave. go well beyond building a bigger animal hospital.

Second Chance plans to add a community thrift shop, offering affordable goods to local families while raising money to support the organization’s animal welfare programs.

The Worcester property will also become a hub for expanded mobile veterinary services, including Second Chance’s Community Vaccine Clinics and its Homebound to the Rescue program, which helps bring care to pets whose owners have difficulty getting them to a veterinary hospital.

“This expansion gives us an opportunity to rethink what access to care can look like,” Blancato said in the announcement. “We want to make it easier for families to get the help they need, whether that means veterinary care for their pet, access to affordable resources or a connection to another community service.”

There is plenty of work to do before the doors open.

Second Chance has set a $1.2 million fundraising goal to help pay for construction, renovations, medical equipment and other costs. The organization is also putting out a call to contractors, tradespeople, construction companies, suppliers and vendors that may be able to donate or discount labor, materials, supplies or expertise.

Sponsorship opportunities, including the chance to sponsor rooms and other spaces in the new hospital, are also planned.

“This is an opportunity for local contractors and businesses to make a lasting difference right here in Worcester,” Chief Development Officer Lindsay McCormack said in the release. “Every donated service, material and hour of expertise helps us get closer to opening our doors and serving more pets and families.”

For Second Chance, the bigger building ultimately comes down to a bigger reach: more animals receiving care, more families getting help before they face impossible decisions and more resources brought directly into communities that need them.

“Helping pets starts with helping the people who love them,” McCormack said in the release. “This new facility will give us the room and resources to do more, reach more people and create a stronger network of support for pets and families across our community.”