Second Chance Dog Rescue

Wednesday February 22, 2012

Second Chance Dog Rescue is one of San Diego's largest and most successful non-profit 501c3 organizations dedicated to saving homeless dogs. We rescue, rehabilitate and rehome dogs from local shelters, as well as dogs surrendered by their owners for various reasons, and dogs from Baja California, Mexico. Once we receive a dog, we provide medical care, including spay and neuter, and any necessary rehabilitation.

Sandra Simpson - President and Co-Founder

Sandra Simpson came to the United States from England in her late twenties, and rose to become one of San Diego’s top real estate agent/brokers. 15 years ago she was asked to sponsor a rescue dog at a shelter in Baja, Mexico. Meeting the dog in person touched her heart so much, her life was changed forever. Sandra devoted her time, money and countless hours to helping the homeless dogs at the Baja shelter. After a decade of volunteering with them, she decided to broaden her passion to include saving dogs and ending the misery of puppy mills in the U.S., as well as continuing to save dogs from Baja, and in the fall of 2008, Second Chance Dog Rescue was formed. Sandra has 2 rescue dogs of her own, Dulce and Benjie.

Jason Cordoba - Vice President, Board Member and Co-Founder

Jason Cordoba is from Corrales, New Mexico. He moved to San Diego in 2004 and adopted a dog through Sandra, from her former rescue group in the summer of 2008. He was so impressed with her passion in dog rescue, he asked how he could help. Jason began fostering dogs for Sandra until together, they decided to start Second Chance Dog Rescue. Jason works full time in the aircraft aviation industry at a privately owned company in downtown San Diego and has, like his mentor (Sandra), devoted all of his time towards dog rescue. His computer knowledge and e-commerce skills enabled him to advance Second Chance Dog Rescue into a paperless office with information available on an online database for volunteer access capability. Jason has three rescue dogs, Benny, Dr.Harvey and Pele.

Maria Blake - Vice President, Board Member and Co-Founder

Maria Blake is a native of San Diego. Maria and her family adopted their first rescue dog from Sandra back in 2005 when Sandra was volunteering with another rescue group. Maria worked closely with Sandra and when it was time to start Second Chance Dog Rescue Maria was ready for the challenge. Maria fosters dogs along with her husband in which they train obedience with structure, patience and love. Maria also has a focus on fundraising, social projects, brings many ideas and business logic to the table.

Sarah Ferrara - Treasurer, Board Member and Co-Founder

Sarah Ferrara came from New Jersey in 2003 to San Diego, soon after she adopted a rescue dog from Sandra. Sarah began fostering and volunteering with Sandra's previous rescue group. When Second Chance Dog Rescue was formed Sarah was eager to put her accounting experience and QuickBooks knowledge to good use and volunteers her time at Second Chance by maintaining the books and financial records. Sarah fosters dogs of all sizes. Sarah has two rescue dogs, Dingo and Albert.

Lynn Connot - Event Director and Board Member

Lynn moved to San Diego to attend college. She’s always had a love for animals, dogs in particular, originally getting involved as a volunteer in dog rescue in 1990. She works for the San Diego office of a large General Contracting firm, and devotes much of her off-hours to Second Chance Dog Rescue. She and her husband Kevin are pet-parents to 2 rescue dogs from Baja, Cubby & Clover. Lynn is the lead volunteer for the Poway Petco adoption event location, and facilitates / organizes Second Chance special events as needed.

Becky Ibbotson - Office Lead and Volunteer

Becky's bio is coming soon.

Linda Acosta - Lead Volunteer and Project Coordinator

Linda Acosta started volunteering in October 2010 after she adopted "Lucky Boy" from Second Chance Dog Rescue. She assists with many aspects of the organization; events, fostering, home visits and is working on organizing and managing the database as we work towards a paperless office.

Megan Steele - Event Lead and Volunteer

Megan Steele has lived in San Diego since 2007, but grew up in Northern California for most of her life. She has been volunteering since March of 2010, and Second Chance Dog Rescue has become her family. She found Second Chance Dog Rescue while looking for a friend for her baby, Enzo (Silky Terrier). She works full time in the real estate business, and is going to school part time here in San Diego as well. She has a huge passion for dogs, and genuinely believes that all dogs deserve a second chance. She helps with the operational duties of the Second Chance office, such as the medical database, incoming and outgoing dogs etc. She has developed an even larger passion and love for all dogs, and is happy to spend her free time helping them get the lives that they deserve.

Vicky Wade - El Cajon Event Lead and Volunteer

Vicky Wade is native to San Diego. She works full time as a Registered Dental Assistant. Vicky has been with Second Chance since 2009. She devotes as much time as possible to helping save dogs with Second Chance Dog Rescue. She has 3 rescue dogs now and is a foster as well.

Alison Fogel - Fundraising Coordinator and Volunteer

Alison's bio is coming soon.

James O'brien - Website Posting and Volunteer

James moved to San Diego from Boston, MA in 2006 where he worked as a software developer for a .com. He quickly bought a few surfboards and became a Californian. But something was missing and that was a little furry friend. He decided to foster and a friend suggested Second Chance where he met Sandra who gave him his first foster dog. He shortly after adopted his foster, but he continues to foster and volunteer with Second Chance helping with the postings of dogs online.

Alecia Schwartz - Volunteer

Alecia is a 2nd generation native of San Diego. Alecia and her family adopted their first rescue dog from SCDR in 2009. Alecia currently serves as the event coordinator on the fundraising committee as well as providing foster care for rescues. After 17 years of executive management in the area of operations and risk management, Alecia launched her own wedding flower and event planning business. Her executive management team is comprised of President, Sherman the Boxer, Vice-President, Blanca the Chihuahua and Treasurer, Portia the terrier.

Laura Phillips - Office Assistant

Laura moved here from SC with her husband who is in the Navy. They have been fostering dogs pretty much ever since they moved out here in 2010. She also helps out in the our headquarters where she helps with intake of dogs, medical and paperwork. Laura and her husband currently have 4 dogs, one being a senior dachshund they adopted from Second Chance, and 2 rescue horses as well as one cat. Laura will be starting school soon to be a vet tech. a 2nd generation native of San Diego.

Elizabeth & Martin - Ambassador to Rosarito, Mexico and Volunteers

Elizabeth is a native San Diegan who divides her time between Rosarito and San Diego. For over 30 years Elizabeth has worked in the City Schools teaching Infants and Toddlers with developmental delays. Elizabeth is a great dane lover who has expanded her dog loving horizons to Baja bowsers of any size, shape or breed combination (and there are some doozies!)

Martin was born in Mexicali and is living in Rosarito, he has two sons and a daughter. His daughter is a volunteer at Give Some Life Foundation in Rosarito assisting in Spay/Neuter Clinics. Martin has always been a dog lover, he ran across some Second Chance volunteers at a vet in Playas de Tijuana and we have been working together ever since, this relationship has helped enable us to save many baja dogs who other wise would not have been so fortunate.

Debra Losey-Peterson - Foster and Materials Director

Debra Losey-Peterson and her husband Rick Peterson have been with Second Chance Dog Rescue from the beginning, fostering many dogs, and helping out as needed. Debra and Rick have two terriers and two dog-savvy cats who are resigned to the fact that there is a revolving door of doggie "bed and breakfast guests" and now are very good at settling in a new foster. Debra is good at finding things that the rescue needs, sometimes before we know we might need something, and she is the one to contact if you have any new or used items to donate. Visit our Donations page on our website to find out what our Materials Director has on her list!

Please Donate!