Aug 22, 2008 - 12:03 PM

By Kristen Calis

PICKERING -- Joyce Smith had a dream to run the perfect sanctuary for all animals, and her friends don’t want it to end.

“We’ve decided we’re going to keep it going as long as we can,” said M.J. Galaski, a member of the Second Chance Wildlife Sanctuary board of directors. “We need as much public support as we can get. We’re going to try and continue Joyce’s dream.”

Ms. Smith, 79, died of heart failure Monday afternoon, leaving more than 300 cats (100 in her home and 200 in the shelter) and 200 other animals behind. The animal lover founded Second Chance in 1996 and has since been mother to injured, sick or abandoned cats, dogs, rabbits, guinea pigs, ducks, goats, ferrets and many others, turning no animal away. Volunteers, co-workers and friends are saddened by their loss.

“She is going to be missed by everybody,” said a tearful volunteer, Daniel Kelly. “She was an awesome lady.”

The volunteer handyman also held art fundraisers for Ms. Smith and said his friend naturally attracted animals and cared for them simply “because she felt they were helpless and they needed a second chance.”

Prior to Ms. Smith’s death, she and friends tried everything they could to secure the future for the animals. She had been running her sanctuary on land donated by Cherry Downs Golf and Country Club in Pickering since it opened. Although she knew a number of people would run the sanctuary after she died, she felt she needed to own some land in order for that to happen. 

“I can’t sleep because I worry about what will happen to the animals,” she said in a February interview. “They’d probably all be put down (without owning land). This is my nightmare.”

But no one donated any land and since the board has decided to keep the sanctuary going, members hope the community will provide donations to feed and medicate the animals.

“We want to minimize the burden of not having Joyce here,” said board member Fiona Forrest-Airlie.

Ms. Smith had been ill for several months and, despite her doctor’s orders, had continued her routine of getting up at 5:45 a.m. each day to feed the cats, medicate the ones that needed it and clean their litter boxes. She continued this routine all day until about 1 a.m. when she’d finally take the time to sleep, right up until the end.

“She put everybody ahead of herself,” Mr. Kelly said.

Ms. Forrest-Airlie, like many others helping at the sanctuary, felt the urge to lend her time after meeting Ms. Smith and being touched by her strong dedication to helping animals.

“She’s a magnet for people wanting to help,” Ms. Forrest-Airlie said.

Ms. Smith loved animals from the time she was a child. She grew up on 10 acres of land with animal-loving parents. Before acquiring the sanctuary, she cared for animals out of her own home.

“I just don’t understand how anybody can hurt something so innocent,” she said in February, referring to the numerous cases of animal abandonment she’s seen in her years at Second Chance. “It breaks my heart every day.”

If interested in taking an animal home, donating or helping out in any way, visit www.second-chance.ws or call 905-839-2575, ext. 150, an emergency number at lawyer Michael Head’s office. The shelter is located at 2060 Concession Rd. 7 in Pickering. An emergency meeting will be held Wednesday night at 7 p.m. at Al Dente restaurant in Pickering (1305 Pickering Pkwy.) for anyone interested in helping.

Ms. Smith leaves behind a son and daughter. Her funeral is at 1 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 22 at McEachnie Funeral Home in Ajax (28 Old Kingston Rd., west of Church Street) with visitation at 11 a.m. the same day. Second Chance is accepting donations in lieu of flowers.