Neighbor to Neighbor: Adapting, and Adopting

Life during COVID-19 takes some adjustment.

When the pandemic began, we were all staying home as much as possible, no longer going to the movies or restaurants, even ordering groceries online. Everyday errands, like a trip to the hardware or clothing store, stopped. 

One thing that didn’t change: We still wanted pets. 

For PAWS, it raised the question: How to match animals with families when visiting the facility wasn’t possible?

‘We had to adapt,” says PAWS executive director, Lisa Bahr.

Instead of coming in to meet the animals, anyone interested in adopting filled out an application online. Sometimes, staff would also suggest animals they felt would be a good fit. Once approved, prospective owners could, for animals in foster care, talk with the fosters and even “meet” them through – you guessed it – Zoom.

“Using Zoom during meetings was extremely helpful because it showed the animals as we see them and the fosters see them,” Bahr says. “So often in the shelter, they’re stressed and not acting like their normal selves.”

As a result, even hard-to-adopt animals like Milo the cat and Winston, a 140-pound Mastiff, have found homes.

Milo, who had been in the facility for two years, had medical and neurological issues that led him to be aggressive and isolate himself from other cats.

He found a home with Shelby Bain, who was originally looking for a senior cat to bring home. At 2½, Milo wasn’t a senior, but Bain, of State College, wanted a special cat. 

“I told them I was looking for a senior or a cat that wasn’t likely to be adopted,” he says.  

Bain met Milo through Zoom.

“He was just chilling, rubbing on the person, really sweet,” says Bain. “It seemed like the whole staff adored him; he just needed the right home.”

When Bain eventually got to visit PAWS, he was torn between Milo and another cat, but he says, “It was like we just had a moment. At one point, I just turned my head and Milo was looking straight at me and I just knew he was the one. I was like, ‘You’re coming home with me.’”

Milo, who had been taking anti-anxiety medication and hemp oil to soothe his nerves, has now been weaned off all medication.

“Since then, he’s gotten more playful, running around the apartment and being really loving,” Bain says. “He likes to hide behind corners and jump out at me. He’ll play with his laser-pointer till he’s panting. He’s definitely got personality.”

Winston, a 7-year-old Mastiff, was another Zoom success story. 

“He was very fearful of new people, and at 150 pounds that can be challenging,” says Bahr. “In reality, he was very easy to handle. With Zoom, we were able to show off how easy he was in a normal situation.”

Shawn and Lily Stottlemyer of Huntingdon had been searching for a Mastiff to rescue when they came across Winston.

“We had been reading about the breed and just fell in love with their big lazy selves,” Shawn Stottlemyer says. When they found out about Winston , who had been at PAWS for two years, they were sold.   

“We decided we wanted to be the people to give him a forever home,” Stottlemyer says.

Winston, who has severe stranger anxiety, had been adopted and returned to PAWS several times. Spending time in a foster home around people he trusts was key to letting his true personality shine online. 

“The first time we met him was over Zoom,” says Stottlemyer. “We had some questions about his behavior and how to deal with him, but we could see how sweet he was.” 

Still, the first meeting wasn’t quite what they expected, as Winston refused to acknowledge their presence.

“He just totally ignored us. It’s hard to believe a dog isn’t going to react to you at all,” he says. “It was strange, but it didn’t put us off.”

Instead, they decided to do whatever it took to make Winston comfortable enough to bring him home, including having controlled interactions a couple of times a week at PAWS for months.

“Thankfully, it was during quarantine,” says Stottlemyer. 

Winston is now happily settled in his forever home with the Stottlemyers. “He has a small circle of people he’s comfortable with.” 

Life with a dog whose head reaches the kitchen counter takes some adjusting to, he says, although thankfully Winston is pretty well behaved. “He did eat a stick of butter off the counter once – that wasn’t good,” Stottlemyer says with a laugh. 

And while, like most Mastiffs, he’s what Stottlemyer describes as being “on the lazier side,” Winston does like the occasional game of tug-of-war, even if it doesn’t last very long.

“At 140 pounds, it’s an actual tug-of-war,” Stottlemyer says. “He’s very lovable. He thinks he’s dignified even when he’s being goofy. He’s just a big old lazy dog.”

Interested in fostering? Centre County PAWS has a need for people who want to provide a home for cats and kittens, puppies and dogs, until they find their forever homes. Fosters choose the animal they want to bring home and PAWS covers all expenses (food, vet care, bedding, toys, etc.) For more information, visit centrecountypaws.org and choose “Become Involved” from the menu, then select “Foster an Animal” for more information.