This story originally appeared in The Centre County Gazette.
Earlier this month, two different stray dogs, both emaciated and battling mange, were found roaming free in the span of two days – one in Milesburg and one in Snow Shoe.
Now safe and being cared for at Centre County PAWS, both dogs (named Charm and Scrabble by the shelter) are indicative of an increasing problem in the county: dogs being abandoned or surrendered by their owners.
It’s a problem Jodie Yarger has noticed in her role as one of the managers of the Facebook community, Pet Recovery of Centre County.
She co-founded the group almost 10 years ago to help owners find lost pets and help pets found by strangers to reunite with their owners. But more and more, she said, people have been contacting them after spotting stray dogs in rural, remote areas that her fellow volunteers have come to recognize as common “dumping” areas for unwanted dogs.
“The numbers of abandoned dogs have definitely skyrocketed in the last year,” she said.
Lisa Bahr, executive director of Centre County PAWS, concurred and said the shelter has also seen a huge increase in the number of owners who have requested to surrender their dog to PAWS’ custody.
Because the shelter has maxed out its limited space – its 28 kennels are constantly full, and seven additional rooms that are normally used for operational functions like intake meetings are now being used as overflow spaces to hold dogs—they have amassed a list of up to 60 dogs waiting to be surrendered.
But when a stray dog, especially a sick or injured dog like Charm or Scrabble, needs help, they take priority. PAWS operations manager Hannah Beck said that happens an average of two or three times a week.
According to shelter manager Deb Warner, Pets Come First is in a similar situation: maxed out at 15 kennels, using extra rooms as overflow, and dealing with a long waiting list for surrenders.
“We have a great staff and great dog walkers, but what do you do? When you’re full, you’re full,” she said.
Warner, Bahr, and Yarger all cited housing issues as the number one reason currently cited by people surrendering a dog.
“A lot of times it’s that their landlord has changed pet policies, has increased rent, or institutes a new pet fee that they cannot afford. And then when they’re looking for alternative housing, they can’t find somewhere else that allows that dog,” Bahr said.
Behavioral issues is the second most-cited reason, she said, followed by financial hardships such as pet food and veterinary costs continue to rise.
Unclaimed cats are also an issue for the shelters. PAWS currently has 100 cats on its waiting list for surrender, Bahr said, “But I feel like PAWS has a good handle on how we respond to cats. In most cases, people can figure it out for a few weeks or a month until we can help… It’s a lot harder if you find a stray dog; you can’t just keep them in your bathroom like you could with a stray kitten.”
PAWS is fortunate in that they have a solid network of fosters to rely on for both cats and dogs, said Beck. They currently have about 15 dogs in foster care.
Beck said that Penn State students have been a reliable source of fosters during the school year. While there is sometimes a misconception that local college students contribute to the abandonment crisis for dogs and cats, both Beck and Centre County’s Humane Society Police Officer, Mark Rusnak, said they have not found this to be the case.
Rusnak became Centre County’s first humane officer in 2024 and says he was shocked by the number of neglect and cruelty cases—including 104 dogs—he handled in just one year. While those are his focus, he sometimes gets involved in abandonment cases.
He helped to secure Charm when he was on the run, and recounted a recent case in which a person had dropped off a dog at a kennel for a short boarding stay and never returned to pick it up. He had to help the kennel find somewhere to place the dog and then try to track down the disappearing owner to issue her a citation.
“It’s a summary offense; it’s not going to ruin her life. But people need to be held accountable,” he said. Still, “You have to find the line between having a heart and enforcing things. I hope people learn to trust me and my department… If they have dogs at home on the thin side and they can’t afford food and don’t know what else to do, if they would just reach out to me, I will help them.”
Bahr and Beck also encouraged pet owners to use the PAWS pet food pantry when necessary.
Warner said that’s something she wishes more pet owners would do – seek help before giving up their animals.
“Do some research. Look for options,” she said, pointing out that there are low-cost alternatives to vet care, like rabies and distemper vaccine clinics held at fire halls and pet stores, and shelters offering vouchers for spaying and neutering.
Stopping backyard breeding and getting more people to spay and neuter their animals could go a long way toward solving the crisis, said Yarger.
“I don’t think we’re ever going to adopt our way out of this problem,” she said. “Donating to shelters, volunteering, adopting—all of that is important and makes a difference, but spaying and neutering is the answer.”
