CARBON COUNTY, Pa. — Warmer weather isn’t just giving us humans new motivation to get outside and get active. It’s also motivating our pets.
Thousands of four-legged friends in shelters and rescues all over our area have to rely on some special people every day just to get by.
And those people are the focus of this Reasons to Smile segment with Newswatch 16’s Ryan Leckey.
All over northeastern and central Pennsylvania, there are countless animal rescues and shelters. These nonprofits and places depend on volunteers and dedicated workers.
People just like these folks who sent their pictures in for our Reasons to Smile segment.
For a county-run shelter in Nesquehoning, not even a cancer diagnosis stopped one man and animal lover from being there for dozens of dogs day in and day out.
That happy doggy dance sums up just how PAW-some Tom Connors truly is to the pooches he cares for here at the Carbon County Animal Shelter. It’s a dog-only shelter in Nesquehoning.
Tom has basically been a one-man show at this nonprofit during the pandemic. But he’s always found ways to create many tail-waggin' good times. Moments that volunteers, including dog trainer Michele Rhoades, say are a bright spot on any dark day.
"He’s inspiring! When I'm having a low day, I think, if Tom can do it, especially with what he's all going through, it just makes me smile every day knowing that he's taking care of those animals because somebody is going to do it and he's the guy!" Rhoades said,
A guy who never gave up on these dogs day in and day out despite juggling continuous treatment for cancer.
"Not too long ago, I was diagnosed with early-stage prostate cancer...61 years old. Feeling blessed that we caught it early," Tom Connors said. "Because we were able to catch it early. I was able to go to standard radiation treatment. So I went five days a week for 44 treatments. And it's exhausting."
But that ordeal did not stop this pooch whisperer, who continued to show up to work. Sometimes even going out on calls to save a dog’s life. Animals Tom helped rescue who, in return, may have saved him.
"They're amazing. If you find out you have cancer and you don't have a dog, go get one! They’re just incredible how they help you and heal you and stay by you. And don’t think ‘if I die…the dog will be alone.’ Don’t think that way—you have to stay positive," Connors said.
Newswatch 16's Ryan Leckey asked Michele Rhoades what watching Tom in action is like.
"He's just amazing. He works a lot with really scared and fearful dogs," Rhoades said. "It's just a calmness that they feel. I think when he's working with them, they immediately sense that he knows what he's doing and he's there to help."
And you would think after spending long days feeding, cleaning, and caring for more than a dozen dogs, Tom would get his fill of furbabies, right?! Well, he says there is one pooch, along with his other dogs at home with his wife, who is always the highlight at the end of his day. A dog Tom rescued about eight years ago.
"Her name is Pretty Girl. She was left in a house in Lansford. And then people moved out, and she came into my life," Connors said. "And she's just been incredible. Whenever I'm down, and I'm with her, I'm up again. So that's the beauty of these wonderful creatures that God gave us. And people really need to reach out and take care of them and love them, and they'll get it back."
And here’s another Reason to Smile this morning. Tom recently received some positive health news that his prostate cancer is in remission.
Tom now really encourages others to get regular check-ups, as he knows early detection for prostate cancer is what saved his life.
And he adds if you’re ever struggling to keep a dog or realize a certain kind isn’t a good fit for your family, Tom really asks folks to contact a shelter or rescue early on as it’s often easier to rehome a dog from one home to another instead of waiting until the last minute and having that dog suffer the stress of being in a shelter.
And whether it’s in Carbon County, where Tom works, or others in our area, now that there will be fewer restrictions in the state, these special places are always looking for dog walkers, kennel help, and anything you can do is appreciated.
Related Story: Picking the perfect pooch during the pandemic