On Tuesday, May 6, WPSU welcomed the community to a screening of two episodes of Shelter Me, the Emmy® Award–winning PBS series that tells uplifting stories about the incredible bonds between animals and the people who love them. The event was offered in partnership with Centre County PAWS, a nonprofit animal advocacy organization that promotes animal welfare and safety through adoption, sheltering, education, and community assistance.
Making an Impact on the Local Level
Attendees were encouraged to bring donations of pet food and supplies for PAWS and to visit with adoptable PAWS dogs looking for their forever home. Following the screening, WPSU’s Anne Danahy moderated a panel discussion featuring Lisa Bahr, executive director of Centre County PAWS; Dr. Fred Metzger of VCA Metzger Animal Hospital; and Mark Rusnak, Centre County’s humane officer.
Bahr expressed gratitude for the chance to share stories of impact and talk about local animal rescue. “Every day, shelters around the country work tirelessly to find solutions to challenges like pet overpopulation, overcrowding, and low adoption rates. The Shelter Me screening provided us a nice opportunity to talk about some of what happens behind the scenes in the animal sheltering world and, more specifically, what we see here in Centre County.”
Something for Dog and Cat Lovers Alike
The episode “For the Love of Dog,” features two segments. The first shares the story of a Green Bay police officer who takes shelter dogs on his patrol to help them get adopted as part of his personal “K9 for a Day” program. The second story visits a senior-only adoption event focused on finding homes for “Oldies but Goodies,” older dogs who may be overlooked in a shelter.
The episode “It’s Raining Cats” shares the story of Los Angeles veterinarians and volunteer cat trappers who are part of the country’s largest spay-neuter effort for feral cats. They work together to reduce overpopulation by altering hundreds of feline patients a day, a program with national potential to stop the growing crisis of tens of millions of homeless cats.
Supporting the WPSU Mission
This event was the final installment of the WPSU Screening Series, which was sponsored by The Giant Company and invited the public to view programing on a variety of topics, with most events featuring panel discussions and a reception for attendees.
“WPSU was delighted to work with a number of partners to offer free programming that supported our mission to strengthen community through vibrant public media,” said Brooke Greybush, WPSU community engagement manager. “Our 2025 Screening Series was highlighted by PBS programing on arts education and shelter animals, as well as episodes of popular series including All Creatures Great and Small. We also featured WPSU-produced programs like Speaking Grief and Keystone Stories: Sweets.”
To learn more about upcoming screenings and other community programs, visit WPSU’s events page. For more information about animal rescue in the area and to view adoptable dogs and cats, visit the Centre County PAWS website.