The Lycoming Animal Protection Society, a local no-kill pet shelter, has been serving the community for more than 15 years, helping unite feline friends with families throughout Lycoming County.
Melinda Lyon and her family recently adopted Chip, a short-haired cat that has resided at the LAPS shelter for more than five years.
Lyon heard about LAPS through friend and worker at the shelter, Tracy Haas, who had helped some of her other friends find and adopt the right cats for them.
Chip, however, wasn’t getting adopted because he was one of the cats at LAPS that has Feline HIV.
Feline HIV is not transmittable to humans or other cats, Lyon said. But, it does put the cat at risk due to a weakened immune system in which the cat can catch colds and illnesses easier.
“The name seems to scare people off, thinking they need special treatment,” Lyon said.
Cats with feline HIV do not require any medication and only require a home free of any other animals, unless the home has another cat with feline HIV. The cat also must be kept indoors.
“The people at the shelter genuinely cared an awful lot and helped us find the cat we wanted,” Lyon said. “They didn’t push us to Chip. They just knew the cats’ personalities and what would suit our family best.”
With two boys in the Lyon family, Chip has fit in well — wrestling around with them as well as following them around during whatever adventure they may encounter.
For the Lyon family, Chip is their first cat after being dog people for so long.
“As a former person who was ambivalent about cats, when you find the right pet it just sets in with everyone’s situation,” Lyon said.
The Lyon family has had Chip for two months now and is enjoying his company. Chip is 8 years old and spent more than half his life in the LAPS shelter.
“The people at the shelter helped educate me about Chip’s condition and just cared,” Lyon said. “They call and check in on Chip and I’m overall appreciative of their support.”
As most guys do, Chip sometimes finds himself in trouble and has disappeared from the family on more than one occasion, usually hiding in a dresser drawer or under a bed.
Now, Chip is the owner of a little bell around his neck.
“He is sweet and affectionate, and is just a normal, happy guy,” Lyon said.
