Animal rescue group to add humane society police officer to focus on Centre County cases
A longtime state dog warden joined Hope’s Dream Rescue and Sanctuary and is set to become Centre County’s only regularly active humane society police officer.
Harold Walstrom’s role is to primarily investigate animal cruelty complaints, educate pet owners about their responsibilities and coordinate efforts with local and state police.
“We’re trying to work together and make a difference because it is so difficult to get responses at times. It’s really frustrating,” organization founder and President Lesa King said. “We see a lot, but a lot of time we don’t know the routes to go to fix the problem.”
Walstrom is one of seven sworn officers that operate in Centre County, but the only one based in the county. Four are from the Philadelphia SPCA, while the remaining two are from Blair and Cumberland counties.
His passion for animals is partially derived from his grandmother, who he said was “always taking in something and nursing it back to health.”
He started his professional career in the auto body repair industry, which was followed by a three-year stint as a corrections officer. He found his niche as a state dog warden and served for nearly 30 years before retiring.
But less than one month later, he joined the Clearfield County SPCA as a humane society police officer to soothe his hankering to help animals.
“For some odd reason, this is the one that tugged at my heart strings the most,” Walstrom said. “They’re just an amazing organization that does so much for the animals in Centre County. I want to be a part of it.”
The Howard-based nonprofit is awaiting final approval from the state Department of Agriculture before they start investigating cases they already received, Walstrom said.
Those who would like to report potential animal abuse are urged to email hopesdreamscats@aol.com or send the organization’s Facebook page a message.
“We’ve seen a lot through the rescue, but it didn’t seem like there was a lot of resources out there. That’s what we’re looking to change,” King said. “We want to make people more aware that we are here to help.”
This story was originally published December 15, 2019 at 8:20 AM.