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In July, Otis was scheduled to be euthanized. A 4-year-old hound dog with a happy-go-lucky personality, Otis was one of countless shelter dogs in South Carolina, where a lack of space and funding often results in shelters being forced to put down healthy, adoptable pets. A week later, a thunderstorm, a diverted airplane, and a chance encounter would find Otis a loving family and his “fur-ever” home.

As part of their mission to provide homeless animals with shelter, medical care, and adoption opportunities, the Ulster County SPCA transports adoptable animals scheduled for euthanasia to the safety of the Ulster County. On July 24th, the transport carrying Otis and other dogs, cats, and puppies that had been scheduled to be euthanized boarded a private airplane provided by Palmetto Animal League. The transport would fly all the animals to an airport in Maryland, where the Ulster County SPCA would load the animals into a transport van to continue the journey north to New York.

PHOTO: GINA CARBONARI

On the night of the flight, Maryland was added to New York’s list of states requiring two-week quarantine, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Otis and his traveling companions had to be quickly shuttled to another plane destined for Pennsylvania. While the plane was in flight, a thunderstorm roared down across the east coast, causing power outages and travel delays. For a time, the Ulster County SPCA lost contact with the plane carrying Otis and the other animals. When contact was reestablished, the plane had been forced to divert to an airport nearly an hour away.

For Otis, this would be the happiest coincidence of his life. When the plane landed in Pennsylvania, animals and passengers disembarked to wait out the thunderstorm. As the crated animals waited patiently in the terminal for the Ulster County SPCA to make the drive to pick them up, airport worker Nicole met Otis. They spent nearly an hour keeping each other company and Nicole fell in love. After Otis made his final, triumphant leg of the journey and arrived at the Ulster County SPCA, she scoured New York shelters to find him. One August 18th, Nicole drove all the way from West Virginia to complete the adoption and be reunited with Otis. He is now happily at home in West Virginia with Nicole and her family.

Story submitted by Gina Carbonari.