Tom Connors truly is a dog's best friend.

The Weatherly mayor, who is also the director of the Carbon County Animal Shelter, chose to spend the night with the 11 pups at the shelter once he heard just how bad the storm would be.“I thought of the idea during the day when all the talk was on the amount of snow we were going to get,” he said this afternoon from the shelter, located on the Broad Mountain in Nesquehoning. “I have two dogs currently on medication. Thankfully, it wouldn't be life threatening if they missed a dose but nevertheless I didn't want them to miss it.”Connors also said he worried about another dog that has been at the shelter for six months and has never made a mess in his kennel.“I was worried for him,” he said, adding that he also didn't want to screw up the animals' meal schedules.He contacted Commissioner Thomas J. Gerhard, who gave him the green light to set up shop with the dogs for the night.After convincing his wife, Connors set out for the shelter and arrived just about 8 p.m., complete with an additional dog, one he is watching for a friend while they are on vacation in Florida. The pair set up a makeshift sleeping area in the shelter's office.He and the dogs kept each other company overnight and Connors is happy he made the decision to stay.“It's funny because everyone has told me to stay warm not knowing that it's warmer in the shelter than my own house,” Connors said. “I think the pups were surprised but comfortable with me here all night and it was nice to keep them on the schedule they are used to.”Connors said that there was one thing that was strange and that was the lack of barking. During the day, visitors and Connors are greeted by the sounds of dogs barking a lot, but at night, it was quiet most of the time.As the snowstorm raged during the day, Connors enjoyed taking the dogs to would venture outside into the snow, out for some exercise in a 6-foot area he shoveled and beyond.“I'm very happy to be able to ride out this storm with these pups,” he said. It looks like he may be spending tonight with the dogs as well since road conditions have not improved.