Ken Smith has spent a lifetime exploring the natural world. Activities like boating, fishing, hiking, camping, skiing, and photography have filled him with a deep reverence and respect for the natural world. It's no wonder, then, that his beloved dog Cookie and he were a perfect fit for outdoor adventures. Ken enjoyed a rewarding thirty-eight-year career as a public servant. The last six years of his career were spent as Director of Animal Control at a small shelter in northern California. There he inherited a high-kill, borderline humane shelter operation. Nearly half of the dogs who entered the shelter were euthanized. Working closely with the local Humane Society and with the support of the county Board of Supervisors, he transformed his shelter into an ultra-low-kill pro-life animal control facility.
During his last five years as Director of Animal Control, Ken maintained a kill rate of just 1 percent. He was instrumental in moving the Board of Supervisors to adopt a policy that stopped the destruction of any adoptable or treatable dog. Private owner surrender of dogs to the shelter was greatly reduced; instead, dog owners were given a networking guide so that they could find suitable homes for their unwanted dogs. Ken placed a bed in every kennel and got dogs up off the cold concrete floor. Money was approved in his budget for first aid and emergency vet care for shelter dogs. Dogs entering the shelter began to be vaccinated by staff for protection against a wide range of canine diseases. A standard and consistent diet began to be fed to dogs at the shelter. Dogs infected with contagious diseases were being isolated, treated, and cured at a high rate of success.
With assistance from the local Humane Society, an army of public volunteers was trained and certified to walk dogs and provide other support to shelter staff. The Board of Supervisors approved a memorandum of understanding between the county and legal nonprofit rescue organizations. This allowed the transfer of shelter dogs to other adoption facilities and rehab sanctuaries. All transfer fees to these organizations were waived. An extensive networking system was put in place. Soon, a catalog of rescue organizations and benefactors was compiled. Dogs were being transferred all across the western United States, and monetary donations for individual dogs in need were being received from as far away as New York City. Shelter dogs soon overcame depression and had a spring in their step.
In spite of their circumstances, most of the dogs were happy. Employees at the shelter soon started looking forward to coming to work instead of dreading it. Saving the lives of dogs and other animals was becoming infectious and exciting. Literally thousands of canine lives were being saved. The livestock corrals were redesigned and rebuilt. An outdoor greeting area for adoptees and shelter dogs was constructed. It was a quiet place where dogs and people could get to know each other. Ken's shelter had left the dark ages of animal control and emerged into the light of a new era.
The pro-life approach to animal control was born. His time as Director of Animal Control became the most rewarding of his entire career. Now retired, Ken lives with Laurie, his wife and Cookie's mom, in southern Oregon. Together, they often recall the amazing life of adventure they shared with their beloved dog Cookie and those challenging but rewarding days spent saving the lives of Man's Best Friend.