10 years of puppy love: Stroud celebrates 10-year anniversary as CHHS executive director

Looking back on the past decade, Cashiers Highlands Humane Society executive director David Stroud said those years have been the best part of his life.

On Sunday, Stroud reached a milestone 10 years as the Cashiers Highlands Humane Society’s leader.

Stroud made his way to Cashiers from Fort Myers, Florida in 2012 after working as the Executive Director for the Gulf Coast Humane Society for three years.

Before that, he worked at SeaWorld in Orlando before moving on to work for a theme park acquisition company specializing in animal and nature parks. A lifelong animal lover, Stroud was given the opportunity to take an early retirement when the company he worked for dissolved and he was granted a severance.

“My plan was to go to Montana,” Stroud said. “One of the parks that we had that I loved the most was in West Yellowstone, Montana. It was a grizzly bear and gray wolf sanctuary called Grizzly Discovery Center.”

Stroud’s plan to move to Montana took a detour when a good friend asked him to stay in Florida for one more winter and be a “beach bum” in Fort Myers. This move would lead Stroud to his first involvement as an executive director of a Humane Society.

Working at the Gulf Coast Humane Society for three years, Stroud managed to have the place ranked as number one on the ASPCA’s nationwide poll of favorite animal shelters. While extremely proud of the work he had accomplished at GCHS, he was ready for a much bigger change.

“I still had this deep inner yearning that never went away to get out of Florida. I mean I thoroughly enjoyed my time at the Gulf Coast Humane Society, but like so many other millions who are here now, in the mountains, I was just tired of Florida.”

It wouldn’t be long until Stroud would find an opening for the executive director position at the Cashiers Highlands Humane Society. After what he defined as a “whirlwind of an interview,” lasting from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., Stroud was offered the job on the spot, solidifying his move to Cashiers.

“I just fell in love with the environment here. I love the people,” Stroud said. “They used to tease me at the chamber that I ‘drank the Kool-Aid.’ I said, you can call it whatever you want, but I love this community. The people here are just the gem of the plateau and this is an animal loving community. I am so lucky to be the director of the Humane Society in an animal loving community. And they’re also very, very generous.”

Stroud’s love for the Cashiers community, and for the animals at the shelter, does not go unnoticed by those around him.

“Of course his passion for the animals is the first thing you notice,” CHHS Board of Directors president Gary Maddox said. “What makes him so effective is his ability to express the emotions and the words of the things that we do and can accomplish and what changes we’re looking for. And through that, he motivates a base of supporters financially and a base of supporters for coming over here and walking and socializing the dogs. He has a way of making you feel good about yourself. That’s a gift. The whole community has benefited from his being here. His dedication and efforts are selfless. He puts it all out there.”

The Cashiers Highlands Humane Society is one of the only Humane Societies in the country to sport separate facilities to house their cats and dogs. It also boasts two of the state’s 350 certified rabies vaccinators and has quadrupled the number of intakes and adoptions in the past 10 years. Additionally, its Animal Rescue team has been deployed to 8 different states and has conducted additional rescues from Puerto Rico and South Korea.

“David Stroud’s name is synonymous with animal welfare not only in North Carolina but the country,” ASPCA Disaster Response and National Field Response director Wanda Merling said. “The shelter model he has created at Cashiers-Highlands Humane Society is one that is unique, reputable and peaceful for the animals at the facility. When I think about Stroud, I cannot recall a disaster in recent history where David has not been called to assist with either pre or post storm evacuations. There has not been even the slightest hesitation on whether or not he would answer the call. David operates with integrity and a spirit of generosity that makes the world a far better place for any soul that crosses his path. I am grateful to call him not only a colleague but a friend.”

While he may be the executive director of the CHHS, Stroud knows that the accomplishments the Humane Society has made would be impossible without the generous help of his team and the Cashiers community. While he may be a Florida native, Stroud has no doubt that this is where he is supposed to be.

“I’m very blessed. I’m just very blessed,” Stroud said. “I don’t take for granted what an amazing place this is, what a tremendous opportunity this was for me. I believe that we met each other, the Cashiers Highlands Humane Society and me, met each other at good times for both of us. And as long as this community and the board would have me and the staff will put up with me, I just never want to go anywhere else.”

- By Kaylee Cook

Timeline and accomplishments of Stroud as CHHS Executive Director: 

2012:

· David Stroud is new Executive Director for CHHS (May 1st)

· Pet therapy program is launched with visits to Chestnut Hill by David and his therapy dog Max

 

2013:

· First dedicated entrance road to Highway 64 opens (first entrance road of our own in 25 years)

· Custom-built rescue/medical trailer (The H.E.A.R.T. of North Carolina) makes its debut

· CHHS named as official Emergency Placement Partner for the Humane Society of the United States (one of only 350 shelters earned this designation, out of 14,000 shelters and rescue groups nationwide)

· CHHS begins direct spay/neuter assistance, providing transportation for low-cost and free spay/neuter to ASPCA Spay/Neuter Alliance in Asheville

 

2014:     

· World-renowned dog training expert Victoria Stilwell visits CHHS and calls it a “model shelter”

· Stroud elected Vice Chairman of North Carolina Animal Federation

 

2015:

· Stroud elected Chairman of North Carolina Animal Federation

· Foster dog collaboration begins with The Park on Main hotel

· CHHS Hikers for Hounds off-site dog walking program created

· First annual Forever Family Reunion held at Kelsey-Hutchinson Founders Park

 

2016:

· CHHS Canine Adoption Center opens – debt-free on Opening Day – doubling the capacity to rescue, care for, and adopt dogs and puppies

· The number of outdoor play yards expand from 9 to 14

 

2017:

· CHHS hosts total solar eclipse event – “Total Barkness” – on August 21st

· CHHS introduces the “Little H.E.A.R.T.” – the shelter’s first-ever animal transport van

 

2018:

· CHHS Feline Adoption & Animal Care Center opens – debt-free on Opening Day – doubling the capacity to rescue, care for, and adopt cats and kittens.

· Two CHHS staff designated as Certified Rabies Vaccinators – two of only 350 CRV’s in the State of North Carolina

· Three CHHS staff certified in Humane Handling by the North Carolina Animal Federation and ASPCA

· CHHS featured in national Animal Sheltering magazine

· CHHS Animal Rescue Team safely evacuates entire animal population at the Outer Banks SPCA on the eve of landfall of Hurricane Florence

 

2019:     

· CHHS’ first humane education summer day camps for children – Critter Camp – begins

· Stroud named to North Carolina State Council for the Humane Society of the United States

· Stroud featured as guest speaker at HSUS national conference on the subject of ending puppy mills

· United States Senator Thom Tillis recognized Stroud’s efforts leading to the passage of the PACT Act, the first federal law banning acts of animal cruelty

 

2020:

· CHHS, designated as “essential business” by North Carolina Governor Cooper’s Executive Order, stayed open throughout the pandemic to rescue, foster and adopt companion animals

· CHHS expands free food pet pantry to include off-site drive-through pet food giveaway events during COVID-19

 

2021:

· New Caretaker Cottage opens, replacing a 50-year-old structure on the shelter’s 10-acre campus

· CHHS inaugural golf tournament – Putts Fore Paws – held at Cullasaja Club

 

2022:

· CHHS Animal Rescue Team assists with two puppy mill rescues in the first two months of 2022 – Kentucky in January and South Carolina in February

· CHHS receives first-ever grant from national BISSELL Pet Foundation

· CHHS conducts first-ever collaborative rescue with national Best Friends Animal Society in March

· CHHS announces first in-person fundraising party in three years – Whiskers, Wags & Whiskey at Wildcat Cliffs Country Club on June 29

 

Other highlights:

· Annual intake of local strays and owner-surrendered pets quadrupled in the past 10 years

· Adoptions quadrupled in the past 10 years

· 10 consecutive years with no operating deficit

· The number of volunteers and foster parents have increased dramatically in 10 years

· Facebook friends increased from 400 in 2012 to nearly 25,000 in 2022

· CHHS Animal Rescue Team deployed to eight different states, with additional rescues of animals from Puerto Rico and South Korea

· CHHS featured on CNN, Good Morning America, and news outlets across the United States

· Adopters from 25 different states have traveled to CHHS to meet their new best friend