For many people, animals are part of the family. For Ashleigh Young, animals aren’t just family, they’re her full-time job. Young took over as the director at Animal Care of Davis County in October 2021, after starting with the organization in the spring of 2020. 

“I didn’t have animals growing up, so it created a deep love for animals and a void that I had to fill with animals,” she said. “For many people, pets are all that they have; that is why the work that we do at Animal Care of Davis County is so incredibly important. They provide companionship and unconditional love.” 

Young worked at three different shelters over the last 10 years and earned a bachelor’s degree in animal science at Oregon State University. She also holds her CPDT-KA, a 300-hour dog training certification that measures knowledge and skills in dog training technique, instruction ethology, and theory. 

Her vision for Animal Care of Davis County is one of protection for pets, education for owners, and creating partnerships to help animals stay in homes. The biggest reason for pet surrenders at the facility is for behavior concerns. But working with a dog trainer can alleviate almost all behavioral problems, and allows the animal to stay with its family.  

“We’re partnering with organizations that can provide services that support pet owners,” she said. “It seems like a huge cumbersome thing you can’t handle, but we want to do what we can to keep pets in homes.”

The cost of feeding a pet can also be an added burden, but a partnership with the Bountiful Food Pantry can provide for families who can’t afford pet food. 

For animals returned to the shelter because of an illness that requires expensive medical treatments, Animal Care of Davis County can help with medical procedures. Vaccinations, microchipping and spay/neuter can all be done at a low cost.

“This is a big cultural shift at the shelter,” Young said. “We had a person who brought their cat in to surrender because they couldn’t afford to spay the cat. The cat was spayed here and returned to the owner.”

Another change at the shelter is the model for animal control officers. Instead of ticketing or fining homeowners for pet-related issues, the officers will become animal problem solvers and transition into a community support service. For instance, if a dog keeps escaping from a yard, the officers might help repair a fence. If a dog is outside with no shelter, officers can provide a dog house. 

It isn’t just dogs and cats that find their way to Animal Care of Davis County. Young has seen rabbits, hamsters, reptiles and even a desert tortoise come through the shelter. She said the facility isn’t facing the same overcrowding that other shelters in the state are dealing with, brought on by people surrendering pets in record numbers.

“We luckily haven’t been in that boat. We have a strong foster program and we also participate in the trap, neuter, return program,” she said.

A feasibility study is being conducted to support the vision of a new building for the shelter. The current building is more than 50 years old and was built at a time when animals were euthanized and didn’t need accommodations. Now that the organization is a no-suffering shelter, animals need more space.

Also, volunteers are desperately needed at Animal Care of Davis County. People who can walk dogs or foster animals until they find forever homes are invaluable. 

When Young moved to Utah from Oregon two years ago, she was looking for growth and opportunities. She has two dogs (one she adopted from the shelter) and loves all the outdoor adventures she enjoys with her canine companions. 

With her lifelong devotion to animals and keeping them safe and healthy, Young invites Davis County residents to visit the shelter, get involved with its programs, and consider bringing a furry friend to their home to benefit all family members. 

“Multiple studies have been published showing the positive impacts of pet ownership, including healthier hearts, lower blood pressure, taking less sick days from work, and the obvious one, more exercise,” she said. “I know in my personal life, owning dogs has really made me much more involved in the community, from hiking with friends and our dogs to dog training clubs and dog sports.”

The facility is located at 1422 East 600 North in Fruit Heights. λ