Arizona’s Bold and Bright: A Profile of Animal-Welfare Campaigner Tim Crum

By Diana Bocco

Tim Crum, the new executive director of the Arizona Humane Society, describes himself as “your prototypical Pittsburgher.” He was one of four brothers in a blue-collar family in which Dad was a steelworker and Mom was a homemaker who eventually went back to school to become a registered nurse. Crum learned early the importance of sharing your home with others.

“We always had dogs growing up,” he says, and many of those dogs came from the Animal Rescue League in Pittsburgh, a connection that may have inspired his later involvement with the world of animal welfare. While his parents seemed to favor shih tzus, Crum says he always preferred playful breeds like labs and retrievers. In many ways, he says, these breeds embody what he sees as his characteristics: playful, energetic, easygoing, loyal, intelligent, and easy to train.

“Or at least my wife would hope so,” Crum quips.

After college, Crum was involved with several charities, including working as the director of development and public relations for the Animal Rescue League; the executive director of the Humane Society of Harford County, and the director of Animal Care and Control in Loudoun County. Most recently, he took over as director of marketing and development for PetSmart Charities. While there, he missed the work that goes on in an animal shelter, and wanted to get back to what he loves best.

Crum says that when the position as the Arizona Humane Society’s executive director position became available in January, he knew that this organization was one he could lead and infuse new energy into. “By that time, I had already been involved in the animal welfare world for a decade, and I knew I enjoyed being able to help those that cannot speak for themselves,” he says.

Crum’s passion for nature and animals is evident in every aspect of his life. The proud father of three-year old Olivia and owner of two dogs and one cat (Buddy, Daisy, and Two Socks) is also an avid hiker and a fan of photography, especially when it relates to the desert Southwest. One of his more interesting outdoor encounters was coming within three feet of what he thought was a diamondback rattlesnake, but later identified as a Mohave rattlesnake, whose venom is ten times stronger than that of the Western diamondback.

Whether out in the desert or immersed in paperwork within the confines of his city office, Crum is at his best when surrounded by people who share his love for animals. His ultimate goal for the Arizona Humane Society is to create an organization that is supportive of the staff and volunteers. “I know that with a happy and motivated staff, the care of the animals will be the best possible, and our happiness will show to the public and in turn give them confidence to adopt from us as well as support us,” he says.

For more information on the Arizona Humane Society, visit azhumane.org. To see some of Crum’s desert photography, visit southwesternhiker.com.