It was keeping Karl Skinner awake at night.

He couldn’t wrap his hands around why so many animals were unable to make their way out of shelters around Nebraska. “I started doing research and I came across the number of animals who were being put down each year,” Skinner ‘93 said. “It was making me nauseous and keeping me up at night. Then, I was thinking about it every morning when I would wake up. I started to think about what I could do to change this.”

Skinner put those thoughts into action. After hearing a rescue group from Kansas City speak about how quickly they had changed the outlook for animals in their area, he began to formulate a plan that would alter outcomes for dogs in Nebraska. “You hear people say that if they won the lottery, the one thing they’d do is start a dog rescue. Well, I got tired of hearing people say that because you’re giving yourself an out for not doing something you really want to do,” Skinner said. “So I decided I was going to do something. I was going to create a mission that people would believe in and support.”

His mission began by joining the Lincoln Animal Ambassadors, where he helped develop a food bank for animals as well as a spay and neutering program. The program eventually grew into providing low-cost vaccinations and pet licensing.

Through this experience, the seed was planted for Skinner to create his own rescue group. So he, along with four other individuals, formed Nebraska No Kill Canine Rescue. For the past decade, the group has served as a fostering home network and has helped save countless dogs who might have never found their ‘fur-ever’ homes. “We are dealing with dogs who might be the hardest to place,” Skinner said. “We help shelters with dogs they don’t know what to do with. Dogs who might not have had a positive outcome are now being saved.”

Skinner works with numerous shelters throughout the area in giving many dogs a second chance. NNKCR will also help individuals needing to “re-home” a dog, with the hope of decreasing the number of dogs that end up in shelters.

Skinner, a journalism major at Midland, has been able to utilize both his writing and marketing skills for the organization. He writes profiles on the pets, handles much of the social media, and is involved in fundraising efforts. Working as an administrator for an Edward Jones branch office in Lincoln, Skinner estimates he spends about 10-15 hours per week with the NNKCR. “I really enjoy it, so it never feels like work,” he said.

Giving a dog a second chance is the most rewarding part of his job, but Skinner also believes he’s providing opportunities for people. “I’ve crossed paths with people who I’ve helped adopt a dog, and now we’re friends for life,” he said. “I’m very proud of the impact these animals have made in the lives of people.”

Skinner himself has fostered about 40 dogs over the years (his home currently consists of one feisty chihuahua he calls his own) and has a network of about a dozen people who serve as foster homes for the organization.

With shelters spread across the state, Skinner realizes there is a need to help those organizations in any way possible. “There are so many animals that need saving and one organization can’t do it all,” he said. “But if we can work together we can get a positive outcome.”

A positive outcome for a dog has provided Skinner with a positive perspective on what he’s doing each day for these animals. “This has been the one thing in my life I’m most proud of,” he said. “I banded together with others to do something that most people only talk about doing. I feel like I’m doing what God put me on this planet to do.”

For more information on the NNKCR, visit www.nebraskanokill.org or the group’s Facebook page @nebraskanokill.