DAWGS: A True Story of Lost Animals and the Kids Who Rescued Them

When I first heard about a group of 4th grade elementary students and their reading teacher single-handedly started their own animal shelter I had two reactions: “That's crazy!” and “Give me that book!” Having worked for Petsmart Petshotel and salon for 10 years I already knew the labor of love it takes to be the type of person taking on such a task. What I didn’t count on was getting so much more than a puff piece story on how Mrs. Trull and her reading class saw a problem with the community and did something about it. DAWGS by Diane Trull with Meredith Wargo is full of touching success stories, a personal photo of a dog or cat that has been adopted from the shelter starts each chapter and is followed by accounts and experiences Diane Trull has had in starting and running the shelter for nearly 20 years.

I really like how this book balances out the negative and positive experiences that the shelter has had over the years. From facing city council numerous times, being honored at a Hollywood gala, numerous break-ins resulting in theft and death, reuniting lost dogs with their owners, relocation by a city ordered deadline, and phone calls from actress Burnedette Peters, this book has every emotion combined.

More importantly, this book is informative and brings forth the urgent need to be aware in every community of the tax payers costs for their city to euthanize healthy adoptable domesticated animals and the benefits of having pets spay and neutered. This is an ongoing problem not just in Dalhart, Texas, but in every city in the United States.

I recommend this book for any and every person that has ever loved an animal. With that being said, I would strongly encourage people that have never owned a pet, are scared of or have limited experience with animals, to take a long hard look at this book. The information in this book may make you sit up and pay attention to the animal control process in your own city. I know that there were many times when I was reading this book it really hit home because I am in Texas, too, and I am aware of the attitudes of certain individuals and groups when it comes to animal rights and animal control procedures.

I recommend reading this book with your favorite pet, whether it be dog, cat, hamster, or goldfish. I read this book with my reading companion, Uncle Roadie, a standard poodle that is so old he was begging for table scraps at The Last Supper. I dedicate this review to him, for without which I would not have my family.