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

by Diane Trull, Meredith Wargo

Overview

Grand Prize Winner of the HEARTEN Award presented by the Chanticleer International Book Awards
Award Winner in the Animals/Pets: Narrative Nonfiction category of the 2021 Best Book Awards sponsored by American Book Fest

We can all make a difference.

Elementary-school teacher Diane Trull’s life-defining moment happened when her fourth-grade reading class saw a photo of a cardboard box overflowing with homeless puppies. Her young students were determined to save these lost pups and others like them. In that moment, the Dalhart Animal Wellness Group and Sanctuary—known as DAWGS—was born.
 
How Trull and her fourth graders started their own animal shelter is a story of dedication, commitment, and perseverance. Trull shares inspiring stories about animals and animal lovers of all ages in this moving story of hope and compassion. DAWGS is a testament to how love and a strong measure of determination can offer second chances—one animal, one child, and one day at a time.
 
“Get ready to feel a lot. This book is inspiring all along the way.”
—Bernadette Peters, award-winning actress

“I'm blown away.  I hope this story reaches thousands of readers.”
—Susan Wilson, New York Times bestselling author of One Good Dog

“I loved DAWGS! It will inspire you and warm your heart.”
—Kristin von Kreisler, bestselling author of An Unexpected Grace

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780806540344
Publisher:	Kensington
Publication date:	03/31/2020
Pages:	272
Sales rank:	1,028,579
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 8.20(h) x 0.90(d)

About the Author

Diane Trull’s lifelong passion for rescuing animals served as the catalyst for cofounding the Dalhart Animal Wellness Group and Sanctuary (DAWGS) with her husband, Mark Trull, and a group of fourth-grade students. Diane continues to teach those involved in animal rescue about the importance that compassion and community service play in making a difference in the lives of homeless animals.

Meredith Wargo is an award-winning author and advocate for animals. The recipient of three Maxwell Medallions from the Dog Writers Association of America, she has a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Baylor University in Waco, Texas. Although a native Texan, Meredith currently lives in southern Utah with her husband and a menagerie of rescued pets. Visit her at her website www.MeredithWargo.com or on Twitter @MeredithWargo.
 
DAWGS is the only animal sanctuary in America founded and run by elementary school children. Since its founding in 2003, DAWGS has touched the lives of more than twenty thousand animals, giving them a second chance in life. DAWGS is the first recipient of the Distinguished Youth Guardian Award from In Defense of Animals, an international animal rights and rescue group based in California. The authors hope their readers will be inspired to make a difference in saving the lives of animals by adopting, fostering, donating, and volunteering. Visit DAWGS at www.dawgsntexas.com.

Table of Contents

DAWGS' Mission Statement ix

Part 1

1 Out of the Mouths of Babes 3

2 Innocent Beginnings 11

3 Little Hands, Big Hearts 20

4 Dalhart's Roots 35

5 In Sickness and in Health 41

6 Soul Work 50

7 Staking a Claim 64

8 Big City Lights 72

Part 2

9 Tears of Joy and Tears of Sorrow 85

10 Beauty Is in the Eye of the Beholder 96

11 A Christmas Miracle 104

12 Fighting City Hall 114

13 A Star Is Born 122

14 Heartaches and Setbacks 127

15 The Art of Letting Go 137

16 A Most Unlikely Reunion 144

17 Growing Pains 150

18 A Race Against Time 157

19 Rome Wasn't Built in a Day 166

20 All in a Day's Work 173

21 Moving On 180

Part 3

22 A Cry for Help 193

23 Change Is in the Air 199

24 It Takes a Village 204

25 To Catch a Thief 211

26 A Rite of Passage 217

27 Heroes Among Us 221

28 Aged to Perfection 227

29 Charlie's Lucky Break 233

30 The Journey Continues 239

Afterword Meredith Wargo 247

Acknowledgments 255

Editorial Reviews

2023-06-06
In Trull and Wargo’s nonfiction account, a group of fourth graders inspires the establishment of a no-kill animal shelter in a small Texas town.

It was an ordinary Tuesday in March 2003, in teacher Diane Trull’s fourth grade reading class. As the students sat in groups reading to each other from the newspaper, three girls came up to Trull’s desk with a news photo of a box of stray puppies. The girls asked what would happen to the puppies. Trull eventually had to tell them the truth: The town of Dalhart, Texas, had a stray-dog problem. If puppies picked up by animal control were not reclaimed or adopted within three days, they would be euthanized. The children were distraught; over the next few days, the students repeatedly returned to the problem of the homeless dogs and wondered what they could do to save them. One student suggested running their own no-kill sanctuary. Weeks later, Trull, her husband, Mark, and 28 nervous 9-year-olds found themselves in front of the town council. One by one, their voices quavering, the children presented their case. Despite some skepticism, the council voted to allow them to begin caring for the dogs. The very next day, an animal control officer showed up at Trull’s classroom announcing he had 12 dogs from the pound: “Where do y’all want them?” To date, the Dalhart Animal Wellness Group and Sanctuary has helped rescue more than 20,000 dogs and cats. Written in collaboration with Wargo, Trull’s poignant narrative traces the tribulations and triumphs of the unique no-kill animal sanctuary, where Dalhart’s schoolchildren continue to provide a substantial portion of the love and daily care for the dogs and cats waiting for adoption. Dozens of rescue stories will leave readers smiling, but there are also a few incidents that reveal the heartbreaking, bone-chilling cruelty that humans have inflicted upon helpless animals.

A few tears, lots of love, some incredible children, and a bevy of wonderful pups enliven this inspirational true account.

Kirkus Reviews