MOUNT VERNON — Changes coming in the WAGS program at the Knox County Dog Shelter are partly due to its success.
Mount Vernon Middle School teacher Trudy Debolt formed WAGS (Working Dog Awareness Group Students) in 2016 after her sixth-grade English class read the book “Cracker: the Best Dog in Vietnam.”
That summer, 25 middle school students took turns reading to the dogs on Friday mornings.
In 2019, award-winning author Lisa Papp held a book signing at Paragraphs Bookstore in Mount Vernon. The featured book was “Madeline Finn and the Shelter Dog,” based on Debolt’s WAGS program.
The program has remained strong since its inception. Students currently read to the dogs on Saturday, an extremely busy day for the dog shelter.
Because Saturdays are so busy, Dog Warden Brian Biggerstaff is working with Debolt to find alternative times for the students to read.
“We have a lot of foot traffic on Saturday,” Biggerstaff explained. “A lot of people who work during the week can only come in on Saturday. We usually shut down the shelter for the reading hours.”
The shelter is open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday. Students cannot come in early because staff members are cleaning the shelter, so they come in mid-day.
“It’s not just the kids being there, it’s the parents, too, and the parking, waiting for the kids,” Commissioner Thom Collier said. “Our lobby is smaller [after renovations] than it was. They are getting more kids who want to participate, but it creates some problems for us.”
“We do appreciate the WAGS program, but we want to get the dogs adopted, too,” added Commissioner Teresa Bemiller.
Biggerstaff said possible solutions include the students coming in every other Saturday or during the week as well.
“We’re even considering staying open one hour longer during the week to accommodate them,” Biggerstaff said.
“It is a partnership; we want to work with them.”
Problems with weekday sessions
Debolt said the current situation is heartbreaking for her because the program has gone 10 years without causing issues.
She said the weekday solution has several problems, one of which is that Debolt’s normal day from 6:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. becomes a 12-hour day.
“I put in a 10 hour day, and then have a home, family , my own pets, and grading to do when I get home. To put in two additional hours away from home during the school week is not an option. … As a teacher, my mind is spent by 3:30,” she told Knox Pages via email.
Weekday sessions from 4-5 pm also create problems with parents leaving work, delivering their readers to the shelter at 4, and picking them up at 5.
A 3-4 pm session means Debolt would not arrive in time to supervise the readers. Because she created the program, she does not want another adult to have to take on that responsibility.
“Parents would still have an issue leaving work to deliver readers. Busing doesn’t go to the shelter, either,” she said.
Debolt said the shelter does not shut down when the students are there.
“Potential adopters still come through, and many dogs have been adopted due to watching how a dog responds to a human reader. We do ask that the dogs not be walked during our one hour since it disrupts the dogs and the peace we offer during WAGS time. That has caused problems with the volunteer walkers, but we have changed our session time on Saturdays each time we’ve been asked to help with that situation,” she said.
Working toward a solution
During the summer, the students read on a weekday. Debolt said she and Biggerstaff will decide which day and time is best.
“This every other Saturday situation is just for a couple months. Once we figure out the best day for summer reading, we will be back to weekly sessions,” she said.
“Brian is a supporter of my WAGS program. He knows it brings good publicity to the shelter, benefits the dogs, and lets the kids know they are making a difference in the world,” she continued. “The WAGS parents aren’t okay with cutting back, and the readers aren’t either, but I’ve explained the reasons and asked them to be supportive of Brian’s decision.”
Debolt said she is grateful Biggerstaff allows the students to come at all, noting he could tell them to quit because it causes the shelter to be more hectic during that hour.
“I would never want Brian to be portrayed as the bad guy here. He has offered solutions. I flat out asked if he wanted WAGS to end, and he said, ‘Absolutely not!’” Debolt said. “I am not thrilled with the decision, but I know he has a business to run, and sometimes as the boss, you have to make tough choices.
“Our primary goal is for the dogs to get adopted, and if us being there disrupts that goal, then I am willing to cut back to every other week,” she added. “Keeping the dogs’ hope alive is why we go. We will just need to give extra hope on the Saturdays we are there.”
As of March 21, the shelter had 16 dogs. Thirteen are available for adoption.
Water and wastewater
Water and Wastewater Superintendent Jeff Pickrell reports that work continues on the new pump station at Pleasant View Acres. However, he does not anticipate the company reaching “substantial completion” by March 31.
Three areas have valid reasons why the contractor cannot complete the work by March 31. Pickrell agrees with extending the work deadline to June 15 in those areas.
“Everything else needs to be substantially completed by March 31 as per the contract, and the seeding and grading completed by April 30 as per the contract,” he said. “We’ll seek liquidated damages if they’re not done after that.”
