Meredith Wargo

Meredith Wargo is an award-winning author and advocate for animals. The recipient of four Maxwell Medallions from the Dog Writers of 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.

http://meredithwargo.com

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Award Category

Screenplay Award 2023

Screenplay Award Sub-Category

Film Script

Golden Writer

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

My Submission

SYNPOSIS

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. Trull was no stranger to rescuing abandoned animals. She and her husband Mark had made it their mission to find permanent homes for stray dogs and cats. Now her young students were determined to save these lost pups and others like them. And in that moment, the Dalhart Animal Wellness Group and Sanctuary—more lovingly known as DAWGS—was born.

How Trull and her fourth graders started their own no-kill animal shelter is a story of dedication, commitment, and perseverance. In this eye-opening, deeply personal account, Trull describes the challenges they faced, from rescuing and caring for hundreds of animals, to teaching children about compassion and responsibility, to facing local authorities determined to shut them down. She 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.