by Kate Shunney
Staff at the Morgan County Emergency Communications Center in downtown Berkeley Springs had a pretty good idea last year – to start a foster program for dogs in partnership with Morgan County Animal Control.
Animal Control is one of the agencies that the 911 Center dispatches to, and talks with their staff had generated the notion of helping some of the dogs brought in by Animal Control get more ready to be permanently adopted. 
“The original idea was for us to foster a dog to get them ready for adoption and then move on to the next dog. We had asked Animal Control to notify us when they received a dog that fit our needs to be within the Morgan County Emergency Communications Center,” said Sarah Henry, 911 Center Supervisor.
The idea took on new life on December 1, 2023 when a call came into the 911 Center about two dogs that had been in a fight over a deer carcass.
“MCAC responded to the call and found one of the dogs that was severely wounded and underweight. He was rushed to the emergency vet where he received stitches to his head, neck, and ears, and given general care while being held for observation,” Henry recounted. When the dog was on the road to recovery, he was returned to Animal Control’s custody.
A few days later, Animal Control contacted 911 Center Director Marshall Younker to say that they thought the dog (who was named Meatball at the time) would be a good fit for the center.
“On December 7, 2023 he came to the center for an overnight stay. Since that went well, it was decided that he would stay until the next week to see how he would do with our operations within the center. That went smoothly as well, so then we decided he would stay another month to get him ready for adoption,” Henry told The Messenger.
“Within that month it was clear that he was the perfect dog for our atmosphere. He loved people (especially children), he was non-reactive to the sirens and all the background noise within the center, he knew when things got busy to go take a nap during that time, and he had a natural sense of when an ETC needed some extra affection after processing a difficult call,” Henry said.
An ETC is an Emergency Telecommunicator – what many people know as an emergency dispatcher.
A little less than a month later, the 911 center staff decided they couldn’t let their fostered dog go, and they decided to adopt him.
“On January 18, 2024, Myra and myself officially signed his adoptions papers under his new name of Sir Reginald ‘Reggie’,” said Henry.
Reggie lives up to his regal name as he is seen getting his exercise in downtown Berkeley Springs. 911 Center staff enjoy dressing Reggie in seasonal gear, and the neighbors have connected with the dog that was supposed to just stay a short while. Unsure of Reggie’s pedigree, Henry said the 911 dog is part bulldog and vets believe he is six or seven years old.
“Since then, he has become the most spoiled dog alive and an irreplaceable member of our team. He gets showered with attention every day and returns the love to everyone he meets. He has become known within the community from being on Facebook and taking his walks around town.
“It is not uncommon for his name to be shouted out of a passing car or for someone to stop in the street to pet him. He also has several businesses that he frequents regularly to get treats and love such as the Court House, The Morgan Messenger, The Cardinal Bar, and Bricello’s Grilled Formaggio truck,” Henry said.
911 Center staff share the cost of feeding and caring for Reggie, with help from the Berkeley Springs Volunteer Fire Department that donated a soda machine to the center that they could use to raise a little money for the “Reggie Fund.”
Staff also takes him out and about to encourage him to be active, visiting the homes of staff members and the dog park at Cacapon State Park.
“He gets as much exercise as he allows us to give him as he is far too content in being a couch potato,” Henry said.
“We are grateful to have found Reggie and add him to our family as it is clear that we needed him just as much as he needed us, if not more.”
