Michael DeWitt’s road back to Holmes County is littered with paw prints
Michael DeWitt was looking for a reason to move back home and found one through his new job as a deputy for the Holmes County Dog Warden's Department.
With a major in biology and a minor in psychology, maybe Michael DeWitt can pull off a Doctor Doolittle and talk to the animals. If he could do that, it would certainly help him deal with the clientele he is now dealing with as part of his new job.
DeWitt always felt like a return home to Holmes County was something he would cherish. He just wasn’t sure in what capacity it would be when he left for Mt. Union University after graduating from West Holmes High School in 2013.
Four years later Dewitt graduated from college, and his life came full circle recently when he joined the Holmes County Dog Warden’s Department as its newest deputy.
“I always thought I wanted to come back to this area because all of my family is here, and I am a big family person,” DeWitt said.
DeWitt worked in a lab in Ashland for a little more than half a year, and although he was OK with the work, he didn’t care for the commute and said he wasn’t as happy as what he thought he could be.
“I was kind of stressing out, and I came across the dog warden deputy position right around Memorial Day,” DeWitt said. “I applied right away. We interviewed the next day, and they hired me the following day. I really felt good about it immediately because it felt like a great fit.”
DeWitt said in working with animals his biology degree definitely comes into play, and with a psychology minor he loves the interaction with people that comes with the job.
A self-described people person, DeWitt said working with people in the community and informing and teaching them about various rules and ways to create a better living environment for their pets is a fun part of his job.
DeWitt's duties at the dog warden’s office include a wide variety of tasks, from heading out into the community and working with people in the field to cleaning kennels, feeding and watering the dogs, doing paperwork, helping people with adoptions, and answering plenty of questions.
DeWitt said picking up stray dogs and caring for them until they find their rightful owner or a new home is incredibly rewarding.
Whether it is rescuing a dog from a volatile situation, responding to a call to retrieve a loose dog that is causing problems or attacking other dogs, or getting a dog out of a dire situation, DeWitt likes the interactions with both people and dogs.
“Every dog has its own personality,” DeWitt said. “You have to get to know them, and we never really known what they have been through and what they have experienced in their lives, so you have to be cautious and observant, understand body language, and treat them with respect, very much like you would with people.”
As his time as the newest Holmes County Dog Warden's Department deputy approaches two months, DeWitt said getting an opportunity to train under and work alongside dog warden Jonathan Beam and deputy Ashley Porter has been a blessing because they bring a wonderful amount of experience and knowledge to the job, and they have been quick to share all of that experience with him.
“They’ve been really awesome to work with,” DeWitt said of the two. “They are incredibly friendly, and they are always teaching me about things I need to learn, and they have been a big part of my learning curve so far.”
DeWitt said he has enjoyed the job immensely and can easily see himself carving out a niche right where he is, working with dogs and people in Holmes County.
“Dogs continue to be a big part of our community here in Holmes County, and there is something special about finding a loose or stray dog and getting it back to their owner,” DeWitt said. “You see the reaction of both the owner and the dog when they are reunited and see that excitement, and that is a really rewarding thing to see.”