ReadLarryPowell.com

SPCA lowers adoption fees; West Dallas dogs and other notions...

Here we are at Friday – long week, short sentences.
Bet they wish they could say that at the ol’ Graybar Hotel. Here’s today’s report including the SPCA’s effort to enhance adoptions by lowering fees. Read on:
THE SPCA’S NEW BARGAIN PLAN: See this cat? That distinct face belongs to Georgia, a small adult cat currently in the SPCA of Texas’ Perry Animal Care Center in McKinney.
Why do we feature her? To highlight the new adoption push at the SPCA of Texas’ facilities – the Jan Rees-Jones Animal Care Center at 2400 Lone Star Drive in Dallas, the Perry Center at 8411 Stacy Road in McKinney and six North Texas PetSmart stores.
The SPCA announced yesterday that it hopes to increase adoptions by 20 percent by lowering adoption fees by “almost 40 percent on average this year.”
SPCA of Texas President James Bias said, “Removing financial barriers to adoption will help us reach our goal of finding homes for 20% more pets this year and help us further our mission, to provide every animal exceptional care and a loving home,”
You can see the figures on which prices dropped by going to the news release at www.spca.org.
The lowering of fees is an indication of corporate partnership in the efforts to increase adoptions. In the press release, Mr. Bias says, “Lowered fees do mean less revenue from adoptions for the SPCA of Texas. The SPCA of Texas is counting on the partnership of the community to help make these lower adoption fees possible.”
The SPCA’s “first monthly corporate partner” in this lower-fee effort is Claim Adjustment Specialists.  You can see how to become a partner in this project by going to the press release on the SPCA website.
And you can get Georgia by contacting the SPCA, too, at ol' reliable www.spca.org.
UPDATE FROM WEST DALLAS: We’ve been tracking efforts to help a bunch of dogs on the loose in West Dallas and here’s another report on the effort from our project contact, Sherry Kunz.
(Larry aside: Does anyone know if there’s a Patron Saint of Tough Dog Chases? A Patron Saint of People Who Care? Got to be some prayers somewhere that’ll cover this situation. for the humans and the critters.)
Here’s Sherry’s report: “We continue to fail to catch the mama and remaining puppy. You know how you [Readlarrypowell.com]  are always saying some dogs are too just too smart for their own good? These dogs fall into that category. My husband, Angie [Manriquez, the legendary West Dallas rescuer] and I set traps last Saturday and waited for a couple of hours. The puppy sniffed around the cage but refused to go in. Even to get some fried chicken. Mama wouldn't even go near the trap. I feel, if we had more help, we could at least catch the puppy. Then we can concentrate on Mama.
“We desperately need more help.”
To volunteer, e-mail sykunz@att.net or call 214-232-6559.
Sherry says, “Each day that passes, this puppy gets older, bigger and wiser. If she is left out there, this vicious cycle will continue. She'll get pregnant and mama will get pregnant again. It will never end.”
SHELTER NOTICES: More shelters than just the City of Dallas Animals Services Adoption Center have way too many animals on the clock. Just pick a city. They’ve got a death row for animals. People are the answer – how’s that for a foul situation! Yep people. We got a note from Allison Roberts, the volunteer shelter walker at the Collin County Animal Services Shelter in McKinney and it read, “We had some great rescues and adoptions so far this week.  Still have some GREAT dogs available, including a handsome well behaved owner surrendered yellow lab, an owner surrendered husky mix and a sweet lab/golden? mix that had been hit by a car.”  To ask about saving any of the animals at the shelter, here’s your starting place: email ldrummonds@co.collin.tx.us and animalshelter@co.collin.tx.us. 
Whatever your city, you've probably got a shelter that is full. Just Google it and most times you can see the inventory on line.  Usually.
TWO LINKS WITH INFO:
--Pat Nethery of rural Kerrville sent us a note with a great bit of news. The link HERE takes you to summation of a Kerrville Daily Times report that Kerr County’s commissioners have decided to ban the use of "euthanasia by gassing" in the county’s shelter. Needle only from now on. They’ll still euthanize, but look at it as one small step toward no-kill. Perhaps, as long as they're in the mood, they could be influenced to take another step. Just a thought.
-- And, thanks to a note from our pal Gigi Ray, we know that the Texas Humane Legislation Network has issued a report on the animal welfare friendliness of the members of both houses of the Texas Legislature. See it HERE. They call it a “Humane Scorecard” on the last legislative session. That may be the nicest phrase ever associated with the Texas Legislature. Easy, easy, I kid the politicians. They work hard, I’ve been repeatedly told through the years by members of the Legislature.
CONTEMPLATIONS: Mom’s stay in the hospital in Texarkana may end today and we’ll be re-establishing her routine at home – trust me, she’s ready for it. She’s what the more colorful among us would refer to as a “tough ol’ bird.” My cousin, Reverend Mike, stopped by Thursday evening to see her and the three of us laughed like a party was going on. Mike’s the only boy cousin we have who isn’t in costume when he’s dressed like a preacher. We’ve got a cousin, Katrina, who is a nun. Basically, I think our whole family is trying to cover the bases. When the role is called up yonder, some of us are going to need articulate advocates to get us through the Pearly Gates on a probational basis. … I’ll be glad when our routine returns, too. Turns out that I can no longer sleep comfortably in the home in which I was raised. For one thing, they threw out my bed in 1968. For another thing, it turns out I need an old, snoring Cocker Spaniel named Inky nestled against my shins so I can sleep. … My rocksolidfunspouse Martha has been doing double-duty -- maybe triple or more -- in our Oak Cliff home. She’s not only been working at her real job, but she’s been working on my broken computer and tending to animals and dealing with a whining husband who calls her up and talks to her late at night like a lovesick teenager. She just hands the phone to Inky and says, “Counsel him, will ya, doc?” Inky is board certified in Cocker Spaniel/Human Counseling and Snacks.
--- To comment, click below. ---

CAP report; an Earhound and a Happy Face; Seagoville's Celebration and other notes...

Greetings and let’s all put on our protective gear. You never know where you’ll pedal your bike some days. Please avoid the potholes and read on:
THE REPORT: Please finish our Readlarrypowell.com report, but when you are finished with these notes about critters in trouble and a Seagoville celebration, come back to this paragraph and click HERE and navigate to the Companion Animal Project No-Kill Task plan for ending this wholesale euthanasia in Dallas. Now, read on and then return.
GLORIOUS EARS AND A HAPPY FACE: OK, I’ll confess, the headline “glorious ears and a happy face” reminds me of my funspouse, Martha, but today we’ll note that the glorious ears and the happy face belong to two current residents of the Dallas Animal Services Shelter & Adoption Center.
There are currently three dogs on the shelter’s “Very Important Pet” list – that means they’ve been in the shelter for at least 45 days, are completely healthy and adorable, yet have drawn absolutely no interest from the adopting public. And no rescue group has found room for them, either.
One of the dogs is the adorable Stewie, who we mentioned in yesterday’s report about the progress of the Companion Animal Project’s no-kill strategy. Stewie was an owner-dumped dog back in November.
This morning, thanks to a note from our pal Jonnie England of the Metroplex Animal Coalition, we have photos of the other two dogs on the January 31 euthanasia list at the shelter.
Normally when we present the photo of an Earhound, you’ll see a dog with mismatched ears or a pair of satellite dishes or a set of ears so remarkable that they’ll stop traffic. Today we offer certified Earhound Peyton (#700560) – he’s certified by the Benevolent International & Galactic Earhound Appraisal Recognition Society (BIGEARS) which offices here at the international headquarters of Readlarrypowell.com. Peyton is a Shepherd mix who has the most splendid and graceful ears – they are quite artistic, with a gentle, almost cathedral-like, arc atop a sweet face. He’s about 2 and weighs nearly 45 pounds. He’s been unwanted since at least Nov. 6, though he wouldn’t be in a shelter if he had not been unwanted before that, don’t you think?
Now, as fans of big ol’ dawgs go, I’m betting that if they see this photo of Holly they immediately begin thinking “How can I make room for this baby?” and “Wonder if the city would notice if I added this sweetheart to my family?” Yep, everybody who loves big ol’ dawgs already has two or three.
But, look at the face on 702480!  Holly is a 47-pound baby who was delivered to the shelter on Nov. 24 – happy Thanksgiving, kid, get into that cage.
Having been around a pretty fair number of dogs in my life, I can tell you from looking that Holly is a happy dog when she’s around people. Look at that face.  And, yet, on Jan. 31, that tail will quit wagging, that big ol’ happy tongue will quit lapping, those eyes will stop flashing with joy. A shot of liquid death will turn this vibrant dog into refuse to be carted off to the landfill.
The contacts at the shelter are  Catherine.baxter@dallascityhall.com, nicole.self@dallascityhall.com or teresa.cleek@dallascityhall.com or call 214-671-0249 or 214-670-8312. The rescue group contact points: e-mail mark.cooper@dallascityhall.com or call 214-670-8298.
And, if nobody acts, then the Dallas no-kill plan will be years too late for Peyton and Holly and Stewie from yesterday and lord knows how many other dogs and cats. People. People make the life or death difference. That’s part of the plan – get more people involved.
IN BURNS FLAT: The tireless rescuer of Burns Flat, Okla., Terry Lynn Fisher, has 3 urgent dogs and I’d run their photos except I’m working on an unfamiliar laptop with a program that doesn’t quite work like the one I’m used to so I’m baffled. I’m also baffled why some people are so cavalier about the lives of animals.
Terry Lynn isn’t cavalier, she’s moral about their lives and wants to save them. The three she’s working on now are girls, all under a year old and on the brink at the Burns Flat shelter.
Beatrice is a 7-month-old pup whose brother came through the shelter last month. Precious is 5 months old but has been on a chain her entire life and her family simply “wanted her gone” and “threw her out there,” Terry Lynn says. And the girl Sweetie was “hanging out at the bank here trying to get in everyone’s car.  Afraid she would be killed, they called me. She is just wonderful.”
So, there you have it from Terry Lynn – three reasons dogs wind up in shelters. To help her with them, call 580-330-1459 or e-mail remembering_oddball@yahoo.com.
CELEBRATING SEAGOVILLE: Well, I’ll be danged. Sorry, slipped into my native Northeast Texan vernacular. But, seriously, there’s a celebration planned for the big strides at the Seagoville Animal Shelter under the direction of Police Sgt. Karl Bailey. We got word of it from Johnna Bigley, the volunteer and rescuer, who wrote, “We’re having a celebration for Sgt. Bailey and the Seagoville Animal Shelter for reaching our first full year as a true No-Kill municipal shelter.”
Good grief, has it been a year? And has it worked? Sure looks like it. The shelter is claiming to be Texas’ first municipal no-kill shelter. If it’s not, we’ll hear about it.
Johnna also is the president of the non-profit STAAAR – Seagoville Texas Animal Advocates and Rescue.
Click on that artwork for the party details. It’s from 3 p.m., to 7 p.m. on the 29^th at Lee Harvey’s, 1807 Gould St., just south of downtown Dallas and not far from the Cedars DART station and the Dallas Police Headquarters. Not that such a location would remind you to pick a designated driver, of course.
CONTEMPLATIONS: Salutations from the road.  In case anybody wondered it’s chilly in Texarkana and  I’m in an animal-free environment. I got rid of the shakes after 72 hours – I nearly raced out to the Texarkana Animal Care & Control Center on the Arkansas-side of town and adopted whatever was handy. I think they have a few available dogs and cats if you know someone in Texarkana who needs a friend. … Yesterday I told the story of how I managed to drop two cups of coffee here at the hospital without ever getting a sip. Rescuer (of animals and some humans) Darcelle Cowles sent me a note about her challenges. “When I got to work this Monday. I poured water in my tiny coffee pot and forgot the filter. Well, then, I tried again. I forgot to put the glass kettle underneath. Then I gave up.” Yep, after our two experiences with the elusive Hot Cup of Joe, my theory is we’ve been involved in Solar Flare Coffee Mishap Week. … Ah, life goes on but, you know, without my sidekick Inky the Cocker Laureate of the State of Texas snoring by my ankles, I don't feel confident at the keyboard. He’s been off helping in surgery all morning – some kind of brain transplant, he told me. Wait. Maybe I dreamed that.
--- To comment, click below. ---

City no-kill shelter plan gets panel's OK; another group readies its no-kill workshop; and other tales...

Greetings, dear Readers. We’re a little late out of the chute today at Readlarrypowell.com. But we’ll start with the big no-kill issue (and TWO such projects) and move on to an actress and a lost dog.
More on the day’s challenges in our Contemplations section but for now we’ll address some animal situations:
THE FORMAL APPROVAL: Word reaches us that the Dallas Companion Animal Project Plan – the no-kill plan introduced at the Dallas Animal Shelter Commission meeting a couple of weeks ago – has now been approved by the Quality of Life and Government Services Committee of the Dallas City Council. Normally this would lead to approval by the City Council. More to come on that no doubt.
Once approved and if executed according to the theory of the Companion Animal Project, the plan will make Dallas a no-kill city within 5 years, according to the CAP folks.
Read more about the Project at the CAP website HERE or its Facebook page.
The plan has six initiatives that will be explained more completely at a later date, perhaps on one of CAP’s websites or a City of Dallas site.  In general the six areas are (1) Public awareness and education, (2) Strengthening the partnerships in the feral cats/community cats groups (3) Increase high-volume, free and low-cost spay/neuter programs; (4) Pet Owner Outreach to reduce the number of surrendered and dumped animals; (5) Pet Placement Support through adoption and rescue; and (6) Fundraising to support these efforts.
According to a statement from CAP, “The next steps for the task force are to develop a detailed one-year business plan and a multi-year strategic plan; finish prioritizing initiatives; begin implementing programs; and identify the costs and funding options. In years two through four, Dallas CAP will continue to implement, expand and build momentum. And in year five, if all of the major initiatives have been successfully implemented, the City of Dallas will be one of the largest no-kill communities in the country and will have stopped the killing of shelter dogs and cats.”
Stay tuned. Oh, that dog? That’s Stewie. The CAP  note included a photo of a current resident of the Dallas Animal Services Shelter & Adoption Center. This dog, Stewie “was left in the night cages at Dallas Animal Services—most likely by his owner—on Nov. 22.  After being at the city’s shelter for two months, he now faces euthanasia.” To see how to save Stewie’s life, visit www.dallasanimalservices.org.  
THE NO-KILL CONFERENCE IN MARCH: Coming up March 10 in Addison there is a Dallas/Fort Worth No Kill Workshop hosted by Pawsitively Texas and it has no connection to the Dallas Companion Animal Project though both the city group and this workshop apparently have the same goal. The difference lies in the approach to solving the problem of killing so many unwanted animals in Dallas and North Texas.
At this conference the featured speaker will be attorney/author Nathan Winograd whose theory of achieving no-kill takes more of a “stop-it-now” approach to ending euthanasia. He is famously known for his assertions that pet overpopulation is a myth. And he has demonstrated that his philosophies are effective, though, if memory serves, not in as large or somewhat uncaring a city as Dallas.
A number of local rescue groups have been forwarding e-mails about this conference though none of the e-mails that have come to Readlarrypowell.com explain who has organized the conference or who is sponsoring it.
You can get details about times, speakers, and attendance fees by going to the Dallas/Fort Worth No Kill Workshop website HERE   and you can read about Pawsatively Texas by going HERE.
SOAPBOX MOMENT: While the city’s task force and the Pawsitively Texas gathering may have different philosophies, it is good to know that the issue of ending the killing of the animals is taken so seriously in Dallas that it has inspired the development of actual “factions.” From the list of supporters of both efforts, I know that there are extremely nice people involved from both angles and I hope, for the sake of saving the animals, that the “niceness” will become bonded and end this lousy philosophy of “Got an animal problem? Let’s kill it.” What we don’t need is a big mouthy sniping festival that draws more attention than the saving of the animals.
BE ON THE LOOKOUT: We learn from rescuer Patty Sprong that Lilac the dog has vanished.
She writes, “Lilac was adopted from Mazie's Mission this weekend, and has already escaped from her owner and is running scared.”
The theory is Lilac is a Plott Hound/perhaps Greyhound mix. She’s 3, brindle with a white blaze on her chest, weighs 45 pounds and runs like the wind.
The escaped from her home on Jan. 22 in the Heights at Westridge in McKinney near Cooling Drive and Independence Parkway. She’s been spotted now and then “hanging out around parks and schools but running each time someone tries to get her,” the note says.
She slipped her collar, so she has no tags, but she is microchipped.  And she’s wary of strangers – and when a dog’s on the run, nearly everybody is a stranger. If you’ve seen her or know her whereabouts, call 214-934-8935 or 214-563-2985.
THE STAR’S ART FOR ART’S SAKE: Cari Weinberg, who fosters and volunteers with Animal Rescue of Texas reminds us that ART will benefit from actress/artist Jane Seymour’s appearance Thursday evening.
Yep, Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman and the “Bond Girl,” will be helping animals with the sale of her paintings. The event is from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Wisby Smith Art Gallery, Suite 146 at The Crescent Hotel in Downtown Dallas.
CONTEMPLATIONS: I’ve been in Texarkana several nights now and last night was a stormy one – having been away from my hometown since the late 1960s one thing I have discovered is that rain among the pine trees sounds different than rain on the North Texas prairie. One sounds like poetry and the other sounds like the old “cow and a flat rock” saying. … This time last year, if memory serves, we were thinking that winter in Texas meant sub-30 temps and snow. Hah. We knew better. … Today, as I attend Mom in a relatively inactive fashion (I type and she reads in her hospital bed), I decided to go to the hospital cafeteria and buy coffee. The first cup, I picked up wrong (by the lid) and the full cup fell to the floor, splashing hot java into my  right loafer. The cafeteria let me by a second cup – hah. The nice lady helped me put the vigorously sealed cup and a bottle of cranberry juice into a paper bag and I proudly, like a little boy holding his school lunch, walked through the maze of hallways, took an elevator ride, got out and was within mere yards of Mom’s room when the coffee-soaked bottom of the bag (I wasn’t paying attention) gave way and exploded all over the hallway. I summoned a cleaning person, apologized and gave up on the coffee. When I walked into Mom’s room, one of the medical professionals kindly took me to the hallway break room and got me a free cup of coffee.  She smiled and stepped away (perhaps in caution) as I gently picked it up and walked carefully to the room. My sock is now dry, I’ve drunk one out of three cups of coffee and finished this report from Texarkana. God save the animals and keep us all sane.
---- To comment, click below. ---

An odd Tuesday report...

In case you wondered, Readlarrypowell.com is in the throes of computer misery and is working (a) via laptop and (b) out of town on a visit to Mom in Texarkana – she’s had what she calls “minor surgery” and what the rest of us don’t. But, she’s rocking along and hoping to be discharged swiftly.
The hospital doesn’t allow dogs and cats so I’m having to talk to humans. It’s very trying.
In the meantime, just some reminders and, please, get the complete details by doing a search for the event or organization. We’ve mentioned some of them before.
Among the reminders:
--The annual Paws Cause benefiting the SPCA Village Fair Wellness and Spay/Neuter Center is Saturday – go HERE for details.
--Dallas Animal Services will host a free spay/neuter event for the animals of Dallas residents on Saturday (e-mail spaydallas@yahoo.com or call 940-566-5551. (I have more info on this somewhere in an inaccessible computer drive, but the deal is the operations are first-come, first serve and free. I’ll illuminate the sponsoring details later, but for now if you know someone in Dallas who needs to get their dogs or/and cats “fixed,” make the call, send the e-mail. )
--Out at the lake, Friends of the Animals at Cedar Creek Lake is still selling tickets to the production Sylvia, the story of a dog and the couple who adopted her --it's a family comedy. The production is at the Mabank Middle School, tickets are $10 each, sales benefit Friends of the Animals of Cedar Creek Lake and Spay/Neuter Support Services of East Texas. Call 903-451-4701.
CONTEMPLATIONS: For the first time in decades I have spent the night in a place without an animal – no dog, no cats, no drunken sports nuts in a hotel lounge. It’s odd and I don’t recommend it. … Hospitals make lots of odd noises when people are enjoying a nice conversation. … My rocksolidspouse Martha is not only working at her office today but monitoring one of our dogs who apparently is ill without me (perhaps I over exaggerate) and she also delivered a neighborhood wander-up cat this morning to our vet for spaying. Can you believe this? We managed to catch the last unspayed cat in Dallas County! Yep, everybody can relax now and spend your money on jewels and gold.
--- To comment, click below.---

Computers, critters and the 4th D...

Oh, it’s a swell Monday –so powerful that its challenges began Sunday.
The hard-drive (is that hyphenated after it cleaves your heart in two?) on the desktop crashed and is now officially gone.  DOD--Dead on desk.
Obviously, three years is the limit on a computer in the busy, 24-hour world of Readlarrypowell.com – this laptop may stop processing at any moment, too, if things go according to the current 6-year run of rotten luck and bad road.
We’re moving on quickly today because there’s a work situation involving downloading saved files from elsewhere. We’ll let you know how that goes.
SHELTER SYMBOLS: These critters are symbolic for all shelters today though they are both from the Carrollton Animal Services shelter.  Both are hard-luck cases. They are dogs (as you can plainly see) but they also represent cats, such as a black cat in Carrollton’s shelter – she has quite an appropriate name for a stray cat: Miss Dashaway. Do you really need a photo of a shorthaired black cat? (I'd run one, but this system is clumbsy and my luck is lousy, so you're getting two dog photos and a prayer for the cat.)
Now, the story on this Earhound is sad. Because of humans she’s has date with fate on Wednesday at the shelter.
Dollie is described as a Teacup Chihuahua. The shelter summary reads, “She was picked up with her male companion who was reclaimed by his people who lost him a while back and now little Dollie is here all by herself.”
That other dog – that lop-eared fellow? – why that someone we’ve mentioned before. He’s the dog, Homer, who was first reported in a widely-distributed e-mail as a dog from Houston. The shelter says his tags said he was from Irving. Didn’t matter. He’s still on Death Row. The shelter report says that “we thought a he was a lucky dog because he was wearing a tag with his person's information on him. Turned out though the information was inaccurate and he has spent the last month with us while we tried to track down his person.” Nobody has been found, so he'll be dead by Wedneday evening, too, unless something good happens.
To ask about any animals in the Carrollton shelter, call  972-466-3420, or email CARE@cityofcarrollton.com.
Please remember, if you are looking for a new friend or an old one, check the area shelters. They are all full of dogs and cats who need homes.
CONTEMPLATIONS: This computer problem is very unsettling. It’s demoralizing and it’s a pain in the neck. Please be patient with Readlarrypowell.com as it adjusts to a new way of computer work. We’re hoping to return to the old way shortly. A lot of actual work died when that harddrive died. We have a system that captures and saves computer content. We’ll see. … Oh, boy, a former Dallas Cowboy kicker plays a role in the Baltimore loss to New England. He didn’t have the only role. It was a team loss. Still, could  “Cowboy Toe” be a new term for a bad kick at a key moment? … Ah, that first Star Wars film was something, then they had to go and make the rest of them. And now big TV commercials are promoting the February release of Star Wars Episode I The Phantom Menace in 3D and you think, “Ah, nifty” and then you remember that this is the one that has the totally irritating and worthless character Jar Jar Binks. That character solidified the 4^th D—Dumb. I've watched a 3D trailer twice and Jar Jar has no speaking lines in the trailer -- maybe they didn't want to remind people of that goofy cartoon character. OK, maybe the computer problem is putting me in a foul frame of mind. My apologies to Jar Jar Binks, the low point in American filmmaking.
--- To comment, click below. ---

To whom the furniture belongs...

If you’ve ever had a critter in your home you know that, in reality, whatever furniture there is in the place belongs not to you but to the animals.
As you can see in this photo, the dog and two cats own this couch. It’s their house, too. But, of course, what they really own is hearts.
One of our longtime tipsters, Karen Lee of Fort Worth, suggested that her brother, Ken Tarrant of Austin, send this photo to Readlarrypowell.com and, sure enough, these critters exquisitely qualify for the weekly spotlight of Let Sleeping Dogs Lie & Napping Cats Nap.
Even as I’m typing this I’m wondering if they’d mind if a hefty ol’ newshound eased down next to them and sought relief from a raging outbreak of Daylight Sleepyeye. [I'll get over the Daylight Sleepyeye by bedtime.]
Ken explains this tableau thusly: “I took this picture of some of our lazy pets and my sister told me about your site and how you might like it.  My sister is Karen Lee and is an active volunteer for animal rescue.
“All our pets have been rescued from the streets.”
Ah, some rescue attitudes run in the family, don't they!  Of course, Ken and Karen are twins, so, we'll leave that analysis up to the learned psychologists and students of the behavior patterns in fraternal twins.
Ken writes that Shiner the dog doesn’t get his name “from the beer but from the fact that he had a perfect ring of mange around one eye that we had to cure.
“The tuxedo cat to his right is Grayson---Grayson came to our house and kept hanging around and when we picked him up and found that he was declawed and left on his own, we took him in.
“The white and grey cat is Hoover-- he was a stray found near Sayre, Okla.”
Sister Karen wanted to make sure we knew that her big brother (he’s much, much older-- 10 minutes) has a big heart. She wrote, “I hope he mentioned that all of their pets are rescued strays--he and Cyndi have huge hearts for homeless animals. The little dog in the front is Shiner who has to be close to 17 or 18 years old.  Ken is a school teacher and Shiner was hanging around the school yard so Ken took him in--as he has many other dogs and cats.”
And, of course, rescued animals really know how to sleep once they’re in a safe place. They understand that they can completely relax.
Many of you, dear Readers, can attest to how a dog you once couldn’t get within 50 yards of now won’t get out of your chair and has absolutely no problem taking over your couch, bed or favorite spot in front of the TV.  They’ll even mimic human tendencies and nod off on top of the remote control.
[Readlarrypowell.com is always looking for photos of sleeping dogs, napping cats, lounging lizards, reclining reptiles and inert in-laws for our weekend feature, Let Sleeping Dogs Lie & Napping Cats Nap. Simply send the photo and info to dallrp@aol.com. Remember, the slumbering photo you send may help inspire an insomniac to nod off. Do a good thing and help some of us poor nutjobs sleep.]
--To comment, click below.--

Friday's PM Edition

As the weekend rolls into view, here’s a consideration that’s based on last weekend’s work. And there's a beautiful Sheltie who's been missing since just before New Year's -- thanks, fireworks.
THE RESCUE: We get this story from rescuer Rekka Melby.  It comes with a video to watch after you’ve read this and you’ll remember why Dallas Firefighters get the “hero” tag. In fact, you’ll start looking for cats in trees just so you’ll have the chance to applaud them.
Here’s Rekka’s note:
“Wanted to see if there's any way you could please post a foster request for a male, medium- sized dog who is living on the streets of Dallas.”
[LARRY SOAPBOX ASIDE: Hang on there just a second, Rekka. Let’s just call a time-out right now. Are you telling me, Rekka, that there is a medium-sized male dog loose on the streets on Dallas? That’s very hard to believe when you consider how active rescue groups are and how large the Dallas Animal Services shelter is. How in the world could there be ANY free-roaming animal left on the streets of our pleasant little village?
Oh, wait, I forgot. We also have an overabundance of village idiots. Back to Rekka’s note.]
She continues, “Last weekend, JP Bonnally and I rescued a stray momma dog and her litter of seven puppies thanks to help from the Dallas Fire Department -it was pretty cool!  Unfortunately we weren't able to catch the dad [photo to the right] and, to be honest, we need a foster lined up before we go back to get him.  We hated leaving him behind but JP and I already have full houses and I ended up taking the momma dog home (the puppies were old enough to be weaned).
“The puppies were trapped deep under a shed where we couldn't reach them.  So we called the Dallas Fire Department and they came out to help.  They used inflatable air bags to lift the shed do we could get under there to reach the puppies.  They were from Engine 1 and Truck 4, C-Shift, and they were awesome!
“The mom and dad took off while we rescued the puppies so we left a humane trap baited with burgers.  After we delivered the pups to their foster home, we returned to check the trap and found the mom in it and her loyal mate laying in the grass beside her.
“The male dog also looks to have a slight leg injury as he was limping a little bit.  We would love to go get him but he needs a safe place to go.
Plans are to get the dog and, hopefully, place him with another rescue group or a foster. Rekka and JP will help get proper placement lined up.
E-mail rekkamelby@yahoo.com or jp@therepublicofdog.com.
And watch video of the rescue HERE.
BE ON THE LOOKOUT: This is Dragon, a Shetland Sheepdog who belongs to the artist/writer Melody Snow.
Nine-year-old Dragon, show here in fluffier days, no doubt, has been missing since Dec. 29 when she was spooked by nearby fireworks and bolted out of her yard in the Homesteads North in the Alvarado/Lillian area south of Fort Worth.
Melody, who writes about animals and creates miniature tack and other items of art (click HERE), has done all the proper things in a missing dog case. “We’ve done the signs, newspapers, Sheltie Rescue, local shelters....” And, she says, “At this point, we’re very discouraged.”
Still, one never knows if such a dog has left the Alvarado area, handed off by someone who saved the roaming dog and moved it to another area code. That happens.
If you have seen Dragon, a lifetime family dog who has always lived in the same area, or if you know her whereabouts, call  817-783-6329 or 817-637-5411 or e-mail  melody.d.snow@aircanopy.net
Melody says the dog had a collar and a new vet tag. "I keep hoping someone will call our vet or us ..."
--- To comment, click below. ---

A star shines; a dog's escape and other Friday tales...

Welcome to Friday. Today we’ll report on several things including country  singer Janie Fricke’s positive influence in Lancaster, a roaming Duncanville dog, a Rottie/Corgi mix (ASTOUNDING!)  and some opportunities  to do the right thing.
No politician will be asked about anything. Just wanted to set your mind at ease.
A NEW TUNE IN LANCASTER:  The sweetest voice in animal advocacy may belong to country singer Janie Fricke. Because of her, animals in the Lancaster, Texas, animal shelter are getting some breaks and some volunteers.
We get the story from our animal rescue tipster Julie Norris who works at the Crescent Real Estate Group in downtown Duncanville.  That’s a photo of Ms. Fricke from her website. She’s been a country star for many years and has a decades-long association with Lancaster, Texas – just a few miles east of Duncanville. (Aside: You may recall a few years ago when some of Ms. Fricke’s ranch livestock ignored a fence and wandered off, turning Lancaster  briefly into the place where“the buffalo roam.”)
Back to our topic: We’ve mentioned Julie here on many occasions because she rescues animals.  The Crescent office (under a sign with a Flying Red Horse) shares a building with a local newspaper company.
Here’s Julie’s letter:
“We have been working hard to get the City of Lancaster to make some changes. Last week Janie Fricke stopped by our office to visit with our newspaper staff. I took the opportunity to talk to her about the Lancaster Animal Shelter and the conditions that the animals are living in. ...  She immediately got into her car and drove to the shelter. She then went directly to the Mayor to discuss her concerns. She also let the mayor know that we have all volunteered to help out, but were turned away. Several people and myself offered to help out, but were told that Lancaster does NOT have a volunteer program. I received a call from Larry King with the City of Lancaster yesterday [Wednesday] announcing that the city has now implemented a volunteer program.  I was given an application to submit for consideration.
“What a huge step for Lancaster!  They could use volunteers.”
Julie says people interested in volunteering to help Lancaster’s animal shelter should contact Amanda Jones. Development Services, 700 E. Main St. Lancaster Texas, 75146, or e-mail ajones@lancaster-tx.com. And click HERE to reach the Lancaster website.
And, Julie adds, “Lancaster is also looking for a part-time employee (20 hours per week)  to handle the feeding and the cleaning of cages. Hopefully more changes are on the way. Currently the shelter is only open from 1p.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.  We are hoping that they will extend their hours to include Saturdays to boost adoptions!”
THE DUNCANVILLE ROAMER: On Thursday afternoon, after a nice lunch in Arlington with my sons, I stopped at a filling station at Camp Wisdom and Main Street in Duncanville. It’s a busy area near an I-20 freeway entrance, a big hotel and restaurants. Lots of traffic. People in a hurry. Big city traffic on the edge of a small town.
And, about 2 p.m. yesterday, there was one brown dog in the mix.
Something so simple as a stop at a gas station always has the potential to turn into a visit to Freak-my-brain, USA.
As you read along, you’ll see that this is a personal confession of an inability to help a dog. And it is yet another prime example of what we’ve often written here at Readlarrypowell.com: Some dogs are too clever for their own good.
As I got out of the pickup to pump the gas, I saw a flash of knee-high brown fur dart between a bunch of cars. Then, as I craned to see if it really was a loose dog, I was immediately confronted with a guy with a handful of CDs pitching his career as “a non-violent Hispanic rap and hip-hop performer.” He was a nice-enough guy, but my attention was divided by pumping gas and looking for the dog. I listened to him but he wanted $5 for a CD and I was operating in a cashless society at the time and he didn’t take credit cards. I think his CD was titled “Past Due.” He said he was originally from Tyler but lived around here now and offered a tip on buying a holiday treat, a Greenberg Smoked Turkey.
I mention all that so you’ll see that I was trapped in a surreal moment: Pumping $3.29 gas without a dime in my pocket while a guy tries to sell me a CD, explains his non-violent stance in music and offers me advice on smoked turkeys. All the while I’m trying to spot a roaming dog on a dangerous parking lot. A novelist couldn't create that much at once.
I stopped the gas pump with plenty of room still left in the tank, told the guy, “I’m going to try to catch this dog” and grabbed my “rescue leash” out of the truck.
The dog had followed a van into one of the slots by a pump. And the dog was enamored of someone in the van, a little girl, who’d jumped out to pet the pup. I don’t know if the dog was a he or she. Fast dog – I think maybe a girl dog.
I asked the kid, “Is this your dog?” thinking maybe a dog had scaled a fence and run off in pursuit of the family van.
“No sir,” the girl said, petting the dog.
The mom was putting gas in the van. I asked her about the dog and she, exasperatedly said, “No, this dog roams all over Duncanville.”
So, I went back around the van to try to loop the dog who was, by now, nearly being cuddled by the kid.
But the dog must have a fear of men and leashes and when I got a few steps from them, the dog began to panic and fight the girl's grasp and bolted. I was afraid if the kid had held onto the dog, the fearful dog might have accidentally hurt her.
A fat man with a leash was no match for this quick, slippery, adult-fearful dog.
The mom finished pumping her gas and the kid got into the van and the dog tried but was discouraged.
As you can see from the first photo (click on it to make it larger), the dog had no fear standing in front of the van. And when the van pulled away and onto Main Street, the dog went racing alongside.
In the photo at the intersection, you can see the van at the stoplight, the dog sitting by the door.
The van drove on, the dog ran after it and that’s the last I saw of them both.
Guilt? Sure. What else should I have done? A crazy old guy in a pickup follows a mom and kids in a van? A dog runs until its heart is broken?
Perhaps, if that dog really does “roam all over Duncanville,” someone will stop the roaming in a very kind fashion and give the dog a reason to stay put. Maybe the dog actually has a human.
A veteran animal rescuer once counseled me, “Sometimes you find out that all you can do is say a prayer and try to move on.”
DALLAS ANIMAL SERVICES: A couple of editions ago Readlarrypowell.com ran photos of a Beagle mix, a mom and her puppy and a brown dog named Elvis from Dallas Animal Services. DAS Animal Control Officer and recue group coordinator Mark Cooper sent out a note at mid-morning Friday that reads: “Please help these three super sweet dogs find a loving home before it’s too late!!  They have until the close of business on the 21^st then they will be humanely euthanized. PLEASE help me help them!! If you are interested in any of the above. Please let me know soon as I can tag them for your group.”
E-mail Mark.cooper@dallascityhall.com.
TWO DOGS NEEDING SOME HELP: The veteran shelter walker, Debbie Barclay, has a fine eye for spotting the good dogs in the world. Oh, heck, they’re all good to her. But now and then she spots some “special” dogs.
That’s the case with these two who are currently in the Prairie Paws Adoption Center in Grand Prairie. She says they “could really use a helping hand.”
We’re happy to try to connect these special dogs with the helping hands.
In the photo to the left you have Dog 099105 – name is Louie and he’s a 6- or 7-yearold neutered Lab mix. He’s housebroken and microchipped and, Debbie’s note reveals, “his family was notified but, sadly, did not come for him.” He’s described as “a delight and being with him is like being with an old friend; he has wonderful manners, walks great on leash and gets along great with other dogs.”
That other dog (099249) is Munchie, a 3-year-old Rottweiler/Corgi mix.  
(Soapbox moment from Larry:  A Rottie/Corgi mix? Nah, there’ s no need for a spay/neuter program around here. The entire world is calling out for more Rottie/Corgi mixes so shelters will always have odd adoptable dogs. Yep. let ‘em all go forth and multiply like rabbits! Whew, help me off this soapbox – I feel the boards starting to bend.)
Munchie is sociable, friendly with most other dogs, playful and loves to “chase balls and toys on his stubby little legs. Unusual and adorable looking,” the Prairie Paws report reads.
To ask about adopting or rescue these dogs or any other critters, e-mail jhorn@gptx.org or call Jerry Horn at 972-237-8571 or (cell) 972-897-3066. The Prairie Paws Adoption Center is at 2222 W. Warrior Trail in Grand Prairie.
CONTEMPLATIONS: I was looking up one thing and ran across something else, specifically, that January is, according to the Association of National Pet Dog Trainers, “National Train Your Dog Month.”  That’s good since, near as I can tell, the other 11 months are “National Dogs Training Humans Months.” ... Speaking of significant celebrations: While dining at Norma’s in Oak Cliff, we spotted a notice than Jan. 23 is National Pie Day. Turns out this is as declared by the National Pie Council. Two things: (1) You cannot beat Norma’s for pie any day of the year (unless my own piespouse Martha has been at work, of course) and  (2) I am applying for a job with the National Pie Council, perhaps in the testing lab if they have one.  ... My friend Lee Zethraus spotted this VW commercial and sent it to me. I love music, particularly when properly performed. You’ll see it and hear it in a Super Bowl TV ad when you click HERE.  Come Monday, we can watch video of trained dogs barking on National Pie Day – is this a great country or what?
--- To comment, click below. ---

Big, sweet souls and the challenges of life...

Before you read about how you can help some desperate animals (including a dog who has been rejected twice over nothing), consider this example of the curiosity of life:
The new Fort Worth Independent School District Superintendent, whose actions may affect the fate of a generation of children, will make around $325,000 a year. A 25-year-old, right-handed pitcher from Japan who has never thrown a ball in the big leagues has signed a 6-year, $60 million contract to play a game.
The Dallas Independent School District is still looking for a superintendent and the City of Dallas is looking for a library director – not sure either entity has a headhunter in Japan. That is Inky, the Cocker Laureate of Texas, available to pitch for a mere $1 million a year or direct a municipal library system for the same bargain price. That DISD superintendent job? Six years, $60 million and he’ll think about it.
THE DOGS IN DALLAS: Based on the emails and conversations, Dallas Animal Services has been engaged in its usual pressure-packed week. That's a handsome big ol' black dawg, right? Look at those ears.
Healthy animals and injured animals alike spent time on the clock. How can you have a no-kill city when you don’t have no-kill residents? Ah, there’s the question. Got to be an answer.
Now, I’m admitting to being partial to big ol’ black dawgs, particularly Lab/Great Dane mixes. Our great Hambone Jack was just such a dog – he soars with the angels now and, believe me, he’s got the halo that lights the hereafter. So, when I opened an e-mail from DAS Animal Control Officer Mark Cooper late yesterday and saw this photo of DLF156/A704558, I  (a) saw the rejection record and nearly broke down and (b) contemplated violating the law by going to the shelter and adopting him. Can’t do it, though -- at the limit. It’s up to someone else to save this dog, who, if he were mine, wouldn’t have numbers he’d be named. Probably something like Duke or Hambone Mack or maybe he would tell me the name he prefers. Mister Sugar, maybe.
What’s he like? Officer Cooper says, “This dog is a total gentle giant! He is super sweet and loving, not to mention he’s a very handsome dog. He’s about 1 year old, weighs 78 pounds and appears to be in great health.”
Let me stop right here to tell you there’s more to the story. And Officer Cooper nails the situation perfectly when he adds, “However, he has not been leash trained, so he sits flat on the ground when you try to walk him. This has prevented him from being rescued twice. He does not deserve to be euthanized simply because he isn’t leash-trained. But he is super active when no leash is present!”
Lord knows how he got to be that way. Got to be a human in there somewhere.
Other dogs on the clock include these dogs pictured here: that Beagle/Dachshund mix, a little dog with her puppy and a brown dog who curls his lip. Officer Cooper explains, “He is my favorite dog in this shelter. He stole my heart a week ago and I named him ‘Elvis.’ He smiles when petted and curls his left upper lip just like Elvis Presley. It’ s the coolest thing ever!  He is a HUGE teddy bear and a big time butt-wagger!”
To ask about any of these dogs, e-mail Mark.cooper@dallascityhall.com.
Now, in the meantime, as these dogs were simply surviving in a shelter, two other dogs came in and they were facing dire medical problems Officer Cooper immediately asked for help from the rescue community and DFW Rescue Me responded.
[Aside: Oh, readers, try not to get mad at this one dog’s humans. They’ve not been dealt a winning hand and, well, what are ya gonna do, you know?]
Officer Cooper says the shepherd mix was an owner-surrender. “According to his owners, he was hit by a car over a month ago and they tried to treat the wounds themselves. The leg has been crushed and bones are exposed. He is frightened in the kennel, but very sweet once he’s out and he was a lover while in the lobby with his owners. He’s 44 pounds and looks to be about 2 years old. Even with his injuries he is energetic and allowed his owners to grab his injured arm and everything.”
Then, there is the little terrier mix, a stray who was a lap dog in pain. She is young and weighs about 9 pounds and her leg was “crushed flat and all bones exposed.”
These dogs may still need some help by the time you read this. Email Officer Cooper. See more animals and other shelter details at www.dallasanimalservices.org.
THE BAILEY SITUATION: For some time now, rescuer Deborah Verner has been trying to find a home for this dog Bailey. No dice. No dice at all. The dog was rescued with her pregnant mom, Sadie, from the “tree farm” area along the Seagoville/Dallas line. That was more than a year ago, if memory serves. And Deborah has been working with Bailey, taking her off-site adoptions, writing notes about her and doing just about everything except sell her to a major league baseball team.
So, one day, determined to write Bailey into the heart of someone, I asked Deborah to tell me 5 things she loves about Bailey.
She did. She also added things that need to improve. Here’s what Deb wrote:
“Things I love about Bailey: (1) She is very sweet, and loves giving kisses, (2) She loves running in big circles all around the backyard, (3) She loves playing any type of ball, (4) She gives high fives with her right paw, and shakes with her left paw, and (5) if you tell her to sit, she will automatically go into her frog position...with back legs out behind her.”
Those are among the good things. The “other” list? Deb writes, “Thinks that need to improve: (1) Her potty training isn't up to par no matter how many times she goes outside, (2) She is low to the ground, but very strong and hyper, making walking her difficult, (3) Food aggressive with other dogs, etc.”
You can see the dogs Deb is trying to place by clicking HERE.  Email her at dtrevino60@aol.com.
ANOTHER BONNIE AND CAT STORY: For as long as I have known Bonnie Lovell – and we go back decades because of our common history with the big paper in Dallas – she has been helping animals that are down on their luck. And, as I have told many a person, “Some of the best people people I know are animal people.”
This time Bonnie is trying to help a Denton resident by helping an animal, this cat Sophie. Bonnie says Sophie is the “softest, sweetest, most affectionate snowshoe Siamese cat (half Siamese, half domestic shorthair).”
According to Bonnie, “She's about one year old and urgently needs a new home before the first of the month -- preferably sooner -- when my even-poorer-than-me neighbor has to move into a tiny apartment and can only take her original tiny dog and cat and not her recent rescue who she brought inside to keep her from getting knocked up by one of the neighborhood strays. I have found someone who has volunteered to pay to have her spayed and get all her shots but who can't keep her. I also can't keep her. If [my neighbor] can’t find a forever home right away, perhaps she could at least find a foster home until a forever home is found. (The afore-mentioned benefactor will even provide food.)”
To offer to help this cat, e-mail bonniealovell@gmail.com.
THUNDER CAT: It’s kind of unfair to use a title like that, but I know you suckers for cute cat names will immediately start reading. Thunder Cat – star of a graphic novel? Anime?
Ah, we get the answer from Rebecca Kornblum. She sent out the appeal yesterday.
She wrote, “I was helping someone else with trapping some feral cats and now ‘I’ have a new foster cat in my house. Thunder Cat, or TC as we call her, was named for her big, rumbly purr. She is the sweetest and most docile cat imaginable -- never makes a mess or hisses at anyone but just sits in her little patch of sunshine by the window with a big contented smile on her face. She is wonderful with other cats and hasn't had the opportunity here to be around dogs. She's a quiet and peaceful being who would be great company for someone wanting a friend, human or feline.”
To ask about adopting Thunder Cat the Magnificent Purrer, call 214-293-5787 or e-mail rkornblum2@yahoo.com.
PHAROAH GETS A BREAK: I’ve saved this until near the end of today’s report – it’s like saving the best bite of pie until last. It’s a tasty morsel.
For a couple of weeks this dog Pharaoh has been dodging the needle at the Carrollton Animal Survives Shelter. But he’s also been subject of many an email and a conversation or two.
And, finally, we discovered yesterday, that Pharaoh has made it out of the shelter and into the care of the Justin Animal Alliance. We got the news from Carrollton volunteer Leticia Beauchamp who told us that the Justin Animal Alliance, fueled by founder Shelley Soniat and volunteers, had claimed big Pharaoh.
You can read more about Justin Animal Alliance HERE. After all, Pharaoh’s off Death Row, but he still needs a home.
CONTEMPLATIONS: First lines of titled but unwritten novels:
The Whistling Dog – “The pushbutton transmission on the baby blue 1961 Dodge Pioneer bewildered him and, yet, he was strangely at home in Havana because he had a dog named Dimitri who could whistle while dancing and who, according to legend, had once bitten Fidel Castro in the wallet pocket....”
Jump Shot – “After the game, the Mixed Species League commissioner explained to the press that the rules of competition did not forbid employing a kangaroo but, still, it was against the law to shoot at a kangaroo in mid-jump if he has legal possession of the ball at the time and has either one foot or one tail on the court and is not called for traveling.”
In the Money Huddle – The shock wave raced through the community when residents realized the new quarterback’s contract called for him to serve six months of the year as the superintendent of the school district because, as the board president said, “Anybody smart enough to get that much money for throwing a ball is bound to be smart enough to run a school system.”
Inky, the Cocker Laureate of the State of Texas, suggests that I may need to be seen to. Thank you for your patience. Be kind to animals.
--- To comment, click below. ---

At midweek, many facets of the world...and one cold room...

Today’s Readlarrypowell.com report involves wayward cats, a filling station dog, an old guy in Fort Worth, a beloved fellow named Simba and other topics. We’ll also address the coldest – the absolute coldest – room in Dallas, Texas.
THE HARDWARE CAT: I went to the hardware store for plumbing and found a cat.
I didn’t keep the cat. Not that I’m not interested. The cat isn’t interested. Another cat too clever for its own good.
This black and white cat – believed to be a girl – has taken up residence on the planting material inventory they keep on the walk in front of the big windows.
The store is Westlake Ace Hardware in DeSoto. The cat just showed up, one of the guys told me. They’re feeding the cat and wondering what to do next. I figured if I mentioned this ultra-cute, not-quite-totally unsocial cat here, maybe someone would pursue a rescue. It isn’t like the odds are on this cat’s side in a busy parking lot. The store is at 324 E. Beltline in DeSoto, a few blocks east of the Hampton Road intersection.
THE APARTMENT CAT: This cat appears to be a stray living in a Dallas apartment complex near Maple and Knight in Oak Lawn. Veteran rescuer Deborah Verner hunted her down after being told that “a young white cat was sleeping in a clump of monkey grass in a flowerbed outside the apartment building.”
The first day, she couldn’t find it. The second day, it was in its usual spot in the flower bed. This photo shows it moving between its traditional two resting spots – the flowerbed or “hiding under a truck parked a few feet away.”
Deborah’s been feeding the cat this week. “I’m trying to gain its trust,” she says.
The cat appears to have a pronounced protrusion on its right side – not sure if it’s an injury or a result of being way pregnant.
To offer to help this cat, e-mail dtrevino60@aol.com. And, of course, we can't mention Deb without reminding you that she is still trying to find a home for Bailey, the black adn white terrier mix. Go ahead, ask her about helping with the cat and adopting Bailey, too. No rule says you can't do both.
THE SERVICE STATION DOG: We don’t have a photo of this dog, but we do have a word picture from veteran animal advocate Kim Polen.
She got this story from a friend whose interest in the situation dropped dramatically after the handoff of the info. Here’s the story from Kim: “There is a Red Pit Bull mix that was very skinny and it was obvious she had pups someplace. She was begging for food and my friend gave her what food she could. It just breaks my heart she did not see the pups but she said momma was skin and bones.
“She was begging for food at the Valero at Lake June Road and 635. I Googled it and the address is 12531 Lake June Rd in Balch Springs. The number for that Valero is 972-289-2488. If you could get the word out or pass on to a group in that area I would appreciate it. I know nobody in that area to call.”
There you have it. Momma dog at a filling station – that always works out nicely.
PRAYERS & PASSAGES: Simba, who took over the house and hearts of Andy Allen and her husband John, has gone on. Andy writes a wonderful tribute to this dynamic personality on our Prayers & Passages page today. (Click on the Prayers & Passages button in the upper right corner of this page.)
STRUT YOUR MUTT/WIZARD OF PAWZ AT THE SPCA: Those SPCA folks are hustling without taking a break
The SPCA of Texas is already registering participants for the April 28 Strut Your Mutt 2012 at Fair Park. (Click that logo to make it larger.) The aim is to get even more participants than last year. More than a thousand people and pets showed up for the festival. Register online at www.spca.org.
And of course, coming up on Jan. 29 is the Paws Cause 2012: The Wizard of Pawz fundraiser at Sambuca in Uptown Dallas. It benefits the SPCA of Texas Village Fair Spay/Neuter & Wellness Clinic.
Tickets are $150 each and you can get them HERE. There’ll be an auction, raffles, and a $25 cork pull – that’s a game of chance for charity, not a contest involving rescued sled dogs and opening champagne bottles. Get details at www.spca.org and navigate to “events” and Paws Cause.
Cute logos, eh? Don’t know who did ‘em. Always happy to give credit to the artists.
A STRUTTABLE MUTT? Maybe, maybe not. He’s a little old and right now he’s in a fix. He’s at the Fort Worth Animal Care & Control Shelter and he’s on the rapid clock.
We heard around him through Houston contact Alexandra Kelsey who heard about him through rescuer Susan Austin Jones who is a volunteer for a DFW Lab rescue group. She ran across this dog at the Fort Worth shelter.
She wrote, “My heart was stolen by this 8-9 year old senior heeler/Aussie/cattle dog mix, so I am trying desperately to save him.  He came in as a stray on 12/9, went into adoptions, had an adopter, but the adopter never showed...twice....Grrrr!!!  He is currently in the rescue-only album for being, so his days are numbered.  He is potty-trained, his kennel remains spotless, very sweet, calm and mellow. He does have a patch of hair missing from his rump, but appears to be ok, otherwise.  I know everyone is so full right now, but I thought I would see if you guys had room for this guy or could put me in contact with anyone who could help.  I have Lab contacts across the country, but no contacts for this breed, so am feeling a bit helpless.  I wanted to check Texas rescues first, before I put out a plea nationwide.  Transport is so hard on these seniors, so I would love to keep him in the state.  Please let me know if you can help him.”
Contact Susan at susan_austin_jones@yahoo.com.
AN OLD LAB GIRL AT THE LAKE: Holy smoke, look at this face. This is Jasmine and she needs someone to love her. That’s the story we get via Sydney Busch at Friends of the Animals at Cedar Creek Lake. She’s been in touch with Krista Mc Anally, director of the Humane Society of Cedar Creek Lake Shelter at Tool, Texas, about an hour or so southeast of Dallas.
Sydney’s note heartbreakingly reads, “This absolutely gorgeous dog deserved better than to be dumped at a shelter when the owner got tired of her. She is a bit arthritic (but aren't we all??) and is heartworm positive (but that is not a factor for her now.)”
The dog is 12 -- barely late middle-aged in a loving, attentive home.
The note reads, “Please can someone take this wonderful dog and let her live out her life in peace and love?”
This morning Krista tells us that the dog's problems seem to be nothing that can't be fixed with a little time and care -- she got the dog into a foster home so she could get a better look at these challenges. But Jasmine appears, so far, to be adoptable. [Larry aside: Now and then you see why these places are called "shelters" -- they live up to the name by giving shelter to animals that need a break.]
Contact director Mc Anally at dogshsccl@yahoo.com or call 903-432-3422.
MOVING UP: As you digest the assorted conditions of animals in your own neighborhood, or the neighborhood you drive through to get to work or the animal plights you helped with or read about, consider this: Texas is moving up in the animal protection rankings. See the story in the Texas Tribune HERE.
THE BLACK AND WHITE OF SHOW BUSINESS: The folks with Pegasus Theatre in Dallas are, as is the company’s tradition, in black and white again – this time detective  Harry Hunsaker is up against the evil Dr. Big in a production called The Frequency of Death. It’s a murder mystery set in the studios of radio station WKIL.
And, if you haven’t guessed by now, that is a photo of Harry as portrayed by the playwright and creator of the series of “Living Black & White” productions, Kurt Kleinmann. (That photo is by Mark Oristano, the local broadcaster and actor who has become a noted photographer.)
The Frequency of Death is in the middle of its run at the Eisemann Center in Richardson, then moves to the MCL Grand Theater in Lewisville for another week of performances. You can get the details and purchase tickets by going HERE. What makes these productions remarkable, other than the fact that you’ll find more laughs than two months of any Real Housewives From Anywhere series, is that they are, indeed, in “Living Black & White,” a trademarked process that makes the stage and the actors look as if they’re from old, late-night, black and white movies on TV.
Audience members are treated to witty dialogue, action, mystery and all the good things of live theater with the added touch of the atmosphere. FYI, the star and producer Barbara Weinberger, who plays a key colorful role in the production, are, indeed, animal fans.
A NOTE FROM LAST WEEK’S ANIMAL SHELTER COMMISSION MEETING: When the public comments portion of the meeting finally arrived – yep, it was a long meeting – one of the speakers was Stephen Benavides, representing the North Texas Association of Public Employees and United Steelworkers Local 9470.
He asked about a couple of issues at the shelter. One is an alleged incident in which an employee was injured when using euthanasia fluid as a cleaning agent. Shelter Manager Jody Jones said the shelter keeps the euthanasia fluid – a controlled substance – locked away in an entirely different part of the shelter. Mr. Benavides countered that he had a photo showing otherwise. Then, they moved on with polite promises to enlighten each other and get to the bottom of the story.
Mr. Benavides also brought up claims that he’d heard – that back in the late summer and early fall, the employees who were about to lose their jobs in the city's “Reduction in Force” at the shelter were forced to train their replacements, the city’s vaunted “temporary workers.” He said he thought such actions might have been bad for morale.  There was no city response. But, Assistant City Manager Joey Zapata, who had engineered the transition, was out of the room at the time. He has been a staunch supporter of the "temporary labor" method of staffing the shelter and employed the commission earlier in the meeting to continue to monitor it and "give it a chance."
Not sure what any of this means except that the union folks are watching developments in the city labor pool.
[Larry aside: Some of us who've been 'riffed' think this train-your-replacement practice is  not a morale question but a morality question.Texas, however, is a right-to-work state meaning that you have the right to work without having to join a union. Of course, the actual right-to-work practice is that your employer has a right to sack your unsuspecting backside for  any ol' whim or to cover up errors in managerial judgement or to fool investors into keeping the faith.  To borrow from renowned philosopher/entrepreneur Michael Corleone, "It's not personal....It's business."  Yeah, and I'm a ballerina. Now, help me off this soapbox before the slats crash through and two union crews argue over whether picking up injured fat men is in the hydraulic contract or the big crane contract.]
CONTEMPLATIONS: Please allow one more note about the most recent meeting of the Dallas Animal Shelter Commission in Room 6E South – sixth floor of Dallas City Hall, right next to the City Council Chambers.
Even during the intense summers in Dallas, it is the coldest room in town. Why should anything be any different in the winter?
I’ve been a professional journalist since 1965 and it’s the first time I ever covered an indoor meeting in which the participants wore gloves and scarves and members of the audience left to go get more winter clothing. One hoped they’d bring back a chiminea or an electric heater. [This type is blue to represent the dominant color of extremities in the room that day.].
When the meeting was over, people didn’t stand up to leave – they had to be chipped free and thawed.
It was so cold the city catering director could hang meat in there. If I were a wise-acre, I’d say that room is where they store the hearts of former mayors, but I’ve known a few of those mayors and at least one – maybe two – didn’t have hearts.
Perhaps at night, when they turn off the lights, the city’s vampires meet in 6E South and rehearse the stage version of Twilight. Some say city hall is zoned for bloodsuckers. I’m kidding – my sense of restraint is still frozen this week.
If it had gotten any colder in that room, the animal shelter commission would have been in danger of polar bear attack. As it was, three penguins had to be discouraged from voting and, honest, I am almost certain a group of Norwegian explorers came through hoping to plant their flag on the West Pole.
--- To comment, click below. ---

On Tuesday, some celebrations. Saved animals, birth of twins, etc.

OK, it’s Tuesday, Jan. 17, 2012, and all of the world’s problems have been solved.

Perhaps I exaggerate. Let’s move on and see what challenges are faced by assorted pockets of civilization. Civilization – I use the term loosely. Oh, yeah, this is Pharoah the Pit's last day if no rescue group gets in touch with Carrollton Animal Services and claims him. He was bumped off death row last week, but it's not going to happen again, the Carrollton folks say. Call the shelter at 972-466-3420 or email CARE@cityofcarrollton.com.
Today’s report:
A GREAT WAY TO START AN EMAIL: “Good news, everyone!” began the early evening note yesterday from Dallas Animal Services Officer Mindy Sewell who had been hustling to find a place for an injured heeler.
You may recall that the dog, suffering from a major leg injury, was left at the Dallas Animal Services’ night drop just before noon (the shelter wasn’t open yet – holiday hours). The note that came with the dog said she’d been attacked by another dog.
Now, most folks would have taken their dog to an emergency vet, but not everybody can afford that and, indeed, sometimes the city shelter is the right place to go – it has limited vet care and people who’ll hustle to help the injured animal among the hundreds that arrive each month.
Officer Sewell, who was subbing for usual rescue coordinator Officer Mark Cooper on the holiday, sent out word that the dog needed more help than the shelter could give her.
By the day’s end, Officer Sewell was able to send out the “good news” note. She wrote, “I am happy to say that Dr. Erin Shults, with Mazie's Mission, came in today to evaluate and she rescued the injured Heeler. She found that the dog had suffered a compound fracture to the lower leg and she will probably have to amputate.”
Officer Sewell reported that a number of people had asked about donating to the dog’s vet treatment. Dr. Shults, as regular visitors to Readlarrypowell.com know, founded Mazie’s Mission to help animals that are down on their luck. You can donate to Mazie’s Mission by going HERE http://maziesmission.org/donations.html.
FYI: Dr. Shults is a member of the no-kill task force, the Dallas Companion Animal Project.
TWO MORE GOOD NEWS E-MAILS:
--PANSY’S RETURN: Marnie Holden had e-mailed us back in early November about this missing dog Pansy. Back on Nov. 4 Pansy left her Canyon Creek neighborhood in Richardson and was gone. Gone. No sign at all.
People did all the right things – put up signs, knocked on doors, checked with shelters, etc. More eyes looking – that’s the best thing. Get more eyes looking.
Here’s what happened, Marnie reported last night: “I told you I'd notify you first thing when Pansy was returned and the happiest of news is that SHE IS HOME with Deirdre! I don't know all the details but supposedly a person who was mowing lawns in our neighborhood found Pansy and gave her to a couple living near Ennis and they saw Pansy's reward poster and called D and -- bottom line -- owner and dog were reunited tonight. Just goes to show what faith, tenacity, and perseverance can do!
“In our world happy endings are so few and far between that I just had to share the good news with you immediately.”
Holy smoke. That is your basic months-long miracle.
--THEN THERE’S POLLY: Last week we told the story of Polly, who had taken advantage of a wind-damaged fence and bolted from the Cohen Family’s back yard and vanished into the area in and around Dallas’ Fretz Park.
Last evening we got a note from Mary Cohen: “Great news!  We found Polly this afternoon after 5 days of searching!!  We are thrilled.  Luckily, she was still in the area.”
Polly was found in an alley behind Fretz Park, Mary said this morning. “There had been many sightings in the past few days but we scoured the area all day every day for 5 days and could not find her!!  Finally, yesterday a neighborhood watch patrolman found her and called me!  We are sooooo happy!”
It's clear, especially, that daughter Katie is thrilled to have her pal Polly back at home. Polly, of course, is in her "good dog" mood in the fluffy indoor bed!
Mary says the entire family is grateful for the help from animal folks and  “We would love to give back to others what we received by us.  It was truly wonderful.”
As my fellow Animal Nuts know, somehow it’s just absolutely good enough to know that an animal will be safe and living in a home where people are “soooo happy” to see them.
CATS IN WACO: There’s a big flap in Waco that has pitted the Heart of Texas Feral Friends against the Waco Founder Lions Club. The Lions want the feral cats gone from the city park they run – this is after years of allowing the Feral Friends group to tend to the cat colony. There were 40 cats five years ago and, because of spaying and neutering and care and management of the colony – with the Lions’ approval – there are but 9 cats left, according to a story on Waco’s WCEN-TV website HERE. You can read the HOT Feral Friends side HERE. You can read about the Waco Founder Lions Club HERE. (Among the WFLC projects: training Leader Dogs.)
As enlightened people know, unfixed cats can multiply like rabbits. Feral cats usually can’t be rehabilitated. Allowing them to live out their lives in a spayed and neutered controlled colony avoids application of the traditional Texas theory of animal management: Got an animal problem? Let’s kill it.
A ROTTIE MIX IN BURNS FLAT: Terry Lynn Fisher, the tireless rescuer in Burns Flat, Okla., way out in the western part of the Sooner State, is trying to help a Rottie-mix named Thomas find a new home. She explains, “This poor sweet boy belonged to a 90-year-old man, given to keep him company. The man really loved and cherished this boy. Sadly, due to health reasons, the man is no longer able to care for him. With tears in his eyes, he surrendered him to the Shelter, with a promise from me I would not let him die.”
So, there’s Terri Lynn trying to live up to a life-saving pledge for a year-old, docked-tailed Rottie mix who has a leg injury. She says, “I have exhausted all funds at my vet, so it might be awhile before I can take him in. ...Once he saw I was a friend, he did cheer up some and come love me. When I took them their morning treat, he was happy to see me.”
Thomas the dog “is used to sleeping in a warm bed at night. Now, he is in an outdoor jail.”
To offer to help Terry Lynn help Thomas, call her at 580-330-1459 or e-mail her at remembering_oddball@yahoo.com. The vet clinic she uses is Elk Creek Clinic, 1301 Industrial Airport, Elk City, Okla., 73644. Call the vet at 580-225-4863.
THE WEST DALLAS UPDATE: Last night Sherry Kunz sent an update on the animals she’s been playing guardian angel to in West Dallas. She opened with “I have good news and sad news.”
You may recall that she, her husband and the legendary Fairy Dogmother of West Dallas Angie Manriquez have been involved in a multiple-dog rescue attempt in a little pocket of what I think we’ll just call “Don’t Care Dallas.” Why else would so many animals be roaming free, sick and injured and pregnant or just born?
Sherry’s note from yesterday reeds, “I took the 2 puppies to the vet this morning. They are 7 - 8 weeks old and in good shape except for scabies. The male whose tail was injured did not have to have it removed. It is healing on its own. They are happy to be reunited and I'm sure will resume their happy puppy personalities as soon as they get used to being indoors. They are on their way to ARF in Sherman tomorrow [Tuesday] morning thanks to Martha Hovers. 
“Now for the sad news.  It has been a very sad and frustrating day. We were unsuccessful in getting the last puppy out today. Angie arrived before my husband and I. The mama and puppy were nowhere to be found. In fact, no dogs were around at all. We looked for several hours, but could not find them.
“The papa was still hold up in the hole where we had pulled the other 2 puppies from. It did not look as if he had moved since the day before. Angie made the decision to call Dallas Animal Services because she was afraid he would die in there. They came out to pull him out and that is when Angie discovered he was only about a year old but had lacerations all over his body plus mange. The worst was a wound to his head. It appeared to be from fighting. Even though he was in horrible pain and bit at the snare around his mouth, he wagged his tail as the DAS officer took him away.
“I was not able to watch this so my husband and I drove around looking for the white Lab. We found her. She has an owner so for the time being that rescue is on hold but we appreciate all the responses for help in rescuing her. DAS called Angie and they said they had to put the papa down. He was in too much pain.
“We were exhausted from the weekend so we decided to call it a day. I told Angie I wouldn't give up if she wouldn't give up. She said she would never give up and she was going to hang out there awhile. Sure enough, the mama and baby came back. We will continue dropping food but are not going to attempt anymore rescues until the weekend. Meanwhile, here are pictures of the sweet babies we save and a Rottie mix that still needs saving if anyone wants to join in next weekend.
To volunteer to help in this project, e-mail  sykunz@att.net.
CONTEMPLATIONS: If you didn’t watch sports on TV, which of these would you watch: Real Housewives of Beverly Hills or the news? ... Paula Dean has diabetes. Some people are outraged that she didn’t confess and kept up with the “bad” recipes until she’d signed an endorsement with a drug company. Which leads me to this question: Why don’t pro athletes do endorsements of bail bond companies? Seems like a natural fit. ... Today is the 41^st birthday of our twins, Bret and Bart, not named for the Mavericks of TV fame. We’d already picked out Bret and were surprised by a second birth and Bart seemed a natural fit. Yep, expected baby, unexpected twins. It was 41 years ago when deliveries were made by guesswork and voodoo. Having these two guys around has been the greatest adventure since man went to the moon, only it took more planning and more unexpected expense than a moonshot. Worth every penny – most days. High points? A zillion. Remembering the little things such as, when rain began to fall on us one afternoon, pre-schooler Bret announced, “It’s sparkling.” Sprinkling and sparkling – not too far apart and even now, when it sprinkles, it sparkles in my world. Toddler Bart couldn’t say “cookies” so now and then, when the mood strikes, I’ll follow his lead and say, “I could sure use a kee-coo.” I don’t know that either of them remembers this stuff. I do – sometimes without even tearing up, too. And they were born on Super Sunday 1971 – the first time the Cowboys played in the Super Bowl. They lost. I missed the entire game. Pardon the tears in my eyes – that’s from the kids, not the game. Yeah, I miss the little boys. And I’ll hug the big boys and I’d love to play one more game of backyard baseball with them. They’re both working today and have their own schedules and I probably won’t see them. But if I did, I’d still remember what they looked like minutes after they were born – precious little guys already growing up too soon. We humans really need to learn to slow down and enjoy the things that move too quickly. I speak from experience.
--- To comment, click below. ---

People, pups and peanut butter...

It’s a Monday holiday – Martin Luther King Day – and we’ll be operating in a holiday mode today along with many of you. Of course, many of you will be working today, too.
It’s America – one person’s holiday is another’s time-and-a-half.  The Readlarrypowell.com staff is on the job today – not working holiday hours, but working a holiday attitude. There might be napping.
But, first, here are some Monday notes:
FROM DAS: On Sunday afternoon, the folks at Dallas Animal Services began looking for a rescue group to take over care of this heeler mix.
Animal Control Officer Mindy Sewell’s reported that the dog had been put into the shelter’s “night drop right before opening at noon.”
She also says that the dog-dropper left a note said “she was attacked by a pitbull and sustained injuries to her front left leg.” Readlarrypowell.com wants to point out that we have no proof that the injuries came from an attack by a pit. Could have been any dog. Sometimes people are dramatic.
The shelter gave the dog some painkiller and antibiotics, but “due to her pain, she has not let us examine her injuries,” ACO Sewell wrote in her plea for a rescue group to take the dog. Because of the dog’s inability to trust someone at the shelter to look after her, the decision was made to euthanize her if no rescue group would take her.
This morning ACO Sewell reports that one rescuer has said she’ll pick the dog up at noon (the shelter opens at 11 on this holiday schedule). At least two other groups have shown interest in helping the dog. You can see how to contact DAS by going to www.dallasanimalservices.org. Also, you can stop by the shelter at I-30 and Westmoreland.
THE LATEST FROM WEST DALLAS: You may recall that on Friday we included, along with our report on the Dallas Animal Shelter Commission meeting and the Dallas Companion Animal Project (the no-kill task force) a report from rescuer Sherry Kunz and her frustrations in dealing with stray and neglected dogs in a pocket of West Dallas.
Today we have her report on responses for her “plea for help and advice for a mama and 3 puppies and many other strays in West Dallas off of Bernal south of Singleton.”
Naturally, you’re going to recognize right away that the angel who showed up was the woman known city-wide as the Fairy Dogmother of West Dallas,
Sherry writes, “With the help of Angie Manriquez, we were able to rescue 2 of the puppies and they will be going into a rescue group on Tuesday. One puppy is still with the mama. Angie has also gotten the injured dog, who has a really bad case of sarcoptic mange, into a group in Salina. She also has gotten the owners to allow her to take the other male dog in to SPCA to be neutered.
“In trying to rescue the 3rd puppy... we discovered even more stray dogs. One of which is a young white female Lab [left] who is extremely smart and friendly. She knows how to sit and tried to play soccer with the kids in the park. Angie is planning on picking her up [Monday], but will have no other recourse but to take her to Dallas Animal Services. She has no room and neither do I”
But that’s not all.
“We also found that the papa of the puppies is very sick and Angie thinks he is dying,” says Sherry.
And there’s more.
“We also found a Rottie mix who has an ear infection that is so bad, the fluid has drained down into his neck and looks like a tumor. If these dogs cannot be saved, they need to be humanely put to rest. We need help in trapping these dogs. With the exception of the white Lab, they are very afraid of humans.”
To help by taking the white dog or trying to get the others into medical care or some safe haven, call 214-232-6559 or e-mail sykunz@att.net.
KNOCK ON THE DOOR:  There are many, many big dogs at Collin County Animal Services in McKinney and they all face euthanasia constantly because of the, indeed, constant intake of more and more animals. Allison Roberts, the volunteer shelter walker, sends word this morning that though the shelter is closed for the holiday, it’s staffed from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. for rescuers to make contact. E-mail ldrummonds@co.collintx.us and animalshelter@co.collin.tx.us to let them know you’re coming. Or, Allison advices, when you show up “knock on the door or window until someone sees you.”
Yep, in the age of electronic communications, sometimes you still have to rap your knuckles on the door.
THE DOG ON STAGE:  Usually we get spay/neuter or rescue news from our pal Sydney Busch with the Friends of the Animals at Cedar Creek Lake. This time it’s a show biz tip. Sylvia is helping raise money for the cause.
There is a notable history to this animal-friendly play scheduled Jan. 29 at Mabank Middle School.
It’s called Sylvia and it’s by noted playwright A.R. Gurney and on the New York stage in 1995, the title role (the blonde dog adopted by a couple) was played by Sarah Jessica Parker.  The New York Times drama critic at the time,  Vincent Canby, described it as “critic-proof...at least for anyone who has ever owned a dog...”  In that production, Sylvia’s humans were portrayed by Charles Kimbrough (of Murphy Brown fame and Blythe Danner – yep, mom of Gwyneth Paltrow.
As you may suspect, when the husband finds Sylvia in the park and brings her home, conflict and comedy arise. 
Sylvia takes the stage at Mabank at 2 p.m. on Sunday, Jan. 29. Tickets are $10 each. You can get them at the Bluebonnet Emporium in gun Barrel City or at the Friends spay/neuter clinic in GBC (love that abbreviation) on Tuesdays while they’re operatin’.  You can also e-mail sydney@friendsoftheanimals.org or call 903-451-4701.
Proceeds go to the Friends and to the Spay/neuter Support Services of East Texas (a non-profit planning a spay/neuter clinic in Tyler).
FYI, Mabank is about an hour southeast of Dallas on Highway 175 – it’s a quick easy hour with some pretty landscapes.  The Handbook of Texas says the town was named for two ranchers, G.W. Mason and Thomas Eubank, owners of the Mason-Eubank Ranch, who established the townsite.  Also, about that Sunday afternoon performance – it’s not going to conflict with a Dallas Cowboys playoff game.
HOMER FROM HOUSTON? PHAROAH FROM THE STREETS? We have two situations involving the Carrollton Animal Services Shelter. One has to do with a big ol’ friendly pit fellow named Pharoah who dodged the needle last week.
The other involves a dog named Homer (for now) who wound up in Carrollton – someone posted him on Craig’s List as a dog from Houston who’d wound up in Carrollton. The Carrollton folks said he came to them with Irving Animal Services tags. We were alerted to Homer’s situation by our Houston tipster Alexandra Kelsey who’d seen the List listing.
Whatever the case, Homer is on the clock in Carrollton. And so is Pharoah.
We may never know the story of Homer – for all anybody can tell, he caught a bus in Vegas and was trying to get to Winstar when he was picked up in Carrollton.
We don’t know the history of Pharoah, either, just his present. Presently he’s on the clock in Carrollton – he avoided death last week only to face the challenge this week. As you can tell from the photo, he’s a dynamic tail-wagger. He may be coming down with a cold, the shelter folks say. You can see him playing HERE.
To ask about any animal in the Carrollton shelter, call 972-466-3420 or e-mail care@cityofcarrollton.com. And, yes, Pharoah is available ONLY to rescue groups.
CONTEMPLATIONS: Hmmm. Tom Brady of the New England Patriots. So that’s what a real NFL quarterback looks like. Nope, that’s what an unreal quarterback looks like. ... Chew this one over: Peanut butter and WHAT kind of jelly? ...  A holiday note. When I reach MLK Day I always find myself contemplating the American life I’ve witnessed from the first time I saw a “Colored” entrance at a movie theater, a “Colored” water fountain and “Colored” people pointed toward the back of a city bus. I grew up in a segregated school system – and, as an old guy now, I wonder how many friends we missed making because we didn’t get to meet those other kids. Here’s the bottom line: People can be so relentlessly stupid. I hope we grow out of that someday.
---To comment, click below. ---

Weekend notes...

BE ON THE LOOKOUT: On Saturday, a day when Dallas parks may be filled with people, perhaps someone will be in the area around Fretz Park and spot this wandering dog, Polly.
Mary Cohen and family have been looking for the Lab mix since Wednesday night. “Part of our fence blew over from the strong winds,” Mary says, and, of course, Polly took advantage of the opening.
On Friday afternoon, the Cohens got a call reporting that she’d been seen at Fretz Park at Hillcrest and Beltline. “We raced there but she was gone. I drove around the area for about 3 hours.”
Mary says the effort to find Polly continues again today. Right after Polly vanished, the family began a campaign to find her, putting up posters, placing notices on Facebook, calling in a tracker, contacting area shelters and going through the neighborhood repeatedly.
Polly, 2, was adopted from Operation Kindness when she was a puppy. “My daughter (and sons) are so sad – I think I’m even sadder.” In fact, on Thursday, Mary says, “I had to pick my daughter up from school...because she is so upset.”
Polly is microchipped and was wearing a collar and tags. Her general neighborhood is between Arapaho and Beltline along Hillcrest. If you’ve seen Polly or know her whereabouts, call 917-716-6976.
REMINDERS: Rescue groups and sanctuaries and shelters conduct off-site adoptions at area pet stores and other places on the weekends. Shelters are open for business. Each time you adopt an animal you (a) give an animal a promise of a life, (b) open up a cage so an animal can have a safe haven or (c) get an animal out of a facility where everyone is on the clock. Some of us already have full houses -- we're at our city limits or at our financial limits or both. If you don't have an animal and can make room, this is your chance. If you can't take an animal but want to help, you can always volunteer to do such work as walking dogs and cuddling cats. Did you have something else to do this weekend? Pretty sure you weren't going to a Dallas Cowboys playoff game.
--- To comment, click below. ---

No empty chairs in a sleepy home...

Because we’ve been fighting a household cold during these early days in January, the seating arrangements in the pax domicile at Readlarrypowell.com have been subject to change.
For example, my sufferingspouse Martha, usually a resident of this old golden recliner that belonged to her dad, Johnny Muse, abandoned it for the sickbed.
With the chair empty, someone took over. And here they are, comfortably in the spotlight for this weekend’s Let Sleeping Dogs Lie & Napping Cats Nap. (We’d love to feature YOUR animals – send their slumbering photos to dallrp@aol.com.) And FYI, the white dog is about 1/3 the size of the black dog.  I shot this photo from above the back of the chair and the camera played tricks here as the white dog stretched out on top of the curled up black dog.
Once the dogs realized Martha wasn’t going to be passed out in the recliner, they immediately took up guard positions to keep anyone else from enjoying the comfy old chair. It is, by the way, a magnificent place in which to nod off during sporting events and low-key motion pictures.
Our sleepers include Texas Earl the Cheeseman, a handsome Rottweiller found in Kiest Park after being dumped by someone who didn’t come back for him. I watched him run up to car after car and dejectedly walk away when he didn’t recognize the driver. I took him home to treat his broken heart.
 Earl quickly stepped into the recliner and grabbed the cushion-level position.
As you may suspect, Earl pretty much takes up most of any chair he sits on or flops in. Pretty comic presence on a bar stool – I’m kidding. He doesn’t go to bars.
Shortly after Earl grabbed the cushion, Porche grabbed a spot atop Earl. She’s the little possible Jack Russell/French Bulldog/Urban Shark mix who showed up on our front porch one Christmas season with clearly visible ribs and a wicked limp in the right rear leg. Full name is Porche Noel – found on the porch at Christmas. She no longer limps and you can’t see her ribs.
She is a determined dog but no matter how much she turned and twisted she couldn’t get Earl to abandon the chair. He is the Resolute Rottie.
(Please send us photos of your sleeping dogs and napping cats and any other beast who slumbers at your household. We love giving them a prominent weekend spot on the World Wide Web. Send photos and info to dallrp@aol.com. Remember, animals who sleep in your house are setting a good example for insomniacs. Bless all their hearts.)

The task force and the killing -- a plan to save lives in Dallas

The City of Dallas Animal Services Shelter is operating short-handed and there is no instant cure for beating this town’s dreadfully huge animal kill rate down to zero, the Dallas Animal Shelter Commission and an audience of about 10 people were told Thursday.
There is, however, a plan to provide consistent, educated pushback against the tradition of euthanizing healthy, adoptable animals in Dallas. 
HOW BIG IS THE CHALLENGE?
In fiscal year 2010-11, the Commission’s annual report shows, the taxpayer-funded shelter killed 21,763 animals (mostly dogs and cats) – it took in 31,191 animals and killed two-thirds of them. That’s around 450 to 500 animals killed each week --- sometimes maybe more, depending on the adoptions and rescues-- that were killed to make room for the next load of unwanted animals.
You think you can find hundreds of homes a week that’ll take on the responsibility of an animal that is already regarded as unwanted? All the goodhearts that would take in these animals have already taken in the city limit – maybe more. Rescue groups are full, as are other area shelters.
The Companion Animal Project, the city-appointed task force assigned to come up with a way to get Dallas out of the dog and cat killing business, has been working on this since August and has come up with a plan that is designed to make the city no-kill within five years.
This plan depends on that most elusive of elements: Human cooperation. Call Love Field and clear the air – it’s time for pigs to fly.
OK, that was a wisecrack. But maybe it’ll get the attention of people who will be critical to this effort, not just the people who will be critical about it. 
DETERMINING RESPONSIBILITY
Yes, if this plan goes according to the task force’s ambition, humans are going to be (a) asked to be, (b) encouraged to be and (c) educated how to be responsible animal owners. Some will volunteer to work toward the goal, some will be drafted and some will be aggressively oblivious.
Money and energy will be spent on reaching into this sprawling city and making its ignoramuses and dunces aware of their responsibilities in lowering the euthanasia rate.
The Dallas Companion Animal Project’s report, titled “A Strategy For Transforming Dallas Into a ‘No-Kill’ Community,” was presented to the commission by task force chair Rebecca Poling, also member of the commission. She was asked to serve by Assistant City Manager Joey Zapata, the former Code Compliance Director who has worked with the shelter and under the commission’s influence during its most recent personnel and policy challenges. Members and advisors of the task force include some of the most veteran animal welfare people in the area and in other parts of the nation. Their goal was common: Stop the killing. (The Project’s website is HERE. The report is not posted as of Friday morning.)
BREAKING AN OLD FATAL HABIT
The mass killings at the Dallas Animal Services shelters -- there used to be two old traditional "pounds" -- have been a habit forever in Dallas. The city has long held to the traditional Texas theory: Got an animal problem? Let’s kill it.
So, breaking with tradition is the challenge. First, the task force will attempt to gain the Dallas City Council’s support of the effort, then, with that solid backing, it will reach out to the residents and ask for their partnership in protecting lives and preventing unwanted births of litter after litter of animals destined to die.
The task force report was accepted in a unanimous vote by the commission with the agreement that it should be forwarded to the Dallas City Council. The members of the commission will brief their council members on the project and attempt to gain their support in making the plan an official reality.
SIX AREAS OF EMPHASIS
In shorthand (the report is much more explanatory), the six key areas of emphasis are Awareness and Education, Feral and Community Cats Programs, Fundraising, High-Volume Free and Low-cost Spay/Neuter Programs,  Pet Owner Outreach and Pet Placement Support.
SHELTER CHALLENGES
Some things came up at the Animal Shelter Commission meeting that may affect the way this project proceeds:
-- The shelter’s staff will need to be filled to full capacity – but the shelter is short of personnel in key positions right now, though the commission was told that there is an effort to fill the spots such as a manager and investigators. Since last October’s reduction in force, some positions have gone unfilled. Temporary workers have filled many positions -- not positions requiring experience and knowledge of shelter policies and methods. But hiring done by city hall must follow certain rules to give current employees a shot at the jobs and all the rules and quirks lead to a hiring process that moves at what can best be described as “glacial speed.” The needs for some of these jobs were identified last summer and the process is still creaking along like a biplane in the jet age.
-- The shelter’s data base is undergoing revitalization. This means that the shelter will be collecting information about such things as where surrendered animals come from, why they were surrendered, etc. This information is generally available but not readily available – the task force had some of this info, but not all when making its recommendations. The senior voices on the task force, however, were veterans of animal welfare and have more than passing knowledge of why animals wind up in the Dallas Shelter. (In the latter portion of today’s report, you’ll get an idea of what happens on the streets.)
-- There is a stall in contracting of the SPCA of Texas to serve as the cruelty investigation arm of the shelter (which is operating with minimal designated investigators right now – one for the entire city). Lawyers are about to launch a confab to figure out what’s legal and what isn’t. (FYI: Anita White of Basenji Rescue spoke at the end of the meeting – she was against giving the SPCA the legal power to go into peoples’ homes and property and investigate. She was basing her opposition on an e-mail campaign distributed by an organization whose name neither she nor her companion could remember. At the end of the meeting, Ms. White got to meet SPCA President James Bias who had come in late – he’d been a press open house for the new SPCA of Texas shelter. He is a delightful guy who managed to charm all involved in the post-meeting conversation and explain that the SPCA isn’t interested in anything but helping animals when it comes to cruelty investigations. Though Ms. White said she could not remember the name of the organization that warned her about the SPCA’s invasion of personal rights, the points she made appeared to mirror those made in e-mails this week from representatives of the RPOA – the Responsible Pet Owners Alliance. RPOA’s Texas Outreach folks are vocal about their distrust of the Texas Humane Legislation Network, the SPCA and anybody who takes animals from puppy millers and hoarders. )
[UPDATE FRIDAY EVENING: Mary Beth Duerler, the executive director of RPOA, sent Readlarrypowell.com an e-mail suggesting that the linking of the anti-SPCA comments to RPOA was "defaming" the RPOA. She also says any comments  in this issue did not come from an RPOA e-mail. We have cited an e-mail that was more than just similar to the comments made at the meeting. She says they didn't come from the RPOA because only she issues RPOA e-mail announcements. Thought you Readers would like to know this in case similar e-mails also show up in your inbox. --Larry]
THOUSANDS OF ADOPTABLES DIE EACH YEAR
The bottom line in Dallas is the city is killing thousands and thousands of perfectly adoptable and loveable animals a year and there is no place for them to go right now to avoid the needle. Rescue groups pull some animals and people adopt some animals and all the while there are people who don’t spay and neuter their dogs and cats and there are people who don’t properly house and contain their dogs and cats and there are people who don’t care what happens to their animals.  That's where the unwanteds come from -- a development from the hearts of the unenlightened and the unconcerned.
All of that will have to change if the task force plan is to work.
A CITIZEN’S REPORT THAT DEMONSTRATES THE DESPERATE STATE OF ANIMALS IN DALLAS
As I was writing the above meeting report, including the need for human cooperation to save animals, a note arrived from rescuer Sherry Kunz, a veteran of saving animals – and a veteran of frustrating conditions in Dallas.
She worked  Thursday – couldn’t go to the afternoon meeting. But, in the evening of the day she was facing a perplexing situation. Here is her story:
“I have been feeding some dogs on Bernal Street, just south of Singleton, in West Dallas since early summer.”
Just FYI, readers: That is about a stone’s throw from the City of Dallas Animal Shelter at I-30 and Westmoreland, and not far from the SPCA of Texas on Lone Star Drive, either.
FINDING THE ANIMALS
Sherry continues: “I was able to get a female German Shepherd mix out and into a loving home. While doing this, I found that 2 of the other dogs had an owner but not one that took care of them.
“I have continued to drop food for these 2. I had not been seeing them since the temperature drop, so my husband and I cruised the neighborhood last Saturday to make sure they were still there. We found them and 9 others.
“While looking for them, we saw 4 more dogs hanging out on Tallyho Street around an area where people dump trash. We dropped some food there. Two were friendly and 2 were very afraid. We continued cruising the neighborhood but did not see the original dogs. We decided to go ahead and drop the food at the usual place. One of the dogs I've been feeding came across the street because he recognized my car. He ate the soft food and left the hard food, which is normal for him.
FROM A PUPPY TO A FIGHTER
“He has been fighting with the other dogs and what once was a happy, young puppy is now a dog with his hair falling out, infected eyes and he has puncture wounds all over his body. After 6 months, this dog still will not let me touch him.
“We decided to continue looking for his brother who I have been able to touch and love on. It was my intention to approach the owner to see if he would relinquish ownership of at least the friendly dog. He was in the yard at the owner's house.
“We stopped and I called out to him, but he didn't show any sign of recognition. A man was outside with both dogs. He didn't shoo them away or try and stop to talk to us. I'm sure they are his dogs, He just doesn't care whether they live or die. We could see the spot where I dropped the food and tons of birds were eating it. I made the decision to stop dropping food and torturing myself. After all this time, I am no closer to getting them off the street.
FINDING MORE DOGS
“We decided to go back to the area we had seen the other 4 dogs and drop the remainder of the food. They were not there but across the street in a wooded area were a mama dog, 3 puppies, around 2-3 weeks old, and what I believe is the papa.
“We got out of the car and they started to scatter but the mama stopped when she saw I was dropping food. We got back in the car and watched her. The papa and the puppies would not come to the food. The mama was so hungry but so weak, that she laid down to eat the food. The puppies are definitely feral. It broke my heart to leave them there in that empty field knowing how cold they would be during the night.
“This is not an area that I can go to by myself. I drive through here on my way to work at 6:15 a.m. every morning. This area is pretty deserted and not safe for a female to venture into in the dark.
WHAT TO DO?
“I don't know what to do or how to help these dogs. I don't have a clue how to catch feral dogs are what to do with them. This is the same situation that I was in when I originally called animal control and they suggested I drop food in one area until they could pick them up. At that time there were 13 dogs....
“These strays continue making more puppies and no one seems to care. I'm so worried about the puppies tonight. They are so cute. I can't stand the thought of them freezing to death. I have a contact who has volunteered to help me dump food and try to provide some shelter for these dogs and maybe try to catch the puppies this weekend. If anybody wants to help or has a better suggestion on what we can do to help them, please contact me at sykunz@att.net.”
There you have it. One or two people trying to help and lord knows how many who just don’t give a damn.
That’s the big obstacle to this Companion Animal Project. To solve the problem this is the starting point: Make people care.
--- To comment, click below. ---

Welcome to Thursday. Please read on and ignore some wild notes...

Howdy, it’s Cowboy Day at Readlarrypowell.com. No particular reason, ah jus lak the sound uh muh spurs jingle jangle jinglin’ when ah type. Yontsum coffee? Cookie’s brewin’ a new pot overtuh chuckwaginn.. ...
Whoops. Whoa, there pardner. Hold on. Forgot I was in Dallas for a second. Cain’t be cowboy day in Dallas – ain’t neither cowboys nor Cowboys. Looks like someone let go of the reins of sanity there for a second. Gotta be the aftermath of this blamed cold. (That is my personal trainer, Inky, giving me the solemn glare that keeps me from thinking I can ride a horse.)  OK, mosey on:
REMINDER: Speaking of herdin’ things, the Dallas Animal Shelter Commission meets at 1:30 p.m. today in Room 6E South at Dallas City Hall. Agenda includes reports on shelter activity, attempts to get the SPCA of Texas investigators as the official city cruelty investigators, progress in the attempt to make Dallas a no-kill city, etc. It’s a free meeting, open to the public and you’ll probably just have to pay to park if you pick a spot at Dallas City Hall.
That cat with the great modern look is a very rare item – she’s 7-year-old formerly stray Ginger, a Polydactyl Tuxedo. You tell her to "toe the line" and she says, "How many?" She is among the hundreds of animals on the clock at the Dallas Animal Services Adoption Center – the shelter this commission monitors. You can see more Dallas animals and how to adopt them by going to www.dallasanimalservices.org.
FYI: Last year the City of Dallas killed thousands of cats and dogs. We’ll get the official figures at today’s meeting. Going no-kill in 2012 looks difficult as long as the general citizenry doesn’t give a darn and doesn’t spay and neuter animals and treat their lives with respect.
DIRE SITUATION FOR SEVERAL ANIMALS: Look, not all the tough spots for animals are in big city shelters.
Consider this big Lab mix – she’s expecting and, if no one steps up, it is likely that she and the litter will all be killed. Nobody wants them. What else is there to do?
We get her story from Maeleska Fletes, the veteran rescuer with Little Forest Hills Animal Alert who also serves on the Dallas Animal Shelter Commission and works with other rescue groups. I mention all that so you’ll know that this situation has been examined by a veteran rescuer.
This dog comes from Quinlan, just about 45 minutes due east of Downtown Dallas.
She was one of several dogs left behind when their human abandoned them at a trailer park in Quinlan. Maeleska says, “The owner moved away and left them. ... When the poor fellow that has been caring for them called the cops they said they cannot do anything. It is like hell out there! I think I could smell the meth cooking!”
Look, this is an ugly story no matter what they’re cooking. Maeleska continues, “One of her buddies was shot and she was almost intentionally run over. She needs an angel. She is around 1 1/2 years old, very pregnant and has no one to turn to.”
This dog and two others from the trailer park are in temporary care at a vet’s office. All need medical work and all are in a tough spot – it’s going to be move them to safety where they can be fostered or kill them.
This particular expectant momma is described as a “very sweet” dog who “walks pretty well on a leash, seems to like other dogs and is due in about 3 weeks!”
Maeleska says that due date puts some pressure on this rescue community. “We must hurry. She will be current on shots and treated for fleas. She needs a place to have her pups and then go to a safe home. She will be euthanized if we do not find a place for her to go.”
So will the other dogs. To help any of them, call 214-766-3577.
ANOTHER BIG PREGNANT DOG NEEDS SOME HELP: Laurie Franchini got in touch with us because of the animal community connections. This story involves a rescued dog – a foundling – who is expecting, who has arrived at a time when she needs some sort of out-of-the-ordinary help.
The dog, Jessy, is about 4 or 5 years old, and is very pregnant. The fellow who has taken her in is in the process of moving a little further “out” from the big Metrosprawl. He currently lives in the Little Elm area.
Laurie explains that the Lab/Pit mix “is currently very far along in her pregnancy. He is in the process of moving to a place further out in the country, however, in the mean time, do you happen to know of a temporary living situation where she can be and have her pups or possibly someone who might be interested in adopting her pups? We are just trying to see what options might be available so that he can still keep her because she is quite beautiful. He is in the process of renovating his trailer and and then moving it.”
So, there’s the challenge: Help a guy who is helping a dog. I know there’s no specific organization that serves as both foster and midwife while a guy who wants the momma dog moves, but you never know if there’s someone who enjoys fostering momma dogs and puppies. To offer to help out, e-mail lauriefranchini@yahoo.com.
CONTEMPLATIONS: Pregnant dogs? Around here? Oh, come on. People always get their dogs “fixed.”   No wonder casinos thrive. I’m betting the same people who bet they can win at roulette also bet that their dog can’t get pregnant. ... You know what really offends me at Dallas City Hall – other than the fact that the leaning design makes the front of the bulding look like a paper-laden vertical landfill? It’s having to pay the meter to park. I already pay taxes. It’s like paying $4 to spend the afternoon sitting still on a tollway. ... Other things irritate me today – but not the cold that has held me captive for 5 days. Today I am free of symptoms and contemplating taking up a jogging program. Wait, maybe I’m still suffering from fever-induced delusions.
--- To comment, click below. ---

Two warm stories and a cold...

Ah, a cup of coffee is a booster this morning! Even with nothing in it.
Now, for you animal people or you people who want to be animal people, here are some reminders of one word or more:
Arlington, Bedford, Irving, Dallas, Fort Worth, Prairie Paws in Grand Prairie, The Colony, Seagoville, Tri-Cities, Plano, Collin County Animal Services,  two great dogs (Chato the Shar-Pei and Pharoah the Pit) at Carrollton Animal Services on the clock TODAY, etc. Pick a shelter, there’s an adoptable at peril.
And rescue groups – if citizens adopt from rescue groups, that makes room for rescue groups to take animals out of city shelters and save their lives. Cats. Cats. Cats. All those kittens grow up and go somewhere.
ONCE OR TWICE UPON A TIME: You’ve got to love the happy endings -- or at least the happy middle parts of a story. Thanks to our longtime pal Jonnie England, the noted animal activist, we have two evolving tales she witnessed yesterday at the Dallas Animal Services Shelter at I-30 and Westmoreland.
As you may know, Jonnie is a veteran shelter executive – she’s the Director of Animal Advocacy for the Metroplex Animal Coalition these days and she is, without a doubt, a “newshound.”  Here’s the story she filed with us (boy, am I talking in old newshound terms!):
“A day in the life of Dallas Animal Services… Two heart-warming shelter stories with very happy endings.
“I was at Dallas Animal Services Tuesday for a seminar on photographing pets presented by the Texas Animal Shelter Coalition (TASC) and hosted by DAS.  Renowned photographer Teresa Berg presented the two sessions, which were standing-room only for the 70 or so rescue and shelter folks who attended.
“During the afternoon session, I was in the lobby when a guy walked in with a tiny puppy—4 weeks old at most.  He said he had found the puppy and wanted to get it vaccinated.  When we referred him to the SPCA of Texas’ new shelter and wellness clinic just down the street, he said he was late for work and didn’t have time.
“I asked if he wanted to surrender the puppy, and he said he did.  So, of course, I took her.  Knowing there was a room full of rescue people, I figured I could pretty easily get someone to take this baby.  I went back into the conference room and the first person I saw, sitting in the last row, was Jim Wenger with DFW Rescue Me. 
“I handed him the puppy, briefly whispered the story, and he agree to take her.  Jim had already arranged with DAS rescue coordinator Mark Cooper to take three other dogs, so what was one more?  And at just 4 weeks old, she can’t even count as one more!  She’s just precious and has a bright future ahead of her.  So the morale of this story is, don’t sit in the last row in a darkened room at an animal shelter!
“Minutes later, Mark came over to tell me that a great pet-owner reunion was taking place in the Lost & Found lobby.  It seems that in July 2009, a 9-year-old Shih Tzu named Beau was apparently stolen from the Plano home of Cory Richards and his family. 
“They searched for months but never found him.  Fast forward to Monday, when someone brought in a ragged, matted little dog found near Love Field in Dallas.  As usual, the dog was scanned for a microchip and, surprisingly, one was found. Lost and Found coordinator Tony Villarreal called Home Again, got the owner’s phone numbers, and called Cory, who rushed down to be reunited with the family member he hadn’t seen in 2 ½ years and never really expected to see again!
“ Cory’s two daughters are in college, and when he called to tell them the wonderful news, they both burst into tears.  
“And the morale of this story:  Get your pets microchipped, keep your contact information current, and never give up hope.
“All in all, a pretty good day.”
And there you have it: A couple of stories picked up by spending just a little time at Dallas Animal Services.
REMINDER: Dallas Animal Services and Dallas animals will be the topics Thursday when the Dallas Animal Shelter Commission meets at 1:30 p.m. in Room 6E South at Dallas City Hall.
CONTEMPLATION: The common cold is an annoying beast.  I have no fear of spreading it through the international headquarters of Readlarrypowell.com. Everybody on staff wears a blue medical mask and gloves – how the thumbless beasts tie the masks on is beyond me. At our house when one of the two humans has a cold, fighting it is a team effort unless my toughspouse Martha has the cold and then she’s on her own. If I have it, it’s so monumental that more than one person must suffer. We’ve been fighting one (I whine and sneeze and dab at my giant nose while my patientspouse Martha endures). This has been going on for four days and today is the day it wins. Now,  I go to find rest and comfort and, of course, plenty of cough-battling liquids, Oops, that is my primary care canine, Dr. Inky, the Cocker Laureate of the State of Texas, who has just recommended  that I drink fizzy liquids and hand cookies to the dog. “It is the way out of this hallucinatory madness,” he says. I protest that I am not hallucinating and he patiently asks, “Why else would you take medical orders from a red-nosed spaniel who majored in literature?”
--- To comment, click below. ---

Lost dogs; a expensive dog for ten bucks; a survivor cat; an agenda; Stock Show Weather?, etc.

OK, it’s Tuesday – the national BCS (Quick! Quick! What does that mean?) football championship has been decided and, seriously, who cares?
It wasn’t even played on one of the big everybody-can-watch-it networks. You had to have cable, a dish or own a bar to watch it. Maybe you could watch it on a phone – this is an age of electronic miracles.
Now, here we go with our daily readlarrypowell.com report, ranging from critters to a commission and contemplations:
TWO DOGS STILL LOST: One is a city dog lost in the city and the other is a city dog lost in the country. “Lost” is always a bad place to be.
 We wrote about them last week, but the search continues.  Why? Just ol’ dogs. No, not just ol’ dogs. These are friends, with histories in the family. They don’t just “belong to” someone, they “belong” – if you have an animal who belongs, you know the difference. You won’t stop the search.
We’ll start with Sara in the country, then move on to Henrietta (Henri) in the city:
-- Sara (left) has a history with the Jones Family, Michael T. and wife Margaret, who tells us that the dog “was a pup that was at the Collin County Shelter.  She was found behind an apartment complex in a wooded area when she was about 6-8 weeks old, infested with fleas, bites, etc.  A girl who lived in the complex worked at a vet’s office so she took her in to work, they got her cleaned up and put her on meds then turned her over to Collin County Animal Shelter where my husband and I pulled her.”
Back in early January, Sara, a ward of the Frisco Humane Society and in the care of the Joneses,  was on a “try-out” and was along for a visit in the “Crossroads Area”  of Country Roads 1122 and 1123 in the general area north of Athens and south of Cedar Creek Lake.
Margaret told us, “Sad that she was found in a wooded area and now there she is again.  If and when I get her back, I am keeping her.  ... Not a minute in the day goes by that I don’t think of her.  Night time is the worst probably for both of us.“
The 2-year-old, 55-pound dog  was last seen near a cemetery in the general vicinity of the county roads crossing.
If you know Sara’s whereabouts, call the Joneses at 469-328-7486 or 469-328-7484 or their friend Kelli in Athens at 214-374-9041. E-mail majones@mckinneyisde.net or miketjones.annatx@gmail.com
And this isn’t just a “be on the lookout” notice, these folks have been out to the property and walked it and walked for hours and hours looking for Sara.
--THE SEARCH FOR HENRI: Meanwhile, in the Winnetka Heights neighborhood in Dallas’ North Oak Cliff, the search continues for Henrietta, a Great Dane mix missing since Dec. 28 from the Alvarado residents. Robin Montgomery Alvarado says the search is continuing – shelters, the neighborhood, anyplace a big dog might have gone to get out of the weather.
If you know the whereabouts of Henri, call 214-499-5194 or 214-499-4136 or e-mail rgmontgomery@yahoo.com.
Henri is 6 years old and weighs about 90 pounds.
Someone somewhere has seen Henri, a big sweetheart of a dog. Perhaps she’s found safe haven in a warm home. Perhaps she’s living in a park or on the not-so-far-from home Stevens Park Golf Course.
Wherever she is, she’s got a home if she can just get back to it.
A NOTE FROM COLLIN COUNTY: Our tipster, shelter walker Allison Roberts, says there’s a 70-pound big ol’ yellow shepherd-mix named Hercules who got “growly” with his family and then has a tendency to be “growly” with volunteers, though he kisses them. Probably he’ll be among the first to go when they need to make room, she says. Other than the “growly” reaction, he’s a nice dog. You can ask about helping the big dog by e-mailing both ldrummonds@co.collin.tx.us and animalshelter@co.collin.tx.us.
TWO LEFT ON THE CLOCK FOR WEDNESDAY: Oh, goodness, the euthanasia list at the Carrollton Animal Services Shelter has been whittled down to two dogs after people stepped up for other dogs and a kitten with a lower back problem.
And among those dogs is Chato, who can be adopted, and Pharoah, who can only go to a rescue group.
Chato a Shar Pei. Yes, the Shar Pei is the breed that was once so exclusive a dog that the famed Neiman-Marcus Christmas Catalog featured as a “His and Her Gift.” In 1983, at Christmas, a couple of "rare" Shar Pei puppies (only a few hundred in the U.S. back then) cost two grand each. Shortly thereafter, they became so common that you could find them on the streets and in dog-fight arenas and roaming and thrown away and, of course, surrendered to shelters. Chato won’t cost you two grand. He’s a 2- to 4-year-old 40-pound dog who repeatedly escaped through a fence that needed repair and rather than fix the fence the people go ahead and kill the dog. But Carrollton would rather save the dog. So, he’s up for adoption. Here’s a video of the rascal HERE.
Oh, yeah, I forgot this part. The basic adoption fee for Chato is not $2,000 – it’s TEN DOLLARS. Yeah. Ten lousy bucks to save his life – oh, you might have to get him fixed. That’ll be a little more, but still not TWO THOUSAND DOLLARS.
And, then, of course, there’s this beautiful pitster, Pharoah.  He’s 65 pounds of tail-wagging affection – the camera couldn’t catch the tail, so you just get a blur and, on the wall next to him, a shadow of the tail. See him playing HERE. He can only go to a rescue group because nobody in his right mind trusts people who walk into a city shelter and say, “Ahm lookin’ fer a pit bull tuh love.”
They probably are wearing Michael Vick jerseys under their jackets. Rescue groups can afford to take more time and be more careful with pit adoptions.
To see more Carrollton adoptables, go to this SITE .
To ask about saving the lives of Chato and Pharoah, call the shelter at 972-466-3420, or email CARE@cityofcarrollton.com.
YES, HIS NAME IS CHARGER: Oh, we’ve featured this Blue Point Siamese before – he’s the fellow who had a run in with a car in Houston and he has now been nursed back to health by Edna and Frank Taylor. And, though this photo indicates his name could be “Lounger” or “Layabout,” it’s actually Charger.
Edna says, “Charger is doing very well now, he has fully recovered from his run-in with a car and his previous ‘owners’ (I use that term loosely) are obviously a distant memory for him.  He is doing great, playing, very, very loving and I don't mean he just likes to sit in your lap, He likes to nuzzle and hug and give you kisses and he is a constant purr bucket.  He DOES like to play also, A LOT.  At first we thought he might not do well with other kitties but I put a leash and harness on him ... and brought him out of the guest room and he just wanted to love and play with our big boys and they were grooming him.  So, I think with proper introduction, he will do very well with other cats or even a cat friendly dog.”
He’s an indoor cat who “enjoys a big comfy bed,” says Edna, who is with Texas Siamese Rescue. To ask about adopting Charger, call 713-882-2011 or email tayloredna@msn.com.
DALLAS ANIMAL SHELTER COMMISSION MEETING: Coming up at 1:30 p.m. Thursday in Room 6E South at Dallas City Hall, the regular meeting of the Dallas Animal Shelter Commission.  Maybe there’ll be controversy, maybe there won’t be. There is always an opportunity for the public to speak.
Topics include a report from the Dallas Animal Services Manager regarding statistics, hiring and vet care in the shelter. Also, there’ll be a report on the Dangerous Dog Ordinance, the no-kill task force known as the Dallas Companion Animal Project and a report on outsourcing animal cruelty investigations and civil seizures. [FYI: The City, its staff’s responsibilities “enhanced” due to layoffs, has been attempting to find an agency to legally conduct investigations – it has been clear that the SPCA is the group it wants and there have been negotiations regarding such elements as being sworn peace officers, as discussed at the November meeting.
Again, the meeting is free and open to the public. You might have to pay to park. I always bring handfuls of change to feed the voracious city meters.
CONTEMPATIONS:  The BCS – what does it stand for? Select one: (1) Bowl Confusion Series (2) Bowl Crapola Series (3) Bowl Championship Series.  Get the confusing details by clicking HERE, ...  Best Dick Van Dyke movie? The Comic. Ever seen it?..  The Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo opens Friday and runs through Feb. 4 and is famous for an annual assault of what old-timers in Cowtown call “stock show weather.” We’ve already have a big dose of what could pass for stock show weather – but, oh, goodness, if this chilly, wet and unpleasant weather arrives before the show, how deep will the ice get during the show? Should we expect 20 degree temps? 100-degree temps? Snow? Ice? Volcano? Keep all your weather gear handy.
--- To comment, click below. ---

On Monday, challenges, chills and alarming behavior...

Here’s how winter is going so far at Casa de los Critters: Sun, shirtsleeves, sneezes and snotty  nose for two days followed by Sunday night rainstorms and Monday morning chilly wet weather.
Yep, just normal for a winter in Texas. Here’s our Monday report ranging from a Chihuahua hoarders’ challenge to...well, you know, stuff all over – Corsicana, Dallas, out at the Lake....Here goes:
THE BIG HOARDING PROBLEM: While most rescue folks can routinely handle one or two or four or five dogs and a litter here and there, there are other challenges that seem insurmountable.
Consider the Chihuahuas of Wichita Falls. Word of this spread through the rescue community late last week and, yes, the crisis is still at hand. Sue Hempfling of Chihuahua Rescue & Transport has been handling the appeal for help and, over the weekend, issues her third notice about these dogs. They can go ONLY to rescue groups – not individuals, Sue says.
The background is this, according to Sue, “At the request of Adult Protective Services, I have been working for some time with a hoarder/Backyard Breeder to surrender their dogs. They brought a lot of them to the Humane Society here in Wichita Falls on Dec. 20, 2010.  I was expecting 30-50-they brought 68 dogs!  Needless to say the HS is overwhelmed.  Most of the dogs are very scared, and about half have Demodex mange.....
“I have placed 20 of the dogs, a few will make adoptions at the HS, and 12 have been EU'd due to serious health issues or because they were nearly feral, but quite a few still need rescue spots or they will be EU'd.... They are 'rescue only' because they are scared and because of the skin issues.”
Sue says the humans who had the dogs “have agreed to spay and neuter the ones they kept -- it remains to be seen if they will keep the spay/neuter appointments they have made. The first appointments. are later this week.”
While individuals are discouraged from adopting these dogs before they go through socialization, there is a way to get involved. If you wanted to adopt one, you could, of course, get involved with a rescue group by sponsoring a dog or fostering it – but it will be a challenge. (Sue may know a rescue group that can use some help.) Sometimes the challenges are a great foundation for love between a dog and a human.
Sue is the lone contact for handling inquiries, she says – that’s so the dogs will go to responsible rescue groups that can handle their treatment and socialization. E-mail her at wfsue@sbcglobal.net. The little dog #44? No name, but he has both mange and an eye infection. And he’s on the clock.
MEANWHILE IN CORSICANA: Our longtime tipster with the Humane Society of Navarro County, Julie Maupin, sent us a note about these two dogs from the Corsicana Animal Shelter. They’ve been there since September, she says – and that’s in spite of the fact that the shelter had “a record-breaking month with over 90 adoptions/rescues in December.”
Dipper (left) and Geneva are from a litter of four Lab mixes that arrived in September – they were about 4 months old when they arrived. Two of the siblings have been adopted. So, Dipper and Geneva are largely shelter-raised dogs. Dipper has been neutered but Geneva still needs to be spayed. They’re up to date on shots and other necessities – healthy dogs in need of a human or two.
The dogs can be adopted for $25,000 each – or for just $25. I was kidding about that $25,000 fee. Yep, just $25 each – they’ve been at the shelter so long that they’ve earned the reduced VIP (Very Important Pet) fee. To ask about them, call the Corsicana Animal Shelter at 903-654-4928 or visit it at 617 S. 12th Street in Corsicana.
Now, the Humane Society is always looking for energetic helpers, volunteers who are interested in helping the animals. You’re next opportunity to get involved as a volunteer/member of the society is at the group’s general membership meeting at 6 p.m. Thursday at Corsicana Public Library.
Topics include recent spay/neuter initiatives and the campaign to build a new shelter.
ASSORTED NOTES: The big black dog here is Area, a resident of the Collin County Animal Services Shelter at McKinney. And why is that? Because, according to the shelter, his owner was letting them run free with some other dogs and when the dogcatcher showed up, the owner said, “Aw heck, just go ahead and take ‘em all.” So, this great looking Lab mix is sitting in the shelter, on the clock, with a bunch of other animals, also on the clock. You cannot blame the animals – it’s the human factor at work. Google Collin County Animal Services to see more animals and the adoption rules. To ask about Ares or any animal Collin County, e-mail ldrummonds@co.collin.tx.us and animalshelter@co.collin.tx.us Call the shelter at 972-547-7292. ... All five Dallas Animal Services “Very Special Pets” who were on the euthanasia list for this week were rescued – don’t relax. There is another list with a whole bunch of animals on it for Jan. 17. ... HALF-OFF  the calendars – yep, just a few Pampered Pets Calendars are left, but the folks with the Friends of the Animals at Cedar Creek Lake are determined to sell them – dropped the price to $5. They’re available at the Bluebonnet Emporium in Gun Barrel City each day of the week and at the Syler Vet Clinic in Athens and at the Friends Spay/Neuter Clinic on Tuesdays in Gun Barrel City. Call 903-451-4701 to arrange mail delivery.
DRIVE-BY RESCUE: Our noted rescuer in Burns Flat, Okla., was routinely driving her son around over the weekend when they spotted two male pits “tearing each other apart” in a yard. “We ran up and finally got them separated. Both had severe wounds to the face, neck and legs. Both were covered in blood. The owner said they have been fighting more and more lately. He was planning to get rid of one, had even called the pound to come get him, but had him still. NEITHER is neutered. I had the guy surrender them to me.  They are now at my vet. Normally, these are very gentle dogs. The family has 5 kids, under the age of 7, and they are wonderful with them. The unaltered state has a lot to do with this behavior. I could not just let them stay at the pound bleeding so I have them being cared for --then, I will find rescue.” (No photos yet, but stay tuned.)
To offer to help, e-mail remembering_oddball@yahoo.com or call Terry Lynn at 580-330-1459 or contact the Elk Creek Clinic, 1301 Airport Industrial, Elk City, Okla., 73624 or call  580-225-4863.
CONTEMPLATIONS: “Rainy, windy and cold with the high in the 40s,” the WBAP-AM radio report for today went a few minutes ago. Yep, heading toward Texas Rangers opening day on April 6! ... Kind of nice to watch football this weekend and not worry about how big a wad of choke was gagging the Dallas Cowboys. ...Martha and I both use our cell phones for alarm clocks – they have different sounds. On Friday last week we set the alarms for the same time and, of course, one was a little bit ahead of the other. My alarm went off at 6:30 a.m. and I quickly turned it off. Martha’s, on the other side of the bed, went off about 20 seconds later and she reached over and struck me like I was the snooze button a cheap drug store electric alarm clock. Then she explains from somewhere in Sleepytown, “Sorry. I have poor impulse control upon waking.”  I scrambled to safety before her clock challenged her impulse control again.
--- To comment, click below. ---

The yardwork sent them slumbering...

People who only have small dogs probably enjoy the little package of love asleep on a tiny pillow or in a lap or in a padded purse by some high-toned designer.
Ah, but people who have big dogs understand the space that’s needed to sprawl.
Thus, in honor of big dawgs everywhere we present this edition of Let Sleeping Dogs Lie & Napping Cats Nap, a celebration of snoozing. (If you have slumbering critters, send their photos and info to dallrp@aol.com.)
These dogs were asleep during the first daylight hours of the New Year for a reason. Michele Houston explains in a good ol’ all-American phrase that they are “tuckered out.”
Why are they “tuckered out”? They’d just spent the day “helping me rake leaves,” says Michele.
Who are these dogs? Here are Michele’s proud explanations:
The upside-down dog? “Lincoln is our 80-pound, 8-year-old Lab/Akita mix that our veterinarian Dr. Melinda Berry gave to us. He was brought in to her office by a homeless couple when he was 8 weeks old. He's our eldest, and our Zen dog. He'll be 9 in January. He runs the household quite well. He's our alarm clock in the morning. And he's always right on time. He's our "dinner time" alarm clock, and my "walk-time" alarm, too. It sounds like he's rotten, but he's not. He's incredibly well-behaved and calm, loving and protective. He just likes his schedule.”
The fireplace dog? “Hazel is our 3.5 year old Lab/Catahoula mix we rescued from the Dallas SPCA when she was about 5 months old. She's a sweet, beautiful girl. She tries to love everyone equally.”
The shoulder dog? “Lily [that’s Michele in the photo with her] is about 11 months old and was rescued from a homeless person who was using her for sympathy last March in downtown Dallas. Her eyes weren't open yet. She's everyone's baby and she thinks Hazel is her Mom and Cody is her Dad. Lincoln begrudgingly accepts her. He acts like the grumpy Grandpa, but he has taught her how to hunt squirrels.”
The bookish dog? :Cody is about 6. He's our big boy. He's a 100-pound Catahoula. Someone tossed him out of a truck in front of our house in East Dallas when he was about one. He's always right next to me, and he's very protective of us and his pack. He's also a love-bug and he thinks he's a lapdog, too! He has lots of nicknames: Hoover, because he eats so fast; Sinatra, because of his gorgeous blue eyes, and my friend Scotty calls him Goodyear, because he's a chunky boy.”
[Aside from Larry: That Cody has the perfect place as far as I'm concerned -- room to stretch out and books to read -- an ideal life!]
As veteran observers of canine snoozers know, the bottom line is that at some time all these dogs needed a place to sleep. It is obvious that they found at least one each  – we suspect they have the ability to nod off anywhere they feel safe and that would be anywhere in the house!
(To nominate your slumberers for the spotlight of Readlarrypowell.com's World Wide Web-read Let Sleeping Dogs Lie & Napping Cats Nap, send photos and info to dallrp@aol.com . Remember, at Readlarrypowell.com, sleep is valued – and so are dogs, cats, kids, money, cakes, pies and chocolate. Those aren’t things that keep this insomniac awake at night, though there are cravings that will make me toss and turn. For example, sometimes I have an awful craving for banana cream pie from Tippin’s Restaurant in Arlington – except that the Tippin's restaurants have all closed. And the Arlington building has been demolished. But the sign is still standing next to the empty spot, simultaneously beckoning and mocking. Now you see why I have insomnia – insanity and pie.)
--- To comment, click below. ---

The challenges of rescue...

We have reached the end of the first week of 2012 and the remarkable thing is that we can declare that, just as in 2011, nothing is going to get solved unless good-hearted, smart people sacrifice/devote time and energy to making things right. Mercifully, there are some of those around here.
Of course, they never win the Lotto, do they? Read on:
MILLIE’S CLOSE CALL: As you can see from this photo, Millie the dog appears to be expecting. There’s more to the story – it has nothing to do with puppies.
We get the details from veteran rescuer Julie Norris who was helping her pal Lisa Shaw with a dog situation. And, FYI, we’ve gotten better and better notes about this dog each day for the past week.
While you and I were going on about our regular business, Julie and Lisa were caught up in The Drama of Millie. As veteran rescuers know, nothing is ever as simple as it looks.
She says Lisa “spotted several dogs in a vacant lot near I-20 & Lancaster Road last week.  She was able to coax two of the dogs into her car.”
She took them to a nearby veterinary center because the younger girl dog had a bleeding paw and the older girl dog looked expectant. Marley’s paw was treated and the vet urged Lisa “to let the dog [Millie] have puppies so she took her home and started to prepare for newborn babies,” Julie says.
Then, on Monday morning (Jan. 2), Lisa discovered that "Millie was passing blood and appeared to be in the beginning stage of labor.  However, after hours went by and no babies we decided to take Millie to Hillside Vet Clinic to make sure that she was not in danger.  Dr. Wesley Williams examined Millie and performed an x-ray of her abdomen.  We were shocked to hear his diagnosis.  Millie was NOT pregnant.  She had pyometra and required emergency surgery to save her life.”
Pyometra is an infection of the uterus. It has to be treated swifly and firmly or the dog will die.
Mille went through a 2-hour surgery, Julie says. She appeared to be doing well. Then she took a bad turn and additional surgery was required. We’ve been getting daily updates on the roller coaster ride..
Lisa sent a note this morning that reads, “Millie received a miracle and she did make it through her last surgery!  I picked Millie up from Hillside last night and she was so happy to see me, her tail was just a-wagging. We got home last night and she settled in on her new oversize bed and slept most of the night. She is eating and drinking without any vomiting or nausea now. The staff and doctors at Hillside are amazing and so compassionate. I believe with all my heart that they saved Millie's life!  Thank you to Dr. Williams, you are Millie's HERO and mine too!!  Hillside gave me a huge break/discount on Millie's medical bill. It was only $1,140 and that is after two major surgeries and 4 days hospitalization and several medications that they sent home with her as well.”
Still, there’s a balance outstanding of several hundred dollars and there’s an account for Millie at Hillside,  Julie says the vet is allowing this bill to be “paid out” – call it a “do-good arrangement.” Still, the woman who picked up the dogs and saved their lives isn’t rolling in dough. To help with the bill, you can send donations to Hillside Veterinary Clinic, 6150 E. Mockingbird Lane, Dallas, 75214. Call 214-824-0397. Be sure to note this is for the Shaw/Norris Millie Fund.
And, Julie says, Marley, who probably is Mille’s daughter (they were very bonded), will be available for adoption shortly at the SPCA of Texas. And Millie will be available after she has recuperated from her ordeal.
DEATH WARRANT: This smiling dog Comet and this Earhound Buckshot are among the 5 dogs who are scheduled to be euthanized at 6:30 p.m. Today at Dallas Animal Services. Mark Cooper, the DAS ACO who scrambles to find rescues to take these long-termers at the shelter, sent out another – one of several – notes this morning asking for help placing them. The 5 dogs have been at the shelter 45 days or longer and have had zip interest from the public. Maybe it’s the shelter; maybe people don’t need happy dogs.
If they are killed today, how can we declare ourselves to be a civilized society?
Have they attacked anyone, created a life-destroying Ponzi scheme, plotted against the nation or tried to get on a plane without going through security? No. They’ve just wagged their tails and said “hello.” If they were human, they’d get a break. Maybe a suspended sentence.
But, you know Dallas. The official city stance is :Got an animal problem? Let’s kill it.”
These are just two dogs of many, many animals on the clock at DAS.
Email mark.cooper@dallascityhall.com or call 214-670-8298. Like all the staffers at the shelter, he wants to save these lives.
THE STORY OF THIS PHOTO: These two souls are bonded. And there’s a problem. And Terry Lynn Fisher, our noted tipster and tireless rescuer in Burns Flat Okla., is trying to help them. They live in Elk City, Okla. The woman is Carol and the dog is Maggie.
Terry Lynn tells us, “I received this from my dear friend. She is trying to help this lady re-home her baby girl before she loses the fight with cancer.” Terry Lynn wants to “give this caring lady the comfort of knowing her companion is safe!”
According to Terry Lynn’s friend, Maggie the dog is 5 to 7 years old. Maggie turned up on Carol’s porch last August.  Carol had learned earlier in the year that she was in a bad stage of bone cancer. Currently she’s in remission and uses a cane and walker to get around. The friend writes, “She told me she couldn’t turn Maggie away. She pulled up in her car and Maggie came down from her porch. That was the first time she saw Maggie. She was afraid to get out of her car but she needed to get in her house. So she got out and Maggie walked up slowly to her and reached out and licked her hand. She says that Maggie is so smart that she could be human. She kept her outside the first three months because she was afraid she was not house broken and afraid she would tear up the house. But she said Maggie was miserable. She fought to get out of her pin and to get close to Carol! So Carol started letting her in the house. Now Carol and Maggie share the couch. She loves watching TV with Carol and Carol says Maggie really watches the TV. She has left her alone for 2-4 hours alone and nothing is chewed, torn up or moved. Maggie seems to know that Carol is frail and would easily fall and she is so gentle around her. I have seen it for myself. It is unbelievable! Maggie is overweight and Carol says this is her fault because when they watch TV she gets snacks to eat and she gives Maggie snacks. Carol wants so bad for someone to take Maggie who will love and cherish this very special dog. ... Carol says Maggie found her and it was meant to be and she wants this precious baby to be put in a loving forever home before something happens to her. Maggie is very nervous around small children but she has NEVER shown aggression. She does really well with women but it takes her a little time to get use to a man.”
To help Terry Lynn help Maggie and Carol, call her at 580-330-1459 or email remembering_oddball@yahoo.com . And, remember, Terry Lynn is also looking for help placing animals in the Burns Flat shelter. She can fill you in on the details.
A SAD BUT COMMON SIGHT IN DALLAS: This photo of a dog eating off the ground was taken by animal rescuer Vicki Osbourn, a teacher in Dallas. She’s been trying to find help for  this dog as it roams the area near a Dallas in Fair Park (Lagow at Metropolitan).
She saw the dog several times in December and, day before yesterday, at a DART stop nearby. “I asked one of the old men sitting there about ownership,” she says. He told her that folks called the dog “Mona” and “Well, we try to feed her when we can.”
Vicki says that “the old lady sitting there got angry and left when I asked about the dog. Her disgusted remark as she left was ‘I don't own no stray dog!’ or something similar.”
The dog can get help though Vicki’s personally overcrowded with rescues and can use some help herself placing them. To offer to help, call 972-948-4512 or e-mail viceroyvickatat@yahoo.com.
And one more thing about rescuing. Vicki offers this anecdote:  At staff development Monday when I talked about what I did over the break and ... what I'd been trying to do for Chance, the dog I'd picked up in May, several teachers said, ‘Oh, have you seen the boxer? Can you pick her up?’ Why is it that only some of us have enough compassion to try to help?”
[Aside: If anyone can answer that, please reply in essay form.]
ASSORTED NOTES: Joni McConnell of A Different Breed says adoptions were slow last weekend so the rescue group didn’t meet its 300 adoptions for the year goal, but they’ll keep working on it. And, of course, there’s this quirky note: “Our lovable Phyllis who finally got adopted this summer was returned for no other reason than "we have too many dogs now". (Yet she was the one and only at the time) But luckily she got adopted [again]!”  Oh, and one more thing: The rescue group needs newspapers – you know why. Donate them at the Pepper Square adoption center. ... A note from Greyhound Adoption League of Texas says, “Resolve to get some exercise by walking your Greyhound on a regular basis – it’s good for you and good for him.” And, her, too, of course. And, if you don’t a Greyhound, they’ll fix you up in a hurry. FYI: GALT’s giant fundraiser the Greyt Gala Dinner and Auction is set for March 3 at the Hilton Dallas in Southlake Town Square. See www.galtx.org for ticket info. The theme is “Faith, Hope and Charity.” Yep, there are three so-named Greyhounds in GALT’s history. The story of Faith explains that logo: “Faith, a female missing her right ear, was removed from a hoarder (along with her 8 puppies); Hope, a stray discovered cowering under a house near a busy highway on a freezing morning after suffering for months in the open without adequate food; and, Charity, another stray severely underweight at only 45 pounds due to starvation.”... PETA is trying to get 2,012 new members by the end of the month. See www.peta.org for membership info.  You only have to dress like a pink pig or pose naked with fake fur if you want to. And, remember, you might not know about some things in the animal world if PETA didn’t tell you.
CONTEMPLATIONS: I attempted household plumbing yesterday. I failed. And my fingers are really sore today. Typing muscles and plumbing muscles are not the same. My lower back is killing me, too -- we may move and live beside a mountain stream rather than fret over leaky sinks and faucets. ... Is there anything sane left in the world? (Feel free to respond, you nutty people.) ... Sure the Dallas Cowboys aren’t in the playoffs (again), but at least this year we can watch the presidential party politics. Comforting, eh?
--- To comment, click below. ---  

Family efforts, Dallas adoptables, missing and found with stitches...

Quick aside before we present today’s edition of Readlarrypowell.com. My coffee isn’t doing the trick this morning – may need an additive -- but I’m going to keep typing like a madman nevertheless, inspired, quite honestly, by a rescuer’s energy and devotion. Here goes:
THE PLACE THE 10 PUPPIES CAME TO:  Now, this is for you folks who say, “If I win the Lotto I’m going to open a rescue ranch.” There is the Field of Dreams line “If you build it they will come” and then there is the reality, “They’re coming – you’ll have to build it.”
That’s what’s been going on at Sandy and Steve Thrasher’s place out in the country in East Texas between Murchison and Brownsboro, or for those less familiar with the area, between the bigger cities of Tyler and Athens.
We got just a glimpse of the rescue challenge in a note forwarded by our reliable tipster Sydney Busch of Friends of the Animals at Cedar Creek Lake. The focus of that note was on the 10 puppies dumped near the Thrasher property. A phone call to Sandy uncovered even more of a story.
Her note for help read, “Someone dumped 10 puppies on our road.  I live out in the country and get dogs dumped all the time.  I take them in, de-worm, give shots, and try to find them homes.  My husband [Steve] built me a kennel so I had a safe place to put them until homes were found.  My kennel is full right now and there is NO place for these 10 puppies to be out of the cold and safe. “
Probably these dogs will grow to be about 35 or 40 pounds – they don’t have the big paws of larger dogs. And, of course, no one knows where the mom is.
To ask about adopting or helping with these animals and others, email sandy@triplecrossfarm.com or call 903-714-3852>
This is not the first time puppies have been dumped in the area. For a while someone was dumping litters at the end of the driveway – they appeared to be litter after litter from the same parents.
“Why don’t people spay and neuter?” I lamented to Sandy and she replied, “That is the $64,000 question.”
These 10 puppies landed at the right place – the whole family is involved in the effort to keep the animals safe until they can find good homes. Two of the 10 puppies may be adopted by the end of the day, but nothing is certain.
Sandy, with a good-natured tone, says, “I’m not a rescue facility, but I’ve got 15 or 20 dogs that aren’t mine.”
Where do they come from? Dumped. Left on parking lots. They wander up. They’re found in the middle of the road in the night.
About 3 years ago Steve and Sandy were at a meeting at Lake Palestine and on the parking lot there were three puppies dodging traffic. Someone had left them there a few days earlier. And Steve named them after three characters from The Lion King – Simba, Pumbaa and Timon. They were, says Sandy, “poor as a snake.”
They’ve come along. They appear to be part Australian Cattle Dog, she says. But Timon is stand-offish. He takes a while to warm up. “He needs a little boy to sit and love on him or an old man to sit on the porch and rock with him,” says Sandy.
Add those 3 to the 10 puppies. Then there are the dogs photographed in last year’s snow. And then there are.... well, you know.
So here’s the deal – this is a family effort involving not only Steve and Sandy but their kids, too. They all -- sons David, Chris and Rusty and daughters, Jaime and Ashli -- join in this decent effort to save unwanted animals.
While the kennel Steve built is full, David repurposed a calf pen to hold the 10 recently arrived puppies. They’re fine unless bad weather hits, Sandy says, and then they’ll need a warmer, better place. The ideal solution is to get everyone adopted or into a rescue group.
These 10 puppies aren’t the first foundlings to wind up in the care of the Thrashers. Middle son David was coming home from school one even and, near the family home, saw something shining on the road. He pulled over and found a puppy whose eyes had just opened – that’s right, a young puppy with hardly any vision at all had crawled into the middle of the road.
Sandy says he put the little shivering bundle inside his coat. And he heard something in a nearby ditch and spotted a half-dozen puppies “huddled together – they didn’t have their eyes open. We had to bottle-feed somebody else’s babies and try to find homes for them.”
On a personal note, Sandy home-schooled her kids and when they went to college, she found herself moping alone while everybody else either worked or went to school – alone at home after 32 years. The kids said she ought to enroll in college. So, she did and now she attends college with a couple of the kids.
The next semester is starting soon and the animals will be spending more time without humans, so Sandy’s feeling pressure to get the puppies adopted before the next semester starts.
And that’s a dog rescue sentence you probably never expected to read.
[Larry aside: Ah, you city folk may think “That’s the way those country people are – dumping puppies on the side of the road.” Let me assure you, it happens in the city, too. Ask any veteran rescuer. People dump puppies on busy parking lots, at warehouses, on roadsides, in ditches, in parks – any place they think either (a) kids will take them or (b) somebody else will rescue them. The concept of “heartless creep” is not limited to city limits or farm-to-market roads. As it turns out, the entire state of Texas is zoned for idiots.]
MEANWHILE IN DALLAS: These dogs and three others are scheduled for euthanasia on Friday at Dallas Animal Services – the Earhound is Buckshot, under a year old, and the black and white dog is Happy, also under a year old.
They are on the Very Special Pet list with three other dogs – scheduled to die after having spent at least 45 days in the shelter and, though very adoptable, getting absolutely no attention.
Not little lap dogs, not purebreds and, yep, Pit mixes so, of course, they’re immediately written off by people who have only paid attention to the ugly stories that arise because humans have let other pit-types down.
To ask about adopting these dogs, e-mail Catherine.baxter@dallascityhall.com, nicole.self@dallascityhall.com or teresa.cleek@dallascityhall.com. You can also call 214-671-0249 or 214-670-8312. And, the adoption fee for these five is $43 – a reduced fee. (To get them into your rescue group, e-mail mark.cooper@dallascityhall.com or call 214-670-8298.) See more adoptables at www.dallasanimalservices.org.
BE ON THE LOOKOUT: A couple of dogs are missing, one from a home in Oak Cliff in Dallas and one from  Frisco on the loose near Athens.
-- Great Dane mix Henri (short for Henrietta) has been missing since Dec. 28 when she got out at the Alvarado residence in the Winnetka Heights area of Oak Cliff in Dallas. Robin Montgomery Alvarado says the big sweet dog was wearing a collar but no tags. And, she says, Henri “is microchipped but we realized that the wrong number is on the chip and have had no luck contacting the company that chipped her. “
The search for the member of the family has covered all the bases. Robin says, “We have checked Dallas Animal Services on Westmoreland each day and they have a picture and description of her.  We also checked the SPCA and had no luck.  We have posted signs in our neighborhood and on Facebook- our pages as well as neighborhood pages, etc.”
If you know the whereabouts of Henri, call 214-499-5194 or 214-499-4136 or e-mail rgmontgomery@yahoo.com.
--Sara, a Lab-type dog is on the loose on or near a ranch south of Athens in the area of County Roads 1122 and 1123. We spoke to Michael T. Jones, a volunteer with the Frisco Humane Society, who was en route to the area just before 11 a.m. to try to help find this skittish dog.
On Dec. 30, Sara was on a try-out and during a visit to a ranch, she took off – Michael says her rescuers are unsure if she will immediately be wary of all humans or if she will stay near them.  So, the humans are going to do their best to entice her back to safety.
He says she “is very shy and has never shown any aggression toward people. She has a collar with a Frisco Humane society tag, rabies tag and microchip tag with 24-hour number (24PetWatch is aware that she is missing). If you know her whereabouts, call 469-328-7486 or e-mail miketjones.annatx@gmail.com.
THE ODDEST THING: Well, last week we mentioned Daisy, the one-eared dog at Collin County Animals Services – that’s pretty odd – and she was adopted, says the volunteer shelter walker Allison Roberts.
Now, comes Reno.  He’s about 6 years old, neutered and healthy. He knows how to sit, shake and “beg.”
So? Here’s the odd part. “He came in as a stray with fresh stitches from shoulder surgery and a white paper collar,” says Allison. “We called vets, day cares and shelters and it hasn't led anywhere. Even had someone drive the neighborhood looking for signs. He is chipped but that information also led nowhere.”
You can see this well-behaved dog in action in this video HERE. 
To ask about adopting him or any other animal in the Collin County shelter in McKinney, email ldrummonds@co.collin.tx.us and animalshelter@co.collin.tx.us or call 972-547-7292.
CONTEMPLATIONS:  It may be time to go to a 26- or 27-hour day – 24 just doesn’t have enough time for all I have to do and sleep, too.  If only there were a 27-hour energy drink that was legal. ... How long are you going to leave those Christmas decorations up? Our record is 14 or 15 months – extraordinary circumstances. We were unusually merry. ... I may have given my soul to a Kindle Fire. I’d like to apologize to everyone who’ll be out of a job when e-readers take over the publishing industry.  But, honest, I can make the type big enough to read without having to walk around with a magnifying glass. Blame my futuristicspouse Martha. She gifted me with a return to pleasure reading. If only they could make those gadgets smell like new books.
--- To comment, click below. ---

A cat, a horse, a dog found twice, an Earhound -- read on

Iowa must be an awfully empty place this morning.
The regulars probably didn’t have a problem getting a seat in any downhome restaurant in the state.
Politicians, pundits, reporters and support personnel packed up and moved out overnight en route to the circus’ next stop.  Democracy – it’s a lot more entertaining than an armed rebellion.
Now, our daily report (Oh, yeah, we’ll discuss a pregnant cat, an ailing horse, a hard-to-place dog named Bailey, a Cocker Spaniel that was found twice and other things).
EXPECTING AND NEEDING A SAFE HAVEN: You’ve heard of a junkyard dog. This is a scrapyard cat.
And this Calico is on the brink of delivery.
We learned about her in a tip from noted animal advocated Maeleska Fletes who put us in touch with this cat’s onsite advocate Scott Moss who, with wife Erica, already has three rescued cats and knows this expectant cat needs a tranquil household to make her safe delivery.
Scott sent out the plea for help yesterday. He works at a scrapyard at I-30 and Westmoreland, just west of downtown Dallas and across the street from Dallas Animal Services. Like the folks at DAS, he’d prefer that the cat not be in a city shelter to deliver her babies.
Scott says he met this cat a couple of weeks ago. “She was very friendly and wanted attention and love. She was also very hungry. Our facility didn’t have any type of pet food, so I gave her leftovers from a Christmas party that I found in the refrigerator.  She devoured it instantly. 
“She is filthy and very pregnant.  She allows me to pet her, however she is so dirty that she leaves grime all over my hands.”
He says that he and his wife have been unable to find a rescue group to take the stray cat. So, he turned to Maeleska for help in finding a foster home.
“It breaks my heart that it is winter, and she has nowhere to go.  People at the [scrap] yard say that she has had a litter before and that all of the kittens were run over by the 18-wheelers.  She is a very sweet cat and deserves better.  So do her kittens.  My wife and I would love to take her in, but our three rescue cats (now spoiled) would feel differently. “
He says there’s no way she could be an outdoor cat at their home because the “neighborhood has coyotes and owls that harm smaller pets.  We have asked around, and no one seems to want to take in a pregnant cat.  I see her every day, and she waits to be petted.  I take her some of our cats’ food, and again, she scarfs it down.  However, the kittens will come and the story will be much bleaker. “
So, if you’d like to help this cat, call 469-363-1110 or e-mail ericawmoss@hotmail.com.
[Larry aside: I’m betting it’s possible that a year or so ago someone who didn’t want a pregnant cat did a midnight, after-hours drive-by curbside drop-off at the city shelter and wished this cat “good luck.”  Rather than go toward a place with a bunch of barking, she skittered across the street and had her first round of babies. Whatever the case, we know that there are two unfixed cats somewhere near that scrapyard. This one and a fellow we’ll call Tom who is one surgery short of being a non-productive – er, non-reproductive -- individual.]
AND BAILEY CONTINUES TO WAIT: What’s the world record for fostering a dog? I’m not talking about those dogs you eventually call a “foster failure” and admit they belong to you. I’m talking real foster. Living with hope that the right person will match up with the dog?
So far Bailey, this stretched out, small, 2 ½-year-old  Pitty-type/Boston Terrier mix has been living with Deborah Verner ( formerlyTrevino) for around a year and a half.
We’ve posted Bailey before. Here’s the story, as told by Deborah. She writes, “In July 2010, Little Bailey was rescued from a desolate back road near Seagoville at what’s called the Tree Farm.  She was obviously dumped with her pregnant Mom, Sadie, out in the middle of nowhere with no food, water, or shelter of any kind.  ...  She has high energy, loves to run (especially out on the backyard), plays fetch, loves squeak toys, and loves to snuggle on the couch.  She is heartworm negative, spayed, UTD on shots, microchipped, and on heartworm preventative.  She has been treated for hookworms (2 treatments), and weighs 43 lbs.  She is very sweet, and is a ball of endless energy.  She gets along with other dogs, and cats.  The only exception comes to food, where she is food aggressive with other dogs (but, not to people).”
So, what’s putting on the pressure? Veteran rescuer Deborah writes, “I'm at a point where I don't know what to do.  I've networked her for 1 1/2 yrs, and still no luck finding her a forever home.  Recently, one of my dogs, 12-year-old Princess, was diagnosed with a degenerative spinal condition affecting her hind legs.  She has difficulty walking, and is getting progressively worse.  Currently, Bailey stays in a bedroom by herself, due to the others not liking her in their face (kissing them) all the time.  I need this room, so Princess can rest comfortably, and not be in a crate.”
To offer to help Debora with Bailey, e-mail dtrevino60@aol.com.
A NORTHEAST TEXAS HORSE: We learned about this horse in the Naples area of Northeast Texas from reliable Houston tipster Alexandra Kelsey. She put us in touch with Jude McNeff of Hughes Springs who has been instrumental in getting this animal from despair in a pasture to under the watchful eye of legal authorities and a vet.
Jude calls the underweight horse 509 after the road on which she first saw him—he’s also called Tommy Boy). She first spotted him a couple of weeks ago and began working on getting him into rescue. Not only did he appear to be malnourished, but he needed all the things horses need (grooming, hoof-care, etc.) and he had some obvious infections and a quite ugly massive abscess on an area where a boy horse (or boy anything else) doesn’t want a painful abscess.
She called the Morris County Sheriff and a Naples Police officer responded (jurisdictional thing) and the officer “told me...that I should have seen 509 months ago – he was 30-40 pounds lighter.”
Still, the horse was at peril and was taken into custody so he could be treated.
She says though the horse appeared to be older, he is, in fact, a young horse.  After several days of attention at the vet’s office, 509 is “doing OK,” Jude says. “His blood work revealed no complications with his kidneys/liver at present, his genitals have been 'diapered' to reduce the swelling along with topical antibiotic, and additional antibiotics were given. ... He was treated for multiply internal parasites and will remain under vet care until the infections at his mouth/teeth and genital area are clear.  A Coggins test [to detect Equine Infectious Anemia] will be back from the lab soon and he will see a farrier.  He will also be vaccinated and in time, gelded.”
So, the horse is saved – he’s running up a vet bill and he needs a place to live when he’s healthy.
Jude suggests that donations be made to Pittsburg Veterinarian Clinic, 203 N. Greer, Pittsburg, Texas 75686, Attn:  509/Tommy Boy/McNeff Fund.  To ask about helping place the horse, e-mail heyjude01_01@yahoo.com.
Jude, by the way, has had a number of responses regarding this horse’s plight. And she ended one e-mail with an expression that veteran rescuers may find familiar. She wrote, “Bless all for caring.  I thought I was alone. “
FOUND NEAR LAKE ATHENS: We got the original note on this odd case from our reliable tipster Sydney Bush of Friends of The Animals at Cedar Creek Lake which operates, so to speak,   the world’s most successful spay/neuter clinic in Gun Barrel City, Texas.
The plea for help came from rescuer Joyce Hester who says this “senior large Cocker Spaniel” – a 45-pounder – was spotted near Lake Athens on County Road 3704 on New Year ’s Eve and picked up again a good distance away on New Years’ Day on CR 3703 near Highway 31 East. “He is safe until claimed by the owner,” she assures us from her home where he’s getting along with everyone.
Yep, this is a dog who was found twice. The first time he was taken off the road and put on a porch on New Year’s Eve. But the neighborhood fireworks must have frightened him, Joyce says, and when next seen he was way across the area on a different county road.
So far nobody is looking for this “sweet-tempered, gentle” older fellow.
Someone cared for him at some point – he’s big and not all that overweight, says Joyce.
But, seriously, you can’t get a Cocker to 45 pounds unless you’re splitting a chicken-fried steak platter with him on a regular basis.
He was wearing a collar but has no microchip or tags.
If you recognize this dog or want to give the fellow a happy home,  call Joyce at 903-675-7226 or 903-360-3531.
LARRY ASIDE: Call this an explanation. I was talking to Joyce about the “art and expense of rescue” and keeping a crowd of dogs and cats fed, and she said she and her husband happily explain it this way: “Some people go on cruises; we feed animals.”
Can I get an amen?
AN EARHOUND FROM THE SPCA: Oh, boy, those new digs at the SPCA of Texas must have some special “adoption magic.” And, in case you wondered, you  can find Earhounds at the SPCA.
We got a note from Lacy Ball of the SPCA thanking Readlarrypowell.com for mentioning the opening of the new SPCA shelter (thanks to Diane Combs’ reporting and photo work!).
Lacy  added, “We had an extremely successful first day of adoptions on Monday. We are thrilled to announce that 24 adorable dogs and cats were adopted that very first day.”
And she included a “picture of a special Earhound who was adopted named Saint Nick. This 3-month-old cutie spent the whole day showing off for potential adopters by playing in his new doggie den with his toys, cuddling in his bed and giving unlimited tail wags and head tilts. His charm worked in his favor because he was one of the first 10 adopted.”
There are still plenty of adoptables -- Earhounds, included -- at the SPCA – go to www.spca.org to see them and get directions and adoption information.
CONTEMPLATIONS: First, there is immense personal satisfaction when you get a dog or cat adopted into a good home. It’s a boost for the spirit. Second, you folks who visit Readlarrypowell.com are some of the greatest people on the planet – such hearts. Some of you surrender so much of yourselves to save an animal. You actions remind the rest of us that there are, indeed, good people in our world. We ought to build on that for the new year. ... Finish this sentence: By January 4, it was clear that our animals had teamed to buy a winning Lotto ticket and were planning to move the entire household to  (fill in the blank) and fill the cupboards with (fill in the blank). ... We live in odd times: A Fort Worth principal admits he made a habit of pinching the nipples of male students; a casket salesman from Tyler is arrested for being the Handsome Guy Bandit who robbed banks in Dallas; and the show Dallas appears to be headed back to television whether anybody wanted it or not. What’s next that we couldn’t possibly have imagined? Will someone actually find Elvis running a donut shop in Tupelo? Oh, wait. That WAS expected.
--- To comment, click below. ---

A four-day week, triumphs and other tales of animals...

Four-day work week to start the New Year – can’t beat that.
Not nearly as lucky as the Dallas Cowboys – nope, enjoying the traditional long off-season again.
But, it hasn’t been a bad year for everyone around here. We specifically refer to the SPCA of Texas and the City of Seagoville Animal Shelter. Those are two triumphs. Seagoville is setting the trend for the area and the SPCA has new elbow room.
Also, we’ve got a personal thanks to all of you for making the transition from 2011 to 2012 with us and we’re grateful that you’ve clicked on Readlarrypowell.com. Each click means something to an animal.
That photo? That is our Readlarrypowell.com staff impersonator Inky, the Cocker Laureate of the State of Texas, giving us his impression of the image that should appear on the next new U.S $100 gold coin, his vision of a federal employee returning to work after a 2-week holiday and spotting on the buffet table in the Pork Barrel Dining Room big steaming platter of Mom’s Back To Work Meatloaf with a side of aspirin and a cup of Joltin’ Joe Triple Caf Coffee with a federally approved 8-hour Adrenalin dose. (The Cowboys could have used one of those at halftime.)
Oh, and that dog Godiva? Needs some help. Read on:
THE SPCA’S BIG NEWS: You see these announcements now and then about the SPCA rescuing some animals and getting custody and planning projects and endorsing proposed laws. The SPCA is a busy organization.
On Monday, it was busy in its own office because it opened the brand spankin’ new 70,000-square-paw – sorry, that’s square foot – Jan Rees-Jones Anima Care Center in West Dallas. It’s at 2400 Lone Star Drive, near Hampton at I-30 and visible from the freeway – not far from Dallas Animal Services’ Adoption Center.
[Aside: I mention that because some unenlightened people use SPCA and “Dallas animal shelter” as if they were the same thing.]
Now, our pal Diane Combs, a longtime supporter of the SPCA and noted for her volunteer work there, enjoyed the opening tour of the new facility Monday.
We ought to declare that she’s an official “newshound.” She was snapping photos at the opening and among the many was this one that demonstrates the new way animals will be housed – gone are the cages and in their places these walk-in “suites” where humans and animals can mingle.
Read more about the shelter on the SPCA page HERE. At www.spca.org you can also navigate to animals that need homes. Google SPCA and new shelter to see news stories about the event. And, remember, the SPCA is open to the public and proud to show off its facilities and its animals. As with taxpayer-supported shelters and rescue groups, the animals are the focal points – nice as shelters can be, animals still need homes.
SEAGOVILLE’S STATISTICS: Shortly after the first week of January 2011, Seagoville Police Sgt. Karl Bailey took over direction of the small city animal shelter and began inviting volunteers and veteran rescuers to help with the effort to make the shelter no-kill.
This weekend he issued a report on that reveals no animals were killed to make space for the next load of unwanted animals. None, he told supporters in an email blast.
(The city is going to celebrate this winning attitude with a special anniversary weekend adoption event Jan. 7-8. Click on that artwork to make it larger.)
[Aside: This enthusiastic cooperation between a city government and knowledgeable volunteers demonstrates how cities can take a step toward saving money on euthanasia drugs, eliminating the chances that the “wrong animal” will be euthanized, gaining positive public relations for your city and a good mark on the “come live here, we’re nice” report card.]
Now, here are the stats from Sgt. Bailey (they cover the Jan. 10-Dec. 31 period):
Dog Intakes: 437
Dog Bites: 21
Cat Intakes: 131
Cat Bites: 2
Dogs Adopted: 250
Dogs Rescued [taken in by rescuers]: 131
Dogs RTO (returned to owner): 44
Dogs EU: 12 (This includes all dogs EU'd for injury, illness and aggression)

Cats Adopted: 77
Cats Rescued: 61
Cats RTO: 3
Cats EU: 3 (This includes all cats EU'd for injury, illness and aggression)
In a postscript to the figures, Sgt. Bailey’s note read, “No animals were euthanized for lack of space. No adoptable animal has been euthanized."
He adds, "This is a far cry from previous years when more than 30 animals a month were being euthanized. This is in no small part due to the volunteers, rescues, fosters, networkers and adopters. Thank you all for helping us achieve this goal!”
You can read about the Seagoville shelter on Facebook HERE and you can see adoptable animals HERE.
IF THE NAME FITS: I get a lot of forwarded emails about animals in shelters all over the place. We can’t write about all of them because there are only 24 hours in a day and I need to schedule time to lay awake and wonder why I’m not sleeping.
Every now and then I’ll open an email (this one was originated by Gina Piner of Homeward Bound Animal Rescue) that’s been forwarded a dozen times in an 8-hour period and find an animal that lives up to his name.
In this case, the dog is named “Stretch.” And there was a photo showing the rascal doing what got him his name.
He’s #14890678 in the Arlington Animal Services shelter. Yep, Pit Bull-type. Out of time. AAS euthanasia starts at 2 p.m. today and Stretch isn’t the only pitty type on the list. You can see the Friends of the Arlington Animal Shelter Facebook page HERE. You can reach the shelter by calling 817-459-6156 or 817-879-7033.
IN BURNS FLAT, THE CHASE WAS ON: Terry Lynn Fisher, our reliable tipster in Burns Flat, Okla., is trying to find some help for a couple of dogs. One is a no-name dog and the other is a fellow named Badge.
The no-name dog has the police history. Terry Lynn writes, “On Christmas Eve, we listened on the scanner as the cop was chasing this poor baby down. They finally caught him and texted me to ‘Be careful. He is very vicious.’"
(Aside: That's a photo of the vicious dog on the right.)
Terry Lynn continues, “I went down there and he was crouched in the corner, growling, eyes filled with terror. I just spoke to him, fed and watered, then left him to calm down.  Each day, as I went to care for them, he would come a little closer, but always with total fear. If I went into the pen, he ran into his house. Saturday, as I loaded two pups to take to rescue, one of them kept running from me. I finally caught it and was kissing him and talking to him. I looked at this boy and for the first time in a week, HIS TAIL WAS WAGGING.
“I put my babies in the car and went back to the kennels  he actually started kissing my hand and looking at me without the terror. Slowly, he has got better. Today (Monday), he even came out of his pen, wagging at the other dogs and kissing me and playing. He has been through a rough time. But I have seen that he is a wonderful boy --just in need of a safe and loving place to go.”
That’s one story. The other involves Badge, the lower photo), now around 8 months old. “He has been thrown out like trash over and over again, from one worthless home to another -- he always found himself living on the streets. But he never let it get him down. He always offered to love and cherish anyone that came his way –kids, adults,  dogs, cats --whatever it was, he would love them. He has been in jail way too long and now, the city has said he MUST LEAVE -- either to a safe and loving place through me..or on a cold table, with a needle jabbed in him and killed.”
To help these animals, contact Terry Lynn at remembering_oddball@yahoo.com or call 580-330-1459.
IN NEED OF FOOD AND FRESH LITTER: The Humane Society of Cedar Creek Lake Shelter at Tool, Texas, has plenty of animals but is running low on food, according to shelter director Krista Mc Anally.
She issued an appeal that reads, “The cupboard is getting bare.  We are still getting puppies and litters left and right. And we seem to be fighting the flu or some virus that turns to pneumonia.  So we are in need of canned food, preferably lamb and rice or chicken and rice.  We also need cat and dog milk replacer. As always, if you cannot make it to the shelter, you can make a donation at www.hsccl.org  and please note that it is for dog food. You can also mail donations to HSCCL, PO Box 43531, Seven Points, TX 75143.”
Now,, if you feed cats, what do you need? Ah, here’s the next request from Krista: “We are also looking for someone to go to Nacogdoches to pick up 2,000 pounds of cat litter.  The pick- up has to happen during the week, from 9 to 5.”
To offer to help with the food or the litter or both, call the shelter at 903-432-3422.
THE CARROLLTON CAT AND DOG REPORT: No cats on this week’s euthanasia list. Not a one. How about that! So, we’ll turn our attention to a couple of the many dogs in the shelter – euthanasia is scheduled for Wednesday. Yep, tomorrow.
Oh, man, look at that Godiva. Isn’t she a beauty! She’s #25213 at the Carrollton Animal Services Shelter and she’s there because, at 4 or 5 years old and 45 pounds, she was a stray on the city streets.
Not much of a future there. Not much of a future in a shelter for a pit-type dog.
She’s available to rescue groups. Carrollton wants to make sure she gets into a situation that has her best interests at heart.
Her official shelter description reads, “While her ears are cropped very close to her head, her tail is full and wags away at the thought of being petted or going outside. She does seem to do well with the other dogs and is as good of a dog as there has ever been.” [Aside: Sure looks like some nitwit with a knife and scissors took her ears away from her. It isn’t ears that ought to fall off of that jerk.]
And, oh, for crying out loud. The story of Lucky, this female, fluffy, 30-pound shepherd mix, will in all likelihood tick you off. But here it is, according to the shelter:
“This pretty lady was released to the shelter by her people who were unable to keep her due to the sudden expansion of relatives living in their home.”
That’s bad enough. Picking relatives over a dog. But, she’s 12. Twelve and dumped at a kill shelter. Good grief.
Lucky is house-trained, friendly and puzzled, probably.
Again, a 12-year-old dog dumped at a shelter because of a “sudden expansion of relatives.” Makes no sense. The relatives can call a cab, take a walk, find shelter without getting a death warrant on their heads.
Call the shelter 972-466-3420, or email CARE@cityofcarrollton.com.
CONTEMPLATIONS: The first e-mail I saw in my inbox today had this subject line: “You will be Killed in December 21, 2012” Isn’t that nice. Some wacko sent me a come-on for something called “Survival Guide 2012” warning of all sorts of mayhem on the planet – kind of gave me a bit of nostalgia for the Terrors of the Millennium back in 1999.Some of you are still nibbling on those stale Y2K crackers, aren’t you? ... The second e-mail I opened was for a coupon for golf on a local course and it had no expiration date though, probably, I should use it before Dec. 21. ... Life is good, though my funspouse Martha went back to work after more than a week of vacation. The house is quiet, the animals sleeping.I’m finally in charge of the TV and there’s nothing on.  I miss the laughter. I miss the crowd of dogs following her around while she sings to them. It’s like a Disney movie around here sometimes.
--- To comment, click below. ---

Jan 02 -- leftovers and contemplations

Welcome to Monday, Jan. 2, 2012, or as we know it “National Confusion Day.”
Seriously, who knows what is open for business?
Probably everything except banks, post offices and government facilities. That’s why we don’t know if animal shelters are operating today. Make a call before you decide to get a loan, buy stamps, consult with an IRS agent, file for a zoning variance or get a dog or cat.
Of course, there is always the chance that while driving to an office that isn’t open you’ll encounter a free-roaming dog or cat looking for a new home. The New Year’s Eve fireworks tend to send the unrestrained animals racing for their lives away from the explosions. Yep, anybody even slightly involved in rescue will tell you that fireworks send animals running for safety.
This dog? That is Inky, the Cocker Laureate of the State of Texas, offering his latest contribution as Readlarrypowell.com staff impersonator. This is his impression of a Dallas Cowboy rushing into the post-game locker room and spotting, on the buffet, a big steaming platter of Mom’s Zlichnada Bitter Pill Meatloaf.  That’s all. No dessert. Only winners get dessert.
ANIMAL STORIES: We’ll do this quickly today because, frankly, I’ve got to kill out a bunch of e-mail and old photos and clean up my computer. Oh, and a reminder: Tuesday is euthanasia day for two cats and 13 dogs in the “Very Special Pets” category at Dallas Animal Services – these animals have been available for 45 days or longer, they all are healthy and the staff says they’re all very adoptable.  (E-mail mark.cooper@dallascityhall.com or call 214-670-8298. You can see DAS animals at www.dallasanimalservices.org.)
MICKEY? STILL WAITING? Amazingly, this fellow Mickey, adored by the staffers and volunteers at Collin County Animal Services, is still in the crowded shelter and still on the clock. We first wrote about him in mid-December at the behest of volunteer shelter walker Allison Roberts.
Then, over the weekend we heard from ol’ pal and – he swears – “retired” animal guy “Don The Rescuer” Martin.  This is a guy who has been around critters and knows the worth of a good dog.
We’ve quoted other folks regarding Mickey’s manners and his charm. Don sent a note in hopes we could re-emphasize how good a dog Mickey is. He writes, “I have met and interacted with Mickey and he is everything that the shelter volunteers say and more. There are lots of  dogs out there, but something about the spirit of this one really speaks to me. It would be a real shame to lose him at this point.”
Based on this brief video HERE Mickey would seem to be one of those dogs who inspires you to give your hands and fingers a good workout petting him and massaging his big ol’ dawghead.
To ask about adopting him, email  ldrummonds@co.collin.tx.us and animalshelter@co.collin.tx.us. Also, call 972-547-7292 and press 1 at the prompt to leave a message.
THE ICE CREAM DOG: Oh, boy, now we don’t know for a fact that fireworks frightened this dog and sent her running, but, coincidentally, the day after the big nocturnal fireworks in Dallas neighborhoods, she was found alone in the parking lot of the Braum’s Ice Cream store at Illinois and Cockrell Hill in Dallas.
Been there many times – picked up a lot of calories and no dog. But, our rescue pal Karla Kirk reports her hubby Josh stopped by this particular Oak Cliff Braum’s, spotted the dog “laying by the entrance,” asked employees and a police officer in the parking lot about the dog and discovered, basically, that nobody knew anything about her. Karla says, “The only thing they said is that she has been there for a few hours. She is young  -- about a year old -- very sweet and well-mannered.  Appears to be an outside dog her collar is dirty and she most definitely can use a bath. Right now I have her in my working van with food, water and a big blanket.”
So, if you know where she belongs or you want to help make sure she doesn’t go to a shelter (Karla’s already loaded with rescues), call 214-382-7523 or email babykarla28@yahoo.com .
You can see a Facebook report on this girl HERE.
CONTEMPLATIONS: Can the Dallas Cowboys get a new owner? Fire the owner of the Cowboys? Is that the solution? Sure, the current guy can make money, build stadiums and demonstrate concern, but what’s he done for the fans since the last century except figure out new ways to make money? ... OK, so you can’t dump the owner. How about this? Fire stolid ol’ corporate-tongued Jason Garrett and figure out a way to bring Baylor’s Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Robert Griffin III to Dallas, er, Arlington? Heck the Cowboys once got Tony Dorsett when nobody thought they could. Oh, wait, all those football minds are gone now. And the Cowboys are average or worse. Can Nolan Ryan run a football team? ... OK, let’s all remember: It’s a new year and we’re all responding to new situations. For example, the Dallas Police will no longer respond to reports of thefts valued at under $50, according to the police chief. So, a new city limits sign is in order. “Welcome to Dallas. Speed, deal and steal. Water supply approved.” Heck, today you could steal an entire NFL team and not draw a visit from the Dallas Police.
--- To comment, click below. ---