A Thursday assortment

Well, my goodness, what a Rose Bowl and now let's move on to other things. The next big sporting event is tentatively scheduled for late January -- the State of the Union address vs. the Democrats' response.

The Super Bowl is a month from today, but, of course, that'll just be another day for most of the free world, especially Dallas, where in spite of its name the team is in Irving and hasn't been to the Super Bowl since the last Millennium.

Now, let's move along and don't forget that the play Mind Over Murder! opens tonight (see yesterday's blog) and benefits the Companion Animal Network:

LOOKING FOR SUSPECTS: This portion of our report comes from www.crimeweb.net, specifically this link: www.crimeweb.net/details.asp?id=7589. You may have to register, you may not. I'm not sure how it all works.

I'm also not why someone would steal a cat, but, there are people who will "take anything that isn't nailed down" and I guess we may have run into a couple of them.

These photos of the bold walk-in and walk-out at the Dallas Petco, 1100 N. Buckner, show two guys coming in without a cat and the same two guys leaving with the orange cat Simon.

Here's the key: Anyone with information as to the identity or whereabouts of these suspects is asked to contact Dallas Police Robbery Detectives at 214-671-3584.

Now, as you may recall, Simon was a ward of the Protective Animal League. Two guys walked in. One flashed a pistol. Suddenly Simon was picked up and, instead of a cat waiting for a new home, he became a piece of evidence in a police case.

In these photos you can see the guys entering. And you can see them leaving with little Simon's head peeking up out of the bad guy's arms.

Dianne Wood, our PAL tipster, says she's very aware of Simon's demeanor and he really doesn't like to be held that much by strangers.

I don't know about you, but I've held cats that aren't interested in being held. I haven't held them for very long. And when they left, they left evidence that they'd been in my arms and I needed some bandages.

Oh, this isn't the crime of the decade in Dallas, but it is the oddest thing we've seen in a while. And you have to feel some sadness for the people who first rescued Simon, a wandering tom cat, and worked hard to get him healthy and get him socialized and now must live with the uncertainty of what has happened to him.

Oh, boy, there's got to be a special place in the hereafter for these two guys.

DOGS IN THE PARK SITUATION: Shelly Butler finds herself in a situation and there may be readers who can help. "I need some advice," she writes. "A couple of weeks ago I happened upon a small, red female chow and her little (8-10-weeks?) puppy living at and under the tennis courts at Samuell Grand Park in Dallas. Mama is very skittish and if you walk around by where the puppy is, Mama tries to divert your attention and darts out toward Grand Avenue where she crosses six lanes of speeding traffic.

"I have been going by and giving her food and water 3-4 times per week"

This of course, has softened the dogs somewhat, but neither is all that keen on human contact.

Shelly fears the pup will follow Mama into the street. "I am amazed that she survives the journey herself. She may have been injured as she moves kind of slow a lot of the time."

The puppy is sometimes left along, Shelly says, and "can be reached. My dilemma is whether to leave the pup for mom to deal with or to nab him when she is away.

"My second dilemma is that if I take him, I don't know what to do with him."

Shelly has 3 cats -- all over 17 years old -- and they are easily stressed, as a previous session with a stray dog demonstrated.

"I don't want to call out animal control," Shelly says, "Yet I can't take them in myself. I'd love for them to both have a chance at adoption, but everywhere I call is full or they don't take in strays. Can you give me any advice. I would be willing to try and get them, deliver them (or at least the puppy if not both) and would consider helping wtiht medical expenses for them or making a donation to any group that takes them. I'm afraid they're running out of time...."

Some readers may have a solution to this potentially heartbreaking problem. If so, please e-mail Shelley at shelbu31@yahoo.com. She's desperate for a solution. And I know this isn't the first dog and pup abandoned in a Dallas park. Not by a long-shot.

A BIG LOAD OF CUTE: Well, my goodness, the Friends of the Animals at Cedar Creek Lake (remember that new website: www.friendsoftheanimals.org) have come across some extraordinarily cute dogs.

First there are these "precious little piles of fluff" who were abandoned, then rescued, then spay/neutered, then..well, you know the drill. Up on shots, just need homes. The adoption fee is $45 each and rescuers would like to see them go to the same home. To audition for the role of human in their lives, call Rhonda Gordon at 903-887-4138 or 903-880-1138.

This dog was featured earlier on our site -- she's a Friends of the Animals foundling formerly known as Dottie, but now known as "Spot." She's 8 months old and has topped out at about 30pounds.

Friends of the Animals' Sydney Busch writes, "This is one of the sweetest, smartest, most eager to please puppies I have ever seen." Now, there's your "expert endorsement." (To adopt Spot/Dottie, call 903-451-4701 or e-mail sydney@edbusch.com.

I'm re-running Spot/Dottie because I'm fascinated with her looks -- those are amazing ears and you wonder if she has them just so she won't miss a word her human says. It's always a great compliment when your dog appears to be listening to you. Goodness, dogs must have incredible patience.

NEEDING A HOME: Andrea Solomonson saw an e-mail about two dogs -- a Rotty and a Golden -- in Anna that needed a home. "Yes, I went and got the dogs in Anna," she confesses. "I just felt like I needed to help.

"They are at my house being fostered by my daughter, Lauren, until I can find them a happy home. I have 3 dogs and 2 horses or I would keep them." She also admits that she's "spending a small fortune on dog food."

The original owner's note began, "I write this request with a saddened heart, however, it has become necessary to find a new home for our most wonderful pets. We are too busy and no longer give them the time and attention they deserve. Our lives are going in a new direction that demands our full focus...."

Dakota is the 5-year-old Rotty who "thinks he is a tiny lap cat" because he grew up with cats. Butterscotch is 4 1/2 and, like Dakota, loves kids and other dogs. Both are housebroken.

So, Andrea and Lauren stepped up to make sure these dogs had at least good temporary care until their new "real home" is found. To audition to adopt these two dogs, e-mail

asolomonson@verizon.net or call 972-343-8938.

CLEANING UP THE ACT: We at www.readlarrypowell.com, a news and info website dedicated to improving the lives of all living beings except a few, feel the need to come clean about our relationship with lobbyist Jack Abramoff, the man in the news in Washington these days.

After much soul-searching, we've decided being completely candid is the right thing for us to do.

To wit: We had no relationship with him, never met him, never unloaded a stray dog or box of kittens on him and, especially, never got any money from him. We wouldn't know him if he fell into our cornflakes.

However, if he'd like to funnel some money to us, that would be fine. Also, if any of the politicians who took money from him would like to "launder" themselves, they could send whatever he gave them to us here at www.readlarrypowell.com and we would use it for good, not evil. We swear.

With open arms and accounts, we await, of course, the onslaught of responses postmarked "Washington, D.C."