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Good news on a birthday...

We're at the end of May and that can mean only one thing: Happy Birthday, Mom.

This is her day. Pardon my personal note, but, up in Texarkana, Mom turns 30 today.

Did I say 30?

Let me double check that Texarkana Fire Department paperwork for "Birthday Candle Conflagration."  I'm sorry, that's 80, not 30.

More on this later. In the meantime, we're all celebrating the fact that we had a birthday party for her on Saturday and the cops didn't have to come one time.

GRACIE'S NEWS: You may recall the story of Gracie, published here last week (scroll down to May 25). Somehow injured in a fire, she'd found her way into the custody of the great folks at KittieCo Cat Rescue.

Celia Orr, who first brought her to our attention, reports that Gracie was adopted over the weekend by a family who read about her plight on readlarrypowell.com. "She seemed to know she was going to a loving home and was anxious to get in the carrier and leave her lonely bedroom.

"She was indeed in need of a lot of attention and, as it turned out, the family has two small children, 3 and 5 years old. I was afraid at first that Gracie might not like them or get too aggressive with them. SHE LOVED THEM. She played with them. When they turned their backs to check out an object in the guest room, Gracie stood behind them with her little head cocked to one side and seemed to be saying 'Don't stop playing with me'."

We've been promised photos and updates of Gracie in her new home. She'll be the one with the purr.

ZANE, THE CONVERSATIONALIST: Those folks at the Humane Animal Rescue Team have apparently come across a talking husky.

That's right, a talking Siberian husky. If he can sing a little bit, I think we've found the next American Idol.

His name is Zane, and according to a note from Patty Sprong of HART, should you stop by one of HART's adoptions, "you might just hear Zane talking to you in his soulful voice."

Of course, he's up for adoption. Patty writes, "If you know of anyone looking for a sweet, couch-potato, TV-watching buddy, send them Zane's way." Well, maybe he's really an "American Idle."

Zane was saved from a shelter. He was microchipped, but the chip was registered to a rescue group no longer in operation, Patty reports. "How he ended up back in the shelter, we'll never know. He was lucky to be rescued because he arrived at HART with heartworms and a torn ACL. Just when HART thought they had him all fixed up, he tore his OTHER ACL and had to have a second surgery. He pulled through just fine, with a great attitude as always. The surgeries and heartworm treatments cost HART over $2,200."

Zane is about 7 and has been adopted a few times before, once by a soldier who had to give him up when he was deployed, once by an owner who changed his mind shortly after taking custody.

The folks at HART want to place the house-trained pup in a home with no kids and no cats.

(Go to www.hartoftexas.org. There's a calendar of adoption dates. Also there is "how-to" adoption information.)

FAYE'S IN A SHELTER: The folks at Paws in the City have sent out an alert regarding Faye. She's a year-old Whippet/Doberman mix who's currently in the City of Dallas Forney Road shelter. And she's running out of time now.

She is an adult dog and weighs only 35 pounds. She gets along with other dogs and was an owner surrender -- the "why" is unclear.

To foster or adopt call 214-336-8847 or 214-316-6604.

BIG TEXAS NEWS: Texas, the Great Dane mix spotlighted in yesterday's report, found a home yesterday, reports Greg Schuck. He says the big rascal, left behind in an abandoned house,  is going to be living the high life out at Cedar Creek Lake.

And just in case the guy who abandoned the dog doesn't know it, abandoning a dog is against the law in Texas. You can look it up.

FOUND AND NEEDING A HOME: This note comes from world champion petsitter Jeneva O'Connor of N-Trust-Ur-Pet. She says one of her clients found a chubby beagle a few weeks ago and can't keep it. The clients also couldn't find the dog's original people.

"Now I have her and she has definitely been someone's sweetie. She is overweight, adorable, a good watchdog and knows her commands even though I don't know her name," Jeneva writes. "She is social and a bit of a drama queen!

"She is also housebroken and goes to the door to be let out. If you don't see her, she sighs until you notice.

"She was found around the beginning of May, near the NorthPark Garden Apartments."

Jeneva has done all the usual checks in an attempt to find the dog's home, but nothing has turned up. "I am part of Lone Star Beagle Club-rescue and I'm am sure we can place her, but I just have a feeling that someone is looking or someone knows someone who is looking for her. So is too fat to have traveled very far!"

If you know where this chubby, adorable dog belongs, call 214-352-7700 or 214-727-7903.

It's conceivable she just stepped out for a pizza and lost her way home.

MOM'S BIRTHDAY: So, today Mom turns 80. Pop skyrocketed past 80 a couple of years ago, so when we got out the candles for Mom's cake over the weekend, Pop already had slipped into his protective gear. He's seen the size of the glow off a cake with that many candles. Heck, they say astronauts can see it from the space shuttle.

Anyway, we had a family gathering on Saturday to celebrate Mom's birthday.

Brother Barry and sister-in-law Shelley came in from Chicago and delivered the ice cream.

Brother Garry and sister-in-law Brenita came in from Branch, near Lake Lavon. Heck, they had to come to the party -- they brought all the food. Garry fancies himself to be quite the "smokin' chef" and, according to the carnivores at the party, he is. Brenita made a pasta salad that knocked me over -- it's something else I can lay awake craving..

Martha and I arrived with two kinds of birthday cakes. They were prepared by a method favored in many Dallas-area homes: Phone in an order to Cretia's, drive to either the Dallas or Duncanville location, submit credit card and leave with great anticipation of approaching tasteful joy.

Son Bret and daughter-in-law Andrea, mom of the Great Danes Frog and Henry and the cat, George W., came in for the party. They brought plates and utensils.

And son Bart trumped everyone by bringing his three 5-and-under youngsters, Hannah Rose, Emily Grace and Connor. They rode from Dallas to Texarkana with us in the minivan. Martha drove. Bart wrangled kids, but he didn't have to do much wrangling. His kids seem to be a lot less rowdy in a car than my kids were. No offense, Bret and Bart.

Mom's only missing grandkids were Barry and Shelley's boys, Aaron and Lewis, who are living on the faraway coasts. Aaron's in the Washington area doing some sort of brainy work at NASA (I've been hounding him for a tour of Area 51) and Lewis is in grad school at Berkeley -- I think he's studying "philosophy of family dynamics and the impact of UFOs on family reunions." I could be wrong.

So, the big party came off pretty swell. Mom got some nice gifts. Pop got to wrestle with the great-grandkids. People talked, laughed, told stories, got drowsy, ate, talked some more, told more stories, laughed more, ate more...you know how these things go.

I shot about 30 pictures with an improperly aligned switch on my digital camera -- so, to my camera, the whole party looked like some kind of European art film about mysterious glows. Yes, that is an "art photo" of Mom in a rocker. I call it "A Study in Zany." She'll probably say it's the best picture she's taken in years.

Just fyi: At her sons' insistence, she's wearing a birthday hat made of cloth candles -- we couldn't talk her into wearing her birthday suit. (Please note this is a mandatory apology for the preceding cheap joke.) It was a good time, in or out of focus.

Here's a trip tale: During the drive on I-30 from Dallas to Texarkana, we passed through an area with some really tall trees. The girls asked their dad, "Who lives in that forest?" Bart explained that there were squirrels, deer and assorted bugs and animals. I think he might have said "sharks" just for the fun of it.

At one point, he became very mock-serious and asked, "OK, kids, who can prevent forest fires?"

Emily confidently shouted, "ANTS!"

So, happy birthday, Mom, and next year, when we light the candles, we'll have Emily's firefighting ant brigade on alert.

Big dogs, little dogs and Sleeping Beauty

Naturally many of us are disappointed that we did not get the appointment as Secretary of the Treasury this morning..

Had some of us gotten the job, money would have gone back to looking like money with none of those fancy colors (counterfeiters need work, too) and a dollar would have been worth a dollar, at least. No less than 50 cents on a bad day.

Now, having demonstrated a keen eye for economic affairs, we'll move on:

AN OLD PAL IS AVAILABLE AGAIN: It was last fall that Barbara Staves found this fellow, Beaux, after he'd been hit by a car in Oak Cliff. He's a 3-year-old Catahoula mix of some sort and has one blue eye and one brown eye and a history of a rough life.

He's been living with Chris Garcia and a beagle named Buddy. But Chris is having to give up the pups. A number of people are working to find good homes for them. (To see about adopting these dogs, e-mail chris at chris_g_garcia@yahoo.com.)

It is said that Beau is "easily bored" and suffers from "separation anxiety." Currently they are crated all day. And the theory is they need to go to homes that can give them many daily hours of individual attention and keep them occupied in a good way.

Buddy the Beagle is about a year-and-a-half old, plays good with other dogs, is neutered, housebroken and is an inside dog. Outdoors, he loves to dig.

Beaux, about 2, is good with other dogs, neutered, housebroken and calm unless he's really happy to see somebody.

If you are the least bit human, you appreciate it when someone is happy to see you.

STILL LOOKING: Daisy the Dog is still unfound by our pal "Chelo."

She's engaged all sorts of folks to help look for this loose dog. She went missing Friday in the neighborhood near Hillcrest and Forest in Dallas. She's an escape artist.

"I have papered the neighborhood with flyers...PetCo and PetsMart, all the local vets, the emergency vets have flyers..."

She also says Daisy's pal, known informally and lovingly as "the Demon Dog," have "pounded the pavement like unemployed actors in New York City. He was most grateful for the wading pool when we got home. I'm not giving up, though."

If you've seen Daisy, e-mail drchelo@sbcglobal.net.

  BIG AS TEXAS: Greg Schuck has "found" a dog. A big dog. A Great Dane mix with all the pleasant dane tendencies.

He says that "this guy just fell into my lap (but is by no means a lap dog!) 'Texas' is this guy's name and he is a big (100-pounds-plus) sweetheart abouit a year old. Yest he is a force to be reckoned with....He is, in a lot of ways, just a puppy."

He's shown no destructive behavior and, Greg says, has been "living in the house where he was abandoned and has been alone there for two weeks, again, no signs of destruction or inside 'bathroom visit.' ..."

The first few days of his abandonment, he was locked in a front room and there was "no destruction or mishaps."

He's had his shots, he's neutered and he's quiet. Not a guard dog, just a good dog.

"The mother of the man who abandoned him is selling the hosue soon....Tex is living day to day in a prison of loneliness. We have several character witnesses to vouch for his wonderful disposition, but he does need a human that will be there for him."

To ask about adopting Texas, call 214-341-6003 or 214-327-9147 or email gregschuck@earthlink.net.

AN AVAILABLE POM: We got this via from the Friends of the Animals at Cedar Creek Lake and it involves "re-homing" a cute little rascal.

The note from Judi Kelly reports that a pom, rescued in Texas last year, went to live in California and didn't work out because, basically, the humans didn't follow the sage advice of Mom regarding proper care of a little pom.

Being inattentive to the dog's "needs" ruined the carpet, being inattentive to the dog's "snack" tendencies produced a "snapping" incident that upset the family and, so, on June 10, this pup will be flying back to Dallas/Fort Worth to live with "Nanny" who is going to begin screening for a new home.

Little Chance is a 2-year-old purebred Pom, neutered, up-to-date on all meds and "adorable." Judy wants to place him with someone who "knows and loves the breed so that he will not have to be moved again. Patience and time will reward you with a wonderful little six-pound ball of fire who loves to give kisses, too." (To audition to adopt Chance, call 903-498-5305 or e-mail judiktx@aol.com.

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED: The folks at A Different Breed, like every other critter-related and critter-rescue group, need volunteers to keep things going. there's a volunteer orientation session from 10 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. Saturday at ADB's Pepper Square storefront location. More info is at www.adifferentbreed.org.

PLANNING AHEAD: Remember, Operation Kindness' annual Dog Day Afternoon -- this is the 12th -- is coming up June 10 in Plano's Bob Woodruff Park. Games, displays, vendors, cute dogs, cute people, etc. Check it out at www.operationkindness.org.

ONE MORE THING: Does it seem sleepy around here, or did I just get accustomed to taking naps during the long holiday weekend?

A confession: I was at a party supply house last week buying favors for a weekend celebration of my Mom's 80th birthday (May 31) and as I walked down the aisles of stuff I didn't know existed, I found a $1.44 cent Sleeping Beauty sleep mask. It looks just like the mask the Lone Ranger used to wear, except instead of eyeholes, it's solid and instead of black, it's pink with "Sleeping Beauty" scrawled in silver across the mask. From the inside it's a dark black and that seems to be working just fine. I had to let the straps out a little -- it may have been designed for more diminutive Sleeping Beauty.

From Denton to Danes...

It's Memorial Day -- and we're taking most of the day off. My funspouse Martha is celebrating in the recliner -- she's out like a light as this is being typed and so is her companion, Annabelle Bob, the black cat.

They're so peaceful right now that I almost hate to type out loud -- I'm using my stealth keyboard. Each key has a sonic muffler. I'm kidding. But there's a concept you could market -- some day, to live the dream, ah, "As Seen on TV."

Moving along:

THE DENTON CASE: "I was wondering if you could post something on your website about a dog with have at the City of Denton Shelter," began the letter from Debbie Lhotka.

As you can tell from one of these photos, Udo is in a bit of a fix. His name is "pronounced like 'Kudo' without the 'K,'" says Debbie. "He was picked up after he and his buddy had been hit by a car. Unfortunately Udo's friend did not survive. Upon arrival at the shelter, the tough decision had to be made. Udo was in great amounts of pain. He could not go into the shelter in his condition for the 96-hour stray period with his injuries.

"He was so sweet upon arrival at the shelter despite his pain."

A trip to the vet showed he has a dislocated left hip, broken bones in his paw, a broken leg that needed surgery and pins and assorted bruises. "His injuries are fixable, with lots of TLC and a few months of recuperation," says Debbie. "After meeting him and seeing his beautiful brown eyes pleading for help it was decided to proceed with the surgery.

"Udo had a collar with no tags; no micro chip was found either. With no identification, finding his owner will be almost impossible.

"This gentle soul is of full of love, you can see it in his eyes when he looks at you."

Debbie says that if his family can't be found, he'll be placed up for adoption. "The staff is working hard to find a rescue group that can foster him until he is able to be adopted and then help him find a forever home. Or that special family that will help him with his healing and welcome him as the newest member of the family."

So, readers, you may ask, why wasn't this dog just "humanely destroyed" as happens in so many city-run shelters around the country. Debbie's note explains, "It does not happen often, but sometimes that special animal comes along and the funds are paid for out of the pocket by the shelter worker."

That's right, Udo touched hearts.

So, if you want to help Udo, call Debbie Lhotka at Denton Animal Services, 940-349-7594. The mailing address for Udo is Denton Animal Control, 300 Woodrow Lane, Denton, Tx., 76205 Attn: Debbie Lhotka. Click here to link to Denton's animal control.

Debbie's latest report on Udo says, "He gets along with other dogs and is starting to move around some. He loves laying in grass during his morning outside bathroom break. He was not eating very much we tried different foods as well as canned. I made him some chicken and rice and he gobbles that right up, so he is eating very well again. Any help would be greatly appreciated."

Udo needs a foster group or a home and, as Debbie says, "Any funds over the cost of Udo’s bill will be applied to other shelter animals in need of medical care."

OH, MY GOODNESS. MORE PUPPIES: From the folks at Friends of the Animals at Cedar Creek Lake, we have a report of a handful of puppies living in an 8-by-10 kennel with not much else. The sign outside says free puppies. It took a visit from the authorities to get water and food properly placed. On a subsequent visit to the "free puppies" pen, a woman found no water for the pups so "she knocked on the door and asked the owner if she could fill the water pan and he slammed the door in her face."

Our would-be rescuer, Kathy Burkham, writes, "I have a lady willing to go get thee puppies and transport to wherever they need to go if someone can rescue them. If anyone can help, e-mail me directly. The weekend of June 1-4 is First Monday weekend. I would hate to see thee puppies on 'Dog Alley' with a 'Free Puppy' sign."

To help Kathy help these puppies e-mail dannydaisybuddy@wmconnect.com.

JUST FOR FUN: What we have here is a collection of photos from the folks at Great Dane Rescue of North Texas (www.danerescue.net).

Shortly after the annual Danefest a couple of months ago, I asked Sara Craven of GDRNT if there might be any Great Dane photos. Well, of course, anybody with a  Great Dane has a camera. So, I got a bunch of dane photos and I've been waiting for the right moment to share some of them with the folks who click onto readlarrypowell.com.

Enjoy looking at them and enjoy thinking about the fact that these pups are among the most loved pups in the known universe. I've included the mugshots because most folks never get a chance to look these big dogs right in the eye. When you do, you see more than you may expect. Enjoy the photos and a special thanks to Great Dane Rescue of North Texas. And you might note that not all the dogs at Danefest were Big Ol' Dawgs. Some of them just thought they were Big Ol' Dawgs -- and that sort of events things out because the Big Ol' Dawgs think they are Little Ol' Dawgs.

And here we have some of the pups posing for their close-ups -- happily posing for their close-ups. We should all be so congenial.

Enjoy your holiday -- hug your dogs, your cats, your critters and your people. Hug 'em good. And lay off the extra dessert. Calories still count on a holiday.

Ah, the weekend sleeper...and Daisy's escape

Something that periodically occurs in life is that a critter's foster human just happens to have a camera handy at a key moment.

Thus, this holiday weekend, we're celebrating the sleepiness of "Willy (as in Willy Wonka)" -- he's a foster boxer who is hanging out with Cristy Lovick and her gang. He is, by virtue of the ability to display pure canine comfort during a snooze, Willy is thus our featured sleeper in the weekend spotlight, "Let Sleeping Dogs Lie & Napping Cats Nap."

"Willy is a BIG boxer puppy," says Cristy. He's about 6 or 7 months old. "He's all legs and feet right now," she says, and "you can see he's already as big as my adult boxer."

Amazingly, there was a time when this was an unwanted dog. That's how he came to be a ward of Legacy Boxer Rescue. He originally came from the Fort Worth city shelter.

"He's recovering from a case of mange," Cristy says. "It wasn't too bad to start with, but he was a very itchy boy."

She says the Willy has "been a great foster boy. He loves to play with my two dogs (another boxer, Joe, and my pit bull/heeler mix, Abbey). But he'll also entertain himself -- just give him a nice soft toy and he'll toss it in the air and chase it around as long as he can.

"Willy is very well behaved for a young pup and we have enjoyed having him and watching his silly puppy antics. He is a happy go-lucky-boy. ...He's so happy to be in a home, getting spoiled and eating regular meals. He was quite thin but has put on probably 10 pounds now. He knows SIT and loves to give sloppy boxer kisses." (Are there any other kind of boxer kisses?)

Now, about that sleeping style. Cristy says, "He always falls asleep ON the dog beds, but ends up in a position like this. His head is always hanging off one way or the other."

So, we have a crazy sleeping, head-hanging happy-go-lucky boxer who enjoys a good game of tug-o-war with Joe and Abbey.

And still, with all that action, he can nap. Insomniacs, arise and salute Willy the Boxer, a dog we can envy!

(To nominate any kind of sleeping or napping or knuckle-dragging drowsy critter for spotlighting in "Let Sleeping Dogs Lie & Napping Cats Nap," send a photo and key info about your and the photo subject to dallrp@aol.com. Remember, it's a long holiday weekend, if you seen an insomniac asleep, take a photo.)

A MISSING DAISY DOG: This dog Daisy is on the lam near Hillcrest and Forest in Dallas.

Our pal "Dr. Chelo" (e-mail drchelo@sbcglobal.net) says, "It seems that no matter what I do -- welding reinforcements on the gate, getting a 'smart bark' to beep the dogs out of barking, hammering stakes into the ground at suspected escape routes, Daisy somehow got out of my yard sometimes Friday while I was at work."

All the usual places are being checked. Flyers are up in the nighborhood and "Dr. Chelo" says, "I want to just throw up. I don't know what else to do and my heart is just sick."

So, folks, during your holiday weekend travels, keep your eyes open for Daisy. She needs to be home. 

Dog saved; help wanted, etc.

Ladies and gents, we're heading into this long weekend and we ought to do it with a smile on our faces. We have a number of things to discuss today, so read on and start with the good news:

The border collie (see yesterday's post) that has been awaiting help in the Grand Prairie Animal Shelter has gotten it. Perseverance and patience exhibited by veteran animal control officer Renee Johnston has paid off and the dog has been saved. He's probably going to a home in Allen where agility training is a prime dog-activity. You've seen border collies run agility courses -- it's a match made in heaven.

And, if for some reason, things don't work out, lots of people are lined up to help. But, the bottom line is this dog is saved.

Renee, a 21-year veteran of animal services work, currently does investigations of cruelty claims and dangerous dogs. She says this dog -- he doesn't have a name yet --  was a stray and the animal control officer who caught him had to use a catch-pole. This really upset the dog.

Sometimes that's the only way to get a "flighty" dog -- if they're running loose, they're in danger of being hit by cars or getting into worse fixes. So, the catch-pole sometimes proves to be an efficient life-saving device.

That doesn't mean the dog will like it, of course. And ever since the catch-pole incident, this dog has been reluctant to have anything around its neck.

But, most canine behavioral problems can be fixed with a little patience, love and understanding.

So, that's the dog situation. And at www.readlarrypowell.com we're so grateful that you readers responded so quickly with your love for a dog you've never even met. We're also grateful that veteran animal person Rebecca Poling took time to forward us the plea for help for this dog.

Renee says she'd planned to help with transporting the dog to where ever it would wind up and was suddenly surprised to be getting e-mails from Alaska. But, she made up her mind that if that's what it took, she'd just take time off and make a personal dog run to Alaska.

Thanks to all  who responded and, especially, thanks to Renee Johnston for going the extra mile to shelter and help a dog.

May all the strays and turn-ins in all the shelters will run into as good a heart when they need help.

SAMSON NEEDS A HOME: You know, the folks at Paws in the City are burdened with many fosters and "projects" but they keep on plugging. Becky Haisma is trying to help a family place a 7 1/2-year-old male lab/rottie named Samson.

He's gentle and has been raised with children. His family has had to move into an apartment and cannot take him with them. "He loves to take walks, ride in the car and loves belly-rubs," is the official family report on the dog they love. (To offer Samson a loving home, call Margaret at 817-706-3243.)

Obviously he's at ease in front of the camera -- this photo looks like it came from a layout in a home furnishings magazine!

FOUND: Julie Roland says she "found this girl running the streets in East Dallas. i am going to make an attempt to find the owner. In the meantime, if you could post her on your website, i would really appreciate it. We want to get her to a good home ASAP -- either her own or a new one."

The probably year-old pit mix weighs 46 pounds and is "very sweet and good with other dogs." She was found on Fitzhugh near Mission. (To audition to adopt, call 214-823-2304.)

A DOG IN NEED: The vigilant Cary Birdwell of Adopt a Dallas Pet sends this note that falls into the "no good deed goes unpunished" category.

Sandi Allison, a critter fan, took in a German Shepherd that had been wandering her Dallas neighborhood for about a week. She named him "Buddy" and got him into boarding at City Vet on McKinney Avenue.

He's not neutered and he is heartworm positive. And he needs a foster home immediately. Sandi already has 3 dogs and, Cary reports, "some of them don't care for other dogs."

Sandi has already committed to paying for Buddy's "full treatment, but admits that it will be difficult," Cary says.

So a special fund has been set up to help pay for Buddy's life-saving treatment.

Here's the address:  City Vet Uptown, 3101 McKinney Ave. Dallas, 75204 c/o Buddy/Sandi Allison Account. You can also call the clinic at 214-953-1001 and make credit card donations, Cary says.

To volunteer to adopt Buddy, contact Cary at 214-521-3611 or 214-580-7132 (work) or e-mail adoptadallaspet@yahoo.com.

Now, as long as we're discussing "situations," Cary has this one, too. This is a "young, pregnant stray" brought into a local vet's office.

She had been living under a bridge for weeks, surviving on food people brought her.

Finally, someone was able to nab her and get her to a vet's office.

Cary says she's going to deliver in a week or two and needs a foster home or forever home right now.

The people who brought her in are facing their own problems -- their home burned recently, Cary says. So, once again, if you've got a place in your heart and home for this soon-to-be-mom and her soon-to-be-puppies, contact Cary at 214-521-3611 or 214-580-7132 (work) or e-mail adoptadallaspet@yahoo.com.
At readlarrypowell.com, we've fostered a pregnant dog who delivered four wonderful puppies in our garage one Thanksgiving. The blessed events and subsequent entertainment have touched our hearts forever. You should be so blessed -- that is what I'm saying.

A SAN ANTONIO SITUATION: The Doctor Family in San Antonio has e-mailed us a request for help in placing Chloe, a rat terrier who "likes to go for walks, play ball and chase the cat through the house."

She's a dog that needs "individual attention" and is reluctant to be "rough-housed by children...and bathing her is like bathing a mad bull."

She is a high-energy dog, "a personal pet that has gotten too much for us to take care of -- we also have a 5-year-old daughter and a 3 1/2 year old bulldog along with a 7-month old cat."

Chloe's home is currently in the north central area of San Antonio--if you're planning a trip to the Alamo City soon. To see about adopting Chloe, contact the Doctor Family at 210-404-1785.

In this photo it's obvious that Chloe is ready to rocket somewhere! All you'd have to do is let her "kick it into gear!"

SEEKING A TEMPORARY SOLUTION: Carys Bowen is "temporarily in Texas" and moving back to New York City in a few months.

Currently the cats are living in a risky situation with a family that has three chows -- this temporary situation has become untenable, so Carys is looking for someone who will keep her Siberians, Yuri and Vashi, in the Plano/Allen/Frisco area. "I would want to visit every week," says Carys. "More, if possible. I'd clean their box when i visit and ... provide all food an litter."

These cats are loved and will be loved, they just need a temporary place to live where they can relax and enjoy a good cat's life. To help e-mail cbowen0721@earthlink.net.

CHIPS AHOY: A reminder, on the last Sunday of each month Operation Kindness hosts a microchipping clinic. It's $15 a chip. See www.operationkindness.org. These chips can turn out to be lifesavers for your pup or kitty.

REMEMBER MONDAY IN PLANO: Festival time. Plano Animal Services and the Friends of the Plano Library host the annual Books & Barks festival from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday in Hoblitzelle Park. There'll be animal contests and assorted other events. And you can bring "gently used" books to donate to the Friends book sale (June 21-24).

Books and animals -- a natural partnership. The only book our pup Baby Jane ever chewed up was Matthew "Uncle Matty" Margolis' training book, "Good Dog, Bad Dog." Tasty, she said. "Good book."

BIRMANS IN GRAPEVINE: The Cat Fanciers Association show starring the Birmans (thanks to the National Birman Fanciers) is scheduled Saturday and Sunday in the Grapevine Convention Center, 1209 S. Main St., in Grpaevine. This show is called the "Denim and Diamonds Show." There'll be around 225 Birmans there. And, of course, they're all beautiful -- some in denim, some in diamonds, some in a Birman state of mind.

A BIT OF GOOD NEWS: Let's finish off today's report with good news from the folks with Golden Retriever Rescue of North Texas. You may recall they were staging the "Wag the Jag" fundraising raffle -- the prize was a vintage Jag.

Foster volunteer Debra J. Smith won the car, then donated it back to the rescue group with the "request that it be sold and the proceeds turned over to the rescue," says Anne Visser of GRRNT.

The whole Wag the Jag project raised more than $15,000, says Anne, and it couldn't have come at a better time because 2006 has been an extraordinarily productive year -- dogs that have come into the group's care have given birth to 21 puppies. "No telling what summer, fall and winter will bring us!" says Anne.

Those 21 pups arrived in just two litters. One litter was named for candy and the other was named for flowers. If another big load of puppies come in, Anne says, "I promise we won't name them after congressmen or anyone political. We have a very creative name creator, Becca Matheny, who always comes up with appropriate monikers."

Like one Christmas there were Goldens named for reindeer, Anne says.

If you know Goldens, you know they were downright holly jolly.

IRONY? A loud noise Friday morning shut down Congress. Imagine, a loud noise brings the loudest noise to a halt. Is that irony?

And do you think that when someone on Capital Hill said "Gunshot!" someone else said, "Dick Cheney practicing again?"

A good dog needs an angel...

This dog is on the brink of losing his life. He's currently in the Grand Prairie city shelter. Employees have fallen for him and have moved him around for quite a bit of time to avoid what is all-too-often the inevitable. His "inevitable date" is tomorrow.

This handsome lad is only three or four years old, according to the GP folks. Rebecca Poling forwarded his story via an e-mail from Renee Johnston.

The dog came into the shelter as a stray. He doesn't do well with men -- right now, but that could change. You need patience with dogs, you know. They have patience with humans, it's only fair that we should be patient with them.

"He has the normal Border Collie traits. He herds when you run and he jumps up and plays fetch and even sits and lays on command. He would make someone a wonderful pet if we can just find that someone before it is too late. He is just too smart and loyal of a dog to be Put to Sleep."

Hats off to Ms. Johnson for trying to hustle up an angel to save this beautiful dog.

To adopt or foster or somehow get involved with protecting this dog, e-mail rjohnsto@gptx.org or call 972-237-8566.

If nobody takes this dog, then sometime soon the shelter will send a couple of helpers -- probably women so as not to panic the skittish pup -- and they'll soothe the dog and talk sweetly to it and at some point slip a needle full of poison into its veins and those ears will flop over and the eyes will go blank and there'll be one less stray dog to worry about.

The dog will go with the attendants, perhaps thinking he's going to get to play or going for a walk. He won't know the truth. But the rest of us will know the truth. It will weigh on our hearts.

This is why animal people must reach OUTSIDE of rescue circles, why we must touch the hearts of people who have no clue, who have no interest, who just don't know that they can help stop this great tragedy in our area.

Pass word of this dog on to people who don't even have animals and claim they don't want one. They may know someone who does.

A Graceful cat, spots on the dial & some canine beauties

People are graduating all over the place.

You want to make sure these people have the right amount of ambition and drive. But, if you've spent decades in the workplace, don't you just really want to hug these kids and say, "Take it easy. Relax. Take a nap. Take a trip. Take time off. Determine what the important things of life really are and enjoy them. This isn't TV -- no reruns. One time through. Don't ignore the good things in favor of jumping through a hoop for money. Do things that make your heart feel good and add to the lives of others."

That concludes today's commencement address. Except for this, young grads: "Never take a job that doesn't have a good dental plan." Ah, there's wisdom there.

A STORY OF GRACE: Celia Orr reports on the journey of Grace, a cat that needs a home "desperately." She came into Kittico Cat Rescue about three weeks ago, Celia says.

"Grace, by the 'grace of God,' as she was named by her rescuer, had been in a fire," says Celia. "Her ears were burned, her eyes, her pads on her feet burned badly, her fur looked like a Brillo pad. No whiskers left and she was starving to death."

Here's how she was found: A woman in Grand Saline heard all her foster dogs barking in the yard, investigated and found that the dogs had treed Gracie. She rescued the injured cat from the pup situation and took her to Kittico the next day.

Celia writes, "We will never know what happened to Gracie who....was #13 on the instatke sheet that day and who became known to the volunteers as Burned Cat #13. The police were called in Grand Saline and they made photographs thinking she may have been abused and the fire department was called in to check on any fires within the last two weeks based on her wounds, but there were no reports."

Grace is coming along though she is easily frightened. "Her ears will always be a bit deformed," Celia says, "but Gracie is becoming a beautiful calico/tortie again. She is under a year old, loves to play and demands a lot of attention. She wants to sit in your lap, play with her toys and have lots of petting."

Grace will probably need to go to an only-critter home. She gets upset when she even hears another animal -- cat or dog.

"She is very sweet and desperately needs a home," Celia writes. "She cannot be taken to the adoptions on weekends or go into a Luv-A-Pet Center with other adoptable kitties because she could not handle the small space or the other pets. She needs a home where she can have the house to herself."

To audition to adopt Grace, who no longer looks likes she does in these month-old photos, call the Kittieco Grace line at 214-368-3053.

VOTE WITH YOUR HEART AND EARS: Our radioguru Larry Shannon, the man behind the Texas Radio Hall of Fame, sends word that it's time to vote for the 2006 inductees into that hall. Go to www.TexasRadioHallofFame.com where you can find the ballot and read the list of nominees. Or you can go to www.radiodailynews.com and enjoy reading about radio industry moves, gossip and personalities before clicking on the Hall of Fame voting button.

Among the nominees ar Mr. Shannon who worked at KVIL, KFFJZ and KLIF. And there's my ol' Tarrant County Courthouse Press Room pal from the 1970s, WBAP anchor Russ Bloxom, a genuine gentleman. ....We could go on and on -- there are two pages of nominees, including from the Dallas area (KBOX)  Allan Peck and Peggy Sears, the late Glenn Mitchell of KERA, Jody Dean, Terry Dorsey The Light Crust Doughboys....well, look it up. There's a bunch.

There are some animal-friends on the list, i.e., the king of afternoon talk, Russ Martin of 105.3 FM, who recently spoke at the Mercy memorial service at Operation Kindness. And there is the team of LaBella and Rody, John LaBella and John Rody, from Dallas' KZEW-FM. The East Lake Pet Orphanage Kindness to Animals Award is named in honor of Mr. LaBella, who died in an auto accident in Dallas. Mr. Rody and his wife, Pam, are still in Dallas and thriving and are really devoted animal people.

TWO GREAT LAKE ANIMALS: Hard to believe these are dogs that were probably just dumped "out in the country." But, sure enough, they need some homes and their photos and brief tales were forwarded to us by Sydney Busch of the Friends of the Animals at Cedar Creek Lake.

The prone pup is Scooter. "Dumped out in the country" is her official description -- isn't it good to know some creepy human is driving around free. (Abandonment is a crime in Texas. Someone make a call, drop a dime, turn in a jerk.) Anyway, Scooter is less than a year old and appears to be a border collie/Aussie Mix. But, as the note says, "Doesn't matter -- she's adorable and just as sweet and loving a dog as she is cute." She weighs about 25 pounds, is spay, up to date on shots and on heartworm preventative.

To see about adopting Scooter, e-mail jtroper@earthlink.net or call 903-879-2854.

T he stand up dog is a 9 month old Aussie/Catahoula mix, a former stray. She's "very smart, sits, stays, minds wonderfully." To audition to adopt this dog, call 903-887-1510.

Amazing, isn't it, that two great dogs like these would have been on the loose. They're so beautiful, so precious.

Maybe some of the members of the assorted Classes of 2006 will get involved in animal issues and help put an end to human behavioral problems.

Or at least not contribute to the decline of civilization.

CLASS OF '66: To my fellow members of the high school classes of 1966, can it really have been 40 years since we were all able to fit into our graduation suits?

Quick, somebody cue the Beach Boys version of "Graduation Day." And hand me a box of tissues.

From Cockers to Cornwall...and Mercy, too.

The workday began with a realization that the body next to me in bed is not the human I expected, but, instead, a snoring cocker spaniel.

Yep, my workspouse Martha, bless her heart, let me sleep in this morning and Inky hopped onto the bed and, worn out from vigorously eating breakfast, used mind control to suggest that we sleep the day away.

Ha, my brain is more powerful than that of a cocker spaniel. Sometimes. Perhaps. Now, let's move into the day's news. You'll find opportunities to help, occasions to make your heart feel good, a cat named Oscar, and, in a video about Mercy the Dog, a reason to remember why we must toughen the animal cruelty laws.

BACCI'S NEEDS: The folks at the no-kill shelter Dog and Kitty City, in Dallas, have been dealing with Bacci's needs for several weeks now. His story is a doozy.  We get it courtesy of Cary Birdwell, a guy who has a keen eye for adoptable dogs and a big heart, too.

Here's the tale: Bacci was either abandoned or lost in an apartment complex. The people who found him decided they'd keep him.

Two months later, he jumped off a bed and broke his leg. They decided to call animal control to pick him up. But, reason prevailed, and rather than basically sentence Bacci to death-by-needle in a city pound, they called on Dog and Kitty City, instead.

He went straight to the emergency room. A follow up vet visit determined tha the break was much worse. And Bacci had to have leg-saving surgery.

Now, this isn't free. In fact, the surgery/after-treatment is at the $2,400 mark. Monique Voelker, longtime rescuer, has stepped up to help get the ball rolling on behalf of Dog and Kitty City, but, this is a burden that could sure use some sharing.

The general rule of thumb in animal rescue is "No good deed goes unpunished." But, the secret rule is "People are often moved to help each other in these matters of animal expense and rescue." So, to help Dog and Kitty City with its care of Bacci the Italian Greyhound, go to www.dognkittycity.org and click the "HELP US" button to donate via PayPal. (Dog and Kitty city is at 2719 Manor Way (Zip 75135) in Dallas, near Love Field. Call 214-350-7387.)

The "US" includes not only the folks trying to keep the lights on at Dog and Kitty City, but the animals in their care -- among them, two recently acquired heartworm-positive dogs and one with mange. Saving animals isn't cheap sometimes, but it is good for your heart.

And, once Bacci is healed and neutered, he'll be available for adoption. The official report reads" He is a dear, sweet boy and one of the tiniest Italian Greyhounds we've ever seen."

AN EVENING WITH OSCAR? Yep, that's how the folks at Feral Friends have titled their Friday night fundraiser to benefit "The Race to Reduce Litters Feral Spay/Neuter Program."

The movies? Oh, no, this is far more entertaining than a motion picture: He's a cat. He's Oscar. We'll get to the reason he's involved in just a second.

Feral Friends works to cut down on the number of unwanted kittens and cats -- and, as we all know, spay/neuter is the best way. On the other hand, maybe we don't all know it. There are people blissfully unaware....but back to the main point of this.

The big party is from 7:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. Friday in the lobby of PrimeLending, 18111 Preston Road at Frankford in way north Dallas. The cost is $25 a person. Go to www.feralfriends.org for your reservation.

Now, to answer the question: Just who is Oscar?

Ah, he's the focus of this celebration. You might call him the "focal cat."

Here's the story from Pam Asturias. She and her husband found "this sweet boy by our house after he was obviously hit by a car." (The shaved chest photo was for a magazine called "Hunky Cats" I'm kidding. It's the photo of Oscar after surgery.) This happened in January.

"We rushed him to the vet (Dr. Kang at O'Connor Animal Hospital in Irving), where it was determined after X-rays that he had two severely fractured shoulders. He now has steel scres in his shoulders...The surgery and other vet care cost $1,800. Our group raised $2,000 for his care. The overwhelming support from people who donated was amazing!

"Oscar is now doing fine. He is still with my husband and me. He gets around just fine, except for a slight limp when he walks. But it does not deter him from rough-housing with our other cats. he loves to play!"

And, she adds, "Oscar will be the featured star of the night at the Oscar event. He will meet and greet all his supporters, thanking them for their help toward his recovery. We will also have a silent auction. Proceeds from ticket sales and the silent auction will go towrd the funding of feral/stray cat spay and neuter.

"After the event, Oscar will then go up for adoption so he will be able to find his loving fur-ever home!," writes Pam.

The feral Friends adoptions are from 11 .m. to 5 p.m. on Saturdays and from noon to 4 pm. Sundays at the PetsMart near Coit and Campbell in Dallas.

And, yes, that is a photo of Oscar on a pedestal. Appropriate, don't you cat folks thing, to photograph a cat on a pedestal. I don't know about your cats, but our cats came into this world thinking they were born to be put on a pedestal!

BOXER BIKER REMINDER: The pups who fall into the loving arms of Legacy Boxer Rescue will benefit Saturday when they fire up the hogs. Is that the right way to say they'll start the engines on the motorcycles? Well, been a while since I've been on a bike and tried to fake the lingo.

Now, here's the deal, this is the "Ride to the Rescue." It starts at 9 a.m. at Frank's Sports Grill, 100 S. Central Expressway. Go to www.savetheboxers.com for the details about signing up and the raffle prizes (among those prizes are tickets to events at Texas Motor Speedway, including a couple of infield tickets on qualifying night).

MERCY VIDEO: I haved save this until last today because you will want some time to think after you watch it. Last week we posted a link for Maria Daines' recording of her song for Mercy, the pit bull pup who was beaten, stabbed and burns in Dallas. Now, Maria and the folks in England have posted a video to go with the song. It includes photos of Mercy, the memorial service, the place where Mercy lived, etc. Joe Cross, who lives in the complex where Mercy lived, helped with the photographs.

If you click on this link and everything works right in the computer world, you'll be able to play the Mercy video.

http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=761431600&n=2

This was sent to us by Mary Alice of Cornwall's Voice For Animals.

Remember, as you watch this, it's imperative that you go to www.thln.com and get involved with the Texas Humane Legislation Network's efforts to strengthen the state's animal cruelty laws.

The Mercy Legacy should be that she touched our hearts and we made life better for the animals that came after her. Laws don't stop lawbreakers, but they do punish the bad guys when applied with the full force of the public will.

If it's Tuesday in Texas, we must all be rockin' right along. We've got our energy levels up for the week and we're ready to ride.

Seriously, how long has it been since you were on a horse?

Been a while for me, too. Heck, I haven't had boots on for about a year. And my cowboy hat is in the back of the closet on a stack of books I keep intending to read.

I lost my spurs in a bar fight .... just kidding. Never been in a bar fight. Do have spurs, though. Legacy of a misspent youth. Always wanted to be a cowboy star. Horses got together and signed a petition calling for lighter cowboys....Well, part of today's report is dedicated to the visual arts and if that's not an ugly word picture...well, let's move along.

NOW, EVERYBODY FOCUS! I know there are filmmakers in the reading area. I have seen their work. My visualspouse Martha and I helped judge the last SPCA Pet Flix Festival. And, thanks to a request from the kind folks at the SPCA, we're going to do it again this year. The festival is set for Aug. 20 at the Studio Movie Grill in Addison.

But, first there must be some entries in the contest. The rules are at www.spca.org. The deadline is July 22. It'll cost $10 to enter a film and the money goes to help animals, says Maura Davies of the SPCA.

On the night of the Pet Flix festival, the Studio Movie Grill will offer an all-you-can-eat pizza, popcorn and non-booze drink package with each of the $10 festival tickets. (Relax, if you just have to have a stiffer drink with the movies, there'll be a cash bar, too.)

And, seriously, the films we saw at the last Pet Flix were great. Some were funny, some were chilling. And you might want to bring a box of tissue because some touched the ol' heart and set off the waterworks.

You might wonder why there are photos of two great deadpans running with this section. Keep reading.

By the way, the SPCA is running a special on big dogs. Big ol' dawgs. We love 'em at our house. They're great to hug. They're great friends and ours are so mannerly it puts us to shame. A few years ago, noted local warbler Edie Brickell recorded a song called "Adopt a Big Dog" on behalf of the SPCA. You can get it on your ringtone by going to http://www.groupietunes.com/artists/spcaoftexas. Click and listen. It'll make you feel good about big dogs.

And I'll bet there are some big dogs in some of the Pet Flix entries. Cute is cute, but a matinee idol is a star. And as you can see in the two photos with this segment, what we have are publicity stills with two great stars of the American screen. They are nearly identical in the special allure that makes them, indeed, matinee idols. One is Buster Keaton, the silent film star known as "the Great Poker Face," and the other is Hambone Jack, a.k.a. Hammy, who when its time for the afternoon matinee, is usual idle on the couch. He is the Matinee Idle. But he is a big dawg and he is a guy with animal magnetism. How Hollywood has overlooked him is a mystery.

KEEP YOUR EYES OPEN FOR A HEARTBREAKER: Oh, my this is a tough one. Kim Free's note explains, "Nike is my daughters' dog. We just moved here from California. My daughter is in South Africa doing mission work. I had to write to her and tell her her baby has been lost. Please help me find my dog."

Nike is a 15-pound spayed female Schnauzer. Her ears aren't docked, so they're floppy. She was lost may 5 when she walked away from her home near Irving Baylor Hospital at MacArthur and Highway 183, says Kim.

The little dog is 6 years old and will "sit, stay and lie down on command. She won't go to her food until you say 'ok.' She is a lover and a jumper. She is very friendly. She looks mostly black if she is alone, but next to a black schnauzer she looks silver....She was freshly groomed whe she walked away. She was wearing a pink PetsMart bandana and a new pink rhinestone collar."

In hopes of getting little Nike back, there is a veritable phone bank. The numbers are  760-500-2605 (Kim's cell phone),  972-579-9214 (Reid home in Irving);  214-695-7367 (Reid cell); and 972-849-3860 (Ms. Allen cell). Also, you can e-mail these addresses: k_free@sbcglobal.net,     ubthere@sbcglobal.net or knmckenzie@sbcglobal.net.

Lots of supporters, bound to be a happy ending here somewhere.

LOOKING FOR A HOME: Our pro-critter pal Christie Hansen sends us a "help note" from the Protective Animal League's inventory.

These pups are Andre and Barbie, described as "a cute couple that needs a home."

They are pom/rat terrier mixes and were raised with kids and cats. The story is they prefer the company of adults, like to play with each other and are so bonded that they must be adopted together. All their med stuff is up to date.

To apply to adopt them, call for Jaynie at 214-388-7325. (Visit www.onepetatatime.org to see other PAL pups and cats.)

A DIFFERENT BREED REPORTS: Caroline Felps with A Different Breed says, "We are looking for a foster home starting May 29th for a very special kitty pulled from Dallas Animal Services. 

"Her name is Grizzy, and she's a Persian kitty who's about 8 months old.  She's got a great personality - sweet and sassy & just quite the character all together."

And ADB's Barbara Canter wrote, "I have never seen a cat like her before!"

Indeed, that is some photo -- sort of a glamour shot!" (To apply to adopt Grizzy, e-mail rpoling1@swbell.net.)

Barbara writes, "We don't think she's pure Persian, but we'd never tell her that as she is convinced she is a pure breed.

As far as special, she's absolutely gorgeous and knows it. Dallas Animal Services sees thousands of cats every year and this one obviously stood out. Her DAS fans actually sent out a plea to make sure she was rescued from the city shelter.

"She is extremely sweet and likes to talk. She loves to interact with humans and seeks out a 'purrfectly' good lap to sit in an socialize. She would do best in a home without other cats. Like all of the famous divas, she prefers to be the one and only and the center of the universe."

Based on my experience with cats, the center of the universe will have to be a vast, vast place to make room for all the cats who think they are, indeed, the center of the universe. And that's OK.

Ah, the heat is on....

It's a Monday in North Texas. The temperature is slowly rising to traditional summer levels in springtime. There's no rain and cities are warning residents about water usage.

And on Sunday afternoon, I saw people standing in line at Aunt Stelle's Snow Cone stand in Oak Cliff. That's your real sign that summer is creeping into our springtime.

Now, let's all remember to remind our less enlightened neighbors to (a) don't leave kids in a hot car, (b) don't leave animals in a hot car and (c) don't throw your animals into the backyard and ignore them. Shade, water and companionship -- that's what the critters need. The kids, too, probably.

Let's move on with a Monday potpourri:

IDLE THOUGHT: As I'm typing this, the Regis and Kelly Show is on in the background and they're broadcasting from Niagara Falls. FYI: That's one of the few places I've actually been. Took the boys, Bret and Bart, years ago. We rode the "Maid of the Mist" boat up to the falls; we took photos; we were tourists!

Up in the tourist viewing area, there was a tranquil, calm, cool setting until a guy with a boombox the size of a suitcase balanced on his shoulder and against his empty head came strutting by looking at the falls and listening to his music as if nobody else could hear it -- it was almost loud enough to stop the water. Wacky. We grabbed the boombox and threw it over the rail. I'm kidding. But we thought about it.

Makes me grateful for i-Pod technology -- the guy can blast his own ears to pieces and leave the rest of us alone.

SPEAKING OF TRAVEL: Central Texas Dachshund Rescue is still selling raffle tickets for that "dream vacation, $1,500 cruise for two on Royal Caribbean."  Tickets are $20 each. go to www.ctdr.org. Win the raffle and you pick where and when you want to cruise for seven days. They'll draw the winner on May 31. Proceeds go to helping save dachshunds.

Never been on a cruise. Never had a dachshund. Never taken a dachshund on a cruise. Not sure they're built for cruises, now that I think about it. Never seen one in a sailor suit.

DOG DAY AFTERNOON TO HONOR MERCY: The folks with Operation Kindness are planning a "Mercy Tent" at the annual Dog Day Afternoon festival June 10 in Plano's Bob Woodruff Park.

Details are being added daily. Donna Breedlove, Operation Kindness' Special Events Manager, says the tent will include a "memorial to Mercy and an opportunity for education. We will have photos of Mercy, a message board, the Mercy song and possibly a reel of news clips. Additionally, we plan to have Jake, the Dallas District Attorney's therapy dog, on hand to show how dogs contribute to the court process."

More things will be added.

Dog Day Afternoon grows each year, filling the park with happy people and their happy dogs. The contests are fun to watch. Based on the dogs' reactions, the contests are fun for the canines, too.

Go to www.operationkindness.org to see details of the event.

My funspouse Martha and I are scheduled to help just some of the contests. We have made only one request. And Donna promises, "I am still working on that air-conditioned tent for you and Martha!"

Well, if we must sweat, it's good to know we'll be sweating for a good cause.

KITTENS FROM THE LAKE: Our tipster at Friends of the Animals at Cedar Creek Lake, Sydney Busch, forwards this note from a rescuer: "Here are the 5 kittens I was telling you about. They are just about ready to be adopted. They are easting dry cat food, drinking milk from a dish and learning how to use the cat box already. They are about 5 weeks old and I think they are all females except the orange-colored one." To adopt one of these big-eyed rascals or rascallettes, call 903-498-7499 or e-mail cjnclan@earthlink.net.

That's a great "pile-o-cats," isn't it!

PLANNING FOR THE MUTTS: There's some planning underway for a 2006 Dallas Mutt Show, perhaps on July 15 and maybe in Fair Park or at the Dallas Convention Center. Details are being worked out -- the organizers are looking for rescue groups and shelters to participate.. Details are at www.dallasmuttshow.com. More as it becomes available.

CRITTER CAMP: The SPCA of Texas has scheduled some Critter Camps for kids to "learn about important values such as kindness and love" and appropriate animal care.

These session are 9 a.m. to noon Mondays through Fridays -- 15 campers per session and $85 per camper. There are two "Little Critters" camps (starting June 19 in Dallas and July 31 in McKinney for  kids 6-8) and one "Growing Critters" (starting June 26 in McKinney for kids 9-12) session. Go to www.spca.org for details or call Megan Williams at 214-651-9611, ext. 336 or e-mail mwilliams@spca.org.

AH, SUMMER: I guess it's the warming of the air or the mention of summer activities that suddenly sends my mind wandering back to a time when you could lay down in the backyard and stare up at the big white clouds against that great vivid blue sky and watch them change shapes. Seems like this was a relaxing activity that could on for hours or until you realized you'd plopped down on a bed of ants or a colony of redbugs.

Ah, the smell of freshly mown grass, the gentle breezes of summer, the sounds of birds chirping madly to each other, the "oof" when my dog Queenie decided not to go around me but to jump onto me en route to the other side of the yard.

I'd flop out in the backyard today but (a) it's on a rocky hill and there's no grass and (b) the dogs and I are so accustomed to air-conditioning and comfy furniture that we find little charm in a warming atmosphere and colonies of bugs.

Some sensations are strictly for childhood.