Things to read on Thursday...

Never mind that Matt Damon has been named People Magazine's Sexiest Man Alive, we'll just bury our disappointment and get right into the fray:

MAX NEEDS SOME HELP: This arrived just this morning. It's upsetting to rational people.

The opening sentence of the note from John Harper with Paws in the City is the grabber: "Max is a gentle 12-year-old golden who was found last week lying below a second floor window."

Oh, my.

John says the dog "evidently fell or jumped. I believe the window was open and the screen ripped when he was found. I DON'T want to imply that he was deliberately injured. Just that he is, and his owner can't help him for whatever reason."

John says the dog "could barely walk and his 'owner' would have nothing to do with him."

At any rate, Max is in good hands now and suffered no broken bones. "Paws in the City has moved him to Dr. Alan Ward's care at Plano Animal Clinic for treatment of  his paralysis. He's having good days and bad, but we're trying to restore his mobility," John writes. "Through all of this, Max has been a dignified gentleman.

"His case is particularly sad because not only has he suffered this injury that will require time and rehabilitation, but he has also been abandoned by his only family."

Recent medical situations have drained the Paws in the City emergency fund, so Max's bills are adding up. And he will soon need a foster home. To help with his bills go to www.pawsinthecity.org or write to Paws at 3506 Cedar Springs, Dallas, 75219. At the website you can also volunteer to foster Max.

CALENDAR NEWS: Many animal outfits produce calendars this time of year and we're happy to mention them here at Readlarrypowell.com. (Send us your info.)

We've received a note about the annual Operation Kindness Best Friends Calendars being available now. They're $10 each at Operation Kindness or if you want to order some, add a $3 mailing fee per calendar. (Go to the OK website HERE to order or call 972-418-PAWS, ext. 225.)

The cover photo was taken by 105.3 FM radio host (and longtime OK supporter) Russ Martin. It is of his new Chihuahua-Dachshund puppy Twiggy nose-to-nose with an Akita mix, Kahlua. Each month of the calendar features a different photo from the annual Operation Kindness animal photo contest, such as the photograph at the right with the little kid and the cat in a face-off.

(And, you also get an essay on "Best Friends" by me -- they asked me to write one -- and photos of some of our critters as they express varying degrees of reluctance to be photographed with me. But don't let that stop you from buying a calendar.)

JERROD'S TALE: We mentioned Jerrod back a couple of weeks ago after he was spotted in the Irving Animal Shelter by veteran shelter walker Russell Posch. Now, Jerrod is in the care of the Companion Animal Network.

Someone tossed the 15-pound, 8-year-old dog over the 6-foot fence of the outdoor exercise area under the "cover of darkness," we're told by Barbara Staves.

She claimed him from the shelter and took him to give him a bath first thing. All of his nails were so long that they had curled under and were embedded into his paw pads.

That was on Nov. 2. On Nov. 6, he had to have surgery to remove nails from his paw pads and he was neutered, had excess hair trimmed from his ears and other areas and given a dental cleaning and a microchip.

After a couple of days of recuperation, he was "hopping around and dancing every morning for breakfast and is getting younger every day.... He'll also let me hold him now like a baby and looks me square in the eye with such trust and love and sheer gratitude."

So, the challenge now is to find a good home for him. To apply to audition to adopt this little guy, e-mail THIS ADDRESS.

AN UPDATE FROM CLIFTON: You may recall that two days ago we told the story of efforts by Julie Martin Lowe and her family to find homes for 9 dogs and more than two dozen cats that had been abandoned at a house in Clifton, about two hours southwest of Dallas.

Julie reports, "The response we have received has been greater than I had dared to dream. Even those who were not able to take any of the animal themselves responded with prayers and best wishes, and forwarded the e-mail on to anyone they knew who might be able to help.

"First the dogs: Thanks to the many, many folks out there who spend their days loving and caring for those who have been tossed aside by our legal system, we have placement for all of the dogs -- even Hillary!! -- at various shelters, breed rescues, animal rescue groups, sanctuaries and individuals everywhere from Dallas-Fort Worth to Austin to Houston and beyond.

"And the many, many cats: Homeward Bound Animal Rescue has offered to take 6 of the well-socialized cats (along with three of the dogs, bless them!) and, if no other home can be found for them, the two little kittens as well.

"Barn Cats has offered to take up to 6 of the less socialized, semi-feral ones and transition them into safe barn homes. The one hitch is that they require the cats to all be spayed/neutered and have proof of rabies and distemper shots, and we have only been able to verify 4 cats who meet these requirements.

"This still leaves about 20 cats for whom we need to find placement. If anyone out there knows of anyone who might be willing to take even one, we would love to hear from them!

"Our next big hurdle is going to be transport. We now have to figure out a way to get these animals to the places and people who have agreed to take them in!"
So, Julie is issuing a call "for anyone who might be able to volunteer to help us get these animals ... from Clifton to their new homes in Dallas, Fort Worth, Austin and Houston areas? Even if they would be able to meet us, or another transporter, part way it would be a huge help.

"Also, we're completely new to this and are more than a little concerned about the process of trying to catch, corral and crate these guys with as little trauma as possible for us all. If anyone has experience and is willing to help us, especially with Hillary who won't let anyone near her, the big dogs who have never even seen a carrier, let alone been in one, and some of the more skittish cats who are extremely adept at hiding, we would be forever grateful. Even if anyone has advice on what to do or not to do, we would be so appreciative....

"The way folks have been responding has done amazing things to restore my faith in human-kind. People care, and are willing to help how they can, and it has been amazing and wonderful and uplifting to see in action.

"We have a long way still to go, and 20 cats still to place, but we have Hope. More importantly, these animals have Hope. And Hope is no small thing."

To help Julie and her family with any of these chores or to put them in touch with veteran transporters, e-mail julieis@gmail.com or call 254-675-2921.
ONE MORE NOTE: Does it really surprise anyone that as the presidential nomination races heat up, the topic of UFOs is in the news again?