Bingo, cats, dogs, Uncle Barky...

We've got a busy Thursday lined up.

If you don't have time to read all of this, pass the link www.readlarrypowell.com along to friends and have the friends read part of it for you.

Frankly, I've never seen a summer with so many desperate animal situations: abandonment, dumping, owner-surrender, burglary, raids on hoarders, etc. It's a busy season. (That sleeping dog? That's Rosie, our Chihuahua mix, picked up in Kiest Park in Oak Cliff a decade ago -- she was so mangy that, to borrow from Dr. Seuss, she "Stink, stank, stunk." She's an example of how a dumped dog can become a darling.)

These days it apparently will take more than the good hearts of rescuers to help all the animals in trouble around here. The key is engaging that vast swath of humanity known as "the general public." Quick, someone hire a blimp to float over the Metroplex and advertise "Save the animals."

OK, like the blimp, let's gently move on with today's message:

BINGO FOR KITTIES: Nikki Williamson of Feral Friends sent us a note about something coming up on Monday -- a "special family event" -- that will benefit both Feral Friends and SAFER (Stray And Feral Rescue)

Longhorn Bingo in Garland has designated Feral Friends and SAFER as the beneficiaries of Monday night's Bingo games. And, because this is a "family night" event, both groups will have an area designated for kids' crafts and face-painting.

Longhorn Bingo is at 4413 W. Walnut at Plano Road in Garland (behind the Burger King). There'll be two Bingo sessions --7:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. And the cash payout Monday night is "a guaranteed total of $5,000."

KONA ALERT IS STILL ACTIVE: You may recall that nearly a month ago Readlarrypowell.com mentioned the tragic burglary in which Kona the Yorkie was stolen (Mainstream media has been catching up on the case lately.)

We have received a note from Kona's mom, Sara McMaster. Here it is -- and maybe you've seen someone with a new Yorkie and you wondered where it came from...it could be Kona. So, read on and keep your eyes open.

Sara McMaster says she's "soon to be Sara Hartshorn, as soon as I have time to file the marriage paperwork You ran a story on your website back on 6/20 about our stolen Yorkie, Kona."

To refresh, the young couple's apartment was burglarized on June 18 -- five days before they left the country for their wedding.

"It has been extremely difficult to settle back into 'normal' life here, as things are just not the same without Kona, a member of our family," Sara says. "We are even having to uproot the life we had in Dallas, to find somewhere new to live. After such a violating experience, we just don't feel safe living in our current apartment, and it will never be the same until we find Kona.

"Unfortunately, even with the overwhelming response we have received to the public awareness campaign, and the numerous offers for assistance, we still have not found him. 

"We would greatly appreciate it if you could post another little reminder that Kona is still missing.

"A basic description is: KONA, a small, black and brown, male Yorkshire Terrier weighing about 7 Lbs."

If you know the whereabouts of Kona or have a valid tip, e-mail StephMcmast@aol.com.

THE UNCLE BARKY SHOW: Oh, boy, Ed Bark, the world's greatest TV critic and a swell guy on his own, is bringing music to his monthly Uncle Barky Show -- Channel 11/Channel 21 anchor Tracy Kornet and her band Eleven21 will be the guests on the show at 4 p.m. Saturday at Stratos Global Greek Taverna in Dallas. (Click on the picture to make it larger.)

The band is scheduled to play a set, then Ed will slice the anchor into little pieces with inciteful questions about -- oh, wait, that's insightful.

Maybe he'll just be nice and ask questions about what it's like to work in the Dallas market.

Stratos, by the way, is at 2907 W. Northwest Highway near Bachman Lake. And, you may enjoy the show, but you will REALLY enjoy the grub. Admission is free and the restaurant will run specials for the day, we're told. You can read Ed's work at www.unclebarky.com.

I'd write about Ed's event anyway, but I always think it's a grin for a dog-and-cat site to write about a guy named Bark.

SPCA GETS THE ANIMALS: A Justice of the Peace in Marshall has awarded custody of 83 dogs to the SPCA of Texas. There were 80 dogs seized, but 3 were born after the raid.

The dogs were seized on July 10 from a property in Lone Star, Texas, northwest of Jefferson, where a woman had been living and keeping the animals in a trailer. The woman was arrested that morning and charged with animal cruelty. She may face squatting charges for living on property that wasn't hers and is still in jail. The JP ordered that she pay the SPCA $5,810 to cover care and treatment of the animals over a 7-day period from the time of arrest until the animals were ordered into SPCA custody. You can read more about this at the SPCA website HERE.

Also, you can see how to donate to help alleviate the SPCA's financial burden in the case by going here www.spca.org/helptheanimals. It's not likely that a woman  living in a filthy trailer and collecting dogs is going to have the financial stability to contribute to the welfare of these animals.

And, some sympathy is due the woman in this case, I figure. She probably started out like most of us, rescuing a dog here or a cat there, then another one or two, then things started to go sour -- a lost job, a marital breakup, a home is lost, but the desire to help lives on. Probably not a cruel person, just a lost person.
A CALM CAT: As many of you know, there has been an effort for years to monitor and care for a feral cat colony at SMU.

Not al the cats that wind up with the ferals are truly feral. And this one, Esme, appears to be an example of that. (Esme is short for Esmarelda, by the way.)

Our tipster and former colleague at the big paper in Dallas, Kim Pierce, sends word that Esme is 3 or 4 years old is spayed, up to date on her rabies shot and negative for feline leukemia and feline aids.

Kim says Esme, "a little sweetheart," was brought in via trap-neuter, but wasn't released "because because she took more time to heal. Lo and behold, she's a stray not a feral and has really been picked on by other cats. But she's responding beautifully to humans."

She's litter-box trained, has "big feet and awkward legs," and "would enjoy a peaceful household," Kim says.

She also says Esme "never jumps up on anything."  I'd have to respond, "This really is a rare cat." We've got four cats right now and they jump up on everything.

And, Kim says, Esme "enjoys napping and being petted."

To ask about adopting this obviously ideal cat, e-mail kpierce1@airmail.net.

A LITTLE HELP FOR TERRY LYNN: We've been writing about Terry Lynn Fisher's animal-saving efforts in Burns Flat, Okla., for years now. And we've included the photos she's taken with most of the items. But something unfortunate has happened and some of you may relate to this --and help. And, fyi, she doesn't know I'm doing this.

Earlier this week, while trying to take photos at the Burns Flat pound, Terry Lynn says, "I dropped and broke the screen on my digital camera. It is a bad thing, for without the pictures I don't know if the dogs will move. I learned very early in this that pictures are a must. I will try to describe the dogs as good as I can, but for a while I cannot send pictures."

I'm hoping someone can either spare a camera for her or tell her where she can get a good serviceable digital camera on the cheap. To help Terry Lynn with the camera situation, e-mail remembering_oddball@yahoo.com or call 580-330-1459. (FYI: She also used the camera to take photos of her new grandson -- now, that's really important, too!)

CATCHING UP: From Keri Lane, our Jacksboro contact, regarding the three dogs dumped on a ranch road: "The Jack Russell is on the Russell Rescue of Texas Petfinder page, so that's good. The other two went to the Wichita Falls Shelter -- they had some openings for adoption."

FOUND NEAR ALEDO: Debbie Bryan is trying to help find a home for this "darling baby" who was "dumped in the culvert" close to her daughter, Kelley, and son-in-law Scott's property in Aledo.

"If Scott hadn't seen him, he would have been coyote bait or a grease spot on the road. He is so darling, but they cannot keep him. They are moving to Houston next month with 3 dogs, 2 cats and 2 horses (all rescues, of course)," Debbie writes.

If you can help 'em with this little bundle of roadside joy, e-mail debbiepi@verizon.net.

THE PREGNANT MARSHALL DOG: Good news from Nancy Pinkston of Animal Allies of Texas. The group has taken over care of the pregnant dog, originally described as a "min-pin", that Eva Sepulvado of Marshall Animal Control was helping.

Here's Nancy's Note: "Lots of news about her to share...first, she is a terrier/doxie mix (those legs are way too short for a min-pin) and although she looks like she could pop any minute (and the vet initially thought she was less than a week from delivery), she is not nearly that far along.  An x-ray revealed no skeletal development yet on the puppies, so although we don't know how many, we do know that from her already huge size, she is carrying a lot of very large puppies.

"She is heartworm positive (roundworms and hookworms, too) and malnourished (and also very cowed....think her owners were scum, sorry, but they dropped her off because she was pregnant and didn't even tell Marshall AC if she had a name!!)...

"The vets thought this little girl would have a hard time carrying and delivering all these babies, so we agreed that the best course of action for her was to have her spayed. "

She had been called Mamma Mia, but now they're just calling her Mia and "it seems to fit this gentle little girl.

"If anyone wants to help with her spay and heartworm treatment, they can donate directly via charge to our wonderful vets, Metro Paws, at 214 887 1400.  But, rest assured that she is safe and will soon be happy in her foster home and, after her heartworm treatment, will find a wonderful permanent home where she will be loved and cared for, just as she should have been all along!"

(To help this dog, contact Animal Allies of Texas at 972-967-2266 or e-mail devisnp@us.ibm.com.

OH, GOODNESS: We got this tip from Sydney Busch of the Friends of the Animals at Cedar Creek Lake and it has to do with an animal that was in the lake.

The story goes that this 55-pound yellow dog -- maybe a Lab -- was "thrown into the lake and left to drown or fend for herself."

She "had the good luck to be found by a compassionate, caring now-foster mom."

Chelsea is said to be gentle, loves over dogs and cats and rides in the car well.

She's had al her shots and is heartworm negative and will be spayed shortly.

To ask about adopting this dog, contact Angel Sager at 903-778-2956 or e-mail ras2007@embarqmail.com.

GOT A YEN TO FOSTER? Our tipster with the West Side Animal League, MaryBelle Denton, sends us a report that the White Settlement Animal Shelter "is way over capacity."

So the League is rounding up fosters for the critters. "They are coming in way faster than they are going out," MaryBelle says.

To get involved with helping West Side help White Settlement, e-mail marybelle.denton@lmco.com.

CONTEMPLATIONS: Each week we get a load of "desperate" messages from people about the overflowing shelters in Dallas and surrounding area. The notes come from Marshall and Longview in East Texas, and from points south, west and north. We hear from across state lines, too. And, once mankind has set up colonies, I have no doubt we'll be getting over-crowded shelter messages from Mars. ... Favorite Bob show: Newhart in Chicago or Newhart in Vermont? ... My New Yorker, the one with the controversial cover, is three days late. I'm starting to wonder if someone helped himself to a "collector's edition." Be nice if, every now and then, someone would take my American Express bill and pay it.