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The new year, the old challenges...

Holy smoking Timex watches! As sure as John Cameron Swayze would be a great name for a watchdog, we've taken a lickin' and kept on tickin' all the way to the end of the year 2008.

That's a free product-placement thing. I don't get a dime from Timex. Though, of course, we do sell ads here at Readlarrypowell.com and people who visit this site do need to know what time it is. So, if you know an ad exec with Timex or any other business that appreciates consumer loyalty...

We're going to continue our Readlarrypowell.com campaign in 2009. You may have seen the phrase on the shirts and caps in the ads -- the slogan is my witspouse Martha's clever take on adoptions: END PETLESSNESS.

What a lonely feeling petlessness must be. If you know someone suffering from petlessness, help them today. Tell them about this website, rescue groups, city animals shelters. Help them. Petlessness -- it's just not necessary.

For example, right away we have an opportunity to end petlessness for someone by getting them to go to the animal shelter in The Colony and get 6-week-old Samantha. That is her sleeping upside down in the arms of a shelter worker. She is so comfortable with humans that she doesn't know she's in any danger at all.

Patricia Barrington, The Colony's Animal Control Division Manager, says, "This sweet girl has been here for WAAAYYY too long.  Pending adoptions have bombed twice now and her chances keep getting slimmer. She’s a great little girl. ... Samantha is a heavy sleeper and a dedicated player; she does everything to the fullest. Guessed to be a Chow Weimaraner mix or maybe even a Pit Bull Terrier mix, we assume she will be a large dog when she’s all grown up. This puppy breath packing cutie is the perfect way to brighten even the dullest of days!" (To ask if your heart and arms will be a good fit for Samantha, e-mail pbarrington@thecolonytx.gov or call 972-370-9250.)

ART LOOKS BACK: The folks at Animal Rescue of Texas  sent out a note this morning that sort of sums up the group's efforts. Included was a photo of big dog Jazzy and little dog Bobby. Here's the note (and I hope you folks who say you can read our site without crying find something to smile about in this report from ART):

"As 2008 comes to a close, we would like to take this opportunity to thank our donors for your generous contributions this year. Without your support, we would not have been able to save beautiful Jazzy, our 70- pound Great Dane mix, or Bobby, our teeny 4-pound Chihuahua.... Two of the 100 animals ART pulled from shelters or the streets this year and brought back to health and wholeness. This year some of the challenges we have faced include broken bones, snake bites, heartworm positive doggies, ear infections, diabetes, embedded collar wounds, burns, senior animal issues, OCD behavior, abuse cases, kittens with upper respiratory infections, mommy dogs with litters of puppies, and sadly, distemper. 

"From all the volunteers and foster homes of Animal Rescue of Texas, we humbly say thank you for your continued support of the homeless animals we serve."

That's the way ART sees the year -- opportunities to make things better for animals.

THE FIRST BIG YEAR: Just as the ART note arrived, we got this update from the West Side Animal League in White Settlement, the little town on the northwestern edge of Fort Worth. I think this may give some of you rescuers a boost. It shows what can happen when people engage their hearts in a worthwhile project. (Oh, and that is a photo I gleaned from the White Settlement Animal Shelter site -- it is of Dixie, a young Heeler/Border Collie mix who was a scared stray when she was brought to the shelter. She's now living in a foster home and is "very smart and learning basic commands." You can ask about her by calling 817-921-9265 or visiting the White Settlement site HERE.)

Here are some thoughts from WSAL's Carole McFarland: "Well it’s been quite a year for WSAL. Just over a year ago the league was started to help out here and there at a little shelter hardly anyone even knew existed. Three people wanted to stop by and walk dogs, do some cleaning and get the word out. Well they sure did get the word out didn’t they!  The first adoption I went to I just stopped by to see the dogs. ... There were 4 or 5 people and 4 or 5 dogs. While some adoptions still happen that way, most now have 15-20 volunteers and as many as 30 dogs. People have driven from hours away to adopt a White Settlement shelter dog or cat. We’ve hosted adoptions at many locations and even have businesses that contact us asking the WSAL to hold an adoption at their location. We’ve had up to 50 animals in foster care at one time and weeks with 30 or more animals adopted. Hundreds of animals have been vaccinated and thousands of dollars spent on vet care to save animals that may never have had a chance without us. The city has approved construction of and broken ground on a new shelter.  Thousands of hours have been spent by our dedicated volunteers and hundreds of animal lives have been saved through all your hard work!"

In 2009, the West Side Animal League will do some restructuring to meet non-profit requirements, Carole says.

As veterans of these efforts know, that means there'll be some changes -- as in most groups there are always changes. There will be tweaking and there'll be discussions and there'll be growing pains. These things all happen. But, the bottom line is, animals will benefit as long as the group doesn't lose sight of the mission: help the animals.

LOOKING INSIDE: We get to look inside shelters without visiting them because of shelter walkers such as Russell Posch, the noted photographer of the down-on-their-luck critters at the Irving Animal Shelter.

It is a city-financed shelter, so euthanasia is a tool that keeps the shelter population at a certain level. Russell takes photos of animals that are on "death row" in the shelter and publicizes them so that rescue groups and individuals can step up and save lives. You can see many of those animals by clicking HERE. For people who've never paid attention to the types of dogs that wind up in shelters, we present this fellow, 5-year-old Rusty, a cocker spaniel, currently in the custody of the Irving shelter. There are other purebreds. There are many mixes. There are cats. Sometimes in municipal or county shelters, you'll find a goat or a pig or a bird of some sort. Maybe even horses or cows. They all need one thing: help.

MOST PERSISTENT EFFORT OF 2008 MOVES INTO 2009: Seriously, can you think of the last time Dallas experienced such a sustained drive by a very focused group of people? I'm speaking, of course, of the Concerned Citizens for Jenny group. These people, organized by Margaret Morin, have spent their time and energy on trying to persuade the City of Dallas to move the Dallas Zoo's lone elephant, Jenny, to an elephant sanctuary in Tennessee. Earlier in the year, the group's pressure blocked a plan to move Jenny to an animal park in Mexico. The Zoo now is planning on expanding its elephant exhibit, but the CCFJ folks still want her moved to the big sanctuary.

And, from 11 a.m. until 12:30 p.m. on New Year's Day, the Concerned Citizens for Jenny will be at the entrance to the Dallas Zoo (next to the giraffe statue adjacent to I-35), with a birthday card you can sign to mark "Jenny's 32 years." She's been at the Dallas Zoo for 22 years. the 40-by-30-inch card reads "Jenny's Birthday Wish, A Long and Happy Life at The Elephant Sanctuary." The first 50 kids signing the card will get an "educational comic book" called An Elephant's Life.

CONTEMPLATIONS FOR THE NEW YEAR: Some people are spot-on when asking for help for animals. But some of you must like to see the ol' newshound playing detective and trying to figure out your name, the name of your rescue group and how to contact you -- I'm wearing out and so is my patience. Maybe in 2009 you can give the who, what, where, when and why in your desperate requests for help. (The preceding passage will explain why there isn't a picture of a specific cat in today's report.) ... In 2009, maybe no one will send me a note that begins "Due to the economy, we are having to leave town and we need help placing our four pit bulls/momma cat and kittens/Clydesdales by noon today." Seriously, people, let's move "helping living beings" up higher on your priority list than "cancel cable service." ... People who "forward" animal situations to exhaustive e-mail lists -- every now and then, check on the status of the crisis before you forward the notice. Sometimes these things have been solved before you ever hit the "send" button and clog inboxes all over America. Oh, and remember, those of us who write about animals do indeed appreciate your hard work. But it would be better for the animals if you looked before you made the rest of us leap. ... Most oft-used cry of disgust in 2008? It wasn't "Oh, no, Romo!" It was "Oh, no! My 401K!"

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Great dogs, ears and a recollection...

Ever have a morning when you wake, stumble to the computer and discover that overnight it had tied itself in knots?
There's no key that works swiftly. There's no command that is recognized. There's nothing that works?

Welcome to my world today. I rebooted everything but Griffin the Cat -- he's not inclined toward such things. You can't reboot a cat that is larger than a ream of paper and a phone book combined. Also, he moves only when he wants to move -- you can't reboot something that has never been booted. Let's proceed:

CHRISTMAS DELIVERY: Oh, goodness. The opening line of Patricia Barrington's note says it all: "Boy, what a mess."

She's Animal Control Division Manager for The Colony. She writes:

"One-year-old Tia, the Pit Bull Terrier, was left on a doorstep on Christmas Eve.

"On the day after Christmas, sweet Tia had 11 sweet puppies -- five boys and six girls; all adorable.

"As you likely know, a litter of puppies doesn't stand much of a chance growing up in a shelter. So we are desperately searching for a place for this little family.

"Tia is the sweetest girl. She doesn't mind having her puppies handled and she is a very attentive little mother with soulful eyes and a good heart. She's a very deserving pup."

To help this "very deserving pup," get in touch with The Colony Animal Control at 972-370-9250 or e-mail pbarrington@thecolonytx.gov.

And, if anyone knows the person who used to have Tia, get a Magic Marker and write "Spay & Neuter" right across that nitwit's forehead. Oh, wait, that would be wrong. Justifiable, but wrong.

GREAT DANE OUTBREAK: Yesterday afternoon an e-mail was sent jetting around about a Great Dane named Lee (left) who was in the Arlington Animal Services Shelter. It is, by virtue of being a city-owned, taxpayer-financed facility, a kill shelter.

That meant Lee was on the clock. So I quickly e-mailed Susan Waits, the shelter's animal care coordinator, to see what was up. And she immediately replied, "Great Dane Rescue of North Texas just called me. They will be here today to pick her up. She will still need a permanent home if you want to write about her."  (Check out GDRNT at www.danerescue.net.)

Just seconds after that e-mail arrived, Susan sent another one. She wrote, "We just got in three more owner-released Great Danes. Could you go ahead and do a plug for them while you are at it?"

More than happy to try to help, of course. Keep in mind that if you want to help these dogs or any dogs and cats in the Arlington shelter (see them by clicking HERE) e-mail Susan.Waits@arlingtontx.gov or call 817-451-3436.

Now, about the three newly-arrived Great Danes.

The dog looking to her right is Hera, who, according to shelter records, was born Dec. 31, 2003 -- yep, tomorrow's her birthday and there she sits on death row. Her shelter number is A06971915.

The other dynamically marked Great Dane is Zeus, whose birth date is listed as Dec. 30, 2004. Happy birthday, Zeus. Or, Happy Birthday Shelter Dog #AO6971961.

And the black Dane with one ear up is Diablo, who is also celebrating today -- his date of birth is listed as Dec. 30, 2006. He's #A06971976.

As you may suspect, at one time these dogs were NOT shelter dogs.

All three are "eligible for 30 days of pre-paid health insurance" when adopted from the Arlington Animal Services Shelter.

Now, some of you may say, "Great Dane? Too big."

"Horsefeathers," people who have Danes will respond. Great Danes, it turns out, take up more room in your heart than in your house. Yeah, they're big, but so what? Hug one of them and you'll find yourself in a different dog universe.

We know this because of our granddogs, Frog and Henry, two of the biggest Danes on the planet. And we've got Hammy at our house, a Lab/Dane mix, who, while not quite as big as a purebred Dane, still manages to take over a couch and claim a chair and lean up against you with his big ol' head when he thinks you might be about to share a treat.

Big dogs are big blessings.

THE ALPHA MALE: Yes, this dog Squirt may be the alpha male, but, says Farrow Herold of Dallas, he also "is a well-behaved gentleman."

And, in spite of how it looks in this photo, Squirt does have four legs. He's not just a mere biped holding up two enormous ears.

 

Farrow rescued two dogs in August and now it is time for this one to find a better home for a more active dog.

 

Farrow has the lad now. But she also has "three other dogs -- older -- who are tired of him wanting to play all the time so we don't have a happy pack. I've had him since August and had him neutered, had his shots done, etc. He is very healthy. He is crate-trained and housebroken."

She says Squirt is about a year old "but is still very much a puppy. He loves to play. I saw him playing with a leaf -- by himself -- in the backyard. Entertained me for about 10 minutes."

Squirt is a short-haired 34-pound mix of something. "You will burst out laughing when he puts his big ears up! He's very sweet and smart, very loving and will sit in my lap or lay beside me while I'm reading. He walks well with a gentle leader.."

The big-eared lad, Farrow says, "would be best as an only pet ... He's good with kids. I take him on errands with me and he behave sin public wonderfully. I took him to Wage & Walk in October and he behaved great. Everyone came up to him. I originally anted to make him a therapy dog, but it's just too much for me now. I know he would be a good dog to visit kids and hospitals. He will make someone a great family member. I'm very sad to give him up, but he needs a good home."

To offer to give this big-eared rascal that good home, e-mail farrow7@tx.rr.com.

A LITTLE DEVELOPMENT: And, by "little" we're referring to the dog. The development is bigger. This dog is sort of a victim of previously unrevealed circumstances.

We get this from noted Burns Flat, Okla., rescuer Terry Lynn Fisher. "I have a 'big' problem," she confesses. "I got a Chihuahua for a friend for his wife for Christmas. ... They have since found out that their granddaughter, who now lives there, is highly allergic to dogs.  So, this little guy has to go. I have no place to put him, ... He is so sweet, but is getting confused as to what is going on. He is young, only about 10 months old... PLEASE, if you can take him, let me know ASAP, for I honestly do not know what I am going to do with him." To help Terry Lynn with this delightful Chihuahua e-mail remembering_oddball@yahoo.com or call 580-330-1459. (Just an FYI: This dog resembles my late, great Chihuahua mix Belle Starr Carmelita Del Vera Cruz, just about the finest little dog that ever took over a house. I suspect that if the right amount of affection is applied, this little guy will be someone's perfect companion. If we didn't already have 7 dogs...well, you know we'd have an 8th.)

CONTEMPLATIONS: Are you contemplating things you want to do in the new year? Traditional vows: Lose weight, quit smoking, stop rooting for the Dallas Cowboys, quit going to Texas Rangers games until the concession and parking prices are lowered and the pitchers get some idea of how to "paint the corners." . ... Good albums (I think they're called CDs now, by cracky) for driving long distances: American Pie, Rubber Soul and Pancho & Lefty. Also, Billy Ray Cyrus' 1992 album Some Gave All. ... Some of you may want to weigh in on this one. There are restaurants I'd like to visit one more time, but they are gone. Feel free to add your appreciation for a now-departed dining place. I'll start with Piccadilly Pizza & Italian Food on Line Avenue near downtown Shreveport. Ah, the calories.

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Cowboys, critters and quiet, please...

Those Dallas Cowboys really know how to take the pressure off.

Thanks to Sunday's awful loss to the unpleasant Philadelphia Eagles, the Dallas City Council no longer has to fret over the expensive details of a Super Bowl parade, the Cowboys front office no longer has to worry about losing in the playoffs and there will be no high expectations for the 2009 season.

That photo? That is our staff impersonator, Inky, the Cocker Laureate of the State of Texas, giving us his impression of a Philadelphia lineman rushing into the Cowboys' post-game locker room for one more serving of Mom's Flattened Quarterback Meatloaf with a side dish of Terrell Owens Egg Drop Soup and a Roy Williams Sloe Gin Fizz.

OK, enough of that. Philly will never be able to get that stadium fumigated.

WHAT'S WHAT IN THE WORLD: People who usually sneak looks at their favorite sites while using their whizbang office computers are, this week between holidays, at home on dial-up or traveling or at home without a computer. They might not take the time to check on developments here at Readlarrypowell.com, but we'll keep working on things, trying to make life better for humans and animals. And we'll continue to offer the happy endings along with the potential happy endings. As 2008 drifts toward 2009, we'd much rather be uplifted than slammed to the turf (Sorry, about that last phrase but I just can't get that Philadelphia Spectacle out of my mind). So, here we go:

THE STORY OF PEPPER: Last week we told you about the tight spot being experienced by Arlington Animal Shelter dog Pepper. Helen Miller tells us that "transport has been arranged and Pepper will be on her way to San Antonio to the Animal Defense League on Tuesday. Thanks so much for posting her." We would not have known about Pepper if Helen and Dianne Watson had not worked on her behalf. Pepper was supposed to be euthanized a week ago today. But she charmed the staff, rescuers worked hard on her behalf and things fell together at what would have been the genuine "last minute." Now, maybe, Pepper will get to start the new year in a real home. Check out the Animal Defense League at www.adltexas.org.

CARROLLTON'S COLLECTION: Goodness, gracious, the Carrollton Animal Services shelter winds up with a lot of animals. But, the shelter's Joe Skenesky works hard to keep them moving toward new homes. In fact, we've gotten a report that Cha Cha (left), the Chow Mix, was adopted on Christmas Eve.

That leaves two tough cases on the euthanasia list for New Year's Eve.

One is the dog Barkley, #18906. Barkley is a pit mix, under a year old, and a former stray. But Carrollton doesn't hand over pits or pit mixes to anybody but rescue groups. So that's who needs to step up for Barkley. The official report is "he is a good boy who likes other dogs, both big and small. He is ... all ready to go to a new place where the floors are warmer and the food is better."

And, frankly, in this photo, he looks as if he has just written a book and is posing for the book jacket photo. He has frozen his "I'm-a-serious-lad" look just long enough to snap the shutter.

In the meantime, this cat is also on the list. He's Snowball, #18894, a Snowshoe Siamese mix who's tail curls up in an artistic question mark. He, also, was a stray in Carrollton. And he's said to be "a very friendly cat who loves all the people he has met."

To ask about helping these two or any of the other animals in the Carrollton shelter, call 972-466-3420, ext. 3, or e-mail joe.skenesky@cityofcarrollton.com.

SOME ANIMALS IN FERRIS: The little town of Ferris, about 25 or 30 minutes southeast of Dallas on I-34, made headlines on Christmas Day when word got out that the authorities are going to start shooting the "wild dogs" that roam the town.

Not sure how they determine whether a dog is "wild" or just fell in with the wrong crowd after an irresponsible owner left a gate open and a female ready for romance began to wander and draw a crowd. (Click HERE to read the Houston Chronicle story on the Ferris situation.)

Now, in Dallas, of course, we don't shoot the wild roaming dogs -- nope, the city sends its crews into the high-roaming population area and picks 'em up by the hundreds and delivers them to the Dallas Animal Services and Adoption Center where, more than likely, they'll be euthanized by the hundreds.

Shot or needled, dead is dead, and the blood isn't on the hands of the authorities, it's on the heads of the people who treated this animals without respect in the first place. But, why go into that when we've got animals in Ferris' shelter that need saving.

Among them is Ernie, a cat that "loves to be petted" and, as you can see in these photos, will turn upside down to get a head rub.

Then there is Peaches, the fluffy-eared Corgi/Papillon mix -- don't know how she wound up in a city shelter, but she is in need of "some obedience work" because of her initial shyness and distrust.

And that big yellow dog on the bed? That is Trinity, a "baby female big pup" who probably is a Yellow Lab mix.

To offer to adopt these animals or any others in the Ferris animal shelter, e-mail Misty Clark at misty@mytocn.com or call 972-877-1210. She's the animal control officer and she's been working hard to keep animals safe in Ferris.

IN QUARANTINE, LOOKING FOR HELP: Nicole Glanville has a situation that needs a resolution and she has turned to the folks who visit Readlarrypowell.com for some help.
She found this boxer on the 23rd. "He is very sweet and has a super low-key personality.
"I took the boxer along with my dogs for a walk on 12/24 and ran into a small dog. One of my dog, a border collie mix, got into a fight with the small dog. The small dog's owner requested the Fort Worth animal control to take all my dogs including the boxer for quarantine. The animal control told me that if the boxer's owners do not pick up the dog by 1/5/09 after the quarantine, this boxer will be put down unless an animal rescue group would take him.

"I have contacted 30 humane societies and animal rescue groups in Texas trying to save him. Pat Rod from Metroplex Animal Coalition suggested me to write to you to spread the message. At the same time, I have been visiting the Ft. Worth animal shelter almost every day to follow up on the boxer's owner.
"Would you be willing to help me by spreading the word among your readers and maybe there's an angel out there willing to reach out to him? I just want this sweet boxer being rescued out of the pound. He really deserves a second chance! I am willing to foster him and/or financially help him out of death row."

To help this boxer, e-mail nzglanville@gmail.com or call 408-429-4163.

CONTEMPLATIONS: In our weekend feature Let Sleeping Dogs Lie & Napping Cats Nap, I wisecracked that we'd proudly run a photo of a napping turkey, but that I didn't know anyone who had a pet turkey. Our pal Della Wallace, the noted rescuer, immediately sent this note: "I actually knew some people who had a pet turkey. It's been so long ago but I still remember his name. It was Bob. He used to hide with his dog friend behind a bush on the country road where they lived in Lake Dallas and chase passing cars. Also, if he didn't get petted as much as the dog he would get really upset and very demanding. He had to have his head petted just like the dog. I've never seen another pet turkey. He was a character." Kind of wish I'd met Bob the Turkey. ... Know how much a 16-ounce bottled soft drink costs in the machine in the hallway of the Cinemark Movies 10 in Grand Prairie? $3.50. And we complained about $3 gasoline. ... Speaking of films and crime, in Philadelphia last week a man was arrested because he shot a guy for talking during a movie. I'm torn on this one. People really ought to be quiet in the theater, you know?

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The kitten nods off...

We all know how valuable sleep can be at this time of year.

And don't we all wish we could sleep with a smile on our faces?

The subject in this case is a little kitten that we found back in October. We called her Curby -- she was found running alongside the curb in our neighborhood. And, she is today's photo subject in our weekend feature, "Let Sleeping Dogs Lie & Napping Cats Nap."

She has a happy ending. She's been adopted and has become the "shop cat" at a business in Sulphur Springs.

That is a long way from wandering the mean streets of our neighborhood.

In these photos you can see her posing with seasonal lights and, of course, stretched out between the computer screen and other office equipment on Martha's desk in a tall building in downtown Dallas.

This little cat is among the most congenial of kittens -- congenial for the sake of affection and not in the interest of a treat. She is a big fan of the tummy rub, the noggin rub and the dual-ear rub-a-dub-dub. "She is," my napfanspouse Martha says, "a people cat!"

We're hoping that in the New Year we'll get to show many more happy-ending critters taking a good nap or nodding off on the window ledge in an office. Maybe a dog on a fluffy pillow -- a Yorkie or a Great Dane or anything in between. Maybe a chicken roosting on a living room TV -- some people have pet chickens. I don't know of anyone who actually has a pet chicken, but I have heard of such things. Pet chickens, not pet turkeys, though I suppose that's possible. 

I know people have pet pigs, pet pythons and other animals that can put up living with humans. How they do it -- living with people, I mean -- I'll never know.

(To nominate your slumbering critter for spotlighting in Let Sleeping Dogs Lie & Napping Cats Nap, send an appropriately snoozy photo and info about your critter and yourself to dallrp@aol.com.  Remember, at Readlarrypowell.com we are so desperate for a good night's sleep that we've even worn blindfolds, earplugs and baseball caps -- I'm not sure what the cap does, but, then, the blindfold and the earplugs don't work either. We're proud to be headed toward the new year with all you insomniacs and snoozerians.)

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A Christmas adventure...

            On Christmas morning, if you have kids, the beautiful gift wrapping is quickly in tatters.

            If you have a house of adults, there will be some careful folding of wrapping paper before it's put into the trash bag. And someone will say, "Oh! Save that bow! I'll use it next year."

            The gifts are ooohed and aahhhed over. The hugs and kisses and thanks and smiles are abundant. The aroma of fresh coffee may drift from the kitchen into the den or the living room or where ever you've got room for a couch, a chair, a TV and a Christmas tree.

            And, while all of the Good Book's good will toward men is fresh on your mind, perhaps the events of Christmas Eve are now catalogued as "cheerful recollections."

            It only takes a few hours of sleep to turn Christmas Eve into a memory.

            Unless, of course, you have something that might pass as "proof" or "evidence" in a court of law.

            I cite a Christmas Eve visit to the home of my brother-in-law James and my sister-in-law Donna -- the Hunters of suburban Dallas. They live in a home that is lit like a postcard at Christmas. Lots of front-yard lighting -- this artistic collection of bright yuletide figures and glorious little lights is so fantastic that people drive past and slow down to make sure they don't miss anything. Our nephew Jeremy kids that his parents' yard is so bright that pilots trying to land at nearby DFW are often thrown off by the glare.

            Still, outside the immediate field of illumination, it is dark enough for even a larger mammal to tiptoe around the edges of the display without detection. A somewhat rational mind, given the facts of lighting,  can understand how in the darkest part of Christmas Eve, a round man in red and white, holding reigns hitched to 8 tiny reindeer, can stealthily guide a toy-laden sleigh down on the rooftop just as silently as a big soap bubble might land on the cap of a sleeping elf.

            All that aside, longtime fans of Christmas Eve know to be on the lookout for "proof."

            And that is why, on Christmas Eve, as we were leaving the brightly lit Hunter Home, we had our camera at the ready.

            We said our "Merry Christmases" to all the family, then walked down the driveway out to the curb where our pickup was parked. We got in and started the engine. Then, as is our style, we discussed realigning the bass and treble registers on the radio and picked a station that was playing Christmas songs -- not hard to find on Christmas Eve.

            With the radio down at "pleasant" level, I turned the wheel to the left and began to pull away when, suddenly, a slight motion caught my eye near the garage doors. Martha yelled, "Look! What's that? A moose?"

             I quickly whipped the pickup into the driveway, grabbed the camera and had time to fire one shot toward a figure that looked as if he was in a police line-up and trying to dream up an alibi.

            There, motionless against the garage door and just barely in the twilight of the edge of the brightest yard in Greater Metropolitan Christmasville, was what surely must be a forward scout for Santa and the 8 tiny reindeer.

            I don't know his name. But I know that he sat motionless for just a while, as if his stillness would hide him from the camera.

            That is what we thought we saw. With our merely human eyes, we weren't sure what we'd seen.

            It could have been an illusion borne of the lateness of the hour. It could have been light from a car blocks away casting a shadow of tree limbs on the garage doors. It could have been a gifted bunny rabbit, bundled against the cold, using his paws and his ears to create shadow puppets on the doors.

            We blinked and, yes, only garage doors remained in our field of vision, though, to the left of the door, where darkness overpowered the light, there was an unusual rustling of the shrubbery.

            The proof would be in the camera. Surely.

            Martha, who knows how to work these modern gadgets, grabbed the camera and swiftly pulled up the last image it had captured. That is it -- that picture at the outset of this report.

            Yes, we are virtually certain this is one of the Christmas-camouflaged members of Team Santa, trying to slip into the HHHLZ (Ho Ho Ho Landing Zone) making sure all was right before the generous Mr. Claus arrived for his annual deliveries in the neighborhood.

            We can't say for certain that we captured a piece of reality that proves a myth -- but until someone comes up with a better explanation for a deer with a sheepish look trying to be invisible in a suburban driveway, we're just going to declare that we saw a merry Christmas beginning to arrive.

            Next year, maybe, you'll photograph this mystery yuletide deer at your home.

            Until then, we wish you a Merry Christmas and we pledge to continue to give the benefit of the doubt to the existence of Santa and his 8 tiny reindeer and at least one larger deer who was less than invisible on Christmas Eve. For a split second -- but, seriously, kids, just how much time do you need in order to believe?

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 and be holly jolly about it ---  

On Christmas eve, cheer and challenges...

We have reached Christmas Eve, one of the most magical days in childhood and maybe even a little bit magical for some adults, too.

NORAD (North American Aerospace Defense Command) is tracking Santa. You can, too at www.noradsanta.org. NASA is tracking burnt out credit cards as they re-enter the realitysphere. Kidding about that. Merry Christmas anyway, no matter how much you spent or didn't spend.

That photo? That's one of Santa's helpers, our staff impersonator Inky, the Cocker Laureate of the State of Texas. Here he is giving us his impression of a right jolly ol' elf rushing into the pre-flight North Pole locker room and spotting a big ol' steaming platter of Mom's Midnight Ride Meatloaf with a side order of Mistletaters and gravy.

OUR LEAD-OFF HOLLY JOLLY PHOTO: We've been dressing up our site each day for a while now with a holly jolly picture. This one certainly qualifies magnificently. It comes from Dealey Campbell whose name you may recognize because of a report we published last week -- lately she's been involved in trying to save homeless dogs that are living at Fair Park. Dealey mentioned that she wasn't a stranger to rescuing dogs. This is the holly jolly proof.

These are her three posing with Santa Claus. And here there stories as told by Dealey:

"Alley Cat (on left with the purple collar) was rescued by Paws In The City and adopted by my fiance.  Before she was rescued, Alley was found tied to a tree without food or water and was completely emaciated.  She now enjoys bottomless bowls of kibble, de-fluffing toys and sleeping in the bed.

"Haskell (in the middle with the bow tie and hat) was rescued just north of Haskell Avenue after being hit by a car. I was coming home from work in Fair Park, and he came limping out in front of my car. I was able to catch him, and it wasn't long that he officially became my second dog.  Haskell (AKA the laziest dog EVER) enjoys wearing coats when it gets cold, snuggling in his Orvis doggie bed with his favorite toys and taking power naps.
"Gypsy Kitty (on the right) was adopted from the SPCA the day after I finished school and moved back to Texas.  She's the smartest of the three, and takes her guard dog duties very seriously (from the far side of the door, that is).  She enjoys playing Frisbee, rearranging her squeak toys in the giant wicker basket in the dining room and giving the resident backyard squirrels a run for their money."

Obviously, these dogs know the importance of behaving when they're posing with Jolly Ol' St. Nick.

AN INTERESTING LAB EXCHANGE: Yesterday we got copies of two Lab e-mails.

In one, a woman is asking on behalf of a co-worker if anyone knows where someone can find a purebred Lab to adopt. Well, of course, the answer is just about anywhere -- shelters, rescue groups, pounds, etc. Step out your door and yell "Here Lab" and six or seven Labs or "near-Labs" will show up on the doorstep within minutes.

Around about the same time, a couple of copies of another Lab-related note arrived. It was labeled "PURE BLACK LAB EMERGENCY" and the story was people were going out of town and "have no other option but to put this dog down if they cannot find a home for him immediately."

When you read on you realize that there are some informational gaps.

The original note arrived without a phone number or an e-mail address to help the dog.

That note says the dog's name is Jett, that he "is a good dog. Chases a ball and brings it back. Look like he is around 2 is our best guess. He is the black one, the white one is ours. Anyway, we have to make a decision hopefully by tomorrow afternoon. We are leaving town on Thursday and have no where for him to go as all the kennels are full, as you know."

So, there you have it. A dog that needs help and no way to help the dog. Perhaps someone out there knows of this situation and can guide these folks to a happier ending with this dog.

In the meantime, the people who wanted the purebred Lab? They changed their minds.

It was a tough day for a Lab that was found and a Lab that was never adopted.

PEPPER IS ON BORROWED TIME: We mentioned this dog, Pepper, a resident of the Arlington Animal Shelter yesterday. No takers. Rescuer Helen Miller continues to try to help the dog -- Pepper's ID is 6905309.

"She was supposed to be put to sleep on Monday," Helen tells us. "I got her a stay of execution so I could go down there with my old dog and my drill sergeant little dog to see if they all got along. They did, but Pepper would have mowed down my old girl in a minute as she is so active. So I had to leave her there. I felt really sick driving away from the shelter as I knew she was put back on the euthanasia list for Tuesday. No one had responded to [rescuer] Dianne Watson's pleas or mine.  At about 3 p.m. today [Tuesday] ... I thought 'Pepper is gone now' and said a little prayer for her. This evening, I got an email from Dianne. Pepper is still alive! ... But she's back on the EU list for Friday.  Could you please post this update as she's still in grave danger?"

It is Christmas Eve. To call the Arlington shelter and ask about Pepper, dial 817-451-3436.

Things always get dicey as a holiday approaches. But, there's apparently a chance to save Pepper.

SOMETIMES IT'S THE PICTURE: Our rescue pal Cathie Dessell tipped us to this pup Princess and when I saw this photograph of Princess grinning during a good traditional behind-the-ears scratching, I figured other folks might want to see it, too.

Erin Hannah has Princess and is looking for a place to put this happy dog. Erin explains, "For the last 4 months, we have been fostering the sweetest pup I have met, but it is time for us to find her a forever home...and soon.  We will be moving in 2 weeks to a space that is WAY to small for us to keep our two dogs and Princess....

"Before coming to live with us, she was abandoned and then had to be boarded, due to no foster family being able to take her in.  She had been boarded for A LONG TIME....when we decided we were up for the adventure of fostering!  Her personality quickly emerged as she became familiar with living in a house, with other animals, and, of course, with her foster mom and dad who love on her like crazy. She is a very energetic little girl...about a year old, we think, and she has quickly put the pit bull stereotype to shame.  She is a pit bull/American Terrier mix but one of the most lovable dogs I've ever met. If you need to be nervous about anything with this pup, it's having her lick your face off!!  She loves to chase squirrels, real or imaginary. She really doesn't care which.  Princess is housebroken, crate-trained, and loves to be outside. The best forever home for this lovely little girl is going to be a family that has a yard. Princess has too much energy right now to be stuck inside all day. She really just wanted to come in to sleep!"

To offer a home, a foster home or to ask about the dog, call 214-642-6599 or e-mail erinkhannah@gmail.com.

CONTEMPLATIONS: Dear Santa, Please bring the Texas Rangers some pitching. ... Consider this a Christmas notion: I've seen the movie Burn After Reading. The current commercial pitching the movie's DVD sale refers to the film as a "comedic masterpiece." If that film is a comedic masterpiece, I can fit down every chimney in America. ... We're closing our Christmas Eve report with a reminder that people can still get dogs and cats after Christmas -- the inventory doesn't seem to shrink when the economy is lousy. OK, now, having reminded you of that, let's remind you of how much some people adore their animals -- and their hockey team, apparently. This is our final "holly jolly" presentation of the Christmas season and we offer it with best wishes for all and for the Dallas Stars, too. We get the story of this photograph from Cathy Burk who reports that his "is a picture of my friend Kathi McGee and her two dogs, Lilly (on top of the bull) and Annie. I took this picture last Saturday  for her Christmas card picture.  She is a big Stars fan as you might be able to tell, so she added the Christmas hat to her wardrobe and got the 'Little Stars Fan' bibs for the girls. Of course, she needed a bull (or are they cows?) to ride in the picture with the American Airlines Center in the background.  How do we top this for next year?" And, Cathy tells us, in January, she and Kathi will be going to Best Friends Animal Sanctuary in Utah for a long weekend of volunteering. "We are really looking forward to this!" she says. I think that may be one more demonstration of how people can do as Ebenezer Scrooge promised in A Christmas Carol. "I will honor Christmas in my heart and try to keep it all the year."

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Holiday approaches; animals in need

The big holiday is coming toward us as fast as a cocker spaniel goes after a Christmas cookie dropped to the floor by the 4-year-old he's been stalking through two rooms and a hallway. You know what I mean. Relentless.

Our holly jolly photo for the day is one of those family poses that may be worth a thousand words.

The dogs are, from left, Lucie, Perriloux and Wentworth and the humans are Jason and Kate Watts who sent the photo.

Anyone who has ever been involved in a pet photo project, may detect some strategy at work here -- strategic hugs, placing of hands and arms and squeezing of the dog in the middle so it won't rush the photographer and lick the lens. This, I'm almost willing to bet, was one of those magic Christmas moments frozen in time for just about long enough to hit the "go" button on the camera.

Kate says that the dogs "loved helping decorate for Christmas and are so happy for the cold weather so they can snuggle -- definitely don't need the heat on at night with these three!"

It is a really great family photo. I'll bet I'm not the only person who thinks those good dogs deserve extra treats for the holidays.

MIND THE CAT'S DIET: Oh, boy, this is a horror story. And it ends happily. But it was a trial. And it involves this cat Jake who, you may say, is wearing his collar backwards.

There is a story behind the photograph and you can read it  on the Companions For Life blog HERE Jake bunks at the home of Rich and Rebecca Poling. Rebecca, as you may recall, is president of Companions For Life, the pro-education animal group. This turned out to be quite a lesson.

It seems Jake had been eating those little elastic things that are used to hold ponytails in place. Not just a couple. The whole tale is on the website -- and it serves as a reminder that we need to watch out for our little pals.

Also on the site, you'll see why he gets to wear his collar backward. As Rebecca says, "If you ever met him you'd understand. He is convinced he is now a super hero and that is his cape."

PEPPER'S PLIGHT: In the last couple of days, e-mails have been zipping around about this dog, Pepper. Rescuer Helen Miller decided to visit the dog at the Arlington Animal Shelter.

"She's not nearly as old as everyone thought she was. The vet tech who looked at her teeth estimated her to be about 2 1/2 - 3 years old max. The gray on her muzzle is probably from having led a hard life. She's a sweet girl, meets and greets well, just needs some obedience training to learn how to walk well on a leash.  Can anyone find it in their heart this holiday season to let her warm herself by the fire instead of ending up euthanized?"

She is on the euthanasia list, Helen says. Time is ticking swiftly now. To reach the shelter, call 817-451-3436 or e-mail susan.waits@arlingtontx.gov. The shelter is at 5920 W. Pioneer Parkway.

UPDATES: We have some followups on previous reports:

            -- THE TWO DOGS AT THE SUBSTATION: We wrote about two dogs who were living on property at an electric substation near the Malloy Bridge Road. Johnna Bigley, who was instrumental in giving these dogs shelter, reports that a "really nice lady" called her. Johnna says, "Her husband took one look at their pictures and said 'Go get them!'  She plans to pick them up probably tomorrow [Tuesday].  Both she and her husband fell in love with them and most likely will keep them both.  Plus, they're about to move out to more of a country environment where they'll really enjoy themselves.  For now though, she plans to have them neutered, get their shots, get them checked and/or treated and started on heartworm preventative and they'll have the run of the house and yard along with their two other dogs. What a blessing!"

            -- STILL NEEDING A HOME: Oh, boy, this guy, Jake, is still needing a home. You may recall his humans are moving to Costa Rica at the end of the month and he can't go. "I've not no takers for Jake yet," says Darren Knapp. "Do you know anyone that would be interested in taking him for a test run? We'd take him back if he didn't fit in. Our clock is winding down and we're staring to panic. I'd really appreciate any help you could provide." To contact Darren about Jake, e-mail dknapp@reallinx.com or call 800-597-2518, ext. 130 or 972-896-9522.

            -- HUNTER THE SERVICE DOG: You may recall that we mentioned the story of Hunter, the big service dog who was just too intent to cross the road and say hello. He and an SUV collided and Hunter wound up in a vet's care. Had to have surgery to repair everything. Well, over the weekend, as dogs will do, he surprised his humans and got a little rambunctious and ...things worked out. Rather than fouling up his surgery, he "just kind of bruised is leg," says Kathy Langhorst-Tienter. He is, she says "crated at ALL times except to go to the bathroom. This will be 3-4 months or more." So, Hunter is recovering. As you may recall, there were expenses that challenged the already challenged family. If you'd like to help out, e-mail elginkathy@msn.com. Kathy can fill you in on the details.

            -- THE LITTLE POM: Sandy Lewis, who spotted the little girl and told us about her, reports that Lilly, "the 14-year-old Pom owner-released to the Irving Animal Shelter, has been adopted! Thank you so much for mentioning her! She will have a wonderful Christmas.

            -- MOMMA NOEL: You may recall that on Friday  Lynda Powers-Forsythe, the veteran rescuer, told us about Momma Noel, a dog living in an industrial district in Cedar Hill. At one point over the weekend, the dog sort of vanished. On Sunday afternoon, Lynda says, she had not been seen all day and people were getting worried.

            "I saw a pick-up in front of Johnston Products and started knocking on the door and yelling, 'Hello.'  Mr. Gene Johnston came to the door, and when asked if he had seen the black dog he smiled and asked if I wanted her. I called Jason [a fellow rescuer] to come there and Gene took us back where Momma was.

            " Gene was concerned about the temperature and had his employees get her. Of course, she ran but they cornered her and used a hand-fashioned catch pole. They put her in the trap/crate and put her near (but not too close) to a heater. She was shaking, but Gene said that Noel would let us pet her. I couldn't believe it, but he said that he had. He opened the door, and she made no attempt to run away. She didn't raise her hackles. She didn't even try to move away. She just shook. Jason and I both did pet her. She was probably trying to pretend we weren't there.  It was amazing!"

As per usual for strays, Momma Noel has an injury or two and parasites and needs to be spayed. All that will be done, Linda says.

She also writes, "Hats off to Jason of Position One, Gene of Johnston Products and Gene for caring and making this happen. They get all of the credit for Noel's rescue. Thanks, also,to Gene's employees for actually catching her. Thanks to Jonnie England and Skip Trimble for directing me, and thanks to Larry Powell for writing about Momma Noel. Thanks to those who have e-mailed with the offer of donations to help now that we have her, and to my wonderful church friends for their donations, also.  Thanks to my church and my minister Tom for all of the prayers and to our church secretary for helping to spread the word among our church family.  It takes a village I guess. ... I have to brag on my little church. We have raised $120 for Momma Noel, and $59 for Friends of Tri-City Animal Shelter at the same time ... We probably have another $100 for the animals, but I'm not sure of the exact amount from that part of the fund raiser.  I absolutely love my church and all of my church family."

To offer to help Linda place Momma Noel or finance her vet care, e-mail  powerslinda@sbcglobal.net. 

            -- HIGHWAY GIRL: You may recall the story of Highway Girl, picked up off the side of the road near the Malloy Bridge Road. Highway Girl had pups in the Richardson Animal Shelter. "The pups have been taken from Mom and placed in foster care to be bottle-fed," Deborah Trevino says. "Mom wasn't producing enough milk to sustain them."  Mom also is battling her own problems with assorted infections. Deborah reported, "We are very concerned for her because, being sick and depressed without her pups, she is refusing to eat."

CONTEMPLATIONS: I saw a charity promotion that said "one dollar of every taco sold is donated to local charities." The earth is off its axis when a taco cost more than a dollar. Better be a darned good taco. ... OK, two quick movie reviews: Slumdog Millionaire is good, but tough to watch for the way children are treated. It'll give you nightmares, but it is interesting. And about the new version of The Day The Earth Stood Still: It was OK until the big threat to the world turned out to be shiny aluminum termites. I swear. Termites. One reviewer said "locusts," but they're too small to be locusts. Definitely shiny aluminum termites. On the other hand, we have had termites and they are terrifying in an expensive sort of way. ... For the 17th consecutive year, my funspouse Martha and I shopped at Southwest Center Mall, formerly known as Red Bird Mall. That's where, at Foley's, we registered for our wedding back in 1991. Last night, we stopped by for our yuletide visit. Foley's is now Macy's. Inside the mall, more stores were closed than open. Mr. Pretzel survives, but the Morrow Nut House, like Dillard's, is long gone. We felt as if we were being taken on a tour by the Ghost of Christmas Past. The half-decked halls were so empty that it seemed likely we'd see a guy from a Monty Python scene struggling to shove a big cart past the undecorated storefronts while yelling "Throw out your dead elves." Coping with this is a reminder that things change. Martha said something like "We're going to have to go Dickens on this one: keep Christmas in our hearts." I'd rather do that than admit that aluminum termites ate the mall.

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Pig, pups, cat & Christmas

O hogly night! Yes, Virginia, that is a Christmas pig.

You may call her the Christmas Pig though her name hails from a long time ago in a galaxy far, far way.

She is Princess Leia, the rescued pig. And Princess Leia, sitting as close to "beneath the Christmas tree" as she can get, is our symbol of holly jolliness this first shopping day during the week of Christmas.

We learned of her from our tipster Beverly Fyfe who happens to know the story. And Beverly put us in touch with Leia's family, Lisa and Tom Higgins who are veteran rescuers.

As you may suspect, there's a Star Wars fan in the family, son Stephen. His influence a few years ago led to the name Princess Leia -- it had nothing to do with how she wears her hair.

Leia was a little Vietnamese potbellied pig when she was picked up off the side of Highway 175 near Seagoville. She found her way into Lisa's and has grown in the role of "family pig."

Lisa says it took a team to accomplish this photograph -- one person working the camera and Tom offering Princess Leia a treat -- she's learned to "sit" to get her treats.

Just FYI: Lisa says that Leia came into the family's life thanks to the late Joe Cranford who was the voice of the non-profit lost-critter program Find-A-Pet. (Joe, who died on May 7, was a relentless Arkansas Razorback fan, though I think this pig is merely a distance cousin to a Razorback.) Someone had contacted Joe about this little piglet they'd found alongside the highway. Lisa says that Joe called her and asked, "Know anybody who wants a pig?" And the rest is history, thanks to Joe and his big-hearted friends.

FACES IN THE SHELTER: Now, these faces are from the Carrollton Animal Shelter. You can find faces (Scooter's on the right) from just about any other animal shelter by doing a Google search that that shelter. Irving, for example. Dallas Animal Services. Fort Worth Animal Care and Control. Tri-City Animal Shelter -- be sure to put the state on that one because there is more than one Tri-City in the country.

Ferris, Little Elm, Marshall, Texarkana, Corsicana, Friends of the Animals at Cedar Creek Lake, Dog and Kitty City, etc. Seriously, you almost can't pick a name without finding a shelter attached to it.

Over the weekend I got an e-mail about the Carrollton shelter. It has a lot of a great faces waiting for homes. I'm going to publish them today but when you look at them, remember that these animals represent thousands and thousands and thousands of other animals in shelters all over the world.

Now, these Carrollton animals (like Danielle to the righ) are in a fix for Christmas -- if you help save them, you'll be helping the hearts of some shelter people, too. Why? Because these animals, according to the note we got, have all been scheduled for euthanizing on Wednesday. Death on Christmas Eve. Ain't that a kick in the teeth. No one at a shelter would want to participate in that on Christmas Eve. Good grief. (To help these animals, call Carrollton Animal services at 972-466-3420 or e-mail Joe.Skenesky@cityofcarrollton.com. The best thing is to help these animals now. By the morning of Christmas Eve, it will be too late.)

For the record, the animals are Aaron, a flat-coated retriever mix who came in as a stray; Cha-Cha, a female chow mix described as "a lady that everyone could love" who was a stray; Donna, a female retriever mix with a black spot on the crown of her noggin (also a wintertime stray); Justin, a Jack Russell mix who was wearing a calendar but no tag and is listed as a "stray; Timothy, a young rat terrier who came in as a stray; Rotties Lola and Loto were released to the shelter because the owner's "work schedule became so busy"; Scooter, the Chihuahua Mix is an 8-pound stray; Trip is he Beagle mix who was a stray; Bull is a pit bull who is "friendly' with people but not that keen on other dogs and should go to a rescue; and Danielle is a cocker spaniel/Poodle mix who has a leg injury and came in as a stray.

There are other dogs, but these are some examples of the faces of the nearly doomed. And that cat? Not the only cat in the shelter. But that tough-looking cat is Ace, an older stray who "likes to nap a lot." Obviously, Mister Tough Guy is a lap cat. Oh, but aren't they all?

TWO DOGS OUTSIDE: Cold weather is all over the area, including a TXU substation in Seagoville and that's also where these two dogs are living, reports our dumped dog tipster Johnna Bigley who has been involved in the Malloy Bridge Road dog rescue for months.

She says that the workers have been feeding and watering the dogs for the past several months, but on the 29th, the workers will leave the plant and the gates will be locked and "the dogs will have to be out. These are absolutely precious boys -- brothers and the best of pals. They're extremely good-natured and loving to everyone."

Johnna says, "Anyone interested [in helping the dogs] can contact me and I'll put them in touch with Gene who works at the plant. we literally have only days to find a place for them."

Call Johnna at 214-673-3844 or e-mail johnna1228@yahoo.com.

FROM BURNS FLAT: Our hardworking Oklahoma tipster Terry Lynn Fisher begins her note, "There is no more room at the pound. We have them doubled up in very small kennels. I was told before the city leaves for Christmas break, I need to move some of the dogs."

We have highlighted a number of the dogs in recent days, but over the weekend there was a bit of a mishap. Terry Lynn says she went to the Burns Flat pound Sunday to "clean and feed the pound babies." When she got to the cage of Sissy the Pit, she found a "bloodbath," she says.

Sissy "had somehow got the top off her dog house and sliced her foot open on the edge."

The dog had lost a lot of blood. She'd suffered deep cuts on the pads of her one paw. When the vet gave her a shot in the pads of her paw "this sweet girl never even flinched," Terry Lynn says. She does, however require veterinary care. Now, she also needs a foster home -- someone who can make sure she keeps her paw properly wrapped.

To help, e-mail remembering-oddball@yahoo.com or call Terry Lynn at 580-330-1459. You can also donate to the Sissy Fund c/o Dr. Bill Noble, Elk Creek Veterinary Clinic, 1301 Airport Industrial Road,  Elk City, Okla. 73644. (The vet's number is 580-225-4863.)

SOME ONLINE SITES: Here's a link to an animal site in England -- we first became acquainted with Cornwall's Voice For Animals a few years back during the Mercy case.  Click HERE. ... And, my tenderspouse Martha found this site that pays tribute to old dogs. Click HERE.

REMEMBER: When you want to donate to an animal group, check out the group's website. These rescuers are so desperate for money that they've set up PayPal accounts linked to their websites. You can usually also get their U.S. Postal Service addresses if you're inclined to donate anonymously. And, seriously, check out the legions of websites -- we've got many of them listed down the side of this page. We're all trying to make it easy to help the animals. Sometimes a bit of knowledge is all that stands between an animal and a happy home -- someone just has to know that their new best friend is waiting in a cage or a foster home somewhere.

CHECK OUT OUR ADVERTISERS: We can't praises these people too much. They've been loyal as ol' hounds. They're all animal people and they all work hard to help critters. Be good to them this time of year.

TOSSED FROM A CAR: Sydney Busch, our tipster with Friends of the Animals at Cedar Creek Lake, forwarded this note about a dog who had an improper landing. The story comes from rescuer Tina Hamilton of Happy Tails of Gun Barrel City www.happytailsofgbc.org.

Tina writes, "This little guy was tossed from a car on Welch Lane in Gun Barrel City on Friday and received some road rash. Didn't seem to break his spirit. I call him Barkley. He does have mange but that is treatable... The great people of Dazzling Doggies are willing to dip and blow-dry him for $20 a week." To ask about helping Barkley or adopting Barkley, e-mail txtina1201@yahoo.com.

CONTEMPLATIONS: We can't even begin to think about the Dallas Cowboy's effort on Saturday night (o, goodness, the abdominal cramps set in), so we're going to go out of state for today's contemplation. And you may want to clip and save. This comes from Colorado, from Nancy Mau of Pueblo Collie/Sheltie Rescue. She writes, "A friend of mine in Dallas who reads your website faithfully suggested I send this poem to you. It was very successful in helping us raise some moolah last year, and you're welcome to use it to benefit the great rescues and animal welfare groups in your area. If you could leave in my name, our rescue name and pop in our website, that would be appreciated.  It's your call.  pueblocolliesheltie.org."

My call is that Nancy, the group and the website work hard and ought to get publicity. That photo shows, from left, Finnegan, Nancy's daughter Katie, Shep and Sadie -- "Shep and Finny are rescued dogs," Nancy says. The group's website is www.pueblocolliesheltie.org. (You can e-mail Nancy at cornhawk57@yahoo.com.)

And here is the poem she wrote. She calls it "Parody For The Pups."

"Twas the week before Christmas

Our rescue was brimming

The dogs needed baths

And the tree needed trimming

The calls, they keep coming

As they do every day

Did you know every year

We spend Christmas this way?

Just when we think

Every dog has a place

A new one comes in

And we're back in the race

There's no time for carols

Or drinking that 'nog

Someone calls on the phone
"Can you take one more dog?"

"Sure, what's one more?

Is he near?  Is he far?"

It's still early; it's midnight

We jump in our car.

When we get to the home

At the end of our ride

The angel who called us

Invites us inside

"He's there by the fire

Quite tired, you know?

We're lucky we found him

In all that deep snow"

The sweet little Collie

Gets up and comes near

We wonder sometimes

If they know why we're here

"You'll soon have a home"

That's the promise we keep

"With plenty of food

And a warm place to sleep"

"Where love will surround you
The rest of your days.

So hop in the car

And we'll be on our way"

Of course "On our way"

Entails more than you know

This is just the first step

For our Dog from the Snow

First a good warm night's sleep

Then a trip to the vet's

Sets all of our urchins

Toward being great pets

We test them for heartworm

We look up each nose

We poke them and scope them

Right down to their toes

Then we brush them and bathe them

So coats shine quite bright

All along we assure them

"You're okay, it's alright"

"There are people who love you

Who don't know you yet

They'll give you your name

You'll be more than a pet!"

"You'll be part of a family

That's waiting for you

So smile for the camera

Yes, that one will do!"

The old ones, the young ones

The smoothies, the roughs

The Shelties, the mixed breeds

They all count on us.

So hug your dog tight

Plant a kiss on her head

Make a wish on a star

As you snuggle in bed

That each dog still out there

Will pass through our doors

To a new life worth living

And love just like yours."

There you have it folks, Nancy Mau's poetic explanation of rescue at Christmas. When you copy this and pass it around, as I'm hoping you'll do, make sure you give credit to Nancy, the Pueblo Collie/Sheltie Rescue and tell 'em you saw it here on Readlarrypowell.com, where  we're proud to know people who love animals.

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The Couple and The Clowder

I don't know if anyone in this bed is dreaming of sugarplums, but  they all appear to be snoozing or on the brink of it.

Thus, we offer this snapshot of one night in Houston as this week's honored photo in our regular feature, "Let Sleeping Dog's Lie and Napping Cats Nap."

The photo was nominated (and taken) by one of our longtime reliable cat tipsters, Edna Taylor of Houston. Obviously, some of the cats are sincerely sleeping and others are just as sincerely wondering why there's a big flash coming from Edna's head. I'm not sure all cats grasp the concept of "camera."

She sent the photo with this note: "You obviously know me (crazy cat lady) and this is a picture of my better half, Frank, and our 'nuisance of cats' ... I could not sleep so I went to get some water and this is what I came back to bed and found. They evidently were not leaving ANY room for me to come back to bed."

Edna, using the proper term, described this gathering as a "Clowder of Cats" in her e-mail's subject line.

You may recall that there was a surprise snow storm in Houston on Dec. 10.  I asked Edna if this scene happened during the Blizzard of Ought-Eight. Nope. "A month before," she says, "when it was still 80 degrees outside and all those furry bodies made it even hotter."

Now, as you veteran rescuers with a houseful of animals know, there is an explanation for each critter. We've offered space to Edna for her explanation and she has provided the following paragraphs. It'll help you understand who's who in the photo.

Edna writes:

"If you start from the left (pillow), that is Frankie, he is a Flamepoint Siamese Snowshoe that had a very rough start to his little life and almost died.  Now, he has chronic health issues so we ended up keeping him. 

"Below him (the orange and white cat) is Spirit who came from an overcrowding situation and he, along with Ted (Russian Blue to the right of Frank) were up for adoption until Mr. Foster Failure, AKA Frank, fell in love with them. 

"Next to Spirit is Boones and we actually adopted him and his two brothers, Miller (not pictured) and Merlin (brown and white tabby at the end of the bed) from the SPCA in 1999 when Domino (our first little boy and a cute as a button black and white kitty passed away). 

"The black cat below Spirit is George and he was adopted out to a family when he was 12 weeks old, but the family brought him back when he was six months old and it is probably a good thing because he was just covered in fleas and parasites. 

"The next black cat on the bed is Roofus and we saved him from the SPCA one day when we were donating food. 

"Below Roofus is Merlin (mentioned above) and to the left of Merlin is Bob Cat (he was another of Frank's foster failures from the SPCA). 

"The white Snowshoe to the right of Roofus is Pootie. We stole Pootie from a house in our old neighborhood.  They always left him outside as a tiny baby and one day I just couldn't take it anymore so I stole him.  He was limping and a vet visit revealed that someone had hit him so hard in the leg that they shattered his knee. 

"The black and white cat beside him is Rascal P. Cat. He also came from our old neighborhood.  We were walking one night and he followed us home and kept staring in the window and crying and the rest, as they say, is history. 

"The kitty on Frank's pillow is Shtinky.  He was actually one of our first three kitties and we adopted him from CAP [Citizens For Animal Protection]. 

"The last kitty on the bed is Nitro (by Frank's feet).  Nitro showed up in our yard last year and after about 3-4 months he finally let Frank pet him, so we grabbed him, enrolled him in the Runt Rescue Program at Harris County Animal Control (since we foster for them) and we adopted him out. He has a lot of Bengal in him and he is talkative and very active and the person who adopted him was afraid of him so when we got a phone call a few months after his adoption saying he no longer wanted Nitro, we took him back and YES, another of Frank's foster failures as I have had numerous people want to adopt him."

And, that, folks, is how, one warm night in Houston, a bed can become a comfort zone for The Clowder and The Couple -- perhaps a little more comfy for the Clowder, of course.

(Your critter or critters can also be featured in our weekend presentation "Let Sleeping Dogs Lie and Napping Cats Nap." Send the photo or photos and information about the critters and yourself to dallrp@aol.com. At Readlarrypowell.com, we are proud to promote sleeping -- insomniacs promote it, pursue it and spend many hours flopping around wondering how other creatures can accomplish it with ease.)

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Mid-day dogs and cats in need...

It is approaching noon in Dallas and we have some needy critter updates. One involves a dog in a tight spot and the other is about three critter who need to find new homes.

THE ARLINGTON DOG: This dog's photo has been bouncing around the rescue e-mail this week and, now, time is short. We get the update via Dianne Watson, veteran rescuer and reliable tipster.

The dog is described as "an amazingly sweet and friendly gal, a bit older than some of our other dogs, but nowhere near 'old.' Shiloh is a chubby gal, already spayed and she would make an awesome canine companion for just about any situation. Shiloh is listed an 'Australian Cattle Dog,' don't know if that breed ID is correct, but she NEVER stops smiling! Shiloh has remained cheerful, eager to make friends ... Shiloh arrived on Dec. 8 and her time is running out. We have all fallen in love with Shiloh; she is pure magic to spend time with. I'm guessing that Shiloh is approximately five years-old ... It would be a tragedy for this dog to lose her life, she could easily fit with a retired person(s), kids, an individual who just wants some company, etc."

To save Shiloh, e-mail Susan.Waits@arlingtontx.gov or call 817-451-3436.

A FELLOW AND HIS ANIMALS: Tipster Misty Bailey is trying to help Oak Cliff neighbor Matthew Bambach find homes for his animals -- the squeezes of economy and time are forcing this move, we're told

The big dog is Zeke. He's a year-and-a-half old and weighs in at 65 pounds. Current on shots and registration, he is said to be "high energy and would probably do well with someone who can keep him active all the time (kids). He gets along well with other dogs and is cat friendly too. He is already house trained, knows to sit, lay down, stay, go to bed, bark, and a few others. He learns quickly and is easy to train."

The black cat is Eno and the other is Simone -- they are nearly 7-year-old siblings who need to go to one home. "They are mostly lap cats," says Matt, "They like attention and they will most likely both sleep on the bed with you at night. They are dog friendly and like to play with water. They have not been de-clawed and they are very used to me clipping their paws with nail clippers, I have been doing this since they were kittens."

To offer to help Matt by giving his animals a home or by offering advice on placing them, e-mail matt@intricateonline.com.

ONE MORE THING: There are plenty of animals on the clock in city shelters around here. Usually, as a holiday approaches, the feeling of desperation sets in. People begin to fret that the shelters will be forced to euthanize animals at a quicker pace because they are coming in at a quicker pace.

It's unpleasant. The key is getting the "general public," people who never go to a shelter or don't think they need a pet, to visit a shelter.

What might they find? Sandy Lewis points out that if they go to the Irving Animal Shelter, they'll find a 14-year-old Pomeranian named Lilly who was surrendered to the shelter. "How could someone do something so reprehensible to a friendly old girl?  I am just disgusted.
If she remains there, would you please mention her so that maybe she can live her remaining years in comfort and love?  I just can't imagine turning such an old lady into a shelter."

You can see more of the Irving dogs on shelter walker Russell Posch's page HERE.

You can see the Irving shelter inventory and get more info by clicking HERE or calling 972-721-2256.

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