ReadLarryPowell.com

A Halloween collection of sweet and not so sweet...

So I told Annabelle Bob The Cat, “I’d like you, as a traditional black cat, to pose for a stereotypical Halloween black cat photo in the window near the chair where the witch may sit and wave to ghosts, goblins and Gagas as they arrive in the front yard to trick-or-treat our house.”
“You want my paw up, in the lick position?” she asked. “When I posed for Picasso, this is what he liked, though lord knows when he finished I looked like a kangaroo in a football helmet.”
“Sure,” I said, snapping away. And as you can see, we did this without a costume. Well, I was wearing one – it’s a theme costume called “Lady Gaga – the Midlife Crisis Years of Cheesecakes and Candy.” No photos, please. Save the terror for tonight.
Now, our Readlarrypowell.com report for Halloween 2012, a year which, for a kid who remembers before spaceflight, sounds like science fiction.
HOWL-O-WEEN AT DAS: The Dallas Animal Services folks, with the sponsorship of Chris Watts at The Petropolitan in downtown Dallas, hosted “Howl-o-Ween” Saturday at the shelter – it’s the second year for a Halloween celebration at the shelter. The first was organized by interim shelter manager Dallas Police Lt. Scott Walton when he took over the shelter after the previous manager was indicted for animal cruelty.
So, as you can see, things have changed. They may be changing further under the leadership of Shelter Manager Jody Jones, who wore cat ears for Saturday's event.
While all the animals showing up for the costume contests was big news, the biggest news of the day was a visit prior to the contest by Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings -- -his first visit to the shelter. He did not wear cat ears. He’ll, no doubt, have a role in helping the city achieve its no-kill status through the efforts of the Dallas Companion Animal Project.
One way to help end the euthanasia at the shelter is to adopt animals – on Saturday, DAS broke its daily adoption record of 37 animals by adopting out 59 animals. (FYI: For the weekend, the city dropped the adoption fee for all animals down to $30.)
As you see here [these photos were shot by my focusspouse Martha) there were some costumed dogs at the event Saturday, including Diamond Jane, a Husky mix dressed as a “Yellow Submarine.” Then, there were the dogs Empress and Romeo, clad as, well, an empress and a knight. Bossy, the shepherd pup, pulled a wagon with candy and was dressed as a “crooked politician who hands out candy in exchange for votes,” her human said.
And, you see that Great Dane in the neckerchief? That is the famous Grace, the spokesdog for Dallas Loves Animals.
She was brought to the event by Maggie Dahl of Animal Rescue of Texas which teamed with Dallas Animal Services  a couple of years ago to save this big dog.
“Gracie,” to use the familiar, was a rescued dog – confiscated. She’d been living in a crate about two-thirds too small for her. Animal Control Officer Mark Cooper, the rescue group liaison for the shelter, was standing with me and Gracie and Maggie and talking about the day he first saw Gracie. She’d been in the too-small cage for so long that she couldn’t straighten her spine, he said. And she’d been so neglected that her skin was so thin it was translucent. He grabbed the skin between Gracie’s hind leg and her abdomen and said, “This was so thin that you could see light through it.”
And, while this event was going on, a young woman came walking into the crowd and dragging a reluctant shepherd mix behind her. Was she there to enter the contest? No, she said, “I want to turn it a dog.”
She said she couldn’t handle the dog. About that time, the dog slipped its collar and began to run toward a filling station next door, but she stopped and, in a shameful semi-crawl, crept back to a stranger who called her “Sweetie” and held out a beckoning hand.
Yes, too tough to handle. And, sadly, a dog that probably will not do well in a shelter.
Brownish, with black highlights, prick ears, fluffy tail, long hair. Smiles. Turned in on Oct. 29. In case you’re interested.
We have our legal limit at Readlarrypowell.com – we can, at this point, only hold more dogs in our hearts and pray for the best.
HOW ONE DOG WOUND UP IN THE DALLAS ANIMAL SHELTER: Yesterday morning a woman in East Dallas was walking her older dog when this 6- to 8-month old female “wiggled up to us wanting help,” the woman wrote. “She had no collar or tags.” The family’s 4 large former rescued dogs didn’t all cotton to this pup so she was stored with a neighbor until a crate could be set up and isolated. You may know this drill – the “intruder” isn’t welcome and it’s tough for humans to cope. Not fair to any of the dogs, either.
The finder of this dog put up signs, walked the neighborhood with the dog looking for the place she belonged, made calls, sent e-mails, etc. No dice. No luck at all.
So, this morning, just after 9 a.m., she sent me this note – and I think you’ll feel the anguish:
“Larry, I just returned from taking her to the city shelter, which I left feeling gross, inhumane, and crying my eyes out. She trusted me, and the best I could do for her was leave her in a cold cage. ...  If I had the money, and the time to properly integrate her with our pack, I would have kept her. Damn it. I'm sorry. I'm so very sorry. I heard from rescues who needed me to foster, and we can't. I'm about to take each of our 4 for a long walk, and hug on them and then go to work.”
There you have it – a first-hand expression of what it feels like to be unable to take up the slack for some “don’t care” human. The person to be mad at isn’t the one who took this dog off the streets where she had NO chance at all, but the person who didn’t take care of the dog in the first place. That’s the villain in this story.
To ask about saving this dog, get in touch with Dallas Animal Services. All the contact info is at www.dallasanimalservices.org. You can also visit the shelter in person on the corner of I-30 and Westmoreland. If Mayor Mike Rawlings can visit the shelter, you can visit it, too.
BLACK DOGS IN COLLIN COUNTY: Look, I’m pretty honest about my adoration for big black dogs – never met one that couldn’t be loved. Had a few of ‘em, you know. We’ve mentioned this one guy – the paw dog, Roper before. He can’t draw interest at all at the Collin County Animal Services Shelter in McKinney, says our tipster, the shelter walker Allison Roberts. He’s been at the shelter for 3 week weeks. Is neutered and, as I recall, was an owner-surrender. He knows several “tricks” and “polite gestures.”
The other dog is Lincoln, dumped by a family because “our circumstances have changed so that we can no longer keep him. Lincoln is very smart and plays really well with our child. He knows sit, lay, take it, leave it, easy, shake ... He needs work walking on the leash and he jumps up when he's excited. He loves to play fetch and swim. We sincerely hope that a loving family will give him a great home, since we can no longer do so.”
Both are on a quickly moving clock.
To ask about them, e-mail ldrummonds@co.collin.tx.us and animalshelter@co.collin.tx.us  or call 972-547-7292.
WASHING NEEDS: We got this tip forwarded to us by Sydney Busch, our pal at Friends of the Animals at Cedar Creek Lake, which operates the world’s most successful spay/neuter clinic at Gun Barrel City, Texas.
The Humane Society of Cedar Creek Lake shelter at Tool, Texas, needs a washing machine, like now.  Shelter manager Krista Mc Anally says, “A new one would be just great or if you have one that still works and would like to donate it...”
To arrange a donation, e-mail Krista at dogshsccl@yahoo.com or call 903-432-3422.
AT CARROLLTON: That is one distinct cat. Her name is Dottie and she’s available at the Carrollton Animal Services shelter. And, as you can see, she'll cast a shadow.
As regular visitors to Readlarrypowell.com know, we endorse all cats, but, in particular, we endorse black and white cats because, based on our experience, these cats are entertainingly odd, gifted with adorable and bizarre behavior and they rarely need a lawyer.
Also available at the shelter, Bernadette the Dog, a shepherd/hound mix.
How did Bernadette wind up on the clock at a taxpayer-supported animal shelter? The shelter’s official bio reads, “This beautiful lady was abandoned at our facility with two puppies and another adult. When she first arrived she was very scared and a bit stand-offish but since then has made a complete turn around and has become very affectionate and out going.”
These are among the animals scheduled to be killed by the city on Nov. 2. To adopt them or to arrange a safe haven (two things the shelter personnel work to achieve), call 972-466-3420 or e-mail CARE@cityofcarrollton.com .
CONTEMPLATIONS: After the wrenching heartbreak of the World Series and the typical national TV clownish performance of the Dallas Cowboys, the traditional fright of Halloween will be sweet relief. ... Halloween memory: When I was a larger-than-life editor at the local paper back in the late ‘70s and early ‘80s, one of my pals in the composing room, Rudy Godfrey, asked me a question that took me back to my semi-rural roots in the outdoor privy area in Northeast Texas. He asked, "Are you going to stand out in the front yard on Halloween and let the neighborhood kids come by and tip you over?" I’m still laughing about that line. ... I have to laugh about being compared to an outhouse being tipped over at Halloween because I’m still torn up over the Texas Rangers flopping like a carp on the bottom of a cheap aluminum boat on an East Texas pond. Lots of noise and, basically, nothing happened. You know, I’d go out to Arlington and tip the Ballpark over on its side if it weren’t already upside down. ... Seriously, don't anybody talking about the Rangers say, "Wait 'til next year." We already waited 'til next year. For nearly 40 seasons.
--- To comment, click below. Happy Halloween and enjoy the calories. ---

Costumes and critters, The Fairy Dogmother's disguise...and The Wild Man From Borneo...

Is that dog grimacing? Read on.
At Readlarrypowell.com we see Halloween as a fun holiday with no sinister intent – no satanic intentions, at all. Maybe we don’t read enough of the right literature, eh?
Or, perhaps for us it’s a fun holiday because we grew up in the 1950s and 1960s when all the big threats were overseas and movie theaters were filled with such chills as “The Tingler,” “Not of This Earth” and “Invasion of the Saucermen.” Oh, and “I Was a Teeenage Werewolf.”
You know – real terrifying things. If we wanted goosebumps, we plopped down 50 cents for the double-feature at the Strand Theater, Texarkana’s “second-run house,” to use a now-defunct movie term.
Nope, Halloween wasn’t sinister – it was fun. Heck, once I was even “The Wild Man From Borneo.” Grrrrrrr.  Sent chills up your spine, didn't it.
That was at the Highland Park Elementary School Halloween Carnival in Texarkana – yep, we had actual Halloween carnivals in those days not “fall festivals.”  I was in the sixth grade and was volunteered to sit in an unlit fake cage in the dark basement of the school and growl and make a racket and scare the passers-by. Possibly the greatest performance of my life.
At any rate, rather than present our usual Let Sleeping Dogs Lie & Napping Cats Nap feature this weekend, I figured we’d post some photos of costumed critters. For some reason people love to dress their dogs for Halloween and show ‘em off. Not sure why nobody costumes a cat, but, we do have a dog costumed as a cat.
Now that mug shot appears to be a dog grimacing about her Shrek costume but her human, Jacque Hagerty says< “She’s really not as mad as she seems. I just caught her on a badly-timed blink. I will admit that she hates the costume though – it’s Shrek, in case you didn’t recognize it.”
Well, of course, I didn’t. When I was a kid (and when my kids were kids!), Shrek hadn’t been invented. We had to depend on the old school costumes: Zorro, skeleton, hobo, princess (that was a tough sell in a house of boys)...
That photo of Jessi was taken two Halloweens ago, Jacque says. Still cute, though.
***
I’ve known Melissa Boesch since she was a teenager – three or four years ago. I’m kidding. We go back further than either of us needs to admit, though I am, of course, much, much older.
The whole time I’ve known her  she’s been an animal fan. In particular she is a big fan of her Beagle, the fabulous Nemo.
And, as you can see here, she keeps a camera handy when Nemo is around.
Well, you asked for it,” Melissa wrote. “Here is Nemo in various costumes, past and present.”
Nemo’s attire, as described by Melissa:
--“Chinese costume – this was Halloween 2010. A friend brought this outfit back to us from China, so it is authentic.
--“Superdog – one of my favorites.”
--“Rooster.”
--“Harley biker due – this was one of his first costumes, so he is 1 ½ - 2 years old in this picture.
-- “Fisherman – this is our costume for this year. Unfortunately, none of the photos I have show both his outfit and the wagon to their best advantage.  His fishing vest is complete with lots of pockets, and the hat has actual fishing flies attached to it.  The wagon has been made into his "boat", with blue waves down the sides and his bait bucket and fishing pole inside.”
As you can see, Melissa and Nemo have a longstanding tradition of costuming for Halloween.
Kind of nifty when you think about it – a human enjoying the company of a costumed dog and a costumed dog going along for the ride n a red wagon.
***
 Did I mention “pirate costume” earlier?
Well, here are some examples of the local prairie’s pirates.
Or, as Donna Bean wrote, “Here are some costumed critters for you.
“Captain Scraggly Beardm feared leader of The Dastardly Trinity River Horde.”
Yep, that’s the Horde all posed for the photo.
“Captain Scraggly Beard is played by Emmett. The Trinity River Horde is played by Oliver, Dickens and Lance.
“Emmett and Oliver live with Marlene Bean and Dickens and Lance are mine.”
***
That cat?
He belongs to Karen and Dennis Lee.
Karen writes, “This is Barkley, our 17-year-old, 15-pound 'Rottie' mix!  Haha! That's what he thinks he is! 
"He hates cats and was not happy about this costume but he'll do anything for a piece of chicken. 
"We adopted him 15 years ago from Homeward Bound Animal Rescue.  He is THE BEST PET IN THE WORLD!!  He is our angel!!”
***
Then there is this dog Cricket – we got this available adoptable’s costume photo from Rekka Melby of Take me Home Pet Rescue.
“This is my foster dog Cricket. I've been fostering her since August 2010 after we rescued her and her 8 pups from an abandoned house. She is super sweet, loving and affectionate and is available for adoption through Take me Home Pet Rescue. Folks can email info@takemehomepetrescue.com for info.”
So, what’s the story on Cricket’s family tree? “If you're asking about breed, most folks guess pittie, Boston Terrier and boxer -- who really knows though?” Rekka says. “!  I've come across a lot of dogs but don't think I've met one with a bigger heart than Cricket.  She just wants to love you and be loved;  she's a real sweetheart.  About 2 years old, 38 pounds, housetrained, knows basic commands.  Sadly we have not had one serious inquiry on her over the past 14 months. I've been really surprised as she's a great dog!  It's probably because people think she looks to have some pittie in her and some folks just don't understand that she has 4 legs and a tail just like any other dog!”
***
Finally we come to a costuming partnership. We got this photo from Liz Zelandais of Madison, Wisc.
Liz wrote, “This is my coonhound Jazz. Her costume is just a simple veil--she won't stand for much more. We do volunteer work with visitations to schools, nursing homes, etc.,  through our local Dane County Humane Society as ‘Jazz & the Fairy Dogmother’.”
Well, of course, you really want to know a little more about these two. Jazz is a “rescue from the human society” who enjoys “a ride in the car with head out the window, sausage biscuit at McDonald’s, 3 ½-mile run (which she actually likes), steak from the table, nap in a sunbeam” and, Liz says, Jazz will “then whine because she knows that SOMEWHERE some dog has it better than she does.”
Before you jump to a conclusion, as I did, that Liz is wearing a costume, when I asked her about it she replied, “OK, you’re on to me. The nice suit I wear to my UW-Madison job is the ‘costume’ and Fairy Dogmother is the real me.”
Happy Halloween, all you animal people and all you animals. animals dressed as people and people dressed as animals.
***
(Closed circuit to one reader: Yes, in that costume, you look quite appropriate as that end of the horse.)
***
(Next week we return to Let Sleeping Dogs Lie & Napping Cats Nap, so send your photos of the slumbering treasures to dallrp@aol.com and include your name and info about the critter/critters. Remember, sleep isn’t always something that happens to other people.. It doesn't happen to insomniacs.)

***
A personal note just after the final World Series game and if you don't care about baseball, don't bother to read this:  I work with words but I am incapable of telling you just how lousy I feel about the Texas Rangers.  In my cartoon mind I am imagining the door opening on the team plane on the flight home and a few pitchers being hurled out into the night air toward hard splashdowns in the Mississippi River. Of course, if they fall like they pitched, they'll miss the target.
Baseball is a team game but some parts of the team stunk. And if the Rangers give one of those parts the $80 million he allegedly wants for his next contract to pitch, every Texas fan ought to avoid the Ballpark like  it was the birthplace of bedbugs. 
Despair. That's what I feel. Thank you for allowing me to express my disappointment. And, as we close the 2012 season, one more time, "Go Rangers" and you know where some of you can go. Oh, I feel bad about saying that but I'm not making millions to hit batters and put my team behind the 8-ball by never winning the opening game of a series.
Look, I'm gloomy about this. But Martha is angry -- she's angry in a two-word phrase, the second of which is "off." She couldn't stay in the room with the radio or the TV.
I love baseball. I've loved it since before there were color broadcasts and before there was a big league franchise in Texas and before designated hitters. I will stop in a park to watch kids I don't even know play -- it is a great game, a sport where individuals become teams and teams become adored and, yet, at the end of the entire major league season, when it was all over, when all 30 teams had played their 162-game schedules, there was just one champ and then there was everybody else. The fact that the Texas Rangers are lumped with "everybody else" again makes me want to cry. I'm probably not alone. And I'm not just talking about the gamblers. Help me off this soapbox before it collapses and I hang my spikes in my stirrup socks and wind up on the DL. Heck, this particular night, contrary to the famous line from A League of Their Own, there is crying in baseball.

Oh, goodness. Some game. Oh, my...

Holy smoke. Holy smoke. Holy smoke.
Eric Nadel, the radio voice of the Texas Rangers pegged it on the air: ‘What an absolutely astonishing turn of events.”
By now you know the score. If you don’t, look it up on your own. I can’t talk about it.
Look, I’m going to try to keep all these items to “brief” status today. It’s the end of the week and, well, you know, my fingers are nubs – I twisted them off during last night’s World Series game. And my vision is blurry and, of course, I’ve still got to get my Halloween costume "let out" again. Don’t know how many more years I can wear this bumblebee suit.
Holy smoke. I still can’t believe Texas lost that game. OK, gut it up for tonight.  Now,  we return to our regularly scheduled programming.
IS THERE ANY DOUBT THAT THIS IS AN EARHOUND? Danielle and Matt Morgan were enjoying life as usual in the Lakewood area of Dallas when, aaround midnight  Monday morning there suddenly appeared this vision on their front porch.
Daniel wrote to Readlarrypowell.com that the dog “appears to be a Pharaoh Hound-Pit Bull mix... I've taken him to the vet, and he's at least a year old. He needs all of his shots and to be neutered. A woman told me that you have something called an ‘Earhound’ nomination? If you could give me any advice about finding this boy a home it would be much appreciated. We already have a 3 year old border collier mix, and aren't certain that we're ready to take on another dog. This guy plays well with the other dog [a 3-year-old Border Collie], loves people, and is very sweet.”
Well, of course, unlike the American Kennel Club we do recognize the Earhound as a distinct breed of critter – not just a dog, but we’ve also spotted feline and rabbit Earhounds, maybe a goat and mule, too, I can’t remember.
But, this dog’s photo is just so darned enchanting that I had to declare him an official Roaming Earhound – except he’s no longer roaming.
Late in the afternoon Thursday, Danielle sent me a note that read, “We are going to foster the dog. We've found someone who is paying to have him neutered and vaccinated, and will donate a crate. We have named him ‘Monche’.”
The rest of the story is that he’s about 30 pounds has “long legs, a big nose, big ears and big webbed feet.”
Monche may be the very first Readlarrypowell.com Web-footed Earhound.
There’s more. Danielle says, “He's extremely playful and loving. He loves to curl up next to us on the couch and sleep.”
So, if you’d like to offer this couch-sleeping, Web-footed Earhound a place to live, e-mail danielle.avram@gmail.com.
AN OKLAHOMA DOG IS LOST: On Oct. 11, Megan Magnant’s dog Titan, a little rascal with big ears, was in the backyard doing his business when lighting truck nearby. Titan ran under a fence and vanished into the neighborhood in Midwest City, Okla., just west of Choctaw, east of Oklahoma City. The dog was spotted off and on in the neighborhood. On Oct. 15, a young woman spotted Titan and he got in the car with her and she took him to her home in Choctaw. Because Choctaw doesn’t have a shelter, the next day she took Titan to the Midwest City shelter. She told Megan she gave the dog to an animal control officer, but the Choctaw ACO says he’s never seen the dog.  Since then there hasn’t been a trace of Titan. Megan says the woman says she handed the dog over to a man who was “tall, skinny, with dark hair about 40-50 years old and wearing khaki pants.
So, it is a mystery where this big-eared little dog has gone -- maybe even to Texas. But someone may know something. And Megan is reaching out in all sorts of ways to try to find the little dog.
If you know his whereabouts or something about his disappearance, e-mail meganmagnant@yahoo.com or call 904-614-7862.
See more photos and read more about the Titan case on Facebook HERE.
CEMETERY ISSUE: You may have seen a TV story or heard about the crisis surrounding the fate of the pet cemetery on U.S. 67 in Cedar Hill – it may become victim of financial circumstances.
According to  Theresa Brandon, who has a dog in the cemetery, a meeting at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Nov., 10, at Cedar Hill’s Zula Wylie Library will “look for volunteers in general” and “complete the board of directors” for a non-profit trust established to protect the cemetery and allow the animals to rest in peace. To ask about helping, e-mail bjbmemfundtrust@aol.com. That reaches Theresa at the Bennie Jett Brandon Memorial Fund Trust, established in honor of her dog who is buried in the Pet Memorial Cemetery. She’ll be happy to send you a copy of the “booklet” about the non-profit.
EMPTY REMINDER: Rowlett Animal Shelter and Friends of Rowlett Animals will conduct an “Empty the Shelter Adoptathon” from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday at the shelter, 4402 Industrial in Rowlett. (Call 972-412-6219.)
PET PSYCHIC FAIR AT DAS: The big Howl-o-Ween Pet Psychic Fair with costume contests and other attractions is scheduled Saturday at Dallas Animal Services. All the details are in yesterday’s edition of Readlarrypowell.com or you can go to www.dallasanimalservices.org.
YOGA FOR CRITTERS: Well, that may be stretching it – so to speak. It’s actually Yoga for humans who want to help critters.  Yassi Maige of Bikram Yoga Richardson will host a fund-raising class at 10 a.m. Saturday on behalf of Hillcrest Animal Rescue, according to Karan Graham of Hillcrest. The class is at 10 a.m. (In January a class raised $4,000 and “every cent” went to help the animals, says Karen.) This Bikram Yoga (that’s the hot kind) Karma Class cost $8. The studio is at 1330 W. Campbell. Check it out HERE.
THE DUNCANVILLE SEIZURE AND THE SPCA:We checked with Maura Davies, the SPCA spokeswoman, who said a system has been set up to help get the more than 100 animals seized in Duncanville into homes and rescue groups. It is all outlined on the SPCA’s sit HERE.
The paperwork is necessary – AKC papers, microchip registration, etc. – because, Maura explained, “The judge stipulated that these proofs of ownership need to be presented for us to release animals to owners.”
Verifying the claims and matching people with animals, spaying and neutering, etc., will take a little more time. “We’re doing it this way because we want to make sure people who have a genuine claim of ownership on any of these dogs and cats are able to retrieve their animals as quickly as possible, as required by the judge,” she says.
Any group that wants to become a “placement partner” should contact the SPCA.
“I’ve heard of rumors that there are people out there who are trying to get these animals back to this lady under the cloak of being a rescue group. Again, we must make sure that these animals do not go back into the situation we seized them from,” says Maura.
When things finally shake out and the “claimed” animals have been placed, the adoptables will be posted on the SPCA’s Findapet site HERE.
CONTEMPLATIONS: Seriously, all I can think about right now is the roller coaster last night. Like many Texas Rangers fans I’ve seen some lousy baseball in 4 decades – but never have I seen a game with so many good, bad and undeniably ugly facets. This Game Six was one for the books – and I’m not sure what kind of books but I’ll bet they have to be stored at a radioactive waste facility. Oh, man. Oh, my. Oh, for crying out loud.  It’s heartbreaking. But there’s one more game tonight. This is the game, We're pretty surre we'll hear a strong echo of the late Rangers broadcaster Mark Holtz saying, “Hello win column."
--- To comment, click below.  And, of course, GO RANGERS AND THIS TIME STAY OUT IN FRONT ---

Discussions, a psychic fair, and contemplations...

Plenty of things to discuss today, so here we go on what many of us ol’ newshounds refer to as “10/27.” More later, but first, as I declare wholeheartedly that I would rather be in bed asleep, we’ll proceed, just in case something that appears here will help an animal or help a human help an animal or – and here’s a longshot – get a human to think before he or she shoots off his or her mouth. Holy fluffy pillow, I am one drowsy optimist.
By the way, Straydog Inc., the legendary sanctuary, has some challenges right now and some fundraising efforts, too. More as we proceed.
That photo? That is our solemn Readlarrypowell.com staff counselor, the psychiatrist Dr. Inky der Stablesane, the Cocker Laureate of the State of Texas. He has two stabilizing comments for today: Go back to bed and GO RANGERS—FINISH IT IN SIX.
HOT TOPICS: In the past few days the hot topics around here have been (a) the Dallas Companion Animal Project and its goal of a no-kill shelter for the city and (b) an abused animal seizure in Duncanville and the subsequent settlement yesterday.
Maybe there’s a connection – both involve people protecting animals. One involves developing a plan for the future.  One involves protecting animals from someone who may have thought she was protecting animals.
--Regarding the DCAP efforts: While there is an array of animal folks on the task force, there are still some people who think this will prove to be just another failed effort to make Dallas a no-kill city. They are vocal, don’t mind pinpointing personalities and feel that egos rather than mission are driving the task force. As a longtime observer of the animal welfare community, we’re hard-pressed to avoid saying that both sides frequently have one thing in common: Some of the cattiest people around are animal people. They’re so dadgum human.  The irony is, from a position as an observer, both sides (and they are “sides”) appear to have the same goal.
Perhaps this will work so that the task force people become determined to prove the non-task force people wrong and, in the end, the animals are the glorious winners. We can only hope that animals triumph over the human condition. The idea, after all, is to help the animals.
--Last week the SPCA of Texas and Duncanville authorities raided a property in Duncanville and seized 102 dogs and 6 cats. When word of the seizure spread, so did alarm, not just in North Texas, but into other states.
Rescue groups were upset because the person at the heart of this “collection” had been, they said, claiming to be adopting dogs as personal pets but then simply collecting them or adopting them out elsewhere.
Then, yesterday, before a scheduled custody hearing in Duncanville Judge Kent Traylor’s court, all parties reached a settlement. The unnamed accused party, her attorneys, the City of Duncanville and the SPCA of Texas all agreed that the SPCA would get the animals and no restitution would be ordered.
Because all this happened during lawyer/client consultations, there was no testimony, only a ruling.
The SPCA of Texas issued a press release about the results and also issued instructions for claiming these animals through the SPCA.   You can see the instructions and the press release HERE.
Reaction to the ruling ranged from “oh my god she’s getting away without being punished” to “oh my god the SPCA is going to kill all these dogs.” There was other reaction, too, most of it unpleasant from distrusting people who saw the out-of-court settlement as some sort of shenanigan calculated to dodge justice and allow the formerly accused person to get right back into claiming more animals than she can handle.
There probably will be more fallout to this story. Stay tuned. And, at the end of today’s report, we have a contemplation on the topic.
SATURDAY AT DALLAS ANIMAL SERVICES:  Cue the spooky music. It’s the Halloween season and Dallas Animal Services is fully involved – not only will there be a Howl-o-Ween Pet Psychic Fair at the facility but for the weekend adoption fees will be reduced to $30.  Yep, a Halloween Howl-o-Ween Special.
The psychic fair will feature a pet psychic named, as we have noted previously with amusement, Kathy Kibbel. Yep. You can’t make this stuff up. (I may set up an anti-psychic booth – I’ll tell you what your critter isn’t thinking, i.e., not considering whether to buy a manual or automatic transmission, not contemplating construction challenges of the Great Wall of China, not concerned about particles moving at the speed of light ... wait. Inky says he is concerned about moving faster than light .)
Now, the event Saturday, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., is sponsored by The Petropolitan and it will feature free treats for people and dogs, pet photos and other family-oriented attractions.
Yours truly will emcee a pet costume contest at 1 p.m. Categories include: Best Small Dog (under 40 pounds), Best Large Dog (over 40 pounds), Best Couple or Group, and Best of Show.  Three winners will be selected from each category.
And the judges include Dallas City Councilmember Delia Jasso, who created the Dallas Loves Animals Campaign; DAS Manager Jody Jones; and two writers who happen to be married animal fans, Jeanne Prejean, who writes the MySweetCharity.com blog and, covers social events for D Magazine, and    Glenn Hunter, who writes for D Business and Frontburner.
These people all have the love of animals in common and we don’t know about their costume habits, er, costume preferences. Pretty sure “costume habit” is the wrong phrasing. Almost sure.
FYI, this Howl-o-Ween event is going to be at Dallas Animal Services – that’s at 1818 N. Westmoreland, right at I-30 and Westmoreland, just west of downtown Dallas.
REMINDER: For this weekend, Readlarrypowell.com will not present its usual Let Sleeping Dogs Lie & Napping Cats Nap, but will display Halloween photos of costumed critters (and sometimes their people). We’re going to have some fun photos – I’ve seen some already.  Send the photos and info to dallrp@aol.com. That little girl, by the way, is Muffin, who owns the heart of longtime animal advocated Jonnie England. She’s dressed, Jonnie says, “as a ‘50s girl in a poodle skirt.” (FYI: She’ll probably be an entrant in Saturday’s costume contest at the DAS Pet Psychic Fair.)
STRAYDOG’S CHALLENGES: The legendary sanctuary Straydog Inc. near Gun Barrel City is hitting some rough financial spots, according to our Straydog tipster Erin Johnson.
You want to get some attention? Dress up a dog and get him to “vogue” for the camera.
Erin explains, “This is our silly Noble, warm and cozy in his winter sweater.”
There’s a tie between the sweater and the Straydog needs.
Erin wrote to “Straydoggers” that “We have to ask for help again. We need donations to help winterize our shelters for our outside kiddos. Also, with 125 dogs, our vet needs are ongoing.”
The weekly medicine bill is about $500.
Among the upcoming fundraising efforts is the “First Annual Straydog Golf Tournament” on Nov. 11 at Twin Lakes Golf Course in Canton. You can see ways to help the tournament and ways to participate by clicking on the link HERE.
A personal note: Golf is a tough game – but if you can use it to help animals, it’s worth the personal pain of a slice or a hook or a putt that shoots past the hole, down a hill and into the water hazard. Not that I’ve ever experienced any of that. The good thing about golf this time of year is when you hit a ball into the woods, you can just immediately drop another ball and play on because there’s just no sense in trying to find a ball buried under the dead leaves of autumn.
Read more about Straydog’s needs and efforts to help animals by going to www.straydog.org.
TWO BIG DAWGS IN TWO DIFFERENT SHELTERS:
-- We mentioned this dog Roper here before. He’s in the Collin County Animal Services Shelter in McKinney, a place where volunteers and staffers worker to find homes for the animals. Sadly, shelter walker Allison Roberts reports that yesterday the place became so overloaded with unwanted animals that staffers had to perform euthanasias to make room for more unwanted dogs.
One of the dogs that survived the round of euthanasias was Roper. Something about the photo gets to me – like the guy is saying “Take my paw as a gesture of thanks for trying to save my life.” I don’t know, maybe I’ve been around big, sensitive dogs too much. Maybe I’ve felt their warmth and the comfort they give humans when things are rotten. Maybe I’ve felt the joy shared when things are good. Maybe I’m just an animal nut.
Here’s the drill if you want to save the life of Roper or any animal at Collin Countyl: E-mail ldrummonds@co.collin.tx.us and animalshelter@co.collin.tx.us or call 972-547-7292,
--For crying out loud, how can this dog not be wanted? Yet, that is the case. Sgt. Karl Bailey, the manager of the Seagoville Animal Shelter, has been trying to find a home for this noble fellow ever since he was picked up on a back road in a traditional dumping ground in the city.
His name is Rufus and when he came into the shelter he was starving – emaciated.
He has some skin issues and maybe some other problems, but generally he’s a dog who’ll make someone a great companion.
He’s sweet, gentle and congenial, reports Seagoville volunteer Johnna Bigley.
And, he’s got the look of a dog that is a conversation starter – “What kind of dog is that!!?”
The answer is, of course, a Royal American Dog. Lord knows what his family tree looks like, but his face looks like Rufus. Why? Because he is Rufus..
To ask about Rufus, e-mail pets@seagoville.us or call 972-287-6838.
He’s probably a good hugger.
CONTEMPLATION—THE DUNCANVILLE SITUATION: Some of the e-mails that came to Readlarrypowell.com about the settlement in the Duncanville seizure case questioned whether a settlement skirted justice.
Sometimes we don’t immediately know what justice is – it might not happen “right now.” It might be a long and agonizing process.
In this case, though no name has been mentioned in any of the press releases, we can tell you that we are acquainted with the person at the core of this case. We wrote stories about her rescue efforts years ago and they were noble and proper efforts.
Things have changed and this is one of those instances, perhaps, when justice isn’t a legal requirement or financial punishment, but is, instead, personal agony and despair.
And, rather than despise and hate, should we be empathetic and, if not understanding, at least sad that this happened not just to the animals but to the human.
In my heart, this case is not a moment of triumph though I am glad this has been discovered and stopped. This case is, sadly, a revelation of the depth of human failure -- a human failing animals because humans are not perfect.
Gosh, what a bad, bad situation.
Perhaps we'll learn what has happened, but if we never do, we should all remember that each of us has the ability to take so many bad steps that we suddenly find ourselves too far down the wrong path.
This whole case is so mind-boggling. We will be better human beings ourselves if we seek to understand rather than strive to despise, condemn and hate.
Look, there’s not a rescuer in the world who hasn’t said, “If I win the lotto, I’ll open a ranch...” Or “If I could, I’d take them all.” Or “There’s really not much difference between five cats and six cats....”
Something stops most of us. We should be grateful for that.
CONTEMPLATION ON 10/27: This is a “personal privilege” note that will matter only to a relative handful of old newshounds and, probably, a lawyer or two. Back on Oct. 27, 2004, some twits,dweebs and extremely important people on the face of the earth – that’s not libelous, is it? -- ended the newspaper careers of a bunch of dedicated employees, including me. Sore about it? You bet. I wasn’t finished with newspapers even if they were finished with me. Speaking of finished, hopefully I’ll have the book Morning Glory, Stinky Ink finished soon and enjoy the squirming of people who ...well, you know. Not to tip my hand, but did anybody sign a pre-nupt? I’m kidding.
I mention this anniversary because I want the people who got the heave-ho with me to know that I still think about them and other people still ask about them and hope they are doing well. People remember bylines, photo credits, cartoon credits and kindnesses in print.
FYI: Now in preparation, a list of people instrumental in changing the life direction of so many good and decent people and their families since 2004. I am reminded of Jimmy Breslin’s book The Gang That Couldn’t Shoot Straight and the expression “Rat-a-bassets.”  Oh, there’s no list – not on Earth, anyway, he said, angelically. I kid the executives and their humorless lackeys.
One more thing: Thanks to loyal and big-hearted Readers, our website, Readlarrypowell.com, has contributed to saving the lives of many animals and helped make lives better for people who adopted those animals. Our mission to make the world a better place proceeds without having to layoff a single soul. But, of course, that is our mission.
--- To comment, click below and, of course, GO RANGERS. ---     

At mid-week, animal issues, successes and St. Louis' weather...

Ah, it’s the middle of the week and we’re already irritated.
Feels good, doesn’t it? What’s irritating? Don’t have time to make the list. But some of you know who you are... OK, in no particular order, let’s dive into the day’s activities.
THE NO-KILL TASK FORCE DAY TWO: The big announcement about the Dallas Companion Animal Project was made yesterday though work started much earlier on establishing a no-kill task force for Dallas. People have been gathering resource information for several weeks. (Aside: Of course, some people were immediately critical of this task force’s personnel and efforts. That is human nature. The democratic process isn’t always pretty.)
 To summarize, the City of Dallas has appointed a task force of animal-types to establish this peculiar town as a big city with a taxpayer-financed “no-kill” shelter. Anybody can have a non-profit no-kill shelter – you just quit taking in animals and don’t kill any to make room for more animals. Appointment-only shelters, you know?  They’re usually always full.
But in a city this big, with a legal responsibility to control unwanted animals and the law says you can’t turn any away, how do you make a legally must-take-all shelter with hundreds of always-full cages a no-kill shelter?
Ah, the challenge. Can you just declare that you’re no-kill? Or do you apply a thoughtful approach of coordinated efforts? And how quickly can you achieve this no-kill status? So far the no-kill status hasn’t been achieved since 1841 when John Neely Bryan set up what would become the city of Dallas. But, this is the 21st Century and – look around – humans are a lot smarter now than they were in the 1840s. [FYI: Founder John Neely Bryan died in a state asylum for the insane – anybody who has lived in Dallas for one election cycle can understand that fate.]
If you want to get involved in this task force’s efforts, get the key information by clicking HERE. As you may have read, the task force believes community involvement – not just animal groups, but businesses and other entities -- is going to be key to the achievement of no-kill status. (More on public involvement later in today’s report in the form of a letter from Metroplex Animal Coalition President Elaine Munch. In the meantime, we’ll touch on other notes. Keep reading, please.)
Oh, and that dog? That is a dog that made it out of Dallas Animal Services – rescue group coordinator Mark Cooper of DAS had issued a plea for help with her. The story is this small, female terrier was brought in as a stray a couple of nights ago. Mark reports, “Our front desk staff member Danielle Fry noticed ... what appeared to be a rubber band wrapped around the dog’s snout. With the shelter being closed and no vet on the property, Danielle and Supervisor [Dayanara] Castillo took matters into their own hands. With the instruction of our surgical vet, Dr. Angela Paben, on the phone they tranqued the sweet dog and carefully removed what ended up being a hair band that had been placed around the dog’s muzzle and embedded so deeply that the sinus cavity, the roots of the teeth and jaw bone were all visible. The dog was given pain meds overnight.
Dr. Paben came to the shelter on her day off to check on the dog and begin giving her antibiotics. In the meantime, Mark reports, Forgotten Tails Rescue stepped up and took the dog. (We have messages in to the folks with Forgotten Tails to see what else the dog might need besides a new home.)
[Larry aside: We’ve seen this sort of thing before – people put tape and elastic bands on the muzzles of dogs to keep them from barking. It is a cruel act – people have gone to jail for this behavior. If anyone recognizes this dog or knows about the “banding” incident, perhaps a call to authorities would be appropriate.
And, yes, there you have some of the human element the task force must cope with when establishing a “no-kill city.” ]
FOOD FOR ANIMALS: We got a note from Roni Seely of Habitat 4 Paws this morning that might interest you folks who have a crowd of critters to feed.
Roni writes, “Habitat 4 Paws wrapped up a week-long food drive this past weekend held by Blissful Bark in Flower Mound.  Paws Pantry has a few hundred pounds of dog and cat food available.  Our program is designed to help those truly in need, so would you mind posting that if anyone knows of a shelter, rescue or individuals in their community that are feeding strays who need help to please contact us at pawspantry@habitat4paws.org .”
There you go. Someone’s prayers may be answered.
A WEEKEND REQUEST: Usually on the weekends at Readlarrypowell.com, we run photos of sleeping animals – dogs, cats, etc. – in our long-running feature “Let Sleeping Dogs Lie & Napping Cats Nap.”
Because it’s the Halloween season, I thought it might be nifty if we ran photos of your costumed animals. I know that many of you dress your critters for Halloween. Extra points if you and your animal are costumed in the photo. No prize, no money, no nothing except gratitude and the opportunity to show the world how cute your critter is and maybe even how cute you are. Send the nominations to dallrp@aol.com.  [That is Inky, the Cocker Laureate of the State of Texas, in an artist's rendition of what he'd look like if he were "The Crimson Canine," the hero of the high seas. If he shows up at your door Halloween, no chololate, no fruit, no treats. He'll prefer money.]
FOUND IN OAK CLIFF: We got a note this morning from Susan Lee who lives in the Elmwood neighborhood of Oak Cliff where, as she writes, “stray dogs are a constant.
“ In most cases, I would be resigned to Dallas Animal Services, but this fellow has potential.  If the timing and space are right, would you consider writing about him in your blog?
“The dog is probably under a year, about 60 pounds, wavy red/chocolate coat, looks a little Lab in the face, has a docked tail, not neutered, somewhat submissive-very sweet and wants to belong.  Smart, takes direction well.  Don't see any obvious health issues. Had dog scanned, no microchip found.
“He was waiting on my porch when I got home last Friday.  I've checked for owners through neighborhood association with no luck. I'm also checking with local shelters - which are turning out to be full up.”
To offer to help with this handsome dog, e-mail  susielee@flash.net or call 214-499-6462.
REPORT FROM SEAGOVILLE: As you may recall, a few months ago Seagoville Police Sgt. Karl Bailey, with the help of a steady bunch of volunteers, began operating the suburban shelter as a no-kill facility.
Here’s the latest report from volunteer Johnna Bigley. “The Seagoville Animal Shelter is currently swamped with 33 dogs in only 10 pens.”
That means something’s got to give.
Among the animals on the quickly moving clock are Cisco, an owner-surrender. He is an 8-pound dog described as “older and terrified.”
And the other dog pictured here is Vader, who Sgt. Bailey has taken a personal interest in, we’re told. Vader is a “good dog” who just wound up in a bad spot – the story of so many animals in so many shelters.
To ask about any of the animals in the shelter, call 972-287-6838 or e-mail pets@seagoville.us or e-mail johnna1228@live.com.
ROWLETT SHELTER’S EMPTY PLAN: Veteran rescuer Dawna Carabajal sent us a note about the City of Rowlett Animal Shelter and Friends of Rowlett Animals have scheduled an “Empty the Shelter Adoptathon” from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday at the shelter, 4402 Industrial Street. (Phone 972-412-6219).
The Friends group and local businesses have chipped in enough dough to drop the Rowlett adoption fee to $50 all day – the usual fee is $75. And there’ll be a $20 (cash only) microchip clinic from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. See Rowlett’s animals HERE.
This kitten, Dusty, is one of the available animals – I ran his photo (click on it to make it larger) because he’s sort of an Earhound with that set of big ears, but also because he’s got the “reverse Groucho” eyebrows. Cute kid.
OH, MY, WHAT A COMEBACK: We got this note from Rekka Melby of Take Me Home Pet Rescue and, included, was a “photo comparison” of a dog now named Emily.
We wrote about the dog on Aug. 29 – someone from TMHPR had gone to the shelter to get one dog and spotted this battered pit. (Click HERE to see the original story and photos).
So, Emily represents not only the animals that go into the Dallas Animal Services shelter and get out, but animals that could get out if only there were places for them to go.
Emily got lucky – timing, the key to everything.
Rekka reminds us that Emily “had severe lacerations all over her body and a very swollen front leg. She has made a full recovery and is ready for adoption!  Her ‘before’ and ‘after’ picture is pretty incredible so I wanted to forward in case you want to share it in your column.  She's about 2 years old, housetrained, knows basic commands and is great with other dogs.  For adoption info folks can email info@takemehomepetrescue.com,.”
Included with the note was a link to a video of Emily leavng the shelter. See it HERE.
TMHPR has about 50 dogs and cat in foster and awaiting a loving home.
That dog looks natural in a tutu – a lot more natural than she does limping around a shelter and bleeding from places all over her body.
God bless the idiot thugs and creeps in Dallas, of course.
MAC AND THE TASK FORCE: Last night, Metroplex Animal Coalition President Elaine Munch, a member of the task force, issued this letter to MAC members: “By now many of you may have heard about the new initiative designed to lead Dallas toward becoming no-kill of adoptable companion animals and then eventually those that are treatable and rehabilitatable.
“Several of us who serve MAC in a leadership, rescue or volunteer capacity are serving on this task force. Plus there are members of the community ‘at-large’ and breed rescue as well. It is a broad representation of people who know the work that needs to be done, but make no mistake.....it is different in one key respect.
“As the official announcement ...states, the goal of the Dallas Companion Animal Project is to involve the entire community. The Task Force will  ask the entire Dallas community to be responsible for solving this problem, not just ‘pass the buck’ to the overburdened and financially-strapped rescue community alone. And for the first time in a very long time, we have the backing and strong support of our City's staff and leadership in this endeavor.
“We hope to soon increase awareness, and fair and humane treatment for all our daily "companions" as well - be they songbirds, feral cats, or wildlife. We share our community with these creatures as well as our canine and feline ‘pet’ companions.”
CONTEMPLATIONS: One of the almost insurmountable burdens of the animal welfare arena is a difficult challenge known as “personality conflict.”  How difficult are personalities? MSNBC reporter Mark Helperin’s description of President Obama is not strong enough to describe the behavior of some animal people.  We really ought to focus on the animals instead of the rhetoric and personal attacks. ... I tell ya, kids, some days I read the mean statements animal people say about other animal people and I think I’d just as soon spend the day in a drunken stupor. Then I remember, I’m already in a stupor without drinking and look how much money I saved on liquor. ... How will we know the no-kill task force is having a positive effect? Numbers, I guess. Count the euthnasias. Maybe the people who make the death juice will have to lay off workers. ... The key really is people – getting their attention and changing their minds. It’s a political campaign. But it’s year-round.
THE WORLD SERIES: The Texas Rangers just have to win one game. One game. And the weather in St. Louis may keep that game from being played tonight.  Holy smoke, how much anticipatory angst can a whole fan base stand? Remember when just getting to the Series was enough anxiety? Now we’ve gone through “getting BACK to the Series and, today, we’re into the anxiety of “win one more game and the Rangers are world champs.” It’s the most joyous anxiety in a baseball fan’s life. And we must repeat, “GO RANGERS.”
--- To comment, click below.---

No-kill task force appointed in Dallas...

Looks like a new less lethal day may have dawned in Dallas.
A City of Dallas task force –the Dallas Companion Animal Project (Dallas CAP) -- has been established to create a no-kill plan -- a way to end the mass killing of homeless dogs and cats in the city animal shelter.
According to a task force source, the plan is to have a no-kill system in place by the end of the year and fully operational as 2012 arrives.  This will take a coordinated community effort, community-wide cooperation and community-wide awareness of the goal.
As you may recall from previous reports, the City of Dallas’ Animal Services has been euthanizing more than 20,000 (sometimes closer to 25,000) animals a year. They are strays, owner-surrenders and, of course, hundreds of puppies and kittens born just to be killed.
The official task force announcement reads that the city is following the lead of San Francisco, Austin, New York and Richmond, Va.
As it turns out, the recently-arrived City of Dallas Animal Services Manager Jody Jones held a similar position in Richmond and guided that city to its no-kill shelter status.
The Dallas task force is chaired by Rebecca Poling, a member of the Dallas Animal Shelter Commission and founder of Companions For Life.
Formation of the task force was a team effort involving members of the animal welfare community and current interim assistant city manager Joey Zapata who, while serving as the city’s Code Compliance Director was directly involved with Dallas Animal Services and the shelter commission.  He has overseen Dallas Animal Services and its budget and been aware of the challenges of running the shelter for some time.
In the official announcement, Task Force Chair Poling says, “Our goal is to guide the community in identifying and increasing easily accessible programs that will allow us to stop the killing of healthy, treatable companion animals.”
Look for campaigns to get the community involved in these efforts:
--reducing the number of surrendered and abandoned animals,
--providing affordable spay/neuter programs,
--returning stray and roaming animals to their owners,
--creating options to surrendering pets
--and increasing adoptions of animals and transfer of animals to other shelters and humane organizations.
“No single agency or organization can possibly be responsible for all the components necessary to make Dallas no-kill,” says Chairperson Poling. “We’re looking for individuals, businesses, corporations, associations, nonprofits, advocacy groups and animal-welfare organizations willing to be a part of this effort by lending their names and encouraging others to do the same.”
And Asst. City Manager Zapata, in the task force press release, says, “We have a new mayor [Mike Rawlings] who firmly believes that Dallas should have the goal of becoming no kill; a city council committed to supporting the task force; and a new shelter manager, Jody Jones, who played a leading role in making Richmond, Va., a no-kill community.”
And in her official task force statement, Shelter Manager Jones says her experience in Richmond demonstrated the value of a team effort. "Working together to develop a successful no-kill plan will engage the community in the welfare of our animals and make Dallas a more pet-friendly place to live. It will save taxpayer dollars and result in a more educated and informed public.  It also will encourage private/public partnerships, and, most important, it will improve the quality of life for companion animals and people in the City of Dallas.”
The public, of course, will have avenues for input -- contact the task force through the website www.DallasCompanionAnimalProject.org. The project is also on Facebook or you can follow on Twitter @DallasAnimals.
 In addition to the city’s Jody Jones and Commissioner Poling, the members of the task force include these “heavy hitters” in the animal welfare community: Elaine Munch, Metroplex Animal Coalition; James Bias, SPCA of Texas; author Mary Spencer of the Dallas Animal Shelter Commission and SPCA of Texas; Jonnie England of the Metroplex Animal Coalition;  Susan Gregory of  Dallas Animal Advocates;  John McQuade of Greyhound Adoption League of Texas; Maggie Dahl of Animal Rescue of Texas; Dallas Police Department Reserve Officer Jill McCollum; Pam Asturias of Feral Friends Community Cat Alliance; Dr. Erin Shults of Mazie’s Mission;  Maeleska Fletes of Little Forrest Hills Animal Alert and Rita Hensley of Dallas Animal Services.
Those animals in the photos? Those are three of hundreds currently on the clock at Dallas Animal Services. The black and white dog is Paige, the cat is Brenda and the obvious Earhound is Sugar Bear. How did they wind up in the shelter? Paige and Sugar Bear were strays and Brenda, with her lookalike sister, Breezy, were owner-surrenders.
It really doesn’t matter how they came into the shelter. What matters is how they leave. Adopted or bagged.
TO COMMENT: You can  get up on the soapbox with me if you wish. To comment on this significant development in Dallas’ history with animals, go to the end of this report and clicking on "comment." Perhaps the task force would appreciate your thoughts and involvement.
CONTEMPLATIONS: This task force goal beats the usual Texas theory of “Got an animal problem? Let’s kill it.” ... Two months – especially two holiday-filled months -- is an awfully short time to pull all these factions together, but if everyone realizes they’ll be saving lives and changing the image of Dallas (where the former shelter manager faces an animal cruelty trial), maybe there’ll be some cooperation.  ... I hate to call this “Enlightenment on the Trinity” (that's so optimistic!) but that might be the best way to describe it. ... Rescue groups have already demonstrated a keen ability to help Dallas Animal Services save some animals, but the numbers are overwhelming and perhaps “the general public” will respond when called upon to participate. ... No doubt there’ll be naysayers and opponents who form pockets of resistance because of personality or envy. And some people think killing is the best way to control the animal population.  ... This is one of those situations that probably won’t require new laws or ordinances, just new attitudes and partnerships and an awakening of a dull and unresponsive public – no offense to anyone dull and unresponsive.  ... People in the rescue community do noble work – it is often unnoticed by the willingly blind populace. Be interesting to see how the task force gets the blind to see. ... There is a lovely irony to the thought that Dallas, where an elected official once gave a Key to the City to a convicted dog-killing, dog-fighting quarterback may become known nationally as a no-kill city.
WORLD SERIES CONTEMPLATION: Can't let the morning go without praising the Texas Rangers. How about that game last night. And now the Texas Rangers are one victory away from a World Series title. Just 5 words: Go Rangers, win ONE. game.
--- To comment, click below. ---

Triumphs and challenges -- a Monday with fog...

Let’s say this while we can:  the Texas Rangers won a World Series game and the Dallas Cowboys won a football game (Surprise!)  -- both beat teams from St. Louis. How often are these circumstances likely to occur?
I’m not worried about the Rangers winning another World Series game, but the Cowboys play the Philadelphia Eagles next week and, well, they’re not the Rams.
OK, moving along in no particular order – just the way I cut-and-pasted this morning in the fog that covered our neighborhood in Dallas.
PICTURE THIS: Something about this photo gets to your ol’ hard-hearted correspondent. Big dog reaching out. Likely to die in a shelter because nobody wants a big ol’ dawg.
This is Roper, a Lab mix in the Collin County Animal Services Shelter in McKinney (thanks to shelter walker Allison Roberts for the photo and the info about this dog, #320155.) He’s already neutered – that means someone cared about him at some point.
And he knows how to sit and shake – and that means someone spent enough time with him to suggest that he had a home he could trust. He’s on the euthanasia list at the shelter. So much for trust.
What else is in the shelter? Allison wrote, that the “shelter is still full and we had 9 very skinny, some almost emaciated, dogs surrendered by one man Saturday (4 adults and 5 large puppies).  Saving any dog on the list will save a life. “
Never ends, does it?
To ask about an animal at the shelter, email both  ldrummonds@co.collin.tx.us  and animalshelter@co.collin.tx.us. You may also call 972-547-7292, press 1 and leave a message.
AT DAS, SOME VICTIMS: Back on Oct. 13, Heather Ezell sent out a request for help on behalf of some dogs. And, frankly, the situation was overwhelming for one person and would be overwhelming for more than one person and, so far, has been overwhelming for a bunch of people.
Heather discovered this situation when she had to stop her car, get out and shoo a dog off the road in the area of Singleton at Guldon in West Dallas.
When she was busy getting the dog off the road, she writes, “I discovered it was a part of a group of starving dogs who had been abandoned.” They were in an open warehouse near the road.
Heather took some photos – a group shot and a puppy picture.
She got in touch with the SPCA of Texas, a Dachshund rescue group and others.
And she wrote, “In my opinion a couple of the dogs would benefit most from humane euthanasia.  They are suffering from skin and eye disease and starvation. I prefer to defer to a rescue group who can make the best decision for animals and has a relationship with a vet to take care of the animals even if EU is the best route.”
As it turns out, all of the animals except one wound up in the Dallas Animal Services shelter and rescuers Karla Kirk and Pat Rodriguez have been trying to get the word out about these dogs to try to find homes or rescue groups.
This morning, Pat sent the “cage photo” from the shelter and reports, “All six dogs have mange, some more severe than others.  The dog in the best shape is the male dox and he’s very friendly.  He loves attention and is gentle. The worst dog is mom dog.  Her mange appears the most severe, she has some teeth issues, and also a leg issue, and finally, she is on the shy side.
“These are mainly symptoms of neglect and with proper vet care and good food/attention, I’m betting she could be just fine. The other 4, two tan dogs that look alike, one darker tan dog, and then one black puppy fill out the rest.  The two dogs that look alike are a little active bunch and they avoid being caught, but I had no problem petting them once I had them in hand.  The tiny little black dog is extremely loveable, he wants to be held and likes it a lot.  The final one is scaredy like the other two, and I didn’t get a chance to catch her.  We’re looking to get these dogs to safety.  I’m not sure how long the DAS shelter will keep them, so we need to move fast.”
The contact is, of course, rescue coordinator Mark Cooper at mark.cooper@dallascityhall.com or call 214-670-8298.
Pat says that people who want to donate to the care of these specific dogs can do so through Dallas Animal Advocates HERE. “We’ll get the money to the rescue group that takes these dogs,” Pat says.
These dogs are fighting not just mange but the clock in the city shelter. As we all learned from last week’s euthanasia report to the Animal Shelter Commission, the needle never rests at Dallas Animal Services. Thank you residents of Dallas.
Of course, none of this addresses the key questions: Who did this to these dogs and can they be prosecuted?
There may ultimately prove to be no difference between these dogs and the dog left dead on a front porch on Aransas on the other side of West Dallas, its head stuck between the bars on the railing. Nobody knows anything and the animals will be just as dead.
STEREOTYPICAL CAT IN A SHELTER: Well Halloween approaches and, sure enough, there’s a cat in the Carrollton Animal Shelter who looks like a bit of seasonal artwork. This is Lucy, a stray who wound up in the shelter and is on the euthanasia list for Wednesday.
You can see video of Lucy doing her stretches and then working her charms on a human by clicking HERE. You can see many other Carrollton adoptables by going HERE.
Some shelters and rescue groups won’t adopt out black cats as Halloween approaches. Probably a good idea – people are so nuts.
OVERFLOWING IN BURNS FLAT: Our hardworking tipster in Burns Flat, Okla., Terry Lynn Fisher, reports that “we are overflowing here” and she’s looking for help in getting animals out of the little shelter.
For those of you who wonder, Burns Flat is in Western Oklahoma, due north of Wichita Falls,  Texas, by about 140 miles. Not close to Dallas, but the issues are the same. Too many animals in the shelter, too few willing good homes in the city.
Here are Terry Lynn’s explanations of how these two wound up in the shelter:
ROSIE: “Surrendered because she made a mess on the lady's white couch. She is in heat! Duh! Very sweet and loving, maybe 2 years old. She appears healthy and loves kids and other dogs. She cries when I leave, in such a mournful way I feel guilty.”
BATMAN: “This boy was dumped because the idiot owners kept leaving the gate open and he would run out. He is young, under a year. I love the way his big ears stand up. He is very playful and loves the other dogs...He is happy as can be when I am actually with but when I put him back in the pen, he is so very sad... This guy adores children.”
Terry Lynn explains, “If more [animals] come in, some will have to leave, whether it be through rescue or sadly, a trip to a vet.”
It used to be worse. Before Terry Lynn got involved in the shelter, the preferred method of euthanasia was a bullet.
To help Terry Lynn help the animals, call her at 580-330-1459 or e-mail remembering_oddball@yahoo.com.
CONTEMPLATIONS: Before you start organizing your Dallas Cowboys Super Bowl watching party, it was just the St. Louis Rams. They should have thumped the Rams. ... I heard  on the radio this morning that the McRib is coming back to McDonald’s –it’s the barbecue sandwich that magically appears ever so often. Back In my newspaper column years, I wrote a line of which I remain proud. I described the McRib as “the Brigadoon of Barbecue.” If you don’t know Brigadoon, that's a witty line lost on you and, probably, you think the McRib is real barbecue.  Having had actual barbecue (I was a carnivore back then), I’m not sure the McRib is real barbecue, but, well, I don’t really think a McDonald’s hamburger is a real hamburger, either. Of course, as a vegetarian, it’s all irrelevant in my world. ... Way foggy in Dallas and Fort Worth this morning. Maybe this is the fog from which struggling pitcher C.J. Wilson will actually emerge in tonight’s World Series game.
--- To comment, click below, and, bless C.J. Wilson’s heart and arm, GO RANGERS ---

Big cat snoozing...

For this weekend’s edition of Let Sleeping Dogs Lie & Napping Cats Nap we have decided to focus on a large slumbering cat.
His name is Griffin and he has lived with us for about a decade. Here he is in one of his favorite spots, the back of a living room chair.
He is very broad. We have been in negotiations with his agent to sell advertising on his backside.
Cats are great sleepers and some cats are great personalities and Griffin is the greatest of both.
When we found him roaming free he was a spindly kitten, probably five or six weeks old. Legs like pencils and a tail like a pipecleaner.  His head was about the size of a peach in a dry summer . Now, he is a melonhead.
When we got him he may have weighed 12 or 13 ounces. A gentle breeze was enough to change his direction.
Not long ago we took him to the vet. He was in his carrier and our vet staff pal Kim leaned over to grab the carrier handle and move him into the exam room. When she tried to pick him up, the dead weight nearly yanked her arm out of the socket.
As you can see, he’ll continue to occupy his sleeping spot no matter what sort of traffic passes through that chair.
In this photo you see Porche Noel, the little odd dog that came to us one Christmas season. Starving and gimpy, she pushed through the porch gate bars to enjoy the free feral cat buffet on the porch. She ate so much she couldn’t go back through the bars. And, as you see in this photo, she’s a healthy little girl now – kind of like a pleasant blend of jumping Jack Russell, lively French Bulldog and shark.
My computer desk is set up behind that chair and when Griffin abandons that spot, Porche likes to balance there and watch over my shoulder as I write.
That other dog is Texas Earl the Cheeseman – I wish I could explain the name, but it just came to us and it stuck.  We call him Earl. He’s adorable and gentle.
I found him in Kiest Park one day. Someone had left him there. Every time a car pulled into the soccer field parking lot, Earl would race up to the driver’s side. When he’d see it wasn’t his human, he’d slump a little, then slowly return to a spot under a nearby tree and lay down, putting his chin on his paws and, with the saddest dog face in the world, watch for the next car.
I talked him into coming home with me.  He has become a great friend and he has decided he likes being a lap dog. Yes. He is a lap dog.
So, what we have at our house is a guy who converted from a dumped dog in the park to a “Big OOOF Dog.” You say a big OOOF when he lands in your lap.
This means we have symmetry in the home because Griffin is a “Big OOOF Cat.” When he steps into your lap, you also say a big “OOOF.”
I’ve included a close-up of Griffy’s coat. To me it resembles a meteor shower seen through a West Texas sandstorm.
Unlike almost every other mammal in the house, Griffin doesn’t snore. He just gently sleeps. And, now and then, in the middle of the night, he goes into the kitchen and knocks things off the counter. He likes to hear the clatter followed by an insomniac saying, “What the devil was that? I was almost asleep.”
[To nominate your sleeping cat or dog (or relative who lingered at your house after summer vacation) for the spotlight of “Let Sleeping Dogs Lie & Napping Cats Nap,” send photo and info to dallrp@aol.com. We love to show animals demonstrating the art of defeating insomnia. It gives us hope.]
--To comment, click below and, of course, GO RANGERS.--

Afternoon edition: Schoolyard stray, adoption figures and radio geniuses...

A SCHOOL SITUATION IN DALLAS: Our pals with Straydog Inc. near Gun Barrel City bounced this one to Readlarrypowell.com to see if any Dallas sources could help a teacher and a stray momma dog at an elementary school near I-30 and Loop 12.
Teacher Nicole Mulupi reports that the dog had five puppies about 8 weeks ago and they’ve all been “recently taken.” The dog is hungry, nice around kids and living on the schoolyard.
Nicole says, “There is a teacher feeding her, and she follows the teacher and stays outside her portable.  The dog listens to her and is very friendly.  She likes to be petted and I have never heard her bark or growl.  Even the kindergarten students have petted her. I'm sure any food/help you can offer would be greatly appreciated.  I called Dallas Animal Services a week ago but nobody came.”
(They may have come when nobody was on the campus or when no one was around.)
Nicole says, “Nobody cares for her over the weekend as far as I know. One teacher leaves a lot of food/water for her. Unfortunately, she's not the only stray around, though.  The strays are a neighborhood feature around here.  She's so sweet and pretty (and she's my puppy's momma), and I know there are people who would be interested in such a good dog.”
We’re working on getting a photo.
To ask about helping this dog, e-mail Nicole at nmulupi@yahoo.com or call 972-533-1736.
AN ANIMAL SHELTER COMMISSION NOTE: As we told you in our morning edition, we’re going to occasionally mention things we learned at yesterday’s Dallas Animal Shelter Commission meeting. For example, DAS Director Jody Jones said yesterday that the shelter is reexamining guidelines for deciding whether an animal is adoptable or a candidate for being claimed by a rescue group or neither. It’s part of an effort to save more of the animals that wind up in the shelter. (Read this morning’s report below to get more of an idea of things going on at the shelter during this period of transition from a facility supported by city employees to a facility that depends on contract labor for basic animal care.)
FYI: In the Oct.-Sept. fiscal year, the Dallas Animal Shelter adopted out 2,686 animals. During the same period it euthanized 21,783. Why? Mostly because nobody wanted them and there’s no other place to put them except in a bag at the landfill. Not the shelter’s fault – look in a mirror, Dallas Don’t Care Residents.
WEEP FOR AMERICA: I'm accidentally listening to a noon-hour sports talk show from Dallas and the three air personalities are discussing the Gateway Arch in St. Louis. One is astonished to learn it was erected in the late 1960s and not, as he said, “during the era of Meriwether Lewis.” You may recall Mr. Lewis – he and William Clark explored the continent -- the Lewis & Clark Expedition of 1804-1806. The radio guy said he figured if Egyptians could build pyramids, the Arch could have been erected during the pioneer era .
Sad enough, but then these guys got into a discussion of naturally occurring tourist attractions citing the Grand Canyon, Niagara Falls and Mount Rushmore.
 Cher also once confessed to thinking the faces of the presidents on the side of a mountain were a naturally occurring rock formation.
I’m sure these radio guys could look at a flour tortilla and see the face of Gutzon Borghlum.
Wait until they find out that the Cowboys Statdium in Arlington was not a natural rock and ore formation that Jerry Jones found while prospecting for gold.
--- To comment, click below and, of course, GO RANGERS. ---

The Commission, the Shelters, the Rescues, the Rangers...

OK, folks, let’s just dive into the day’s report – yep, the Animal Shelter Commission will come up. But first we must praise the Texas Rangers for playing winning baseball last night. Whew.  Now, moving along:
We’ll stipulate that every shelter in town has more animals than it needs.  We’ll also stipulate that the only ways to keep them empty are to quit making more animals and to make more homes. This will require animals and humans to change their behavior – note that it is cheaper to spay/neuter than it is to perform lobotomies.
That’s Inky, the Cocker Laureate of Texas, who lives with us, has never been in a shelter, is neutered and has a list of people who need lobotomies.
OK, read on:
POM RESCUED:  Updating a story from yesterday’s Readlarrypowell.com This Pom, suffering from a broken leg and facing euthanasia in the Dallas Animal Servies Shelter, was rescued yesterday by the SPCA of Dallas, reports DAS Rescue Coordinator Mark Cooper who sent out the original plea for help.
BROKEN LEG AND RUNNING AWAY: At mid-morning we got a report from Steve Hensley, a veteran rescuer, who was on his way to work this morning near White Rock Lake when he saw a “little black dog with a broken leg at the side of the road... He was running on three legs and holding up one of his back ones. He was watching the people pass by on the bike trail and looking like he wanted some human help, but when I approached him, he ran. I chased him around the area for about 30 minutes until I finally lost him. Even a three-legged dog seems to run faster than I do. I last saw him in the woods behind the liquor store at Garland Road and Winstead at the South end of the lake and he may still be around there. If you know of anybody who could go look for this guy or can get me any help in tracking him, please let me know. If I had caught him I was planning to leave him at a nearby vet with my credit card and get his leg fixed. He is a small black dog, maybe about 35 pounds and looks like a very small chow. I last saw him about an hour ago (9:30 a.m.) so he may still be in the area.” (If you know of this dog, e-mail Steve at shensley@milbyfirm.com.
THE MEETING: I will now attempt the impossible. What’s that? Wearing a loincloth and diving off a cliff into a pail of Dos Equis? I’m not that interesting.
Nope, I’m going to attempt to read my scribbled notes from Thursday afternoon’s Dallas Animal Shelter Commission meeting.
(First, though, some recognition for all the people who serve on that commission. It is evident that all of you do more than just one afternoon’s work when it comes to the commission, the shelter and animal issues. Also, thanks to the city employees who work with the commission and compile facts, explain issues, cite city policies and ordinances, etc.  There were lots of elements to Thursday’s meeting and rather than one long report, I’ll sprinkle them through today’s presentation.  And maybe throughout the next few weeks all the way to the next Commission meeting on November 17.  By then there may have been even more changes within the shelter – according to explanations during the meeting, Nov. 1 is apparently the day new hiring begins for important positions within DAS. You may recall that the city canned a bunch of lower-level shelter employees on Oct. 1 and replaced them with contract labor. Irony: When this contract labor idea was being pitched, the city had been working with the labor firm for years – now, suddenly, a different firm has the contract. Probably hiring from the same labor pool – who knows?)
FYI: Our meeting report will not be comprehensive – you want comprehensive, show up yourself. Which reminds me that at the meeting there were 16 to 18 commission members and city staffers (a couple of the city folks came and went) and 8 spectators, including yours truly.  Every spectator took part in the public comments session, including two people who are enthusiastic about the Nathan Winograd “just go no-kill now” theory of municipal shelter operation.  This may have been the first appearance of Winograd enthusiasts before the commission. (Irony: Some members of the commission and the audience are already involved in no-kill pursuits for the city. Kind of amusing to see the grinding of teeth when the new-to-the-fray people spoke as if nobody else in the room had ever considered “no-kill.” Can’t fault the enthusiasm, though. And, of course, who among us is not for “no-kill” though one of my former colleagues at the big paper in Dallas believes “You can’t save ‘em all.” That’s bunk of course. You can sure as hell try to save ‘em all.)
We interrupt the meeting report to bring you this:
HELP FOR THE NEIGHBORHOOD DOG: Remember this dog? Neglected, developed prolapse, lost puppies to neglect, etc.
Rescuer Deb Elkins in Kaufman County is trying to get help for her. Here’s Deb’s latest report:
“Hi Larry, You wrote about this dog on Tuesday.  Well, here we are on Friday morning, and we are very close to having all the pieces of this puzzle in place.
“Dr. Erin Shults of Mazie's Mission has read the story and reviewed the photos.  She said the dog qualifies for Mazie's. I have talked to the family that owns the dog.  It is likely they will surrender her.
“Mazie's needs a foster home for the dog. Would you ask your readers if anyone who fosters has ‘room for one more’?” E-mail elkinsdeb@gmail.com .
THE CRUELTY CASES: As expected, during the Commission meeting there were questions about the two latest, most publicized animal cruelty stories in Dallas. Commission Member Chris Watts of The Petropolitan who had actually gone to the scene of the Aransas Incident in West Dallas asked about both cases. On Aransas, a dog had been left dead for days with its head stuck between ornamental iron bars at an unoccupied house. And, in downtown Dallas, Frisco the Maltese had been thrown from the 19^th story of a downtown building after a lover’s quarrel.
DAS Shelter Manager Jody Jones said the case of the Maltese was strictly under the jurisdiction of Dallas police and the department was investigating it -- both the domestic violence and animal cruelty angles. DAS had not been called to respond to the incident.
As for the dog on Aransas, she reported that things are “at a stall.” No evidence, no links to anybody. Nobody claims the dog. She said that the shelter staffers who were involved in the initial investigation had undergone training now to recognize signs of abuse and how to gather evidence of cruelty, such as taking photographs of claw marks left when a trapped animal attempted to free itself. She explained that the importance of protecting and acquiring evidence had been stressed. And she said the staff had been told not to assess the site from the truck and make a “pick-up” call to sanitation but to, basically, treat such sites as a crime scene and initiate an investigation.
So, (a) the Maltese case is in the hands of Dallas police and (b) the dog who died on the porch and was left to rot isn’t getting anything more than the sympathy of a handful of people. Somewhere someone knows about this case.  Connecting that person to the authorities – that’s the challenge.
THE COLONY’S ORDINARY ANIMALS: Last week, Patricia Barrington, The Colony’s Animal Control Division Manager, told us about the “ordinary plan” for Saturday’s “Save A Life Express Adoption Program”  -- it’s from 10 a.m. to noon Saturday at 5 Star Sports Complex  at 4100 Blair Oaks Drive.
The theory is that “ordinary” animals are always overlooked in the animal shelter, so Animal Control decided to “showcase the ordinary” animals in hopes of getting them adopted.
Director Barrington told me about two of the animals – one was an “ordinary” dog and, son of a gun, if that dog wasn’t reclaimed by her owner who hadn’t had her spayed and refused to believe that the dog was probably pregnant. So, that “ordinary” dog was returned to extraordinary circumstances.
Also cited was an “ordinary” orangish cat named Marsden. As Patricia wrote, “Being the unfortunate owner of an orange tabby coat should not be a death sentence, especially when one is as perfect as sweet Marsden.”
Confession: We have a pal named Jo who was looking for a good kitty to be her companion. Sure enough, she and Marsden are now housemates. Yes, the “ordinary” cat Marsden was so charming and affectionate – like a “storybook cat” -- that he was adopted before he could go on display. Just FYI: It is clear that The Colony personnel make extra efforts to socialize the adoptables -- Marsden is a happy graduate of the "Hands On Cat Congeniality Academy."
These were not the only two ordinary animals at The Colony.
About Saturday’s event, Director Barrington says all animals will be available for $20 and, “rest assured, there won't be any fluffy, white 5-pound dogs or Himalayan kittens at this event - no sir, just unremarkable, ordinary, yet perfect pet companions who tend to get overlooked time and again in shelters.”
That smiling dog is from The Colony’s PetFinder site HERE – he’s Bowser, an ordinary Lab (well, except for that look!). He may be at Saturday’s event. The other dog, Baby, a Heeler/Lab mix, will be there. Other dogs and cats may join them. Some cats may be orange, some may not.
And that cat is, indeed, Marsden The Famous Cat, now off the market, but representative of just plain ol’ affectionate storybook orange cats everywhere.
COMMISSION MEETING—HALLOWEEN AT THE SHELTER: On Oct. 29 the Dallas Animal Services shelter and The Petropolitan will host a Howl-o-Ween Pet Psychic Fair celebration at the shelter. There’ll be pet contests, a pet psychic, etc. [No charge to have a booth there – contact the shelter to ask.]
The event, according to Shelter Director Jones, marks the debut of the shelter’s special adoption fees for animals -- $30. That’s down by a third or more from the usual fees. Get details of the eent HERE.
And, as I noted a couple of weeks ago, the psychic is the improbably named Kathy Kibbel. A pet psychic named Kibbel – what are  the chances? Someone saw it coming. 
SPCA SEIZURE IN DUNCANVILLE: This morning the SPCA of Texas and the Duncanville Police teamed to seize about 120 “cruelly confined dogs and cats” from three houses on a property in Duncanville, just across I-20 from Dallas on the south side. The SPCA was tipped to the situation by Duncanville police. More on this later, no doubt.
TIDBITS FROM THE COMMISSION MEETING: These are some of the things that came up during Thursday’s meeting. And, yes, the meetings are open to the public --- this is a democracy and there are only a few things that can keep the public from watching its government at work at any level.
Again: Want to have an influence on a situation, show up. If the Dallas City Council thinks the most public animal issue meeting only draws 8 spectators, how much attention do you think they’ll pay to animal people’s opinions? Can’t be at the meeting? Write letters. Make calls. It’s a public responsibility. Of course, so is spaying and neutering, properly restraining your animals and making certain that you obey speed limits. Our tidbits:
-- Jody Jones, the DAS manager who took the job and arrived in the midst of budget cuts and assorted pressures, continues to be patient and upbeat and focused on making things better at the shelter (This isn’t her first rodeo.)
In response to a question from Commissioner Deborah Hicks about “when” will the shelter be running as it's expected to run, she told the commission that she expects to have things in place by the start of the new year. Between now and then, she’ll be coping with shelter staffing, holiday vacations, Hiring for key positions is dictated by city manager office approval (expected Nov. 1) and acquisition of such things as a full and complete camera monitoring system (currently in the purchasing pipeline at city hall).
There are 81 ½ positions at Dallas Animal Services, she good-naturedly told the commission. “We haven’t figured out who the half-person is yet. I wondered which half I got.”
--During a discussion of hiring (as I recall), one of the city staffers, discussing the way city hall works, said< “I’ve been around long enough to see interesting things happen.”
--There’s a veterinarian crisis at the shelter – because of assorted leaves and vacancies, the shelter has a shortage and sometimes there is no vet to work with the hundreds of animals. Efforts to contract with outside vet providers have failed because of a workman’s comp complication – no comp, no funding.  Suggestions have been made to outsource spaying and neutering to low-cost spay/neuter organiztions such as the Kaufman County Animal Awareness Program and TCAP. More to come on this, no doubt.
-- Training continues for the newly arrived contract laborers who now do the jobs formerly done by the now departed animal care specialists. Ongoing process.
--The city has begun the process of contracting to outsource cruelty investigations and it is anticipated that the SPCA of Texas will be that agency, though there could be other bidders. As of now, there are 3 city staffers assigned to cruelty investigations in the big city – though, these days, staffers have multiple responsibilities. When? Stay tuned.
-- Some of the indoctrinated city employees use terms such as “customers” (taxpaying citizens) and “service level agreement” which apparently means “how much the city is willing to do to shut up a complaining citizen.”
-- A PA system will be installed in the sprawling shelter so staffers don’t have to chase down other staffers. (Aside: I don’t know. Maybe it was in the original design but just didn’t work out.)
-- In-truck computers are being repaired or acquired so that each DAS truck will have immediate computer communication with headquarters. Things had been allowed to deteriorate under the previous permanent administration.
--The Rapid Response system is being evaluated to determine which hours would be best for a live shelter human to answer the phone and which hours can best be handled by rolling the call to the 311 line were people will be told response could be within a 3-day to 2-week period. Actual  abuse-at-the-moment calls would still get immediate response. Currently weekend calls go to 311.  One commissioner said it seemed that weekend calls might carry more of an urgency than, perhaps, calls on a Tuesday. It’s all under study, the commission was told.
-- There has been “just amazing” response for the Big Fix For Big D spay/neuter program – the city partners with Kaufman County Animal Awareness Program. See HERE. Info about this has been distributed with the city’s water bills – I haven’t seen it, but, then, I’m a guy who just grabs a bill and throws away the extra stuff.
-- The shelter is working on getting an ASPCA and PetSmart Charities grant for cleaning up the computer system. A clean system means more reliable data and will help keep up with animals and other shelter business. Also a new system of “rounds” – an early morning cage check – has been established in the shelter so that animals can be properly inventoried and monitored.  This will help combat the phenomenum of "disappearing animals."
-- Malfunctioning doors are being repaired, shelter air vents are being cleaned. Some maintenance has been affected by the city’s downsizing in building services.
-- One staffer mentioned an unkempt appearance at the front of the shelter and blame for that went in several directions. Not enough maintenance staffers, mistaking “natural grasses” for weeds, and a failure of a clever water recycling system to work properly. “We share your frustration,” Director Jones told the commission.
The Shelter was opened in Oct. 20, 2007. Still got some new on it. Got some wear and tear, too. And, of course, now that the temps have dropped out of the fiery depths of hell level, the air-conditioning is no longer a problem at the shelter. Work continues to establish a better relationship between the shelter and the shelter air-conditioning system.
--The shelter continues to work with the No Harm No Kill project, Dallas Loves Animals and Dallas Animal Advocates. FI Dallas Animal Advocates hosted a farewell luncheon for those DAS employees unfortunate enough to be caught in the city’s clever plan to reduce costs by bringing in contract labors and letting the ol’ faithful employees go.
-- One of the themes of the new era shelter was repeated now and then: “Doing less better.”
Yes, “Doing less better.” May be the Dallas Cowboys theme this year, too --- I’m not sure.
--And that brings us to something that the shelter report indicates the shelter was doing less of though still was doing plenty of --euthanasia.
During fiscal year Oct ‘09.-Sept. 2010, the shelter euthanized 24,297 animals, the report said. For the Oct.2010- Sept. 2011 period, the euthanasia total was 21.763. That’s a decrease of 3,034, the shelter report says.
Adoptions went from 2,760 down to 2,686.
Owner reclamations went from 1,677 down to 1,547.
Recuse/Relocate went from 4,516 to 4,585. That was due to hard-working rescue groups claiming animals.
But the bottom line is the shelter killed 21,763 animals on one little spot of ground in Dallas, Texas, during the year.
Why? Because the city’s political stance is this old-fashioned Texas theory of animal control: “Got an animal problem? Let’s kill it.”
CONTEMPLATIONS: How do you kill that many animals? How can you? Of course, you can’t turn ‘em all lose in city parks and green spaces -- though there is an unsavory swath of Dallas residents who give it a shot each week. And where do they all come from?  Mind-boggling. Just absolutely mind-boggling. What kind of people are we? ...Got an e-mail with this subject line: “Half Off Clothes and Accessories at Flirt Boutique.” Half Off Clothes and Flirt – natural combination. ... Heard Texas Rangers Manager Ron Washington’s post-game press conference last night where he predicted tense games for the rest of the World Series and said, “So those of you who have bad hearts, watch yourself.” If I get excited and keel over during a World Series game this year, I’ve instructed my loved ones to put this Ron Washington quote on my grave: “That’s what baseball do.”
---To comment, click below. And, of course, 'GO RANGERS!' ---