Shopping and critters (missing and found)...

OK, it’s the day before a holiday and, as has been cited here for years, you will not find me in a grocery store today.
It’s in the post-nuptial agreement. Only took me 11 or 12 years to figure out that I needed to dodge that madhouse to save myself. We have a special Thanksgiving shopping contemplation today, but, first, our daily report which will show a link between Santa Claus and Victoria’s Secret. Oh, my. Read on:
BE ON THE LOOKOUT: [AN UPDATE ON FRIDAY: We'll follow on this later, but you should know that Wigs was found on Thanksgiving and is happily back home. We're working on a followup story. In the meantime, Shep (see next item) continues to dodge the people who are trying to get him back into a safe haven. More later in the weekend.]
Now, this is a curious case. The dog’s listed as Wigs the Foster Hoarding Dog on his Facebook page HERE and he’s been missing since about 6 p.m. on Saturday.
He was last seen in the vicinity of his home near 12th and S. Clinton in Oak Cliff.
HIs human, Kathi Kibbel, and Maggie Dahl of Animal Rescue of Texas, are going back out into the neighborhood to look for him this morning. Wigs is believed to be in the general area of Oak Cliff/West Dallas somewhere between 12^th street on the south and Singleton on the north.
He is an adored dog. But, as we say here at Readlarrypowell.com, dogs are always too clever for their own good. Wigs managed to go on his adventure after dark last Saturday.. He was outside with Kathi’s hubby who was working on the “flashing” on their home and he went under the house on one side and pushed through flashing on the other side and was off and gone. Kathi says they looked for him until 3 in the morning but didn’t have any luck spotting a black dog in the dark.
Kathi says Dog Gone Detectives traced him all the way on the other side of I-30 to Singleton at Vilbig – near the Dallas Auto Pound and, also, not far from the city dog pound, to use the old unenlightened geezer term for Dallas Animal Services’ Shelter and Adoption Center.
Kathi is, herself, a pet psychic, but she says she is “too close to this to get a clear picture.” So she’s working on bringing in a fellow psychic to add to the search party. You may have seen Kathi at the recent Dallas Animal Services Howl-o-Ween Pet Psychic Fair.
If you know the whereabouts of Wigs, call 214-943-3776 or 213-505-7434. You can also e-mail kathikibbel@hotmail.com .
Wigs is, as you can see, black and white. He weighs around 40 pounds. And he’s tagged and microchipped and “very friendly.” He also enjoys his couch.
And he’s called Wigs the Foster Hoarding Dog because when he first came to Kathi as a foster dog (he’s a permanent family member now), he would hoard things in his crate – once he even managed to stash an unopened bottle of champagne in his crate.
THE DRAMA OF SHEP: Late yesterday afternoon we posted a “Be On The Lookout” for Shep, an adopted rescue dog who, on his first day of residency in Plano, went for a run with his masters and, after being toweled dry, took off through an open door and vanished.
Overnight we got a note from  Marsha Fleming of Before the Bridge Rescue which had been Shep’s rescue/adoption group. 
Things are looking up for Shep, but also, those of you have enjoyed household crises during holidays, will certainly relate to the story.
Marsha reports, “Shep was spotted in Plano yesterday not too far from where he ran away.”
He’s on the brink of re-rescue and Marsha write, “After the hot water heater gets put in this morning, we'll go to where he is and bring him home. He's found a park - the dog park is there too - and is running in the culverts. Thank God he's OK! Everybody keep praying. We have to get him home!”
If you have info about his specific whereabouts, e-mail thecatlady75228@yahoo.com.
UPDATE FROM COLLIN COUNTY: Earlier in the week we mentioned all the Chihuahuas that had come into the Collin County Animal Services Shelter in McKinney because of a hoarding situation. That load of incoming dogs included some Labs, too.
Here’s the latest update from shelter walker Allison Roberts. “Last week CCAS took custody of over 35 dogs as part of a hoarding case.  All but 9 have been rescued.  There are 6 tiny Chihuahuas. They are in generally good health but have some minor skin issues (believed to be from fleas) and some may need dental work.  Almost all of them have warmed up to people - none of them show any aggression to people - and one of them is a total snuggly lap dog!
“There is one yellow lab mix that is highly socialized, and there are two black Lab mixes that are shy/fearful but show no aggression.  They can be petted and warm up if you sit with them.  One of the black labs has been bred and may be pregnant now.”
The shelter will be closed Thanksgiving, but open Friday and Saturday (and open to rescue groups on Sunday if you make arrangements earlier.) To ask about any of these animals, e-mail both ldrummonds@co.collin.tx.us and animalshelter@co.collin.tx.us or call 972-547-7292.
LOOKING FOR A DOXIE: Karin Campbell got the dog Buster from The Colony Animal Shelter and, she reports, “He is happy and spoiled!”
Now she’s working on a project that could result in a good home for a homeless Dachshund – perhaps another “happy and spoiled” dog. Here’s her note: “I have a friend looking for a young, (1 year or so) female, brown Dachshund. She is a responsible owner, has a Jack Russell. Her daughter has fallen for the breed, and wanted to get it for Christmas.” (If you know of a dog that fits the description, call 214-793-6609 and leave a message or e-mail kc4k9@aol.com.
A SAMMY NOTE: We’ve been writing about Sammy since the Blizzard of ’11 nearly 10 months ago. Janie Peralman, the do-gooder who picked him up out of the storm as traffic slid around on Maple Streete in Dallas, has been trying to find a home for the rascal all this time.
If you’ve got good thoughts and prayers for Sammy, this is the time to use them. He may have a home. The factors at work include human patience, dog wisdom, and mutual admiration. You know how it goes. Not everyone is a match right off, but sometimes things work out. This may be one of those times.
SOME NOTES ABOUT ANIMAL THINGS:
-- The 21^st Annual SPCA of Texas Adoption Pavilion opens at NorthPark Center on Friday and operates through Dec. 23. It’s open from noon to 6 p.m. Sunday through Friday and from noon to 7 p.m. on Saturdays.
(ASIDE FROM LARRY: As I was reading the SPCA press release this sentence caught my eye. “The adoption pavilion at NorthPark Center will be located in the main entrance hallway next to Victoria’s Secret, near Santa Claus.” Suddenly it became clear to me why Santa is such so darned jolly. And, of course, that may be, indeed, Victoria’s secret.)
--December 11 – that’s the date of the Creature Comforts event at Dallas Animal Services. it’s a Sunday – 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. at the shelter, I-30 at Westmoreland just west of Downtown Dallas.
Adoptions that day will be just $30 and you’ll get a free pet photo. And if you donate treats to the animals, you’ll also get a free pet photo. You can also “help just the Animal Services staff decorating contest” – no, don’t assume. They’re not decorating each other – they’ll be decorating the shelter.
Donations will help buy bedding for the animals in the city-run shelter. You can get more details from Dallas Animal Advocates HERE.
--Pappy’s Pet Lodge and Trooper’s Team are combining efforts to raise money and collect pet items through Holiday Pet Angel Trees at all four area Pappy’s locations. The drive starts today and runs through January 2.  You can get the details and see how to help by clicking on Trooper’s Team HERE.  All of this info came from Kim Whiting, founder and vice president of Pappy’s Pet Lodge – and Kim is looking for a big time media outlet to promote this drive – if anyone can drop any hints to the “mainstream” electronic and print folks – or maybe a billboard company or possibly free ads on the sides of buses, links on Smartphones and special tattoos. I made that last one up. But this time of year there are so many “do-gooder” groups crying out for publicity, you really have to almost get lucky to get any notice.
CONTEMPLATION: GROCERY STORE CHALLENGES ON THE EVE OF A HOLIDAY
If you are going to a grocery store today, my heart is with you unless you are one of the speedbumps on an otherwise smooth cart ride through the aisles.
What you will find is a challenge: people who arrive at the checkout completely and thoroughly surprised that they need to be ready to pay.
That is the only way I can explain the stunned looks on their faces when they suddenly dive into their purses and scramble for the cash, card or check. Please do not think of me as sexist, but I cannot recall a single instance of being behind a guy who was stunned to learn he was in the pay line. Nope, the men who stymie the situation pull out a card that requires them to call home and ask for the secret number or tell the person to move some money into that account in a hurry. I’ve seen this far too frequently for it not to be a trend.
Seriously, these people stand in line for 15 or 20 minutes, then, when they get to the stand they are gobsmacked to discover they should be ready to pay. What are they doing? Pondering Einstein’s Theory of Cornbread Relativity? E=MC2, i.e., E equals moist cornbread, 4 servings. Are they in a daze waiting for Calgon to take them away – Sir, please, hold my place, I’ve forgotten to get my Calgon...
And there are the people who shop with a thundering herd of kids. Those people wait in line and keep shopping by sending the little pipsqueaks off in search of things they should have picked up when they were walking slowly through the aisles and snarling cart traffic. They are raising bad shoppers.
 Inevitably the efficient shopper is denied the triumph of his moral position because of a disorganized and disoriented mind is shoving the buggy ahead.
Look, these people exist in every day shopping, but they congregate on the days before a holiday. Hours at a time you can find them clogging otherewise smooth exits.
And if you’re in a store that takes coupons, stand by because everybody who shops with a suitcase of coupons is going for the record. That’s why some stores not only have a checker but they also have two official witnesses from the Guinness Book of World Records and a film crew at the checkout stand.
Look, I’m not going to be there with you today, but I’m going to be ticked off about it on your behalf.
I want to be perfectly clear about this: I am thankful that we have this problem in America. You may not be able to shop without irritation, but you can shop without fear. The only thing they’re going to be out of is stuff that sold out, not stuff that was held captive by rebels in a different zip code.
Seriously, people, respect the concept of customer and shop with The Three Ss of Shopping: Speed, Sense and Essentials. Make it snappy and stay out of the way.
OK, drive carefully today and also drive your grocery cart carefully. And somebody help me down off this soapbox before the boards collapse sending me tumbling and we have to go to a store and stand in line with bandages, ointments and snarls.
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