The lost, the found, the stories, the shelter numbers...singing sheep, too

[We have an update on Lucy the Lab in today's first item. She was found and there's been a happy reunion. Mom Jennifer Eiman reports: "My son was so excited when she got home. He kept hugging her and climbing all over her." Read on and be merry.]
We’re at the Thursday of a week of increasingly empty offices and freeways. On Friday, well, don’t expect anybody to do anything but leave. So on Thursday we’re going to try to catch the attention of good hearts today.
Read on to learn about the missing and the found and the figures. Heck, as long as we’re at it, “Merry Christmas!”
Oh, and the term “one percent” is happily applied to the Carrollton Animal Services shelter – yeah, keep reading.
And, speaking of “season,” didn’t “puppy season” used to be in the spring?
BE ON THE LOOKOUT: (A happy update on Lucy: We've just heard at 12:49 p.m.from Jennifer Eiman about her missing dog Lucy: "We found her! We got a few calls from neighbors today saying they had seen her in our neighborhood. We think she kept trying to get home but was confusd. We have only lived here for about 3 months." Yep, sometimes you just keep the faith and keep looking.) Here's the early report: Well, goodness, this is a missing dog in Frisco. Her name is Lucy and, yes, she’s a bit overweight. Maybe that’ll help people spot this missing dog.
Lucy is a 9-year-old Chocolate Lab with a gray chin, says her human Jennifer Eiman. The short, stocky dog was last seen Wednesday night in Frisco in Eldorado Fairways where the nearest big intersection is Eldorado and FM 423.
Jennifer says this morning that there may have been a neighborhood sighting Wednesday afternoon. But, there's uncertainty and the search continues.
Lucy is an only dog and, Jennifer says, “We think she slipped out [Tuesday] night though the garage. Every time she’s been out in the past, she’s come home. It’s been a very long time since she got out.”
Lucy’s fans have contacted shelters, put up signs and talked to neighbors. They’ve also asked the Homeowners Association to send out e-mails about Lucy.
If you’ve seen Lucy or know her whereabouts, call 469-387-8310. Lucy wasn’t wearing her collar when last seen, but she is microchipped. Jennifer says, “We miss her very badly and want her to come home.”
FOUND THIS MORNING: We get this tip from Maeleska Fletes of the Little Forest Hills Animal Alert.
And, of course, the theory is this is a Miniature Pinscher – yep, a Min Pin. Maeleska reports, “This little girl was found running on the service road of Central Expressway between McCommas and Mockingbird. She has on an orange collar but no tags or microchip.
Could be a runaway. Could be a burglar robbed a place and dumped the dog. Could be the dog was “set free” in a park and ran toward a freeway.
No telling what terror the past held, but at least she’s safe now. If you recognize her or think you know her, contact Little Forest Hills Animal Alert at 214-930-5910 or e-mail maeleska@yahoo.com. You can read about the Animal Alert HERE.
BOSS COMES HOME: In a story that will give hope, perhaps, to everyone whose dog is missing, we report that Boss is back home. On Dec. 16 we told the story of Boss, this handsome pit fellow, who’d wander off from his home in Scurry.
We ran his “before the loss” photo – that’s him on the porch. Today we present his “after the adventure photo” – that’s him, drowsy on the arm of the couch and absolutely demonstrating that he is right back where he wants to be with Tina Nichols and her hubby Robert>
They’d had adopted 2-year-old Boss from the Seagoville Animal Shelter earlier this year.
Tina says he came home Wednesday evening. She sent us an update and wrote, “You can only imagine how thrilled we are!  What a wonderful early Christmas gift.
“He's a bit banged up -- cuts on his paws and under his belly but mostly the horrid looking cut on his face seems to be the worst.  He's a bit skinnier too!  The good doc said this morning that he'll be OK. She gave him some meds to help with any infection.”
Tina says his return started with a phone call – but Boss was ahead of the signal. “Well, he showed up [back at home]. We received a call that he was seen running down the road - about 2 miles away - so we went over there but we couldn't find him.  We pulled in the driveway and there he was!  We really feel that someone had him and he finally broke free.  The cuts on his paws and under carriage would certainly lead to the fact that he scratched his way out of somewhere.”
Here’s one more paragraph from Tina. It has to do with the widespread effort on behalf of animals. She writes, ““We are so blessed and extremely thankful that he made his way home.Thank YOU for all the work you do and to all the volunteers, shelters, rescue groups ...Be blessed this holiday season and thankful for all that you have.”
(Larry aside: The definition of “miracle” may not include “a lost dog comes home” but, you know, maybe it ought to. I’ll bet it felt like a miracle when they were able to wrap their arms around that big ol’ dawg again.)
THE STORY OF TOBY, FROM OUT AT THE LAKE: Here’s one for the books, folks. This story has an ugliness, but it has some hope in it, too. Still, the ugliness is kind of difficult for a civilized person to handle.
Not that I’m civilized, but here goes. And, yes, that’s Toby all stretched out in the photo.
We got this story from Krista Mc Anally, the manager of the Humane Society of cedar Creek Lake’s shelter at Tool, Texas.
“Toby is a happy Catahoula mix puppy about 4 to 5 months old that was found [Wednesday] in a cemetery not far from the shelter. A very nice person called the shelter and said she had been at the cemetery and found Toby and wanted to know if she could bring him to HSCCL.
“When she arrived with Toby, she said that while she was petting him, he rolled over on his back and she realized he was cut open near his penis.
“Upon examination, it appears that some person decided to neuter Toby at home. But it is a botched job and his testicles and penis have been removed. At this point, we are not sure how he is urinating. We have taken him to the vet and at this point, we know that he has to have surgery.
“So what are we looking for to help Toby??  A foster home would be a great start. We will need to raise $500 for the surgery and vet care. And he will have to have a permanent home to be cared for. Donations for Toby's care can be made at hsccl.org. ...You can also mail checks to HSCCL, PO Box 43531, Seven Points, Texas, 75143.”
Krista also told Readlarrypowell.com, “Even after everything I have seen, people can always outdo the other stupid and heartless people I have come across.  I do not think we will ever know who did this because Toby was dumped.”
[Larry aside: OK, folks, maybe someone who visits Readlarrypowell.com recognizes this dog and knows where he used to live. And maybe you’d like to turn in the name of the person who mutilated the dog. If you do, call the authorities – looks like cruelty to me. And, of course, if you ID the actual villain, I’ll buy you a new 2-by-4 and we’ll all go have a Hardwood Enlightenment Party on the head of the worthless SOB. Pardon my French.)
A DIFFERENT BREED’S BIRTHS: We got a note from Joni McConnell, the volunteer coordinator for A Different Breed, regarding the fact that the rescue group will be operating its Pepper Square Shopping Center adoption center from noon until 4 p.m. on Christmas Eve – that’s on the southeast corner of Preston and Beltline.
Then the note gives us a followup on Nikki, the small Lab from the Arlington Animal Services Shelter who was claimed by ADB last week.
You may recall that ADB at first thought she’d already had her puppies. This photo illustrates how wrong that guess was.
She had six puppies and they’re all doing well in the care of ADB’s foster, the Lutz Family.
If you want to help ADB take care of these puppies and get them and mom ready for adoption, visit the website at www.adifferentbreed.org or e-mail jkmcconn@yahoo.com
AT THE CARROLLTON SHELTER: Longtime visitors to Readlarrypowell.com will recall that we’ve periodically featured the animals from the Carrollton Animal Services shelter. Why? Because the shelter hustles to get its “inventory” exposed in any way possible to the good hearts who help animals.
In the e-mail today, we got a copy of the greeting sent to area rescue groups, volunteers and others by Animal Services Manager Carl Shooter.  (Keep reading for some important figures.)
From Carrollton Animal Services: “It is that time of year again when we have the privilege of sharing with our rescue community how valuable our partnership is and how successful we have been this year.  With your support less than 1% of the adoptable animals in our care were euthanized.  This is a direct result of your commitment to support our community by dedicating countless hours and resources to matching pets with prospective rescue groups, foster homes or placement with their new permanent human companions.  On behalf of our C.A.R.E. Team, I want to thank each and every one of you for your support of our program.  It is overwhelming to know that we have such a huge number of supporters and just how much can be accomplished through trust, teamwork and out-of-the-box approaches to Animal Services.”
Here are the stats, according to Carl’s note:
Total Animals Sheltered : 1,860
Animals Returned to Their Companion:   454 (435 Dogs & 19 Cats)
Animals Adopted:   576 (403 Dogs & 173 Cats)
Animals Rescued:  422 (206 Dogs & 216 Cats)
Animals Euthanized:  408 (204 Dogs & 204 Cats)
Unadoptable Animals Euthanized(1):  394
Adoptable Animals Euthanized:  14
Carl’s note explains, “Animals that are sick, injured, aggressive, or released by their human companion for euthanasia are considered unadoptable.”
Humans have to do better, but the humans at Carrollton Animal Services are certainly setting a standard for keeping animals off death row.
AND, MEANWHILE, AT DALLAS ANIMAL SERVICES: Is there no end to puppy season? Has it become year-round? Was it always? Does it matter when it is as long as someone is there to help the puppies?
Is there a way to remind people to spay and neuter their animals without having to pick up the official Spay/Neuter Rubber Chicken of Ignorance and beat them about the head and shoulders with it?
Look, here’s what Dallas Animal Services rescue liaison Mark Cooper wrote about these litters and their moms.
“These are two mommas we presently have in our shelter and they are super sweet and have a healthy litter of pups, but they don’t have anyone who will help them to feel safe, loved and wanted.
“If you can help rescue either of these families for Christmas, please let me know soon. Without your help, they will not have a good new year. In fact, they won’t see the new year! Please help me help them.
If you are trying to think of a good gift for your family, what better gift can you give than the gift of life. Which is exactly what these families need. The chance to live, grow and love!”
Seriously. As you folks may know, the stats at DAS are nowhere nearly as encouraging as the Carrollton figures – probably because there are too many (Larry is now going to use a kind phrase) unenlightened people (rather than refer to our oversupply of village idiots).
To ask about helping these animals find safe havens, e-mail mark.cooper@dallascityhall.com. See shelter info and contact points at www.dallasanimalservices.org.
HOLLY JOLLY NOTES AND CONTEMPLATIONS: Point of discussion? Wrapping is the most torturous part of the entire holiday season. ...Sometimes kindness shows itself in the Christmas season. ... A few days ago my hollyjollyspouse Martha and I were driving out of downtown Dallas in the dark and as we passed under the Triple Underpass headed west, we saw the immense dark Lew Sterrett Criminal Justice Center and the ol’ jailhouse. And Martha says, “You know, I think they ought to put Christmas lights on the jail.” Yep, that might be just what's needed to make the jail something besides a building nobody wants to be in at Christmas.  Of course, maybe some of the inmates don’t deserve a brightly lit Christmas. Could be a tourist attraction, though: The Holly Jolly Jailhouse. Wait, I think I'll start writing that book.  ... A friend of Santa’s sent me a link to sheep singing a Christmas song and wrote, “Wonder if that was what was going on in those fields when the angel arrived to talk to the shepherds?” The singing sheep are on a Brooks Brothers page and I don’t know either of them. Also, one reason I don’t go caroling with other voices is biblical. When it comes to my hitting the notes, “All we, like sheep, have gone astray.” The link to the Yuletide singing sheep is HERE and the phrase "Yultide singing sheep" is one I never expected to write.
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