OK, it’s Tuesday, Jan. 17, 2012, and all of the world’s problems have been solved.
Perhaps I exaggerate. Let’s move on and see what challenges are faced by assorted pockets of civilization. Civilization – I use the term loosely. Oh, yeah, this is Pharoah the Pit's last day if no rescue group gets in touch with Carrollton Animal Services and claims him. He was bumped off death row last week, but it's not going to happen again, the Carrollton folks say. Call the shelter at 972-466-3420 or email CARE@cityofcarrollton.com.
Today’s report:
A GREAT WAY TO START AN EMAIL: “Good news, everyone!” began the early evening note yesterday from Dallas Animal Services Officer Mindy Sewell who had been hustling to find a place for an injured heeler.
You may recall that the dog, suffering from a major leg injury, was left at the Dallas Animal Services’ night drop just before noon (the shelter wasn’t open yet – holiday hours). The note that came with the dog said she’d been attacked by another dog.
Now, most folks would have taken their dog to an emergency vet, but not everybody can afford that and, indeed, sometimes the city shelter is the right place to go – it has limited vet care and people who’ll hustle to help the injured animal among the hundreds that arrive each month.
Officer Sewell, who was subbing for usual rescue coordinator Officer Mark Cooper on the holiday, sent out word that the dog needed more help than the shelter could give her.
By the day’s end, Officer Sewell was able to send out the “good news” note. She wrote, “I am happy to say that Dr. Erin Shults, with Mazie's Mission, came in today to evaluate and she rescued the injured Heeler. She found that the dog had suffered a compound fracture to the lower leg and she will probably have to amputate.”
Officer Sewell reported that a number of people had asked about donating to the dog’s vet treatment. Dr. Shults, as regular visitors to Readlarrypowell.com know, founded Mazie’s Mission to help animals that are down on their luck. You can donate to Mazie’s Mission by going HERE http://maziesmission.org/donations.html.
FYI: Dr. Shults is a member of the no-kill task force, the Dallas Companion Animal Project.
TWO MORE GOOD NEWS E-MAILS:--PANSY’S RETURN: Marnie Holden had e-mailed us back in early November about this missing dog Pansy. Back on Nov. 4 Pansy left her Canyon Creek neighborhood in Richardson and was gone. Gone. No sign at all.
People did all the right things – put up signs, knocked on doors, checked with shelters, etc. More eyes looking – that’s the best thing. Get more eyes looking.
Here’s what happened, Marnie reported last night: “I told you I'd notify you first thing when Pansy was returned and the happiest of news is that SHE IS HOME with Deirdre! I don't know all the details but supposedly a person who was mowing lawns in our neighborhood found Pansy and gave her to a couple living near Ennis and they saw Pansy's reward poster and called D and -- bottom line -- owner and dog were reunited tonight. Just goes to show what faith, tenacity, and perseverance can do!
“In our world happy endings are so few and far between that I just had to share the good news with you immediately.”
Holy smoke. That is your basic months-long miracle.--THEN THERE’S POLLY: Last week we told the story of Polly, who had taken advantage of a wind-damaged fence and bolted from the Cohen Family’s back yard and vanished into the area in and around Dallas’ Fretz Park.
Last evening we got a note from Mary Cohen: “Great news! We found Polly this afternoon after 5 days of searching!! We are thrilled. Luckily, she was still in the area.”
Polly was found in an alley behind Fretz Park, Mary said this morning. “There had been many sightings in the past few days but we scoured the area all day every day for 5 days and could not find her!! Finally, yesterday a neighborhood watch patrolman found her and called me! We are sooooo happy!”
It's clear, especially, that daughter Katie is thrilled to have her pal Polly back at home. Polly, of course, is in her "good dog" mood in the fluffy indoor bed!
Mary says the entire family is grateful for the help from animal folks and “We would love to give back to others what we received by us. It was truly wonderful.”
As my fellow Animal Nuts know, somehow it’s just absolutely good enough to know that an animal will be safe and living in a home where people are “soooo happy” to see them.
CATS IN WACO: There’s a big flap in Waco that has pitted the Heart of Texas Feral Friends against the Waco Founder Lions Club. The Lions want the feral cats gone from the city park they run – this is after years of allowing the Feral Friends group to tend to the cat colony. There were 40 cats five years ago and, because of spaying and neutering and care and management of the colony – with the Lions’ approval – there are but 9 cats left, according to a story on Waco’s WCEN-TV website HERE. You can read the HOT Feral Friends side HERE. You can read about the Waco Founder Lions Club HERE. (Among the WFLC projects: training Leader Dogs.)
As enlightened people know, unfixed cats can multiply like rabbits. Feral cats usually can’t be rehabilitated. Allowing them to live out their lives in a spayed and neutered controlled colony avoids application of the traditional Texas theory of animal management: Got an animal problem? Let’s kill it.
A ROTTIE MIX IN BURNS FLAT: Terry Lynn Fisher, the tireless rescuer in Burns Flat, Okla., way out in the western part of the Sooner State, is trying to help a Rottie-mix named Thomas find a new home. She explains, “This poor sweet boy belonged to a 90-year-old man, given to keep him company. The man really loved and cherished this boy. Sadly, due to health reasons, the man is no longer able to care for him. With tears in his eyes, he surrendered him to the Shelter, with a promise from me I would not let him die.”
So, there’s Terri Lynn trying to live up to a life-saving pledge for a year-old, docked-tailed Rottie mix who has a leg injury. She says, “I have exhausted all funds at my vet, so it might be awhile before I can take him in. ...Once he saw I was a friend, he did cheer up some and come love me. When I took them their morning treat, he was happy to see me.”
Thomas the dog “is used to sleeping in a warm bed at night. Now, he is in an outdoor jail.”
To offer to help Terry Lynn help Thomas, call her at 580-330-1459 or e-mail her at remembering_oddball@yahoo.com. The vet clinic she uses is Elk Creek Clinic, 1301 Industrial Airport, Elk City, Okla., 73644. Call the vet at 580-225-4863.
THE WEST DALLAS UPDATE: Last night Sherry Kunz sent an update on the animals she’s been playing guardian angel to in West Dallas. She opened with “I have good news and sad news.”
You may recall that she, her husband and the legendary Fairy Dogmother of West Dallas Angie Manriquez have been involved in a multiple-dog rescue attempt in a little pocket of what I think we’ll just call “Don’t Care Dallas.” Why else would so many animals be roaming free, sick and injured and pregnant or just born?
Sherry’s note from yesterday reeds, “I took the 2 puppies to the vet this morning. They are 7 - 8 weeks old and in good shape except for scabies. The male whose tail was injured did not have to have it removed. It is healing on its own. They are happy to be reunited and I'm sure will resume their happy puppy personalities as soon as they get used to being indoors. They are on their way to ARF in Sherman tomorrow [Tuesday] morning thanks to Martha Hovers.
“Now for the sad news. It has been a very sad and frustrating day. We were unsuccessful in getting the last puppy out today. Angie arrived before my husband and I. The mama and puppy were nowhere to be found. In fact, no dogs were around at all. We looked for several hours, but could not find them.
“The papa was still hold up in the hole where we had pulled the other 2 puppies from. It did not look as if he had moved since the day before. Angie made the decision to call Dallas Animal Services because she was afraid he would die in there. They came out to pull him out and that is when Angie discovered he was only about a year old but had lacerations all over his body plus mange. The worst was a wound to his head. It appeared to be from fighting. Even though he was in horrible pain and bit at the snare around his mouth, he wagged his tail as the DAS officer took him away.
“I was not able to watch this so my husband and I drove around looking for the white Lab. We found her. She has an owner so for the time being that rescue is on hold but we appreciate all the responses for help in rescuing her. DAS called Angie and they said they had to put the papa down. He was in too much pain.
“We were exhausted from the weekend so we decided to call it a day. I told Angie I wouldn't give up if she wouldn't give up. She said she would never give up and she was going to hang out there awhile. Sure enough, the mama and baby came back. We will continue dropping food but are not going to attempt anymore rescues until the weekend. Meanwhile, here are pictures of the sweet babies we save and a Rottie mix that still needs saving if anyone wants to join in next weekend.
To volunteer to help in this project, e-mail sykunz@att.net.
CONTEMPLATIONS: If you didn’t watch sports on TV, which of these would you watch: Real Housewives of Beverly Hills or the news? ... Paula Dean has diabetes. Some people are outraged that she didn’t confess and kept up with the “bad” recipes until she’d signed an endorsement with a drug company. Which leads me to this question: Why don’t pro athletes do endorsements of bail bond companies? Seems like a natural fit. ... Today is the 41st birthday of our twins, Bret and Bart, not named for the Mavericks of TV fame. We’d already picked out Bret and were surprised by a second birth and Bart seemed a natural fit. Yep, expected baby, unexpected twins. It was 41 years ago when deliveries were made by guesswork and voodoo. Having these two guys around has been the greatest adventure since man went to the moon, only it took more planning and more unexpected expense than a moonshot. Worth every penny – most days. High points? A zillion. Remembering the little things such as, when rain began to fall on us one afternoon, pre-schooler Bret announced, “It’s sparkling.” Sprinkling and sparkling – not too far apart and even now, when it sprinkles, it sparkles in my world. Toddler Bart couldn’t say “cookies” so now and then, when the mood strikes, I’ll follow his lead and say, “I could sure use a kee-coo.” I don’t know that either of them remembers this stuff. I do – sometimes without even tearing up, too. And they were born on Super Sunday 1971 – the first time the Cowboys played in the Super Bowl. They lost. I missed the entire game. Pardon the tears in my eyes – that’s from the kids, not the game. Yeah, I miss the little boys. And I’ll hug the big boys and I’d love to play one more game of backyard baseball with them. They’re both working today and have their own schedules and I probably won’t see them. But if I did, I’d still remember what they looked like minutes after they were born – precious little guys already growing up too soon. We humans really need to learn to slow down and enjoy the things that move too quickly. I speak from experience.
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