ReadLarryPowell.com

A star shines; a dog's escape and other Friday tales...

Welcome to Friday. Today we’ll report on several things including country  singer Janie Fricke’s positive influence in Lancaster, a roaming Duncanville dog, a Rottie/Corgi mix (ASTOUNDING!)  and some opportunities  to do the right thing.
No politician will be asked about anything. Just wanted to set your mind at ease.
A NEW TUNE IN LANCASTER:  The sweetest voice in animal advocacy may belong to country singer Janie Fricke. Because of her, animals in the Lancaster, Texas, animal shelter are getting some breaks and some volunteers.
We get the story from our animal rescue tipster Julie Norris who works at the Crescent Real Estate Group in downtown Duncanville.  That’s a photo of Ms. Fricke from her website. She’s been a country star for many years and has a decades-long association with Lancaster, Texas – just a few miles east of Duncanville. (Aside: You may recall a few years ago when some of Ms. Fricke’s ranch livestock ignored a fence and wandered off, turning Lancaster  briefly into the place where“the buffalo roam.”)
Back to our topic: We’ve mentioned Julie here on many occasions because she rescues animals.  The Crescent office (under a sign with a Flying Red Horse) shares a building with a local newspaper company.
Here’s Julie’s letter:
“We have been working hard to get the City of Lancaster to make some changes. Last week Janie Fricke stopped by our office to visit with our newspaper staff. I took the opportunity to talk to her about the Lancaster Animal Shelter and the conditions that the animals are living in. ...  She immediately got into her car and drove to the shelter. She then went directly to the Mayor to discuss her concerns. She also let the mayor know that we have all volunteered to help out, but were turned away. Several people and myself offered to help out, but were told that Lancaster does NOT have a volunteer program. I received a call from Larry King with the City of Lancaster yesterday [Wednesday] announcing that the city has now implemented a volunteer program.  I was given an application to submit for consideration.
“What a huge step for Lancaster!  They could use volunteers.”
Julie says people interested in volunteering to help Lancaster’s animal shelter should contact Amanda Jones. Development Services, 700 E. Main St. Lancaster Texas, 75146, or e-mail ajones@lancaster-tx.com. And click HERE to reach the Lancaster website.
And, Julie adds, “Lancaster is also looking for a part-time employee (20 hours per week)  to handle the feeding and the cleaning of cages. Hopefully more changes are on the way. Currently the shelter is only open from 1p.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.  We are hoping that they will extend their hours to include Saturdays to boost adoptions!”
THE DUNCANVILLE ROAMER: On Thursday afternoon, after a nice lunch in Arlington with my sons, I stopped at a filling station at Camp Wisdom and Main Street in Duncanville. It’s a busy area near an I-20 freeway entrance, a big hotel and restaurants. Lots of traffic. People in a hurry. Big city traffic on the edge of a small town.
And, about 2 p.m. yesterday, there was one brown dog in the mix.
Something so simple as a stop at a gas station always has the potential to turn into a visit to Freak-my-brain, USA.
As you read along, you’ll see that this is a personal confession of an inability to help a dog. And it is yet another prime example of what we’ve often written here at Readlarrypowell.com: Some dogs are too clever for their own good.
As I got out of the pickup to pump the gas, I saw a flash of knee-high brown fur dart between a bunch of cars. Then, as I craned to see if it really was a loose dog, I was immediately confronted with a guy with a handful of CDs pitching his career as “a non-violent Hispanic rap and hip-hop performer.” He was a nice-enough guy, but my attention was divided by pumping gas and looking for the dog. I listened to him but he wanted $5 for a CD and I was operating in a cashless society at the time and he didn’t take credit cards. I think his CD was titled “Past Due.” He said he was originally from Tyler but lived around here now and offered a tip on buying a holiday treat, a Greenberg Smoked Turkey.
I mention all that so you’ll see that I was trapped in a surreal moment: Pumping $3.29 gas without a dime in my pocket while a guy tries to sell me a CD, explains his non-violent stance in music and offers me advice on smoked turkeys. All the while I’m trying to spot a roaming dog on a dangerous parking lot. A novelist couldn't create that much at once.
I stopped the gas pump with plenty of room still left in the tank, told the guy, “I’m going to try to catch this dog” and grabbed my “rescue leash” out of the truck.
The dog had followed a van into one of the slots by a pump. And the dog was enamored of someone in the van, a little girl, who’d jumped out to pet the pup. I don’t know if the dog was a he or she. Fast dog – I think maybe a girl dog.
I asked the kid, “Is this your dog?” thinking maybe a dog had scaled a fence and run off in pursuit of the family van.
“No sir,” the girl said, petting the dog.
The mom was putting gas in the van. I asked her about the dog and she, exasperatedly said, “No, this dog roams all over Duncanville.”
So, I went back around the van to try to loop the dog who was, by now, nearly being cuddled by the kid.
But the dog must have a fear of men and leashes and when I got a few steps from them, the dog began to panic and fight the girl's grasp and bolted. I was afraid if the kid had held onto the dog, the fearful dog might have accidentally hurt her.
A fat man with a leash was no match for this quick, slippery, adult-fearful dog.
The mom finished pumping her gas and the kid got into the van and the dog tried but was discouraged.
As you can see from the first photo (click on it to make it larger), the dog had no fear standing in front of the van. And when the van pulled away and onto Main Street, the dog went racing alongside.
In the photo at the intersection, you can see the van at the stoplight, the dog sitting by the door.
The van drove on, the dog ran after it and that’s the last I saw of them both.
Guilt? Sure. What else should I have done? A crazy old guy in a pickup follows a mom and kids in a van? A dog runs until its heart is broken?
Perhaps, if that dog really does “roam all over Duncanville,” someone will stop the roaming in a very kind fashion and give the dog a reason to stay put. Maybe the dog actually has a human.
A veteran animal rescuer once counseled me, “Sometimes you find out that all you can do is say a prayer and try to move on.”
DALLAS ANIMAL SERVICES: A couple of editions ago Readlarrypowell.com ran photos of a Beagle mix, a mom and her puppy and a brown dog named Elvis from Dallas Animal Services. DAS Animal Control Officer and recue group coordinator Mark Cooper sent out a note at mid-morning Friday that reads: “Please help these three super sweet dogs find a loving home before it’s too late!!  They have until the close of business on the 21^st then they will be humanely euthanized. PLEASE help me help them!! If you are interested in any of the above. Please let me know soon as I can tag them for your group.”
E-mail Mark.cooper@dallascityhall.com.
TWO DOGS NEEDING SOME HELP: The veteran shelter walker, Debbie Barclay, has a fine eye for spotting the good dogs in the world. Oh, heck, they’re all good to her. But now and then she spots some “special” dogs.
That’s the case with these two who are currently in the Prairie Paws Adoption Center in Grand Prairie. She says they “could really use a helping hand.”
We’re happy to try to connect these special dogs with the helping hands.
In the photo to the left you have Dog 099105 – name is Louie and he’s a 6- or 7-yearold neutered Lab mix. He’s housebroken and microchipped and, Debbie’s note reveals, “his family was notified but, sadly, did not come for him.” He’s described as “a delight and being with him is like being with an old friend; he has wonderful manners, walks great on leash and gets along great with other dogs.”
That other dog (099249) is Munchie, a 3-year-old Rottweiler/Corgi mix.  
(Soapbox moment from Larry:  A Rottie/Corgi mix? Nah, there’ s no need for a spay/neuter program around here. The entire world is calling out for more Rottie/Corgi mixes so shelters will always have odd adoptable dogs. Yep. let ‘em all go forth and multiply like rabbits! Whew, help me off this soapbox – I feel the boards starting to bend.)
Munchie is sociable, friendly with most other dogs, playful and loves to “chase balls and toys on his stubby little legs. Unusual and adorable looking,” the Prairie Paws report reads.
To ask about adopting or rescue these dogs or any other critters, e-mail jhorn@gptx.org or call Jerry Horn at 972-237-8571 or (cell) 972-897-3066. The Prairie Paws Adoption Center is at 2222 W. Warrior Trail in Grand Prairie.
CONTEMPLATIONS: I was looking up one thing and ran across something else, specifically, that January is, according to the Association of National Pet Dog Trainers, “National Train Your Dog Month.”  That’s good since, near as I can tell, the other 11 months are “National Dogs Training Humans Months.” ... Speaking of significant celebrations: While dining at Norma’s in Oak Cliff, we spotted a notice than Jan. 23 is National Pie Day. Turns out this is as declared by the National Pie Council. Two things: (1) You cannot beat Norma’s for pie any day of the year (unless my own piespouse Martha has been at work, of course) and  (2) I am applying for a job with the National Pie Council, perhaps in the testing lab if they have one.  ... My friend Lee Zethraus spotted this VW commercial and sent it to me. I love music, particularly when properly performed. You’ll see it and hear it in a Super Bowl TV ad when you click HERE.  Come Monday, we can watch video of trained dogs barking on National Pie Day – is this a great country or what?
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Big, sweet souls and the challenges of life...

Before you read about how you can help some desperate animals (including a dog who has been rejected twice over nothing), consider this example of the curiosity of life:
The new Fort Worth Independent School District Superintendent, whose actions may affect the fate of a generation of children, will make around $325,000 a year. A 25-year-old, right-handed pitcher from Japan who has never thrown a ball in the big leagues has signed a 6-year, $60 million contract to play a game.
The Dallas Independent School District is still looking for a superintendent and the City of Dallas is looking for a library director – not sure either entity has a headhunter in Japan. That is Inky, the Cocker Laureate of Texas, available to pitch for a mere $1 million a year or direct a municipal library system for the same bargain price. That DISD superintendent job? Six years, $60 million and he’ll think about it.
THE DOGS IN DALLAS: Based on the emails and conversations, Dallas Animal Services has been engaged in its usual pressure-packed week. That's a handsome big ol' black dawg, right? Look at those ears.
Healthy animals and injured animals alike spent time on the clock. How can you have a no-kill city when you don’t have no-kill residents? Ah, there’s the question. Got to be an answer.
Now, I’m admitting to being partial to big ol’ black dawgs, particularly Lab/Great Dane mixes. Our great Hambone Jack was just such a dog – he soars with the angels now and, believe me, he’s got the halo that lights the hereafter. So, when I opened an e-mail from DAS Animal Control Officer Mark Cooper late yesterday and saw this photo of DLF156/A704558, I  (a) saw the rejection record and nearly broke down and (b) contemplated violating the law by going to the shelter and adopting him. Can’t do it, though -- at the limit. It’s up to someone else to save this dog, who, if he were mine, wouldn’t have numbers he’d be named. Probably something like Duke or Hambone Mack or maybe he would tell me the name he prefers. Mister Sugar, maybe.
What’s he like? Officer Cooper says, “This dog is a total gentle giant! He is super sweet and loving, not to mention he’s a very handsome dog. He’s about 1 year old, weighs 78 pounds and appears to be in great health.”
Let me stop right here to tell you there’s more to the story. And Officer Cooper nails the situation perfectly when he adds, “However, he has not been leash trained, so he sits flat on the ground when you try to walk him. This has prevented him from being rescued twice. He does not deserve to be euthanized simply because he isn’t leash-trained. But he is super active when no leash is present!”
Lord knows how he got to be that way. Got to be a human in there somewhere.
Other dogs on the clock include these dogs pictured here: that Beagle/Dachshund mix, a little dog with her puppy and a brown dog who curls his lip. Officer Cooper explains, “He is my favorite dog in this shelter. He stole my heart a week ago and I named him ‘Elvis.’ He smiles when petted and curls his left upper lip just like Elvis Presley. It’ s the coolest thing ever!  He is a HUGE teddy bear and a big time butt-wagger!”
To ask about any of these dogs, e-mail Mark.cooper@dallascityhall.com.
Now, in the meantime, as these dogs were simply surviving in a shelter, two other dogs came in and they were facing dire medical problems Officer Cooper immediately asked for help from the rescue community and DFW Rescue Me responded.
[Aside: Oh, readers, try not to get mad at this one dog’s humans. They’ve not been dealt a winning hand and, well, what are ya gonna do, you know?]
Officer Cooper says the shepherd mix was an owner-surrender. “According to his owners, he was hit by a car over a month ago and they tried to treat the wounds themselves. The leg has been crushed and bones are exposed. He is frightened in the kennel, but very sweet once he’s out and he was a lover while in the lobby with his owners. He’s 44 pounds and looks to be about 2 years old. Even with his injuries he is energetic and allowed his owners to grab his injured arm and everything.”
Then, there is the little terrier mix, a stray who was a lap dog in pain. She is young and weighs about 9 pounds and her leg was “crushed flat and all bones exposed.”
These dogs may still need some help by the time you read this. Email Officer Cooper. See more animals and other shelter details at www.dallasanimalservices.org.
THE BAILEY SITUATION: For some time now, rescuer Deborah Verner has been trying to find a home for this dog Bailey. No dice. No dice at all. The dog was rescued with her pregnant mom, Sadie, from the “tree farm” area along the Seagoville/Dallas line. That was more than a year ago, if memory serves. And Deborah has been working with Bailey, taking her off-site adoptions, writing notes about her and doing just about everything except sell her to a major league baseball team.
So, one day, determined to write Bailey into the heart of someone, I asked Deborah to tell me 5 things she loves about Bailey.
She did. She also added things that need to improve. Here’s what Deb wrote:
“Things I love about Bailey: (1) She is very sweet, and loves giving kisses, (2) She loves running in big circles all around the backyard, (3) She loves playing any type of ball, (4) She gives high fives with her right paw, and shakes with her left paw, and (5) if you tell her to sit, she will automatically go into her frog position...with back legs out behind her.”
Those are among the good things. The “other” list? Deb writes, “Thinks that need to improve: (1) Her potty training isn't up to par no matter how many times she goes outside, (2) She is low to the ground, but very strong and hyper, making walking her difficult, (3) Food aggressive with other dogs, etc.”
You can see the dogs Deb is trying to place by clicking HERE.  Email her at dtrevino60@aol.com.
ANOTHER BONNIE AND CAT STORY: For as long as I have known Bonnie Lovell – and we go back decades because of our common history with the big paper in Dallas – she has been helping animals that are down on their luck. And, as I have told many a person, “Some of the best people people I know are animal people.”
This time Bonnie is trying to help a Denton resident by helping an animal, this cat Sophie. Bonnie says Sophie is the “softest, sweetest, most affectionate snowshoe Siamese cat (half Siamese, half domestic shorthair).”
According to Bonnie, “She's about one year old and urgently needs a new home before the first of the month -- preferably sooner -- when my even-poorer-than-me neighbor has to move into a tiny apartment and can only take her original tiny dog and cat and not her recent rescue who she brought inside to keep her from getting knocked up by one of the neighborhood strays. I have found someone who has volunteered to pay to have her spayed and get all her shots but who can't keep her. I also can't keep her. If [my neighbor] can’t find a forever home right away, perhaps she could at least find a foster home until a forever home is found. (The afore-mentioned benefactor will even provide food.)”
To offer to help this cat, e-mail bonniealovell@gmail.com.
THUNDER CAT: It’s kind of unfair to use a title like that, but I know you suckers for cute cat names will immediately start reading. Thunder Cat – star of a graphic novel? Anime?
Ah, we get the answer from Rebecca Kornblum. She sent out the appeal yesterday.
She wrote, “I was helping someone else with trapping some feral cats and now ‘I’ have a new foster cat in my house. Thunder Cat, or TC as we call her, was named for her big, rumbly purr. She is the sweetest and most docile cat imaginable -- never makes a mess or hisses at anyone but just sits in her little patch of sunshine by the window with a big contented smile on her face. She is wonderful with other cats and hasn't had the opportunity here to be around dogs. She's a quiet and peaceful being who would be great company for someone wanting a friend, human or feline.”
To ask about adopting Thunder Cat the Magnificent Purrer, call 214-293-5787 or e-mail rkornblum2@yahoo.com.
PHAROAH GETS A BREAK: I’ve saved this until near the end of today’s report – it’s like saving the best bite of pie until last. It’s a tasty morsel.
For a couple of weeks this dog Pharaoh has been dodging the needle at the Carrollton Animal Survives Shelter. But he’s also been subject of many an email and a conversation or two.
And, finally, we discovered yesterday, that Pharaoh has made it out of the shelter and into the care of the Justin Animal Alliance. We got the news from Carrollton volunteer Leticia Beauchamp who told us that the Justin Animal Alliance, fueled by founder Shelley Soniat and volunteers, had claimed big Pharaoh.
You can read more about Justin Animal Alliance HERE. After all, Pharaoh’s off Death Row, but he still needs a home.
CONTEMPLATIONS: First lines of titled but unwritten novels:
The Whistling Dog – “The pushbutton transmission on the baby blue 1961 Dodge Pioneer bewildered him and, yet, he was strangely at home in Havana because he had a dog named Dimitri who could whistle while dancing and who, according to legend, had once bitten Fidel Castro in the wallet pocket....”
Jump Shot – “After the game, the Mixed Species League commissioner explained to the press that the rules of competition did not forbid employing a kangaroo but, still, it was against the law to shoot at a kangaroo in mid-jump if he has legal possession of the ball at the time and has either one foot or one tail on the court and is not called for traveling.”
In the Money Huddle – The shock wave raced through the community when residents realized the new quarterback’s contract called for him to serve six months of the year as the superintendent of the school district because, as the board president said, “Anybody smart enough to get that much money for throwing a ball is bound to be smart enough to run a school system.”
Inky, the Cocker Laureate of the State of Texas, suggests that I may need to be seen to. Thank you for your patience. Be kind to animals.
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At midweek, many facets of the world...and one cold room...

Today’s Readlarrypowell.com report involves wayward cats, a filling station dog, an old guy in Fort Worth, a beloved fellow named Simba and other topics. We’ll also address the coldest – the absolute coldest – room in Dallas, Texas.
THE HARDWARE CAT: I went to the hardware store for plumbing and found a cat.
I didn’t keep the cat. Not that I’m not interested. The cat isn’t interested. Another cat too clever for its own good.
This black and white cat – believed to be a girl – has taken up residence on the planting material inventory they keep on the walk in front of the big windows.
The store is Westlake Ace Hardware in DeSoto. The cat just showed up, one of the guys told me. They’re feeding the cat and wondering what to do next. I figured if I mentioned this ultra-cute, not-quite-totally unsocial cat here, maybe someone would pursue a rescue. It isn’t like the odds are on this cat’s side in a busy parking lot. The store is at 324 E. Beltline in DeSoto, a few blocks east of the Hampton Road intersection.
THE APARTMENT CAT: This cat appears to be a stray living in a Dallas apartment complex near Maple and Knight in Oak Lawn. Veteran rescuer Deborah Verner hunted her down after being told that “a young white cat was sleeping in a clump of monkey grass in a flowerbed outside the apartment building.”
The first day, she couldn’t find it. The second day, it was in its usual spot in the flower bed. This photo shows it moving between its traditional two resting spots – the flowerbed or “hiding under a truck parked a few feet away.”
Deborah’s been feeding the cat this week. “I’m trying to gain its trust,” she says.
The cat appears to have a pronounced protrusion on its right side – not sure if it’s an injury or a result of being way pregnant.
To offer to help this cat, e-mail dtrevino60@aol.com. And, of course, we can't mention Deb without reminding you that she is still trying to find a home for Bailey, the black adn white terrier mix. Go ahead, ask her about helping with the cat and adopting Bailey, too. No rule says you can't do both.
THE SERVICE STATION DOG: We don’t have a photo of this dog, but we do have a word picture from veteran animal advocate Kim Polen.
She got this story from a friend whose interest in the situation dropped dramatically after the handoff of the info. Here’s the story from Kim: “There is a Red Pit Bull mix that was very skinny and it was obvious she had pups someplace. She was begging for food and my friend gave her what food she could. It just breaks my heart she did not see the pups but she said momma was skin and bones.
“She was begging for food at the Valero at Lake June Road and 635. I Googled it and the address is 12531 Lake June Rd in Balch Springs. The number for that Valero is 972-289-2488. If you could get the word out or pass on to a group in that area I would appreciate it. I know nobody in that area to call.”
There you have it. Momma dog at a filling station – that always works out nicely.
PRAYERS & PASSAGES: Simba, who took over the house and hearts of Andy Allen and her husband John, has gone on. Andy writes a wonderful tribute to this dynamic personality on our Prayers & Passages page today. (Click on the Prayers & Passages button in the upper right corner of this page.)
STRUT YOUR MUTT/WIZARD OF PAWZ AT THE SPCA: Those SPCA folks are hustling without taking a break
The SPCA of Texas is already registering participants for the April 28 Strut Your Mutt 2012 at Fair Park. (Click that logo to make it larger.) The aim is to get even more participants than last year. More than a thousand people and pets showed up for the festival. Register online at www.spca.org.
And of course, coming up on Jan. 29 is the Paws Cause 2012: The Wizard of Pawz fundraiser at Sambuca in Uptown Dallas. It benefits the SPCA of Texas Village Fair Spay/Neuter & Wellness Clinic.
Tickets are $150 each and you can get them HERE. There’ll be an auction, raffles, and a $25 cork pull – that’s a game of chance for charity, not a contest involving rescued sled dogs and opening champagne bottles. Get details at www.spca.org and navigate to “events” and Paws Cause.
Cute logos, eh? Don’t know who did ‘em. Always happy to give credit to the artists.
A STRUTTABLE MUTT? Maybe, maybe not. He’s a little old and right now he’s in a fix. He’s at the Fort Worth Animal Care & Control Shelter and he’s on the rapid clock.
We heard around him through Houston contact Alexandra Kelsey who heard about him through rescuer Susan Austin Jones who is a volunteer for a DFW Lab rescue group. She ran across this dog at the Fort Worth shelter.
She wrote, “My heart was stolen by this 8-9 year old senior heeler/Aussie/cattle dog mix, so I am trying desperately to save him.  He came in as a stray on 12/9, went into adoptions, had an adopter, but the adopter never showed...twice....Grrrr!!!  He is currently in the rescue-only album for being, so his days are numbered.  He is potty-trained, his kennel remains spotless, very sweet, calm and mellow. He does have a patch of hair missing from his rump, but appears to be ok, otherwise.  I know everyone is so full right now, but I thought I would see if you guys had room for this guy or could put me in contact with anyone who could help.  I have Lab contacts across the country, but no contacts for this breed, so am feeling a bit helpless.  I wanted to check Texas rescues first, before I put out a plea nationwide.  Transport is so hard on these seniors, so I would love to keep him in the state.  Please let me know if you can help him.”
Contact Susan at susan_austin_jones@yahoo.com.
AN OLD LAB GIRL AT THE LAKE: Holy smoke, look at this face. This is Jasmine and she needs someone to love her. That’s the story we get via Sydney Busch at Friends of the Animals at Cedar Creek Lake. She’s been in touch with Krista Mc Anally, director of the Humane Society of Cedar Creek Lake Shelter at Tool, Texas, about an hour or so southeast of Dallas.
Sydney’s note heartbreakingly reads, “This absolutely gorgeous dog deserved better than to be dumped at a shelter when the owner got tired of her. She is a bit arthritic (but aren't we all??) and is heartworm positive (but that is not a factor for her now.)”
The dog is 12 -- barely late middle-aged in a loving, attentive home.
The note reads, “Please can someone take this wonderful dog and let her live out her life in peace and love?”
This morning Krista tells us that the dog's problems seem to be nothing that can't be fixed with a little time and care -- she got the dog into a foster home so she could get a better look at these challenges. But Jasmine appears, so far, to be adoptable. [Larry aside: Now and then you see why these places are called "shelters" -- they live up to the name by giving shelter to animals that need a break.]
Contact director Mc Anally at dogshsccl@yahoo.com or call 903-432-3422.
MOVING UP: As you digest the assorted conditions of animals in your own neighborhood, or the neighborhood you drive through to get to work or the animal plights you helped with or read about, consider this: Texas is moving up in the animal protection rankings. See the story in the Texas Tribune HERE.
THE BLACK AND WHITE OF SHOW BUSINESS: The folks with Pegasus Theatre in Dallas are, as is the company’s tradition, in black and white again – this time detective  Harry Hunsaker is up against the evil Dr. Big in a production called The Frequency of Death. It’s a murder mystery set in the studios of radio station WKIL.
And, if you haven’t guessed by now, that is a photo of Harry as portrayed by the playwright and creator of the series of “Living Black & White” productions, Kurt Kleinmann. (That photo is by Mark Oristano, the local broadcaster and actor who has become a noted photographer.)
The Frequency of Death is in the middle of its run at the Eisemann Center in Richardson, then moves to the MCL Grand Theater in Lewisville for another week of performances. You can get the details and purchase tickets by going HERE. What makes these productions remarkable, other than the fact that you’ll find more laughs than two months of any Real Housewives From Anywhere series, is that they are, indeed, in “Living Black & White,” a trademarked process that makes the stage and the actors look as if they’re from old, late-night, black and white movies on TV.
Audience members are treated to witty dialogue, action, mystery and all the good things of live theater with the added touch of the atmosphere. FYI, the star and producer Barbara Weinberger, who plays a key colorful role in the production, are, indeed, animal fans.
A NOTE FROM LAST WEEK’S ANIMAL SHELTER COMMISSION MEETING: When the public comments portion of the meeting finally arrived – yep, it was a long meeting – one of the speakers was Stephen Benavides, representing the North Texas Association of Public Employees and United Steelworkers Local 9470.
He asked about a couple of issues at the shelter. One is an alleged incident in which an employee was injured when using euthanasia fluid as a cleaning agent. Shelter Manager Jody Jones said the shelter keeps the euthanasia fluid – a controlled substance – locked away in an entirely different part of the shelter. Mr. Benavides countered that he had a photo showing otherwise. Then, they moved on with polite promises to enlighten each other and get to the bottom of the story.
Mr. Benavides also brought up claims that he’d heard – that back in the late summer and early fall, the employees who were about to lose their jobs in the city's “Reduction in Force” at the shelter were forced to train their replacements, the city’s vaunted “temporary workers.” He said he thought such actions might have been bad for morale.  There was no city response. But, Assistant City Manager Joey Zapata, who had engineered the transition, was out of the room at the time. He has been a staunch supporter of the "temporary labor" method of staffing the shelter and employed the commission earlier in the meeting to continue to monitor it and "give it a chance."
Not sure what any of this means except that the union folks are watching developments in the city labor pool.
[Larry aside: Some of us who've been 'riffed' think this train-your-replacement practice is  not a morale question but a morality question.Texas, however, is a right-to-work state meaning that you have the right to work without having to join a union. Of course, the actual right-to-work practice is that your employer has a right to sack your unsuspecting backside for  any ol' whim or to cover up errors in managerial judgement or to fool investors into keeping the faith.  To borrow from renowned philosopher/entrepreneur Michael Corleone, "It's not personal....It's business."  Yeah, and I'm a ballerina. Now, help me off this soapbox before the slats crash through and two union crews argue over whether picking up injured fat men is in the hydraulic contract or the big crane contract.]
CONTEMPLATIONS: Please allow one more note about the most recent meeting of the Dallas Animal Shelter Commission in Room 6E South – sixth floor of Dallas City Hall, right next to the City Council Chambers.
Even during the intense summers in Dallas, it is the coldest room in town. Why should anything be any different in the winter?
I’ve been a professional journalist since 1965 and it’s the first time I ever covered an indoor meeting in which the participants wore gloves and scarves and members of the audience left to go get more winter clothing. One hoped they’d bring back a chiminea or an electric heater. [This type is blue to represent the dominant color of extremities in the room that day.].
When the meeting was over, people didn’t stand up to leave – they had to be chipped free and thawed.
It was so cold the city catering director could hang meat in there. If I were a wise-acre, I’d say that room is where they store the hearts of former mayors, but I’ve known a few of those mayors and at least one – maybe two – didn’t have hearts.
Perhaps at night, when they turn off the lights, the city’s vampires meet in 6E South and rehearse the stage version of Twilight. Some say city hall is zoned for bloodsuckers. I’m kidding – my sense of restraint is still frozen this week.
If it had gotten any colder in that room, the animal shelter commission would have been in danger of polar bear attack. As it was, three penguins had to be discouraged from voting and, honest, I am almost certain a group of Norwegian explorers came through hoping to plant their flag on the West Pole.
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On Tuesday, some celebrations. Saved animals, birth of twins, etc.

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 41^st 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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People, pups and peanut butter...

It’s a Monday holiday – Martin Luther King Day – and we’ll be operating in a holiday mode today along with many of you. Of course, many of you will be working today, too.
It’s America – one person’s holiday is another’s time-and-a-half.  The Readlarrypowell.com staff is on the job today – not working holiday hours, but working a holiday attitude. There might be napping.
But, first, here are some Monday notes:
FROM DAS: On Sunday afternoon, the folks at Dallas Animal Services began looking for a rescue group to take over care of this heeler mix.
Animal Control Officer Mindy Sewell’s reported that the dog had been put into the shelter’s “night drop right before opening at noon.”
She also says that the dog-dropper left a note said “she was attacked by a pitbull and sustained injuries to her front left leg.” Readlarrypowell.com wants to point out that we have no proof that the injuries came from an attack by a pit. Could have been any dog. Sometimes people are dramatic.
The shelter gave the dog some painkiller and antibiotics, but “due to her pain, she has not let us examine her injuries,” ACO Sewell wrote in her plea for a rescue group to take the dog. Because of the dog’s inability to trust someone at the shelter to look after her, the decision was made to euthanize her if no rescue group would take her.
This morning ACO Sewell reports that one rescuer has said she’ll pick the dog up at noon (the shelter opens at 11 on this holiday schedule). At least two other groups have shown interest in helping the dog. You can see how to contact DAS by going to www.dallasanimalservices.org. Also, you can stop by the shelter at I-30 and Westmoreland.
THE LATEST FROM WEST DALLAS: You may recall that on Friday we included, along with our report on the Dallas Animal Shelter Commission meeting and the Dallas Companion Animal Project (the no-kill task force) a report from rescuer Sherry Kunz and her frustrations in dealing with stray and neglected dogs in a pocket of West Dallas.
Today we have her report on responses for her “plea for help and advice for a mama and 3 puppies and many other strays in West Dallas off of Bernal south of Singleton.”
Naturally, you’re going to recognize right away that the angel who showed up was the woman known city-wide as the Fairy Dogmother of West Dallas,
Sherry writes, “With the help of Angie Manriquez, we were able to rescue 2 of the puppies and they will be going into a rescue group on Tuesday. One puppy is still with the mama. Angie has also gotten the injured dog, who has a really bad case of sarcoptic mange, into a group in Salina. She also has gotten the owners to allow her to take the other male dog in to SPCA to be neutered.
“In trying to rescue the 3rd puppy... we discovered even more stray dogs. One of which is a young white female Lab [left] who is extremely smart and friendly. She knows how to sit and tried to play soccer with the kids in the park. Angie is planning on picking her up [Monday], but will have no other recourse but to take her to Dallas Animal Services. She has no room and neither do I”
But that’s not all.
“We also found that the papa of the puppies is very sick and Angie thinks he is dying,” says Sherry.
And there’s more.
“We also found a Rottie mix who has an ear infection that is so bad, the fluid has drained down into his neck and looks like a tumor. If these dogs cannot be saved, they need to be humanely put to rest. We need help in trapping these dogs. With the exception of the white Lab, they are very afraid of humans.”
To help by taking the white dog or trying to get the others into medical care or some safe haven, call 214-232-6559 or e-mail sykunz@att.net.
KNOCK ON THE DOOR:  There are many, many big dogs at Collin County Animal Services in McKinney and they all face euthanasia constantly because of the, indeed, constant intake of more and more animals. Allison Roberts, the volunteer shelter walker, sends word this morning that though the shelter is closed for the holiday, it’s staffed from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. for rescuers to make contact. E-mail ldrummonds@co.collintx.us and animalshelter@co.collin.tx.us to let them know you’re coming. Or, Allison advices, when you show up “knock on the door or window until someone sees you.”
Yep, in the age of electronic communications, sometimes you still have to rap your knuckles on the door.
THE DOG ON STAGE:  Usually we get spay/neuter or rescue news from our pal Sydney Busch with the Friends of the Animals at Cedar Creek Lake. This time it’s a show biz tip. Sylvia is helping raise money for the cause.
There is a notable history to this animal-friendly play scheduled Jan. 29 at Mabank Middle School.
It’s called Sylvia and it’s by noted playwright A.R. Gurney and on the New York stage in 1995, the title role (the blonde dog adopted by a couple) was played by Sarah Jessica Parker.  The New York Times drama critic at the time,  Vincent Canby, described it as “critic-proof...at least for anyone who has ever owned a dog...”  In that production, Sylvia’s humans were portrayed by Charles Kimbrough (of Murphy Brown fame and Blythe Danner – yep, mom of Gwyneth Paltrow.
As you may suspect, when the husband finds Sylvia in the park and brings her home, conflict and comedy arise. 
Sylvia takes the stage at Mabank at 2 p.m. on Sunday, Jan. 29. Tickets are $10 each. You can get them at the Bluebonnet Emporium in gun Barrel City or at the Friends spay/neuter clinic in GBC (love that abbreviation) on Tuesdays while they’re operatin’.  You can also e-mail sydney@friendsoftheanimals.org or call 903-451-4701.
Proceeds go to the Friends and to the Spay/neuter Support Services of East Texas (a non-profit planning a spay/neuter clinic in Tyler).
FYI, Mabank is about an hour southeast of Dallas on Highway 175 – it’s a quick easy hour with some pretty landscapes.  The Handbook of Texas says the town was named for two ranchers, G.W. Mason and Thomas Eubank, owners of the Mason-Eubank Ranch, who established the townsite.  Also, about that Sunday afternoon performance – it’s not going to conflict with a Dallas Cowboys playoff game.
HOMER FROM HOUSTON? PHAROAH FROM THE STREETS? We have two situations involving the Carrollton Animal Services Shelter. One has to do with a big ol’ friendly pit fellow named Pharoah who dodged the needle last week.
The other involves a dog named Homer (for now) who wound up in Carrollton – someone posted him on Craig’s List as a dog from Houston who’d wound up in Carrollton. The Carrollton folks said he came to them with Irving Animal Services tags. We were alerted to Homer’s situation by our Houston tipster Alexandra Kelsey who’d seen the List listing.
Whatever the case, Homer is on the clock in Carrollton. And so is Pharoah.
We may never know the story of Homer – for all anybody can tell, he caught a bus in Vegas and was trying to get to Winstar when he was picked up in Carrollton.
We don’t know the history of Pharoah, either, just his present. Presently he’s on the clock in Carrollton – he avoided death last week only to face the challenge this week. As you can tell from the photo, he’s a dynamic tail-wagger. He may be coming down with a cold, the shelter folks say. You can see him playing HERE.
To ask about any animal in the Carrollton shelter, call 972-466-3420 or e-mail care@cityofcarrollton.com. And, yes, Pharoah is available ONLY to rescue groups.
CONTEMPLATIONS: Hmmm. Tom Brady of the New England Patriots. So that’s what a real NFL quarterback looks like. Nope, that’s what an unreal quarterback looks like. ... Chew this one over: Peanut butter and WHAT kind of jelly? ...  A holiday note. When I reach MLK Day I always find myself contemplating the American life I’ve witnessed from the first time I saw a “Colored” entrance at a movie theater, a “Colored” water fountain and “Colored” people pointed toward the back of a city bus. I grew up in a segregated school system – and, as an old guy now, I wonder how many friends we missed making because we didn’t get to meet those other kids. Here’s the bottom line: People can be so relentlessly stupid. I hope we grow out of that someday.
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Weekend notes...

BE ON THE LOOKOUT: On Saturday, a day when Dallas parks may be filled with people, perhaps someone will be in the area around Fretz Park and spot this wandering dog, Polly.
Mary Cohen and family have been looking for the Lab mix since Wednesday night. “Part of our fence blew over from the strong winds,” Mary says, and, of course, Polly took advantage of the opening.
On Friday afternoon, the Cohens got a call reporting that she’d been seen at Fretz Park at Hillcrest and Beltline. “We raced there but she was gone. I drove around the area for about 3 hours.”
Mary says the effort to find Polly continues again today. Right after Polly vanished, the family began a campaign to find her, putting up posters, placing notices on Facebook, calling in a tracker, contacting area shelters and going through the neighborhood repeatedly.
Polly, 2, was adopted from Operation Kindness when she was a puppy. “My daughter (and sons) are so sad – I think I’m even sadder.” In fact, on Thursday, Mary says, “I had to pick my daughter up from school...because she is so upset.”
Polly is microchipped and was wearing a collar and tags. Her general neighborhood is between Arapaho and Beltline along Hillcrest. If you’ve seen Polly or know her whereabouts, call 917-716-6976.
REMINDERS: Rescue groups and sanctuaries and shelters conduct off-site adoptions at area pet stores and other places on the weekends. Shelters are open for business. Each time you adopt an animal you (a) give an animal a promise of a life, (b) open up a cage so an animal can have a safe haven or (c) get an animal out of a facility where everyone is on the clock. Some of us already have full houses -- we're at our city limits or at our financial limits or both. If you don't have an animal and can make room, this is your chance. If you can't take an animal but want to help, you can always volunteer to do such work as walking dogs and cuddling cats. Did you have something else to do this weekend? Pretty sure you weren't going to a Dallas Cowboys playoff game.
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No empty chairs in a sleepy home...

Because we’ve been fighting a household cold during these early days in January, the seating arrangements in the pax domicile at Readlarrypowell.com have been subject to change.
For example, my sufferingspouse Martha, usually a resident of this old golden recliner that belonged to her dad, Johnny Muse, abandoned it for the sickbed.
With the chair empty, someone took over. And here they are, comfortably in the spotlight for this weekend’s Let Sleeping Dogs Lie & Napping Cats Nap. (We’d love to feature YOUR animals – send their slumbering photos to dallrp@aol.com.) And FYI, the white dog is about 1/3 the size of the black dog.  I shot this photo from above the back of the chair and the camera played tricks here as the white dog stretched out on top of the curled up black dog.
Once the dogs realized Martha wasn’t going to be passed out in the recliner, they immediately took up guard positions to keep anyone else from enjoying the comfy old chair. It is, by the way, a magnificent place in which to nod off during sporting events and low-key motion pictures.
Our sleepers include Texas Earl the Cheeseman, a handsome Rottweiller found in Kiest Park after being dumped by someone who didn’t come back for him. I watched him run up to car after car and dejectedly walk away when he didn’t recognize the driver. I took him home to treat his broken heart.
 Earl quickly stepped into the recliner and grabbed the cushion-level position.
As you may suspect, Earl pretty much takes up most of any chair he sits on or flops in. Pretty comic presence on a bar stool – I’m kidding. He doesn’t go to bars.
Shortly after Earl grabbed the cushion, Porche grabbed a spot atop Earl. She’s the little possible Jack Russell/French Bulldog/Urban Shark mix who showed up on our front porch one Christmas season with clearly visible ribs and a wicked limp in the right rear leg. Full name is Porche Noel – found on the porch at Christmas. She no longer limps and you can’t see her ribs.
She is a determined dog but no matter how much she turned and twisted she couldn’t get Earl to abandon the chair. He is the Resolute Rottie.
(Please send us photos of your sleeping dogs and napping cats and any other beast who slumbers at your household. We love giving them a prominent weekend spot on the World Wide Web. Send photos and info to dallrp@aol.com. Remember, animals who sleep in your house are setting a good example for insomniacs. Bless all their hearts.)

The task force and the killing -- a plan to save lives in Dallas

The City of Dallas Animal Services Shelter is operating short-handed and there is no instant cure for beating this town’s dreadfully huge animal kill rate down to zero, the Dallas Animal Shelter Commission and an audience of about 10 people were told Thursday.
There is, however, a plan to provide consistent, educated pushback against the tradition of euthanizing healthy, adoptable animals in Dallas. 
HOW BIG IS THE CHALLENGE?
In fiscal year 2010-11, the Commission’s annual report shows, the taxpayer-funded shelter killed 21,763 animals (mostly dogs and cats) – it took in 31,191 animals and killed two-thirds of them. That’s around 450 to 500 animals killed each week --- sometimes maybe more, depending on the adoptions and rescues-- that were killed to make room for the next load of unwanted animals.
You think you can find hundreds of homes a week that’ll take on the responsibility of an animal that is already regarded as unwanted? All the goodhearts that would take in these animals have already taken in the city limit – maybe more. Rescue groups are full, as are other area shelters.
The Companion Animal Project, the city-appointed task force assigned to come up with a way to get Dallas out of the dog and cat killing business, has been working on this since August and has come up with a plan that is designed to make the city no-kill within five years.
This plan depends on that most elusive of elements: Human cooperation. Call Love Field and clear the air – it’s time for pigs to fly.
OK, that was a wisecrack. But maybe it’ll get the attention of people who will be critical to this effort, not just the people who will be critical about it. 
DETERMINING RESPONSIBILITY
Yes, if this plan goes according to the task force’s ambition, humans are going to be (a) asked to be, (b) encouraged to be and (c) educated how to be responsible animal owners. Some will volunteer to work toward the goal, some will be drafted and some will be aggressively oblivious.
Money and energy will be spent on reaching into this sprawling city and making its ignoramuses and dunces aware of their responsibilities in lowering the euthanasia rate.
The Dallas Companion Animal Project’s report, titled “A Strategy For Transforming Dallas Into a ‘No-Kill’ Community,” was presented to the commission by task force chair Rebecca Poling, also member of the commission. She was asked to serve by Assistant City Manager Joey Zapata, the former Code Compliance Director who has worked with the shelter and under the commission’s influence during its most recent personnel and policy challenges. Members and advisors of the task force include some of the most veteran animal welfare people in the area and in other parts of the nation. Their goal was common: Stop the killing. (The Project’s website is HERE. The report is not posted as of Friday morning.)
BREAKING AN OLD FATAL HABIT
The mass killings at the Dallas Animal Services shelters -- there used to be two old traditional "pounds" -- have been a habit forever in Dallas. The city has long held to the traditional Texas theory: Got an animal problem? Let’s kill it.
So, breaking with tradition is the challenge. First, the task force will attempt to gain the Dallas City Council’s support of the effort, then, with that solid backing, it will reach out to the residents and ask for their partnership in protecting lives and preventing unwanted births of litter after litter of animals destined to die.
The task force report was accepted in a unanimous vote by the commission with the agreement that it should be forwarded to the Dallas City Council. The members of the commission will brief their council members on the project and attempt to gain their support in making the plan an official reality.
SIX AREAS OF EMPHASIS
In shorthand (the report is much more explanatory), the six key areas of emphasis are Awareness and Education, Feral and Community Cats Programs, Fundraising, High-Volume Free and Low-cost Spay/Neuter Programs,  Pet Owner Outreach and Pet Placement Support.
SHELTER CHALLENGES
Some things came up at the Animal Shelter Commission meeting that may affect the way this project proceeds:
-- The shelter’s staff will need to be filled to full capacity – but the shelter is short of personnel in key positions right now, though the commission was told that there is an effort to fill the spots such as a manager and investigators. Since last October’s reduction in force, some positions have gone unfilled. Temporary workers have filled many positions -- not positions requiring experience and knowledge of shelter policies and methods. But hiring done by city hall must follow certain rules to give current employees a shot at the jobs and all the rules and quirks lead to a hiring process that moves at what can best be described as “glacial speed.” The needs for some of these jobs were identified last summer and the process is still creaking along like a biplane in the jet age.
-- The shelter’s data base is undergoing revitalization. This means that the shelter will be collecting information about such things as where surrendered animals come from, why they were surrendered, etc. This information is generally available but not readily available – the task force had some of this info, but not all when making its recommendations. The senior voices on the task force, however, were veterans of animal welfare and have more than passing knowledge of why animals wind up in the Dallas Shelter. (In the latter portion of today’s report, you’ll get an idea of what happens on the streets.)
-- There is a stall in contracting of the SPCA of Texas to serve as the cruelty investigation arm of the shelter (which is operating with minimal designated investigators right now – one for the entire city). Lawyers are about to launch a confab to figure out what’s legal and what isn’t. (FYI: Anita White of Basenji Rescue spoke at the end of the meeting – she was against giving the SPCA the legal power to go into peoples’ homes and property and investigate. She was basing her opposition on an e-mail campaign distributed by an organization whose name neither she nor her companion could remember. At the end of the meeting, Ms. White got to meet SPCA President James Bias who had come in late – he’d been a press open house for the new SPCA of Texas shelter. He is a delightful guy who managed to charm all involved in the post-meeting conversation and explain that the SPCA isn’t interested in anything but helping animals when it comes to cruelty investigations. Though Ms. White said she could not remember the name of the organization that warned her about the SPCA’s invasion of personal rights, the points she made appeared to mirror those made in e-mails this week from representatives of the RPOA – the Responsible Pet Owners Alliance. RPOA’s Texas Outreach folks are vocal about their distrust of the Texas Humane Legislation Network, the SPCA and anybody who takes animals from puppy millers and hoarders. )
[UPDATE FRIDAY EVENING: Mary Beth Duerler, the executive director of RPOA, sent Readlarrypowell.com an e-mail suggesting that the linking of the anti-SPCA comments to RPOA was "defaming" the RPOA. She also says any comments  in this issue did not come from an RPOA e-mail. We have cited an e-mail that was more than just similar to the comments made at the meeting. She says they didn't come from the RPOA because only she issues RPOA e-mail announcements. Thought you Readers would like to know this in case similar e-mails also show up in your inbox. --Larry]
THOUSANDS OF ADOPTABLES DIE EACH YEAR
The bottom line in Dallas is the city is killing thousands and thousands of perfectly adoptable and loveable animals a year and there is no place for them to go right now to avoid the needle. Rescue groups pull some animals and people adopt some animals and all the while there are people who don’t spay and neuter their dogs and cats and there are people who don’t properly house and contain their dogs and cats and there are people who don’t care what happens to their animals.  That's where the unwanteds come from -- a development from the hearts of the unenlightened and the unconcerned.
All of that will have to change if the task force plan is to work.
A CITIZEN’S REPORT THAT DEMONSTRATES THE DESPERATE STATE OF ANIMALS IN DALLAS
As I was writing the above meeting report, including the need for human cooperation to save animals, a note arrived from rescuer Sherry Kunz, a veteran of saving animals – and a veteran of frustrating conditions in Dallas.
She worked  Thursday – couldn’t go to the afternoon meeting. But, in the evening of the day she was facing a perplexing situation. Here is her story:
“I have been feeding some dogs on Bernal Street, just south of Singleton, in West Dallas since early summer.”
Just FYI, readers: That is about a stone’s throw from the City of Dallas Animal Shelter at I-30 and Westmoreland, and not far from the SPCA of Texas on Lone Star Drive, either.
FINDING THE ANIMALS
Sherry continues: “I was able to get a female German Shepherd mix out and into a loving home. While doing this, I found that 2 of the other dogs had an owner but not one that took care of them.
“I have continued to drop food for these 2. I had not been seeing them since the temperature drop, so my husband and I cruised the neighborhood last Saturday to make sure they were still there. We found them and 9 others.
“While looking for them, we saw 4 more dogs hanging out on Tallyho Street around an area where people dump trash. We dropped some food there. Two were friendly and 2 were very afraid. We continued cruising the neighborhood but did not see the original dogs. We decided to go ahead and drop the food at the usual place. One of the dogs I've been feeding came across the street because he recognized my car. He ate the soft food and left the hard food, which is normal for him.
FROM A PUPPY TO A FIGHTER
“He has been fighting with the other dogs and what once was a happy, young puppy is now a dog with his hair falling out, infected eyes and he has puncture wounds all over his body. After 6 months, this dog still will not let me touch him.
“We decided to continue looking for his brother who I have been able to touch and love on. It was my intention to approach the owner to see if he would relinquish ownership of at least the friendly dog. He was in the yard at the owner's house.
“We stopped and I called out to him, but he didn't show any sign of recognition. A man was outside with both dogs. He didn't shoo them away or try and stop to talk to us. I'm sure they are his dogs, He just doesn't care whether they live or die. We could see the spot where I dropped the food and tons of birds were eating it. I made the decision to stop dropping food and torturing myself. After all this time, I am no closer to getting them off the street.
FINDING MORE DOGS
“We decided to go back to the area we had seen the other 4 dogs and drop the remainder of the food. They were not there but across the street in a wooded area were a mama dog, 3 puppies, around 2-3 weeks old, and what I believe is the papa.
“We got out of the car and they started to scatter but the mama stopped when she saw I was dropping food. We got back in the car and watched her. The papa and the puppies would not come to the food. The mama was so hungry but so weak, that she laid down to eat the food. The puppies are definitely feral. It broke my heart to leave them there in that empty field knowing how cold they would be during the night.
“This is not an area that I can go to by myself. I drive through here on my way to work at 6:15 a.m. every morning. This area is pretty deserted and not safe for a female to venture into in the dark.
WHAT TO DO?
“I don't know what to do or how to help these dogs. I don't have a clue how to catch feral dogs are what to do with them. This is the same situation that I was in when I originally called animal control and they suggested I drop food in one area until they could pick them up. At that time there were 13 dogs....
“These strays continue making more puppies and no one seems to care. I'm so worried about the puppies tonight. They are so cute. I can't stand the thought of them freezing to death. I have a contact who has volunteered to help me dump food and try to provide some shelter for these dogs and maybe try to catch the puppies this weekend. If anybody wants to help or has a better suggestion on what we can do to help them, please contact me at sykunz@att.net.”
There you have it. One or two people trying to help and lord knows how many who just don’t give a damn.
That’s the big obstacle to this Companion Animal Project. To solve the problem this is the starting point: Make people care.
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Welcome to Thursday. Please read on and ignore some wild notes...

Howdy, it’s Cowboy Day at Readlarrypowell.com. No particular reason, ah jus lak the sound uh muh spurs jingle jangle jinglin’ when ah type. Yontsum coffee? Cookie’s brewin’ a new pot overtuh chuckwaginn.. ...
Whoops. Whoa, there pardner. Hold on. Forgot I was in Dallas for a second. Cain’t be cowboy day in Dallas – ain’t neither cowboys nor Cowboys. Looks like someone let go of the reins of sanity there for a second. Gotta be the aftermath of this blamed cold. (That is my personal trainer, Inky, giving me the solemn glare that keeps me from thinking I can ride a horse.)  OK, mosey on:
REMINDER: Speaking of herdin’ things, the Dallas Animal Shelter Commission meets at 1:30 p.m. today in Room 6E South at Dallas City Hall. Agenda includes reports on shelter activity, attempts to get the SPCA of Texas investigators as the official city cruelty investigators, progress in the attempt to make Dallas a no-kill city, etc. It’s a free meeting, open to the public and you’ll probably just have to pay to park if you pick a spot at Dallas City Hall.
That cat with the great modern look is a very rare item – she’s 7-year-old formerly stray Ginger, a Polydactyl Tuxedo. You tell her to "toe the line" and she says, "How many?" She is among the hundreds of animals on the clock at the Dallas Animal Services Adoption Center – the shelter this commission monitors. You can see more Dallas animals and how to adopt them by going to www.dallasanimalservices.org.
FYI: Last year the City of Dallas killed thousands of cats and dogs. We’ll get the official figures at today’s meeting. Going no-kill in 2012 looks difficult as long as the general citizenry doesn’t give a darn and doesn’t spay and neuter animals and treat their lives with respect.
DIRE SITUATION FOR SEVERAL ANIMALS: Look, not all the tough spots for animals are in big city shelters.
Consider this big Lab mix – she’s expecting and, if no one steps up, it is likely that she and the litter will all be killed. Nobody wants them. What else is there to do?
We get her story from Maeleska Fletes, the veteran rescuer with Little Forest Hills Animal Alert who also serves on the Dallas Animal Shelter Commission and works with other rescue groups. I mention all that so you’ll know that this situation has been examined by a veteran rescuer.
This dog comes from Quinlan, just about 45 minutes due east of Downtown Dallas.
She was one of several dogs left behind when their human abandoned them at a trailer park in Quinlan. Maeleska says, “The owner moved away and left them. ... When the poor fellow that has been caring for them called the cops they said they cannot do anything. It is like hell out there! I think I could smell the meth cooking!”
Look, this is an ugly story no matter what they’re cooking. Maeleska continues, “One of her buddies was shot and she was almost intentionally run over. She needs an angel. She is around 1 1/2 years old, very pregnant and has no one to turn to.”
This dog and two others from the trailer park are in temporary care at a vet’s office. All need medical work and all are in a tough spot – it’s going to be move them to safety where they can be fostered or kill them.
This particular expectant momma is described as a “very sweet” dog who “walks pretty well on a leash, seems to like other dogs and is due in about 3 weeks!”
Maeleska says that due date puts some pressure on this rescue community. “We must hurry. She will be current on shots and treated for fleas. She needs a place to have her pups and then go to a safe home. She will be euthanized if we do not find a place for her to go.”
So will the other dogs. To help any of them, call 214-766-3577.
ANOTHER BIG PREGNANT DOG NEEDS SOME HELP: Laurie Franchini got in touch with us because of the animal community connections. This story involves a rescued dog – a foundling – who is expecting, who has arrived at a time when she needs some sort of out-of-the-ordinary help.
The dog, Jessy, is about 4 or 5 years old, and is very pregnant. The fellow who has taken her in is in the process of moving a little further “out” from the big Metrosprawl. He currently lives in the Little Elm area.
Laurie explains that the Lab/Pit mix “is currently very far along in her pregnancy. He is in the process of moving to a place further out in the country, however, in the mean time, do you happen to know of a temporary living situation where she can be and have her pups or possibly someone who might be interested in adopting her pups? We are just trying to see what options might be available so that he can still keep her because she is quite beautiful. He is in the process of renovating his trailer and and then moving it.”
So, there’s the challenge: Help a guy who is helping a dog. I know there’s no specific organization that serves as both foster and midwife while a guy who wants the momma dog moves, but you never know if there’s someone who enjoys fostering momma dogs and puppies. To offer to help out, e-mail lauriefranchini@yahoo.com.
CONTEMPLATIONS: Pregnant dogs? Around here? Oh, come on. People always get their dogs “fixed.”   No wonder casinos thrive. I’m betting the same people who bet they can win at roulette also bet that their dog can’t get pregnant. ... You know what really offends me at Dallas City Hall – other than the fact that the leaning design makes the front of the bulding look like a paper-laden vertical landfill? It’s having to pay the meter to park. I already pay taxes. It’s like paying $4 to spend the afternoon sitting still on a tollway. ... Other things irritate me today – but not the cold that has held me captive for 5 days. Today I am free of symptoms and contemplating taking up a jogging program. Wait, maybe I’m still suffering from fever-induced delusions.
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Two warm stories and a cold...

Ah, a cup of coffee is a booster this morning! Even with nothing in it.
Now, for you animal people or you people who want to be animal people, here are some reminders of one word or more:
Arlington, Bedford, Irving, Dallas, Fort Worth, Prairie Paws in Grand Prairie, The Colony, Seagoville, Tri-Cities, Plano, Collin County Animal Services,  two great dogs (Chato the Shar-Pei and Pharoah the Pit) at Carrollton Animal Services on the clock TODAY, etc. Pick a shelter, there’s an adoptable at peril.
And rescue groups – if citizens adopt from rescue groups, that makes room for rescue groups to take animals out of city shelters and save their lives. Cats. Cats. Cats. All those kittens grow up and go somewhere.
ONCE OR TWICE UPON A TIME: You’ve got to love the happy endings -- or at least the happy middle parts of a story. Thanks to our longtime pal Jonnie England, the noted animal activist, we have two evolving tales she witnessed yesterday at the Dallas Animal Services Shelter at I-30 and Westmoreland.
As you may know, Jonnie is a veteran shelter executive – she’s the Director of Animal Advocacy for the Metroplex Animal Coalition these days and she is, without a doubt, a “newshound.”  Here’s the story she filed with us (boy, am I talking in old newshound terms!):
“A day in the life of Dallas Animal Services… Two heart-warming shelter stories with very happy endings.
“I was at Dallas Animal Services Tuesday for a seminar on photographing pets presented by the Texas Animal Shelter Coalition (TASC) and hosted by DAS.  Renowned photographer Teresa Berg presented the two sessions, which were standing-room only for the 70 or so rescue and shelter folks who attended.
“During the afternoon session, I was in the lobby when a guy walked in with a tiny puppy—4 weeks old at most.  He said he had found the puppy and wanted to get it vaccinated.  When we referred him to the SPCA of Texas’ new shelter and wellness clinic just down the street, he said he was late for work and didn’t have time.
“I asked if he wanted to surrender the puppy, and he said he did.  So, of course, I took her.  Knowing there was a room full of rescue people, I figured I could pretty easily get someone to take this baby.  I went back into the conference room and the first person I saw, sitting in the last row, was Jim Wenger with DFW Rescue Me. 
“I handed him the puppy, briefly whispered the story, and he agree to take her.  Jim had already arranged with DAS rescue coordinator Mark Cooper to take three other dogs, so what was one more?  And at just 4 weeks old, she can’t even count as one more!  She’s just precious and has a bright future ahead of her.  So the morale of this story is, don’t sit in the last row in a darkened room at an animal shelter!
“Minutes later, Mark came over to tell me that a great pet-owner reunion was taking place in the Lost & Found lobby.  It seems that in July 2009, a 9-year-old Shih Tzu named Beau was apparently stolen from the Plano home of Cory Richards and his family. 
“They searched for months but never found him.  Fast forward to Monday, when someone brought in a ragged, matted little dog found near Love Field in Dallas.  As usual, the dog was scanned for a microchip and, surprisingly, one was found. Lost and Found coordinator Tony Villarreal called Home Again, got the owner’s phone numbers, and called Cory, who rushed down to be reunited with the family member he hadn’t seen in 2 ½ years and never really expected to see again!
“ Cory’s two daughters are in college, and when he called to tell them the wonderful news, they both burst into tears.  
“And the morale of this story:  Get your pets microchipped, keep your contact information current, and never give up hope.
“All in all, a pretty good day.”
And there you have it: A couple of stories picked up by spending just a little time at Dallas Animal Services.
REMINDER: Dallas Animal Services and Dallas animals will be the topics Thursday when the Dallas Animal Shelter Commission meets at 1:30 p.m. in Room 6E South at Dallas City Hall.
CONTEMPLATION: The common cold is an annoying beast.  I have no fear of spreading it through the international headquarters of Readlarrypowell.com. Everybody on staff wears a blue medical mask and gloves – how the thumbless beasts tie the masks on is beyond me. At our house when one of the two humans has a cold, fighting it is a team effort unless my toughspouse Martha has the cold and then she’s on her own. If I have it, it’s so monumental that more than one person must suffer. We’ve been fighting one (I whine and sneeze and dab at my giant nose while my patientspouse Martha endures). This has been going on for four days and today is the day it wins. Now,  I go to find rest and comfort and, of course, plenty of cough-battling liquids, Oops, that is my primary care canine, Dr. Inky, the Cocker Laureate of the State of Texas, who has just recommended  that I drink fizzy liquids and hand cookies to the dog. “It is the way out of this hallucinatory madness,” he says. I protest that I am not hallucinating and he patiently asks, “Why else would you take medical orders from a red-nosed spaniel who majored in literature?”
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