ReadLarryPowell.com

Celebrating a black and white napper...

Here’s how Cathy Baker cemented selection of The Great Cat Max for the spotlight in this weekend’s Readlarrypowell.com presentation of Let Sleeping Dogs Lie and Napping Cats Nap:
She appealed to my innermost catself.
And she sent a photo of the black and white cat curled up with his paws in the cutest possible positions!
She wrote, “I know you are partial to black and white cats, so I would like to nominate my Max for your feature.”
Partial to ‘em? That is a completely accurate assessment. Our whole household,  including the assorted dogs and the non-black and white cats, and my funspouse Martha are both partial to and dedicated to black and white cats..
Here’s Cathy’s explanation of her beloved Max and you’ll note use of the special cat-specific moustache term “kitler.”
She says, “He was adopted as a scrawny 14-week-old kitten from the SPCA of Texas almost 11 years ago. He is covering his handsome face in the sleeping picture so I am including an awake photo as well. 
”He has an incredible set of whiskers and a small ‘kitler’ mustache.  He weighs somewhere around 16 pounds and is so hurt when I don't let him stand in my lap.
”The strangest thing about him is that he will fetch the little foam cat ball toys.  I'll toss one to him, he'll paw it into submission and then carry it back to me in his mouth, so we can play again.  Also he gets so scared when anyone comes to the house -- he runs to my bedroom and crawls under the covers.  He thinks he's hiding but the size of that mound gives him away every time.”
[Ah, my fellow insomniacs, what we would give to curl up like napping Max. Please nominate your slumbering critters for our weekend, worldwide-read feature, Let Sleeping Dogs Lie & Napping Cats Nap, by sending the picture and the explanation to dallrp@aol.com. Remember someone somewhere in the world will benefit from being inspired by the fact that sleep is not merely a fictional element in a storybook life.)
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Dog on the run; dog found; dogs dumped; cat in an allergy spot...rainy days and critters

As our week of roller coaster weather draws to a close, we report that going out with the dogs pre-dawn today was an encounter with cold rain, quite a wake-me up. Now, on with today’s report as we try to stop shivering. IItt mmaakkeess oouurr ttyyppiinngg lloookk jjitteerry:
BE ON THE LOOKOUT: A team of volunteers from Greyhound Adoption League of Texas is out in the area of Highway 190 and Frankford Road in Far North Dallas looking for this Grey girl Tia who bolted from a volunteer’s custody on a vet’s parking lot yesterday>
Tia, who is perfectly healthy and robust, zipped across busy Preston Road and was last seen in big wash/gully area between some apartments on the west and some homes on the east.
GALT’s  Team Tia spokesman Joe Hoiles asks that if you see Tia, don’t try to catch her, simply quickly call either 214-498-3420 or 214-676-3544.  She’s likely to keep running as long as someone’s chasing her.  So, don’t. Just make the call. (You can use those same numbers if by some longshot you actually have Tia in your house or yard – she’s wearing a pink collar with the leash still attached.)
What makes her capable of staying on the run is experience -- she was a stray in the Waco area for 3 months before being caught in a live trap.
THIS ONE IS CAUGHT: Our pal Jonnie England, longtime rescuer and Director of Animal Advocacy for the Metroplex Animal Coalition, keeps her eyes open at all times for wandering and distressed animals. The latest is this fellow she picked up Wednesday on Hampton Road just north of Ledbetter in Oak Cliff.
As you can see, this dog was NOT among the pampered pups at the Westminster Kennel Club Show. Nope. This guy is among the neglected, abused, battered and turned out to die dogs in Dallas.
(Larry aside: The mugshot of the dog and his swollen ear just about brought me to old man tears. He just really needs a hug, don’t you think?)
Jonnie reports, “He’s about 1.5-2 years old and weighs about 45 pounds. He’s mastiff-something mix. 
”Really beat up, mange, ticks, not neutered, but very gentle.”
Without a place to park him, Jonnie took him to Dallas Animal Services where, upon intake, he was given vaccinations and some meds for the ticks. He’s awaiting further processing and, of course, someone to claim him.
He was a nice, gentle arrival at the city shelter. Jonnie says she’s trying to find a safe haven for him. (If you can take the guy into your rescue program, or if you want to arrange to adopt him, e-mail jonnieengland@att.net.)
Jonnie says that she was taking her mom, the famous Lil England, to an appointment when they spotted the dog. He sat in the car with Jonnie while Lil went inside for a while. The dog was perfectly behaved. He was not difficult to catch, either – Jonnie always carries dog food with her just in case…
At the shelter, he’s getting two meals a day, being monitored and waiting. Only a couple of things he’s waiting for and one of them is real bad.
THE COLLIN COUNTY TIGHTROPE: What some once considered a possibly rabid dog has turned out to be this guy Corbin, about 7 months old, a Vizsla mix, who is, so obviously, not a mad dog at all but a Flaps Down Earhound.
He’s been available for adoption at the Collin County Animal Services Center since yesterday. According to a note distributed by the CCAS volunteer shelter walker Allison Roberts, Corbin wound up in rabies quarantine because he “accidentally scratched someone while playing.” He’s #335959 and he’s ready to go.
In fact, there are scores of animals – dogs and cats – ready to go at CCAS and when one is adopted or pulled by a rescue group, it keeps the “needle” in the storage closet at the McKinney facility.
Among the newly arrived animals are a momma Border Collie mix and her four two-month-old puppies – two boys, two girls and they don’t have to go together. Owner surrenders, of course..
[Larry aside: I’m betting the owner dropped those dogs off at the shelter and said something like, “This darned dog keeps having puppies and I’m just tired of it.  When she turned up pregnant I got so blamed mad at her. I mean, how could she do that when she knows we don’t need no puppies. Take her. Take her into your shelter and if she can’t find a home, well, just put her to sleep. You can wake her up when someone comes by looking for a new dog.” Wake her up? Listen, if you don’t understand the basics of the birds and bees, you sure as hell don’t understand that dogs that are “put to sleep” can’t be awakened.  Please, accept my apology for reacting in such a poor fashion to this situation. It’s probably not true that we are trying to spay and neuter the wrong species.]
To ask about giving any animal a home, contact the shelter and email both ldrummonds@co.collin.tx.us and animalshelter@co.collin.tx.us .
LARRY, THE BLACK AND WHITE CAT: Karen Lee, who frequently tips Readlarrypowell.com to Earhounds and other rescue situations, spotted this one in North Richland Hills right way. It has two elements: First, the cat’s name is Larry. Second, this is a black and white cat and, as regular readers know, we’re partial to these rascals, convinced that they are, indeed, the feline world’s most distinct individuals.
And this particular fellow, the delightful Larry (as opposed to the typing Larry), is in an allergy situation and his longtime human, Jacob Hill, is trying to find a spectacular home for the 9-year-old rascal.
He’s had him a while. Jacob says that he “rescued him from a shelter as a kitten in ’03 before I got married.” Larry has always been an indoor cat and “ is very laid back, doesn’t do much except sleep and meow when he’s ready to eat. He’s beyond the playing phase. He lets my 3-year-old old  ‘brush’ his hair and carry him around, so patient LOL.  Attached is a pic from my home office (yes I’m that pet guy that has pictures).”
Larry is neutered and is a snuggling lap cat. Jacob can fill you in on other details, such as the fact that, for 7 years, the cat has lived dispute-free with the family Husky, Samson who “gave up the ‘dominate’ role to the cat.”

The cat’s situation is tough on the family, Jacob says. “I appreciate anything you can help with, we love the little guy dearly since he’s part of the family, but my daughter has gotten so miserable the last year, and although she doesn’t complain, the allergy meds and stuffy noses are just making it rough for her.”
To offer a good home (you’ll have to pass the audition) for Larry, e-mail jacob.hill@radioshack.com or call 817-797-7965 or 317-985-8227.
UPDATE FROM CARROLLTON: Two animals we’ve reported on have found good fortune, according to the folks at the Carrollton Animal  Shelter.
The big dog Oreo was taken in by the Justin Animal Alliance where an adoptor was already waiting for him, Carrollton Animal Rescue Enterprise (the shelter's "brand") reports..
And Peter the Cat (right) wound up in the hands of SNYP.
AN ODD STORY FROM HOUSTON: We got the first tip on this from reliable Houston contact Alexandra Kelsey who sent the story of the purloined pup to us – the dog was taken at knifepoint in Houston’s Midtown area and the people with the dog began to e-paper the state with notices. You can see the Houston Chronicle story HERE.
This crime should serve as a reminder to us all that creeps are out there just waiting for a slip up on the part of good and decent people.
CONTEMPLATIONS: Why are some people creeps? Never mind. We don’t have enough time to list them or explain them. It would take an eternity – and, maybe they ought to think about that because, well, there’s an eternity waiting on them. … As baseball season arrives, is the big Texas Rangers fan problem going to be rooting for Bobby Valentine without rooting for the Boston Red Sox he’s managing this season? Well, you always wish him well against the New York Yankees, of course. … Best morning snack on a rainy day? A healthy fruit cup or a cup of coffee and a sugar-glazed raspberry-filled donut? Stop me before I jump in the car and drive to a donut shop.
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Animals, people and contemplative commemorations...

I ran across some place online that says February 16 is Do A Grouch A Favor Day.
You could do one grouch a favor and send dallrp@aol.com photographs of your sleeping dogs and napping cats for our weekend feature "Let Sleeping Dogs Lie & Napping Cats Nap."  Do it today and win my admiration.
OK, here’s today’s Readlarrypowell.com report. Perhaps you’ll find something that’ll make you feel good or a mission that you can accomplish that will make you feel good.
YESTERDAY’S DOG, TOMORROW’S DEADLINE: Yesterday we told the story of Maria Llano monitoring the fate of a brown Pit girl who she first saw near White Rock Lake and who wound up in the Garland Animal Shelter.
The dog is friendly and has a big lump on her leg (perhaps a cyst) and is on a stray hold until tomorrow, Maria says. And the dog’s plight has inspired people to donate to her care – the money would go to a reputable rescue group that takes her off death row in a city shelter.
Maria got better photographs of the dog during a visit to the shelter. As you can see, she is so obviously an Earhound. To offer to help the dog, e-mail rescue@ci.garland.tx.us or contact Maria at mariallanoblue@gmail.com.
LONGSHOTS: Collin County Animal Services’ volunteer shelter walker Allison Roberts reports that amongst all the actual friendly animals in the facility are a couple of “semi-feral” heelers who are fear-biters and need someone with patience to work with them to turn them into happy companions.  If anything bad happens to the animals, it is not the fault of the shelter, but the fault of the person who let these dogs down. Optimistic rescuers should contact the shelter by e-mailing e-mail ldrummonds@co.collin.tx.us  and animalshelter@co.collin.tx.us.  Iris and Louisa are about 4 months old.
WHERE DO BOXERS COME FROM? PLEASANT GROVE? Sometimes.
Rescuer Jeffrey Hartman explains that he and wife Debra are fostering this beauty, Brooke. He found her “in the parking lot at work (Pleasant Grove area) the day after New Years. Of course she was starving, cold and probably let loose since she looks to be bred out. About 7 years old. We did a sonogram and naturally she has heartworm but thankfully is not pregnant. She’s vetted and plans are to start with HW treatment next month, then spay.
”She’s very playful and has fit in great with our pack. She is up for adoption through Straydog Inc. at the PetSmart in Plano on Saturdays, and should she find a home soon, I will be covering all the expense for the HW and spay treatment.”
To offer to help out with this gorgeous dog, call 972-978-3203.
LOST AND FOUND AT THE LAKE: Seems like you’d miss a dog that was this big. Believed to be a St. Barnard mix, this dog was found wandering in Seven Points near Cedar Creek Lake. To claim or to offer to help, email txtina1201@yahoo.com or call Tina Hamilton of Adopt-A-Happy-Tail Inc. at 903-880-4124 or 903-275-5990.
Looks like this dog could be hugged. Might be a good dog to hold a rug down in the living room. Could be used to add weight to a car for maneuvering in icy weather. Might be able to use this dog to teach your kid to hug big hairy necks – start out on this dog and work the kid’s way up to horses and his jackass uncle. Sorry, maybe he’s just a plain ol’ uncle.
You do wonder how a dog like this winds up on the loose. Got to be human failure somewhere.
THE CIRCLE OF LIFE: I’m on the mailing list for A Different Breed Rescue and today I opened up a note about the usual Saturday adoption at Pepper Square from Joni McConnell of ADB. And this sentence caught my eye. She wrote, “I noticed today we have lots of newspapers. Thank you! Sure could use some dog biscuits if you feel like donating any.”
A big donation of biscuits will, of course, result in a more pressing need for more newspapers. So, yes, just bring both biscuits and papers and you’ll be a hero. Take home a new dog or cat and you’ll be a godsend.
I went to the ADB website HERE and took a look at available animals and spotted this Earhound Spock who, as you can see from the photo, was posed in front of a genuine Earhound.
EVERMAN CRISIS: Shelter volunteer Anna Horton sent out overnight notes regarding the press of overpopulation and under adoption at the Everman Animal Services shelter south of Fort Worth.
Lots of dogs. Anna says the shelter doesn’t have a PTS list yet, but likely will have to create one if no one steps up to pull animals or adopt them.
These are just a couple of the cases.
Sophie is an “elderly” Fox Terrier – merely 10, it turns out --  who is heartworm positive – she’s under treatment. She also has some kind of wound on the top of her heard. Shelter stress is getting to her and she “hides her face from the camera,” Anna says. She doesn’t trust people but, in general, is more tolerant of women than of men.
And, anyone who has been in rescue knows what’s going on in the photo with the two dogs. Fright is causing them to go to a corner and crawl on top of each other to avoid the evil intruder. They are Babydoll and Andy, brother and sister who were roaming the streets. The good soul who picked them up is now fostering them, but they are “painfully shy or scared of people.” That’s Babydoll atop her brother as Anna snapped the photo. She says they are “project dogs.”
The shelter contacts are 817-561-5495 or e-mail eversmananimalservices@yahoo.com or you can e-mail annahorton@gmail.com, too.
DAS AND THE LITTLE BIT STORY: On Wednesday afternoon, Dallas Animal Services’ Animal Control Officer Mark Cooper sent out a request for help with a “very tiny and fragile” Chihuahua named Little Bit.
He explained, “This little cutie found its way into a senior citizen’s back yard where the pup met up with the woman’s Boxer and Chow. As she went to pull Little Bit from danger the dog nipped her on her finger out of pure fear. She housed the dog for two days then took the sweetheart to her personal vet clinic in hopes that they would help her find a home. When they learned of the bite, they reported it to DAS and we impounded the dog for quarantine. Little Bit has been with us for two weeks and she has quickly stolen my heart.”
He says the “very sweet senior citizen” who Little Bit nipped has pledged a donation to the rescue that helps save the dog. (Email mark.cooper@dallascityhall.com to offer to adopt, rescue or help. And go to www.dallasanimalservices.org to see what other animals need help in this big city shelter.)
A NOTE ABOUT JO JO AND A SOAPBOX MOMENT: On Valentine’s Day we told the story, thanks to noted rescuer Johnna Bigley, of Jo Jo, the dog who wound up in the Balch Springs Animal Shelter when her teenaged owner was arrested and the teen’s foster home didn’t want to keep the dog.
Johnna messaged us yesterday that Jo Jo has been claimed and was undergoing exams and care at a local vet clinic.
She adds, “Apparently, the teen girl who was arrested is a pretty troubled girl. She’s run away several times and always took Jo Jo with her. I know she’s going to miss him. “
It’s a bad enough thing that the dog wound up in a shelter and faces some great odds.
But this teen girl is facing some awful odds, too. Something makes her run away. Something got her into this fix in the first place. Probably she and the dog share something in common – they’ve both been let down by humans.
At Readlarrypowell.com we don’t know the inside story, but we’ve been around the block a time or two and we know that when a teen girl winds up in trouble with the law, there is a probably a problem that can’t be solved by simply locking up the kid and forgetting about her.
Let’s hope that she gets some help and finds a peaceful way to become a happy person. She was once someone’s little baby – somewhere someone failed her. I just don’t know if such a life can be repaired. Surely someone will try to help her just as people are trying to help her dog.
CONTEMPLATIONS: Here are two other notes about Feb. 16 – it is the anniversary of the 1978 invention of computer bulletin boards (see HERE) and it is also the anniversary of the first American 911 call which, according to this site HERE was placed in 1968 by the Alabama Speaker of the House and answered by an Alabama congressman.  Surely the first message was neither “Help!” nor "Hey, bubba, have ah got uh deal fur yew." Yep, politician to politician and, yet, we Americans still have faith in 911. … On Wednesday afternoon, one of the most beautiful days we’ve had around here in months, I met up with our letter carrier in the front yard and she told me she was taking a vacation next week. I said, “I hope you get this kind of weather” and she said, “Oh know, I hope we get some snow! I never get to enjoy it.”  She’s the neighborhood’s favorite letter carrier ever rain, shine, sleet or snow – hope she gets the vacation she wants – just enough snow to be pretty.
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Show biz and adoptables -- the morning after...

Before we get to a Pit girl who wandered from White Rock to Garland, let’s note that this is the day after the Westminster Kennel Club Show or, as some members of our household refer to it, “Bitter Wednesday.”
Our mixed breeds and the cats call it “So What Wednesday.”
Inky, a dog of English Cocker Spaniel heritage, is miffed not only that a walking mop of a dog, Malachy the Pekinese, won Best in Show, but also that the Sporting Group title went not to Celine the beautiful, regal English Cocker, but to a stunning Irish Setter named Emily.
Inky issued a one-sentence statement after the Sporting Group title went to the gangly, animated Emily: “The Irish Setter is the Jar Jar Binks of Dogs.” Then, muttering under his breath, Inky waddled off to the kitchen in search of his flask of ale and a treat. The English Cocker travels with a pub attitude.
About 3 a.m., Inky, Earl the Rottie and Rosie the Chihuahua woke us with their barroom rendition of “There’s No Business Like Show Business.” As Rosie, who once performed on the Vaudeville circuit as “The Treasure of the Sierra Madre,” told a press conference after the show, “Ribbons? Ribbons? I don’t need no stinkin’ ribbons.”
Yes, that is our staff impersonator, Inky, the Cocker Laureate of the State of Texas, giving us his impression of a show-quality Peke. (Wig provided by Gagaland.)
SHOW QUALITY FACE: At first glance this appears to be a photo showing the hands of a judge giving a once-over to the face and structure of a competitive entry in the Working Dog Class.
Not hardly. That is Ares, a Lab/Pit mix who is currently on the clock at the Collin County Animal Services Shelter in McKinney. No idea of his family free but the shelter does know he was an owner-surrender.
Surely that was an extraordinarily threatening reason that would cause someone to hand over such a great big ol’ dawg to a shelter where there’s a chance of euthanasia. Offhand I can’t think of a reason and I pray I never have to come up with one.
So, if you’re interested in this neutered, micro-chipped, healthy and properly vaccinated dog, e-mail ldrummonds@co.collin.tx.us and animalshelter@co.collin.tx.us. You can see Ares’ video HERE.
Now, is Ares the only dog in the shelter? Not hardly. That Earhound is Moose. Yep, total Earhound -- not recognized by the AKC, you know.  And if you click on this smaller square of “art” to the right it’ll expand and you’ll see a bunch of the dogs waiting for either help or cold fate at the shelter. Among them are Sebastian, the skittish Border Collie who was returned (acted like a darned dog!) and Rita, the wonderful black dog with the great sad face.
THE PIT GIRL IN GARLAND: We get this from Maria Llano who is trying to help a dog she spotted near White Rock Lake and Garland Road on Saturday. That’s the shelter photo, but you get the drift.
Maria writes, “I followed her for a while but I lost her in a neighborhood. No collar, about 1-3 yrs old; you can tell she's had puppies.
”Well, who do I see this morning [Monday] on my way to work! On Miller Road/Garland Road, THE SAME Pit! She's been on the loose for at least 4 days. The reason I know it's her is because she has a large tumor on her back left leg on her thigh.
”This intersection has LOTS of traffic and she was weaving around in it! I followed her to the gas station at the corner and pulled over to feed her and think about what I would do with her. She immediately came up to me wagging her tail and I fed her 3 cans of food and she was starving, gobbled them up. I don't have my leads in my car so after she ate she ran off and I got in my car to follow her and the Garland [shelter] truck pulled up!
”his intersection is very busy and there is a Day Labor center at that intersection so there are lots of people walking around and she was just walking up to everyone and wagging her tail. As soon as the Garland animal control truck drove up, the ACO got out and she walked up to him without any fear or aggression, just a wagging tail. No chase or catch pole needed so he loaded her in his truck.
“She traveled over 4 miles since I saw her on Saturday morning the first time. What are the odds that that I would see her twice?
”She's got lots of negatives against her.  She's a Pit, I'm positive she isn't microchipped, and is unspayed with a tumor on her leg.  I seriously doubt that an owner will be reclaiming her since she was originally in Dallas when I saw her on Saturday.
”I didn't get any photos I was feeding her to prevent her from going back into traffic. I've attached her shelter photo, it's a horrible shot but it’s the only thing I have. She's a stocky build, about 50 lbs and very sweet.  She licked my fingers as I scooped the dog food out of the can and wasn't interested in the dry food and went to my car trunk to look for more cans of food, even stood on her hind legs to look into the trunk.”
Maria says she’s assuming that the breed and the tumor will make her “rescue only” after her stray hold expires.
To help this dog, contact Maria at mariallanoblue@gmail.com. She’s monitoring the dog at the Garland shelter. The stray hold started on Valentine’s Day. It’ll be over before you know it. Some  substantial pledges have been made to help the rescue group that claims this girl.
And Maria notes, "We've always got to be extra careful with Pits going to ‘Pit Rescues’ --there are some crooked ones out there.”
DALLAS SHELTER NEEDS: Not only does the Dallas Animal Services Shelter & Adoption Center need adoptors and volunteers, it also needs supplies, according to a request distributed by the devoted Animal Control Officer Mark Cooper who works with rescue groups.
”Please spread the word that we are in desperate need of bedding such as towels, quilts, throws, bath rugs and blankets. During this cool weather, these sweet babies of DAS need something warm to cuddle in. If you have any spare bedding in your home, we could definitely use it. Please feel free to have any donations dropped of at either our Lost & Found lobby or the Adoptions Center lobby. Thank you!”
The shelter is at I-30 and Westmoreland in West Dallas. While you’re there, take a look at the adoptables.
SOMETIMES THINGS CHANGE: Overnight we got a note from tipster Sydney Busch of Friends of the Animals at Cedar Creek Lake which operates the world’s most successful spay/neuter clinic at Gun Barrel City.
Friends pal Judi Kelly was trying to find a home for a 4-year-old Yorkie someone in Plano was surrendering because of a new baby in the house. This morning we checked with Judi and she reports the new mom reversed the household decision and the Yorkie gets to stay in the home he’s known all his life. Sometimes things get a chance to work out. (Larry aside: Having had kids and having had dogs, my choice falls on the side of the ….wait, I can’t write that. Yeah, I mean to say, “We make room for both.”  I kid the kids, you know.)
Now, in the meantime, you’ll note this photo of a cat. Sydney tipped us to this one, too. And the information comes from the resolute rescuer, Tina Hamilton of Adopt A Happy Tail Inc., the non-profit based “out by the lake.”
The cat (yep, cell phone photo) was turned over to the rescue when the human developed allergies. The cat is spayed and declawed (which means indoor only).
To ask about the cat, e-mail txtina1201@yahoo.com or call 903-880-4124 or 903-275-5990.
CONTEMPLATIONS:  During the Westminster final judging last night, the incoming e-mail to Readlarrypowell.com slowed to virtually nothing. People were either watching the dog show or violent but colorful Justified. (I was watching Justified on the back TV and running to the front TV during commercials. My sanespouse Martha and the dogs were watching Westminster. Griffin the Big Orange Cat was with me – he’s a reserve U.S. Deputy Marshall in the Feline District. …. FYI: Can’t imagine backyard breeders dumping their Yorkies and other lap dogs to fill the breeding pens with hard-to-groom Pekes, but, you never know. Keep your eye on the shelters and flea markets. … About dog and cat shows: We’ve been to both and, frankly, they are representative of society at large in that there’s a sprinkling of nuts in the general population. If you’ve never been to either, it’s worth a visit so you can see how people pamper their animals. At the local shows you’ll discover that, frequently, the show dog actually is a companion animal, a pet, a pal and not just an investment. The cats? Has to be seen to be believed. At one show a few years ago, a woman who was showing cats was dressed as Peter Pan. We saw one cat cage decorated as Tara, the big mansion in Gone With The Wind. Why isn’t there a national cat show on television? Cat union always votes no.
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Afternoon edition...

ONE MORE REMINDER: The stores are still open and some grocery store parking lots have “express flower lanes” this particular Valentine’s Day.
A DOG AND CRIME STORY: Johnna Bigley, who usually is knee-deep in volunteering for the Seagoville Shelter, is trying to help a Facebook friend, Brandi Simek, save a dog that recently arrived at the Balch Springs Animal Shelter.
The Simek note says that this dog, Jo Jo, wound up in the kill-shelter yesterday. He “belonged to a teenager in foster care in Balch Springs,” she says. “The teen was arrested and the foster mother refused to allow Jo Jo to stay. The officers transporte him to the station where he was picke dup by animal control I spent time with im outside waiting for animal control. He is a sweet, swell-beahved dog. He was so frightened.”
Balch Springs Animal Control is at 3117 Hickory Tree Road. Call 972-913-3006. E-mail simek85@yahoo.com 
We’ll try to keep you posted.
FROM THE LAKE: Last week we mentioned two Walker Treeing Hounds in the Humane Society of Cedar Creek Lake Shelter at Tool – Whisper and Katie, who didn’t know each other and didn’t get along.
Shelter Director Krista Mc Anally says both the Hounds have been spoken for and are going different places. But Katie needs a ride from the shelter at Tool to DFW Airport so she can catch an early morning flight Friday to a rescue in New Mexico. To offer to help get Katie to the Land of Enchantment, e-mail dogshsccl@yahoo.com or call the shelter at 903-432-3422.
In the meantime, Asia the Pit Bull, falsely accused of and then cleared of killing a cat in her foster home, still faces the needle tomorrow if no one steps up to save her. She’s a calm, quiet, friendly dog who, Krista says, deserves a chance to show that she’s a good and loyal companion.”
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It's Valentine's Day, sweethearts...Ah, people, critters and contemplations

Since it is Valentine’s Day, I will speak from the heart.
Patience is what we all need, both in affairs of the heart and in animal rescues.
If my funspouse Martha were not patient, she would not be getting an extraordinary Valentine today that includes a bag of Reese’s Mini-Peanut Butter Cups -- ah, romance! And if she were not patient, I would not be typing this from a permanent address.
FOUND ALONG I-20 IN DALLAS: Reliable tipster and rescuer Julie Norris sent us this note and we’re waiting to hear about the fate of this little dog. For now we know that the dog got a break while challenging the speeding traffic on the interstate highway.
Julie says her good friend Lisa Shaw found the dog, now known as Eli, running along I-20. “She was able to coax the little guy into her car with food. After scrubbing him in the bathtub and getting warm food into his tummy, he settled down for some much needed rest.”
He could be an Aussie/Lab mix, might be a Pyr mix. – whatever he is, he’s not supposed to be running down a freeway.
Lisa and Julie have teamed to foster him, Paws In The City accepted him into the guest dog program and now we wait to hear how he shapes up medically.
He was taken to a vet for a check-up and it appears, we're told, that he has chicken bones in his intestines, so the wait is on to see if he can get rid of them naturally or if something else is in his future.
Stay tuned and we’ll see what he needs. [Larry aside: How many times have you heard, "Don't feed chicken bones to the dog!" And, of course, if the little guy had to scavenge at a trash bin, well, son of a gun, how do you stop that? Ah, you -- and I direct this to the dog's pinheaded original owner -- treat the dog as if he matters. Because he does.]
Lisa, by the way, has most recently taken in Addie, a “remainder” when a rescue group shut down, and Millie, found in a parking lot and thought to be pregnant but actually suffering from a potentially fatal infection. Lisa also “feds a clan of stray cats that live in the Town Square in Lancaster,” Julie says.
She also says Lisa, who has encountered a health crisis, could use some help placing Millie and Addie and in feeding the cats.  And, of course, Eli may need a place to go or some special care. E-mail Julie at crescentrealtors@gmail.com to offer to help.
MOM AND SIX: Rescuer Rekka Melby sends word that Dart and her puppies need some help. They were rescued on Jan. 22. You can guess why mom is named Dart.
Here’s the story of the Take Me Home Pet Rescue Dart mission that night:
”The weekend of Jan 22, we helped rescue a stray momma dog and her six newborn puppies who were living on the streets of Dallas near a Dart station.  The good Samaritans who had been feeding and caring for the mom dog (Dart) found what they thought was a foster via a dog boarding facility but have recently found out they are being charged a  lot of money to house the little family there. We just found out about this and it is a very unfortunate turn in events.
”We urgently need to move this family out of there!  We are looking for a reputable rescue group to take in this adorable little family.”
To offer to take the mom and pups in, e-mail thedartproject@gmail.com.
You can see video of the rescue by clicking HERE.
And, as you’ll see, patience and skill team to save the animals.
[SOAPBOX MOMENT: You may also ask yourself “What kind of jerk let this dog run free and get pregnant?” and you may answer, “Please, help me swing my 2-by-4 in a swift and educational manner.”  Sorry, that would be wrong. Please forget that I suggested anything other than Pavlovian conditioning to change the thinking of the pinheads around here. That’s right, drop the 2-by-4 and pick up a big, well-cast bell and make it ring off the pinhead’s noggin. Wait, that, also would be wrong. Well, it would be right, but it would be wrong. Just remind everyone you see “spay and neuter” and “keep your dogs secure.” Seems so easy. Tries my patience.]
PATIENCE IN THE EAST: Months ago I had a phone conversation with Marilyn Allen, a volunteer with Friends of the Animals at Cedar Creek Lake, about two dogs she was trying to help. In fact, it was in early December and you may have seen the e-circulated note about Marilyn trying to help a Jack Russell and a Heeler/Spaniel mix who were taken in because they, basically, were in a home where nobody had time to care for them but made time to beat them. And they kept them tethered outside, too, in all kinds of lousy weather..
The little guy was adopted pretty quickly.
And the patience comes in with this handsome fellow
One of the reasons patience is important is the person who had the dog beat him – thus he’s a little wary around women. Yes, a woman beat him – basically for acting like a dog and not being so good at being left alone in a dwelling. He was beaten, then tethered.
And, now, he’s needing a real home.
This guy is neutered, weighs in at 35 pounds and is a year old.
Marilyn writes, “He truly has the makings of a great dog, but I am completely unable to meet his needs. A Heeler can’t be kept tied up/locked up because of their need to be active and busy. He’s young, high-energy, but has been tied up all of his life and is desperate to run free.
”He has responded immediately to training methods I’ve tried, only to lose interest because his need to run free isn’t met.  I have to keep him penned up or on a leash/tieout because of my three dogs and six cats.  I have limited time to work with him, only about 15 minutes 3 times a day.  He’s learned to sit, he’s loving and trusting, gives little doggy kisses, and is so grateful for the little attention I give him.  Then he’s heartbroken when I pen him up.”
Yes, he just needs a good home. To offer to give him a good home – and you’ll have to pass an audition – email marilyn.j.allen@centurylink.com or call 903-675-9681 or 903-675-5697.
Larry aside: There’s probably some reason I didn’t get this dog’s photo published in December – like maybe his home wouldn’t really be ready until this week. Maybe someone who’s reading this will see the potential joy of having a boy like this around the house.
A GIRL SCOUT OPPORTUNITY: Talk about a guaranteed sale, the folks with Friends of the Animals at Cedar Creek Lake have a deal for Girl Scouts.
We got the info from our Friends tipster Sydney Busch. Friends, as you know, is the group that runs the world’s greatest spay/neuter clinic at Gun Barrel City, Texas, over by Cedar Creek Lake, east of Dallas.
They’ve apparently got a rule, though. If anybody’s selling Girl Scout Cookies at the clinic when it’s open on Tuesdays, it has to be the actual Girl Scout, not the moms.
Sydney sent out a note to Friends’ friends saying that “this year I thought out would send out an email to our supporters to see if any of you have children or grandchildren /nieces/whatever selling these, we would rather buy from a supporter of ours than not.
”But the girl has to come in herself and do the sales pitch. We are at the clinic on Tuesdays until about 5:30 and there is the special Sunday Surgery Day on Feb. 26– we’ll be there from about 8 until 5 that day.”
So, you can kill two birds with one stone, so to speak: Get a critter fixed and boost your Girl Scout’s sales, too.
Larry aside: People helping people who are helping animals who will eventually help people who are helping people who are... well, you see how this goes. I’m surprised Andrew Lloyd Weber hasn’t written a musical about the “Circle of Goodness.”
Get directions to the cookie-buyer clinic by going to the Friends site HERE.
EARLY BIRD’S LAST DAY FOR TEXAS UNITES CONFERENCE: Today is the last day to get the Early Bird registration deal for the 3-day Texas Unites 2012 conference March 17-19 in Austin. The conference has 41 workshops dealing with animal issues in the State of Texas.
You can get all the details about the annual conference by going HERE where you can register and also see the list of the 41 workshop topics.
UGLY NOTES ABOUT ANIMALS: Read these only if you want to (a) learn about a brave dog in the first story and (b) a dedicated rescuer in the second.
Because we get a daily report from the San Jose Mercury we spotted this story of thugs beating a man and killing his Yorkie, too, as, apparently, the little dog tried to protect his master. You can read that HERE
 Story one from San Jose is HERE. But you will want to come right back and read the story of a rescuer, Catherine Bugg, who was trying to get a foundling puppy from Tucumcari to Amarillo when the treacherous weather conditions took the lives of both. That Examiner story is HERE.
Larry aside: From these two stories we’ve decided this: Just as there are so many breeds of dogs, there, apparently, are three different kinds of human hearts: mean, good and indifferent. Indifferent hearts help the mean hearts win. And the good hearts leave us too soon.
A BEDFORD EARHOUND:  Maryann Izzarelli who works with the Team Bedford folks on the Bedford Animal Shelter Facebook page, has a real eye for Earhounds.
Last night she sent this photo of Millie who, as you can see, is gifted with a sensational set of ears.
Maryann says, “She's available for adoption or rescue...sweet as can be, we've had her a few weeks.  She takes treats like a lady -- makes me sad because I'm sure she was part of a family at some point.”
You can visit the Facebook site HERE  and you can see how to contact the shelter and visit it HERE. You can also see other adoptables in Bedford by going to that link. As Maryann says, “It never ends.”
CONTEMPLATION: My tunespouse Martha and I both listen to KEOM, the student radio station in the Mesquite school district – it’s at 88.5 on your FM dial. Martha was driving to work in Monday’s sloppy conditions and listening to KEOM’s traffic report when the student announcer warned listeners of a car accident in Dallas at I-35 North and “E Wing Avenue.” Yes, that is near the Dallas Zoo, but there are not really A, B, C and D Wing Avenues to go with E Wing. And it occurs to me that the kid who read the report is probably way too young to have ever heard of the famous Dallas oil  family, the E Wings, I mean the “Ewings.” The “You-wings.”  One reason I’ve always enjoyed the print media – we had editors backstopping what we typed. No editing button on the radio mike. … The dogs at the Westminster Kennel Club Show are fantastic. We watched the first night with our crowd last night though we just couldn’t get them to do the wave during the judging. Had no trouble getting them to tailgate before the show, however. The champ will be picked Tuesday night – and there’s a flap over the club dropping Pedigree as a sponsor because of the company’s “sad” take on adopting shelter dogs. You can Google Pedigree and Westminster and see several opinions.…  We’ve had purebreds, we’ve had mutts. You know the difference between purebreds and mutts? Yeah, I don’t either.  I think the difference might be in their people.  All dogs rock.  Especially on Valentine’s Day because they don’t get the chocolate and the human does – one of the few treats we don’t share. Roses? Oh, Griffin the Orange Cat eats the petals. That photo? That is Inky, the Cocker Laureate of the State of Texas, in the official attire he wears when judging dog shows. He is certified to judge three recognized breeds: the Western Counter Surfer, the North American Morsel Nabber and the Texas Mud Wallower. He has lived with all and may be that middle one.
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On a wintry Monday, the missing, the available and the contemplations...

Welcome to Monday -- perfect winter storm. Happened overnight and was just rain by morning.
Yesterday demonstrated what afternoon TV would be like if pro football had never been invented: Lousy movies, paid programming, hockey with teams nobody knows and college basketball which doesn’t really matter until next month and all the bets are down on the big tournament.
Could have gone outside but the temp was in the 30s – no human can live in those conditions. No Texan, anyway. Here's today's report:
PICKED UP, TRACKED AND MISSING: Small, white poodle mix Belle had been on the lam only a minute or so when she was picked up in the 1700 block of West Colorado Boulevard near Kessler Parkway in North Oak Cliff.
Her human, Ken Row, says the dog was delivered to an address on South Bishop, then she vanished.
Belle was wearing a collar, is micro-chipped and registered with Dallas Animal Services.
Ken says someone saw Belle being loaded into an older car about 5:15 p.m. Thursday in front of their home Stevens Park Golf Course. Posters have been put up throughout the area, neighbors notified and e-mails blasted around all weekend. 
The woman who said she had the dog contacted the owners two days later – through clever computer work and old-fashioned watching the cars on their street, he says they tracked her to her residence. She told them the dog no longer was in her care, that she ran away while out doing her business.
Police have been contacted (Dallas has a Stolen Dog Ordinance that requires anyone who finds a dog to take make a good faith effort to find the owner and take the dog to the city shelter). 
If you know the whereabouts Belle, call 214-620-8655 or e-mail serami72@hotmail.com.
The little dog was adopted from Dallas Animal Services about 45 days ago. She had become Ken’s shadow – except for last Thursday when she went downstairs while he was busy. He says the kitchen door into the backyard had been left cracked open for another dog who was outside and Belle went out that door. She quickly crawled under the gate, then walked down the drive and into the street where she was picked up.
A DALLAS CAT: As you probably know, the folks at Dallas Animal Services compile a weekly list of Very Special Pets – they get on the list by having been at the city shelter for at least 45 days and having drawn no attention from potential adoptors.
Last week we mentioned the Earhound Bebe – she remains on the list with six other dogs. But also on the list is this lone cat, Sassy, a girl tabby who, the DAS folks say, doesn’t live up to her name. She’s more acrobatic than sassy, they say, and when she’s finished romping, she loves to sit in laps and be petted.
The thing is she’s 11. That’s right – 11. And some people see that as a “senior” cat, but those of us who have had cats for years know that it’s really just middle-aged for some of these long-lived, adored felines.
To ask about Sassy or Bebe. Email Catherine.baxter@dallascityhall.com, nicole.self@dallascityhall.com or teresa.cleek@dallascityhall.com or call 214-671-0249 or 214-670-8312. The rescue group contacts are mark.cooper@dallascityhall.com or 214-670-8298.
THE FACE OF THE HAPPY EARHOUND:  This is Rita and she has a representative set of ears, but more importantly, she’s in need of a home.
We learned about her from Allison Roberts, the volunteer shelter walker at Collin County Animal Services in McKinney.
Rita’s one of several dogs on the clock because the shelter is full, Allison says.
Rita has been available for adoption since January 19. Readlarrypowell.com gets a zillion photos a week of big black dogs in shelters. Most of the pictures show the big ol’ dawgs just standing and waiting – for what, they don’t know.
But the photos of Rita included this one in which she is caught being perfectly administered the All-American Chin Tickle which makes her squint her eyes happily and gleefully loll her tongue out of her long, pretty muzzle.
She’s a shepherd mix – obviously had an owner at one time – who, these days, has become the office companion of one of the Animal Control Officers at the Collin County Shelter. Adorable Rita spends her days in the front office with the staffer and follows her around.  Rita is house-trained, gets along with other dogs and enchants humans who take the time to enjoy her.
To ask about adopting this good dog, email ldrummonds@co.collin.tx.us and animalshelter@co.collin.tx.us.
AND THEN THERE ARE THESE FACES: Naturally, it was all I could do when I opened the email to keep from jumping in the pickup and racing to Carrollton to claim this big ol’ dog Oreo. He’s in the care of Carrollton Animal Services right now.
How did such a handface face become a death row dog? That’s right. He’s scheduled to get the needle on Wednesday.
As you know, dogs in shelters don’t generally carry papers or a schematic of the family tree, but, just from lookin’  wouldn’t you say Lab/Hound combo? Look that the ears and jowls – looks like some kind of naturally affectionate dog. He’s healthy, doesn’t have heartworms and is 7 years old. And the only thing that’s threatening him right now is the human condition.
Oreo was surrendered to the shelter. His people said they were moving and could not take him with them. Maybe they got him as a puppy. Who knows? But they got rid of him.
He can be saved. And so can that little black Chihuahua mix Molly, picked up with her sibling (perhaps), Polly, while romping near an elementary school – the  horror, the horror.
And that cat is Pete, also a Carrollton stray>
They’re the three Carrollton animals on the list for Wednesday morning.
Want to save one or two or all of these animals? Call Carrollton Animal Rescue Enterprise at 972-466-3420, or email CARE@cityofcarrollton.com.
THE PRESSURE COOKER IN BURNS FLAT: Such a little town, such a big challenge.
Terry Lynn Fisher, as we noted last week, is the tough volunteer who works to keep the small town shelter no-kill. She’s been successful since July, 2006.
But last week was a tough one. More dogs showed up than places for them to go. As Terry Lynn writes, “This past week, they slammed me with dogs...I have dogs in all the extra kennels, all my regular kennels at the pound and even the ones in back of the water tower I refer to as HELL... They gave me until MONDAY to move four, or they would have me choose that many to be killed..
I have never had to do that, so my heart was breaking...How was I to choose the ones that get to live? I was on line and on the phone all day long....posting, pleading and a LOT of praying...”
Yesterday she was feeling relief. Three dogs had been spoken for and on Sunday morning “I got the call that the fourth one would be picked up this [Sunday] afternoon.... Yes. Four are leaving for rescue. So tomorrow will arrive and none will be killed.”
Still not all the dogs out of the shelter, but she’s working on it. To give her a hand, call 580-330-1459 or email remembering_oddball@yahoo.com.
That top photo? That’s Landon, a Burns Flat dog showing that he’s good with people. He’d probably learn to drive a car and fix breakfast if you needed it. Landon is in a foster home now, but when he's moved out, that makes room for a shelter dog, such as Beatrice, right, who is still in the facility.
FYI: Terry Lynn says the people who helped her save the four dogs over the weekend were from Texas.
A SUNDAY MORNING SITUATION: You just never know where dogs are going to show up loose around here. We got this photo and note from one of our tipsters who explains that this dog was roaming the King of Glory Church parking lot and looking for food and affection on Sunday morning when everybody walked out of the service.
Maybe the dog lives in the neighborhood and someone doesn’t keep her properly fenced or, on a day with Sunday’s temps, in the house.
The church is at 3700 Jim Miller. The dog may be back home. The dog may still be roaming, looking for food and affection. When you have a car loaded with people on Sunday morning in their Sunday best, and you’ve got to be someplace else in a hurry, maybe all you’ve got time for is a prayer for protection and a plea for help and a quick blast of email to people who might be able to find a way to get to the dog before anything worse happens.
That’s the way things work sometimes. It weighs on your heart, though.
CONTEMPLATIONS:  Saw the opening to the Grammy’s last night and heard L.L. Cool J offer a prayer on behalf of the late Whitney Houston and I thought it was pretty neat and, also, ironic, that somebody can lead a prayer at a rock ‘n’ roll show but not at assorted public school commencements, etc.  … Oh, yeah, the other thing that was on TV yesterday was a Doris Day/Rock Hudson movie. I can’t remember which one. My funspouse Martha, who was a toddler when those were made, watches them with great joy. I saw them in the theater and, as I recall, enjoyed the 10-cent popcorn and 50-cent admission. … This is a fountain at the Uptown Shopping Center in Cedar Hill. I was there Sunday afternoon doing some book store shopping while book stores still exist. This water in this fountain was frozen solid. That is so wrong for North Texas … Things more enjoyable than temps so cold fountains freeze: Thick socks, hot chocolate, cold chocolate, medium chocolate. Yeah, chocolate just about trumps anything. Oh, yeah, Tuesday is Valentine’s Day.
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A handful of ferret -- Mischief...

You think dogs and cats can sleep anywhere? Look at this.
When they say ferrets are handy, I’m not sure this is what they mean.
Millie Sanders of Texas Ferret Lovers Rescue sent me a copy of the group’s annual calendar and as long as I had her on the line (as we used to say in the Bell Telephone era), I asked her if she had any photos of sleeping ferrets.
Consequently, the weekend spotlight of Readlarrypowell.com’s feature “Let Sleeping Dogs Lie & Napping Cats Nap” falls on a ferret.
”I love this one,” Millie says. “It’s a real picture.”
Indeed, this one is already adopted. Her name is Mischief and she belongs to Kevin Sutton. But Texas Ferret Rescue always has more available ferrets. Most are larger than this baby, but they are still cuddlyish. And they love to inspect things – bring a bag into the house and “they think it’s theirs,” says Millie. “They can’t find their way home, but they can really inspect a bag.”
How did Millie Sanders first encounter ferrets? “I found one in my backyard and took it to a vet to ask what it was.”
Years later, she says, “I got one for my granddaughter. Before I knew it, it was mine and I was president of the Ferret Club.”
What is a ferret? A “stretch rat”? Nope, not hardly. Rodents, as it turns out, are “prey” for ferrets. According to the bulk of reference material, the ferret is kin to skunks and weasels. How about that.
To ask about adopting a rescued ferret and to learn what it takes to be a ferret’s friend, visit Texas Ferret Lovers Rescue HERE. You can also see more about Mischief under the “happy tails” section on that site.
[Readlarrypowell.com is proud to present a picture or pictures of your favorite slumbering beasts in our weekend feature, Let Sleeping Dogs Lie & Napping Cats Nap. Please feel free to nominate dogs, cats, rabbits, raccoons, squirrels -- wait, I’ve never seen a sleeping squirrel. Now, there’s a challenge. Send the photos and info to .. We insomniacs know that if the Creatures of the Earth can sleep, there’s hope for us humans, too.].
DON’T FORGET: This weekend kicks off a sweetheart of a deal at Dallas Animal Services.
From 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday DAS will host a Valentine Adoption celebration at the Dallas shelter, Westmoreland at I-30.
Pet adoption prices drop to $30 – that’s good through Valentine’s Day. Adopt a pet and get a free photo – if you already have a pet and want a photo, bring the critter to the shelter and make a donation to Dallas Animal Advocates, the group which organized the event for DAS.
You can also get $15 microchips and low-cost vaccinations.
Get more info at www.dallasanimalservices.org or www.dallasanimaladvocates.com.
And, it might do you good just to drop by and take a look at the shelter that the rescuers and taxpayers finally persuaded the City of Dallas to build about 6 years ago. It’s a showplace in the shelter world and the personnel are proud to greet you. They’re especially proud when you pick a dog or cat to take home so it won’t have to be euthanized.
People –the key to saving the animals. Bless those animals – I’d hate to be in a fix like that, depending on people. Gives me chills.
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Chillin' on Friday and other situations...

Welcome to Friday and enjoy your weekend which may have started last night, depending on your devotion to the American work ethic, I guess.
COLD VEGANS: When I walked out into a cold rain this morning with the dogs my first thought was not “get a coat stupid” but, “Oh, my, those poor PETA vegans.”
As you may recall from a post here on Monday, a couple of vegans are going to strip down to skimpy garb and hop into a bed at Pegasus Plaza in downtown Dallas to make a point that we should love animals, not eat them.
I’m sure there’s a train of logic between the starting point and the final point, but it’ll be a cold trip today. This event is from 11 to noon at Akard and Main. The temp is in the chilly 40s, the sun’s behind rainclouds and its wet right now (about 9 a.m.).
FYI: First Lady Michele Obama is in town this morning promoting not only her husband’s candidacy but also healthy eating. The guy on Channel 4 just said she is appearing at the Kleberg-Rylie Rec Center in Southeast Dallas then will leave for – no, not to go downtown to Pegasus Plaza for a vegan appearance – Florida where it’s warmer and drier.
Me? Never been to Florida. Oh, my diet? World’s Largest Vegetarian. I consider the biscuit to be a vegetable. Also, glazed apple fritters. Yep, my downfall. I’m a sinful vegetarian – no meat products, no meat, but I’ll have an egg and some dairy now and then and that separates me from the Vegans. My carnivore friends think I’m nuts. I don’t know what they think about Vegans, but it’s probably like their diet: fruits ands nuts. You know what? No need to kill animals to survive on Planet Earth.
That’s our Redlarrypowell.com staff impersonator Inky, the Cocker Laureate of the State of Texas, rushing into the “Vegan GnawBQ Shack” and spotting a big steaming platter of Mom’s Meatless Loaf  with Non-Dairy Cream Gravy and a side of Don’t-Eat-This-It’s-Healthy-Asparagus. Dessert? Are you kidding? You feel too good – go out and run 5 miles.
THE NO-KILL CONFERENCE: Last day to register for the early bird discount for the March 10 DFW No Kill Conference in Addison – this is the day-long event organized by Pawsitively Texas and featuring a number of speakers including the nationally-known author/animal advocate Nathan Winograd. Tickets are $43 today, $67 after the discount deadline.
Other scheduled speakers include several people who have changed shelter philosophy in the Austin area; Seagoville Police Sgt. Karl Bailey who is the manager of that city’s revitalized no-kill shelter; Michael Kitkoski, founder of Rockwall Pets which is working to make Rockwall no-kill and Alva Logsdon Cranford, founder of Pawsitively Texas and the organizer of the workshop.
Get details of the workshop and register by going HERE.
REGARDING THE LAKE HOUNDS: Oh, brother, the folks at the Humane Society of Cedar Creek Lake in Tool are still desperately trying to find a foster home for Asia, the exonerated Pit mix, and for the two  Treeing Walker Hounds, Katie and Whisper.
Krista Mc Anally, the shelter manager, e-mailed me last night that the Walker Hounds came in separately from two different cities and it would be fine – in fact, it’s the only to go – if they went to separate homes.
To summarize, Krista explains, “Katie hates Whisper.”
Well, who needs that in a household? It’s bad enough when the humans don’t get along.
You can see more Humane Society of Cedar Creek Lake adoptables by going HERE. Ask about Asia, Katie and Whisper by calling the shelter at 903-432-3422 or e-mailing dogshsccl@yahoo.com.
See yesterday’s Readlarrypowell.com report for an explanation of why Asia needed to be exonerated.
A GREYHOUND NOTE: This is a statement of what appears to be fact: No animal
rescue group has better artwork than the Greyhound Adoption League of Texas.
For example, this showed up on a GALT e-newsletter and I have no idea who came up with it, but if anyone from GALT knows, I’m happy to give full credit.
Among the things the newsletter noted was that Valentine’s Day is approaching and, also, so is the 11^th Annual Greyt Gala & Auction on March 3 at the Hilton Dallas in Southlake Town Square.
The other mystery, of course, is why a hotel in Southlake is called the “Hilton Dallas.” But the corporate world is even more mysterious than the animal world. Animals have reasons for what they do; corporate animals do things and then find reasons.
See how to help Greyhounds and enjoy the artwork at www.galtx.org.
A DESPERATE NOTE FROM BURNS FLAT: Maybe it’s the weather, the press of animals, the feeling of being a lone voice…whatever it is, it has a grip on our favorite Oklahoma rescuer, Terry Lynn Fisher of Burns Flat.
These two dogs are among the animals she’s trying to immediately get out of the city pound.
Beatrice is the big one. The smaller one has no name yet, but Terry Lynn finally captured her yesterday after a year of trying. She’d been a clever free-roaming dog in the little Western Oklahoma town and, indeed, she is not starving because Terry Lynn has been hunting her down, feeding her and trying to get her confidence. Finally, she caught her. And here’s the rub (in the words of Terry Lynn today):
”I am so lost. I have kept this pound 0% kill since July of 2006. I do this on my own here, as a volunteer. I provide everything for the dogs, and am the only one in this town that works with them.
”But now, on Monday, I have to pick four that will be killed.  All because of lack of space.”
The four that have been in the pound the longest are on the list. They’re all playful, loving and enjoy being around kids and other dogs. But that doesn’t matter, Terry Lynn notes.
”Please,” she asks readers, “If you can help me with even just one, I would be so grateful.  I am a wreck over having to decide who dies. It is actually making me physically sick.  If you have room for even one, please let me know.”
Four dogs. Texas has 254 counties. Surely there are 4 counties that have room for one more dog.
Reach Terry Lynn by calling 580-330-1459 or e-mail remembering_oddball@yahoo.com.
PLANNING AHEAD IN BEDFORD: Maryann Izzarelli of the Team Bedford Facebook bunch saw my request yesterday for simple announcements of events for our spring edition of Urban Animal Magazine. She hit the nail on the ol’ head by sending this note:
”The Bedford Animal Shelter will be hosting our annual Spring Festival on April 21 from 10 am to 2 pm at the shelter. (1809 Reliance Parkway, Bedford)  We will have free hamburgers, hotdogs, popcorn & drinks, activities for the kids and your dogs, a local veterinarian for Q&A and demonstrations.  Most importantly we will have dogs and cats who will be hoping for a home that day!  If you are interested in being a vendor at our event please contact Ken Horn at 817.952.2191 or Kenneth.Horn@bedfordtx.gov.  You can also visit our Facebook page for updated event information:  http://www.facebook.com/bedfordanimalshelter.”
Now,  that’s a paragraph bursting with facts, easy to understand and your ol’ simpleton writer didn’t have to figure out which program to use to open a complicated cartoon announcement in which a dog and cat sing the facts in an amusing duet set to the tune of “You Made Me Love You.”
Seriously, just follow Maryann’s lead and keep it simple. Thank you. Send your announcements to dallrp@aol.com.
AUSTIN SHOW ON, DALLAS SHOWS CANCELLED: We learned from the Texas Humane Legislation Network this morning that the Feb. 25 presentation of “Doin’ It For Love,” a comedy and music show with Hollywood and Broadway stars Kay Ballard, Liliane Montevecchi and Lee Roy Reams is still a go in Austin. But the two performances in Dallas (skedding for March 3-4 at the Majestic) have been canceled. Ticket details are at www.thln.org.
CONTEMPLATIONS: Last night I dreamed that a cat that was identical to our late beloved Tortie Benchley (a fabulous girl) had three kittens in our front yard. They were all orange highlighted with silhouettes of black cats. What does that mean, doctor? ….True or false: Ketchup on a hot dog is a sin. (Aside: As a vegetarian, I’ll have a faux-dog, but no ketchup – mustard is the righteous condiment. I used to eat Morningstar Farms’ fake hotdogs, but they quit making them. Chili on that dog? Yewbet. Morningstar Farms Crumbles with some chili powder from Pendary’s in Fort Worth. My funspouse Martha knows how to cook. And, FYI, I’m the family vegetarian – yes, it’s a mixed marriage.) … Favorite love-themed movie for Valentine’s Day? Some will pick You’ve Got Mail. Others will chose My Big Fat Greek Wedding. Still, there’s Casablanca. And, of course, the most romantic of films, The Godfather. Relax, I’m kidding. “Leave the gun. Take the cannoli.”
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Winter, big ol' black dogs, art, music and the human element

We’ll begin today’s report with an urban description which rivals none of the pastoral elegance of Frost or Waltman, er, Whitman. Sorry.
Here goes: As I rumbled the gray trash bin along the crumbling driveway to the curb of the dark asphalt of the street that would be empty if not for the breeze-blown paper bags of someone’s meals from last evening, I looked up through sleepy eyes to see leafless trees standing unclad and shivering as the hint of an orange glow began to take over the robin’s egg blue sky brushed with of wintry wisps.
Yeah, it’s that rumbling trash bin element that was always missing from the poetry of Frost and Whitman.
Still, it is important to note this fine morning that today is the anniversary of the founding of the National Weather Service, aka, the Weather Bureau, in 1870. And they’ve never missed a forecast.  That’s Readlarrypowell.com staff meteorologist Inky, the Cloudy Laureate of the State of Texas, waiting for the news anchor to throw it to him for the morning forecast. Now, the daily storm of information:
ASIA AND THE TREEING WALKER HOUNDS: OK, here are three dogs from the Humane Society of Cedar Creek Lake shelter at Tool, about an hour southeast of Dallas. The road is paved in all directions, so, well, start the ignition, drive to Tool and save some lives.
Here’s the deal: We mentioned Asia yesterday, but in case you didn’t see the update from Shelter Manager Krista Mc Anally, here’s the story: It was first thought that Asia killed a cat in her foster home earlier this week. Then, upon further investigation and actually witnessing another dog in the home attack a cat while Asia quivered and moved away from the fracas, it was determined that she’s innocent. But she’s still out on her ear and, if no one takes a chance on the kid-friendly, house-broken, loveable dog, she’ll be killed on Feb. 15. Yep, falsely accused, cleared and killed. Sounds damn near human, doesn’t it?
Now the shelter is also trying to find a home for two Treeing Walker Hounds. That’s Whisper on the left and Katie. Obviously they have no problem being accessorized with flowers and photographed liked models.
They just have trouble finding a home and if they don’t, they’ll be killed on the 15^th, too.
Krista explains, “Whisper and Katie have been at the shelter for over a month. I have been looking for rescue for them and there is no room for them at rescue. …  They are both about 2 years old, heartworm negative and current on their shots. Whisper is good with other dogs.  Katie is OK as long as supervised and I think with some discipline she would be fine.  Katie is very vocal.  Whisper is not.  .. They will be PTS.  They are great dogs and deserve another chance.  I posted them before and got no response.”
To ask for the opportunity to save these lives, e-mail Krista at dogshsccl@yahoo.com or call 903 432-3422. You can read more about the shelter HERE.
THE BIG BLACK DOG SYNDROME: Oh, holy smoke, what is wrong with people? Why don’t they give big black dogs a chance? Look at this guy. His name is John and he’s huggable! More than that, he’s on the clock at Collin County Animal Services.
We know this because the volunteer shelter walker Allison Roberts sent out his photo and a note this morning begging for someone to step up and save the dog – for crying out loud, he fetches.
Fetches! Yes, Even better, Allison writes, “He loves to play fetch and even gives the ball back to you. He walks great on leash and has good manners.”
And, she says, “He loves to lean against you and loves to have h is ears scratched.”
You can see John fetching by clicking HERE. And to adopt him or rescue him e-mail both of these addresses: ldrummonds@co.collin.tx.us and animalshelter@co.collin.tx.us
[Soapbox moment: Now, a dog doesn’t develop those things without having once been part of a household. So this dog, obviously, has known some affection and if nobody claims him, someone will have to prep him and pet him while they shove a needle full of death juice into him. Just not right, is it?
Sorry, I got carried away. I proudly am afflicted with “Love The Big Black Dog Syndrome.”  Remember, they’re in every shelter and nearly every rescue group has one waiting for a home – heck, I’ve even seen ‘em in cat rescue groups. But, here’s the thing:  The general population doesn’t celebrate dogs and cats enough. Good grief, they are quite often the charm that is missing from humans.  Hang on. Read the next item:]
CELEBRATING DOGS AND ART: When my glissandospouse Martha plays the harp, our dogs gather in a semi-circle in front of her and slowly, one-by-one, they slide from a sitting position down to the floor and begin to drift away to the angelic notes. (The cats huff off and declare, “I could do that, but they won’t let me claw the strings.)
Having expressed my personal experience with music and animals
I’ll now present some information that’ll help anyone celebrate animals – this is on Feb 13 and it’s “An Evening For Dog Lovers” – a “multimedia concert and silent auction” that will benefit the rescue group Paws In The City.
Dallas Symphony Orchestra’s principal oboist Erin Hannigan and photographer Teresa Berg have prepared this presentation. It’s from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. Monday at Event 1013 in Old Downtown Plano at 1013 E. 15^th Street. Tickets are $50 and that includes the performance, wine and dessert. You can see how to buy tickets at the Paws site HERE .
TWO THINGS WITH DEADLINES AND FREE PUBLICITY:
-- First, we need photos of slumbering animals for our weekend feature, Let Sleeping Dogs Lie & Napping Cats Nap. Send the photos and info to dallrp@aol.com .
-- Second, deadline approaches like a freight train for the Urban Animal Magazine spring edition events list – things in March, April and May and beyond that have to do with helping animals. Send a ONE PARAGRAPH notice to dallrp@aol.com. If you send me something that has to be downloaded, coded, translated or is made to look like it was written by an animal, I will hunt you down and …oh, wait, that’s illegal. So, please, just send a short notice and we’ll get you and your fundraising event some free ink.
ASSORTED NOTES:
-- One of our reliable Metrotipsters, a veteran rescuer, has a doghouse she’d like to get to Terry Lynn Fisher, the famed rescuer in Burns Flat, Okla., way out on the western edge of the Sooner State. What our tipster is looking for is a way to get a doghouse to Terry Lynn. E-mail dallrp@aol.com and we’ll try to help out.
--A forwarded note from Jonnie England, the Metroplex Animal Coalitions Director of Animal Advocacy, reminds us that February is Pet Dental Health Month, as declared by the American Veterinary Dental Society. Healthy mouths help keep a critter healthy.
--The City of Sanger’s Animal Shelter contract with the non-profit Noah’s Ark in Gainesville is catching attention because of a year-old controversy over the euthanizing of a dog. The whole thing is too long to explain here, but for now you can Google it and catch some newspaper stories.
CONTEMPLATIONS: Our nephew Jeremy, who lives way off in Florida, came to town to visit the family. Well, yeah, that’s great that Jeremy came to town. But, honestly, all the animal lovers in the family will tell you that the high point of his visit was meeting his dog Echo, an adorable, cuddle-up next to you, handsome black Pitty mix.[That's Martha explaining how her iPad works to Earhound Echo who is listening, instead, to a family discussion of the merits of Howie Mandel's new show Mobbed. Honest.] Of course Echo is a rescue dog. He adores Jeremy, but I think he wanted to go home with us. OF course, we think they all do and many of them have, through the years. We’re really proud Jeremy got a rescued dog. And, yeah, we’re proud when anyone gets a rescue dog.… Seriously, have you ever seen so much violence in the supposedly civilized world? Around here we’ve had shootouts at a transit stop, a drug store, at an apartment where the landlord shot up a guy while attempting to collect rent, etc. Why? Got to be the worst of all elements in a bad equation: the human element. … A question for Texas Rangers fans: Baseball season isn’t getting her quickly enough, is it?
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