A vigil, reward bumped to $25,000, shelter situations, roadside dogs and other topics...

It’s mid-week and we have announcements, situations and other things to discuss. Here goes:
CANDLELIGHT VIGIL FOR JUSTICE: DFW Rescue Me has organized a candlelight vigil for 7:30 p.m. Friday at Dallas City Hall to honor the memory of Justice, the 4-month-old dog doused with lighter fluid and fatally burned on April 4 at a Pleasant Grove apartment complex in Dallas.
Perhaps it also will inspire a more caring and protective attitude toward animals in the City of Dallas.
Shortly before noon we got a copy of a City of Dallas press release announcing that the reward info leading to the arrest and convinction of the bad guy or guys has been bumped from $5,000 to $25,000 by the SPCA of Texas. (Thanks to some anonymous donors and the Murrell Foundation, we're told.) Investigators are looking for any infomation or video of the incident. Contact the Dallas police via the confidential tip line at 24-373-8477.
Justice the dog will be buried at 1 p.m. Saturday in an open-to-the-public ceremony at the cemetery on the grounds of Toothacres Pet Care Center in Carrollton.
Get more details at the DFW Rescue Me site HERE. The rescue group became involved when called by Dallas Animal Services for help with the burned dog.  The situation became quite emotional as DFW Rescue Me folks became personally involved with the injured dog, taking care of him in Dallas, talking to him, encouraging him and then transporting him to the Texas A&M Small Animal care facility in Bryan where he died on the 13th.
A RESCUER’S PAINFUL VIEW: This dog Payton wasn’t tortured by punks with lighter fluid in Dallas, but he is just as dead. Legally dead. Nobody ever wanted him. So he was killed to make room for the next unwanted dog.
We’ve mentioned Dwana Carabajal in Readlarrypowell.com reports many times over the years. She’s like so many of you – a rescuer because of her heart. You know how it goes. One day you just simply notice that things aren’t right for some dogs or cats and the next thing you know, you’re fully involved.
And that brings us to her attempts to save this dog, first known as “Scarface” but, after he was cleaned up at the Rowlett Animal Shelter, renamed Payton. He was an adorable dog. We first mentioned him here on Feb. 2.
Yesterday we got this note from Dwana, “I am quite distraught today. I don't know how people do this week in and week out. The Rowlett Shelter has not had many adoptions or rescues the last few weeks and they had A LOT of strays come in over the week. This week the shelter was forced to euthanize for space. We lost 7 beautiful and loving dogs. One of those dogs was Payton. You highlighted Payton several times on your website. I appreciate all that you did to try to save him.
”I feel like I have failed. I knew most of those dogs personally from volunteering up at the shelter. My heart hurts. I honestly do not know how to help the shelter. I email and call and pray, but nothing seems to help.”
Is there a Friends of Rowlett Animals? Yes, says Dwana. "We all volunteer at the adoption events, we raise money to buy down adoptions, and we raise money to purchase items for the shelter animals. Currently we only have 5 members and we are all beyond the city limit for pets so we cannot foster. We are trying desperately to add new members, find rescue groups to frequent our shelter, and try to bring in more adopters.”
It’s a relatively small shelter, but a nice one – I toured it a few years back. But even though it probably will hold two dozen dogs and two dozen cats if pressed, it’s like all other shelters and is susceptible to the behavior of the area’s humans. If they’re not responsible, the shelter fills up. (To ask about helping Dwana and others help the animals in the Rowlett shelter, e-mail her at sadieand9pups@hotmail.com.).
Oh, and here’s the passage we wrote about Payton back in February so you’ll know how expensive Payton was. This is from Dwana’s description: “He is a real lover boy. He LOVES attention and he LOVES other dogs. He really enjoyed his walk (even though it was raining on us). He looks like a big boy in his pictures, but really he is a small guy, only about 40 pounds. He is the VIP Pet of the Month, so his adoption fee is only $25.”
Yep, 25 bucks and he'd be alive today.
A READER SPOTS ANOTHER DALLAS CRISIS:We got a note from Sheryl Frederick about a loose dog situation. She’s looking for help. You’ll see why.
This story points out vividly one of the challenges that faces people attempting to turn Dallas into a no-kill city:  don’t care residents.
Sheryl writes, “.I had go to SE Dallas yesterday...And off Highway 175 and Elam there were 2 dogs ... waiting for someone to feed them. Of course I did. When the female crossed the street -- almost getting hit -- I noticed she had puppies. Maybe 4. They ran behind a fence.The neighbor came out and said the owner does not want them and the poor tan female keeps having puppies after puppies.  He said he wants the dogs gone. I'm afraid he will call the animal shelter or they will get hit. Is there a rescue group that could help these dogs in Dallas?”
Sheryl says she’s not sure if the second dog was a male, but it was a black and white dog, “long and short – maybe a Beagle mix. … The female looked similar to a Rhodesian Ridgeback.”
If you know of a rescue group that can help these abandoned dogs, call Sheryl at 817-269-4288 or e-mail kallie333@yahoo.com.
In the meantime, drive carefully because idiots let their dogs roam.
SHELTER PRESSURE: This story just happens to come from the Collin County Animal Services Shelter but it is the same sort of story every day in shelters all over North Texas – from the giant Dallas Animal Services Shelter & Adoption Center to Fort Worth Animal Care and Control, and points in between and all around. Too many animals, not enough space.
Today I’m pinpointing three dogs from Collin County because they all arrived with photos showing them being affectionate with humans. You’d think that would be enough to cinch an adoption, right?
Not hardly.
Our tipster is Allison Roberts, the volunteer shelter walker at the Collin County Animal Services shelter in McKinney. Every day she sends out a list of animals that need rescue from the crowded county shelter.
”Patrick made it through last week but is on the EU (euthanasia) list again today. The shelter is full with dogs in temp kennels,” Allison wrote. Patrick, that black and white dog crawling up to be embraced by a shelter worker, “loves to cuddle and give kisses,” the note reads. He’s #340109, 2 years old and isn’t good with cats. Great with people, though.
Then there’s Brendan, also endangered. He’s 2, a shepherd mix, #341862, and has a “cute broken tail.”
He also loves to shower affection on a person.
And there’s Colleen – she’s a rebounder.  “Colleen was adopted this weekend then returned because their other dog doesn't like her. She is on the EU list again today,” the note reads. “Colleen is a spunky sweet girl with a great personality.  She has gorgeous markings, is sweet and loving and walks great on a leash! She came in with 2 other dogs that have both been adopted/rescued.”
Colleen is spayed, micro-chipped and #340250.  There’s a video, too. Click HERE. To ask about any animal in the Collin County shelter – take one, open a spot for the next – e-mail ldrummonds@co.collin.tx.us and animalshelter@co.collin.tx.us.
A CAT SPAY/NEUTER QUESTION: A reader asks, “Can you give any recommendation for low cost spay and neuter services in the Dallas area? There are two male stray cats that need  neutering. I have taken two others in, but the costs are getting up there for me and I would like to help out the stray cat population.”
Perhaps someone has a quicker more efficient answer than mine. I suggested looking at the Metroplex Animal Coalition site’s spay/neuter list HERE, going to the SPCA’s site HERE and getting in touch with Feral Friends, Kittieco Cat Rescue, Kaufman County Animal Awareness Project and TCAP (Texas Coalition for Animal Protection).  Did I leave anyone out? The reader lives in Dallas.
CONTEMPLATIONS:  I really hate the term “baby bump.” Just sounds classless. So did the old term, “She’s showin’.”  I really do need to worry about other things. And I have a list. Like banning idiots from TV news and commentary shows – but that’s both (a) an un-American suppression of the freedom of speech and (b) would leave TV screens blank for a large part of the day. … One of the big network morning news shows today breathlessly presented the news that Jamie Moyer the former Texas pitcher, now a Colorado Rockie, has become the oldest pitcher to win a major league game.  The reporter didn’t say how old he is. Wouldn’t you think that would be part of the story? I looked it up – he was 49 years, 150 days yesterday and the previous oldest pitcher was 80 days younger, Jack Quinn of the Brooklyn Dodgers – he won on Sept. 6, 1932.   Oh? The answers are 6-5 and 5-3 in chronological order. … One more dog note about those free-roamers on Highway 175 at Elam.  Perhaps someone can deliver a pamphlet on the birds and the bees to the person who doesn’t want the dogs. Heck, these may not even be this person’s dogs, it occurs to me. They may have wandered up from somewhere else and decided to stay. You know how it goes in Dallas – someone is always having to take up the slack for the idiots. Example: A friend of mine once found a neighbor’s Cocker Spaniel running loose in their apartment complex parking lot. She tried to return the dog only to be told, “We set the dog free.” Yep, like it was some kind of woodland creature with natural skills. Still makes me want to slap somebody. But that would be wrong. And the dog was probably better off in a new home. Still, just one good ear-ringing slap to the cheek, you know? Nope. Still wrong.
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