Iced tea, cats and dogs...

We’ve been so caught up in celebrating National Adopt-a-Cat Month that we have overlooked the joy of the other big celebration in June, National Iced Tea Month.
Of course, nobody stops by Dallas Animal Services overnight and shoves unwanted tea bags into the “night drop.”
There’s a concept.
We need to note that many area shelters are running cat specials. No shelter is running an iced tea special, but you can bet if shelter managers thought they could increase cat adoptions by offering "ahst tea," someone would create a “Cats In The Tea Bag” program.
You may have noticed the photo of a snoozing momma cat and kittens.
This picture  of an entire family on the clock was snapped by volunteer shelter walker Kelly Bond and distributed by Dallas Animal Services rescue liaison Mark Cooper. Both are trying to get animals out of the city shelter. (Click HERE to see  how to make unwanted animals wanted.) This is just one of several momma/kitten families waiting for help at DAS.
You might also go to www.bigfixforbigd.com to see how to make fewer unwanted animals. Don’t jump the gun here – that’s not a “how biology works” site, it’s a site that’ll tell people how to qualify their fertile and frisky animals for the $20 fix.
Which reminds me that for years, when I was writing a column at the big paper in Dallas, every time I used the term “fix” in regard to animals, a nice lady would call me and firmly say, “Mr. Powell, you cannot fix something that is not broken” and hang up before I could say anything. Went on for years.
She was right, however: It’s not the animals that are broken, it’s the people. When they don’t spay or neuter and then complain about all the puppies or kittens, they’ve got a loose wire.
STILL ON THE LOOKOUT FOR BUNNI: You may recall the story from earlier this week about how someone took Bunni, the beloved Pit girl, from the back yard of the home of Humane Society of Cedar Creek Lake Shelter Manager Krista Mc Anally.
Several readers expressed concern and wondered if there is a reward, noting that rewards sometimes loosen lips in criminal cases.
”I initially put up a reward of $500 and I have received donations pushing it up to $1,500,” Krista told us. “I keep talking to people. I have all law enforcement looking for her. I am trying to stay positive.”
The numbers to report Bunni’s whereabouts or arrange a return are
903-603-2342 or 903-432-3422. She can be returned to the Humane Society of
Cedar Creek Lake shelter in Tool or the Animal Medical Clinic in Seven
Points.
FOX HOUNDS AND OTHER CCAS ANIMALS: These dogs are Adam (neutered) and Eve (not spayed) and the Collin County Animal Services volunteer shelter walker Allison Roberts says that though she’s not all that keen on breed identification, some say they are pointers and others say they are Foxhounds.
Whatever they are, they’re on the clock after being surrendered to the shelter in McKinney by their owner who also turned over their vet records. “They are friendly and gorgeous,” Allison says. (To ask about adopting them or placing them in rescue, email ldrummonds@co.collin.tx.us and animalshelter@co.collin.tx.us.
In the meantime, as you can see from the poster (click on it to make it blow up like a Macy’s balloon), there will be special off-site adoptions for Collin County Animal Services Animals this weekend.
We get the info from volunteer Miranda Fick, part of the shelter’s vigorous volunteer program. Or is that a program of vigorous volunteers? Time will tell, I guess.
A DENTON PYR: Amy Pelzel, the veteran volunteer at the ultra-crowded Denson Animal Shelter, is hustling to find a home for this guy Dexter, a Great Pyr “who spent his entire five years of life outside as a yard ornament….”
[AFTERNOON UPDATE: Amy reports that the Lab Raja who came in with this Pyr was adopted today and SPIN (Saving Pyrs In Need) took Dexter the Pyr. Separated but safe.]
When released to the Denton shelter, he was “literally covered and crawling with fleas,” Amy writes. “It was the saddest thing I have ever seen. He was matted to the skin and had irritations from the mats. We got him cleaned up, fully vetted and he’s now ready to go.”
The challenge? “We are super full at the shelter,” Amy says.
So, he’s on the clock and it’s moving fast. See how to adopt Dexter by clicking HERE.
AND IN BURNS FLAT: Two “left to starve” dogs are now awaiting some help in the city pound in Burns Flat, the little Western Oklahoma town where tireless rescuer Terry Lynn Fisher works to protect animals.
Here’s the story: “About a month ago, my ACO had a call on these two dogs. They kept getting under the fence, into the neighbor’s yard, to play with the dogs there...The owner was warned to keep them in his yard and fix the fence... He did, and we had not heard anything since.
”Yesterday, the same neighbor called and said he has not seen anyone over there for a week... He had been putting water over the fence, for the temps have been in the 90's. They kept crying, so he finally threw some food over as well.  
”My ACO and Police went there and it looks as if these idiots have moved away... They just left these two sweet babies in the back yard to die... no food, no water, no shelter.”
The bottom line, Terry Lynn says, is this: “There will not be anyone coming to get them, so it is either rescue or death.”
Here are Terry Lynn’s descriptions of the dogs:
”The female is small, maybe 40 pounds. VERY timid, but sweet as can be. I am not sure if she is spayed or not. She is very hand shy, so I imagine life has not been the best for her. She was so hungry, she fell into the food bowl. But as I stood there taking pictures, she came up to kiss me and I know, she was thanking me for saving her.
”The male is a funny boy. He is on the short side, but pretty husky. He is a total love bug, giving kisses and lots of love. TOTALLY hand shy, I KNOW this boy was hit a lot. He cowers if he sees a hand in the air.. It tore my heart out, for after wards, he wags his tail and begs for approval. Even when he was eating, if I would talk to him, he would run over and kiss me... AND he is neutered.... THAT surprised me. ..I do NO adoptions here... rescue is the only chance these babies have at living. The ACO said the times he got called out they were both very friendly and playful with the other dogs and when picked up, they both just loaded up in the truck.”
 To help these dogs, email Terry Lynn at remembering_oddball@yahoo.com or call 580-330-1459.
MISSING, THEN FOUND: This morning I called Tami Stanley of Texas Lab Rescue to ask about this guy, Trucker, who went on the lam from his Irving foster home yesterday. He'd been taken in about 3 months ago after spending some time in the care of the folks at The Colony Animal Control Shelter.
But, Tami told me there was no news at all -- this was shortly after 8 a.m.
This handsome 2-year-old fellow, weighing just under 70 pounds, was still missing.
About 4 minutes later Tami called me and said, “You must be our good luck charm. Go buy a lotto ticket, Larry, somebody has Trucker.”
So, there you go. Every now and then the missing critters wind up back where they belong. And, of course, Trucker is available for adoption.
WHAT A FACE; WHAT A TOUGH SPOT: Mary Spencer, the critter fan who is chair of the Dallas Animal Shelter Commission, sent out this note this morning in hopes of helping a cat surrounded by dogs.  His name is Leggo.
She writes, “This 5-year-old very sweet neutered male cat needs a temporary or a permanent home fast.   He is living with his owner inside the house but the owner has several dogs who are terrorizing the cat and the owner does not want him anymore. The owner is keeping the cat in a dog crate and leaves him in all day – and just throws kitty litter inside the crate for him to use.  Needless to say his food and water bowls are nasty and the cat is becoming very stressed.
”The SPCA will take the cat when they have space available - usually within the week or so but he does need a temp home until they have space for him.”
To offer to help this cat, e-mail mary@petopia4paws.com.
CONTEMPLATIONS:  We’re tapping the breaks as we reach the end of a brisk sprint of a work week. Some people are hitting the gas pedal and rushing to the weekend. Ah, youth. … Best iced tea in town? Let me nominate the traditional glass at El Fenix on Colorado in Oak Cliff and the hippie tea at the great Dream Café in Dallas. (Suddenly, I’m craving iced tea – that violates the Healthy Code of the Hefty Writer.) … This is the second day of the monumental Big Fix For Big D program – a multi-million-dollar effort to reduce the numbers of unwanted animals in Dallas. The human factor is the key to success. Can the humans who support it convince the humans who don’t care to at least play along? That is the question.
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