ReadLarryPowell.com

SAVING DOGS, CATS; COUNTING THE ANIMALS; MOOD-ALTERING DALLAS ROADWORK

EDITION OF WEDNESDAY, JUNE 19, 2019 [PetPowellPress] Inasmuch as I am in a foul frame of mind this morning and it's already afternoon, I will be trying to focus on animals instead of daily chores and challenges. I may appear to be a bit testy in my presentations. I’m sick of threatening weather, bad pitching (woe for the Texas Rangers) and — wait. Let’s see if there’s something upbeat I can think of —- Yes! My companion The Senator! Here he is about to nod off when I began to complain about the day and he responded, “Go talk to a dog. I’m a cat. I don’t have time for anyone’s whining but my own.” And now, suddenly, I’m so much better mentally. And pigs are flying.

STARTING WITH FORT WORTH
AND TWO THAT NEED HELP

Ginger Leach, our longtime reliable Fort Worth Animal Care & Control contact, has posted two animals in trouble today.
[LARRY ASIDE: If I were not already in a foul frame of mind, their stories would put me in one.]
We’ll start with Tilly. You can see in the photo that her right lear leg is not working properly. Why is that? It is because her owner surrendered her on June 6 as “unwanted.” UNWANTED? Well, at least the SOB took her to a shelter instead of “setting her free” next to a highway or handing her over for use as a bait dog. 
The problem is 7-year-old Tilly (41878776) clearly didn’t want to be in the shelter — she might have been unwanted, but she clearly wanted to be with whoever she thought loved her. Ginger’s note says she “injured herself June 7 trying to climb the shelter fence.” She needs a place to go right now so she can get healed and be loved by a human. Rescue tags must be emailed to fwacctag@fortworthtexas.gov. 
She is in the FWACC’s Chuck Silcox Adoption Center, 4900 Martin St., in southeast Fort Worth. You can visit it and see animals live and in person, you know.

Then there is this Fort Worth cat. He weighs in at 2 pounds and isn’t too old, but he is afflicted with “discharge from eyes and mouth, wound on right rear hip with maggots.” Someone can help him by emailing fwacctag@ fortworthtexas.gov. he’s at the Silcox facility, too. 
[LARRY ASIDE: I don’t even want to think about how a 2-pound cat can get into such trouble, but I’m betting it’s because a human has been neglectful in his young life. Why is that? Because our planet is cursed with the presences of freeroaming nitwits.]
Just an FYI: FWACC hosts it monthly Partner Panel meeting at 5 p.m. this very evening at the Silcox Center. There’ll be updates on the transport program, growth of the foster program, a report on the Mega Adoption Event June 28-29 in partnership with the Humane Society of North Texas. Other things. And this meeting is open to the public, not just members of rescue partners.
PUP PUP?

THE BOY NEEDS A HUMAN HOME
This dog appears to still be at Dallas Animal Services — he’s the guy who was turned over to DAS after the Big Storm and now he’s on the clock.
He’s been at the shelter since June 16 and his time expires on Thursday. He may, too. That’s the way it works in the big city. When you’re a surrender, you only have so long to charm people before you get the needle.
 He’s A1072019 and you can see him at the big shelter at I-30 and Westmoreland. Call the shelter at 214-670-6800. Here’s his LINK.
 
Pup Pup is seen on the PetHarbor list for Dallas Animal Services. At that site (CLICK HERE.) DAS lists 449 dogs, 447 cats and 7 other (guinea pigs, rats) in the care of the shelter. 
On dallasanimalservices.org Wednesday morning, the shelter listed 263 dogs, 262 cats and 7 “other” — the question is, then, “When Dallas Animal Services releases its statistics in for the famous 90 program, is it referring to the numbers on the dallasanimalservices.org Adoptable Pets list or on the PetHarbor adoptable pets list?
 Here's a LINK TO THE 90 PROGRAM.
ALSO FROM THE DAS
We’ve plucked these items from DAS online sources. 
On its Facebook page, it posted these photos and someone, on behalf of the shelter, wrote, “This jolly duo has officially stolen our hearts! Meet Sushi (A1019919) and her BFF, Rice (Black - A1070116). This dynamic duo was found together and enjoy cuddling the day away. They both like other dogs and do well in our playgroups, too! Come out to adopt these cuties today! #BeDallas90 — at Dallas Animal Services and Adoption Center. "
[LARRY ASIDE: Why were these two running free instead of being carefully tended to by a loving human? Oh, wait. I forgot. It’s Dallas and the shelter must exists because not all humans are loving.]

Also at the shelter, you can adopt this guy Cloud (A1061827), neutered and about 16 weeks old. He arrived on June 18.
MEANWHILE IN MESQUITE
Geez, here’s a lousy thing to do to a dog. Wedo is 8 years old, weighs 10 pounds and is “timid but does want to make friends. he seems to like to be held.” That’s from Judi Brown, the hands-on volunteer biographer at Mesquite Animal Services. She says, “Wedo (39323799) was adopted and then someone (possible owners?? ) brought him back saying they had found him. Now he is traumatized. So in spite of his severe skin condition he’s had an added rejection. This little guy does not deserve this! Hopefully he will be picked up by a Rescue this time around that will treat his skin condition.”

Judi is also trying to find homes for these dogs: 
Sparky (41906866) a year-old Rat Terrier” who is 15-pounds of “sweet, laid-back” puppy dog.

Banjo (41897955), is a 3-year old “cutesy Cairn Terrier mix who dances for treats,” Judi says. “He’s probably been passed over because he was very shaggy with hair in his eyes and did not make a good presentation. All it took for me to do was to brush him and clip some hair around his face to make him look better and feel more comfortable.”

Then there’s “MOST URGENT” Rocco (37541922), a 3-year-old Pittie mix with a “sweet engaging personality.” He’s 72-pounds of former stray — came in on May 28 and has dodged the needle for a while now.
To ask about any of these animals, call 972-216-6283 or email rescues@cityofmesquite.com. Use their ID numbers.
And to see more dogs or more cats in the Mesquite shelter, click HERE.
Among the cats and kittens you’ll see Cordelia (40098584). She’s a few days short of a year old, is listed as “grey/orange” and you can find this patient domestic mix waiting for you in the “Cat Room” at the shelter. She came in on June 6.

CONTEMPLATIONS


CABLE TV, A TRIBUTE TO A REP,
AND DALLAS' TRAFFIC WOES...
Around 4:15 a.m. Wednesday, I woke and, not wanting to read or exercise, I turned the TV onto a channel that was showing 77 Sunset Strip. Showing it, but not broadcasting the audio. This has happened a few times recently, so about 9 a.m. I checked the station again -- same no-audio situation -- and called the cable company, negotiated my way through the robot answerer and finally talked to a real human. He told me -- three times, as I recall -- that the problem was not the point of origin, but was somewhere between the pole in the alley and my cable box and he'd be happy to send out a tech. No dice, I said. I'll just quit watching the channel and I switched off the cell phone. Around 10 a.m. I clicked on the channel and that big blue screen was what was broadcast, but what I saw was VINDICATION!  Channel's working now. So, "Thank me for my patience." … KEEPING STATE REP. JONATHAN STRICKLAND, the anti-tethering bill blocker, in the public eye? The Facebook page HD-92 Dogs notes that the June Mutt Mingle is scheduled from 10:30 a.m. to noon on Saturday, June 29, at Euless Bear Creek Dog Park. When you go to the Dogs of HD-92 Facebook page , you’ll see the Mingle note and you’ll also see a tip about reading a Texas Monthly article. The posting reads, “No longer Texas’ Worst Legislator, Texas Monthly creates an entirely new, worse category for Sticky.” It is worse. It’s “Cockroach.” Here’s the Texas Monthly LINK. ...  SPEAKING OF MY MOOD, I’m willing to bet that in the City of Dallas, there is not a 2-mile section of highway or street that isn’t undergoing reconstruction or isn’t riddled with potholes and uneven pavement. I’m so sick of reconstruction and lousy traffic, violent weather and the lack of a good drive-in movie that I may run for mayor on the “Disgruntled Party Ticket.” The “Gruntled Party” has too much road construction going on at one time.
—- Offer an opinion or a mood solution by clicking on ‘comment’ below or by emailing me at dallrp@aol.com. I’ll read it if I’m not stuck in traffic somewhere. —-

FINDING PUP PUP'S LISTING AT DAS; WONDERING ABOUT THE DIFFERENT NUMBERS...

EXTRA EDITION TUESDAY, JUNE 18, 2019 [PetPowellPress] Here’s some new info on Pup Pup as his June 20 deadline for rescue/adoption/needle approaches.
We got it from the woman who rescued him after the big storm and got him into Dallas Animal Services where he is listed as a 2-year-old "Tricolor Boxer" and numbered A1072019.
As you may recall from our overnight edition, I could not find him listed on the DAS website — that’s www.dallasanimalservices.org. Yet, he is listed on PetHarbor via DAS. (More on that in a minute.)

His rescuer reports, “He is there. I went to visit him last night.  He cannot be released until June 20th. He is scared but eating, so that is a good sign. I may have found a foster home for him. We are just waiting to have the ability to have their current dog meet Pup Pup and see if they get along okay. Here is his link:
https://petharbor.com/pet.asp?uaid=DLLS.A1072019." She also says that while visiting him, she learned that “he is heartworm-free and received his vaccinations.”  To see a brief video of the visit, click HERE.
[LARRY ASIDE: DAS is running adoption specials right now: $10 dogs and cats and on a Wednesdays, you can adopt dogs for $1. Surely there’s some Rescue or some individual who can keep this dog from being killed because wind blew down a fence.]

NOW LET’S TALK SHELTER NUMBERS
When I could not find Pup Pup’s listing at the traditional Dallas Animal Services site — www.dallasanimalservices.org — I contacted his finder.
She went to a Dallas Animal Services PetHarbor site and got his listening.
Is there a difference between that official city site and the PetHarbor Dallas listing?
Check out those numbers from dallasanimalservices.org on the left and the PetHarbor NUMBERS on the right.

 

 

 

Considerable difference.
And do most of us go beyond the dallasanimalservices.org listing on the official City of Dallas Animal Services website? [LARRY ASIDE: I am, of course, quite ready to admit that I have never looked beyond the official city website because I didn't realize there was a PetHarbor link. I did a quick look at the DAS site this morning and saw no reference to the PetHarbor link. Maybe I'm just too dim to catch on. Heck, I'm wondering if this affects rescue and adoption rates. Am I guilty of not thinking outside the box?]
Here’s that PetHarbor DAS listing.

How many animals never get a glance because they’re not on that DAS dallasanimalservices.org site? Perhaps someone can explain. I’ll be entertaining responses at dallrp@aol.com. Or, you may give your answer by clicking on “comment” below and helping to enlighten the world.
—- Please offer opinions and information by clicking on ‘comment’ below. —-

SOME WAIT, SOME ARE SAVED & BENNY'S GETTING A NEW RABBIT

EDITION OF TUESDAY, JUNE 18, 2019 [PetPowellPress] We have a collection of animals and appeals for this edition. This, by the way, is our spotlight cat for the day. Clearly, he is a black an white cat with championshp whiskers. That is Michael (41487041) a 3 year-old available at the SPCA of Texas. Readlarrypowell.com endorses black and white cats, along with all other cats in the world. But, as you can tell by Michael's pose, the Black & White variety has an understanding of how to work the camera lens to capture the pink nose and the careful crossing of the paws. Now, please read on about some dogs and people.
MARLEY — THE CLOCK TICKS
Last week’s appeal for Lancaster Animal Shelter’s population has produced this week’s appeal and it reads, “No one is pulling or adopting….” We got the story from the people who are advocating for small shelters. Lancaster is currently working without the net of a reliable, dedicated rescue group, we’ve been told by people previously involved with the shelter. 
All that politics aside, the pro-animal advocates say Marley is due to be the first of the crowd of animals to be euthanized. The appeal reads, “His face and sweet sad eyes tell us he knows.  It is breaking our hearts. He is the sweetest, best dog. He just so much wants to be loved.”
To learn how to help Marley, Call or text 214-949-2726 or email cat_girl_71@yahoo.com.
COULD PUPPUP BE WAITING?
I’m going to gamble on this one. I couldn’t find his photo listed on the Dallas Animal Services website as the 10 p.m. hour approached Monday. Perhaps he has been adopted. His story is a bit unsettling.
The story was forwarded to us by animalfan Karen Lee with barkley- world.com. Read it and you’ll see how it could easily affect anyone with a heart. This note was written by the person who first took in the dog. She explains: “We have given a neighbor’s dog to the Dallas Animal Services following him getting loose. He’s had a tough start to life but is a very sweet boy. We want to adopt him but cannot as we have 2 dogs at home. 

“The officer that picked him up today advised I should reach out to every non-kill shelter/rescue before the 20th of this month to attempt to find an alternative space for him for future adoption. We would have fostered him, however, we lost our fence last week due to the wind storm. My young daughter and I have grown close to him and she was devastated when she heard the officer say he would more than likely be euthanized following his 3-day quarantine.  I promised her I would find something.”
Marleen, the person who wrote that and is contacting people in an attempt to save him, says, “I believe he is an English Mastiff. They put him in their system as a tricolor Mastiff.   He is roughly 2 years old. We have been giving him extra love, food, water and treats, as his previous owners kept him pen in a small yard behind our alleyway without attention since he was a puppy.

“He is at Dallas Animal Services on Westmoreland Road, listed with the nickname we gave him ‘PupPup,’ case number A1072019.  It broke our hearts but I have faith we can find him a good home before his clock runs out.”
[LARRY ASIDE: If anyone knows of this dog’s whereabouts, let us know. It could be that he’s simply not on the DAS adoptables list online. Whatever the case, he doesn’t deserve to die just because the damned wind blew down a fence. Pardon my entirely heartfelt and appropriate French.]
BENNY’S WORKING
ON HIS FUTURE
No doubt you remember this guy Benny — Stephen Foster of DFW’s Furgotten Friends got him when he “was a minute from being dead.”
 He’d been rescued when a woman saw the harnessed dog tied up in bushes next to a local road. He has his toy rabbit with him. Clearly he was not just lost. He’d been tethered out and abandoned. 
He went to Dallas Animal Services. His rabbit was taken from him — could have been necessary if he was aggressive about his toy or if it was too “soiled” to be cleansed. Whatever the case, the only thing he could trust was taken from him.
 But DFW’s Furgotten Friends is working on rebuilding this dog’s life and ability to trust. 
Stephen posted this message Monday: “Heading out on Wednesday to pay some more for Benny's training and see his progress. He's also getting a new bunny that Kimberly Jones [noted advocate/rescuer] ordered for him to replace the one he was found with but got tossed at the shelter. That will be a new training toy for him.

“We've raised $1,000 of the $3,000 we need for his full training. I've been covering the shortage but my credit cards are running thin with all the repairs I've needed to make at my own home after the storms and the rescue van that needed a new fuel pump. So today I'm pleading for help with Benny's training fund. Please share and donate to the rescue. Go to our website and click on the donate button: http://dfwfgf.org/."
CONTEMPLATIONS

AN ASSORTMENT FOR TUESDAY 

Thanks to Kimberly Jones, our frequent tipster, we learned that this girl Jewel was on the list of due-to-be- euthanized dogs at the Waco Animal Shelter. So we posted her mugshot and a link to save her. We have no idea if what we posted helped this dog find a home, but we are quite happy to post the message we got from KJones: “LOOK WHO GOT ADOPTED!!!” Yep, this great dog Jewel was adopted. On the “Waco’s Urgents” Facebook page, the report from late in the week read, “Grab a tissue. … Number 3 Urgent, Mama Dog Jewel, has left the building and she’s on her way home with her family.” You see the photos. One of the commenters, Janet Bonanno, wrote, “Prayers answered. Please keep her. No ‘adoption return.’ She needs adjustment time. She’s been to hell and back….Please give this beautiful soul her 4ever loving home. U both will be 4ever blessed.” … Read more about Jewel and see other dogs that need homes on the Facebook site HERE. …
Shelby Bobosky, one of the mainstays of the Texas Humane Legislation Network, cited a quote from Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson’s inaugural speech. He said, “We can attack problems without attacking people. As Mayor, that is exactly what I am asking our city leaders to do, whether we are dealing with each other, city staff, or the public. The challenges facing this city are simply too big for us to act small. So, to the members of our new City Council—my door is open. And so is my mind." … The NBA season is over. The National Hockey season is over. The American tax season is recognized as from January 1 through April 15. Yep, the basketball and hockey seasons last longer than tax season. Got to be some wisecrack there. Maybe there was no season as taxing as the Dallas Mavericks’.

—- Offer wisdom or wisecracks by clicking below or emailing dallrp@aol.com. —-

ON MONDAY, OPPORTUNTIES TO HELP AND A TALE OF A DOG WHO BEAT GREAT ODDS...

EDITION OF MONDAY, JUNE 17, 2019 [PetPowell Press] — We are staggeringly beyond the midpoint of June 2019 and approaching the halfway point of the whole year. Summer arrives at 10:54 a.m. this Friday in Texas, according to The Old Farmer’s Almanac, founded in 1792 before Dallas was even a thought.

If you think the year is moving fast, consider how fast intake is moving at the Fort Worth Animal Care & Control Shelter. Ginger Leach, our longtime tipster from FWACC, sent a tip on a WFAA-TV story headlined, “More than 300 animals have been taken in by the Fort Worth Animal Shelter in 6 days.” 

Available at FWACC this very day are Tex, a year old Pittie boy, and this 2-year-old boy cat who, if memory serves, is the very first cat I’ve ever seen who was named Archimedes.
Read the story HERE  See the animals and how to adopt them HERE. And, remember FWAAC had already planned its “MEGA ADOPTION EVENT” for June 29-30 at the Will Rogers Memorial Center.
MEANWHILE IN DALLAS…
Dallas Animal Services is not only running the $10 dog and cat adoption, but on Wednesdays, you can adopt a Dallas dog 6 months or older for ONE LOUSY DOLLAR — that’s right, you can get a million dollar dog for a dollar.
Find that valuable friend at either the big DAS shelter at on Westmoreland at I-30 or at the PetSmart Everyday Adopton Center, 16821 N. Coit Road, in Dallas.

I bring all that up so I can point out this artwork DAS has posted on its Facebook page and it’s website. It’s lighthearted artwork. And I just want to note that there are a lot of veteran rescuers and shelter-watchers who can remember the time when Dallas Animal Services didn’t have a sense of humor. Or a sense of marketing, either.
Moving along…
Around noon Sunday, DAS was caring for 240 dogs, 211 cats and 6 “other” — the other include Macy the Guinea Pig, a young female rabbit, two male rats (Doc and Neo) and two cockatiels, Deitra the girl and Sam the boy.
Go to www.dallasanimalservices.org to see the animals. That dog is 8-year-old German Shepherd Havoc (A0666474), in the shelter’s care since May 17. He’s in foster care so as about him by emailing DASFoster@dallascityhall.com. 
The beautiful “Calico Domestic Shorthair” is Bell, already spayed, about 4 years old, and currently at the Everyday Adoption Center on Coit Road. She’s been in DAS care since June 8. |
The shelter has more kittens than the entire nation of Catsylvania.
SOMETIMES VOLUNTEERS
HAVE A CONFINING MISSION
We’re talking specific needs in this case. Tawana Couch, the guiding light of the Society for Companion Animals, needs volunteers to help assemble dog crates for transporting dogs that are unwanted around here to places that have enough sense to adopt these spurned Texas dogs. Want to become a volunteer? Email Tawana at tawanacouch@me.com.

 Also, supplies are needed, specifically large dog pee pads (never typed that before!), blankets, towels and other supples.
The other thing needed? Volunteers.
Not just for normal tasks, but also for helping with the 2020 Flying Pets fundraiser. Email Tawana to see how you can help — plenty of chores and do-good opportunities.
COCO AND RUBY:

WAITING IN MESQUITE
Our dependable Mesquite volunteer tipster Judi Brown has been monitoring the progress of Ruby (right) and her daughter, Coco, surrendered on June 4 because their human had too many animals.
 Ruby is 3 and weighs 63 pounds and Coco is 2 and weighs 51 pounds.

Judi writes, “I was there when they were surrendered and I could see the fear in their eyes. It took days for them to decompress and now thanks to a wonderful behavioralist volunteer” both dogs are gradually warming up.
Coco is 41859138 and Ruby is 41859149. Use their numbers when you call the shelter at 972-216-6283 or email rescues@cityofmesquite.com.

A HEARTFELT REPORT
FROM BURNS FLAT, OKLA.
The tough rescuer from Burns Flat, Terry Lynn Fisher, sent a note about her life with animals and some dogs that need some help. 
Keep in mind she has many more animals on her “agenda” than these. And you can always reach her at remem- bering_oddball@ yahoo.com.
 Here’s what she wrote over the weekend: 
“The pain comes from deep within...I try so hard to keep up with all the dogs so many people just throw away like a piece of trash. I will never understand it.. We are a small town, yet we stay full.
“These four are so precious. Their momma is half-St. Bernard so they are big ones. They were found dumped and a lady called to ask if I could help them. They were so skinny and in poor shape. I told her if she could foster while I looked for rescue, I would do what I could to save them.

“After 5 weeks, we finally got them accepted to rescue in Washington State. 

“This past week, I had them taken to the vet to get health certificates. I was so devastated to learn they had an eye infection and could not get a health certificate. And to make matters worse, one is almost totally blind.

“So six weeks after being found, the lady wants them gone and I have no place for them. They are being treated for the eye infection, but they missed the transport and there is no telling when they will have another one or if the rescue will even still have room.
“So here I am, pound full, several other places I use full, four at the vet, 2 on an abuse case,  and no place for these babies.

“They are all males, all so sweet and all BIG BOYS. They are only about 5 months old. 

“PLEASE. If anyone can help with them, they need a place ASAP. We need help with the vetting. We need someplace for them to go and be safe while I start all over on finding a rescue. I know there have been so many needs from here lately. Please understand, I am honestly doing the best I can. I am so alone out here. It has taken so much out of me to try and keep up with all the poor dogs out here. I am so grateful for all of you.”

That’s Terry Lynn’s report for this edition. There are more animals that need help.
 Email her at remembering_oddball@yahoo.com. To help with the vet bill, contact Elk Creek Clinic, 1301 Airport Industrial, Elk City, OK, 73655 (Call 580-225-4863). She has a PayPal address: bfvfd_109@yahoo.com.
CONTEMPLATIONS

ABOUT A DOG NAMED CHAMP

We write so frequently about people who are helping animals. Now, we have a story about a dog named Champ and the people he helped while they were helping him. You won’t want to miss it. Our Eastern Seaboard Bureau Chief Andy Fisher saw Mike Kelly’s column on northjersey.com and sent me a copy and a warning that read “Get out a couple of hankies.” He was right. But it is worth every teardrop — it’ll renew your faith in the human heart. HERE’S THE LINK.
And if you’ve ever fostered a dog, you’ll appreciate this quote from one of Champ’s humans: “The more love he got, the better he got."
—- Offer advice or happy thoughts by clicking on ‘comment’ below or emailing dallrp@aol.com. —-

HEY, HONEY -- A DOG WAITING FOR A HOME WITH PEOPLE TO LOVE

When I first contacted Theresa Butterbaugh about the dog abandoned and ignored in the back yard of a Fort Worth home, I asked if she could get a photo of him sleeping for our weekend edition of Let Sleeping Dogs Lie & Napping Cats Nap.
Theresa replied, “I”ll never get a pic of him sleeping. When I pull up in the truck every day to care for him he gets pretty darned excited and runs to gate with big smile and tail wagging!”
Then, one day during the week…….

Yeah, the dog who can be greeted as “Hey, Honey” was catching a few winks on the front gate. 
Now, why is this dog lounging on a gate like this? Some of you will recall the story. The dog’s human moved and left the dog for the next tenant to care for — but there’s a hitch in that plan.

Theresa explains, “I was taught to love, care and respect all of creation and so I just do what I can to help. The way I ran across this dog is that I responded to an ad on a local app requesting some help moving a few boxes for a lady who was moving.
“Once we arrived at the home she was moving into I saw the dog in the backyard. She told me the owner had moved out of state and someone was to be caring for dog. Because I’m nosy and because I was curious if he had proper water, shelter, etc. I went out to see about him.

“No one had been caring for dog that I could tell because his water was green and full of mosquito larvae. I explained to her that he needed a better situation, she agreed and told me she was afraid of dogs.”
[LARRY ASIDE: Now, Dear Readers, we’ve reported this story before but it is the next sentence that continues to inspire me to warm up the ol’ readlarrypowell.com Two-by-Four of Enlightenment. That would, of course, be wrong, but feel oh-so-right.]
Theresa reports, “She said the owner had told her to have him put down if no one wanted him.”
[LARRY ASIDE: See, it made you mad, too, didn’t it.” It made Theresa reach out to help.]

She says, “Well, once I heard that I told her I would assume temporary care of him and see that he was in a new home.”

And that’s where we are right now as far as the progress of Hey, Honey and his rescue by a good and decent human.
To offer to adopt, foster or bring Hey, Honey into your rescue group, get in touch with Theresa by emailing prettypeacock74@outlook.com or by sending a Facebook message to Theresa Butterbaugh. 

Theresa says, “All the shelters are over full and all the Rescue groups say the same...everyone has their hands full. The dog is such an incredibly well-mannered dog, I just know there's someone who could give him a good home. Where and when we find that person is what matters most. I don’t know how long before current tenant may decide she wants him out of her backyard.”
Theresa sent us a few new photos of "Hey, Honey" during a visit. 
She explains, “That’s my bucket that has a rotating seat. I keep everything I need in it to care for this fella and it gives me a place to sit, too, while I give him his daily brushing and wipe-down with cool water.

“If there was any way I could take him to my house, believe me, I would — we are full with two dogs, three cats and three humans in an 840 square foot home.”
She told us, “Honey needs a good human willing to share their sofa and home with him. A loyal and faithful friend for life is what they could expect in return for the same promise to this boy.”
One more time: Here's the way to start the adoption/foster/rescue process for this great dog: Email prettypeacock74@outlook.com or by sending a Facebook message to Theresa Butterbaugh. Soon is good.
[LARRY REMINDER: Someone adopt this dog so you can take a picture of Hey, Honey sprawled out on the family couch and being adored. We guarantee we’ll post that photo on Let Sleeping Dogs Lie & Napping Cats Nap. Same for anybody else’s dogs and cats — send photos and bios to dallrp@aol.com. Remember, you’ll be inspiring people to adopt animals and encouraging insomniacs to believe that they, too, can get some sleep if they can just find the right ornamental iron gates on which to rest their chinny-chin-chins.]
—- Offer advice, stock tips or winning lotto numbers by clicking on ‘comment’ below or emailing dallrp@aol.com. —-

EXTRA EDITION FOR FLAG DAY; INCLUDE MESQUITE AND LANCASTER APPEALS

EXTRA EDITION FRIDAY, JUNE 14, 2019 [PetPowellPress] As you can see from this Extra Edition’s first photograph, our Eastern Seaboard Bureau Chief Andy Fisher, a veteran of service in the U.S. Army and a longtime American print and broadcast journalist, celebrates Flag Day in a magnificent manner.



Here’s the rundown of the flags on the Bureau headquarters on Indian Lake in Denville, N.J. Andy lists (left to right): “50-star flag (official since 1959); ‘Grand Union’ flag (first flag flown by rebellious colonials); ‘Betsy Ross’ flag; 48-star flag” — at this point Andy notes to me that that’s the flag “under which you and I were born”  (I remember saluting it in Scouts and school) — and the final flag is the “ ‘Star-Spangled Banner’ (15 stars, 15 stripes)” and, he adds, “This particular flag has actually been flown over Ft. McHenry in Baltimore.” [LARRY ASIDE: Bureau Chief Fisher wasn’t there for the War of 1812 with poet/lawyer Francis Scott Key who wrote the lyrics to The Spar-Spangled Banner. Andy, as noted, only goes back to the 48-star flag -- not the War of 1812.]
TWO OF MANY IN MESQUITE:

LUNA AND ROSITA, WAITING
The volunteer Mesquite Animal Services biographer Judi Brown sent us a couple of notes about two dogs who lost their homes in separate but similar instances.

Luna (40330086) is that 2-year-old, 50-pound Alaskan Husky with the vivid blue eyes and the “sweet loving disposition.” Why is she out of a home? Surrendered on June 11 because, Judi reports, “her owners were moving to an apartment.” The polite, leash-trained dog answers to her name. She was raised with children and other dogs, the surrendering people said. And she’s spayed. The dumping owner also said “Luna ws particularly close to their daughter.” [LARRY ASIDE: So, there’s some heartbreak to go around — a kid is going miss a dog forever and a dog is always going to wonder what happened to the little girl and “when will I see her again.” Dogs have memories and hearts.]
Rosita (37447005) is a 2-year-old, 45-pound Pointer/Retriever mix who came int the shelter on June 13 and the owner-surrender form read that “she was unwanted and that they were moving,” Judy says. She adds, “The front desk personnel told me that the owner worked long hours and didn’t have time for her and she was escaping. You can also see that she has very recently had babies and probably still hasn’t even dried up. She has a sad look in her eyes and I can understand why. She did try to jump the shelter barrier so she would need a secure enclosure.”
Judi, who meets the dogs she writes about, says Rosita loves having her ears scratched.
“She is cautiously friendly. I get the impression she has not had a lot of attention. Hopefully in a loving, secure situation she would not have the desire to escape.  She’s very alert. There’s no doubt that if her energy was channeled she has a lot of potential to be a loyal companion.”

To help these dogs or any animal in the Mesquite shelter, call the facility at 972-216-6283 or email rescues@cityofmesquite.com. To see animals in Mesquite's shelter, click HERE
LANCASTER REMINDER

AS THE CHALLENGE CONTINUES
Laura Macias, whose “small shelter advocates” have been trying to save animals in the Lancaster Animal Shelter, sent a note this morning that reads, “No one is pulling or adopting — just heartbreaking.” 

She says “transport can be arranged for any 501c3 rescue.” Call or text 214-949-2726 or email cat_girl_72@yahoo.com.

This kitten is Landry — described as “very tiny.” 
And this dog is Mia, also known as “Spunky,” and described both as “incredibly urgent” and a “precious little girl that is super cute and sweet.” She’s a 45-pound “Pocket Shepherd,” according to the note about her. 
There are so many more animals in need. 
Here’s the LINK  to the official city site of the Lancaster Animal Shelter. It’s at 690 E. Main St. in Lancaster. Phone 972-218-1210. It’s open 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Friday and closed on weekends. 
If you go to the Furbabies of Lancaster Facebook page HERE  you will get a glimpse of the ugly situation that has developed over a political disagreement in the City of Lancaster. Take some time to study the situation. Animal lives are at stake. [LARRY ASIDE: We have no connections ot the City of Lancaster, but we do have experience watching shelters and cities. A gentle note: This is a situation that, if the city doesn't become heroic rather than stubborn, could develop into a really ugly public relations situation for the city and its taxpaying residents. When humans argue over animals, the animals have lousy odds.]

CONTEMPLATION
ONCE UPON A FLAG DAY
We close with this archival photograph of Maxie, the rescue dog who shares the Fisher abode with Chloe the Cat. Maxie is on the lawn contemplating the America that has kind people who made sure he was saved from misery. He now lives a great life with his own personal humans, a cat to pal around with and all the TV and treats he can handle.
—- To offer advice or opinions, click on “comment” below or email dallrp@aol.com. —-

OUR FLAG DAY REPORT: DEALING WITH ANIMALS, COPING WITH HUMANS IN DALLAS -- THE CITY OF CRIMINAL CONDITIONS

EDITION OF FRIDAY, JUNE 14, 2019 [PetPowellPress] In case you wondered, June 14 has celebratory designations other than Flag Day. The other two designations that sound as if they could be political in nature, but they are not, according to the online Holiday Insights . 
The second Friday of June is National Flip Flop Day— again, not political. It’s Shoetical. And June 14 is National Monkey Around Day. Again, not political. Bob Matthews, the Rochester, N.Y., guy who developed Holiday Insights, created the holiday in honor of the June 14 birthday of his daughter Kimberly. Bob’s quote reads, “There is way too much stress in our everyday lives. We need at least one day to set aside our stress, troubles and worries and to just relax and monkey around.” 
That, ladies and gentlemen, is a darned noble suggestion. Especially if you have to deal with Dallas’ and North Texas’ epidemic of road construction, repair and reconstruction. Oh, uh, no, that is not a snow monkey. I didn't have a monkey photo so I got a snapshot of  guy I know who, under certain lunar conditions, becomes either a yeti or a distinctly-coated werewolf.
A SHELTER NOTE FROM DALLAS
You see here the May chart for Dallas and its efforts to reach the 90% rate for getting critters out of the Dallas Animal Services and Adoption Center. After stellar figures for the last couple of months, May didn’t quite hit the high mark. The shelter posted the artwork on the DAS Facebook page and, also, this explanatory note: “May is challenging for shelters due to the increased levels of vulnerable animals in need (especially kittens), and while we didn't hit 90%, you helped us to drastically surpass previous year's live release rates! #D90ShelterStats."

 We checked the shelter population at dallasanimalservices.org Thursday afternoon and this is the count for dogs and cats. Still a robust population. And the count is back up on “others” after being absent a day — this time the “others” are inexplicably Macy the Guinea Pig, a rabbit and two white rats.
You hope that everybody who was going to dump their animals this weekend has decided to keep the animals because they are members of the family. I sometimes dream big for the other people of lesser integrity.

THE CHALLENGES CONTINUE
IN BURNS FLAT, OKLA.
Oh, boy, Terry Lynn Fisher, the resilient rescuer of Burns Flat, Okla., keeps running into the special animal situations — it’s nothing new. She’s been encountering these desperate situations for years. This one, however, has a courthouse twist to it.
Terry Lynn writes, “These are the two puppies that were seized by the police. The owner had been staying at another town and left these two for over two weeks.  A neighbor finally noticed and called me and I called the police. My ACO had them taken to the vet, for they were in bad shape.  We have had them fed little meals and they have been gaining weight every day. This is proof that it was just a total neglect and lack of food that got them in the condition they were in."

She’d found a rescue for the little black dog only to be told that neither dog can leave town. Why? She says, “They are taking the guy to court for animal cruelty charges, which is a felony. The judge said these dogs have to stay here until after that court case. We could bring them back to the pound, but since I am full there, bringing them back would mean I had to make room for these two to be kept. We are a small outdoor -only pound, so by making room, means I get to choose which of my other two die so these two have a spot to be kept. My only other option at this point, is to keep them at the vet, but the town does not have a budget for anything like that so  I would be financially responsible for that bill to board them. Their answer is to bring them to the pound and hold until court.
“
So, I am asking if anybody is available to help board these two babies for the next two weeks. Their bill is already $300, which I am responsible for at this point, but if restitution is made by the owner, then it will be paid to the vet. I know this is asking a lot, but if anyone is available to help, please let me know.” Email Terry Lynn at remembering_oddball@yahoo.com.
MEANWHILE OUT AT THE LAKE
:
A CAT, SOME CARDS AND SHIRTS!
This cat’s story was forwarded to us by our reliable tipster Sydney Busch of Friends of the Animals at Cedar Creek Lake, the non-profit that operates the world’s most successful spay/neuter clinic in Gun Barrel City, Texas. 
The note Sydney forwarded from Jazzy the Cat’s current caregiver describes her as “a female around 7-8 years old (I believe). I think she is spayed. I believe she is a Maine Coon mix.”
Those are the beliefs and here are the facts: “She is very friendly and loving. She loves to cuddle.  We call her Jazzy. She needs to be indoors. She does not like dogs. She was abandoned and we took her in since she was living in my dad’s boat. We are trying to find her a good home since we are unable to keep her.” To ask about taking in loveable Jazzy, email zephyra13@yahoo.com.

In the meantime, you can support the efforts of Friends of the Animals at Cedar Creek Lake by purchasing the special merchandise available through the clinic.
These notecards, Sydney says, “were designed and donated by Celene Terry, local fabulous artist.”

And, the Friends have fabulous “4-color shirts” available at the clinic.
You get 10 cards and envelopes in 5 different designs for $15.

Then, there are these great flag shirts —4-color shirts that come in sizes S through XL for $15 and XXL for 17.
Get the shirts and cards at the clinic in Gun Barrel City on Tuesdays (that’s operation day) and on the second Saturday of each month from 10 a.m. to noon at the clinic’s special vaccination, etc., events. 
Learn more about the Friends (and see how to donate!) at friendsoftheanimals.org or visit the Facebook page HERE.

CONTEMPLATION

WITNESSING THE HUMAN CONDITION
In the wake of The Storm, many, many people were waiting to have lights, yes, to have the power that fuels our normal lives.
Tuesday evening I found a guy who was lost in the daylight.
As I was putting gas in my car at a filling station next to a freeway exit at U.S. 67 and Polk, suddenly there appeared a talking, shirtless man, possibly in his early 40s — you can’t tell because drugs can add decades in a few minutes. 
This guy’s eyes were drooping — not squinting — nearly closed as if he were trying to decide whether to go to sleep or to wake up. It wasn’t that the afternoon light was bright —he was in the shaded area between the cars and the door of the station. 
He was walking like a cartoon figure fighting gale-force winds, but there wasn’t any wind and he clearly wasn’t seeing where he was going. He also was carrying on a conversation with someone the rest of us couldn’t see.
And he was agitated. I’ve been around — I can tell the difference between a medical emergency and the peculiar viciousness of drugs and/or alcohol.
This guy was high and lost. A ramp with a handrail leads up to the door of the station but he couldn’t navigate the ramp.
 He wandered in a small circle for a few seconds, then staggered to the rail, held to it with one hand, briefly, then took both hands and pulled his pants down beyond his knees and began to … well, it wasn’t Number 1.
As a person who’s picked up many a roaming, puzzled dogs through the years, I know how to handle those situations. This roaming, puzzled man baffled me. I’m not sure where this guy belongs. 
But he doesn’t belong doing what he did at this services station in broad daylight. This poor soul — there must be a way to help him other than handcuff him and take him off to jail. 
I don’t know. It bothers me.

It would be nice to know he has a rescuer in his future. It would be nice to know that two weeks from now he won’t have recovered enough of his senses to steal a car and, high on something, run it into a family van on a vacation trip. Or his addled mind won’t tell him to steal a gun and fatally try to rob someone. 
But those things happen when you have more love for your next trip than you do for the next human you encounter.
The solutions for animals are quite simple when compared to the solutions for people. I’m going to hug some dogs and cats right now. The dogs and cats, I can help. The humans — professionals are needed. It’s an awful situation.
I keep looking for this guy when I drive past the gas station. Maybe someone took him home or to a place where he can get rewired. 
It’s really sad. I guess the point of this contemplation is that all the good hearts I know work hard to help the animals that cross their paths. And we're probably baffled by humans.
Bless the peace officers who have to deal with this stuff. Maybe there ought to be a special department for sworn peace officers who take these people to a place to get help. That way, the police force could focus on preventing violence crimes committed by people who actually ARE thinking clearly when they hold up a store, hijack a car, shoot up a car wash and any of the other villainous things that Dallas is getting to be all-too-famous for. in 2019.
—- Offer a suggestion or an opinion by clicking on “comment” below or by emailing dallrp@aol.com. This town needs some relief from some of its residents. —-

IN HONOR OF ANIMAL NUTS: WE FOCUS ON A RESCUE, CROWDED SHELTERS, IGNORED SHELTERS, DOGS WITH SPECIFIC NEEDS, CRIMINALS & MILKSHAKES

[EDITION OF THURSDAY, JUNE 13, 2019 [PetPowellPress] — Dear Animal People — and you know who you are! — you serve in different missions.
Some hustle -- and that's the word for every advocate -- to get animals out of virtually ignored-by-the-public smaller shelters such as Hutchins and Lancaster. Some hustle to get animals spayed and neutered. Some hustle to get animals out of horrifying situations that have grown from hoarding or profiteering. Some hustle to get animals adopted at daily and weekend events or from city, county and non-profit shelters. 
There’s plenty of volunteer hard work to go around.
Readlarrypowell.com is proud to be a conduit for publicizing all of you and the halo-earning efforts you make to save the lives of animals and get them into homes where they are blessings for humans.
Now and then it is important to stop and look in awe at the work done by all of you “animal nuts” — and at readlarrypowell.com, that is a term of honor and respect. I love animal nuts. Help me off this soapbox before a slat snaps and I hit my head … again. Is that a dog with one eyebrow? More on Orchid in a moment.
WHEN TEAMWORK MEETS
THE INCREDIBLE CHALLENGE…
At an undisclosed site in North Texas — people are still making sure all the potential prosecution i’s are dotted and t’s are crossed — someone was keeping 89 animals in despicable conditions. 
Legal authorities stepped in and about two weeks ago activated the system that saves the animals. They called in the forces of AIR — Animal Investigation & Response. 
These animals were mostly “living in 6-to-8 inches of filth in the house,” our sources tells us, and a few were Sticklanded -- I'm sorry, I meant 'tethered' outside.
AIR led this rescue and people from Red Rover also joined the project. Pet Love Mobile Grooming sent teams to the site and groomed every rescued dog. 

Now, according to a video on the AIR Facebook page, the challenge is getting all the animals veterinarily prepped and ready for  transfer to other agencies for adoption into good homes. 

Takes money, you know, to put up safe places to keep the animals and to help them get over being “stored” like inventory that won’t sell.
As you may guess, these dogs probably never had a bath until Pet Love showed up and changed their lives! If you’ve ever bathed a dog, you know how happy they can be after the hands-on experience. Bless their little furry hearts.
You can catch up with this project by going to the AIR Facebook page HERE.
That’ll take you to the donate page link and explain that AIR needs help with financing these life-saving rescues — from buying fences to feeding and doing vet care. You can also become a volunteer and help animals in a frontline life-saving way.
[LARRY ASIDE: If you think this stuff only happens in Texas, there's a news story HERE about a Westminster-linked dog rescue on the East Coast.]

LANCASTER, HUTCHINS —
THE CHALLENGE CONTINUES
Our most recent report from the small shelter advocates who are trying to help the animals in the City of Lancaster shelter report, “Not one tagged or even inquired about! Nothing at all — and animals keep coming in.”
This source, not affiliated with Furbabies of Lancaster, writes, “Lancaster needs help badly! I wish they would let Furbabies back in.” 
That’ll probably all wind up in sincere negotiations of some kind.
In the meantime, there are animals waiting. Wednesday’s readlarrypowell.com story focused on kittens and several dogs. For this edition, we have more animals.
 And to help any of them, call or text 214-49-2726 or email cat_girl_71@yahoo.com.

We opened with the perky photo of Trapper, a “Pocket German Shepherd” who weighs just 45 pounds. He’s a loveable guy who is “super sweet,” his bio reads.

There are also some Hutchins animals being promoted by Laura Macias and the small shelter advocates.

 This Hutchins guy is Sam- son, aka Big Red, a French Mastiff/Bulldog mix. He’s got “cute little floppy ears and a big lovable body,” his bio reads  and says “Would be a social media star — absolutely no question. … He is a big, sturdy, chunky, adorable Tonka truck cutie that weighs about 85 pounds.”

Also in Hutchins, this big boy Marley, listed as a Boxer/Cane Corso mix. The appeal reads, “Please, help save him!! Please!!  He is incredibly urgent.  What a complete and absolute sweetheart - a complete love.”

At this point, Marley’s history is not important — it’s his future that is in question.
TWO NOTES ABOUT
DOGS IN NEED
Our animal advocate/rescue pal Kimberly Jones sent notes about two animals that need some help.
She’s set up a gofundme page for this girl Cinder. That’s some face! Makes you want to hug her, doesn’t it! 

The story is this: “Cinder's adoptive family needs assistance treating her heartworms. Without help they were faced with giving her back to her rescuer. She has been in this home for several years and is very loved.” The rest of the  story and how to help the sweet girl are at this gofundme.com site.
KJ also sent this note about a Waco dog who is in a life-threatening spot because the shelter is in a space crunch. The appeal reads, “This wonderful blue/gray hippo is simply a gem … Jewel (adorably called Momma Dog by staff because she is just so darn sweet and wants to be sure everyone is doing okay and ate enough dinner) is a big chunk of lovability and she simply sparkles around humans. She is a silly and happy companion. Her age is just a guess but this girl likely has plenty of years to come. She walks well on leash and is a cooperative, easy girl. She is listed as a Pit Bull mix, but her short squatty nature and hefty size (83lbs) don't add up. Jewel may actually be an American Bully or a Cane Corso (Italian Mastiff) mix. Jewel has fun playing with balls and toys or just being by your side.”
She came into the shelter on March 28. MARCH! To ask about her us her number A088123 and call the shelter at 254-754-1454. Here’s a Facebook LINK.
AN ORCHID IN MESQUITE:
A DOG WITH ONE EYEBROW

AND HER PAL PEANUT
Yep, Mesquite has had a “Blessing of Chihuahuas” this spring. In addition to those that show up stray or are surrendered and the more than two dozen handed over in one batch, now and then some just show up due to legal notices. 
We learned of this boy from the volunteer Mesquite Shelter biographer Judi Brown who wrote, “Orchid is a 10-year-old Chihuahua that arrived at the Mesquite Animal Shelter on 6/10 with four other dogs. The only other one that is still at the shelter is a Chihuahua named Peanut (ID 41910820.} He’s seven years old so he’s getting up there in years also. They were surrendered because the owners  had more dogs than the city ordinance allows.”

Judi says that after you noticed Orchid’s huge eyes, you’ll “probably notice that her tongue sticks out of her mouth, and that is because she does not have any teeth. She will need to eat soft food. Although she’s very timid, she seems to like to be held. Also with time and patience she came to me. If you’re looking for company while reading a book or watching television Orchid would be the perfect companion!” 
Orchid weighs 7 pounds. Her number is 41910756. Peanut (41910820) is “small.”

To ask about either of these dogs, call 972-216-6283 or email rescues@cityofmesquite.com. To see more Mesquite animals, click HERE.

CONTEMPLATIONS

CROWDED SHELTERS, CASE FOR JAIL,
CHALLENGE OF AVOIDING MILKSHAKES
Holy smokin’ fertility and spay/neuter ignorance: The City of Dallas’ shelter, about 3 p.m. Wednesday, listed a shelter population of 244 dogs, 207 cats and 4 “other” — We’ve been monitoring the adoptables list and these are two highs for springtime. Especially the cats. Go to dallasanimalservices.org to “shop online” and go to the shelter at I-30 and Westmoreland to save some lives. That little furball is Panda (A1063779), maybe 9 weeks old, who arrived at the shelter on Wednesday. Wasn’t the only kitten to come in.  And, for crying out loud, Fort Worth Animal Care & Control is also overloaded. Here's the LINK TO FWACC'S FACEBOOK page. … 
Then, I saw an uplifting story from CBS19, a “virtual channel” serving the Longview/Tyler area. My animalnutspouse Martha alerted me to it.
There’s the photo and HERE’S THE LINK. You may remember the story — it involved an SPCA of Texas cruelty investigation that found 71 dogs (11 were dead) in a “single-wide” trailer in March, 2018. The verdict is not really a reason to joyously celebrate, it’s more of a reason to pensively, hopefully celebrate — you want this outcome to have a serious affect on people who are pulling these stunts and will stop for the sake of the animals, not just for the sake of avoiding prosecution until they can find a better way to hide their nefarious activity. …
We’ll end this on a sweet note. Sonic is selling Cake Batter Milkshakes. I am not buying. But I do hope some daring soul will tell us whether a Cake Batter Milkshake can beat cookie dough ice cream. I also can’t eat that. Alarm goes off at my doctors’ offices. If I think about eating a chocolate-dipped extra large softserve ice cream at Dairy Queen, they run a “CALORIE ALERT” with my photo on TV and electronic highway signs urge people to tell the authorities where I'm hiding with my ice cream cone.
—- To offer something that makes the world a better place or stock tips, click on “comment” below or email dallrp@aol.com. —-

AT MIDWEEK: CONSIDER HELPING ANIMALS, CITY POLITICS, VOTING & THE PRICE OF GAS

EDITION OF WEDNESDAY, JUNE 12, 2019 [PetPowellPress] We’re at midweek in what has been a very, very busy week for the electric company, the peace officers trying to keep streets clear — not clear of trees, but of Dallas drivers who keep bouncing off each other while trying to get through a malfunctioning traffic light. 
To borrow from the songwriter Frank Loesser’s hit from the Broadway play The Most Happy Fella (feel free to sing long) “Ah, Big D, my, oh, yes. Now and then we have a real big mess. But that’s just Big D. my, oh, yes, Big D little L A Big D little L A —please remain on the line. Your call is very important to us.” Oh, yeah, that's a dog weathering her own storm. Keep reading.
MEANWHILE IN LANCASTER
Two things here. One is the Furbabies of Lancaster Facebook page continues to inform and somewhat pressure the City of Lancaster to get involved with the volunteers again so that animals in the city shelter will have a better chance at being saved. 
A note on the page includes this info about the hours you can visit the shelter and this from the Furbabies: “Please note the new hours for the Lancaster Animal Shelter. Due to the volunteers no longer being kept abreast of the intake of animals at the shelter we are unable to post the current pets that have been brought in, picked up, surrendered. PLEASE, PLEASE go to the shelter if you were planning to expand your family. There are many wonderful pets that just want another chance.”

Fortunately there are non-political people trying to do the right thing. Among them, the already-stretched-thin supporters of small, low-foot traffic shelters in the I-45 corridor south of Dallas.
We are on their mailing list and got an email Tuesday declaring “ABSOLUTE EMERGENCY - STILL CRITICAL - EUTH PENDING.”

In a note from the advocates (the hardworking Laura Macias and Leighann Hayden at the helm), we received photos and bios of several fo the animals that need to be saved from way-too-short lives as residents of the Hutchins Shelter and the Lancaster Shelter.
To ask about any of the animals or how you can help save the lives of dogs and cats in small shelters, call or text 214-949-2726 or email cat_girl_72@yahoo.com.
The collection of Lancaster kittens involves those three above — They are under 2-months old and though I don’t know which is which, their publicity names are Cheerio, Tutti and Cream Puff.

The little black puppy with the white blaze is Jamie, a boy with a “precious little baby face.”

We’ve mentioned Hailey before — a year old Catahoula mix who may be the Most Brindle Dog we’ve ever seen. Look at the amazing display of patterns. The note reads, “This little girl was an owner-surrender from someone who could no longer care for her and will probably be euth’d in the next day or two unless someone can say now that they want her.”
I hate to even bring up Emmi (opening, item opening and now here!), a Lab/Shepherd Mix who is also “incredibly urgent.” She recently had pups, but the appeals notes there are no puppies at the shelter. [LARRY ASIDE: This means she ether was caught trying to find food to boost her momma’s milk or she was dumped so that some jerk could sell the puppies — maybe even offer them to someone for “bait dogs” — not that Dallas County has had any dog-fighting in the shadows of civilization. Sheesh.]

Then there are the eyes of Summer, the female Bulldog mix and Sweetie, the Heeler mix who clearly qualifies an Earhound. 
You can see the entire note with all of the dogs currently featured as “endangered” by clicking HERE and then clicking on download. It pops up quickly. There are just so many, we can’t fit them all in on readlarrypowell.com.

MEANWHILE, IN BURNS FLAT
We’re going to focus on just two dogs out of several Terry Lynn Fisher is trying to help in Burns Flat, the little town with the big-hearted rescuer way out in Western Oklahoma. 
We’ve published a ton of Terry Lynn critter photos over the years, but I think this one may be my favorite. This dog is obviously happy to be riding shotgun in an air-conditioned car.
As you may suspect, dumped dogs don’t usually come with IDs, so we have no idea what his name is. You may refer to him as “the skinny guy” — just as Terry Lynn does. She writes, “The skinny guy is also under a year. He was dumped and roamed the town for several weeks before we finally caught him. He is a very  calm, friendly, and loving boy. All he wants is a home. If you have room for this sweetheart, let me know and we will figure a way to get him to you.”

This dog has a name. “Star.” She’s 2, between 50 and 60 pounds and “totally vetted and housebroken,” Terry Lynn says. “She was actually adopted from a pound near me, but they said the wife is allergic so they need to rehome her. She is very calm and well-mannered. She still wants to play like a puppy, but minds well when you tell her to lay down or sit.
“She is good with other animals and loves kids.”
To offer to help with these two dogs or any other animals Terry Lynn is trying to help, email her at remembering_oddball@yahoo.com. Terry Lynn has been the Guiding Light of Rescue in Burns Flat for so long now that she’s on the “automatic call” list of peace officers and other do-good types who need help with animals.
REPORT FROM GALVESTON: PERCY
A few weeks ago, in Let Sleeping Dogs Lie & Napping Cats Nap, we featured the cats of Raul Reyes and Linda Vaughan at their home known as Casa Galveston on “the island.”
 Readlarrypowell.com can testify that these two newspaper veterans are genuine animal advocates — in fact, every now and then Linda used to edit my animal columns in The Big Paper Downtown years ago. We still speak -- that's how good an editor she is.
Raul posted this report over the weekend and you’ll see how a couple fo great cat fans can wind up with one more cat in the household “feline system.” Raul writes, “Meet Percy. He had been showing up at our house every few days. We’d feed him and he’d disappear. A couple days ago he showed up and it was apparent he had been hit by a car. Vet says dislocated hip and a fractured leg. Such a gentle cat . With TLC he’s recuperating on the Casa Galveston porch.”
 There’s a cat who knew where to find loving help.
CONTEMPLATIONS

THINKING ABOUT DALLAS
On Tuesday morning I had a breakfast session with some veteran newspaper folks at a restaurant on Northwest Highway. It’s so far from my house that I needed to carry the “Papers of Transit” required when leaving southern Oak Cliff and crossing the Trinity River. Gasoline in my neighborhood is generally $2.49.9 a gallon. But in the northeast section of Dallas, I spotted this sign at a filling station. It gave me hope for the future.

So, here we are at midweek and happily proceeding with life, grateful that we have electricity, unlike, as of this writing, many Dallasites. Disruption of lives is wrenching. At some point, we’ll surely return to a normal — not the old normal, but a new normal with missing trees that had become landmarks, new electric wires, new issues facing the new mayor. And old issues, too.

Maybe more people will become better informed and find a reason to be a savvy voter in the city elections. As of Tuesday, there are 1,304,295 registered voters in Dallas County (says the Dallas County Elections office page). I don’t know how many of those are in the City of Dallas, but in the mayor’s race 41,208 voted for Eric Johnson and 32,898 voted for Scott Griggs — that’s 74,106 and there surely must be more registered voters than that.

So, all you voters registered in Dallas who didn’t vote on June 8, I’m sure you’re getting a big “Gee, thanks” from the spirits of those kids buried at Normandy and memorialized at Pearl Harbor and listed on memorials and The Walls and at national cemeteries. And all those service people still walking around burdened by memories of combat and tragedy. 
The people who'll really appreciate your lack of enthusiasm for democracy are you descendants. Unlucky, they may be.
You think they were all fighting for just for your right to ignore the two key needs of this nation: Smartly educated young people and responsible citizens? 
Help me off this soapbox before I think of something else to complain about (it’s the American way, you know). Wait, why can’t gas in my part of town be $2.10.9 a gallon? And where do you vote to get streets re-paved and potholes filled?
—- Offer advice or confirmation by clicking on ‘comment’ below or by emailing Larry Powell at dallrp@aol.com. —-

DOGS AND CATS IN NEED AND A CONTEMPLATION ABOUT THE SENATOR

EDITION OF TUESDAY, JUNE 11, 2019 [PetPowellPress] Here we go with another edition and the challenge of poison ivy. But the curses I face in yardwork are a story for another day. We want to offer our best wishes to people who need electricity, home repair and tree services after The Big Storm on Sunday. Bless you all and your cats and dogs, too.
We’ll explain that cat in a minute. The photo was taken long before the storm. And you won’t want to miss the story of how two dogs were saved — for now — in East Texas.
THE SLEEPING ANIMALS
WHO MAKE A HOUSE A HOME
Each weekend our feature Let Sleeping Dogs Lie & Napping Cats Nap demonstrates how living with a trustworthy human can allow our canines and felines to get a whole lot of good deep sleep. 
It works the other way, too. And that is yet another reason that adopting a dog or cat is good for the soul. You can get some sleep. 
A NOTE FROM LARRY AND EARL: Remember, send photos of your slumbering dogs and cats to us at dallrp@aol.com and we’ll post them in our weekend feature Let Sleeping Dogs Lie & Napping Cats Nap. [Larry talking now: That’s my dog friend Texas Earl the Cheeseman, a Rottie boy who makes red couch look better. I paid $12,572.85 for this championship dog — I’m kidding. He’s another free Dallas dog. I rescued him out of Kiest Park where he’d been dumped on a hot day without food and water, though he appeared to cling to hope that someone would come back for him. He checked each car that parked, but his human didn’t come back. So, rather than exercise as I’d intended, I invited him to ride home with me and he is our great blessing for around a decade now. He’s fabulous. And, as you can see, he makes any rug look regal, too.]

[Earl talking now: You may have a similar feeling of warmth about the dog or cat lounging on your couch or rug. Write to us at dallrp@aol.com and we’ll tell that story to the world. Thanks, Earl & Larry. Earl P.S. Remember, it doesn’t cost you a dime to tell the story of your sleeping/napping pals. You also face no tax burden because we thoughtfully do not pay you for the photos and stories. — Love, Earl.
TWO SAVED FOR NOW,
BUT DEADLINE LOOMS
[LARRY ASIDE: I periodically lament the ol’ Texas philosophy of animal management: “Got an animal problem? Let’s kill it.” And you’d think that was exclusive to governments. It’s not. Read on about these two beautiful dogs. But especially read about the help of two officials in Wood County.]

Gail Whelan of Companion Animal Network says the short version is this: “The owner moved out of state and left these dogs to die.  The Sheriff seized them and they were to be euthanized.  I was able to get an extension of two weeks to find either a foster or permanent home. Their time is up on June 21.”
This happened in Wood County, east of Dallas — Quitman is the County seat. The back story from Gail is that Wood County Sheriff Tom Castloo and Wood County Justice of the Peace, Pct. 1, Tony Gilbreath stepped in and took an interest in the case. Judge Gilbreath “agreed to the extension,” Gail says. “Without his okay, there would be no extension.  Judge Gilbreath even went out to meet the dogs at the outside kennel where they are kept and he was impressed with them both.”

FYI, Gail says there’s no rehoming or adoption fee. “But,” she cautions, “You have to pass the adoption application and sign a legally-binding contract. And I DO follow up!”

The white and black dog with the curlycue tail is Bonnie, nearing a year old and weighing 50 pounds. “We believe she is Border Collie/Pointer and perhaps a little Saluki or Afghan because of her tail,” Gail says and adds, “She is heartworm negative, has had a DHPP vaccination, Rabies vaccination, wormed, on Bravecto and Heartguard.  She will need another DHPP booster and to be spayed.  Bonnie is a typical happy-go- lucky, energetic sweetheart.”

Patton is that big boy — about 2 1/2 years old and Gail says that even at 75 pounds “He is a little underweight. The vets and I believe he is a Mastiff mix of some kind.  HE IS NOT A PIT BULL.  Not all dogs with a big head are Pit Bulls.  He has none of the other conformity.  He is heartworm negative, wormed, on Bravecto and Heartguard.  Patton has a skin infection and is on antibiotics for it.  He can be vaccinated within about 10 days.  He will need to be neutered. Patton has taken my heart. He allowed the vet to take blood with no problem and gives lots of kisses.  He is cautious at first (typical of the breed) but is excellent with people.”

Help Gail save these two by calling her at 903-967-3226 or emailing can.adoptions@yahoo.com. “And please HURRY,” she emphasizes.
MORNING AT DAS
As we do each day, we clicked on the Dallas Animal Services website and found a great Monday greeting. Here’s what the DAS writer presented with this photo: “You aren't the only one with a case of the Mondays - Sam (A1068492) is feeling a little sleepy this morning, too! Luckily, Sam has a warm, comfy bed to nap in at his foster home, but there are lots of kittens at DAS who would love a less noisy place to snooze. Email DASFoster@dallascityhall.com to get started!”

You see here, also a photo of Ethel (A1066367), in a foster home, but still available. She's got some wide toes on those back feet! But this photo of a cat getting ready to land in a windstorm was actually taken weeks ago at the shelter and she was just being a helpful kitten. She arrived at the shelter on May 2. As did the very calm gray baby Lucy (A1066369). Yep, Lucy and Ethel — the eternal pals of TV.
If you go to dallasanimalservices.org, you’ll see a ton of cats and kittens and even more dogs and cats. Monday morning, the count on the DAS website was 273 dogs, 286 cats and 1 “other.” (Macy the Guinea Pig and the two rats from the weekend were apparently adopted and that leaves this young rabbit as “other.”)
And, then, among the dogs that are around 3 years old, there are these two contrasting faces. Teddy (1019295) with the big smile — in the shelter’s care since May 22 — is listed as a “Pit Bull Terrier” and he’s at the PetSmart Everyday Adoption Center, 16821 N. Coit Road in Dallas. Somber beauty Kelly Redic (1019919) is spayed and has been waiting at The Big Shelter on Westmoreland at I-30 since June 3. 

As far as dogs and cats go, it looks like the traditional post-spring semester population explosion. People are going on vacation, bad weather scares dogs into jumping fences or digging out an running for cover. You know how it goes in Dallas. 
Save a life by visiting the shelter at I-30 and Westmoreland or going online to dallasanimalservices.org.
CONTEMPLATIONS

THE FUTURE, MAYORS AND A CAT
The Sunday storm was awful. Straight line winds. Trees knocked over. Electricity out. So many people got through hours and hours without electricity. Yes, Dallas people are resilient. But the question arises: How prepared are we for a tornado inside Dallas? I hope at least as good as the city says. … Thinking about the Mayor of Dallas — Eric Johnson (Congratulations!) is the first Dallas-born elected mayor of Dallas in this century, if our research is correct. Ron Kirk (1995-2002) was born in Austin, Laura Miller (2002-2007) was born in Baltimore, Tom Leppert (2007-2011) was born in Phoenix and Mike Rawlings was born in Borger, Texas. Dwaine Caraway (2011), who inherited the position when Leppert left for a senate run, was born in Dallas. And, of course, the other “Eric Johnson” was J. Erik Jonsson (1965-1971), accomplished civic leader, business leader and philanthropist who was — GASP! — born in Brooklyn! Consider this: In the 21st Century, there’s a heckuva lot of people here who weren’t born in Dallas — like me (Texarkana, Texas, and not yet a candidate for mayor anywhere.) My cityproudspouse Martha WAS born in Dallas. Loves the place. … 
Over the weekend, I was working at my desk when I heard Martha say something, so I turned to see her comfortably lounging in her recliner and The Senator sitting in a trance on her lap as she petted him. “Do you think that this cat could be blind?” she asked, looking into his eyes.” “No,” I replied confidently. “Well, then,” she says, “How about the possibility that he could be animatronic?”
—- Offer advice, solutions or stock tips by clicking on ‘comment’ below or emailing dallrp@aol.com and be kind to animals in the aftermath of The Storm. —-

DOG, CATS, PEOPLE & WEATHER

EDITION OF MONDAY, JUNE 10, 2019 [PetPowellPress] We have animal stories and weather/nature contemplations in this workweek-opening edition of readlarrypowell.com.
TELLING THE ‘OLD STORY’
One of the reasons I love getting email from Sydney Busch is she’s so darned upfront about the situation she’s hoping to help. The photos give you a hint. Yep, it’s a cat tale.
 Sydney writes, “OK, it's an old story - won't bore you with it BUT Friends will spay/neuter all 4 of these kittens at NO CHARGE for their new families.”

You’ll note there are just two photos. Two of the kittens are black; 2 are Torties 
And, of course, you know that “Friends” is Friends of the Animals at Cedar Creek Lake, the non-profit that operates the world’s most successful spay/neuter clinic at Gun Barrel City, Texas. 
Some extra cat facts. One of the Torties is polydactyl. Yep, extra toes, just like the famous cats at writer Ernest Hemingway’s home at Key West in Florida.
 Sydney says, “We don’t know the sex of the panthers, but, of course, torties are female. They’ve all had their first kitten shots.” 
Sydney says the contact is Sharon Lee at 214-676-0895 and “she’s the good guy in this tale.”

[LARRY ASIDE: Sydney adds, “BYW, BLACK CATS RULE!!!” and anybody who’s ever shared a corner of the universe with black cat (we had Bob the Cat and, later, Annabelle Bob The Cat) knows how they rule all they see and all you see, too!]

SO, AT DALLAS ANIMAL SERVICES
As you can see from this chart lifted from the dallasanimalservices.org website about 4 p.m. Sunday, the dog and cat population has not gone into “shrink mode.” 
We’ll try to help inspire someone to save some critters.

This girl is Edith (A0798297) — she is ABOUT SEVEN YEARS OLD, the staff thinks. Why a 7-year-old dog is in a shelter is beyond rational thought. DAS says to find out more about her or meet her, email DASFoster@dallascity- hall.com. Clearly she is from the golden era of black-and-white motion pictures. She came in on June 5.

But Edith isn’t the oldest dog on the list. We also spotted Olenna (A0946413), an ELEVEN-YEAR-OLD Lab mix who came in on June 5. Again, email DASFoster@dallas- cityhall.com.
While a great many of the felines in DAS are kittens listing their ages by “weeks” not years, there are some older cats. For example, this is Prince Harry (A1070853, a neutered Orange Tabby fellow who about 5 years old. He came into the shelter on Saturday.
Macy the Guiniea Pig, in the shelter since April 23, has been joined by three “others” — two rats and a rabbit. 
All these animals are at the Dallas Animal Services or at a foster home or, as in the case of Macy, the rabbit and the rats, at the PetSmart Everyday Adoption Center, 16821 N. Coit, in far north Dallas.
FORT WORTH’S CHALLENGES
All shelters have the same challenges: It’s easy to get dogs and cats but not so easy to get a matching number of humans involved in saving the shelter’s lives.
You have by this time, no doubt, spotted the armful of kittens. On the Fort Worth Animal Care & Control Facebook page, the passage read “Kittens, kittens and more kittens - they are so adorable and we just want to hold them all day long! We have bunches who are two and three- months old at both our Petsmarts — Hulen and Alliance. We love these cuddly babies and we hope you will too!”
On the same Facebook page, the shelter post this great face — that is King, a resident of the shelter since November 2018. The post reads that “none of us can believe someone hasn't adopted him. With more than 600 dogs in our care right now, we need to find him the perfect family quickly.
“He gets along with some dogs but he can be picky - we recommend a ‘meet & greet’ with your dog. He has a lot of energy and he's so much fun to play with.” King is at the FWACC Hulent PetSmart adoption center, I-20 at Hulen.
And, here’s notice of an upcoming event FWACC is including on its Facebook page.

TWO GUYS WAIT IN A TOWN

CALLED MESQUITE
Sounds like a western novel, but it’s really the story of two dogs who were surrendered at Mesquite Animal Shelter on June 4 because, our tipster Judi Brown, the shelter biographer says, “the owners had too many animals and were moving.”
 Yep, humans at the core of dogs’ problem — surprise, surprise. Right?

Both of these dogs are 4 months old. And they probably are brothers, Judi says.

Lolo (41858792) is the 20-pound Shepherd/Lab mix described as a “real cutie and a sweetheart,” by Judi who writes, “He was very friendly in the kennel but once he got out for the photo shoot he became very shy. He preferred to roll over and have his tummy rubbed.”

Tobi (41858796) is listed as a Pointer/Dalmatian/Cattle Dog. And Judi writes, “Whatever he is, he’s a real sweetheart.” And, he wags his tail a lot and is a 22-pound “social butterfly.”
To offer to give these guys the happy lives they deserve, call the shelter at 972-216-6283 or email res- cues@cityofmesquite.com.

And if you go to the Mesquite Animal Services website HERE you can see more animals — dogs and cats. For all of the Star Trek people who love animals, I’m citing this six-week-old kitten — his number is 41793367, but he’s clearly Captain Purrk, planning to go where no kitten has gone before. He just needs to be part of someone’s universe.
A DOG CAME CLOSE
TO BEING ‘PUT DOWN’
I hate that term “put down” and so, too, does the resilient rescuer in Burns Flat, Okla., Terry Lynn Fisher. 
The dog was the target of a needle until Terry Lynn stepped up.
 She explains, “This is Ellie ( her name caught my heart for that’s my granddaughter’s name)
“One of the ladies at my vet clinic called me about her. Last week, her owner was found dead in his home. He was 70 years old and had been fighting cancer. They are unsure when he passed but it had been a few days. When they found him, sweet Ellie was lying next to his body.  
“My vet is who did her shots and knew this man well.  He said Ellie went everywhere with him. She is under two years old and was very loved. 

“The police took Ellie to the pound in the town they were in. She was there over the weekend and the niece said she didn’t want her, for she already has two dogs. So they asked the vet crew if they knew anyone. Ellie’s time was already up at the pound, so if not taken out, she would be euthanized.”
But here is what Terry Lynn declared: “This girl has been through enough.  The thought of her laying on that cold cement floor and dying there after living her entire life filled with love broke my heart.  So I pulled her and have her in boarding, for our pound is full. Ellie is a great dog. Housebroken and gets along well with everything.”

Terry Lynn’s address is remembering_oddball@yahool.com. Terry Lynn says, “Please.  If you can help this girl through this time and offer her a place to live, let me know.”
CONTEMPLATIONS
THE WEATHER: HIDING FROM REALITY
The horror of violent, swirling, powerful weather is something we face nearly every spring in North Texas and sometimes that horror even shows up at Christmastime. When I first moved from extreme Northeast Texas to Fort Worth (1971), I was almost amused by the way folks in Cowtown reacted to “storm forecasts” by WBAP-TV’s legendary weatherman Harold Taft. I would have thought the behavior odd except for this: One of the first news stories I covered as a kid reporter was a deadly tornado that hit ONE house in then-rural New Boston, Texas, just 26 miles west of Texarkana and about 160 miles east of Dallas on I-30. There was a lot of landscape covered by the storm that night and the tornado came down out of the sky and hit only one frame house, lifting it off the ground and dropping it about 10 feet off its foundations. The tornado killed one person that night — that one guy sitting alone in his little house. Go figure. Why does it happen like that? A storm kills one person out of an entire city? It’s an interesting, unanswerable question. Like this one: “Why does Dallas have so many murders and murderers?” Nature. Human nature. Mother Nature. We’re warned about storms. And we wonder about the murderers. How absolutely puzzling is our plight. … This photo is a storm photo from Joyce Conley, our pal who rescues east of Dallas. She posted the photo on her Facebook page with this text, “The sirens were going off. I rushed to our safe closet to get it ready. Put a dog bed in first. Before I could get the other furkids & make more room in there... this happened. Lol. Coco Puff is SAFE ya'll. Sirens stopped. Not sure why they went off.” …
We know, now, why the sirens were going off in Dallas. Violent storm. We’d been in Addison and were driving south on the Dallas North Tollway when the winds began to throw things into the air and make it tough for Martha to hold her Ford Edge on a steady line. We exited and immediately found our way blocked by a tree that had been blown down on a Dallas street. Along about that time, noted animal rescuer Kimberly Jones was posting this note on Facebook. I don’t know if this storm was an “official” tornado, but it was close enough. Close enough was too close for comfort.
And may everyone have power back on before the cyberink is dry on this edition. And, here in the middle of springtime, I’ll quote Tiny Tim: “God bless us everyone.”
—- Offer opinions or theories by clicking on ‘comment’ below or by emailing dallrp@aol.com once the power’s on. —-

THE CAT NAPS; A FOSTER DOG'S FUN NIGHT; PLUS 'HEY, HONEY' IS ABANDONED & WAITING

This edition of Let Sleeping Dogs Lie & Napping Cats Nap touches not just on slumbering critters, but on people who lost sleep catching a dog and people who stepped between “Hey, Honey” and a bad fate. That’s “Hey, Honey,” not yet a featured sleeper but waiting for that special person to say, “Hey, Honey, here’s your couch.”
 Please read on. 

THE DEAL WITH THIS CAT:
IT WAS IN THE CARDS
We begin with two decks of cards and a cat. Some people have a card table. We have a cat table.


That’s how The Senator has eased his way into the spotlight of this weekend’s edition of Let Sleeping Dogs Lie & Napping Cats Nap. 

At night sometimes, my cardsharpspouse Martha and I will play a couple of games of gin. I’ll save you the suspense. She generally thrashes me. Thrash is too kind a word. It’s a shellacking night after night. 
Thursday night, we decided to play a late game in the living room. We moved the TV tray that doubles for The Senator’s editing desk from next to my desk to a spot between our chairs.
We had one hand dealt when The Senator hopped up onto his editing desk and stretched out. He wasn’t interested in leaving his desk, so we left him there and played around him.
He’s a wander-up cat with a hairline that looks like he’s a member of the U.S. Senate — a suggestion of “plugging” appears at the top of his forehead. Hence, The Senator is his name.
You’ll note other photos here. The Senator and our bottle-baby Simon. My pal Porche Noel. I caught a "curled-up" profile of her that explains why she also answers to the name “Porky” now and then — yep, a formerly starving Dallas street dog nicknamed “Porky.”

And you can tell that these animals — all rescues — have no problems sleeping. Why? Because they

know the world has good people in it. We’ve told them there are people who will take in the roaming dog or the wander-up cat or the litter of “who cares” puppies or “so what” newborn kittens.


I am about to cite some examples of good people.


‘RANDOM STRANGERS’
ONE NIGHT IN DALLAS
The first is a note posted during the week by Texas Humane Legislation Network mainstay Shelby Bobosky. It reads:
“Definition of WE NOT ME: Two nights ago, 15 random strangers helped Michael and I for two hours catch our foster dog MJ who got loose and 4 Lakewood teenagers stayed until the end when we finally leashed her. Extremely sweaty and tired, these people dropped everything to help us. There is no place I'd rather live. #EASTDALLASPROUD #LAKEWOODROCKS>"


A YARD DOG DUMPED

WITHOUT LEAVING HOME
Then there’s this abandoned dog story from Fort Worth. Karen Lee, the guiding light of barkleyworld.com, told us about it. “I received this heartbreaking message on Facebook asking for helping in finding this sweet dog a home. His owner just left him in the backyard anticipating the next tenant would gladly take him in! Sadly, that is not the case and good neighbor Theresa is trying to find him a home.”

Theresa Butterbaugh was helping the new tenant move into the home. Theresa, a longtime animal advocate, said, “She told me the owner had moved out of state and someone was to be caring for dog. Because I’m nosey and because I was curious if he had proper water, shelter, etc. I went out to see about him.

“No one had been caring for the dog that I could tell because his water was green and full of mosquito larvae.

“I explained to her that he needed a better situation, she agreed and told me she was afraid of dogs. She said the owner had told her to have him put down if no one wanted him.”
[LARRY ASIDE: Well, we’ll stop right there to puke. Then we’ll move on and tell you that you can help this dog by emailing prettypeacock74@outlook.com or sending a Facebook message to Theresa Butterbaugh.]
What’s the dog’s name. No one knows — except the guy who abandoned him, of course. So Theresa, who feeds him and talks to him, greets him with “Hey, Honey!” and that seems to work as a name for him for now. “Hey, Honey.”
In her note to us, Karen described “Hey, Honey” as a “neutered 6-year-old potato looking to keep someone’s couch … He has the warmest personality, friendly, gentle and well-mannered. Walks well on a leash, does not bark or get over-excited. He greets people very well, polite.” 
Karen added, “Please, is there a rescue or foster that will welcome him into their home? Such a kind soul and a lovely temperament he should blend in rather easily I think into someone’s household.”
And then there’s this from Theresa: “Not to be overly dramatic but please consider every time it's raining or it's hot outside this boy is sitting on concrete with a dog house that’s not nearly large enough for him.
“The only human interaction he gets is when I go each evening to feed, water and talk to him. Otherwise he’s just sitting there with nothing to feel hopeful about.”

So, Dear Readers, those of us who have seen animal rescuers work miracles think there is every chance that this dog will wind up with a happy place to sleep. All we have to do is connect the story with the right heart and there’ll be a big ol’ brown dog happily sleeping on a couch. That’s the way it works. Touch a heart, save a dog.
[PLEASE SEND PHOTOS of your sleeping dogs and napping cats and any other slumbering critter to Larry Powell at dallrp@aol.com and we’ll proudly post your photos and stories in Let Sleeping Dogs Lie & Napping Cats Nap. Your photos will help encourage people to open their homes to dogs and cats. And they will encourage insomniacs to believe that they, too, can get some sleep because they have faith in the rescuers, fosters, advocates and other big hearts who step up to find a place for an animal that someone didn’t want. It’s a reason to have optimism in a sea of questions about human behavior. And when "human behavior" comes up, you'll wonder about this selfie The Senator snapped with his phone -- he caught me wearing my Lehigh Valley IronPigs baseball cap sent by our Eastern Seaboard Bureau Chief Andrew Fisher. He's a fan of the Class AAA IronPigs in Allentown, Pa. No one has ever dumped an IronPig in Kiest Park in Dallas. We're almost certain.]

--- Offer opinions of people who abandon dogs and people who love dogs and cats,and  offer tips on Lotto Texas by clicking on 'comment' below or by emailing dallrp@aol.com. ---

TWO FOCUSES IN THIS EDITION: (1) HELPING ANIMALS AND (2) LOOKING BACK AT WHAT D-DAY MEANT INSIDE EUROPE AS PEOPLE WAITED...

EXTRA EDITION OF JUNE 6-7, 2019 [PetPowellPress] We have two focuses in this edition.
One, of course, is helping animals.
The other is a very personal look at what D-Day meant to people inside Europe and, especially, the horrid camps. That story is recommended reading. Find it in Contemplations.
Now, please read on.
MONITORING THE SHELTER
As the day began Thursday, Dallas Animal Services Shelter & Adoption Center listed the population of dogs at 174. The cat population had escalated to 186. At 4 p.m. Thursday, the count was 190 dogs and 182 cats. This is charting poorly. (On Sunday, the population was listed as 137 for dogs and 130 for cats.)
You can see the animals at the Shelter (Westmoreland at I-30) or online at dallasanimalservices.org. And, for crying out loud, can we get people to (a) spay and neuter, (b) keep their animals properly, safely confined and (c) treat their animals respectfully?
[LARRY ASIDE: Also, can Dallas ban “Don’t Care” and “So What?” attitudes from the city? You can keep the attitudes, just keep ‘em somewhere else.]
That dog is listed as "Pecas," (A0532120), a THIRTEEN-YEAR-OLD neutered Shih Tzu who came into the shelter Thursday. Why? No idea, but he appears to have a collar and a tag. Those cats? In a tsunami of kittens at DAS, there are some older cats, including Lucy the girl and Stinker the boy, both 9 years old. Both arrived on June 5.
Again, see how to adopt at www.dallasanimalservices.org. 

THE CONTINUING PRESSURE
IN THE LANCASTER SHELTER
Laura Macias, Leighann Hayden and the other small-shelter advocates continue to work to help Lancaster Animal Services move dogs and cats into safety. These are three of the many animals awaiting help from human hearts who can reach into the city on the southern edge of Dallas and help the shelter. 
The kitten is Landry, the Weimaraner is Nicky and the Border Collie is Brynn.
See the latest Lancaster bulletin from the small shelter supporters by clicking HERE. 
(You'll need to click on the "open" button.)

To ask about adopting and helping, call or text 214-949-2726 or email cat_girl_71@yahoo.com.
[LARRY ASIDE: How these three beautiful animals wound up in a shelter is a mystery, but we suspect it involves the “Don’t Care” and “So What?” people.]

MEANWHILE IN MESQUITE,
THINGS GET CRITICAL
The Mesquite Animal Shelter’s volunteer biographer Judi Brown meets all the animals she writes about. She reports that Gidget is “unfortunately…on the most critical list.” And Judi confesses, “ She is my favorite! She is just the sweetest dog in spite of the fact that she has not had a good life! She has forgiven everyone for mistreating her. And she’s a total love bug. I’m pledging $100 to a 501(c)(3) that will Rescue this sweetheart.”
 Gidget (41726724), 4-years-old and 49 pounds, came in as a stray on May 28. During their visits, Judi says, “She greeted me in her kennel with lots of tail wags. She’s a sweet, gentle girl. She did not jump on me. She spent a lot of time investigating the yard. I get the impression that even though she liked attention, she’s not used to receiving it.”
Then, there’s, Kora, a 2-year-old, 39-pound, spayed Blue Heeler mix (41857402), surrendered on June 4 because, the owners said, their living situation didn’t give her enough room to run around. “She’s a beautiful girl, but besides that she’s got an endearing personality,” Judi says. “She’s a little on the timid side and somewhat skittish. However, there is no doubt that she wants to trust and make friends. She stayed close to me in the yard. She also washed my face and kisses. She’s gentle and calm. She looks to you for direction. It’s obvious she wants to please. She knows the sit, down, and fetch commands. The previous owner said she is afraid of thunderstorms. She was an inside dog.”

Three-year-old Rocco (37541922) weighs in at 72 pounds. He’s a Pittie mix who arrived as a stray on May 28. Judi says, “He’s a real sweetheart! He’s friendly. His tail wags constantly. He comes to you for attention. He sits for treats and takes them gently from your hand. He gives kisses. Judging from his elbows he has spent a lot of time on concrete. How about this time around giving him the opportunity to snuggle up on soft blankets and pillows?”
To ask about any of these animals, call the shelter at 972-216-6283 or email rescues@cityofmesquite.com.
 See more dogs and also the shelter’s cats at this LINK.
Simon (41726625) is a 6-year-old, neutered fellow who came in on May 20 and is in the “Feral Room”. And KIT 2 (41614887) is tiny and young and is in the “Executive Suite. He came in on May 7.
MEANWHILE IN BURNS FLAT
The resilient rescuer Terry Lynn Fisher of Burns Flat, way out in western Oklahoma, is a frequent contributor to readlarrypowell.com. She’s mentioned these two before, but now they are ready to leave the confines of the city’s animal shelter. Terry Lynn writes, “These two have been in jail way to long.  They are both young males that have great personalities and get along great with other animals. Chance (left) is about 6 months old and full of love and fun.  He is just a real sweetheart.  Budrow is about 6 to 8 months.. He is a little shy at first then is just a great boy.  He is calm and very loving.”
You may not remember Black Betty from the photo on the left, but that photo on the right may ring a bell. She’s the girl Terry Lynn saved after a dust-up with an Oklahoma Porcupine. The family didn’t want to save Betty.
Terry Lynn says “they had decided she needed to be put down.  The ladies at my vet were shocked so they contacted me.  Of course I took her on. She is young, healthy and so sweet.” 
Terry Lynn got the quills removed and the dog all doctored up to avoid infection. And, Terry Lynn says, “A friend took her home for a week where she did great. She can climb a 4-foot chain link fence, so my friend decided she couldn’t keep her.  But while there she learned she is housebroken and well-behaved. Fine with kids and other animals. Knows basic commands.” 
And, clearly, may know to avoid porcupines.
Take a look at this girl. She’s a thin dog. You may recall her pups — we wrote about them. Terry Lynn writes, “This Is one of those cases where you have to fight the urge to slap the crap out of somebody! Seriously.
“About 6 to 8 weeks ago, the family surrendered eight pups from this mama dog. Sadly, they broke out with Parvo soon after. We lost four, but with a lot of medical help, we saved the other ones. 
“The family promised to get mom spayed.  Well, they didn’t.  The other day a male dog came to the house (in the country) and for the female.  So instead of dealing with it, the family decided to dump her. 
“She is two years old.   Housebroken and great with other animals. Loves kids. … I’m worried what will happen to her if I don’t get her away from there but I have no room so we urgently need rescue   She is already so darn thin.”

To help Terry Lynn with any of these dogs, email her at remembering_oddball@yahoo.com.

A TAGGED STORY
Ginger Leach, the animal advocate with Fort Worth Animal Care & Control, posted the story on this girl Wednesday afternoon and she was quickly tagged. 

This photo gives you a hint of what was going on in the dog’s life. Ginger’s original appeal reads, “Somebody come save our Godiva… She appears to have lived in a too-small crate. She is hunched over, walks funny, has bed sores on her rear and has urine stains. She is being spoiled in our office and learning to be a puppy today (about 10 months)."
[LARRY ASIDE: First, congratulations for saving this dog's life. There is a video that shows sweet Godiva trying to walk like a normal dog. It may move you as it did me. I hope so. It is good for hearts to be moved to feel something for animals that have been abused. Go to Ginger's Facebook page to see the video's of Godiva or click (maybe it'll work) https://www.facebook.com/ginger.leach.94/videos/10217703466830795/. If this works you'll see Godiva learning to frolic in "therapy socks."
[LARRY ASIDE #2: And remember, you don’t have to tether a dog out in the Texas weather without water or food to qualify as an “abuser.” We’re not sure how Texas District 92 State Rep. Jonathon Stickland feels about caging dogs.]
CONTEMPLATIONS
A NOTE ABOUT D-DAY: HOW IT
LOOKED FROM INSIDE EUROPE
Nico Van Thyn's story is The American Story. He is the longtime journalist who enjoyed a great career as a sportswriter and editor at The Shreveport Times, The Shreveport Journal and the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. He and I met in 1968 when we worked in sports at The Times. 
And while Shreveport was his home, it was not his origin. He came to the U.S. from Amsterdam at the age of 8 in 1956 — he arrived with his parents, Rose and Louis Van Thyn, survivors of the camps and the Holocaust and the inexplicable madness of Nazi rule.
He wrote a book about his parents' challenges. Published in 2016, it’s called Survivors: 62511, 70726: Two Holocaust stories, from Amsterdam to Auschwitz to America. Get it HERE.
Nico, who grew up in Shreveport, has a blog called Once A Knight (in honor of his Shreveport Woodlawn High School Knights heritage). 
On Thursday — the 75th anniversary of D-Day — Nico sent out a note about something else he'd once written in regard to the Normandy Invasion. “Wrote this 5 years ago, but it is good to remember every June 6.” 
He's right. It's a very contemplation-inspiring piece about D-Day from the viewpoint of the people who were captive in Europe — people such as his parents who became respected figures in their adopted hometown of Shreveport.

In his D-Day piece, Nico wrote of the dawn of the invasion: 
“Who knows how much longer they and the fellow concentration-camp prisoners at Auschwitz-Birkenau or, in Dad's case, the Janina mining camp, would have survived the Nazi hell.
“My Dad, and my mother, were forever grateful for D-Day. As soon as he thought I was old enough to understand, Dad explained how much June 6, 1944, meant to him and to us. And, of course, to the whole world.”
Please read the entire touching post of D-Day: The Day of a Lifetime HERE. It's why commemorating D-Day is important.
—- To offer opinions, click on ‘comment’ below or email dallrp@aol.com. —-

FOR THE 75TH ANNIVERSARY OF D-DAY, A TRIBUTE FROM AN AMERICAN SOLDIER

For this special D-Day edition of readlarrypowell.com, we have an inspirational speech written for the 75th anniversary of the Normandy Invasion.
We proudly present these remarks by Mel Kusin, U.S. Army infantryman at Normandy and across Europe and, after the war, a husband, father, businessman and inspiration for countless people. Even since his passing on Dec. 31, 2018, he has continued to touch the lives of others.

When you read these remarks, originally scheduled to have been delivered by Mr. Kusin at the 2019 D-Day 75th Anniversary event at Omaha Beach Cemetery, you will learn a lot about Mr. Kusin's relationship with the America we love. (Our Epilogue tells more of the story.) 
I hope you will forward Mel Kusin’s speech to people you know and love — perhaps in honor of an American defender in your family and, perhaps, in honor of the nation Mr. Kusin and so many others united to save. Now, Mr. Kusin’s remarks, as he wrote them, including his boldface emphasis:


Normandy 5-minute talk/Mel Kusin

            We are here today at this beautiful Omaha Beach Cemetery in the company of nearly 10,000 young Americans who gave their lives fighting to defeat the Nazi war machine. 
           
            They expected that when it was over, they would return to a normal life back home.  But for these young men, it was not to be.   However, their sacrifice became the rallying cry for those of us who followed -- that their lives would not have been lost in vain. 
           
            The war progressed from this point -- the heavy fighting through the hedge-rows here in Normandy, through the freezing cold of the Battle of the Bulge and on across the Rhine into Germany itself -- every live firefight bore the memories of our fallen brothers of D-Day.   My own outfit, the 20th Armored Division, spearheaded Patton's 3rd Army's drive across the Rhine and into southern Germany, where the tough enemy contested every inch.
           
            One of our bad days was when our company was ambushed about 30 miles north of Munich by elite troops of the nearby SS Officers Anti-Tank School.  They were dug into the hills close to the road and firing 88s, WWII's most deadly anti-infantry weapon.   We were trapped, suffering heavy casualties before our division artillery zeroed in.   After a brief intense barrage, those of us who hadn't been hit rose up and charged straight up the hill at the gunners of the 88s, shooting and throwing everything we had; it was the last thing they expected. 
           
            The whole group of gunners surrendered, which was a victory for us but at a heavy cost in lives to my company.  Compared to the whole war, that fight was only a minor skirmish.   But when it was over, we, mostly 19-year-olds, lay sprawled on the ground, worn out and — Indeed! —  Amazed we were still alive; several of us voiced the warm hope that spirits of the brave men climbing Omaha Beach's 90-degree cliff enjoyed watching our little firefight. 
           
            After Germany surrendered, the army relaxed. Since in my pre-war life I had been a member of the University of Texas Longhorn Band -- they assigned me to a fine army band, the 427th ASF.   On May 8, 1946, a giant military parade was held in Paris celebrating the 1st Anniversary of V-E day, when war ended in Europe.  Our band was selected to lead the parade.  Following immediately behind us, standing in jeeps were generals Dwight Eisenhower and Charles deGaulle.   For our small group marching down the wide majestic Champs-Elysees, leading that great celebration, it was one of the proudest moments of my life.  I will never forget it.
           
            There was another moment in my life I won't forget.   One day in my high school junior year in Texarkana, Texas, a friend and I were at lunch with our Congressman, Wright Patman, and his close friend, Speaker of the House Sam Rayburn.  They were going over the upcoming Congressional legislative calendar.  After discussing each item, they would ask each other, "is this good for the country?"  Wow !! That has stayed with me ever since -- that as serious citizens, whatever we ask for must be good for the country.   I wish we would see more of that concern for our country today.
           
            I close my story by going back to the beginning--  Take one!  more!   look! … at this incredible Omaha Cemetery (pause) …. and promise yourself to honor these brave young men by being a super citizen in your community.  Speak out at your school board meeting!  your city council!  at hearings in the state capitol!   Above all, help get out the vote at election time! 
           
            And when others see what you're doing in your new super citizen role -- you may be surprised to see them join you.   And…you will have fulfilled the promise you made today to honor these brave young men - you did what they would have done had they lived.


***

[EPILOGUE: I have no idea what America looked like on June 6, 1944, but books I’ve read and people I’ve talked with describe the nation as united in the war effort “back home.”
The heart of America’s future was not at home — it was at risk in theaters of war all over the planet — this was, after all, a World War. 

Now, 75 years later, we have a precious moment from the 21st Century. On January 3, 2019, Temple Emanu El in Dallas was the site of the memorial service for Melvin Kusin, a man who saw a lot of the world after his childhood in Texarkana. He raised kids, built a business, led the community and, eventually, moved to Dallas to be near family and, of course, near the action that is internationally-connected Big D.

Mr. Kusin is the dad of my childhood friends, but before that he was a childhood school friend of my own father, Calvin Powell. Because of people like these two youngsters at war, the Kusin and Powell kids got to grow up in a postwar nation safe from wrong-headed dictators and madmen with armies. 
Both of these young, future-dads were in the U.S. Army — infantrymen coming ashore at Normandy and fighting across Europe before they got to go home to Texarkana to become daddies of Baby Boomers, to try to sleep without awful dreams, to try to reach new heights. 

On D-Day, 2019, Mr. Kusin was scheduled to present his speech in Normandy. But dear Mr. Kusin passed way on December 31, 2018.
 His Omaha Beach remarks were read at his memorial service in Dallas by his grandson.
The postwar Kusin kids — the twins David and Michael, younger brother Gary and sister Melanie — and the Powell boys went to the same elementary school, junior high and high school in Texarkana. The boys were in Cub Scouts and Boy Scout Troop 22. Melanie was -- and is -- the smart sister. 

David sent me a copy of his dad’s Omaha Beach speech and he wrote that his Dad's "fondest dream, that’s an understatement, was to have delivered it [at the Omaha Beach event]. He had a key spot on the main program for the event, perhaps even the keynote spot.”

David wrote that his dad had “made a deal with his doctor, Bob Collins at the medical school: ‘Your job is to keep me alive. My job is to deliver this speech in honor of my fallen comrades. All they wanted at their young age was to return home and continue their lives.’
“Although Bob did his mightiest, Dad could not stop the inexorable.”
Even after his death, Mel Kusin’s work is ongoing. He was the key mover for the Melvin Kusin National Security Lecture at the World Affairs Council of Dallas/Fort Worth. The first is scheduled in September and the second in 2020. 

As David wrote admiringly of his always-optimistic and ever-busy dad, “He is NOT resting in peace.”
— Click ‘comment’ below or email dallrp@aol.com. —

HUMANS AND ANIMALS: THINGS IN THE FUTURE

EDITION OF WEDNESDAY, JUNE 5, 2019 [PetPowellPress] Having grown sick of lousy news in Dallas/Fort Worth and surrounding regions, we’re taking a moment to embrace the future.
We’re going to start with some happy news from the State Fair of Texas, offer a glimpse of a soldier featured in our D-Day edition, then show you adorable adoptables. 
For the midweek edition, we’re organized. Clearly.
OUR STATE FAIR HAS
FREE SHOWS THERE…
“Don’t miss it, don’t even be late.” If you like the 1962 Rodgers & Hammerstein State Fair (filmed at Fair Park), then
you know the tune to the headline and the opening.
Yeah, we’re fans of the State Fair of Texas. On Tuesday morning we got an uplifting email from the Fair’s Senior Vice President for Public Relations Karissa Condoianis. Reading it helped our brain skip from a sluggish muggy morning in June to an exciting moment in autumn when the Great State Fair of Texas opens on Friday September 27!
[LARRY ASIDE: You can tell who is not planning a vacation this summer. Why? I’ll quote from a book I read in junior high — my apologies to the author: “If it cost a dime to go around the world, I couldn’t get out of sight.”]
But we can travel to the State Fair where, according to Karissa’s note, there’l be an impressive array of free concerts on Chevrolet Main Stage during the Sept. 27-Oct. 20 run of the 2019 Fair. And Tuesday marked the point of 115 days until the Fair opens.
And on that first Flashback Friday, who is the first star on the free stage? Rick Springfield. Hearthrob for many. Yes. Also scheduled Big ’n’ Rich with Cowboy Troy. And Miley Cyrus’ Daddy, Billy Ray Cyrus of Achy Breaky Heart fame. Also you’ll see the Hotel California Eagles tribute band. See the whole list of performers by clicking HERE.
Then, if you’re into cookie, quilting, carving, collecting, canning or anything else that has a fascination in your life, see the many many contests you can enter in the 2019 Creative Arts Handbook HERE.
FOR D-DAY, A SPEECH
THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN GIVEN
This young man we knew when he was older, when he was the daddy of our fellow Scouts in Den 4 and Troop 22 in Texarkana, Texas. My brothers and I went to school with his sons and daughter. He’s Mel Kusin, circa 1944. He and my dad were childhood friends. Mel and Dad also went to war at the same time — both in the infantry, both in the invasion of Europe.
After the war, Mel was a businessman in Texarkana until he moved to Dallas and couldn’t sit still here, either. He was active in many arenas. Read about Mel’s life in this obituary HERE. On D-Day you can read about his heart.
MEANWHILE, THE SMALLER SHELTERS
NEED SOME LARGER HELP
Lancaster, Wilmer, Hutchins — three smaller shelter with a need for foot traffic and adoptors and rescuers. There is an organized effort to help these animals and to be part of it, email _cat_girl_71@yahoo.com and ask to be put on the mailing list
In the meantime, we’ve posted dogs and cats from Lancaster this week. And we’ve mentioned these two cats before, too. But there’s been o interest, apparently, in ginger and white Collin and Maine Coon Clover. They’re 2- to 3-years-old. And “the sweetest most living cuddle bugs,” the appeal reads. “They were owner release by someone unable to care for them AND were indoor kitties. They snuggle and cuddle together and it is heartbreaking to see them in the shelter.”

Rather see them living together than getting the needle together. 

Petie, the Boxer (left) we’ve featured several times, has been tagged, we’re told. 


And among the dogs waiting is this girl Hailey, a year-old Catahoula Mix who may just be the “Most Brindled Dog Ever in the Metrosprawl. She was an owner-surrender. Her time may be soon, reports the note from our tipster, the small shelter-advocate Laura Macias. 
To offer to help the three and the other animals in Lancaster Animal Services, call or text 214-949-2726 or emailing cat_girl_71@yahoo.com. This small shelter movement could use some help with spreading the word about these animals in danger of being “ignored to death.”
In the meantime, Laura reports that for now, all Wilmer/Hutchins dogs have been tagged. “YAY!,” she writes, then adds, “I can't say which rescue but it is a very good one!.”
FROM MESQUITE, REBOUNDERS
AND OTHERS IN NEED OF A HOME
Our Mesquite tipster, the volunteer biographer Judi Brown, captured the tone of the story of Sadie and Lola. She wrote “It is with great regret that I report that the owners that had written such a showing report on how happy they were with both Lola and Sadie have now returned both of them. They said that one of them jumped a 5-foot fence and they were afraid the other one might follow suit. They had them less than a week!”

Now, Judi says, both dogs are confused and they need a chance with another family that is patient. Sadie (41595767) is the black dog, a 4-year-old Retriever mix. she weighs 30 pounds. Lola (41695631) is the tan and black, a 4-year-old Jack Russell/Rat Terrier Mix — she weighs 27 pounds. They’ve been together since birth.
They’ve arrived back in the shelter a little more skittish and perplexed than they were when they left. Call the shelter at 972-216-6283 or email rescues@cityofmes- quite.com.
Also awaiting a new home is Charlie, a 5- to 6-year-old, 56-pound retriever Mix who was surrendered on May 31 — Judi writes that the owner had him for two years, and then the dog “developed separation anxiety, so he may need behavioral intervention or medication.” He also has a lump on his left rear hip that has never been diagnosed. In the meantime, Judi say that when she met him he was “very sweet, gentle, calm and loving.” Charlie is #41826532.

Then there’s Frankie (41801594), a 4-year-old, 56-pound Staffie mix handed over to the shelter on May 29 because he “went after the owner’s cat.” But, Judi says, in walks though the shelter, he did not react aggressively to other dogs. What appears to be marks on his face is dirt, Judi says.
She thinks his “sagging jowls add to his appeal.” Though he pulls strong on his leash, “he’s gentle and sweet and stays close wanting attention.”
And Susie (41812764) is a 54-pound, 3-year-old English Bulldog/Pittie mix — she was a stray, arriving on May 30. Judi writes, “It’s hard to imagine why the owners wouldn’t have come looking for her. She is enthusiastic, energetic, fun loving, happy and very friendly. She’s what some would call a ‘wiggle butt.’ She wants to please and she sits for treats.”

To help with these animals, call the shelter at 972-216-6283 or email rescues@cityofmesquite.com. See the online inventory of Mesquite animals HERE.

King (41795834) is almost 2 years old and his size is listed as “XL.” You can see him among the many cats and kittens in the Mesquite shelter.
CONTEMPLATIONS
WEATHER, CLAWS & TAILS
Remember when we were getting all that rain a few weeks ago? Now it’s back in the form of humidity. Ah, Texas weather. … New York looks as if it's about to ban cat declawing. At readlarrypowell.com, we like our cats with claws. We foster cats and kittens now and then (such s pink-nosed William) and we see that as supporting both the lives of felines and the stock price of the people who make BandAids and antibiotic cream. And if you think it’s tough getting a kitten to maturity without needing a bandage, try raising kids. … Perhaps the next thing for states to contemplate would be a banning on tail docking, ear-trimming, etc., on dogs. My late advisor Inky, the Cocker Laureaute of the State of Texas, would have loved to have enjoyed an expressive “natural” tail, though, of course, he did well making his happy points with his own little stubby accessory. We found this bit of doggerel in Inky's unpublished files:
I won’t even pause!
I'll save my cat its claws

and, yes, I hate to rail
but give me back my tail.
--- Offer ideas & Nobel Poetry Prize nominations by clicking on 'comment' below or emailing dallrp@aol.com. ---

POLITICS AND BEYOND: HOPEFUL FOR THE ANIMALS?

EDITION OF TUEDAY, JUNE 4, 2019 [PetPowellPress] We have some disturbing stories for today’s edition. But that seems to be the theme of the big sprawls news stories. Mayhem and murder. We’ll contemplate these things later. 
In the mean time, help some animals in Lancaster, Fort Worth, wherever animals need help.

Last week we wrote that Lancaster Animal Services was experiencing population pressure.
We mentioned the situation in two editions — animals in danger and volunteers out.
Lancaster, as you may recall, has long been helped by the volunteer group, Furbabies of Lancaster, known officially as the 501c3 Paws-itively Take a Village.
Katherine Hail, formerly a Lancaster animal control officer, and a longtime Furbabies volunteer, too, is appealing for help with getting animals out of the crowed shelter and to safety. 
Here’s the Hail video. 
It appears that the animals may be at peril because of a human political conflict.
In the meantime, the local dedicated volunteers who pay attention to small, low-traffic shelters are trying to help Lancaster with the heavy load. These kittens are among the cats.
And the dogs include Samson, a French Mastiff/Bulldog Mix also known as “Big Red.” The biography describes him as “a big, sturdy, chunky, adorable, Tonka truck cutie that weighs about 85 pounds.”

Petie the Bulldog mix? He was urgent, then he was on his way to being rescued, then the rescue fell through, so he’s back on urgent and “could be euth’d at any time,” according to the Small Shelter Advocates’ bio.

To help these and the other animals, call or text 214-949-2726 or email cat_girl_71@yahoo.com. Ask to be put on the mailing list so you can see the animals that need help.

WHEN WE LEFT DAS’ STATS SUNDAY…
Late Sunday, we checked the Dallas Animal Service statistics to see how many dogs and cats were waiting. There were 120 of each, plus Macy the Guinea Pig.
Macy is still there, but there’s been a population burst in dogs and cats, according to the stats we copied at 6 p.m. Monday. That’s a serious jump in availables. Go to www.dallasanimalservices.org to see who’s waiting for a home. Or a rescue. Or the needle.
THIS FORT WORTH CAT
Ginger Leach, our veteran tipster at Fort Worth Animal Care and Control, posted the story of Sangria (41841654) and her need for a rescue.
 The story reads, “This girl was attacked by a dog. She has a puncture to the abdomen and is NWB (“non-weight bearing) on the front left leg. The front left leg also has a laceration. She is young and able to be handled but she is a little hissy and spitty right now.” Rescue tags should be emailed to fwacctag@fortworthtexas.gov.
FROM OUT AT THE LAKE,
A LANDLORD/BUTCH SITUATION
Here’s a dog tip from the voice of Friends of the Animals at Cedar Creek Lake, Sydney Busch. She writes, “This great-looking dog is house-trained, but is not neutered — yet. Friends will do neutering at no charge for whoever takes this dog.” [LARRY ASIDE: As you know, the Friends operate the world’s most successful spay/neuter clinic at Gun Barrel City.]

The story originated from Elizabeth Gaskey who wrote, “My friend was told she could have pets when she moved in by the maintenance or apartment manager but now the owner is telling everyone that has a pet to find homes for them or be evicted. I’m not sure on how much he weighs. He about 2 years old. Name is Butch. He been around cats, and kids but hasn’t been around other dogs.”
To offer to help Butch, email gaskeyelizabeth@gmail.com or call 469-595-5285.
THE RAIDER TRAGEDY
You may remember how people first learned of Raider — he made his way into an open garage on a hot day and collapsed. This was during the last week of May.
 Raider — who knows what he original name was? — went into the care of Dallas Dog RRR (Rescue. Rehab. Reform.) which quickly got him to an emergency vet. Things looked dim for the emaciated, hurting, weak dog. And, after a few days in vet care, it was clear that Raider had insurmountable problems. 
Late last week, Dallas Dog RRR posted a note explaining that his “scan” revealed “it was time to rid him of his pain and set him free to run across Rainbow Bridge. The scan showed a large, suspected cancer mass clogging his small intestine which is why he didn't, and really couldn’t, eat. It was just too late for anything to be done for him, and from what he was telling us with his eyes, he was ready to be free. So with lots of pets and kisses, we helped set him free.” 
[LARRY ASIDE: We don’t know Raider’s whole story. He knew it. For some reason, he was wandering free. That may be a big part of the story. A human may be involved.]
CONTEMPLATIONS

THINKING ABOUT THE CRIMINALS
Is North Texas becoming more criminal or is it just my sensitive nature? Yeah, it’s more criminal. 
A fatal shootout at a car wash in South Dallas. A man stabs members of a family from Indiana near the Dallas County Courthouse. A Grand Prairie woman pours rubbing alcohol on a 5-year-old girl's face and set the child on fire. 

The number of murdered transsexuals is alarming — and so is the number of murdered people PERIOD.
All of this has to stop.
Sometimes the criminality is not violent — it’s simply despicable. 
Like the case of Rieki, the 6-year-old Poodle who was taken in by Dallas Dog RRR when it was “surrendered” to a shelter and the shelter was alarmed because of the dog”s condition. Now, the two people who allegedly starved Rieki and kept water from him have been arrested. One can only hope a tough legal problem faces them. The story in The Big Paper downtown includes a photo of Rieki after some treatment and loving care.

Dallas Dog RRR, after seeing the dog’s horrifyhing condition, urged the shelter and police to investigate.
And now, quoting the rescue group’s Facebook page, “Another cruelty case! Rieki will have his voice heard.”
The DMN reports that Rieki has already healed and been adopted into a loving home. Read the story HERE.
That story will name the suspects in the case. I’m not inclined to use their names in this story because I think it dishonors this dog to be associated with them, innocent until proven guilty they may be.
Then we'll name them -- on the theory that shame is a behavior modification tool.
But, the point of this Contemplation is this: We don’t have enough jailspace in North Texas for all the creeps and criminals. But we could treat ‘em like shelter’s do when there are too many dogs and cats — double- or triple-‘em-up in those tiny cages. 

The smart thing to do — and it may not work — would be to have courts order animal abusers to undergo psychiatric counseling and understand why they can never again legally have an animal. Or a kid. This mean stuff has to be stopped. Humans are better than this. I’m almost certain.
—- Offer hope or solutions by clicking on ‘comment’ below or emailing dallrp@aol.com. —-

A MONDAY CAVALCADE OF CRITTERS, REPEAT DAY, TWINS & POTHOLES

EDITION OF MONDAY, JUNE 3, 2019 [PetPowellPress] TV news channels struggling to fill 24 hours of air should appreciate today’s Holiday Insights’ special celebration: June 3 is said to be “Repeat Day.” Repeat Day has no origin info listed. No origin info listed. Now, let’s move on. Move on.
Wait. Let’s mention Dallas Animal Services’ kitten special. This was posted on dallasanimalservices.org over the weekend and the special has evolved from the “record-breaking number of kittens” arriving at the shelter this season.
Kitten 1 and Kitten 2 could qualify for Repeat Day. [LARRY FYI: Late Sunday evening, the DAS website listed 120 dogs and 120 cats as available for adoption. And remember, Wednesdays are $1 Dog Day throughout June.] NOW, we move on:
ITEM ONE: SPAY & NEUTER

Check out the puppy and kitten count at your city-run shelter lately? Why is there a heavy load? Because people won’t spay and neuter their animals. The Texas Coalition For Animal Protection is running a $20 special for puppies and kittens. Get the details on the TCAP site HERE. You can find a convenient location there. [LARRY ASIDE: Spay & neuter so puppies and kittens won’t be born just so they can be killed. Pass it on — especially to the freeroaming knuckleheads who ignore the reality of the birds & bees.]

ITEM TWO: 8 PUPPIES ‘SET FREE’

The message that came with this note was completely in the subject line: “8 pups dumped in someone’s driveway in Blue Ridge!”

Of course, something like this has never happened before and I won Saturday night’s Lotto Texas. Balderdash, shouted the guy with the losing ticket.
To help with the situation, call 469-207-8789. These are some of the livelier pups 
abandoned at Blue Ridge in the northeastern corner of Collin County. See a brief video HERE.
 
ITEM THREE: ROAD PUPPIES DUMPED
The great Karen Lee of barkley world.com summed up the situation when she started her email this way: “Who does this? Seriously? Who in the *#((&(  just dumps puppies in the road???? There goes my sleep for the night!!  PLEASE PLEASE help!!!!”

These dogs were “set free” on a road near Quitman in East Texas.
According to a note sent by Gail Whelan, our longtime contact with Companion Animal Network, legal authorities were occupied by other abuse cases.
What about these dogs? “These puppies are lying on a road.” And now rescue must step in.
Fortunately, the note says, “Transport can be arranged to DFW area.” The contact is Lisa Bass at nehe6.3@gmail.com or call 972-730-3269.


ITEM FOUR: CHIHUAHUA TALE CONTINUES
Here are three of the more than 30 Chihuahuas and Chi-mixes surrendered to Mesquite Animal Services week before last. Rusty (41748767), Jumper (41748782) and Nono (41748720) share one kennel. 

Rusty (in the dark collar)  is 2 to 3 years old, weighs 13 pounds and loves treats. Volunteer shelter biographer Judi Brown says Rusty “is the friendliest. I think it was because he figured out that I had treats … He does want to make friends because he would come to me and sit on my lap….He is a work in progress…”

Jumper, a year old dark-coated fellow, weighs 12 pounds. Judi says, “He is one of the most timid of the group, if that’s possible. However, he did seem to take comfort in being held and would snuggle in close. He would actually grab onto you for security. He’s very gentle. He has so much potential and will no doubt develop into a very loving loyal companion.”

Nono (in the bright collar), 2-years-old and 20 pounds, is “as sweet as he looks,” Judi says. “He shares his kennel with Jumper and Rusty. Because they are so timid they get a lot of comfort from one another. Nono did not come to me but seemed to like being petted. He allowed me to hold him. He’s very sweet and just needs TLC.” To ask about these three, call the shelter at 972-216-6283 or email rescues@cityofmesquite.com.
Remember, not all the animals in the Mesquite shelter are Chihua- huas. For example, there’s this guy K-30-4, a 4-month-old kitten — smallish — who is waiting in the Cat Room after arriving at the shelter on Friday. Oh, and among the larger dogs is this NoName English Bulldog (41793734) who came in on Thursday and is on hold in isolation. He is SIX YEARS OLD. And, of course, sharp-eyed readers can see that the Bulldog is being photobombed by a Chihuahua. See the inventory of cats and kittens, puppies and dogs, by going to the shelter website HERE.

ITEM FIVE: TESTICULAR SUCCESS
[LARRY ASIDE: Yeah, I thought that headline would get your attention.]
You may recall the dogs Chewy and Jabba — two fellows who were caught in an odd fix, so to speak, because they couldn’t be fixed. They're both were cryptorchid — undescended testicles. They were in the Denton McNatt Animal Shelter and to adopt out a dog, the dog has to be neutered or spayed. The shelter wasn’t set up for such intimate surgery, so people have been hustling to get them into a rescue group.
Our tipster Amy Posey reports that while Rocky Mountain Lab Rescue is going to take the dogs, it takes a team to get them from Denton to Colorado.
Here’s Amy’s note: “I want to than Angelica with Rocky Mountain Lab Rescue for taking these adorable fur angels into her rescue. aren Graham for offering to temp foster them, Linda Kirsch for pulling them from the shelter and temp fostering them, Carolyn Kirk for offering to transport them to Farmersville, all the networking, prayers and well-wishes, etc., etc., etc. What a blessing!” 
She says you can donate to Rocky Mountain Lab Rescue “for their ongoing care" HERE.
CONTEMPLATIONS
REPEAT DAY, TWINS' FACES & FLOOD RELIEF ON BIG D STREETS

TV news channels struggling to fill 24 hours of air should appreciate today’s Holiday Insights’ revelation: June 3 is said to be “Repeat Day.” Repeat Day has no origin info listed — no origin info listed at all. Deja vu? 
I’m the father of twins — we celebrate Repeat Day on January 17... Over the weekend I saw the twins, Bret and Bart. Bart, who's been celebrating daughter Hannah Rose’s graduation, was also showing off his new, larger cellphone. He said it’s one of those that is operated via facial recognition. The phone sees your face and becomes activated. Bret says, “Let’s see how good it is,” grabs the off phone, holds it up to look at HIS face and it fires right up. You know, 40-something years ago they won “Most Alike Twins” in their age group at the State Fair of Texas. Didn’t have cell phones back then and people still have to look twice sometimes to make sure they’re talking to the right guy. …
Over the weekend I think I recall the weather emergency people breaking into a Columbo episode on cable with a weather warning about flashfloods in downtown Dallas. Haven’t heard one of those before and I’ve been around here since the early 1970s. Thus, as a veteran driver in Dallas, I am qualified to suggest that we can blame road construction on the gathering of rainwater into a downtown flood. Not sure that flooding ever really developed. Expect an announcement that The City of Dallas has declared potholes to be a successful naturally occurring flood abatement program. Potholes give water a place to go.
— To offer sound advice or stock tips, click on “comment” below or email dallrp@aol.com. —

WHAT MAKES A CAT SLEEPY? IS IT THE SQUIRRELS?

What makes a cat sleepy?

For this edition of Readlarry powell.com's weekend feature Let Sleeping Dogs Lie & Napping Cats Nap, we turn to our Eastern Seaboard Bureau Chief Andy Fisher. 
It appears Chloe the Cat may be napping because she stays up late guarding the Fisher abode on picturesque Indian Lake in Denville, N.J. 

You see, of course, the photos of Chloe in her traditional napping positions. Of that first one, Andy explains, “This lady knows how to get 40 winks -- in the executive chair, where the CEO is supposed to be sitting…"

During the week, the Fisher Tour Group left home to catch a baseball game in Bethlehem, Pa., between the Buffalo Bison and the Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs. [LARRY ASIDE: And you thought the Grand Prairie Air Hogs and the Amarillo Sod Poodles had cornered the market on odd mascots! FYI: Andy reports that the Iron Pigs shut out the Bisons, 5-0, on five hits. He also provided a photo of the Iron Pigs mascot, Ferrous, “cheering us on from the roof of the home team dugout.” We do not know how Ferrous catches his 40 winks. Probably hogs the covers.]

So, as you can see from the photos, Chloe had the watch while the Iron Pig journey was underway. Andy explained pre-trip, “The house will be kept safe from squirrels by our staff killer cat, Chloe, as witness this encounter by the downstairs slider.”
Earlier in the spring he sent this photo and the explanation, “Random squirrels on the deck get a laser-like look from Chloe, the resident panther. The deck is still a mess because robins are raising a family just below, and the lady of the manor [Annie] has decreed no power-washing until the chicks are ready to leave the nest. Chloe just wants a shot at that squirrel.”

In the meantime, Maxie the Dog continues to enjoy sleeping, but he also enjoys good weather lakeside. A few weeks ago there was a minor news story making the rounds about the sexiest accents in the U.S. The Texas accent was first, but as Andy wrote, “Maxie, of course, could not care less. His is the language of the ‘pittie wriggle’.”
Andy says, “Maxie accompanies his ‘pittie wriggle’ with growls and snarls, fearsome to hear, but  apparently all in fun. He flips back on his belly when he's approached and looks up with a guilty expression on his face."
They are not the only animals at the lake. 
As you know, the rain falls on sexy accents and un-sexy accents alike. Yes, it rains on New Jersey sometimes, too, and brings Indian Lake to the edge of its limits.
Recently, Andy snapped this photo and reported, “It started raining in the middle of the night and hasn't stopped since then. The great blue heron has had no human competition on the lakefront.”

FYI: Sleeping is not a competitive sport. Napping may be. We’ll check with Chloe.
[Send photos of your critters sleeping and napping to dallrp@aol.com and we’ll post them and the beloved animals’ stories in our weekend edition of Let Sleeping Dogs Lie & Napping Cats Nap. Remember, your photos inspire people to give homes to animals and they inspire insomniacs to believe that they, too, can get some sleep if they can have a good stare-down with a neighborhood squirrel.]
--- Offer sleeping or stock tips by clicking on 'comment' below or emailing dallrp@aol.com where insomnia is a way of life. ---

MEANWHILE, IN LANCASTER'S SHELTER

FRIDAY EVENING EXTRA EDITION READLARRYPOWELL.COM [PetPowellPress] -- The situation in Lancaster seems to be pressing nerves.
Our tipsters from the small shelter advocates have provided photos and info about how to rescue these animals in a time of danger.
The two cats were surrendered together; the Border Collie needs a home; and Petie the Boxer had a rescue but everything fell through.
See the whole appeal by clicking on THIS LINK. [You may have to click on "open" when it comes up on your screen. To offer to foster, adopt or help save lives in any way possible, call or text 214-949-2726 or email cat_girl_71@yahoo.com.

Remember, humans create the challenges, humans defeat the challenges. Rather than focusing on the Don't Care/So What? contingent of brainslackers, let's remember there are angels walking among us and they are saving dogs and cats. The opportunity exists in Lancaster, Texas. And the Don't Care/So What? people will get their rewards.
--- Offer solutions or opinions by clicking on 'comment' below or by emailing dallrp@aol.com. ---

 

SHELTERS FACE TOUGH TIMES WITH TOO MANY ANIMALS; A COUPLE OF NOTES FOR GRADS

EDITION OF FRIDAY, MAY 31, 2019 [PetPowellPress] Exciting day in the household. Our granddaughter Hannah Rose graduates from high school Friday. Class of 2019. Already! She was just a baby about 20 minutes ago.
 We’re just a little bit proud of her, he typed in an understated fashion. She has artistic tendencies and loves animals. Hannah obviously carries the family’s traditional not-for-profit gene or the term “artistic tendencies” would not appear on her resume. This is one of my favorite artsy photos she took of herself. It’s so ‘50s movie star and, yet, she’s the first member of our family born in the 21st century. OK, if she were here in the office she’d tell me I’d typed enough about her and to get on with dogs and cats and the people who help them. I will after I type “Happy Graduation, Hannah Rose!
AFTER THE STORM
Paper towels, 35-gal. trash bags, donations. Those are the answers. Read on.

We heard a TV reporter say that Wednesday’s tornado was headed toward Gun Barrel City so, immediately, we started to fret about the Friends of the Animals at Cedar Creek Lake Spay/Neuter Clinic right there in GBC. We checked with Sydney Busch, reliable voice of the Friends. No damage. The clinic will, as usual, be open for business on Tuesday — that’s traditionally the day the Friends of the Animals operate the world’s most successful spay/neuter clinic at Gun Barrel City. 
The thing is, there are some supplies they can use and people in the Metrosprawl have access to them and can donate: Money, paper towels and 35-gal. trash bags. How-to details are at friendsoftheanimals.com.
[LARRY ASIDE: In the meantime, we’ve had a couple of readers ask if the storm affected Dog Alley or whatever the animal sales portion of First Monday is called at Canton these days. Anybody know? Remember, save the animals — they’re not product, they’re beings.]
HOLY SMOKE: SMALL SHELTERS FACING
LARGE, NON-CLAIMED POPULATIONS
This segment is dedicated to two smaller shelters, and the next item will be dedicated to Mesquite Animal Services. Read on.
LANCASTER SHELTER ‘ABSOLUTE EMERGENCY’
This is a situation, we’re told, that has developed after some disagreements over city politics in Lancaster, on the southern edge of Dallas. As you know, readlarrypowell.com puts saving animals’ lives ahead of politics.
 We’ve frequently written about the dedication of volunteers to the city’s shelter occupants, but, that’s a situation being worked out currently, we’re told by a participant. In the meantime, while the people discuss solving their human problems, the animals await the needle. [LARRY NOTE: Rather than making anyone look bad, we’d rather help everyone live up to being heroes for the animals — city officials, volunteers, veteran rescuers, etc. Seems so easy to achieve, doesn’t it?]

Our small shelter movement tipsters Leighann Hayden and Laura Macias outlined what was described as an “absolute emergency” at the Lancaster Animal Shelter. Full shelter, dogs doubled up in kennels, according to the note. Nobody’s adopting, nobody’s rescuing, euthanasia is “pending.” 
The small shelter supporters say transportation “can be arranged for any 501c3 rescue.” To help save animals, call or text 214-949-2726 or email cat_girl_71@yahoo.com.
That first Lancaster dog is Valerie, also known as Val, a Boston Terrier mix who “could be euth’d at any time and probably in the next day or two,” the appeal says. She’s obviously cute. 
Then there’s 5- to 7-months-old Cocoa, described as “dainty and petite and ust precious….She’s been at the shelter over a month….” Same “any time” threat for her.
The last dog is one of four similar dogs who came in from the same home at the same time. and “are all incredibly urgent.” That is the Flat Coat Retriever Brittany, who arrive with Flat Coat Retriever Bradley and two shepherd mixes, Bethany and Brandon.

WILMER/DALLASCOUNTY/HUTCHINS
PRESSURE IN THE SHELTERS
The small shelter folks say these low-traffic shelters along I-45 south of Dallas also have more dogs than they need and an aching shortage of adopters and rescuers — zilch, actually. 
The appeal reads, “We are begging ...  OUT OF TIME - CONTACT IMMEDIATELY - WE BEGGED FOR A ONE or TWO DAY DELAY IN EUTH TO BE ABLE TO POST - PLEASE, PLEASE HELP!” 
Again, the contact points are these: Call or text 214-949-2726 or email cat_girl_71@yahoo.com
.
The dogs include these two bonded dogs, Teddy and Tristan. The appeal reads, “We have posted Teddy & Tristan before - there was not a single inquiry ... THIS IS THEIR LAST CHANCE — please, please help them ... they are absolutely the best of the best - most wonderful sweet and loving dogs .... HELP!!!!!!!!!”
[LARRY ASIDE: There’s a horrible feeling in the heart of rescuers when you know there are animals that could be saved, that should be saved, but there’s nobody reacting, there’s nobody who has room in their home because they’ve already rescued the rational limit. We have got to figure out some way to reach the Don’t Care and the So What faction of freeroaming idiots. Possibly I should not call them idiots. But I couldn’t think of another word I could print. Spay and neuter, you know?]
MEANWHILE IN MESQUITE
The word from the Mesquite Animal Shelter was that it opened for business Thursday at, according an appeal sent to us, “100% capacity for dogs and have intakes continuously coming in. We will have to make room today. Please help.”

Same challenge as the small shelters can be faced by the larger shelters. And, as you know, Dear Readers, Mesquite hustles to keep the animal population moving into rescues and homes.
 Here are two links for seeing the Mesquite animals: The MAS Rescue Network HERE and the one we use most of the time is the City of Mesquite online site HERE.
Our usual tipster, the volunteer shelter biographer Judi Brown, sent us notes about little dogs needing help.
 Reina is a 6-month-old Earhound/Chihuahua mix who was among the more than 30 little 'huahuas surrendered to the shelter a week or so ago. Reina is believed to be the daughter of the other dog pictured here, Cherry. 
Reina (41748755) is timid at the shelter, until she feels warm around you and then, Judi says, “she snuggles in your neck and grabs onto you for security. Also, when I got onto the floor he would come to me and get on my lap.”  Reina weighs EIGHT pounds — perfect lapdog size.

Her Mom, Cherry, (41748734), weighs 15 pounds at 3 years old. She’s named after the “cherry eye” condition she came into the shelter with. Judi writes, “Her right eye is a cherry eye. She has also been overbred. No wonder she appears depressed!” 
There is this, however, “She tended to want to go off in the corner and hide in the volunteer room. However, if I sat on the floor she would come to me and get in my lap.”
To ask about any of the Mesquite dogs or cats, call the shelter at 972-216-6283 or email rescues@cityofmequite. com.
 Cats? Yep, among the many kittens and youngsters, there is a six-year-old Tabby (#41153382) who is known as Lucky. How can a cat in a shelter live up to the name Lucky without the help of a human being? This Lucky’s large and he’s in the cat room and he can be yours for $35. Thirty-five lousy bucks and you can save his life.
AND ONE SWEET NOTE
FROM FORT WORTH’S SHELTER
Our longtime tipster, the great Ginger Leach of Fort Worth Animal Care & Control, wrote this one Thursday and started it with a fantastic declaration: “I AM IN LOVE!!!!!!
“Prince 41763265 Senior Min Pin (around 12 years) neutered, heartworm negative, only 10 lbs but does have a horrible mouthful of yucky teeth and lots of tarter. This boy is a sweetheart and loves people. He has been a perfect gentleman.”
Want to tag Mr. Loveable for rescue? Email fwacctag@fortworthtexas.gov. He’s at the Fort Worth Animal Care and Control/Chuck Silcox Adoption Center, 4900 Martin Street, Fort Worth 76119. That’s on the east side of Cowtown.
CONTEMPLATIONS
GRADUATES AND LIVING THEIR LIVES

Long lives — ever think about them? Today is the 93rd anniversary of the birth of my mother. She was born in 1926. What was that before? It was before Charles Lindbergh flew solo across the Atlantic. It was before network television or ANY television (1927, Philo Farnsworth). It was before the Great Depression devastated everybody equally — well, just about equally. It was before World War II. Before the atomic bomb. Before polio vaccinations. It was before Bing Crosby was a hit and before Frank Sinatra on radio, Elvis Presley and The Beatles on TV, Michael Jackson on records, tape, CDs, etc. Before Rosa Parks kept her seat on a bus in Montgomery in 1955. Before man landed on the moon in 1969. Before the sadness of JFK, Martin Luther King. Bobby, John Lennon. … It was before so many things — but she had a personal computer and a cellphone and a car with an automatic transmission and air-conditioning — like her home (after 1968!). She arrived before TV dinners. electric toasters, microwave ovens. She saw peace treaties that didn’t last and some that did. She was 10 years old when Gone With the Wind was published in 1936, the year of the Texas Centennial, and she read and love Charlotte’s Web — published in 1952, it was the last book I gave her — that was in 2018 when she was happily catching up on her reading. … Well, we’ll stop there and stipulate that Mom witnessed a lot in 92 years 9 1/2 months. So, here came February 12, 2019, and that was it for “before” in her life. Everything now is “after.” And elements of mankind are trying to go BACK to the moon, trying to bring peace to the planet while making war, trying to invent new cars that’ll run without having to drill for oil…If you’re graduating from high school today, remember to pay attention to the world around you. It’ll be entertaining, startling, comforting, terrifying and really educational. To quote someone else that Mom saw in her lifetime, we offer this advice to all graduates courtesy of Mr. Spock, “Live long and prosper.”
—- Offer opinions, opposing views or viable stock tips by clicking on “comment” below or emailing dallrp@aol.com. —-

AFTER THE STORMS, SOME THINGS REMAIN

EDITION OF THURSDAY, MAY 30, 2019 [PetPowellPress] In honor of whatever  you want to honor, here we go with
some animal stories that are also people stories and some other notes appropriate for this edition. We’ll even revisit the case of this particularly Oklahoma Bearded Inquisitive Hound.

And we will not ignore the weather, thanks our pals Della and David Wallace, the animal people who were in a northern metro outskirts path of the storms on Wednesday.
Della told us, “We were trying to figure out how we were going to get 10 dogs, 4 birds,1 cat and 2 humans in a very small closet. Fortunately we didn’t have to. Whew!!!!”

Now, if you’ll look carefully at that photo on the right, you’ll see what Della was talking about when she wrote around mid-afternoon, “Storm has finally stopped. Scary, we were under a tornado warning. Cat didn’t care. She stayed on David’s van tire.” Her name? Pussycat, as in “What’s New, Pussycat”? [LARRY ASIDE: She may be a Weathercat, i.e., resisting the company of humans while still able to sense the challenge of weather and which tire to hide on.]
STARTING WITH A HAPPY NOTE &

ADDING A POTENTIALLY HAPPY NOTE
Amy Poskey’s report on Jeff Dogworthy’s progress begins with a happy expression. Jeff is a Coonhound who was in the Denton McNatt Animal Shelter and suffering from a torn anterior cruciate ligament. Things worked out.
 Amy writes, “I am extremely happy to report that our Jeff Dogsworthy has left the building!!!  He was picked up by his foster mom & dad yesterday [Tuesday] afternoon!  I can’t thank Denise Primm with Salvaged Souls Pet Rescue enough for taking Jeff into her rescue, Judy James for giving him a loving foster home, Karen Lee with BarkleyWorld and Denton Animal Support Foundation for their HUGE donations toward Jeff’s ACL surgery, all the donations from so many wonderful people, Gayla Nelsen [of the Denton shelter] for her patience and infinite juggling acts and coordination efforts, all the prayers and well wishes, everybody who helped network Jeff, etc, etc, etc…  EVERYONE made this happen and I am always so humbled and so grateful to all the human angels who go to bat for these furry angels!!!  THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!”
 Amy suggest that donations for Jeff’s ongoing care go to Salvage Souls Pet Rescue HERE.
In the afternoon Wednesday, Amy added this appeal to the day’s agenda. “This handsome, adorable angel is Jason, a/k/a Little Man!  Poor baby is very skinny weighing only 20 pounds and has been treated for an upper respiratory infection, as well.  So, we’re hoping a rescue can give this sweetie pie a loving foster home where he can gain some much needed weight, get him neutered, and find the perfect furever home for him!”
Jason may be 1 or 2 and he’s a Border Collie mix. He’s heartworm negative, dog friendly, people friendly and house-broken, Amy reports.
He’s not neutered because he needs to gain weight, she says.
A Denton shelter volunteer fostered him over the weekend and she reports that while he loves dogs and people, “he does not like to be crated or confined away from people and other dogs. He didn’t destroy anything when left loose in the house. He’s very active and intelligent. Rides well in the car. Responsive to positive reinforcement.”
And here’s readlarrypowell.com's favorite characteristic of Border Collies. The foster wrote that Jason “loves to greet visitors whether he knows them or not.” 
To ask about him, call the shelter at 940-349-7594. Email these folks  gayla.nelsen@cityofdenton.com, Randi.Weinberg@cityofdenton.com, julien.peralta@cityofdenton.com, dentonshelterdogs@yahoo.com, and/or dentonanimalservices@yahoo.com..
MEANWHILE, IN BURNS FLAT
The resolute rescuer in Burns Flat., Okla., Terry Lynn Fisher has three dogs that need homes. 
The first two are youngsters. Terry Lynn writes, “Budrow is the cute brown one.  Lab mix, he is young.  I feel he was dumped, for he roamed the town for many weeks before we caught him.   He is a very sweet boy, calm and full of love.
“
About Chance, she writes that he "is a 6 to 7 month old that is full of energy life and love.  He hasn’t had a good life.  Being in jail was the best thing for him.   He finally got the love and food he needed. Now, his time is up and he needs a home.”
Oh, my, look at this third dog. She's the girl with a faceful of porcupine quills in the opening photo of today's edition. 
Can you imagine how that must have felt? A human couldn't say "OUCH!" enough. And humans turned out to be more threatening than porcupines in the story of this girl's rescue.
Terry Lynn writes, “Remember this sweet girl?    Look how beautiful she is now. She is house-broken and gets along with other animals. She is a very well-behaved dog an very loving.”
Months ago, Terry Lynn saved her. She recalls, “I took her on after the owners took her to be killed after the porcupine won the fight. A beautiful healthy girl. She is now needing a safe place to go.   If you have room for this beauty, please let me know.”
 Contact Terry Lynn at remembering_oddball@yahoo.com.
AND NOW SOME MORE FROM MESQUITE
Our tipster Judi Brown has been busy visiting dogs in the Mesquite animal shelter. 
This incredible earhound is Joy [417848629], a 6-month-old Chihuahua mix who was among the more than 30 surrendered to the shelter more than a week ago. She’s a bit timid and “not comfortable in the noisy shelter environment. She already appears to like to be held. She snuggles your neck,” Judi reports. The 8-pounder shares a city kennel with Cherrie, who may be her mo, and Reina, who is probably her littermate.

This handsome 10-year-old is Romo (41769580). He is NOT A MEMBER OF THE MASS SURRENDER. He was surrendered on the 24th by his owners who gave him up because they were moving. He weighs 14 pounds. He’s barely middle-aged in the Chihuahua world. He’s a lap dog even, Judi says. Oddly, his previous humans said he wss an “outside dog.” Judi thinks it's time for him to live inside. 

This guy Cole (41670235) is on the “CRITICAL LIST due to shelter overcrowding,” Judi says. “They are at the point of having to euthanize.” Judi has a great affection for this 3-year-old, 53-pound Black Lab mix who arrived as a stray on May 13.
“When I first went into his kennel,  he came up to me slowly and gave me kisses and even licked my face. … He did come to me to me to be petted. He will still need TLC to build trust.”
And this girl Ida (41610090), a happy young, already-spayed 44-pound Shepherd mix who came in as a stray on May 6, is on the brink of getting the needle, too. Same reason as Cole. Overcrowding in the shelter. Judi says, “She’s very friendly and affectionate and is seemingly a very happy dog. When I sat down she put her head on my lap.”
For all of these dogs, call the shelter at 972-216-6283 or email rescues@cityofmesquite.com. Include their ID numbers when you ask for help adopting or rescuing.
You can see more Mesquite adoptables — not only dogs, but also cats — by clicking on the city site HERE .
While the shelter has a boatload of kittens right now, it also has grown cats available to resume being the Official Cat of an entire home. This one is Jack (41686092), THREE YEARS OLD and waiting. If you don’t get to him before someone else does, there are plenty more homeless cats and freshly-born kittens waiting.
CONTEMPLATIONS
Graduation daze; The count & the amount; Strike Zone
If you are about to graduate from high school this weekend, perhaps you need to know what holidays are coming up, according to Holiday Insights, the online lister of all things celebratory. You’ll note from this illustration that the 29th was Learn About Composting Day, but no politicians were listed as guest speakers. Next up on Thursday are Mint Julep Day — I don’t even have any of her tunes — and Water a Flower Day. And that is a phrase that suggests giving big checks to new grads. …
In case you wondered, just before 5 p.m. Wednesday Dallas Animal Services -- remember Free Dog Special running through the end of the month —  listed 132 dogs, 128 cats and 3 others for adoption -- at noon the numbers had been 135 available dogs and 128 available cats and this 9-month-old Guinea Pig named Macy. Two more Guinea Pigs showed up. Go to dallasanimalservices.org to see the available adorables. …
This may be the best ceremonial first pitch in baseball history. The Chicago White Sox employee of the month went to the mound, wound up, threw and — well, you can see it HERE . Hint? Clank. Laughter. Cheers. And the Texas Rangers immediately tried to sign her for the starting rotation. I'm kidding, but there have been years when it could have happened.
—- Offer ideas, planting tips or vacation ideas by clicking on ‘comment’ or emailing dallrp@aol.com. —-

PIT BULL ABUSE? A HEAT-STRICKEN DOG STRUGGLES. LUKE AWAITS. CATS & MUSIC

EDITION OF WEDNESDAY, MAY 29, 2019 [PetPowellPress] We ought to start today with a prayer for animals. Anybody got one that calls for protection of the animals and tethering the offending human on the courthouse parking lot in all weather for a few weeks before starting a term without end in a prison without air-conditioning?
 Sorry, these people inspire me to think of mean prayers, not gentle prayers. That’s a blot on my soul. But what they do is a…well, “sin” comes to mind right after the  “official readlarry powell.com Two-by-Four of Enlightenment."
What inspires this awful commentary by your loyal animal writer? Read on. You’ll be ticked off, too. (And I found that poster online at cafepress pitbullposters HERE.)
BODY-SLAMMING A PITTY
We’ve known rescuer Kimberly Jones for years. She’s a tough person, but not big enough to wade into a street fight with a guy who can throw a dog over a fence. Here’s what she posted Tuesday afternoon on her Facebook page. 
“I just witnessed the most heinous abuse of a dog while walking a client’s dog. A guy picked up his white Pit Bull by the skin of his back with both hands and threw him over his head and body slammed him over a fence onto a concrete patio... Police called. They came out and went to the guy’s apt and the guy admitted to throwing him over the fence. The police said they saw the dog and he is OK. So nothing can be done??? I do not know what else I can do 💔”

She also says this is “not the first time” she has seen such abysmal behavior at this particular Dallas complex. In fact, here’s her Facebook post from the “last time I saw a guy punching his Pit Bull at same complex.” Click HERE,
See something? Say something? Cruelty people have been alerted, I understand. [LARRY ASIDE: Let’s make sure  neither of these guys runs for the state legislature.]
A STORY THAT CAPTURES THE HEART

(And that’s if you have one and we know some don’t)
This is still an iffy situation. This guy Raider may survive. He’s got things working against him. My animal protecting spouse Martha spotted the story on the Dallas Dog RRR (Rescue. Rehab. Reform.) Facebook page and told me about it.
The horrible photos speak to the challenge. The Dallas Dog RRR firstpost from Sunday read, “It's 90 degrees in Dallas and this dog wandered into an open garage and collapsed! He doesn't want to stand. He doesn't want to eat or drink. We hope he doesn't want to die as we're calling a 911 to help him, and we NEED you, please! His gums are pale white, you can see every rib and hip bone, and he's headed to our ER Vet. PLEASE help... we're desperate after all of these ongoing abuse/neglect cases. I no longer ask if it will ever end, cause it's apparent it never will. I'm spent.”
Raider is heartworm positive, was still in emergency care after two days, may have “something going on with his colon” and his bloodwork “remains sketchy.” 
Whatever happens to him, he’s in need of financial support. Here are the donation sites: www.dallasdogrrr.org or Paypal donate@dallasdogrrr.org or
Venmo @Dallas-DogRRR.
He’s got emotional support — but a dog can never have enough love. Maybe some kind prayers will help.
WHY IS LUKE STILL WAITING
AT THE DENTON SHELTER?
Yes, it is hard to fathom why this handsome dog doesn’t have a home.
 Our Denton shelter tipster Amy Poskey says she thinks he’s still there because he’s heartworm positive and the cost scares off people. She also says, “He really is a GREAT dog and it’s breaking my heart.”
She also wrote, “If you look deep into his eyes you will see an old soul in a young body with a story to tell.”

He’s an under 5 Hound/Staffie mix. Fully vetted. Dog friendly. People friendly. Weighs 53 pounds. (DASF will chip in a $100 voucher toward his heartworm treatment.)
Amy also writes, “Again, I would be happy to send out a plea for funds for the HW treatment if a rescue/foster is willing to take him.  He is also available for the reduced adoption fee of $30.” 
She included a LINK
to show Luke with his shelter pals. “Luke is the calm boy in the background, not the smiling boy sitting nicely in front of the camera!” Call the shelter at 940-349-7594 or email: gayla.nelsen@cityofdenton.com, Randi.Weinberg@cityofdenton.com, julien.peralta@cityofdenton.com, dentonshelterdogs@yahoo.com, and/or dentonanimalservices@yahoo.com.
A DALLAS CAT IN KITTEN FORM
The photo on the Dallas Animal Services Facebook page caught my attention. Very artistic in capturing a calm kitten. The story is “Cookie (1063804) is patiently waiting for her #foreverhome! This sweet girl was in foster with her siblings and she is the only one that hasn't been adopted! If you would like to adopt Cookie, please email DASFoster@dallascity hall.com, and make her dream come true!
See more of the scores of unwanted Dallas dogs and cats by going to www.dallasanimalservices.org.
CONTEMPLATIONS
SIMPLE SOLUTIONS AND UPLIFTING MUSIC

Veteran animal advocate Debbie New posted this earlier in the week, “I wish people who return an animal after less than 10 days would understand that the animal needs to decompress and they should try harder to address issues rather than expect the animal to be just perfect. The ramifications break my heart.” Seems like a simple concept, doesn’t it? Let the animal feel like it is at home. … Is there a special place for people who dump their animals so they can go on vacation? … We need some uplifting music after today’s generally gloomy report. I couldn’t decide on The Turtles HERE or The Rascals to set the tone for your morning.
—- Offer your musical tips or opinions by clicking on ‘comment’ below or by emailing dallrp@aol.com where we await a low-cost time machine. —-

DOGS OF HD-92 WALK THE WALK; OKLAHOMA DOXIE NEEDS CASH; CRYPTOKIDS NEED A LIFT; RED-HEADED GIRL NEEDS HOPE; & AN AMERICAN CONTEMPLATION

EDITION OF TUESDAY, MAY 28, 2019 [PetPowellPress] Welcome to the Tuesday that feels like a Monday all day long. At readlarrypowell.com, we have several things to discuss, all inspired by the long-standing suggestion/wish, “Be kind to animals.” Please read on with an open heart and clear thoughts.

HOW’D THE ‘ANTI-STICK’ PARADE GO?
It went better for dogs than the Texas Legislature went for them in the last few working sessions. “Anti-Stick” is the shorthand adopted by Dogs of HD-92, people who oppose re-election of Texas State Rep. Jonathan Stickland of House District 92 in the Hurst-Euless-Bedford area. [LARRY ASIDE: He runs as a Republican, but may not be not embraced by all Republicans. Some think he may be more of a Libertarian who rode in on the Tea Party wagon. But, who knows a politician's heart until you see him vote, right?]

The problem for animal supporters who’d like to see that is there appears to be nothing except a primary between now and election day, Nov. 3, 2020, that can get him out of office.
So, on Monday, the people displeased by Rep. Stickland’s blocking of anti-cruelty laws took to the sidewalks near his office to exercise freedom of speech and to demonstrate their feelings about the Rep’s killing of the anti-cruelty bill for two sessions in a row.
[LARRY ASIDE: The Legislature, unless something odd happens, won’t be back in session until January of ’21. Two ways to look at that: (1) They can’t do any more harm for a while or (2) I forget the other way to look at it. I’m kidding the good members of the Legislature — the hard-working, clear-thinking members who know they were elected to serve not just when the House and Senate lights are on, but for every moment that there is a State of Texas during their term.]

We know there are animal fans in that Hurst-Euless-Bedford area of HD-92 because we hear from them and we write about them at readlarrypowell.com.

Dogs of HD 92 had a Facebook post that read “Dogs Against Stickland brought out over 130 humans to object to Jonathan Stickland killing a bill that would protect dogs from inhumane living conditions - we had people from all over the Metroplex, Allen, McKinney, our neighbors in HEB and Fort Worth, from Houston and Lubbock show up to #standuptostick - please share our message far and wide, it is time to vote him out!!" and the posted closed with
"Support Steve Riddell for Texas House District 92 - https://sec ure.actblue. com/donate/ steveriddell."

[LARRY ASIDE: We’re not sure Riddell has declared his candidacy. He lost to Stickland by a narrow margin last time. The Dog Voters may make a difference next time.]
You can see video of the march HERE.
An you can read WBAP 820AM’s report HERE, 
And at both sites you can see that posting of a dog and a road sign in a photo that is dripping with commentary. It has the caption: “Tsume has spoken.”

I asked Madison Murphy about the photo of her and her dog and she replied, "That's me and my 12-year-old Shepherd mix, Tsume. Great timing on his part! LOL!"
[LARRY ASIDE: I’m not in politics, but I have been an observer of the arena since the mid-‘60s. Two things for sure: Timing is everything in photography and Animal People are nobody’s lap dog. Should be an interesting, long campaign in HD-92.]
MOLLY THE DOXIE UPDATE
We got this report from the resilient rescuer Terry Lynn Fisher in Burns Flat, Okla., out in the western end of the soggy Sooner state:
“Last week, Molly was missing from her home. When she was finally found, she had been hurt very badly. It appears someone kicked her in the face and broke her jaw in several places.”

As you can see in the photos, the little girl cannot close her mouth. Terry Lynn says her vet “is not set up to do a surgery like this, so they referred her to a specialist in Oklahoma City. She went there Friday and had some tests done. Sadly, they decided this was even more than they could take on and referred her to a specialist in Tulsa. They inserted tubes for her pain meds and food, because her mouth had to be firmly muzzled.

“She has an appointment Tuesday morning. They will begin the treatment and preform the surgery. However, she will not be released until the payment is paid in full. We have someone donating a large part of this, but the other specialist was just under $1000 so that took a big part of that donation.

“Without the surgery soon, the damage will be permanent and nothing can be done —she would have to live her life in pain. So, we will have her there [Tuesday] and have the surgery, then continue to work on raising enough to pay and get her released.
“Several have already donated and some have promised to help with her. Please remember, each and every dollar helps. If you would like to donate to Molly's surgery, here are two ways: (for Molly) PAYPAL bfvfd_109@yahoo.com (underscore between letters and numbers) or directly to the vet at Veterinary Dental Center of Tulsa, 4820 East 33rd St. Tulsa, Ok 74135, 918-749-8387 (For Molly Mcconiha).”
[LARRY ASIDE: Unlikely that the dog-kicker will ever be brought to justice — on this Earth, anyway.]
UPDATE ON THE CRYPTORCHID KIDS
Possibly you recall these two cuties from Monday’s edition, Chewy (PET ID 82823) and Jabba (PET ID 82824), two cryptorchid puppies in the Denton McNatt Animal Shelter. 
They have undescended testicles, thus they cannot be neutered. [LARRY ASIDE: If I remember Texas animal law correctly, they cannot be adopted from a shelter without being neutered. So, if not neutered, then not adopted, they likely face only a dire end]. 
But there’s good news. Our tipster Amy Poskey reports, “Angelica with Rocky Mountain Lab Rescue in Colorado has offered to take these two angels BUT THEY NEED A LOCAL FOSTER WHO CAN HOLD THEM UNTIL THE NEXT TRANSPORT TO COLORADO. So, if anybody can help, please contact Angelica ASAP!” That contact for Angelica is rockymountainlabrescue@gmail.com.
THE CATS IN CARROLLTON, OR,
‘HELP FOR THE LITTLE RED-HEADED GIRL’
Here’s the key inflammatory sentence in this story from our source MB:
“My neighbor, who killed my previous little friend, is spitting fire about this cat.”

There are cats in Carrollton, Texas — and that is no surprise. Possibly you saw a “Kitten Season” report over the weekend that the Carrollton Animal Shelter is overloaded with kittens and appealing for help. There’s obviously some work for animal people there.
But not all the cats make it to the Carrollton shelter before their situations are blessed by an intervening soul in a neighborhood. Our story comes from our reliable source known as “MB” for several reports over the years. (FYI: All of these photos are of the cat the neighbor is "spitting fire about," the Little Red-headed Girl.)
MB writes, “I have a story of three cats that ended up in my neighborhood I have termed ‘The Killing Fields’. The cats showed up a few months ago. 

“I saw only a gray intact male at first.  Then the red girl.  Then the sad third cat.  When I saw this sad cat for the first time, my heart sank.  He had a dent on his back in the shape of a U and could not use his left back leg.  I asked Carrollton Animal Control to set a trap for him. They did capture him.  I called them to see if they got the right cat.  They said in addition to his dented back and leg, he also had a gash on his head. 

“Then the gray intact male has disappeared.  The little red girl is still around.  I have befriended her. She is not feral, but has lived outdoors for a long while.  She lets me pet her on the back. Is very skittish, but friendly. She is not spayed and as of late has a terrible rash on her nose that started out looking like scratches, but look a lot worse now and seem to be spreading to her cheek. 

“My neighbor, who killed my previous little friend, is spitting fire about this cat. I am hoping you may know a rescue that can take her, have her spayed and given some treatment for her nose and a good worming.  She is a loving girl.  She has gone into heat about 4 times now.  She gets overly friendly when she goes into heat.  Hopefully she is not getting too close to my cat-hating neighbor.  She is a tough skinny little cat.  She has no fear of taking on possums and raccoons.  Haven't seem a coyote in a while, but feel she would take on one of those too.  Would like to give this little one a chance, before its too late.”
To offer to help, email baccula@yahoo.com.

CONTEMPLATIONS

A TEXAS WRITER IN NETHERLANDS
In the wake of Memorial Day, we have a reading tip from Dallas writer 'Bob' Vernon, a former colleague of mine at The Big Paper Downtown when it was really big. He’s overseas right now, and he posted this Facebook report on Memorial Day: “Now that I'm back in the Netherlands for a spell, I thought it would be nice to relate how gracious and thankful to the Americans the Dutch have been and continue to be for the liberation of this country in WWII.” He then suggests reading a USA Today story that “is a heartfelt illustration of that gratitude." Here’s the LINK. And, as we say at readlarrypowell.com, thanks to the Americans who gave it all to support this great nation and the best ideals for peace and happiness on the planet.
—- Offer opinions, support or solutions by clicking on ‘comment’ below or by emailing Larry Powell at dallrp@aol.com. He reads every email, some of them to his dogs and cats. —-

AMERICA: LAND OF HEROES; ALSO LAND OF STELLER QUILT RAFFLE, DOGS & CATS

EDITION OF MEMORIAL DAY, MONDAY, MAY 26, 2019 [PetPowellPress] Take a moment to remember those who died defending our nation. We’re well beyond the first “Decoration Day” in 1868. And The War To End All Wars ended Nov. 11, 1918. World War II — Korea —Vietnam — Desert Storm — Afghanistan. I'm sure I left something out. All around the world, Americans die for America.
Bless them and their families and those who knew them and never got to know them.

The American Memorial Day — it is a reminder of war that surely stands for peace. We should honor our American heroes by cherishing their country -- OUR country -- every day.
QUILTING FOR CRITTERS?

YEP, HELPING BARKLEYWORLD
The great Karen Lee’s barkleyworld.com is such a wonderful element in the animal community. You see these quilts? One of them even has a bit of a U.S. flag theme going on.
You can buy raffle tickets to win a quilt — or both quilts if you are lucky! (Click on their photos to make them grow.) Buy tickets through May 31; the drawing is on June 1. How to buy? Go to barkleyworld.com, click on the donate tab and note that the donation is for raffle tickets — $5 each or FIVE tickets for $20. The money goes to help barkleyworld with medical issues and other problems rescued animals face.
Karen refers to the artist who made these quilts as a “master quilter.” The master quilter is identified as “SassyAnn Eastwood,” nom de quilt of a veteran quilter who likes to make them and donate them to non-profit rescues and other organizations for use in fundraisers. FYI, SassyAnn tells us, “I have a couple of rescue dogs and cats - support as many organizations as I can - have TNR over 30 cats in my neighborhood since moving here in 1992 and help many other animals when I can. I've known Karen Lee since before Barkleyworld was "born" and am proud to call her my friend.”

In case you wondered, here’s the story of Barkley and his World: “BARKLEYWORLD, a 501(c)(3) charity, was founded in 2013 by Dennis and Karen Lee and is named for our dog - Barkley. He was rescued from the streets 17 years ago by Homeward Bound Animal Rescue of Bedford, TX, and we adopted him in 1996. He lived to be almost 19 years old and is a shining example of what animal rescue is all about.”
Barkleyworld.com reflects that shining example. Daily.
THE COUNT AT DAS

Dallas Animal Services is running a free dog special, Dog Days of Summer, through May 31.
Early in the evening on Sunday, the shelter had an odd population dynamic going. Usually, lately, there have been around 250 dogs in the shelter and around 100 cats. Here’s the count as Memorial Day arrives. 
So, spread the word. Go to dallasanimalservices.org to see the available adorable adoptables. And, heck, that cat count could really go up overnight -- this is, after all, Dallas, the most fertile city in the nation. Pretty sure.
TWO DOGS WAITING
FOR NEW HOME/HOMES
This note comes to us from Mini Mutts Animal Rescue via Rainy Davis Johme. The story is the human of Lucy Lu and Suzy Q died and the girls now need a place to go. The note reads, “They do not need to be adopted together!,” but, well, the readlarrypowell.com theory is two Cocker Spaniels are always double the fun.
The story goes: “Lucy Lu (hot pink harness) and Susie Q (light pink harness) are 5.5 and 6 years old. They have been loved and adored by their owner. They are completely house-trained and crate-trained and doggie door-trained!!
“Good with new people and were raised with a grandson from 5 -11yrs old. They get along well with other dogs. They love to be with their people and are super sweet dogs.”

To foster or adopt, email mini-mutts@outlook.com. Mimi Mutt rules say you “in the Dallas/Fort Worth/Rockwall or surrounding area only. Read about the non-profit here: http://mini-mutts.org.
CHERISHED DOG DIESEL IN A SHELTER;
SO IS A PITTIE GIRL NAMED GIDGET
Oh, boy, here are two that need a human with a heart. We got word of them from a human with a heart so we’ll appeal to other humans with hearts.
Judi Brown, our Mesquite Animal Services volunteer bio-tipster, cites Diesel (41767701) and Gidget (41726724). (Remember to call the shelter first on a holiday.)

No telling what the deal is with Diesel’s loss of a home, but Juli says the 2-year-old, 34-pound Brindle Plotthound’s human didn’t just drop him and drive away on May 24. Judi writes, “The owner left a very touching, loving letter showing that Diesel was cherished. (Please ask for the copy of the letter if you rescue or adopt). His previous owners stated that Diesel has been raised with children and other dogs, but also said that Diesel is not good with small dogs. It was also stated that Diesel is a little standoffish around women. I found that to be the case. He was timid and reluctant to have me touch him. He would flinch when I reached for him. However, I found him to be a very gentle, sweet-natured dog. His previous owners stated that he loves to fetch sticks and get hugs. They also stated that they hope the new owner would enjoy him as much as they had. They felt he was a true blessing. They also said he has a million smile!
“Apparently Diesel had a traumatic experience related to food so he gobbles down his food very quickly. He will need some TLC to build trust but there’s no doubt that he is a very loving dog”

Four-year-old Gidget came in as a stray on May 28. The 49-pound smoky-gray Pittie mix has a growth on her left ear that doesn’t appear to bother her but will need some veterinary attention.
Judi says that “even though she has beautiful eyes, you will see that they look sad. It doesn’t appear that she’s had a very good life so far. She is so thin that her ribs are showing, and it looks like she’s been over-bred. … She greeted me in her kennel with lots of tail wags. She’s a sweet, gentle girl. She did not jump on me. She spent a lot of time investigating the yard. I get the impression that even though she liked attention, she’s not used to receiving it. She’s definitely deserving.”

To ask about either of these dogs, call the Mesquite Animal Shelter at 972-216-6283 or email rescues@cityofmesquite.com.
Oh, and Mesquite has many, many kitten and adult cats, including this rare Mesquite Monogrammed Tabbycat (41410614) — see that “M” on the forehead? Mandy. She’s 3 and has been waiting patiently in the catroom since April 27.

THESE CRYPTORCHID KIDS
NEED SOME SPECIAL HELP
From the island of Crypto? Descended, so to speak, from the Orchid Family? Nope.
Our tipster Amy Poskey, who monitors the tough cases at Denton’s Linda McNatt Animal Care & Adoption Center, has the explanation.
“These two precious puppies are Chewy (PET ID 82823) and Jabba (PET ID 82824).  They are both cryptorchid (undescended testicles) and are unable to be neutered by the shelter vet, so they are needing rescue.  Poor babies have been at the shelter for three weeks so they are missing out on much needed socialization.”

Call the shelter at 940-349-7594 (open on a holiday?), stop by 3717 N. Elm St. in Denton, or email gayla.nelsen@cityofdenton.com, Randi.Weinberg@cityofdenton.com, julien.peralta@cityofdenton.com, dentonshelterdogs@yahoo.com, and/or dentonanimalservices@yahoo.com.
SAD STORY OF A CAT
WHO LOST HIS YOUNG HUMAN
This is one of those stories that grinds your heart. We got it from our Houston tipster Alexandra Kelsey who notes that the first word of Merica The Cat’s need came from Dallas rescuer Joyce Boeck who “got the word out on Merica.
The story is that a 35-year-old woman recently died in her sleep. Left behind were two cats.
The note reads, “A friend took the cats in and adores the old, sleepy kitty.  But, Merica, the young cat, is too active for her household. She says Merica is a great cat, he is neutered and gets along with other cats, but he needs a home that is appropriate for a playful kitty man.  He has his claws.
The contact is Penny at 214-783-9560. 
And despite his reputation, Merica does know how to flop down and sleep after he gets through having a good play!
CONTEMPLATIONS
HORSE NOTES ; HOUSEWORK; A DESK AND A CAT
One thing about that Indy 500, we’ve never seen an entry leave the start and drop the rider onto the track — like at the Preakness — though we have seen impeding of progress at Indy with a lot of horsepower, like the Kentucky Derby. Makes you wonder what’s going to happen at the Belmont Stakes (June 8). … Holidays are interesting — you want to nap, you want to catch up with housework and home repair. Did anything really have a chance at working out? … A weekend moment: Took an old desk to the dump — it was purchased in 1970 and only recently began to fall irreparably apart under the crush of time and storage boxes. The thing was really heavy particleboard. In 1971, I could use it as the platform for changing diapers on the twins, Bret and Bart. They may not remember. They were 15 -- I'm kidding, they were newborns. I miss cuddling those boys. Currently I cuddle this work in progress, the formerly feral William Powell, probably about 10 pounds, more than either of the twins when they were born. In the words of ‘50s hipsters, The boys and William are three big cats, man.
— To offer opinions or advice, click on ‘comment’ below or email dallrp@aol.com. —-

GRANNY GABEL, THE ADORABLE 'CHARM'


If there’s a tender spot in your soul, you may just get “Charmed” when you read about this dog’s reaction at the shelter. 

But, first, Linda Gabel perfectly cap- tured the chal- lenge for this Memo- rial Week- end edition of Let Sleeping Dogs Lie & Napping Cats Nap. 
She wrote, “Do you realize how difficult it is to get good pictures of black dogs?  Trust me, 'taint easy for this amateur photographer.”

But, there you have it, clearly, the photograph of a genuinely “Sleeping Dog.”
She is the new old girl at the home of Linda and Larry Gabel.
Linda wrote, “Wanted to send a shot of our new girl, Miss Charm.  Well, I call her Granny Gabel since she can't hear so won't know the difference anyway.  Charm is 14 years old, has no hearing, very little grey hair, only 3 teeth (which she will likely lose), and a name that fits her perfectly.  Never meets a stranger, loves to give sidewinder kisses from her left-facing tongue, is totally housebroken, and indeed a true charm.  Yet she was an owner surrender - at the age of 14!  
“We adopted Charm from the Bedford Shelter 2 weeks ago. The day I went to meet her she was friendly but very quiet. Went back the next day and visited her again.  The attendant put Charm back in a kennel while I completed her ‘gotcha paperwork’ and Charm immediately went into an ear-deafening protest. They said she had never done this so we concluded she had decided I was not leaving without her.  She was right.”

Linda says she first saw Charm on the shelter’s Facebook and “she was there 2 weeks with no other interest. Let me tell you, those non-interested parties are the losers.” 
Here’s how Linda describes these photographs: In the opening sleeper photo, she writes, “Charm - apparently comfort is in the mind of the sleeper.”

The second “shows she really is alive....in fact, she's quite active for her age.”
Since we’ve posted Hobo as a glorious Sleeper before, she wrote, “If you recall 9-yr-old Hobo who came to us from Operation Kindness last December, this is a shot of him and 16-year-old Charlie (from Humane Society of North Texas) waiting to get into Papa's shop where they know they will share his forbidden animal crackers.”

The great photo of the “Parade” is described as “the whole gang (including 10-yr-old Gertie - also from HSNT) heading back to the house after play-time in the ‘big yard’. (Charm did have a hot spot that had to be shaved but is healing fine.).”
So, this is a parade of older dogs. Yes. Linda explains: 
“Each dog in this current gang was at least 8 years old when they found us.  As sweet as little puppies are, these ‘seasoned souls’ have so much to offer and wisdom that only comes with age. 

“Apparently nobody has told them their age as Hobo has the energy of any pup and no idea he has a bad heart. Charm loves to chase our ducks who are, fortunately, saved by a fence.  Guess she'd try to gum them to death.”
And, in case you’re remembering Hobo’s debut in Let Sleeping dogs Lie and Napping Cats Nap, here’s his photo. His story is HERE.
What about adopting older dogs? Linda explains, “Yep, these senior citizens have a gang of canine senior citizens and they're the best. People who overlook the seniors or ‘less adoptable’ animals have no idea what they're missing.”
Check your city shelters and rescue groups — you may find your own charming Charm.
[DEAR READERS: Our long-running weekend feature Let Sleeping Dogs Lie & Napping Cats Nap is dedicated to slumbering critters and their people.Send photos of your sleeping and napping canine and feline friends —oh, and any other slumbering animal, too! — to dallrp@aol.com. We’re proud to show them off to the world. And, yes, they inspire insomniacs to believe that they, too, can get some sleep if they can just figure out which side to let their tongues loll. Oh, then, of course, the true insomniac will lay awake worrying that he picked the wrong side to loll.]

---Offer sleeping tips and aging advice by clicking on 'comment' or emailing dallrp@aol..com. ---