EDITION OF THURSDAY, JAN. 21, 2021 [PetPowellPress] Welcome to the first edition on this Brand New Day in America. No matter who is in the White House, the following expression is ALWAYS true: There are dogs and cats who need homes. A lot of them are in your neighborhood or pretty close to it!
Remember, wear your mask, wash your paws frequently and always be kind to animals. We’re about to highlight opportunities to be kind to animals.
One more thing: The 21st, Holiday Insights says, is National Hugging Day — good luck celebrating that one. The 21st is also National Squirrel Appreciation Day — it’s a real thing, created in 2001 by an Asheville, N.C. wildlife rehabber, Christy Hargrove. More on a scurry and a drey and the defrocking of that tree in CONTEMPLATIONS.
JUDGING A DOG BY THE PHOTO?
HAPPY TO DO IT, OF COURSE!
We mentioned this Denton McNatt Animal Services dog already this week, but, for crying out loud, Nala needs a home.
Maybe you remember her story. In and out of two homes — one in October, one in November — mostly because the humans may not have understood just how to work with a dog who doesn’t understand that she is loved. It takes time.
Our Denton tipster, Amy Poskey, reminds us that the 2- or 3-year-old Hound mix girl weighs in at 72 pounds and, in general is people friendly and dog friendly. She’s #90098 at the shelter. Call the shelter at 940-349-7594. Email these shelter folks: gayla.nelsen@cityofdenton.com, randi.Weinberg@cityofdenton.com and dorcas.johnson@cityofdenton.com.
In an email conversation with Amy, I confessed, “I must be nuts, but I'd adopt this dog just to sit around and look at her!“
Of course, I already have a houseful of dogs and cats who fit that description. I sit around and look at them and they look back, sending me telepathic messages about treats.
Now, I’m re-posting Nala because I simply cannot believe there isn’t someone who would love to have that big, beautiful dog as a friend.
We know he has a good personality unless frightened — matter of working on her ability to trust a human, I suspect. What we don’t know are her preferences in reading material or what she likes to stream on her Kindle.
[LARRY ASIDE: One thing I’d like to note is how wonderful these photographs are — I don’t know who took them, but they have a texture and a clarity that give us a vivid look at this great dog. How good are they? I’m thinking they are nearly as great as the portraits painting by local artist Laura Alton — she also captures the clarity and the spirit of the animals she paints. You can see her work on her Paw Prints page HERE.
I think what I’m saying is Nala looks as if she’s a walking, tail-wagging piece of living artwork. Someone’s bound to save her soon, right?]
UPDATING FROM LANCASTER:
PULLED AND LEAVING TOWN
We got word from Laura Macias of 4-Legged Helpers Wednesday that Kenzie,
the dog with bum leg in the Lancaster Shelter, has been “pulled by ARF” (Animal Rescue Foundation of Texas) . And Brent is “going to Grateful Dog in Vermont” on February 4.
ARF also found room for the two sibling cats, Ash and Alea who is said to be pregnant.
Still waiting at the Lancaster Shelter are these two — Gabe and Pebbles.
To ask about helping Gabe, the Blue & White Bully (left), or Pebbles, the Blue & White Bully, call or Texas 4-Legged Helpers’ Laura Macias at 949-2726 or email cat_girl_71@yahoo.com. Both have stories of being sweet dogs in need of homes.
THE STORY OF SAMSON
NEEDS HAPPY ENDING
Oh, boy, our Mesquite Animal Shelter tipster Judi Brown, the dog biographer, has come across a fellow named Samson who has been engaged in some challenges.
He’s a 10-year-old Lab/Plott Hound mix who was dumped, er, surrendered on the 19th. He weighs 55-pounds and his ID is 46450655.
She writes, “The surrender form says that he was surrendered because he nips at the UPS delivery people. The owner also told one of the intake people that he knocks over an elderly person in the household. Yet they also said he was an outside dog only! This sweet boy did not make a good presentation when I first met him at the window because he was barking a lot. It was obvious that he was very nervous and unsure of his environment.
“It took me spending time in his kennel to build trust. However, once that was established he became my BFF! He’s a very sweet boy. In the yard he spent a lot of time smelling as hounds do. When I sat down he did come to me and let me pet him. He did sit for treats. His previous owner said that he likes to play fetch. He did not do that for me but it was probably because he had so many new smells to investigate.
“His previous owners also said that he was raised with other dogs and cats and was friendly with them sometimes. When I walked him through the bay he went nose to nose with several dogs and did not show any signs of aggression. It was also stated that he was raised with children. They stressed that he was very LOYAL. I can definitely see how that would be. I absolutely fell in love with this delightful older gentleman.
"Samson weighs 55 pounds! Hopefully, his next adopters will recognize his sterling qualities and want to spend time with him in the house snuggling up watching TV. He deserves that!”
Use his ID46450655 when you call the shelter at 972-216–6283 or email rescues@cityofmesquite.com.
CONTEMPLATIONS
FIR, DREY/DRAY & CREPUSCULAR
That is Martha removing the ornaments from her favorite flocked Christmas tree on Monday. She felt confident that she could reach into the branches of this flocked fir sans fear of grabbing a squirrel dreaming of sugarplums. We paid extra to get a Certified Squirrel-Free Tree (CSFT). I’m kidding. But I may copyright that and talk some tree company into teaming with me on the marketing concept. …
FYI, my Wikipedia research reveals that a group of squirrels may be referred to as a “dray” or “scurry.” That is my Office Cat, William Powell, in his window post on the lookout for a scurry. Well-read William notes that while the reference page referred to a “dray” it should have used the word “drey.” William previously worked as a Professor of Squirrelian Studies, holding the Rocket J. Squirrel Chair, at Forest Tech in Oak Plains, Texas — it’s big on STEM courses, gets to the root of education and then branches out.
We’ll now note that some squirrels are “crepuscular.” Yes! You knew that already, didn’t you. Active during the twilight zone of a day. Not all squirrels are active at twilight. George Orwell explained that in Animal Farm when he wrote, “All animals are equal, but some animals are more awake than others.” I’m sorry. He wrote “more equal than others.” My fault on that quote — college dropout, you know.
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