ReadLarryPowell.com

The Drama of Steffi

The story of Steffi, the German Shepherd therapy dog, has certainly captivated a giant swath of animal lovers. People from all over the country responded to the plight of this dog.

She'd been in an accident a few Sundays ago -- after a tire blew out, the SUV she was in turned over near Hillsboro on I-35, injuring Mark Malone, her human. Sadly, German Shepherd Sasha was thrown from the vehicle and died at the scene. Steffi, startled, puzzled and terrified, fled.

She became the focal point of a recovery effort that brought in teams of people and individuals from across the state and from out-of-state.

For three weeks this dog avoided people. Finally, on Saturday night, the rigors of the Texas heat and the determination of loving people combined to bring Steffi back to safety.

Nancy Malone, Mark's wife and a member of the rescue party, posted the story of the recovery at www.bestfriendsagility.com/findSteffi.html. That page also has photos of Steffi at Dr. Mike Athon's Mobile Animal Care Clinic in Cedar Hill -- Dr. Mike, as his loyal clients know him, took the photos of Steffi's post-trauma visit, including the mug shot with today's posting.

So, here, in Nancy's words, you can see how Saturday's rescue occurred. Nancy says "it really is quite amazing. I think the Lord just said today was the day because everything just fell into place." (That photo, by Dr. Mike Athon, is of Steffi in recovery.)

The rescuers had prepared themselves for the possibility that Steffi, if she ever appeared close enough, would need to be "darted" with tranquilizers. It wasn't the ideal thing, but they were getting desperate to save the dog from herself. The darts were acquired and the decision was made to dart her -- just in case.

From Nancy's story, we learn that Jimmy Curtis called the rescue line about noon Saturday to report that he'd been grading a road with a tractor when Steffi emerged from the trees and began "trotting down the road right in front of him." He followed her, then she went back into a grove of trees on his property "just east of the nursing home and north of the church."

(As you can tell, readers, the rescuers have become very familiar with the territory!)

Nancy and Mark, who must wear a sling because of broken bones suffered in the wreck, quickly drove to Mr. Curtis' property, but Steffi had vanished.

So, they went to the church where they met with "Dr. Mike, Tim and the rescue group from Grapevine (there were 4 of them)," writes Nancy. "We met up and Tim gave Lawrence the dart with the transmitter in it. Dr. Mike , Cathy, Mark, myself, Jimmy and Joyce proceeded up to the grove of trees. Had Jimmy not spotted her, we would have been in the wrong place to do our stake out. We would have been way south of that spot."

As they approached the "right" grove, Nancy says, "Steffi started coming right for my car."

The team communicated Steffi's movements via radio, Nancy says.

"Suddenly Steffi turned and took off at a dead run East towards the Wal-Mart. Jimmy was in his truck and he and Joyce took off and got ahead of her and cut her off so she couldn't make it to the creek.

"We all spread out to make sure we could see her if she popped out. By that time, the grapevine folks joined us. I also called Nancy Bidwell and told her we needed help ASAP so we could completely surround this grove of trees. She was great and within 15 minutes we had several people there and we were able to surround the trees. Jimmy then got on his tractor and started moving through the brush to try and flush her out so we could dart her. Mark, Grant and Teresa started walking in from the northeast side. It was starting to get dark now. Then she popped out on the north side of the trees.

"One of the Grapevine rescue staff was on a dirt bike and was able to just follow and keep up with Steffi. The chase went on for about 20 minutes. Some of us were in cars and some on foot, but we kept her surrounded.

"She finally just got so exhausted she simply sat down under a tree and we all surrounded her. Mark and I were able to go right up to her and get a leash on. The leash was actually Tim's belt."

Dr. Mike "scooped her up" and drove her to his mobile unit at the nursing home. Nancy says Steffi's temp was 107 degrees. Dr. Mike got "fluids started right away and we packed d her in ice. Within 2 hours her temp was a down to 102 and she was completely relaxed. She ate some food, drank some water and settled down to sleep."

Steffi had lost about 10 pounds, had some cuts and was covered in ticks and burrs, but, Nancy says, "looks very good for having been lost for 20 days." (That's Steffi's formal portrait from before the adventure.)

A welcome-home party greeted Steffi and the rescuers when they returned to Dr. Mike's clinic. A human celebration broke out, too.

And, as Nancy writes, "We will never ever be able to repay people for the countless hours spent in coordinating and helping with this recue. it is hard to believe that it is actually over. ... Thanks so much for everything and for hanging in there with us these past 3 weeks. We could not have done this without each and every one of you. ... Praise God for sending her home."

And, readers and fans of Steffi, there you have it from Nancy. Some Saturday evening drama in the woods. It must have been exhilarating to finally get that dog back into the safety of loving arms.

Congratulations to you all not just for saving the dog, but for having the heart to keep trying. The successful effort is a great example of  "just don't give up on a dog."

Steffi reunited with her people

Call this a "news bulletin." We'll get the details later, but Steffi is back in the "loving arms" of her people. The German shepherd, frightened in an auto accident at Hillsboro a few Sundays ago, has been avoiding capture ever since.

She also inspired one of the biggest searches ever by dedicated volunteers and dog lovers.

I understand from sources that she is being treated for dehydration and heat-related problems -- things you'd expect a well-furred dog to suffer in this Texas heat.

More details as we get them. Looks like determination and love have triumphed.

A dog named Kat and Maggie Mae

And now, we present the newest edition of our project designed to demonstrate that dogs and cats and other animals are far more adept at comfortable slumbering than their humans.

This edition of "Let Sleeping Dogs Lie & Napping Cats Nap" comes courtesy of Angela Isek of Plano.

The first presentation is of Kat, an adoptee from Straydog Inc. (www.straydog.org). "I know what you're thinking," says Angela. It's the same thing everybody else thinks, she says, "What kind of name is 'Kat' for a dog?"

"That's exactly what I thought," says Angela, "But, hey, it suits her well. She's a complete 'scaredy 'Kat.'"

Of course, in that first picture she's obviously not afraid of a good nap -- note the napping tongue. And in the second, she obviously has no fear of personal expression during the napping process. Kat is "free-styling."

"I met Kat when I was volunteering for Straydog like I do almost every Saturday. When I first saw her, she was shaking in her crate. when I got her out of the van, I thought she had a docked or bobtail. Turns out she was just extremely nervous and had her tail tucked. Poor girl! She seemed to warm up to me and I fell in love with her. Usually I go for the big dogs or more out-going dogs, like Great Danes and Pit Bulls, but Kat gave me this feeling I just couldn't deny. After a few weeks, I adopted her.

"Kat has loosened up since then, thankfully, and now is part of the family, although my cat wishes otherwise. He's still wondering when the chasing will stop and he has reign over the household again. As you can see, she's perfectly happy sleeping on the couch or in bed, where she has chewed three, huge holes in my comforter!" By the way, you may be interested in the name of the cat. Relax, it's not "Dog." The cat's name is "Lucky," and I suspect when Kat is chasing cat, Lucky sees irony in the name.

As for this third photo, Angela says that our animal sources Holly Elms and Mary Garrett (known here usually as "Mary of Oak Cliff") suggested several times that she send Kat's photos to the "Sleeping Dogs/Napping Cats" feature.

So Angela also sent a photo of a dear pup that is close to Mary's heart, Maggie Mae. "She’s a little angel," Angela says. "Notice the bone shape on her nose! Too cute!"

Don't you just want to rub that Maggie Mae's forehead and lean down and kiss those sleeping eyes! Yep, she's a doll.

(To nominate a sleeping critter for spotlighting in our special weekend feature, e-mail a sleeper photo to [email protected] and be sure to include all those pesky Ws -- who, what, where, when and what in the world was going on when the picture was taken!)

A poem, a vigil, humans in need, cats in need and a dog gets a home

It is Friday and we are rushing toward the end of the week. We will celebrate several things today, including a wonderful resolution for that hit-by-car-dog in the Alvarado shelter. It's always good when you see people jostling each other to help an animal. Bless all of your hearts.

A MOMENT OF CONTEMPLATION: Some people are under the impression that I am the writer in the family. Here is evidence of the real writer's identity. This is a poem my tenderspouse Martha wrote yesterday as she coped with the passing of our Vera, the little Chihuahua mix with a big presence.

"Riding on a glass elevator
In a tall building
I look down
On my breast there is a single brown hair
Shed from a faithful small dog
Who died in our arms this morning
I sigh
And think, should I save this?
But my sigh moves the air
And the tiny remains let go
And flutter away
Excited, I guess
Her first ride on an elevator ."

(Martha Muse Powell, Aug. 18, 2005.)

A VIGIL FOR THE HOMELESS WHO ARE HELPLESS: Ah, yes, there are dogs and cats and other creatures in our homes. But there are so many that have no home. And that is why there is a 10th annual Homeless Animal Vigil scheduled Saturday. The event, presented by the Queenie Foundation in association with Treasured Friends, the no-kill animal rescue group, is from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the Carrollton Amphitheater, 2035 E. Jackson Road. (There are more details and a map at www.treasuredfriends.org.)

Earlier this week, Texas Gov. Rick Perry signed a proclamation commemorating the day -- it didn't endorse spay/neuter, but it did urge Texan as individuals to learn what they can do to help the animal situation in the state.

(Aside: Not to be picky, but I think that's what Skip Trimble and the Texas Humane Legislation Network were doing back during the first session of the current Texas Legislature. Those Legislators are individuals, too. Maybe next time those elected individuals can make the cruelty laws tougher. Surely that would be easier for them to do than trying to fix the state's school systems.)

At Saturday's Vigil, there'll be a few speeches -- mercifully brief in the anticipated heat, I'm told (I know my speech won't be a sermon!). But there'll be a number of rescue groups there with animals. And there'll be volunteers. And there'll be supporters of animal causes. And, there'll be a park full of good hearts. Bless them all.

A NOTE FROM STRAYDOG: As many of you know Straydog Inc. is a shelter out in rural East Texas that works with animal crises. Lately, however, there are human crises. Shelter director Bill Arnold’s dad has a medical setback and volunteer Jessie Evans has suffered a heart attack. You can read about their needs and updates on their conditions at www.straydog.org. Maybe someone has a way to help the people who help the animals.

CAT HELP: There was a big cat confiscation from a facility in Comfort, Texas, and Texas Pawprints is taking two "special needs" cats from the more than 200 that were surviving at a "ranch." Those two cats need a ride from Austin to Dallas this weekend. So "feline capoolers," as Pawprints' Linda Borling calls them, should call 214-912-2573 or 214-356-9126 to volunteer for transportation duties.

Also, Linda says, the "Fairy Dogmother of West Dallas," Angie Manriquez, still recuperating from her own health problems, hasn't hit the "off switch" on her heart. She's trying to help someone rescue 10 cats from inside a home where the elderly owner has been hospitalized. Texas Pawprints will take three of the cats, but the other cats still need placement. (Call 214-688-5585 to ask Angie how to help.)

A LADY IS ADOPTED: On August 16, thanks to a note from animal lovers James and Deana Hanson of Weatherford, we posted a note about Precious Lady, a beagle mix who'd been hit by a car and was in the Alvarado Animal Shelter waiting for what would come next.

The folks at the shelter were doing the best they could and, as we may suspect, a city animal shelter is usually not set up as a hospital for animals -- it is strictly a city department dealing with city problems, in most cases. Not this one.

There's apparently a special "saving grace" spirit at the Alvarado shelter. So, a dog that would usually be "humanely destroyed" at other city shelters, got time to find a future at this shelter, thanks to the work of Animal Control‘s Donna Lofland..

And, through some other kind of grace, Deana, whose Weatherford home in Parker County is many, many miles away from Johnson County's Alvarado, managed to spot the story of Precious Lady on Alvarado's Petfinder page (www.petfinder.org/shelters/TX253.html.)

She sent me a note and the story of the dog was posted Aug. 16. After that, there was a flurry of e-mails and phone calls and donations involving such folks as Elaine Munch and the Metroplex Animal Coalition, Jonnie England and Sandi Laird at Operation Kindness and, of course, the usual kind strangers just helping an animal in need.

Someone donated a therapeutic bed for Precious Lady. There were other things happening. Then, someone stepped up an adopted the dog!

The somebodies are Alica Wright (left in the photo) and her sister-in-law, Krysti Wright, a couple of nurses who"will be taking Lady to a ranch just outside the Alvarado city limits," reports Alvarado Animal Control's Donna Lofland (the blonde in the middle).

Now, isn't that a happy ending! The sisters-in-law have promised to take care of Lady's medical problems and to give her a home that sees her as the treasure she is. Thanks to all of you who helped with this and bless you all, too. If I don’t win the lottery, I hope you do.

And this might help, too. Write a letter of thanks to the City of Alvarado for having the kindness to work with adopting animals instead of just executing them.

As a favor to the animals who wind up in the Alvarado Shelter, it would be nice if people could write a letter of thanks for being sensitive to animal issues to Alvarado Mayor Tom Durington. Send that letter to Mayor Tom Durington 104 W. College St.  Alvarado, Texas 76009.

It'll just take a stamp, an envelope, a sheet of paper and a few seconds to write "Thanks for helping Lady the dog." You never know, this could start a movement that makes more cities sensitive to animal issues. It's a kind and gentle thing to do. And, besides, the mayor would probably appreciate a few "happy letters" from people who aren't ticked off about the usual municipal issues.

REMEMBER: Come to the Homeless Vigil Saturday, and be sure to visit this website over the weekend when we post our regular “Sleeping Dogs/Napping Cats” feature. Ah, a good reason to envy the animals: they know how to nap.

Two tender tales: Johnny Domino thrives; our Vera leaves us

A couple of months ago, my funspouse Martha, a woman who takes the same route to and from the office, was traveling along one evening when she saw a dynamically coated dog being chased by some kids with sticks.

The dog wore a collar made from a piece of canvas strapping -- tied to that was a retractable leash that had seen better days. It was completely extended and clattering along behind the running dog.

Martha pulled her van over and when the dog's bouncing leash handle lodged beneath the wheel of a parked car, she reeled the rascal in and brought him home.

As you may have guessed, we already have pretty much a full house of dogs and cats. But, we made room -- temporarily -- for one. He was too nice a dog to be treated shabbily.

The guy had some problems. That's him in the photo to the right. We called him Johnny Domino. Why? Because of (a) his coat and (b) the fact that I have surmised he is the reincarnation of a French rock-and-roll singer from the 1950s. (I don't mind being fanciful when I create a backstory for good dogs!) There is a famous French heartthrob rock singer, Johnny Halliday, so, I sort of followed his lead in this matter. Johnny Domino has such elan and such joyeux de vivre that there was no doubt to me that he was probably a beloved French rocker. Obviously he's a heartthrob -- otherwise he wouldn't have that saucy Rolling Stones-tongue out of the mouth look. And Johnny Domino sort of rolled off the tongue.

There was a problem, though. This refugee from a bad situation was heartworm positive. At once point early in his treatment, he appeared to become paralyzed in his hind quarters. I couldn't get him to stand up and stay up. He was a mess. But, somehow, overnight, this went away and the next morning he was ready to bound out into the front yard and, as some would say, "unleash a mighty torrent" on the wheel of my pickup. Hey, anything for the dog!

Indoor, this dog had "gentleman" all over him.. Outdoors, he did what dogs do. And he even was curious about the feral cats that lounge around on our front porch. Curious but not stupid, so he never had his nose swatted.

We set up a big cage for him in the garage -- the temps were pretty cool back then and we also had a big fan that kept the air moving. To make sure he was properly socialized, we set up a color television in front of his cage and kept it on. We also locked the channels on the TV remote so he wouldn't be tempted to watch some of those racy nighttime shows -- oh, I'm kidding you about the remote. But if he'd had thumbs, we'd have let him it.

You know, when a dog is undergoing heartworm treatment, it must be very still (for a dog) so that there won't be complications. So, Martha would sit out there with him and knit and talk to him. And I would got out there and walk on the treadmill. He would look at me as if I were nuts. It was probably a solid judgment.

When I was exhausted by my rigorous exercise regimen, I would collapsed into a sturdy plastic chair and let him walk out of his cage to explore the garage. Most of the time he would simply nose around for a minute or two, then come over and sit down next to me and put his big ol' head on my leg and stare up at me with those brown eyes.

He loved being petted.

We fell for him. And, of course, we'd managed to, through the grace of the adoption gods, get him into the Operation Kindness system. I couldn't take him to the shelter the evening he was deemed healthy enough to be on "display." Like the coward I am, I stayed home and Martha took him. Martha is not quite as likely to break down and sob in the lobby of a public building while yelling, "DON'T TAKE MY DOG, MISTER. DON'T TAKE MY DOG!"

Anyway, she took him to the Carrollton shelter and I stayed home and reconfigured the garage to look like he'd never been there. Hah.

A few days later, I got an e-mail from Operation Kindness Executive Director Jonnie England. "Guess who got adopted today," it began. Sure enough someone had spotted Mr. Johnny Domino for the prize dog that he is.

And this is his recent photo as he romped in the family backyard, no long leash clattering behind him and if anyone is chasing him, it's because he wants to be chased and he knows he'll get a hug at the end of the run.

The gracious Debbie Bonner was kind enough to send me a note about him. She says they decided to keep his named and "just call him 'Domino.' ...Domino is now living in a house hold with a full family -- mom, dad, 4-year-old boy and two cats. He's settling in well and has a big yard to play in. ... Domino and I take walks around the neighborhood every morning at5 before the world gets going. He has a whole houseful of toys to play with and is loving the rawhide bones we give him to try and curb his chewing habits.

"The only issue so far is getting him to stay away from the cats -- he so wants to play and they so don't!"

Obedience training is in his future. "He's already decided he likes sleeping in the bed with us, which the cats are most unhappy about," writes Deb.

What kind of home does he have? A good one, it seems. "We're animal people who grew up with dogs but had made the choice not to have one until we had a yard big enough to run around. One of our cats has been with us over 15 years, the other over 5. My best friend is a vet on call 24/7 if there are issues or even just questions. Domino has also met his extended family who all love him already. To us pets are part of the family and are treated as such."

Now, all of that sounds great for a dog that was found dragging a clattering leash handle and being chased by kids with sticks. And it all sounds pretty good for a dog that spent weeks in a garage watching a fat man sweat and gasp for the breath of life on a treadmill.

Here, though, is the succinct and touching declaration from Domino's mom, Debbie. She writes simply but wonderfully, "He's such a good boy."

Bless them all. I knew Johnny Domino would be a hit. We miss him and I hope he never remembers a day of life in the garage with the TV on and a fat guy on a treadmill.

WHO KNEW THE LITTLE DOG WOULDN'T LAST FOREVER? Our little Vera, old as rock and twice as tough, fell ill sometime during the night and died in my arms as I was carrying her to the pickup to take her to the vet about 7:30 a.m. She'd been fine at about 4 a.m. when all the dogs got up for a round of barking. Then, when she didn't run yapping into the kitchen for 6:30 breakfast, Martha knew something was wrong.
She found Vera still alert, but very weak, on a pillow next to the harp in the living room. We scrambled to get ready to get her to her vet's. I wrapped her in a towel -- she usually liked extra attention, and as I started to place her gently on the seat of the pickup, she went away.

Martha was standing there with me and we were both just knocked over by the suddenness of everything. Vera had seemed eternal.
We've had her for years and years and years -- she was found wandering the streets of DeSoto and we don't know how old she really was. But she often spoke of Adam and Eve as if she'd been driving the Welcome Wagon when they moved into the neighborhood.
Her full name is Belle Starr Carmelita del Vera Cruz. I've posted some photos of her so you'll know that she was a little dog. In one, she and the young pup Annie await the arrival of the U.S. Mail -- I think Vera resented federal holidays when the mail didn't come. In one photo, she and her giant cat buddy Griffin enjoy a nap. And, of course, there's her official mug shot -- the one that would have been used had she rightly been crowned Queen of England in the early 1950s. At least I think that was her story.
The first week we had her, she stuck her head under the couch to investigate a cat. Lucy The Cat, no great lover of little dogs, swiped her across the face, slicing Vera's cornea. So within a few days our free dog had cost us nearly a thousand bucks. After that, she was remarkably healthy and resented visiting any veterinarian and showed it by sincere growling, nipping and, when she couldn't sink her fangs into a juicy arm, she simply let everything go in a vindictive fashion. She wasn't scared. She was just vindictive. You could see her smiling through the muzzle. I swear.
She was a wonderfully sweet dog in our home. Aren't they all. She even enjoyed going into the garage and visiting with the aforementioned Johnny Domino during his stay with us. She liked to rub noses with the big fellow.
Years ago, when we first got her, she would slip through the burglar bars into our patio room, jump up on a chair, then onto the table where we kept the cats' dry food. One day we heard furious barking from the patio room. Vera had finally eaten so much cat food that she could no longer slip back through the burglar bars.
I taught her to do impressions. I'd hold her, one hand under her front end and I'd say, "Heisman!" and Vera would stick out one stiff straight leg, just like that Heisman Trophy's football player sticks out a stiff arm.
The best thing she did, though, was be a good dog. She'd sleep under the covers. She'd sleep on top of the coves. She'd sleep on your head.

But she'd be there. When you can say that about someone -- that you can count on them to be there -- well, that's just about the best tribute. She's a little dog leaving big pawprints on our hearts.

And I will forever miss saying these two words and having them ignored: "Hush, Vera." Gosh, I'd like to hear that bark again.

A Wednesday kind of world...

The digital camera age is proving to be fun. It's fun because, primarily, you don't have to wait on delivery at the drug store counter to see if the "picture came out OK."

Yes, this is Rosie the dog, formerly a stenchy, crusty, testy dog "set free" in Kiest Park. Now she's a whole bundle of affection and love and always ready to be sitting in somebody's lap.

Don't you think this photo looks like her high school glamour graduation picture, complete with a contemplative pose in an attractive faux fur stole? At the end of today's posting you'll see just how congenial Rosie can be.

HOW IS KANSAS LIKE TEXAS? We'll get to that in a second. First this volunteer note: In response to a reader's question about where to volunteer in Denton, all the way from Kansas we get a tip about a good group to volunteer with in our own metrosprawl.

Eilleen Eastman says she "wanted to let your reader know that GPA (Greyhound Pets of America) of North Texas has volunteer opportunities in the Denton/North Texas/West side of the Metroplex. I know the founder of the group and she does all she can to save as many greyhounds as she can. The website is www.gpanorthtexas.com. She would be grateful for all the help she could get."

Then Eilleen, bless her heart, adds this note, "I love reading your column and I miss Dallas and the fine people that do animal rescue. I have moved to the vast animal wasteland that is known as Kansas where animal cruelty is still a misdemeanor and we have copycat dog abusers."

Isn't that something! As I told Eilleen, "I find odd comfort in the fact that maybe all the heels in the world aren't in Dallas/Fort Worth."

TV TIP: Chris Cattell sends us a note endorsing K-9 Karma, a show on Animal Planet. It stars a dog trainer/yoga instructor and a Husky who teach yoga to dogs and people in New York. As I said to Chris, I can see our cats twisting into yoga positions but I'm not sure our dogs are prone to being bent and stretched. As I ponder this, I'm pretty sure that when it comes to what our dones are prone to, our dogs are simply prone. Like right now, three of 'em are prone in the living room as I'm typing this. The others are prone elsewhere.

THE BIG PICTURE: Yep, that photo at the top, cropped to look like Rosie in a high school glamour grad shot with a faux fur stole, is really a bit of a tableau of what happens daily at our house.

Rosie sometimes crawls up onto the arm of the couch and nods off, dreaming, I guess, of winning the lottery or taking over a donut shop.

In this photo, that is young Annie's tail draped over Rosie's midsection. Annie, just over a year old, is the daughter of Calamity, the dog in the photo with the hefty man in the yellow shirt at the very top of this page.

Annie, pushing 60 pounds, probably, has heeler and shepherd tendencies with the face of either an angel or her father's side of the family tree, whatever that might be. Annie enjoys leaning on the back of the couch and watching the world go by. Rosie is a smallish dog. Annie is not. As you can tell, it doesn't take much of Annie's tail to "drape" Rosie's shoulders.

Rosie's demeanor would indicate that her family tree is a sugar cane plant.

Help needed in Alvarado

This dog, Precious Lady, has the start of a fan base and needs help. Here's the e-mail that introduces us to her:

"I am trying really hard to find help for a dog at Alvarado's animal shelter. She was hit by a car and needs to see a vet. I was wondering if you kno of any rescue person in that area. Jim will take a donation to the shelter so she can at least be checked out. They are a small shelter and need donations to get her help. ...As always, thanks for any help you can give her, Deana and Jim H."

If anyone knows of a helping hand in the Alvarado area, e-mail [email protected].

This photo of Precious Lady, came from the Alvarado site on Petfinder, www.petfinder.org/shelters/TX253.html .

The story, according to that site, is that this dog was found in early August on the side of Interstate 35W inj Alvarado. "A young woman stood by her side for an hour with only a cup of Coke to quench the injured dog's thirst."

So, since early August, she's needed help. This could be the day she gets it.

The taped dog's fate....

You could see this coming. Too many negatives in this situation. Thanks to some creep.

It looks like there's not much hope for the little dog that was taped and dumped on an Ovilla road a couple of Sundays ago.

The spaniel-mix dog continues to be terrified of humans, is a fear-biter and its condition is not improving. I spoke to Waxahachie Animal Control this morning and in all likelihood the dog will be "put to sleep" at some point this week.

It emerged from 10 days of quarantine Monday, but it emerged still in a rage. It had nipped a rescuer during the "un-taping" process. Nobody wanted this to suffer -- nobody but the person with the roll of tape.

Waxahachie consulted with Ovilla Animal Control and with a humane representative and determined that liability and safety issues will prevail.  You can understand, of course, the reluctance to hand this dog over to someone who has no experience with such a situation. It's just plain sad.  (For the original stories, see Aug. 5, Aug. 9 postings.)

For now, the dog is in cage in Waxahachie and still terrified.

So, the person or persons who duct-taped this dog's legs together and taped its muzzle shut and dropped it out on the super-heated asphalt of  an infrequently traveled road on a summer day has apparently achieved his goal: get rid of the dog.

Now, unless there's some way to stop things, society will "get rid of the dog" for the villain in this case. Perhaps someday, society will get a chance to "deal" with the real villain, the guy who destroyed a dog with a roll of tape. Someone like this is too mean to be allowed to freely travel in our society. This is a criminal mind.

The other dog continues to be a family dog.

If you know something about these two dogs -- if you've ever seen them together at someone's house -- call the Ovilla Police Department at 972-617-7262. These dogs were dumped on a road near the Ovilla/Midlothian border. They could have come from anywhere around here.

Evil often crosses the city limits to take its act into the next town.   

Cat windows; a mayor's radio voice

One of the good things about the "Daily Notion" (it's posted at the top right of this page) is that it gives you something to think about when the rest of the world is a smoldering heap of a mess.

The current notion seems simple: "Do cats understand windows?" Polar Bear (right) has an appropriate feline response.

Yet, it’s not a ‘yes’ or ‘no’ thing. It’s a maybe, sometimes thing. We have a giant orange cat who spends night after night trying to push his paw through the kitchen window to get to a lizard running up and down the screen on the outside. Poor Griffin the Cat seems to think that at some point he'll be able to penetrate the lizard's invisible force field.

Late yesterday, the question "Do cats understand windows" prompted a response from the Cindy Etheridge/Tom Usrey/Polar Bear household. They sent photos. And this explanation: "Meet Polar Bear -- although she is not interested in anything outside of that window ever. She goes from one side of the house (east) to the other side (west) every day following the sun. With an occasional stop at the cable box -- sorta her midday stop or non-sun day perch, a short jump from her morning window behind the blue curtains."

So, obviously, Polar Bear has a handle on the proper use of windows.

And, seeing her comfortably resting on the cable box  inspires another question for the "Daily Notion": Do cats understand cable television? If so, are they the only creatures on the planet who do comprehend cable TV? Is this, after all, the best use of a cable box? Probably.

SPEAKING OF TV, HERE'S A RADIO NOTE: When the Texas Radio Hall of Fame inducts its next class on Nov. 5 in Dallas, there'll be some familiar names on the list. ABC's Sam Donaldson and comic/actor/writer George Carlin are probably the most recognizable national names --but there are some other familiar "voices" that'll ring a bell with your ears. Also, for you sports fans, there's longtime Houston baseball announcer Milo Hamilton. (Go to www.texasradiohalloffame.com)

For those of you in Dallas, there's a familiar name on the list of inductees: the honorable Wes Wise, former mayor and former newsman on several Dallas stations. This would make Mr. Wise, I am pretty certain, the only former Dallas mayor ever elected to any kind of a Hall of Fame, though, of course, there have been Dallas mayors who deserve to be in a Hall of Fame of some kind.

VOLUNTEERING IN DENTON: A reader was wondering about places to volunteer to help animals in Denton County. My longtime reliable tipster, friend and former newspaper colleague -- yes, we go way back -- Bonnie Lovell sends two suggestions: the Denton Humane Society (940-382-7387) and Casa de Critters Humane Society in Sanger (www.casadecritters.com.)

Our tipster Mary of Oak Cliff suggests getting in touch with Jan Rosen at www.doggiekamp.com. At that site, you can see adoptable dogs who are currently in custody of Doggie Kamp of McKinney. It's kind of close to Denton. And, Mary says, anyone who volunteers to help there will get "plenty of hands-on experience with great dogs."

And we got a really nice note from Milt Crans who also had a suggestion: "I have the most marvelous (in your words) 'focused dog' that I got from the North Texas German Shorthaired Pointer Rescue Group that's just south of Denton -- Argyle, maybe? I don't hunt with her. I just marvel at her agility and stamina as I watch her jet past me hundreds of times a day." Milt also has a rescued Lab or, as he writes, "a big ol' dawg," -- "the two couldn't be more different in their approach to living among humans."

So, Milt offers up a place to volunteer, the North Texas German Shorthaired Pointer Rescue Group at www.texasgsp.org. E-mail [email protected].

PERSONAL NOTE: It was about this time 40 years ago that Texarkana Gazette Editor J.Q. Mahaffey hired me to be a reporter/obit writer/sports writer. I was a high school senior and a poor kid -- the money was lousy but the adventure was rich. Four decades of journalism later, I'm still waiting for the big payday. I remember one year in the early 1970s at the Gazette, a notoriously cheap company, the Christmas bonus was a $5 check. One of my colleagues ripped open his bonus envelope, saw the big number on the check and announced to the newsroom, "Thank God! Now mother can have the operation."

HIgh prices, good dogs, a vigil and the sad Cowboys

The fastest thing in the universe used to be the speed of light, but over the weekend it became clear that the fastest thing is the speed with which gasoline prices in Dallas react to oil prices in the Middle East.

Surely all of that gasoline we're currently buying isn't made with the $67-a-barrel oil.

CAN I GET A WITNESS: Cary Birdwell, noted local animal fan and supporter of rescue groups, has e-mailed a couple of endorsements based on his up-close and personal involvement with two dogs.

Earlier in the month he volunteered at an adopt-a-pet for A Different Breed and fell for a dog named Lola. After an initial shyness, he was able (through the clever motivation of treats!) to get Lola to sit, lie down, shake hands and chase a tennis ball. "Like my other terriers," he says, "she didn't want to let go of the tennis ball once she had it, which can make a game of toss quite a challenge with only one ball."

Lola's personality got Cary's attention. She needs a home. (E-mail [email protected] to help or go to www.adifferentbreed.org.) Cary feels so confident that Lola will be someone's good dog that he's willing to talk to a potential adopter about her. E-mail him at [email protected].

Meanwhile, over the weekend he was at Dog and Kitty City, the no-kill shelter in Dallas, and he encountered Calleigh. He says "she is an absolute delight to be with."

She's marked "just like a Catahoula but has some touches of silver in her coat. Her overall physique though resemble that of a heeler or Australian Shepherd. She may even have a little Husky in her, as her eyes are partially blue, and she has that bottlebrush tail."

Partially blue? Yep, he says, "half of her left eye is blue and it looks as if a crescent moon is reflecting in it."

Behind the eyes is a "bright and curious dog" who loves to play. (Contact Dog and Kitty City at [email protected], call 214-350-7387 or drop by the shelter 2719 Manor Way in Dallas (it's on the west side of Love Field.). You can also visit www.dognkittycity.com -- and while you're there, check out the Silver Muzzle Club. These older animals are such treasures.

Back to Calleigh. How did such a great dog wind up in a shelter? It was a domestic thing, Cary reports. A guy's new wife didn't like the dog.

Here's the official theory of www.readlarrypowell.com: A guy who, having given up his dog at the insistence of his new wife, has now made two bad decisions.

CHECK YOUR SATURDAY SCHEDULE: Here's the Monday morning reminder. The 2005 Homeless Animal Candlelight Vigil is scheduled from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday at the Carrollton Amphitheater, 2035 E. Jackson Road, in Carrollton. It's the Queenie Foundation's 10th annual vigil and this year the Queenie Foundation is partnering with Treasured Friends. (Catch the details at www.treasuredfriends.org.)

OH, MY: As a male, post-middle-aged Texan, I am burdened with a moral obligation to say something about Saturday night's Dallas Cowboys' 13-11 exhibition loss to the Arizona Cardinals. Here goes: The EPA Emergency Hazardous Waste Cleanup Team is probably still trying to get the stench out of Sun Devil Stadium. I'll bet the Tempe Police put down yellow tape in the shape of a Dallas Cowboy. I guess the question is going to be "How long can the Cowboys make a 16-game season seem?" Sure it was just the first exhibition game, but, criminy, it was the Arizona Cardinals! They're not good enough to be ranked in the Texas high school pre-season polls. Of course, you don't see the Cowboys on those polls, either.