ReadLarryPowell.com

A Collection of Sleepers

After a really emotional week, it seemed that one good thing we could do would be to focus on the joy of having dogs around the house.
And if you've got a camera, you can photograph the joy.
Following that reasoning, we've got a mini-album of joy for our weekend feature, "Let Sleeping Dogs Lie & Napping Cats Nap."
You may take a quick glance at these photos and think, "Aw, cute." But this is deeper than that. It's a heart thing.
Here is Laura Tillison's story about all these splended sleeper photos:
"I would like to share a few pictures of my three dogs and a puppy that I was fostering. I think that in the few months that I had fostered this puppy, I must have taken hundreds of pictures, especially of her sleeping. It was hard to just choose a few.
"I live in Mesquite with my three dogs -- two Dachshunds, Duke and Chloe, and a terrier-mix, Barney.
"I had only attempted to foster just one time and that is how I ended up adopting Barney three years ago.
"But just after the hurricane there was a need for fosters that I read about on your website. I just knew I had to help and I immediately contacted Metroplex Animal Coalition.
"It turns out that just three days after the hurricane, a truckload of dogs and cats was coming to Dallas from a shelter in New Orleans.
"That night I went home with a tiny six-week-old pit-bull puppy that I called Katrina. My dogs were not sure what to think of her, but they did quite well I thought.
"It's a shame that so many people have the wrong ideas about pit bulls. This was one of the easiest dogs I have ever trained and by taking her everywhere I couild to socialize her, I just knew she was going to make someone a wonderful pet.
"Well she was adopted in November through Paws in the City by a family in Richardson. I thought I would never get over the heartbreak.
But after a month, I was lucky to keep Katrina for nine days while her new family went out of town for Christmas. By then, Katrina had really grown and it was so funny to see her trying to fit into the little dog beds that she once could curl up in.
"I still miss her so much and I have a lot of respect for people who continue to foster over and over again. I can't help but wonder if maybe I should have adopted her myself, but I hope to be able to foster again and I know it would not be possible if I had four dogs.
"As you can see from the pictures, Katrina really bonded with my Dachshund, Duke. And Duke was the one dog I thought might have a problem with me bringing home a puppy.
"By the way, my Duke was featured a while back in your Sleeping Dogs section."
[See our June 5 edition in the June archives.]
"He was sleeping in his heated bed," says Laura. "The same one he and Katrinia are squeezed into in some of these pictures."
There you have it, fans of sleeping & napping critters. Call it "The New Adventures of Duke, The Sleeping Dachshund."

After a hurricane, Duke opened his heart to a pit bull. His mom discovered a new facet to Duke -- maybe to herself. And a pitbull managed to charm two homes.

Ah, sleeping dogs. A certain peace in certain spots in the Tillison Household.
(You, too, can nominate a slumbering critter for our weekend sleeping and napping feature. Doesn't have to be a dog, doesn't have to be a cat, doesn't have to be your divinely theatrical Aunt Tipsy passed out in the recliner after a little episode with the cooking sherry. Just e-mail a sleeping photo and the info about you and the critter/relative to [email protected]. Remember, insomniacs need love, too, but they'll settle for a good night's sleep.)

Friday afternoon

It’s a rainy Friday afternoon and, in some neighborhoods, it appears to be raining dogs and  cat. And I am reminded that whenever storms blow through, those backyard dogs -- the ones that the unenlightened humans imagine to be happy in all kinds of weather -- make every effort to find shelter. Sometimes they jump a fence, dig under one, flee through a flimsy gate or just flat climb the fence to get out of the storm. Remind your neighbors to brighten up and give their dogs good shelter in all kinds of weather -- the best, of course, is inside the house. Having said that, here are a couple of items:
THEY JUST SHOW UP: We got a note from Nancy Scheps of A Different Breed that there are two dogs (upper left and right) that need temporary foster homes because their current foster mom is leaving town for about six days.
A little while later, this note arrived from Nancy: "The woman who found the two lab mixes (mommy and son) on the side of her house has just today found a little kitten in a box in a garage of one of her sickly relatives. She’s going to be out of town for six days and really needs a helping hand – someone to bottle feed the kitten for six days and keep her. Her little eyes are not even open yet.”
To step up and help this good person with foster relief and kitten duty, call 214-336-0490.
We don’t have a photo of the kitten, but you can still enjoy looking at those two happy dogs that need a home.
LOOK, A PARK DOG! MBailey (are people’s e-names becoming their real-names?) e-forwarded a note on behalf of her sister-in-law Susan Strough.

Susan reports: "Found 4-26-06 9 a.m. at Heights Park Richardson, Tx., wearing black collar and flea collar. Seems to have been abandoned. I’m adopting him out to the right home. I fyou know anyone who is interested please send them my way.
“I will be donating dog training to his new owners. My vet is donating one round of vaccinations. I am currently working on his obedience command including housebreaking. New owners must agree to neuter him at the proper age and keep him indoors. Since I’m unsure of is breed or breed mix, I can’t tell you how big he will be.”
To volunteer to give this guy a home, e-mail [email protected].
Many a good dog has been pulled out of a city park. In fact, we might as well declare park dogs to be a separate breed – parkhunds, dumpadoodles or huggymutters? We’ve got three at our house. They’ll all huggymutters.

That's a great looking pup -- with that dignified but interesting look, I'll bet he is destined for work with the diplomatic corps.

It's Friday. Get ready to rock & nap

This is Friday in case you’ve been too busy to watch the calendar. Whew. This last week of April 2006 has been a doozie. Doozy? Dewsy? Real son of a gun. And it'll take you some time to read today's entries. And, please, make sure you read to the last item about my rumored demise.

Anyway, it was a full week here at readlarrypowell.com. Away from the keyboard we stormed about the Texas Rangers’ pitching, agonized over the Dallas Stars playoff crisis and wondered once again why, when you need to lose weight, you get blood pressure pills with the side effect “may cause weight gain.”

But enough of that. We have many things to discuss today. Let’s move on:

THINGS TO REMEMBER: You can still get a whopping “Friends of ReadLarryPowell.com” discount on the May 5 appearance by Bono at State Fair Music Hall. He’ll discuss his humanitarian efforts. (Call 214-956-8409 for deep discount tickets via the Friends of Readlarrypowell.com.) … My funspouse Martha and I will be in Ferris tonight to help the folks judge the Mutt Strutt on opening night of the Ferris Brick Festival. (Details in the April 26 post below.)

MERCY’S INFO: The Mercy Memorial Service is set for 10 a.m. Saturday at Operation Kindness. You can read individual tributes to this dog by clicking on the Prayers & Passages button on the right of this page.

This note came from Michelle in Hallandale, Fla. She wrote, “I hope everyone who has read about Mercy’s story emails calls and writes to the prosecutors and judges involved in this ‘person’s’ case and asks for a stiff punishment. This dog suffered and it brought attention to animal lovers everywhere......If law enforcement knows how many people are sickened by this crime and wont tolerate it maybe they will take it more serious in the future.”

Here’s the guy to write to:

Dallas County District Attorney Bill Hill

Frank Crowley Courts Building

133 N. Industrial Blvd. LB19

Dallas, Texas 75207-4399.

Ph. 214-653-3600.

AT GOLDEN RETRIEVER RESCUE, THEY DELIVER: Anne Visser has sent us a sweeping update of what’s going on with Golden Retriever Rescue of North Texas. In a nutshell: They’re not running out of dogs.

Don’t’ forget that they’re still selling tickets to the Wag the Jag raffle for a vintage Jaguar (1986 XJ). Only 750 tickets are being sold. They cost $25 each or 5 for $100. (Get ‘em online at the Golden site.)

Who will this money help?

Here’s an example: Earlier in the year the rescue group was coping with the arrival of the “Candy Pups.” You may remember them as pups named after candy. You’ll be able to see them again—on the GRRNT 2007 Calendar. Anyway, those pups have all been adopted.

And about the time they left custody of Golden Retriever Rescue, a golden named Macey was rescued from a puppy mill in Oklahoma. She came to Texas and delivered a bunch of pups on April 12. These are the “Flower Pups.”

The boys are Snapdragon and Dandelion  The girls are Lotus, Azalea, Tulip, Tiger Lily, Marigold, Violet, Daffodil and Chrysanthemum (Goldens are smart, but I’m pretty sure she’ll never learn how to spell that -- dogs don't have themums.)

Mom and pups all had a tick-borne disease and are being treated. So, the rescue group, overwhelmed by blessed events, is looking for financial help. (Go to the website and click onto the Rocky Fund.)

As you can see, Macey is a nice mom. And one of the pups is absolutely fat, happy, full and sleepy andher lips are still working like mom's still in the neighborhood.

BIG EVENT AT FAIR PARK: We’ve got some Fair Park dog news from our longtime tipster and pal Liz Bleiberg who toils as the Major Gifts Officer of the Dallas Jewish Community Foundation and is also on the board of the Friends of Fair Park. Plus, she's godt a sharp eye for things people might actually be interested in, such as "The Dog Bowl," and event that's going to turn the legendary Cotton Bowl into one big howlin' dog park. From 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. on May 7 people and their pups can romp on the field where such greats as Roger Staubach, Jim Brown, Joe Montana, Mick Jagger and Elvis performed. Some of those guys played football, some didn't. One wasn't nothing but a hound dog. Click HERE to get the info.

THE BIG HOEDOWN: This has to be one of my favorite logos. It’s from Texas Rustlers Guinea Pig Rescue site. And we present it with this in mind: The annual Texas Rustlers Guinea Pig Hoedown is scheduled Sunday at the Grapevine Convention Center. It’s from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. at the center, 1209 S. Main St. And it’s free. You can learn about guinea pigs and other small mammals. And, according to spokesperson Niki Whitham, it’s “an event fit for the whole family.”

FROM LOUISIANA: Someone named Liz from Louisiana sent this note: “After Katrina and Rita, the shelter at Lafayette, La., has been steadily overloaded with many abandoned animals. Rescuers have been saving them but the effort is monumental. The rescuers are stressed and overtaxed. Please say a Larry Powell kind of prayer for them. We need a Texas-sized solution.”

Well, I’m not sure a “Larry Powell kind of prayer” works – it hasn’t helped the Rangers bullpen. But, we have readers who know how to help. Here are the Louisiana links: www.dogrescues.net/louisiana and http://tinyurl.com/s84h9.

TEA TIME IN DALLAS: The folks at Dog & Kitty City, the no-kill shelter “in the heart of Dallas, are hosting a tea from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m Sunday at Tempest Tea in Inwood Village, 5600 W. Lovers Lane. There’ll be wine, hors d’oeuvres and tea. Donations are $35 at the door unless you’re a bona fide animal rescuer and then you get in for $20. Call 214-358-7168. (Go to www.dognkittycity.org.)

SNOW WHITE: Remember the mostly white cat who wandered up to Brian Spencer’s feral cat buffet line in Lake Highlands near White Rock Lake? She’s now in the care of New Beginnings Cat Rescue, Brian says. (Scroll down to April 25.) New Beginnings has an adoption center in the PetsMart at Highway 190 and North Garland Ave. in Garland. (See www.newbeginningscatrescue.org.)

THE BLIND PIT BULL: Marni Carter of the Humane Society of Lewisville reports that the blind pit bull mentioned in the April 25 posts here has been taken in by the rescue group A Different Breed. “Thank you to everybody who worked so hard on this one,” Marni says.

LEXEE’S LEGACY: Our friends at Lexee’s Legacy, the group that has taken in many a tough case, has an immediate need for volunteers to help with weekend adoptions in Plano, once-a-month in Highland Park and on a regular basis at Lexee’s shelter in Celina. (Call 972-245-0900 to volunteer. Go to www.lexeeslegacy.com.)

GARAGE SALES: The garages have been cleaned out, the inventory lined up and the big multi-family garage sale benefiting Animal Allies of Texas is scheduled from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday at 11032 Carissa Drive in Dallas. (See www.animalalliesoftexas.org.) … The Animal Guardians of America rescue folks have a garage sale scheduled at 12110 Melrose Lane in Frisco on Saturday – that one begins at 8 a.m. and, I guess, runs until they’ve sold everything that anybody will buy.

TASSIE’S HOPE: Carol Mielke, co-director of Tassie’s Hope Animal Rescue, says the group is running low on funds and has set up a way to donate to the non-profit group. Go to www.tassieshope.org. The mailing address is Tassie's Hope Animal Rescue, P.O. Box 118633, Carrollton, TX. 75011-8633.

PEANUT’S READY FOR A HOME: We get these notes from our friends at the Friends of the Animals at Cedar Creek Lake. Peanut is “an absolutely precious 8-week-old little girl…” Her mom was dumped on the side of a road out there in the Laketroplex and, sure enough, she had some pups. Peanut is the only one who hasn’t been adopted. Mom is an Aussie. (Call 903-432-3538.) Also, the Friends tip us to Handy Andy, a 4-month-old chow/terrier mix with an inverted leg joint – but he doesn’t seem to mind it. (Call 903-887-7691 to see about adopting Handy Andy.)

GET OUT OF TOWN FOR THE DACHSHUNDS: Steve Sonsken of Central Texas Dachshund Rescue sends word that the group is selling raffle tickets for a cruise for $20 each. It’s a $1,500 cruise for two on Royal Caribbean, courtesy of Blue Moon Travel. This is a seven-day cruise – can you imagine seven days at sea away from telephones and whatever it is that makes you so stressed you contemplate ripping your TV cable out of the wall? Not that I’d ever do that. They’ll draw the winner on May 31.

Where will you be cruising? Your choice, says Steve.

Each passenger on the SS Hotdog will get a free dachshund and matching deck shoes…wait, I’m kidding. The hour is late and I’m caught up in a fantasy about sitting on a deck and reading and napping without having to go to the door and tell solicitors that the reason I unhooked the doorbell is I didn’t want them to bother me so quit rapping on the window and setting off my palace guard dogs.

LACE UP THE SKATES: The limber folks from Companion Animal Network will be “Carhopping for Canines” Saturday at the Sonic Drive-In at Coit and Parker. All tips will go to pay the medical bills so of Magda and Nadia. You may recall that Magda, Nadia and Nickolai were found abandoned in the alley behind a Dallas apartment complex and the two girls were suffering from intentionally broken legs.

GREAT EXPECTATIONS:  The folks at Legacy Boxer Rescue managed to pluck this girl from a local kill shelter Thursday – the day she was scheduled to be euthanized. As it turns out, she’s pregnant and may deliver at any time. So Legacy needs not only a foster home for the mom, but needs to line up foster homes for the puppies. (To help, e-mail [email protected].)

AND THEN SOMEBODY ASKED IF I HAD DIED: A week ago a former colleague of mine e-mailed a message that he’d gotten a call from someone in East Texas asking if I had died.

That’s understandable. I was enduring a horrible head-breaking, nose-jamming, eye-blurring cold. Even I thought I was dead a time or two last week.

Suffering from the cold, I didn’t get around to actually double-checking the alive/dead thing until along about Wednesday when I determined that, yes, based on the current understanding of life as we know it, I was at least “extant” though not necessarily “sentient.”

This week, I appear to have returned to my normal “alive” state, complete with dicey blood pressure, morbid obesity and a desire for more cream pies than a factory can produce. (In this photo, Hammy is overjoyed to find that I have car keys and we are going for a ride. My hair is silver and needs to be cut, my complexion translucent, my beard borrowed from an ancient elf who drives a sleigh. Hammy simply believes no one should be photographed in bright sunlight -- the sun is not kind to the eyes of an indoor dog but he knows his smile is bright.)

So, if you see anyone out there in readerland who wonders if the former columnist at the big city paper didn’t just get laid off in 2004 but also crawled over into East Texas and died, let ‘em know he's alive and well here at readlarrypowell.com. Big as Dallas. If I'm in the yard mowing, they say you can see me from space.

Arrested in the Mercy case

By dawn Thursday word was streaking around the area that an arrest had been made in the Mercy case.

No doubt you’re familiar with Mercy’s story. She was found in a wooded area behind a North Dallas apartment after being abused – kicked, stabbed, set on fire. She was taken to Operation Kindness on April 19 and placed in a vet’s care. On Sunday, after appearing to be holding her own, her heart gave out.

Sgt. Don Peritz Jr., the public information officer at the Dallas County Sheriff's Department, says the arrested man is Deshann Quatrail Brown, 21. He’s been before a magistrate and has been charged with cruelty to animals, a state jail felony. Bond has been set at $2,500. This is the official portrait of Mr. Brown.

A reader asked whom to write to urge a vigorous, full prosecution of this case. The answer is Dallas County District Attorney Bill Hill. Go to www.dallasda.com and click on “contact.” You’ll find phone numbers and the address.

As you may know, there’ll be a memorial service for Mercy at 10 a.m. Saturday at Operation Kindness.

Many people have written brief notes about Mercy. They are posted on our Prayers & Passages page (click on the button on the right side of this page.)

Bono bargain & a cavalacade of info

We have a cavalcade of things today, and such a deal for you -- a special way to get discount tickets to see singer/activist Bono when he’s in Dallas on May 5. This is a nifty deal just for folks who visit readlarrypowell.com.

And, since this is Wednesday and from here you can almost see Friday night, we’ll also mention some weekend activities including the Ferris Brick Festival. (We’re not U2, but my funspouse Martha and I will be there Friday night to help judge the “Mutt Strutt” dog contests! She can sing; I can howl.)

FIRST, BONO: Want to get an incredibly inexpensive ticket to see Bono and hear him talk about things close to his heart? This is a special arrangement for folks who visit www.readlarrypowell.com . You can get a generously discounted ticket --You’ll be pleasantly surprised -- to see Bono, the U2 member who is also a Nobel Prize nominee for his humanitarian work. The event is at 7:30 p.m. Friday, May 5, at Fair Park Music Hall.

His appearance was arranged by the World Affairs Council of Dallas/Fort Worth (See www.dallasworld.org.). At readlarrypowell.com, we have a soft-spot in our hearts for non-profit groups and the World Affairs Council is both non-profit and non-partisan. Its goal is to “educate citizens on crucial issues of international affairs and foreign policy.”

Thus Bono’s humanitarian work falls right in line with the Council’s mission. Bono will discuss his DATA organization -- “Debt, AIDS, Trade, Africa.” You can read about it at www.data.org.

To get your “Friends of Readlarrypowell.com” discount, call 214-965-8409 and ask for Martha. Have a credit card ready and be prepared to save at least 75 percent per ticket.

Seeing Bono discuss these 21^st Century issues will be akin to having seen John Lennon address peace rallies in the previous century.

Remarkable people doing remarkable things to help solve difficult problems. We figured the rescuers and shelter supporters who visit readlarrypowell.com could relate.

A REMARKABLE STORY OF MERCY: So many people were moved by the case of Mercy the Dog, that Operation Kindness has scheduled a public memorial service for her at 10 a.m. Saturday at the shelter, 3201 Earhart Drive, in Carrolton. (Directions to the shelter are at the Operation Kindness site.)

OK’s Jonnie England says the shelter had originally planned a private service for staff and volunteers. “But we have received so many calls and e-mails from those who have been touched by her story that we decided to make the ceremony open to anyone who would like to attend.”

The reward for information leading to an arrest and conviction in the case is now at $11,000. (If you have info, call 214-571-0246 or 311 in Dallas.)

HELLO, FERRIS: Oh, boy, it’s time for the Ferris Brick Festival. My funspouse Martha and I will be there to help judge the Mutt Strutt at 7 p.m. Friday, opening night of the Brick Festival.

On Friday night there’s a band, the dog show, a carnival and more things. Then on Saturday there’s a day’s worth of activities including not just music and dancers but the Little Mr. and Miss Brick Pageant and a baby crawling contest, which, I think, is for babies, though, you never know. There may be some adults who think they can out crawl a kid.

But, back to the Mutt Strutt. The contest entry fee is $5. (Sign up by calling 214-251-5556 and I think they’ll probably take your money the day of the contests, too). Critters will be judged in these categories: best-dressed, most vocal, best trick and “looks most like its owner.”  That last one may make an owner proud and a dog depressed, but that’s how it goes.

The important thing is not whether you win or lose, it’s that the proceeds go to helping find homes and caring for critters that wind up in the care of Ferris Animal Control. (Just fyi: Ferris is very pro-adoption.)

For those of you planning an excursion, Ferris is on I-45 southeast of Dallas in northern Ellis County. At one time, according to the Handbook of Texas, the little town had six brick factories. That explains the inspiration for the Ferris Brick Festival. As far as I know, the official song of the festival is not the Commodores’ “BrickHouse.”

MAVERICK DANCERS: I think the scalping price of tickets to Wednesday night’s Dallas Mavericks playoff game just went up. There’s an added attraction. Fran Dempsey says 8 members of the Dallas Tap Dazzlers (www.dallastapdazzlers.org) – the nicely-stemmed mature Dallas tap troupe – will be performing a new “bump ‘n’ grind” routine just for the game. This involves … well, let’s just say that it’s a move for limber people who have confidence that they will be able to rise and tap after the descent to the floor is completed. As Fran says, “We is old ladies and ain’t used that move in 40 years.” She says rehearsal has been tough on the thighs.

For the first time, this Dazzlering performance will include four guys.

The dancers enter on walkers and in granny dresses, then…well, they strip down and…well, you know the NBA, it’s a family sport.

A LOAD OF PUPS: The folks at Paws in the City have a number of dogs for which they’re trying to find foster homes. Among them is Jake, a 4-year-old blue heeler/cattle dog currently at Dallas Animal Services – and that means the clock is ticking on him. To adopt him call 214-671-0316. His time is very, very short.

Then there are a couple of boxer/beagle mixes left over from a litter of a half-dozen. They were born Feb. 25 and currently live in a household of cats, so that’ll give them an understanding of the pecking order in the animal kingdom. Cats on top – then everybody else.

Look, there are a whole lot of animals in the Paws in the City inventory and a good case can be made for each of them. (Click HERE.)

Now, the lounging photo with this note is of Allison, known also as Mamasita. And she’s called “calm and gentle” and gets this tongue-in-cheek description: She has “the most unique markings…We think she is a mix between a tiger and a hyena.“

This pup is about a year old –possibly a Sharpei mix – and was picked up after being seen dodging traffic in Oak Cliff.

Honestly, the people at Paws in the City go on and on about this dog: rides well in a car, gets along with other dogs, loves to cuddle, thinks she’s  a lap dog, is calm, smart “all around great dog.”

Someone needs this dog so life will be a little more loveable.

SPCA LOW-COST CLINIC: Coming Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., an SPCA of Texas/City of Dallas low-cost vaccination clinic for dogs and cats at My House of Prayer Church, 4536 Ash Lane in Dallas. The whole load of rabies and “annual core vaccines” – that means big medical words that translate into parvo and distemper shots will cost $17. Microchips will cost $20, including registration. Be sure to ask about the city’s free spay/neuter services, too – and as long as your at a church, pray that the people in Dallas who need to take advantage of the spay/neuter services will do it.

Go to www.spca.org and check out all the new things the SPCA has including an on-line store.

AT DOG AND KITTY CITY: Our pal Cary Birdwell with Adopt A Dallas Pet sends out word about a senior Doberman now in the care of the no-kill shelter in Dallas, Dog and Kitty City.

Bruno's family, says D&K City "was moving and didn't feel that they had time for him anymore. Sadly, instead of trying to re-home him, they decided to simply have him euthanized." The kind-hearted veterinarian felt that this dog deserved another chance, so he was brought to Dog and Kitty City.

Bruno was born May 1, 1995. That means he's an "older" dog. This guy is accustomed to "being indoors...sleeping in a soft bed and living in a temperature-controlled environment." At the shelter, he doesn't get that sort of life, so the D&K City people are trying to find a wonderful foster or permanent home for him. (Call 214-350-7387 or e-mail [email protected]. Or stop by the shelter on Manor Way near Love Field. It's on line at www.dognkittycity.com.) Great looking dog, this Bruno.

IN CLOSING: This is probably a good day to publish some Bono quotes gathered from on-line sources.

“The less you know, the more you believe.” Think about that one.

“Every age has its massive moral blind spots. We might not see them, but our children will.”

And, let’s finish with a John Lennon quote: “All you need is love.” Applies to humans and animals and rock stars and audiences and people all over the world.

Civilization – it has trouble living up to its billing.

Blind dog needs help now...

This is an emergency request from the Humane Society of Lewisville and it has a heartbreaking element that only a human can solve.

HSL needs a foster home for a 3-year-old blind pit full currently in Lewisville Animal Control. Marni Carter says HSL has “been trying to move heaven and earth to find a foster or even another group that could take him and save his life.”

She sends along HSL Office Manager Sarah Sharp’s report that what she saw during a visit Monday:

"The 3-year-old adult male brown pit bull, blind since birth, was in a run separated from the other dogs by a few cages. The entire time I was observing him he was making a constant circle in his cage. Not like a large animal at the zoo paces due to stress, but a confused continuous movement. When he heard a sound from me, he quickly came to the front, but bumped into the cage. He cocked his head to try and locate the new sound among the barking chorus andd then began circling again.”

He’d lived with his owner since birth, Sarah says, “up until the owner moved to an apartment that won’t allow the dog. He was given to another man, returned to the shelter, adopted by another friend and then returned to the shelter where he has been since last week. … In spite of all this, he remains extremely friendly to the staff at the shelter. He welcomes any human atteniont. My heart wants to see him safely in to a loving home where he can be cared for, but my concern is for what he is having to endure now.”

If anyone can help save this dog, email [email protected] or call 214-707-5210.

We have a few items to discuss today, from the price of liquids, to pups in need, to a luau for boxers and other things.

Today’s column is dedicated to the coffee-swilling, Coke sipping American motorist. Let’s consider a serious matter in today’s world. Ever buy a bottled soft drink at a service station? How about a cup of that machine-brewed cappuccino or just a cup of joe to go?

Does it occur, then, that the cheapest liquid you can buy at a filling station actually is the $3 gallon of gasoline?

And, really, how seriously do you think consumer protests are going to be taken when people put $3-a-gallon gasoline in their cars, drive to a Starbucks and pay $4 for a cup of coffee. Imported coffee. Don’t know why we can’t have domestic coffee – will there come a time when citizens demand that national forests be mowed down to make room for domestic coffee production?

EARS TO FRANKIE AND, YET, ANOTHER PUP IS IN NEED: Noted canine assessment guru Cary Birdwell was at one of A Different Breed’s adoptions over the weekend and spotted this dog, at the time a ward of Dallas Animal Services.

This is Frankie and the reason I’m posting his photo today is we all need something to smile about and when you see Frankie’s countenance, if you can’t smile, you’re probably just awestruck by those ears. Isn’t that a great lookin’ dog?

A dog like that doesn’t stay available for long, and as Cary says, “He was adopted, of course.”

What’s the magic combination to get a dog like this? Cary says, “He has the body and face of a dachshund, the legs of a Chihuahua and the ears of a corgi.”

Although, frankly, he looks to me like he has the ears of a mule deer. But, of course, that just can’t happen unless Texas A&M has been cloning dogs and deer and there was a mix-up in the test tube.

You know why I posted these photos of a dog who already has a home? Because Frankie reminds me that there are happy endings to animal stories.

So, about the time I finished typing that sentence, there came another message from Cary. He’s been contacted by a woman who is trying to save a pit bull puppy.

The pup is in a local mobile home park but has already gotten the “get out” notice. Then, “a neighbor has reported that he has seen them [the owners] beat the puppy with a stick.”

Efforts are under way to rescue the pup, but first there has to be a place to take the pup. Any group or shelter with room or an idea or a place to take in this pup can call 214-521-3611 or 214-580-7132 or e-mail [email protected].

HELPING THE BOXERS: Get your leis, get your beachcomber pants, get your odd hats and get your patient boxers. Legacy Boxer Rescue's second annual Bow Wow luau is Saturday. It’s from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. at Doggie Zen Den, 2257 Ridgeview Drive, in Plano. (Go to www.savetheboxers.com for details.)

This family event features a silent auction and food. (Tickets are $10 for adults, $5 for kids – a $20 max charge for an entire family. Proceeds go to help these volunteers in their efforts to save boxers and find homes for them.) Luau music will be provided by Justin Kemp (www.justinkemp.net) and photography by David Brannon Photography (www.dbrannon.com)

The boxer folks are encouraging guests and their dogs to dress Hawaiian-style – there’s a prize awarded to the best-dressed dog. And there’ll be a limbo contest, too. And, henna tattoos, crafts, a flamingo piñata, a doggie pool ….the list goes on.

But I will leave you conjuring a mental image of this event: coconut bowling. Oh, my.

AND THEN CAME THE WANDERER: Brian Spencer, who has been devoting a lot of his spare time to trying to place cats from a neighborhood feral colony, has encountered what he calls “the occasional wandering diner.” (Note the traditional chop-licking by this "wandering diner."

Brian was working on reducing a colony of 36 cats (he’s down to about 15) when a visitor stopped by to dine on the free buffet. This one is a “snow white, blue-eyed kitty with a dark tiger-stripe tail, a very adorable escapee/wanderer that’s been roaming our neighborhood near Highlands at White RockLake for three weeks. Obviously once someone’s loved pet, she’s personable and completely tame. She loves to be held, has a nice voice (hence, not feral), she’s just homeless!”

As you may imagine, Brian’s already over-catted, so he’s looking for a home for this healthy, loveable cat. (Call 214-680-9628 or e-mail [email protected]. )

AS THINGS GO: Much as I’d like to, we can’t ignore the reality of life and one of those realities is death.

We saw it over the weekend with Mercy, the dog at Operation Kindness. While that dog was dying from being attacked, another dog featured on readlarrypowell.com was dying from the aftereffects of neglect.

Faithful and his sibling Hope were two of several mange-stricken dogs that had been rescued by the folks at Straydog Inc., the remarkable shelter near Gun Barrel City. (You can scroll down and see their photo in last week’s posts.)

This dog, Faithful, was killed just as certainly as Mercy was killed. The method was different, perhaps the level of ignorance, but the result is the same.

And the sad thing is that mange is such a curable problem. Susan League, one of the Straydog supporters who told us about these mange cases, wrote of Faithful, “His poor little heart couldn’t take it…I’m just floored that he died of mange – so completely curable. If he only had a pet parent who paid attention to him….”

At the Straydog website, www.straydog.com, you can scroll through the daily updates and find Sunday’s note regarding the loss of Faithful.

The pictures are horrible – but the remaining dogs, unless there is some sort of sudden weakening of the immune system or an organ fails, will survive. Their coats may someday be full and healthy. Their tails will wag. Their eyes will glow at the sight of the human they love.

And the good-hearted humans who love these formerly mangey dogs will be thrilled to be the focus of such an affectionate greeting.

Mercy...

There is always a chance that there will not be a happy ending.

And that has happened.

The first sentence from an overnight message tells it all: “With unbearable sadness, I regret to tell you that Mercy died Sunday night.”

The announcement came from Jonnie England of Operation Kindness, the no-kill shelter that was attempting to pull the 10-month-old pit bull mix through a man-made crisis.You probably know the story. On Good Friday, April 14, two guys, not knowing what else to do, brought the burned dog to the Operation Kindness shelter in Carrollton. They’d found her in a wooded area behind a North Dallas apartment complex.

People from all over the country rallied behind this dog with good thoughts, money, prayers, hopes and a collective decency she’d not previously been shown.

As you also probably know, the recovery from burns isn’t an easy thing. It takes a toll on the entire system.

Here’s the announcement from Operation Kindness: “Mercy died Sunday evening about 9:30 p.m. at the veterinary clinic [Dallas Veterinary Surgical Center] where she was being treated. Doctors said Mercy showed some improvement Saturday, but her condition started to deteriorate Sunday afternoon. She was given a plasma transfusion, but shortly afterward, her heart – weakened by burns over 60 percent of her body – stopped beating.”

What happens next in the story of Mercy?

Everyone who had an emotional investment in this dog will spend part of the day reeling in disbelief. There will be anger. There will be an outcry to make someone pay for the loss of a dog we never even met.

Then, as we think about things, we’ll come to adopt Mercy as yet another animal symbol of the sad side of mankind – the unbelievably heartless, ignorant and mean side of mankind. It is not enough, I guess, for people to be mean to each other, some of them have to be mean to the animals, too.

And, perhaps, as we weigh these things, we’ll identify something positive from this experience – we’ll remember that so many people rallied to help this dog. We’ll remember that while none of us had been there when the cruelty occurred, so many were there in the aftermath to offer whatever help they could give.

The dog has left a better legacy on the planet than her attacker will leave.

Jonnie wrote, “Mercy was a gentle, valiant and brave dog who suffered unimaginable pain and agony.”

Mercy’s ashes will be spread at the Operation Kindness Memorial Garden (www.operationkindness.org).

The reward for information leading to an arrest and conviction in this case reached the $10,000 mark over the weekend. Both the Dallas Animal Services Cruelty Division and Dallas Police Department are investigating the case. If you have information, call 311 or Dallas Animal Services at 214-671-0246.

Meanwhile, remember that humans still have opportunities to help many, many animals. And there remains, also, the responsibility of bringing the bad guys to justice whether they are abusing animals, other adults or children.

We humans are such a curious, frustrating bunch.

And, yet, our dogs and cats appear to rise above humanity and love us in spite of ourselves.

ChiChi hits the deck...

Is this what you call "Urban Sprawl?"

Maybe. What a pose! ChiChi is the spotlight dog for this weekend's Let Sleeping Dogs Lie & Napping Cats Nap.

ChiChi is flat out on the deck at Bob and Natalie Blankenship's Dallas "Home For Assorted Passing Critters." They foster for Animal Guardians and ChiChi was one of their fosters.

But there's more to the story, of course.

Here's Natalie's report. "She is such a testament to the good pit bull -- she is a purebred red-nosed American Staffordshire. Bob and I fostered her -- rescued her off the streets near a railroad track in East Dallas in late May 2005.

"She had obviously been used as a breeding mom because her tummy was skinny but her teats dragged the ground as she tried to walk. Her skin was all unhealthy looking from a crummy diet and lack of care.

"She had the most beautiful hazel eyes with a little blue and when she would look at you, you felt absorbed by her focus. From the beginning she was very affectionate and had a great personality.

"Within a month, after healthy food and good care, her beautiful white fur filled out, her pink freckles popped out on her belly and she was on the road to recovery. She did great with our in-residence dogs and loved hanging out in the pool on the steps cooling her freckles!"

It became apparent early on that ChiChi would not be a good candidate for rooming with cats -- sometimes dogs just don't like cats. Doesn't make 'em bad dogs or bad cats. It's just a thing. You know?

"We started praying for the right family with hopefully a good play partner her size," says Natalie."

Seth and Sarah (whose last name Natalie wants to keep confidential) had moved from Colorado to Greenville, Tx Oh, yeah, same cool mountain temperatures and magnificent vistas -- well maybe not.

Anyway, in Colorado, Seth and Sarah had adopted a pit bull they named Varitek.

About a month ago, they decided to drive from Greenville into Dallas to shop. And, their journey took them past a Petco. "Animal Guardians was doing an adoption event at the Petco unluckily located at the intersection of Preston Road and Highway 121 -- traffic nightmare 24 hours a day!" Natalie says.

"Sarah saw the Petco sign from the light, drove into the shopping center just to buy a few dog items, saw us, saw ChiChi and fell in love. Now if that isn't a God thing, there aren't any. A family from Greenville just happening by where ChiChi was giving slobbery kisses for free all day!

"We did paperwork and on Sunday Bob and I did our house visit. ChiChi was adopted the next weekend."

So, what you have are photos in the Bob & Natalie Foster Album -- and one photo from modern technology. We've got Seth and Sarah with the pups, then that's ChiChi smiling big for the camera. And, we've got a photo phoned in Friday when Natalie called Greenville to tell them ChiChi would be featured at readlarrypowell.com this weekend.

ChiChi and Varitek happened to be sacked out together on the couch when Sarah snapped the cell phone photo.

So, what some may call a "coincidence," others may call "blessings" or "miracles." Whichever you think it might have been, you can, for certain, call it a happy ending.

(To nominate a slumbering critter or in-law for spotlighting in Let Sleeping Dogs Lie & Napping Cats Nap, send the photo and the info to [email protected]. Remember, a picture is worth a thousand words, but I can usually add five or six hundred to the captions.)

Reward grows; older dogs in need

MERCY REWARD INCREASES: The outpouring of support for Mercy, that poor burned and abused pit bull, grows and grows. Today, Dallas philanthropist Jack Knox, owner of Cafe Pacific and Patrizio restaurants, has added to things in two ways.

He's given Operation Kindness $1,000 toward Mercy's vet bills and he's also donated $2,000 toward the reward for information leading to the "arrest and conviction of the person responsible" for the attack on the dog. That pushes the reward, initially financed by Operation Kindness and the Humane Society of the United States, to $7,000. 

If you have any info, call 311 in Dallas or 214-670-8380.

THE OL' DAWGS AND THEIR NEEDS: Oh, there's no sense denying it. I'm kind of an ol' dawg. And as such I have a soft spot in my heart for other ol' dawgs. We have a few around the house. They're nice ladies and gentlemen who appreciate having a roof and air-conditioning and meals and treats.

And a hand to touch them now and then and a hand to touch now and then. Reciprocal affection, you know.

So, here's our Friday afternoon Ol' Dawg Report and I'm rushing these pups into print because maybe someone is reading this who'll say, "This looks like a good weekend to get a dog." These dogs deserve more than a casual glance from a passing shopper.

Copy the link and send it to people -- send it to dog people, send it to cat people, send it to people who haven't decided and send it to people who might know people. Really send this things out into the world -- your simple act may be the difference between no life at all and a life with love..

A PLANO POM: A rescuer who already has a home full of obligations, emailed this plea and a photo of an older pom in the care of the Plano Animal Services folks. She wrote, "If someone can't take him, can they at least foster him ... I do not want this baby to die...I have such a soft spot for oldies. Does anyone KNOW anyone who takes in oldies?"

Word from Plano is this: "Older male, no teeth, may have trachea problem. So cute and sweet."

Plano Animal Services is at 4028 W. Plano Parkway. Call 972-769-4360. The shelter is open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturdays, 9 a.m.-5:30 pm. Tuesday through Friday.

BOXER GALS: Legacy Boxer Rescue has run out of foster room but has, through the magical manipulation of things, managed to get these two dogs, Sugar (left) and Spice into a shelter where they've "bought some extra time."

But the dogs, who were surrendered to a shelter in Graham because "their elderly owner could no longer care for them," are still in danger of losing their lives.

Legacy thinks they're sisters, knows they're spayed and up-to-date on shots, and they're heartworm negative.

If you'd like to adopt or foster e-mail [email protected].

A THOUGHT: Yeah, it's Friday afternoon. Everybody deserves a good weekend. Especially these dogs.