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Crimes, critters and football...

Here we are at the middle of the week and, astonishingly, on the final day of January 2007.

Can that be? Can a 31-day month move fast as a fortnight?

As you contemplate that, let's move on with the day's activities. Some of it isn't pretty, but some of it has the potential to be beautiful. Depends on the hearts that come to the rescue.

FROM HOUSTON: Our cat tipster Edna Taylor was justifiably sickened and irate by what she'd seen on Fox 26 TV in Houston. The story comes from Angleton, south of Houston -- the city's motto is "Where the Heart Is." The video shows a guy with a big dog on a sturdy lead urging the dog to attack a cat cowering behind a trash bin .

It gets uglier. So ugly, in fact, that the guy involved in this is facing animal cruelty charges. How did anyone find out about this? Someone posted the video on Myspace.com, the story notes. (You can see the Fox 26 story by clicking HERE.

Don't click it if you're easily upset. Edna has also forwarded the link to the Houston Chronicle story about this. Click HERE.)

Edna thinks a polite letter-writing campaign may help emphasize to the district attorney how serious citizens are about pursuing animal cruelty cases. And she has included that DA's address: Jeri Yenne, Criminal District Attorney, 111 East Locust, Room 408A, Angleton, Texas, 77515.

Edna, who also is with the Houston branch of Texas Siamese Rescue, says, "This [event] further solidifies my argument that cats do not belong outside. Had this cat been kept inside, his life would have been spared."

This case, and others, will be monitored by animal lovers across the country. Word needs about the consequences of such actions needs to get around -- it's not the animal lovers we need to reach.

A CAT WHO CAN BE HELPED: We got this tip from our pal Cary Birdwell at Adopt a Dallas Pet. This cat is Boo, found "under a car in the parking lot at an apartment complex. A good Samaritan picked him up and turned him in to our rescue group. He was about six weeks old at the time and a very bold little guy."

He's obviously matured since he was found. He's described as "a beautiful long-haired male cat with a silver undercoat that shows up in the photos really well. He is great with other cats and OK with dogs. He is usually too busy to be picked up and loved on, but does ask to be petted when he is ready."  (Boo's guardians want to make sure he goes to someone in the Greater Dallas area. To ask about him, e-mail [email protected])

TWO FROM THE COLONY: Our reliable tipster Patricia Barrington, Animal Control Division Manager for The Colony Police Department, e-mailed us about Smokey and Beefcake. The appropriateness of the names will become obvious.

Beefcake is the Basset. Look at that "beefcake on parade." He's described as "such a ham. He's never still -- all of his photos are action shots -- but he doesn't move too quickly. ...And, yes, his ears really do drag the ground." He's a 3-year old who is "an appreciative boy and is absolutely loyal to anyone who will offer him attention."

The dog with the distinct coat is Smokey, an owner surrender. The report is "he's spent his life primarily on a tether outside, but he still has a rose-colored view of the world. He is very friendly and submissive and loves to play ball." According to Patricia, "Smokey, I'm guessing, is Basset hound and Australian Shepherd mix. He is a long, low-rider with medium-length merle coat and a partially pointy snout....He's a good boy who hasn't known the good life, but deserves it."

Both are available for adoption now. And they are in a municipal shelter, so they're "on the clock." The shelter is at 4720 E. Lake Highlands in The Colony. Call 972-370- 9250 or e-mail [email protected].

LITTLE DOGS NEEDING HOMES: This comes to us from the hard-working folks at HART of Texas. HART is Humane Animal Rescue Team.

In these two little dogs, you see the "humane" and "rescue" demonstrated on "animals" by the "team." It may take a village to raise a child, but it takes a team to save some critters.

Tush is the Pom mix puppy in the collar. The story from HART is that "he was turned into an animal shelter after his owner took him to a vet and they realized he was 'anatomically incorrect.' The poor guy wasn't able to poop in the first 8 weeks of his life. He required reconstructive surgery, which HART was able to provide. Amazingly, he was a happy little puppy even before the surgery and now is well on his way to a full recovery." That surgery cost $1,100.

Willy, a 2-year-old Pom was hit by a car and picked up by an animal control unit. HART found him in the shelter and took him to a vet. The dog's pelvis was broken in three places -- this required "emergency surgery to put him back together with a plate and six screws." That was about $2,000, HART reports.

But, wait! That's not all. Willy is, as is traditional with strays in North Texas, heartworm positive. Thus, HART's emergency medical fund was dramatically reduced by saving just two small animals.

And the animals will eventually be available for adoption. If you'd like to audition to adopt or if you'd just like to help HART balance the budget again, go to www.hartoftexas.org or send donations to HART of Texas, Box 153293, Irving, Texas, 75015-3293.

ANNIE AWAITS A HOME: This soulful pup, Annie, was among several dogs scheduled for euthanasia last week at Tri City Animal Shelter, but, as Gail Whelan of the Companion Animal Network says, "We just could not let her down."

The 18-month old dog had been dumped at the shelter with all of her puppies. "The puppies were adopted out and her time was up."

She's currently in a foster home with kids (it's a lovefest, they say), but the family can keep her no longer and CAN is looking for a home for this potential "family dog."

E-mail [email protected].

LAKESIDE LADY: From the folks at Friends of the Animals at Cedar Creek Lake, we get a note about this black Labrador Retriever, year-and-a-half old Lady. The story is "she is a very sweet and loving girl. She loves to lick and be with people." (Seriously, isn't that a Lab trait?) Anyway, she's healthy and up-to-date on shots. And, her foster says, would make a great dog for a family without "small children" because she's pretty excited about running and jumping and playing. (To ask about Lady, e-mail [email protected] or call 903-641-2183.)

TWO LOOSE DOG SITUATIONS: Perhaps a veteran animal rescuer can help in these situations.

The Townview Dogs: The first comes from Jennifer Moreno who is concerned about a couple of dogs that are roaming in the neighborhood of Townview Magnet Center at 1201 E. 8th (just east of I-35) in Dallas, just across the Trinity River from downtown.

Jennifer says, "One of the dogs, a black lab, was pregnant and now has two puppies also black labs. The other seems to be a male mixed German shepherd.  I first saw both dogs near my
school.  The black lab seems to have a collar but has no identification on her and is living by an empty abandoned house, while the other dog seems to have no tag or collar.  I am in desperate
need to  find a home for both dogs especially the lab since she has her puppies. Please Help!!!" To help Jennifer, e-mail [email protected] or call 214-350-0259.

She says the Lab and her pups tend to stay in front of "a house that was boarded up and the German shepherd mix is really skinny and you can almost see his ribs."

The North Dallas Roamers: This comes to us from Nicole Kopec. She writes that she is wondering who to call about stray dogs in her Dallas neighborhood. "They have been roaming around for months and I see them running around quite often. There are 3 of them, but sometimes I only see 2.  Two of them look as if they just had a litter of puppies.  None of them are wearing collars and they all seem pretty raggedy so I am assuming someone dumped them or something.  They won’t come to me when I’ve tried to call them or feed them.  They just run away from me.  I have tried several times to get them to come to me to no avail.  I’ve also called Dallas Animal Control so maybe they’d be picked up and at least have a chance for some warmth and food and just maybe adoption.  But, it doesn’t look like Animal Control has come or anyone else has stepped up to help these poor pups.  I just don’t know what to do about them and I worry that they might get hit by a car.  I live near Alpha Road between Hillcrest and Coit and that is where they roam.  Can you ask your readers for help?"

So, readers, if you have a way to help with these pups, e-mail [email protected].

SUPER BOWL QUOTE OF THE DAY: As a public service, Readlarrypowell.com has been presenting daily quotes as we approach the big game. This is star Indianapolis Colt noseguard Luther "Nostril" Malloy, who has a few words for Chicago Bears quarterback Rex Grossman. At Media Day in Miami, Nostril rammed his face into the camera and snarled, "Mister Grossman, you'd better get used to this view. It's all your gonna see on Sunday -- my big nose being shoved past your faceguard as I plant you so far into the turf they'll have to call John Deere to pull you out."

The NFL Super Bowl, which is getting virtually no publicity this year without the Dallas Cowboys, is scheduled Sunday -- kickoff shortly after 5 p.m. Dallas time. Our well-reasoned prediction is coming Friday.

No, I'm not sure why Luther Malloy is called "Nostril" but he does seem to have just one -- from this point of view.

Assort notes on a Tuesday

There was news yesterday that the oldest person in the world had died. She'd held the title for about a week or so. And the crawl on one of the cable news stations said she'd lived to see 21 presidents.

That has got to be the definition of "living with disappointment." (How many presidents have you witnessed. Click here and count away.)

Now, let's get back to the day's activities:

NO PUPPY LEFT BEHIND: As it turns out, there's always another pup. Rescuer Jennifer Lee had managed to pull two puppies from the lousy weather of the past couple of weeks, then "discovered that a third littermate was hiding from us."

So, this lonesome pup -- still needing rescue -- was photographed sitting on the back porch of the place he or she calls home near LBJ at I-35 though it is apparently clear that "home" doesn't feel the same way.

The dog is about 3 months old and is a 15-pound shepherd/lab mix. Jennifer says the dog's initial veterinary care is paid for. She just needs a little help placing the third pup -- "I still have to get the mom spayed and purchase her a new dog house since her 'owners' will not and Animal Control basically has told me their hands are tied."

So, why help Jennifer place this puppy? Ah, glad you asked. "I'm due to give birth any day now -- on top of already having a foster dog in addition to my own. I am on the hunt for  foster home for this pup to stay in while I search for a rescue group or a qualified adopter."

To help, call 972-910-9088 or e-mail [email protected].

The mother dog was tethered by chain in the backyard until the humans were persuaded to surrender her to this expectant do-gooder.

TITAN: Now that name sure seems to fit this 120-pound Rottweiler-Doberman mix. Charity Windham says that the "housepet and family member" gets along with other small dogs and kids and cats. But "due to unforeseen family events" the family is moving from a home into an apartment and Titan cannot go with them.

Charity writes, "I am totally lost and very saddened at the prospect of giving him up."

Obviously, he's a dog who'll need a large couch or at least a big soft bed on the floor near his human. And, look at that face -- is that not the face that launched a thousand smiles?

And word reaches us this morning that someone has adopted Titan. But his face is so grand that I thought you ought to see him. It would be tough to give up a big ol' dawg like this, but we're glad to know someone has stepped up to give him a place to live.

BIG SALE SATURDAY: The Companion Animal Network will benefit Saturday from an estate sale at 6514 Chevy Chase in Dallas. The note from CAN reads, "We have been blessed to have a wonderful person step forward and donate an entire home filled with furniture and household items to C.A.N. Thank you to Vincelee Stevens." The sale is from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

And what will they do with the proceeds? Of course, there's the annual C.A.N. High Roller Escapade to Monaco -- I'M KIDDING. I'M KIDDING. I know some people with C.A.N. just gasped. Now, seriously, here's what happens: Gail Whelan of the Companion Animal Network points out that the proceeds will be used to care for animals -- you can see many of them by clicking HERE.

And, this fellow, Arnie, recently pulled from a local kill shelter, is among the beneficiaries of the work of C.A.N. He's had a "problem" with undescended testicles, some of his teeth needed to be removed, his broken back dew claws were removed and his severely infected ears were properly medicated.

After all that, he's on the mend. And, some day soon, the little guy will be available for adoption. If C.A.N. hadn't been willing to take him in, he'd be just another statistic instead of a really cute, healthy dog looking for an understanding human and a lap.

JACK, THE RAT TERRIER: This is the way this story starts, according to Karen Rash, who is a member of both Irving Animal Shelter Reform and Citizens for Irving Animals. It's an example of getting knee deep in the issue. Maybe just ankle deep. He is, after all, a rat terrier. Karen wrote, "Some neighborhood kids rang the doorbell Saturday night with this little guy. They thought he was ours. We have a rat terrier, Lucky, that looks similar. I think he had been in the neighborhood for several days. ... He's still a puppy. Sweet dog. Skinny and his back leg is hurt. Looks like a bite. ... He's a darter -- have to be real careful around the front door."

OK, that was two weeks ago. Jack has been with Karen and Family fro two weeks now. He's had his shots, is heartworm negative and is being neutered today.

"The vet will also amputate his tail and take X-rays of his 'back area.' So I guess he will come home with a cone on his head. He came to us limping with what looks like a bite mark on his right back leg.  The place is just about healed. he limps on both back feet at times, but that doesn't slow him down. We are hoping that hits is something that can be fixed, but he may end up being a special needs dog."

A member of the animals group paid for Jack's shots and exam, Karen covered the neutering fee and now there's going to be the cost of surgery to cover. To help with Jack's surgery or to apply to adopt or foster Jack The Rat Terrier, e-mail [email protected].

A SERIOUS BEHAVIOR PROBLEM: A local woman has sent out an e-mail seeing help. She writes, "I have an American Bulldog. He has always behaved well and got along with my other dogs.. until Saturday night. He jumped on my 2 other dogs. Because of his size, I had a very hard time stopping the fights. I have had them separated since then. My vet is telling me that the only thing to do is to put him down. I just cant do that. If anyone has ANY suggestions, please let me know."

If you can offer sage advice, e-mail [email protected].

It just seems somehow wrong that the solution to animal problems in Texas is always "kill it."

A GENTLE REMINDER: At award-winning Urban Animal magazine, we are currently compiling the events list for animal activities in February and March and beyond. If your group has events scheduled, send a brief basic-info note to [email protected]. Your deadline is the evening of Feb.14 -- that's right, Valentine's Day. That's so I can compile the list on Feb. 15. After that, it's too late for this edition. Pay attention. Don't miss the deadline. You're cheating yourself out of FREE INK.

Remember, we just need bare facts. I'm begging you on bended knees, do not send me announcements as if they were written by a dog or cat or rabbit or turtle or parakeet. Sure, they're cute, but reading through them just to get the basic info is time-consuming and irritating. And sometimes, though the animal may demonstrate wonderfully artistic skills, the facts are obscured.

When you begin to write up an event on behalf of your group, take on the persona of Dragnet's Sgt. Joe Friday: "Just the facts."

So, here's what you need to put in the note: Name of event, time of event, date of event, name of group, your name, your e-mail, your phone number, price of event, purpose of event. If there's some special angle or special need, address it in a separate paragraph on the announcement. That way I'll possibly spot it right away without having to wade through two clever pages of cat talk.

Make this note in the form of a text e-mail. No attachments. No flyers. No elaborate video clips. Just short, sweet text.

Just the basics. No need to make the poor, aging, veteran journalist try to play detective and ferret out the information like Sherlock Holmes looking for the murderer.

SOUP FOR THE SOUPER BOWL: The folks at Crosby Cafe & Catering have come up with a vegetarian way to celebrate the Super Bowl on Sunday. They're providing soups for Super Bowl parties -- I almost said "Super Bowl celebrations" then I remembered, we've got nothing to celebrate around here since the Dallas Cowboys are already taking their usual long winter naps.

Anyway, you can order these soups for delivery on Saturday or Sunday by calling 214-770-5573 or e-mailing [email protected]. The price is $12 a quart with a minumum 4-quart delivery. Deadline for ordering is 5 p.m. Wednesday.

Chef Jeanette Prasifka suggests serving in this manner: First quarter; No Chicken Noodle Soup. Second Quarter: Black Bean Sweet Potato Stew. Halftime: Cream of Tomato Basil Soup. Third Quarter: Currried Spinach and Potato Stew. Fourth Quarter: 'Nam Chili. Overtime: Navy Bean Soup.

Overtime? Overtime? Now, that will make this game a Super Bowl.

And I'll believe it when I see it.

SUPER BOWL QUOTE OF THE DAY: This is former Heisman Trophy candicat Freddie "White Shoes" Purrboy, formerly of Catre Dame University, now a star scatback with the Indianapolis Colts. White Shoes is renowned for his leaping catches and landing on his feet in the end zone. "You thow it, ah'll ketch hit," says White Shoes, in his distinct Southern drawl. "Them Bahrs better look out. We know how tuh claw our way to the top. Remember thu last word in Chicago isn't 'go,' it's 'o.'"

The game is Sunday and these daily profiles are presented to help the struggling National Football League get some attention for their little-noticed championship game.

Monday's collection...

Hello, Monday. Let's find some upbeat stuff to consider today. First, we're on the countdown to the Super Bowl next Sunday -- the season will finally end. John Kerry, having announced that he's not running for president, is still on Jerry Jones' short list for Coach of the Cowboys, the other nationally revered office.

Now, read on about dogs, cats and authors and books.

LOOK AT MAGGIE'S NOSE: Oh, my, this dog has a spectacular nose. She is a walking Rorschach Inkblot Test. Look at that pattern? What am I seeing? I'm seeing a dog that needs a home.

Now, the folks at the Corsicana Animal Shelter have fallen for Maggie the Dog. She's three years old, weighs 60 pounds, is a boxer/bulldog mix and has a great disposition.

We get her story from our reliable tipster Julie Maupin. This dog was, according to the report, "brought to the shelter by a man who lives out in the county and who claimed that Maggie and her pups were not his dogs; however, he called the shelter twice to check on her and to see if she had been adopted.  Because Maggie is a large dog, she is automatically more difficult to place."

Yeah, more difficult to place, but just as easy to love as a purse-sized fluffball.

Maggie, whose teeth have been worn down by chewing (lord knows on what), also tested positive for heartworms.

She's currently being fostered by a family that has another big dog and a cat and apparently they all get along fine. And Maggie is totally housebroken. But the family is leaving town on Friday and that will leave Maggie without a place to stay -- she'll go back into the shelter and the clock will begin ticking. She needs to be adopted or moved into a rescue group by Thursday. (To arrange to see Maggie, call shelter director Julie Burkhalter at 903-654-4928. The shelter is at 612 S. 12th St. in Corsicana.)

Meanwhile, stop staring at Maggie's nose. If you can. And if you can't, perhaps you need some analysis.

AUTHORS AND BOOKS: From 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Friday, Bob St. John, who many people remember from his days as a columnist with the big paper in Dallas, will be signing copies of his biography of Dallas Cowboys founding father Tex Schramm at Bailey's First & 10, 6465 E. Mockingbird Lane. You may recall that Mr. Schramm was the guiding hand in the development of America's Team from inception until the arrival of Jerry Jones. ... We've already gotten one note about something in October. Someone looking for a place to donate books asked about the annual American Association of University Women Book Fair in Arlington. Tentatively, the 25th annual -- can that be right? -- book fair is scheduled Oct. 25-27. Weather kayoed the meeting that would have locked in the dates, so, sometime in the near future, there'll be another meeting to determine the book fair details -- weather permitting, of course. ... My funspouse Martha breezed through a couple of more books over the weekend while I was still trying to get into the first chapter of anything. At my stage of life, the ability to concentrate has become more elusive than the ability to run swiftly was in my teenage years. Never could run fast. Some day I hope to be able to concentrate.

CATS NEEDING PEOPLE: We get the word on these two cats from our pal Cary Birdwell at Adopt-a-Dallas Pet. The report is that the Humane Society of Dallas is trying to help find homes for them -- you can ask about them at [email protected].

Blue was found "abandoned on one of those cold nights meowing outside." He's described as sweet, docile and affectionate and is a computer cat -- that means when you're at the keyboard, so is Blue.

Mr. Ocelot was also abandoned, is affectionate and likes to play with a feather toy. He's quite the lap cat, too.

The person who has them right now is already overbooked with cats and is trying to find good homes for these two.

PUP ON THE LOOSE: Wendy of the Southeast Dallas Humane Society sends a note about this pup, found running free.

The finder just started a new job, has a baby and, because of other dogs already taken in, has no room for this one. You can see the dogs story here -- you can also see the stories of other dogs and cats at that site.

Wendy says the female pup is 8 to 10 weeks old. Still young enough to not realize the dire straits she's in. To ask about helping her, e-mail [email protected].

Sensational ears, 4 white paws -- put that dog on a postcard.

BENJI UPDATE: Terry Lynn Fisher of Burns Flat, Okla., sends word that Benji, the dog that was attacked and left bleeding on a snowy road, is healing nicely and has been moved "to my rescue lady." He should be ready to go to a new home by Feb. 7. He's listed as "Benji 1" at the website www.oksaveadog.org. There's more than one Benji on the site, but, heck, if you can't get one, get the other one. Both of 'em need a home.

A TIP FROM WAY OFF ABOUT A LOCAL DOG: One of our regular animal tipsters, "Liz in WA," was scrolling through the list of dogs at the Fort Worth Animal Care & Control shelter and spotted this one.

About all you need to know is that he's a young male named Simba and he's probably a chow mix. Look at the loveable mug on that rascal. Click HERE to hook up with the folks at FW Animal Care & Control. They've been saving a lot of dogs lately -- as you probably know, it's a "kill shelter" in a big city. The inventory is always arriving.

HELP FOR HONEY: Martha Lindsey, a veteran foster mom, is trying to find a good home for this pup Honey. She was pulled from the Athens Animal Shelter in Sept. 2006 just as she was about to run out of time.

She and a boxer had been abandoned by owners "who moved away," Martha reports. Legacy Boxer Rescue took the boxer, Martha took Honey.

Honey is housebroken and friendly, but she is partially blind. "she doesn't seem  to know that she has limited vision. She likes other dogs as long as they are not aggressive with her and absolutely loves people and toys -- especially the squeaky ones.)

To ask about adopting Honey, call 972-270-3609 or e-mail Martha at [email protected].

TODAY'S SUPER BOWL QUOTE: In an effort to help the National Football League promote its largely ignored championship football game, we are focusing on The Players today and we offer up this photo of and quote from a participant in the swirl surrounding the hoopla.

This is the official game day portrait of Mike "Tough Guy" Barkowski, defensive tackle of the Chicago Bears who hails from the University of Handsome State. He is somberly confident. "We are going to pulverize Indianapolis. But it won't be easy -- the Colts have a kicking game. On the other hand, we all pull our pants on the same way: one paw at a time."

For the record, only during the Super Bowl do Bears and Colts wear pants or bling.

The Great Sleeper(s)

If you have a dog around the house and if you should ever find yourself too drowsy to remain in an upright position, there's a chance that you'll find yourself dozing with a dog.

And that is why we are spotlighting Pharrell the Great Dane (he turned 3 in December) in this weekend's edition of Let Sleeping Dogs Lie & Napping Cats Nap. The North Richland Hills household has three other critters and three human kids.

Four critters, three kids: The opportunities to "sleep in" may not come all that frequently. (Click on the photo to enlarge it.)

Sara Wood happened to have the camera handy this particular time. She explains:

"This is a picture of my husband sleeping. I was in the other spot -- notice the word 'was'.

"I got up to start the coffee and came back and my boy Pharrell got in my spot and was laying on my pillow!"

She says that he is "such a sweetheart." And, of course, so is her husband, Scott.

Sara says Pharrell "adopted us through Great Dane Rescue of North Texas.

"His favorite things to do are eat, sleep, fish, eat, sleep, eat, sleep.

"I'm including a picture of him fishing, also. I love him to death!"

Yes, Pharrell The Phishing, Dozing Dane.

(As you can see, the title "Let Sleeping Dogs Lie & Napping Cats Nap" gives us quite a bit of latitude when it comes to our weekly celebration of snoozers. To nominate your sleeping critter or relative, e-mail the photo and the info to [email protected]. At Readlarrypowell.com, we're proud to celebrate any species' ability to sleep. And, as insomniacs, we simultaneously envy it and resent it when anyone or any beast can simply nod right off. We hope science will eventually find a cure for insomnia or invent a pill to make us like it.)

Animals and politics...

Before we continue, ask yourselves, do you believe in UFOs or presidential candidates?

Later in today's report, you'll see some sets of ears that'll make you wonder about things on this planet. Now, let's continue with some substantial information:

THEY CALL HIM PHOENIX: The reason will become obvious. Lynn Gatlin, vice president of the Humane Society of Navarro County, sent me this note about this pup. She and her hubby Tony are fostering the pup.

As you can tell from the photo, he's been through something. A fire.

Just before Christmas, he and six littermates were in a house fire with his human family. The humans and the littermates escaped. But Phoenix, at just 6 weeks old, was burned on his abdomen, back, ears, head, tail and paw pads.  The staff at Rogers Animal Hospital took over his care and he's on the mend.

In fact, he's standing beside the refrigerator at the Gatlin home -- any dog that knows to stand by the icebox is approaching "healed" status.

Phoenix gets a daily Vitamin E rub and, says Lynn, "we're beginning to see some very fine hair returning."

His human family has moved on. His littermates have been adopted. And he's become an indoor dog with a taste for weenies. He knows they're in the fridge "and he goes there and sits and barks until someone opens it up and gives him one," Lynn says.

He's curious about the family cat; she is not curious about him.

To audition to adopt this pup, e-mail [email protected] or call 903-874-3722.

DALLAS MAKES A CHANGE: We've been tipped that it is now easier to see the adoptable pets being held in Dallas shelters, thanks to a suggestion from the city's animal shelter commission. The adoptables are accessible by going to http://dallascityhall.com, scrolling down the left side to PET ADOPTIONS and clicking. Always some worthy animals in Dallas' shelters.

THE CATS MEOW: (That's a declarative, not a possessive, phrase.) No doubt the cats do meow. Erin Arnold, daughter of Bill and Pat, founders of Straydog Inc. in Gun Barrel City, has started a rescue place for cats. Our tipster Cathie Desell says this noble effort is now focusing on getting support such as cat food, blankets and towels -- the things a shelter needs to operate. Click on www.erinskittycats.com to see if you can help.

BROWNIE'S SORROW: This note came via Adopt-a-Dallas-Pet from Mansfield Animal Control. It's about a year-old blue heeler mix named Brownie. the story is he was brought to the shelter with is mom about a month ago. They'd been "left in the backyard until the owner felt sorry for them and surrendered them...They were both slated for euthanasia, but when the time came, we decided to pull Brownie and give him a chance. Unfortunately, we could not do the same for his mom."

Brownie was adopted, but has been brought back because "he chewed up some stuff -- he was left alone in an apartment for several hours a day and he cries. He started crying the day we euthanized his mom. You can just see the grief in his eyes. He spent his whole life with her and then she's just gone and he is in some strange place."

He is described as "sweet" and needing "someone to help him through his grief."

To see if you can bring some happiness to this poor pup, call Mansfield Animal Control at 817-477-2038 or 817-825-4149. The shelter is at 407 Industrial Blvd. in Mansfield.

OL' BLUE EYES: This dog with the vibrant azure orbs is called -- what else? -- Sinatra. He's in the shelter run by Fort Worth Animal Care & Control and he was supposed to be put to sleep earlier this week, but he charmed staffers and bought a little extra time. He's available to be rescued or adopted, according to Ginger Leach, the hardworking shelter staffer. She says she "found out he is even sweeter than I first thought. he loves to rub against you and is in heaven when you rub around his ears. He also knows how to sit on command -- who knows what else?"

To see about giving Ol' Blue Eyes a place to live, contact Ginger at 817-392-3737 (voice mail ext. 1865) or e-mail [email protected].

FROM EYES TO EARS: When these photos arrived, the ears got us right away. The story comes from Sue Owens, our tipster from Animal Angels. Sue says that in September, Kathleen Higgins of Good Shepherd Rescue of North Texas "pulled a mom GSD [German Shepherd Dog] and her 10 little mixed breed puppies from the Irving Animal Shelter.

"The pups were only about 10 days old -- their eyes were just beginning to open. Like many animals pulled from municipal shelters, these had evidently been exposed to something deadly and Kathleen has had a real struggle getting them raised and up to where they are adoptable. Four of them did not make it - they just weren't strong enough to overcome the illness that befell them, in spite of all Kathleen and the vets could do.

"The GOOD news is that there are now 6 happy, healthy, bouncing baby boys ready for new homes.  They are now about 17-18 weeks old, having been born approximately 9/20/2006.   They are all neutered and up-to-date on their vacs."

The pups have been listed on www.saveadog.net, also.

The pups' mom is a black and silver purebred German Shepherd named Maya. (To ask about helping these dogs with their medical bills or adopting any of them, e-mail [email protected].

BIG BOSS MAN: This dog is named Boss and he is 3 to 5 years of age and weighs in at 105 pounds, according to a note from the reliable tipsters at Adopt-a-Dallas-Pet.

Boss is at the Richardson Animal Shelter, 1330 Columbia Drive, just off Plano Road and a block south of Arapaho. (Call 972-744-4480.)

He's very friendly, we're told. And, when you adopt an animal from RAS, you get 30 days of pet insurance from Sheltercare.com, 12 weeks of obedience training for $35 at the All-Breed Obedience Training Club and other little perks.

Of course, with Boss, you get a big perk.

A COURTROOM REMINDER: Our pal Jonnie England of Operation Kindness tells us that "Sweet Charity will finally get her day in court" on Feb. 16 -- if the court calendar holds up.

Two women inspecting rental property found this 5-month-old pit bull puppy chained in the backyard of a vacant duplex, Jonnie says. "The puppy had severe mange and was bleeding from infected, open wounds all over her body; her collar was deeply embedded in her neck; she was dehydrated and malnourished. The women bundled her up and brought her to Operation Kindness. We immediately took her to a vet but she died 36 hours later."

Operation Kindness contacted Dallas Animal Services which, after an investigation, filed cruelty charges against Ester Arlene Baker, resident of the duplex until a month earlier. Jonnie says Ms. Baker was indicted by a Dallas County grand jury in November 2005.

Country Criminal Court No. 2 Judge Lennox Bower will hear the case -- the defendant has waived a jury trial.

Smart move, I suspect.

THE WEEKEND: This is the first weekend in quite some time that the Dallas Cowboys have been without a head coach. Should we feel relieved or anxious or anything at all?

This is my nominee for head coach. Notice the bright eyes, the magnificent whiskers.

Poirot the Cat, however, has instructed me to inform the media that he will not accept the position of head coach of the Dallas Cowboys. He is, however, considering a trip to the Midwest to see how he might do in the Iowa Catcuses, er, Caucuses. Given to drama, he has already been practicing his stump speeches by getting onto the back of the recliner and yowling at the top of his lungs. He's a natural for politics -- ready to claw his way to the top at a moment's notice. He has formed an exploratory committee. "Just curious," said the cat. "As Ronald Reagan said, 'Don't be afraid to see what you see.' " Yes, we have a cat named for a Belgian detective who quotes Ronald Reagan. And yet, he doesn't want to be the Dallas Cowboys head coach. He may be too smart.

Words and music...

Lots of stuff today. Let's jump right into the fray.

But, first, a calming moment: Everyone take just a second to drift back to your elementary school days and think about the best day you had with a box of crayons and some construction paper. Life was sure less complicated.

In the spirit of sharp crayons, let's all try to stay within the lines today. And, of course, I'm speaking specifically to the drivers in Dallas. The Big D doesn't stand for "demolition."

RED DOGS: Our pal Rebecca Poling with Companions for Life, a veteran rescuer, has been keeping us up-to-date on the plight of "three red dogs" that had been living on some property owned by a pipeline company.

Before I give you the background, I'll tell you the dogs are safe now thanks to the folks at Paws in The City, the Dallas-based rescue group.

So, the dogs were doing fine on that property  "until the weather got bad and about that time a neighbor started shooting at them with a pellet gun," reports Rebecca. "A local rescuer and one of the pipeline company employees were able to get them to a vet to be spayed/neutered and vaccinated. One received initial treatment for BBs in his backend and a broken foot, but the other two were in good shape -- considering."

The pipeline company owner allowed the dogs to stay in the company warehouse until better quarters could be found and yesterday that's what happened. They're now being boarded and Paws in The City  is taking care of them. A donor has been found to pay for the heartworm treatment for all three, Rebecca says. Donations to help out Paws in The City with boarding and other expenses can be made at www.pawsinthecity.org. To ask about adopting one or more of these three, call 972-233-4444, ext. 247, or e-mail [email protected]. It might even be helpful if someone would volunteer to foster one or more during the heartworm treatments -- the dogs will have to be kept quiet and still and they'll need some steady affection to keep them socialized.

And, maybe, the guy with the pellet gun needs to be socialized, also, but, of course, some of us might prefer to plant a few BBs in his backend first. But that would be wrong. As you know.

JERRY THE CHARMER: Gail Whelan sent us a note about this fellow currently in the care of the Companion Animal Network. He's 7-year-old Jerry, a 17-pound miniature poodle who needs a good place to live. He's in a foster home with three cats (doesn't need to be around kids, however) and everybody gets along fine, Gail says. But the foster is running out of time and "we need to find a permanent home for him. We do not want to move him to another foster home. Jerry is very healthy. He is neutered, fully vaccinated and heartworm negative." (E-mail [email protected].)

Jerry the Poodle. Sounds like either a Mafia hit man or a kid's book.

BIG DAWG IN FORT WORTH: This note is making the rounds. It was regarding a desperate attempt to get Goliath, a Boerboel Mastiff/Rottie mix pulled from the Fort Worth Animal Care & Control Shelter.

As the shelter's hard-working Ginger Leach wrote, "It would be so sad for him to 'cross the bridge' so prematurely, such a waste of big ole happy bundle of fur."

Fortunately, on Wednesday evening someone stepped up and claimed the big rascal.

I have placed his photograph on the website today as a reminder that there are many, many more big ol' dawgs facing an ugly fate in area shelters. People who are involved in rescue and who are on the DFW Cares message board KNOW this all too well.

It is the people outside of rescue who need to know that so many great dogs don't manage to find a crusader who'll get them to safety.

Bless Goliath's big ol' heart and may he always be treasured. And, just fyi, he wasn't the last dog in the Fort Worth shelter. There are plenty more needing homes.

FROM KERENS: One of our regular tipsters forwarded this on behalf of veteran rescuer Morgen Salas of Kerens, south of the Metroplex.

The story is that someone dumped this cattle dog/heeler mix, Pepper, on a street on the "outskirts of town." She's friendly, young, probably not spayed, has a tail and is "not as hyper as many ACD's I've known," says Morgen.

"The elderly lady [Eva] down the street made a box with an old down comforter for her on her carport and I've been feeding her, started her on Heartguard and wormed her, but she is living outside and neither of us has the means to foster/adopt/vet her."

Now, here's the personal testimony: "We have fallen in love with her, she is just the sweetest dog. She wants to be with the pack and will lean hard against the fence to be close to our dogs when they are outside. She gets along with the Akita and plays gently with the feral cats (they seem to love her -- Eva found one sleeping with her in her box during the ice storm last week).

"Even my 3-year-old grandson who is afraid of any dog bigger than our Peke mix was running down the street with her yesterday laughing.  She was very careful with him. Although she will jump up because she is starved for attention she will only put one paw lightly on my stomach to keep her balance and will get down when asked. She'll sit for pets, too.

"I don't know why she was dumped she is a great dog and couldn't have been any trouble even for the dunderheads around here who only have 'outside' (meaning ignored) dogs.

"She really needs a rescue group that can take her off the streets. I'll transport her anywhere within 200 miles to anyone that can help her. I'm begging here."

To help Morgen find a spot for this great call, e-mail [email protected] or call 903-489-0709 (wk/fax) or 903-396-2448 (home).

READING TIPS: Click HERE to see the Pets of the Week at Grand Prairie's Prairie Paws Adoption Center. Worth the click. ... Click HERE to go to the Dallas Observer's Unfair Park blog and read Andrea Grimes' disturbing -- yet entertaining -- report on a couple of jerkolas who showed up in the spay/neuter line at the SPCA of Texas. No fault of the SPCA. Louts are free-roamers in Dallas. ... Click HERE to read about Tammy Grimes' campaign to make people quit chaining dogs. But click HERE to read about the rescue effort that got her jailed and into the legal system. I interviewed Tammy several years ago for a column about her organization and last week got in touch with her about her case. Her pre-trial hearing is set Feb. 5, she says. "I'm hoping on that day to get the date of the 'real' trial so we can start planning a big rally." As for Doogie, the dog she saved,  "He's still hanging on, but is old and not doing well." Tammy's organization is worth a look.

SHOW BIZ: John Boy and Norm. I'm sure the actors would prefer that nobody remember those characters Feb. 27-March 4. But the fact is Richard Thomas, John Boy from The Waltons, and the magnificent George Wendt, Norm from Cheers, are nearly indelible characters. Still, the actors will be starring Feb. 27-March 4 in the great courthouse drama, Twelve Angry Men, at the Majestic Theatre in Dallas. Go to www.liveatthemajestic.com for tickets.

LYRICS: My musicalspouse Martha and I were watching Letterman on Tuesday night when his musical guest, Nellie McKay, sang this lyric: "We trample fecklessly upon the bladder of our hearts" and Martha says, "Sounds like something out of Ishtar." I'm pretty sure neither Cole Porter nor Johnny Mercer would have trampled fecklessly on the bladder of a lyric like that one.

Midweek: Critters to cheese

Let's see what's in the in-basket today...Hmmm. OK, the black-and-white live Pegasus Theatre production continues at the Eisemann Center (more later), there are dogs to adopt, cats need homes, updates at hand. You know the drill.

Oh, and this just happened as I was typing this (shortly before midnight).  My sleepyspouse Martha had already gone off to bed with a couple of dogs and a cat and I was in the living room working on the computer. I needed some information about Houston's Bureau of Animal Rescue and Care. So I click to this site to see what "BARC" really means and the page opens and there's an animated dog running on the screen and he barks. Arf. Arf.

And at that time of the evening the only sound is the clatter of a keyboard, so this authentic "bark" sets off the three big dogs sleeping in the living room with me. (That's Hambone approxmating his state of mind before the Arf set him off.)

The three dogs jumped to their feet and barked like crazy which set off Inky the cocker spaniel who was piled up asleep with Martha. She was asleep -- until our multiple sentries responded to the BARC bark.

You never know what's going to happen when you hit these keys.

BURNS FLAT BENJI: We first mentioned this dog on the 16th of January. He'd been found collapsed in a snowy street in Burns Flat, Okla. His neck had suffered slashing and puncture wounds -- probably from a dog attack. And he'd just about given up in the awful situation.

But a Burns Flat animal control officer called local rescuer Terry Lynn Fisher and between the two of them they got the dog into vet care and he has since, with the aid of the vet and antibiotics, begun to heal.

Now named Benji, he'll be up for adoption soon in Burns Flat (E-mail Terry HERE.) That's Terry Lynn's friend/near daughter-in-law Tara planting one on the irresistible Benji, now a well-mannered, adorable dog on the mend.

A CRITICAL CASE OF MURDER: Relax, it's a comedy! Yes, the Pegasus Theatre's "living black and white" production of the Kurt Kleinmann's tale of there serial killing of theater critics, A Critical Case of Murder, is playing Thursday through Jan. 28 at the Eisemann Center.

You may recall that a portion of opening night's tickets was dedicated to Operation Kindness. The arithmetic settled in at a $468 share, but producer Barb Weinberger said Pegasus Theatre saw that as such an "awkward amount" that they raised the donation to $500.

The other thing that figures is when you see the production, you will laugh. Mr. Kleinmann is shown here as detective Harry Hunsacker -- the headline slays me. It reads "Theater Critics Killed! City Paralyzed!" He' penned funny lines and funny situations and the second act has splendid surprises. There's physical humor, clever lines, the costumes are superb, the actors a perfect fit for the parody of an old movie murder mystery. It's a fine evening in the theater. And afterward, you can mingle with the actors -- still in their black-and-white make-up (normal on stage; startling off) -- and discuss the play, their performances and the patented stage makeup with the "secret" ingredients.

To get tickets, call 972-744-4650 contact the Eisemann Center at www.eisemanncenter.com or 214-821-6005.

And, by the way, Oak Cliff residents will get a treat -- the play opens with a film of some of the critics falling victim to the murderer's sly methods and included is a scene of a critic having a fateful bowl of soup at the lunch counter in Norma's, the longtime- Oak Cliff diner. Norma's is "hot" in show biz -- a few weeks back it was used for scenes in TV's Prison Break -- nowhere nearly as funny as A Critical Case of Murder.

HE'S A GENTLEMAN: This is Gentle Ben, a 40-pound shepherd chow mix who is called a "soft, black ball of fluff." Isn't that quite the adorable, soulful face!

He had been adopted recently, but an allergy situation led to his return to Arlington Animal Services where the clock is ticking. To see about adopting him call 817-451-3436 or e-mail HERE. The shelter is at 5920 W. Pioneer Parkway.

Gentle Ben has a back story. His demeanor, according to our tipster, fits his name. He is described as a "shelter favorite." And there is this: "It appears young Ben's top front teeth were deliberately kicked out by someone, but he has no problem eating food or treats of any kind."

His shelter ID number is 118236 C13 -- but "Gentle Ben" suits him so much better.

UGLY SITUATION: This message came from Christy Storaska. It is a pit bull story. Read on:

"I just got an email from a friend that the city of Boyd (near Ft. Worth) found a (male) pit bull puppy running through a trailer park with a rope around his neck, pulling 2 cinder blocks behind him.  He was obviously getting ready to fight or to be a guard dog.  Nothing good I'm sure.
Anyway, the city of Boyd has him in their custody and the guy that is taking care of him there said he is a sweet dog. They were worried at first because they had to use a loop pole to get him due to aggression, but once they got him at the shelter, he has been fine.  He took him to the vet to
have him checked out and he came in contact with other animals, but completely ignored them.  He is around 2 other dogs at the shelter and only fence-barks at them, but no aggression has been shown to them outside of their cages.
"When people come up to pet him, he climbs up in their lap and loves on them.  He also walks fine on a leash.  He is believed to be between 4-6 months old.
"The city of Boyd will not be returning him to his owner - if they decide to come by - which I doubt will happen.  Anyway, this guy needs a home.  He got a rotten start at life, but by God's grace escaped dragging cinder blocks all the way. If someone could find room for him, it would be so great to see him get a new chance at life.  I would hate for him to have escaped a life of hardship only to be euthanized. Please email or call me if you are interested in rescuing this brave little guy."

Call 817-721-6354 or e-mail [email protected].

THEN THERE'S THIS CAT: Someone forwarded a note about a cat that needs a home. Something about the attitude on this cat caught my attention. They all have attitude. This one seems to be a cat with style.

The name is Cuddles. Cuddles, 18 months old, had lived inside a house until his human moved away and left him. Abandoned, that's his fate. So far.

In the meantime, a neighbor has begun feeding Cuddles and set up a place outside for the cat to sleep because of allergies. The vet says Cuddles is a "very healthy boy."

To adopt this cat, e-mail [email protected] or 214-435-6265.

MISSING DOG: This is Baby, lost since Dec. 14 in the area around Greenville Avenue and Ross Avenue in Dallas. She weighed about 45 pounds when last seen. The older dog, with black and white husky markings, has brown eyes and weak back legs, says Cathy Rafiian-Baillard. Baby is of "gentle nature" and is a "very happy dog. She loves everyone," Cathy says.

Baby is "old and has trouble walking and cannot walk more than a block which leads me to believe someone picked her up -- she could be in any of the surrounding cities."

Cathy has been visiting area shelters twice a week in hopes of finding Baby. If you've seen Baby or know where she is, call 469-939-5748.

MOONDANCE: Sometimes a dog's mugshot just gets to you. Consider this mugshot. This rascal is Moondance, formerly a death row dog at Houston's Bureau of Animal Rescue and Care. He's now in the custody of Scout's Honor rescue and needs a home.

When you look at Moondance, are you moved to ask, "Just how many readily available big ol' basic black dawgs are there in this state?"

Zillions, is my guess.

Rescue tipster Dana Dicker says the 18-month-old dog weighs about 30 pounds -- he's about 10 underweight after spending six months in the shelter. To adopt or to volunteer to foster Moondance, call 713-502-4002 or e-mail [email protected].

Moondance. Good name for a big ol' dawg. I'll bet it morphs into Moonie or "Mister Moonie."

Looks huggable.

A QUESTION OF DRESSING: OK, here's the deal. Last year I began a quest for Roquefort salad dressing. Had nearly forgotten the challenge. And, then, yesterday, out of the blue, Pati Falk sends a note: "This may sound crazy, but a person I work with really wants to find bottle Roquefort dressing for her father. Did you ever find any?"

Nope, but this gives us a chance to re-issue the challenge to all who care about how their salad is dressed. Anybody know where we can buy Roquefort salad dressing?

Here is what I have learned in my pursuit of Roquefort dressing: Roquefort is regarded as "The King of Cheeses," and it is a bleu cheese. Bleu cheeses can be made from cow, sheep or goat milk, but Roquefort is made strictly from ewe's milk. To Roquefort fans, this would be, no doubt,  an embraceable ewe.

On behalf of Pati, her co-worker, and myself, if you know of a genuine Roquefort salad dressing outlet, e-mail the info to [email protected].

It seems that in my childhood -- many, many decades ago -- actual Roquefort cheese dressing showed up in some restaurants, though we didn't go to many restaurants and I may be remembering someone else's childhood. Someone in France, perhaps.

Video, critters, Cowboys & Rangers

Today's report is not going to have a lot of pretty stuff in it. The good news is that, with only a couple of exceptions, the animals are getting immediate, life-saving help.

Remember, if you're involved in rescue, you'll know these things happen. If you're not in rescue (yet), this will show you what you'll be up against -- and how you can be rewarded for your good deeds.

THE VIDEO CLIP: For the past few days, an ugly video tape has been making the rounds. It purportedly shows two American soldiers throwing rocks at a dog with a spinal deforming. There is no way to ID the place or the people or to pinpoint when the tape was made.

Do not look at this clip if you are easily upset when you see people treating animals meanly. Here is the link. Click on it ONLY if you are prepared to be outraged.

Some of the e-mails about this video are accompanied by requests to write your U.S. rep and senator about the event.

And, seriously, when you see the tape, you can't tell if the landscape is in Baghdad or Presidio. Unable to find the originator of the video, I pursued the investigator. In this case, that is Kristin DeJournett, a cruelty caseworker with PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals).

"I'm sorry to say we have not yet found any hard facts about when and where this video was short. The user who original posted it reportedly claimed to have found the video on a CD in Baghdad's Green Zone. As you can see, the video doesn't offer many landmarks by which one could pinpoint the location. We hope that the Department of Defense will investigate and find the answers to all these questions and, hopefully, through all the coverage of the video, someone will recognize the soldiers and report them."

The Army Times has reported on the incident at this link.

A COCKER CLOSER TO HOME: This is Keva -- it's Gaelic, the language of Ireland, and it means "Beautiful." Mange. More fixable than a flat tire. And yet....Fortunately, in this case, the mange is being fixed.

The folks at DFW Cocker Spaniel Rescue named her Keva -- at this point "beautiful" is in the eye of the beholder, but, given loving care and proper treatment, she'll be beautiful to all within a few months.

Roxanne Godsey says Keva is a young dog -- under 2 -- and weighs 17 pounds. Based on the hair she has left, the vet and cocker folks think she'll be a red buff when her coat is restored.

"A good Samaritan found her and she was taken to the Milam Road Animal Hospital," says Rox. "A shelter walker passed on the pics & info to us and the rest is history. They sure do love her at the vet's."

As is often the case with rescued dogs, Keva "seems so grateful to be taken care of and only wants to give all her love in return. Keva is going to be in foster care for a bit longer than normal so that she can get well enough to go to her forever home."

This treatment is easy, but it's not all that cheap, so DFW Cocker Spaniel Rescue has dipped into the emergency medical fund -- now, the organization is working to replenish the fund and find a home for Keva. Click HERE to see how to help or to apply to adopt Keva.

ANOTHER MANGE DOG: This one, named Sorrow, is from Houston. According to a note from Courtney Brown of  Animal Rescue Kingdom, Sorrow "wandered up on a nice lady's porch. She contacted ARK and we were willing to take on his care. Sorrow is a pit bull mix and is approximately 3-4 months old. He obviously has not been taken care of and has horrible mange and many other problems. ... Sorrow is safe now and being treated medically but it will take several months to get him on his feet again."

Click here to see donation and adoption information.

THEY DON'T ALL HAVE MANGE; THIS ONE HAD ICICLES: And, having been rescued, the Red Dog needs a place to live. Lisa Davis reports that "on Wednesday of last week, the day of the really bad freezing rain, one of my co-workers that did make it into work found a dog tied to a tree in front of the building. The dog's legs, tail and belly had icicles on them."

Employees took the dog in, cleared out a spot in a warehouse for him and another went to a nearby store and bought dog food and a collar. The dog spent the night in the warehouse. The next day the dog was going to be taken to a pound. But Lisa took the dog home with the intention of finding it a permanent place to live.

So far, she has had no luck. All shelters are full and nobody's in the market for this dog. "I have received many calls and e-mails giving me suggestions, but no one has any room."

Unable to find any help -- she already has three dogs -- Lisa decided to drop this dog off at the Rowlett Animal Shelter Monday evening. She's still interested in helping this dog find a home. If you can help, e-mail [email protected]. Here is the Rowlett shelter link.

"I have tried to do the right thing and give this dog a chance," Lisa writes. "However I am getting frustrated at the rejection I am getting from everyone. I can't foster this dog, due to me already having three dogs of my own, and I live in a community were I can only have so many dogs to begin with. 

"We call him Red, and he loves to play fetch, he sits (sometimes) and is a sweet boy. He gets along with other dogs and he gets along with teenagers. I don't have young children or cats. He looks like a mix between a Retriever and a Irish Setter. He is around 40 pounds and has gained a few since we took him in. He loves attention. He is a chocolate color."

And he was once tied to a tree in a winter storm. Now he's in a shelter, but the clock is ticking.

A PENNY SAVED: This tip was sent to us via Cary Birdwell and Adopt-a-Dallas-Pet.

The story goes that Penny was "found standing in the middle of a road, stopping traffic. She had apparently had puppies at some point and was full of milk. She was more than happy to jump into the car and leave."

She's being treated for heartworms and "is doing great now."

The theory is that energetic Penny, who loves to play with other dogs, would be best suited for a home "with another energetic dog and no small children. She would especially benefit from training classes and someone to spend time with her."

Her caretakers want to make sure she's adopted to someone in the Greater Dallas area so they can keep up with her. To ask about adopting Penny, e-mail [email protected].

THE HISTORY OF COACHING: Tom Landry, Jimmy Johnson, Barry Switzer. Then, Chan Gailey, Dave Campo and Bill Parcells. So, after decades of never having a coach that didn't win a Super Bowl, the Dallas Cowboys have now had three in a row that didn't win diddly.

In fact, the Cowboys haven't won a playoff game in this century. The record rivals that of the Texas Rangers, who won only one playoff game in the entire 20th Century and, in this century, have been as close to the playoffs as you can get in a recliner in front of TV.

Catchers and pitchers report to spring training in Surprise, Ariz., on Feb.17. This is the next year we've all been waiting 'til. And I am a 95-pound ballerina dancing en pointe.

Monday arrives...

It's a fine Monday morning  in North Texas with sunshine and "crisp" temps. We know who will be in the Super Bowl (Chicago and Indianapolis) and, in Dallas, we know who will not be. Now, let's move on:

HOLLY LAKE RANCH FOUNDLING: The folks with Misplaced Pets at Holly Lake Ranch, the planned community east of Dallas, are trying to find a home for this young German Shepherd. The dog showed up all skin and bones, but young and apparently healthy. He sits and he shakes and he walks on a leash. Our tipster says no one has responded to the "found dog" posters they've spread around.

For now, they're calling him Rin-Tin-Tin and the suspicion is he was dumped on a road behind Holly Lake Ranch. To ask about adopting him, call 903-769-9542.

HELPING ARNIE: You may recall that last week we reported that the folks with Companion Animal Network had picked up Arnie from a local shelter. They knew he was heartworm positive.

But, says CAN's Gail Whelan, more stuff turned up in the vet's exam:

Ruptured right ear drum, ears infected with coccidia and pneumococcus (requiring daily flushing, antibiotics), infected gums (may need surgery and one abstraction), possible neutering difficulties because of undescended testicles, broken back dew claws need to be removed.

All that in one little dog. The vet believes 22 pound Arnie is six or seven years old. And he's possibly a Schnauzer/beagle mix or a Schnauzer/dachshund mix.

Whatever he is, the CAN folks says they "committed to him and we will honor our commitment. ... He is adorable. Very sweet and will make someone a great pet."

To offer to help Arnie with expenses or by giving him a home, e-mail [email protected].

A COUPLE OF SITUATIONS: We got news of these situations courtesy of the folks at Friends of the Animals at Cedar Creek Lake.

First up is a white German Shepherd named Wedo. He's about 4 months old, has been neutered and weighs about 32 pounds. He wound up in a vet clinic because he had parvo -- the vet there saved him, we're told. (To ask about adopting Wedo, call Missy Shuman at 972-422-5116.)

Then, there's this tip that is making the rounds. This heeler girl was adopted by a family that took her to live in the country, but it turns out that she is deaf so the family took her back to the shelter, according to the note posted by Ginger Leach of Fort Worth Animal Care & Control. Ginger's note reads that this "wonderful gal...just needs the right family." (E-mail [email protected].)

LOOKING FOR TEAMMATES: Our pal Audrey Merritt of Chrystie's Kids is looking for folks who want to be on the "Chrystie's Kids &Entertainers of Ellis County Team" to participate in the Cancer Relay of Life in Ennis. The event "kick off" is Feb. 5. To help out, call Audrey at 972-875-1597 or e-mail [email protected].

Also, Audrey says, they're looking for sponsors.

THAT OLD FAMILIAR SONG: Have you heard the music used to promote that Roadrunner computer link up? "Beep beep," I believe it goes. Sound familiar? Yeah, if you're a geezer. It's The Playmates' 1958 hit, "Beep Beep," about a little Nash Rambler challenging a Cadillac. Click HERE.

Ah, yes, in those days when someone said "the Playmates," they thought of this song, not of Hugh Hefner's magazine.

A pair of snoozers...

Ah, we have a first for our weekend feature, "Let Sleeping Dogs Lie & Napping Cats Nap."

That first? A guest photographer! Someone other than the dogs' human took the photos and declared the dogs to be "worthy sleepers!"

Indeed they are. The photographer is our noted tipster and longtime rescuer Consuelo Murray. The dogs' human is also our noted tipster and longtime rescuer, Mary Garrett.

Mary, as you may suspect, is nuts about her pups. And Consuelo has watched as Mary took in these rescued dogs and turned them into the couch potatoes you see here today.

Angelita is the Rottweiler/pit bull terrier mix who is, Consuelo says, "a social sleeper. She does not like to sleep isolated. Her favorite pillow is Montie, Mary's other little tiny 90-pound lap dog."

That's them snuggled on Mary's couch. (Click on the photos to make them larger.)

When Montie is "not available for pillow duty," Consuelo says, "Angelita turns to Mary's rain hat for company."

These are just two of many dogs these rescuers have moved from the streets into their respective homes. Most of the dogs find their ways into new homes and some wind up in no-kill sanctuaries. Wherever they go, one thing is certain: Along the way they felt some genuine love, not just the cold shoulder of Dallas streets.

And, I guess, if these photos prove anything, it is that dogs who like to sleep know exactly how they like to sleep. No need to buy Montie and Angelita "The American Canine's Guide to Comfy Sleeping." These dogs wrote the book on sleeping.

(It is the great privilege of Readlarrypowell.com to weekly spotlight sensational canine or feline sleepers -- oh, any mammal, reptile, relative, whatever will do. Our feature, "Let Sleeping Dogs Lie & Napping Cats Nap," embraces all sleepers and, according to our site meter, is read, literally, around the world. To nominate your sleeper, send the photo and info to [email protected]. It is good to know animals are so comfortable around you that they'll nod right off.  It's a compliment. As an insomniac, I wish they'd bottle that gift.)