ReadLarryPowell.com

Back in the saddle again...

We are attempting to return to business as usual -- or as unusual -- today. Thanks, first, to my Funspouse Martha who penned the following explanation of things and posted it while I was fretting away over fate and how the technology I love has betrayed me. After you read her note, please continue reading about critters and the fact that today is the birthday of another ol' critter, my Mom.

THE TROUBLE IS NOT WITH YOUR SET: This is the InterferingSpouse, just checking in with RLP.com readers to say that the storms knocked out the telephone (and Internet) service at the Stately Powell Mansion where RLP.com is written and published every day. I know that Larry will find a way to claw his way back onto the information superhighway at some point today.

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NOW, CONTINUING OUR THURSDAY TRANSMISSION: Whoa, good grief! It's the end of May already. Last chance this month to do a good deed.

We'll report on Today's Birthday Girl later in our presentation.

And let me remind you right now to go to www.spca.org and get the info about attending the SPCA of Texas Pet Flix 2007 film festival from 6 p.m. to 8:30 pm. Sunday at the Granada Theater.

Tony Zazza of Mix 102.9 will be the emcee and the judges include SPCA President James Bias, film critic Gary Cogill of WFAA (Channel 8), entertainment reporter Victoria Snee of Mix 102.9 and CW 33 and -- sound the trumpets -- me and my funspouse Martha. Our entertainment credentials are legendary -- we've both worked in stage productions, have bought popcorn at movie theaters, know people who have appeared in films and know people in the industry.

Don't forget, tickets are only $10 for an evening of entertaining and sometimes touching films about animals. The winning prize package is worth about $10,000 and includes an Alaskan cruise, air travel, hotel stay and pet boarding at Wüf Pet Resort & Spa during that cruise.

Now, let's see else what we can learn about the world. We have some touching situations today.

LOOKING OUT FOR THE CATS: Gail Whelan of Companion Animal Network has a special mission -- she says it's a "personal goal and passion." It is "assisting the terminally ill and elderly in re-homing their beloved pets."

And now she is helping a woman named Sarah, who called her earlier this week. Sarah "has terminal cancer," Gail says. "She has fought this disease valiantly, with the comfort and companionship of her two friends, Liaku and Lugee. She has lost her battle and she has made her peace. Her only torment is leaving behind Liaku and Lugee to an uncertain and realistically unpromising future. She can no longer care for them and has no family to count on."

The cats are both 9 years old -- barely middle-aged in the world of a carefully cared for cat. They're spayed, up-to-date medically and declawed -- they were already declawed when Sarah adopted them. Liaku is the tuxedo cat and Lugee is the cat cradled in the lady's arms.

To apply to adopt these cats and, thus, help ease the "torment" of someone who loves them, contact Gail at 214-808-3238 or 972-686-8987.

AND TWO MORE SENIOR CATS: This story came to us via both Sydney Busch at Friends of the Animals at Cedar Creek Lake and Julie Maupin of the Humane Society of Navarro County (our tipster in Corsicana!). And it originated in Dallas with Diana Griffin who is trying to do something to help two 15-year-old cats. a black female tabby named AJ and an orange-striped male tabby named Tuesday.

AJ "loves to cuddle and be a friend when she gets to know you....Tuesday can be a lap cat or a tagalong companion. He loves to discuss issues with you," she writes.

The cats have been together since they were kittens. But, the family has "gone through several major changes recently that make it impossible for these sweet babies to remain in the household. The original owner is heartbroken but must choose her family over these wonderful cats."

Both cats are healthy and have no special diet or medical requirements. (To help these cats, e-mail [email protected].

JACKSBORO DOGS: Work continues in Jacksboro where they're trying to empty the non-compliant city animal shelter by finding homes for the dogs.

Naturally, this flies in the face of the traditional way of solving an animal problem in Texas: Just kill it. But, these animals have a friend on the city council, Keri Lane, a veteran animal rescuer who is working to line up homes or rescue groups to save the dogs. (E-mail her at [email protected] or call 940-567-2323 or (cell) 940-507-0669.)

Among the dogs not yet placed is an Australian shepherd mix described as "very wiggly." That may explain why someone has to hold the little 4-month-old fellow still for the camera.

And there is a 40-pound heeler mix, under 2 years old, who needs a home or a rescue group.

(Also, the heeler mix is nearly the spitting image of our heeler mix, Annie! We'd take her here at Readlarrypowell.com but we' already have 7 dogs and 4 cats and, frankly, that's a full house. And, in case you wondered, our heeler mix is a thoroughly interesting dog 24 hours a day - she's lively, affectionate and unlikely to pay attention until you remind her who takes the charge card to the pet store for the food. Then she sort of pays attention.)

JACKPOT: We got this note about a big ol' dawg named Jackpot. Now, as regular readers know, we love these big ol' dawgs. They're huggable and, if pressed, can serve as your attorney on a day when the judge is lenient.

Now, here's the deal with 18-month-old Jackpot. Dianne Watson fell for him and is insisting on getting him out of the Arlington Animal Services shelter and into a good home. In fact, she admits to having bonded with Jackpot when he first arrived at the shelter on May 10

(The shelter is at 5920 W. Pioneer Parkway. Jackpot's ID is #123473. You can e-mail shelter manager Chris Huff at [email protected] or Dianne at [email protected].)

When Dianne met Jackpot, "his right eye was full of 'yellow goop' and he could not open it. I got a warm compress and cleaned his eye; Art, the kennel manager, had some ophthalmic ointment and we took turns putting it in his eye. This boy is so gentle and sweet. he doesn't jump up on you -- playful but not wild!"

Dianne made an appointment on May 19 at her vet's to have Jackpot's eye check. But when she picked him up, he was "coughing horribly,  so when he returned from the vet, Jackpot was placed in one of the livestock pens, isolated from the other dogs."

He got antibiotics for his cough and eye ointment. And it was determined that he'd probably need surgery to correct entropy in his right eye -- that's where the lashes have grown back into the lid. It is painful and debilitating to the dog.

On the good side, Jackpot is heartworm negative.

Jackpot has been at Dianne's house for a few days. She's determined to make sure he gets all the health care he needs -- determined to the point of chipping in on his vet bills when he finds a new home. And that new home will have to understand that Jackpot is an indoor dog. "His house manners are too good" for him to be an outdoor dog, she declares.

He likes other dogs and wants to play with them and has shown no aggression toward cats.
"Both at the shelter and here at the house I have provided him with stuffed squeaky toys (my dog's favorites)," says Dianne. "He loves to make them 'squeak,' but has not chewed any of them up. Jackpot has almost mastered the 'sit' command and the doggie door. He goes out the door, but coming back in still remains a challenge to him. He has had NO accidents in the house thus far and he has sometimes spent long hours alone in our guest master suite. I have a crate in the room, the door to it always open, sometimes he will go in it and curl up and go to sleep. He weighs about 55 pounds but thinks he is a lap dog! Sorry, but he has already learned how to crawl up in the bed with me and will curl up against my body like a cat.

"Jackpot is an extremely affectionate and gentle boy. All you have to say to him is 'uh-uh' and he immediately stops what he's doing. He has tried to 'nibble' on one of the wooden rockers of my wicker rocking chair and he tore the corners off a few pages of a book I left overturned on the bed. These are the worst things he has done since being in our home.

"Best guess as to breed heritage is some chow, some shepherd and possibly some rottie. Maybe a little Aussie mixed in him, too. If a 'Labradoodle' is a 'designer breed' then Jackpot is, too! He has more than a couple of awesome breeds in his heritage and where temperament is concerned, the combination resulted in 'perfection!' His fur is like silk; his ears do not stand erect. He has those wild hairs protruding from his ears like an Aussie. ...Jackpot is. Jackpot rides great in a vehicle, doesn't try climbing into the front seat. LOVES laying on his back while you rub his belly. I can't begin to describe how gentle this boy is for his size.  Jackpot is a real 'couch potato' and earned his name because I believe with all my heart that whoever adopts him will have hit the 'Jackpot'!"

THE BIRTHDAY GIRL: My mom, Pearl, who lives with my  rascally father, Calvin, in Texarkana in what we'll call The House of Ancient Groans & Grins, is celebrating a birthday today. In fact, she is celebrating HER birthday. How old is she? I'm not going to spill the beans. You'll have to ask the fire captain who'll show up to help put out the dramatic blaze atop the birthday cake.

Triumphs and opportunities...

It's Wednesday and it's raining again on North Texas. One of my neighbors is trying to get his lawn mowed before the big storm rolls across our part of town. Oops! He nearly made it! Big drops just sent him and his mower scurrying for cover.

I happen to like tall, wet weeds in a front yard -- or, as we refer to them, "native grasses." Now, here are some triumphs and some opportunities:

UPDATE: Martha Hardwick Hofmeister reports some good news from a downtown Dallas law firm. "The sweet puppy found near Cedar Creek Lake featured [Tuesday] on your blog will have a new home tomorrow [Wednesday] with one of the office assistances in my law firm.. She lives with her parents and her young daughter. They had been looking for a Husky mix or something vaguely 'wolf-life,' so Wylie was perfect for them." And, she reports, that when the adoptor called the foster family, Wylie "was sleeping on his foster momma's tummy." Sweet pup.

STOP LOOKING FOR THIS DOG: This is Daphne. "I'm very lucky," Loren Bennett of Dallas told me about 10 a.m.. "I got her back last night." Daphne was staying at a friend's home in Fort Worth over the weekend, but on May 27 she slipped out of the backyard into unfamiliar territory and vanished.

Loren immediately began checking shelters and e-mailing "keep-your-eyes-open" bulletins to friends and assorted animal websites.

As it turns out, Daphne was still in the neighborhood, happily visiting anyone who'd take the time to visit with her. And Loren got her back last night.

So Daphne, the 8-year-old, liver-and-white cocker spaniel, is back at home and everyone is happy. What's the history on this dog who went missing in Fort Worth. Loren got her 7 years ago through DFW Cocker Spaniel Rescue -- those rescuers had found her in the Oak Cliff Animal Shelter and pulled her to safety. Now, the former Oak Cliff pound dog is a beloved member of the family.

MISSING IN TERRELL: One of our reliable tipsters, Amanda Erwin, recently helped rescue and place a dog found on the campus of Dallas Baptist University. Now, she has a challenge of her own. Her 5 year-old female Lab, Dove, has "gone missing."

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UPDATE: Amanda e-mailed about 3:30 p.m. today that her dog has been found. "I'm still not quite sure of the story but ... she's home safe and sound," she says. We'll try to find out where Dove had been romping.

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She bolted from the yard about 1 p.m. Tuesday with two other dogs. The other dogs were found, but Dove is still missing.

She was last seen in the Poinsettia Circle neighborhood of Terrell. Amanda spent hours driving around looking for her. "This is not like her at all," Amanda says, "so I am thinking someone must have picked her up."

So, if you've seen Dove or you know where she may be, contact Amanda at [email protected].
A CAT NEEDS A HOME: This is Abigail, a Cameo Persian, "in need of a quiet home to live out her remaining days in comfort," says our reliable tipster Colleen Ament who is currently caring for her.

She says Abigail is probably 2 to 4 years old and "has had a tough life." She arrived in rescue in pretty bad shape -- matted hair, underweight, etc. So she was shaved, fed, examined and tested. She's declawed, deaf and has two dislocated discs -- otherwise she's in good shape. The back surgery will be expensive, but for now she seems to be OK on pain meds.

Colleen says, "I would like to find someone with a big heart for Persians who will love her and know when pain meds are no longer the right thing for her."

One vet has recommended euthanizing the cat, but you never know if there's someone who has the money to repair the cat's back and give her a good and safe home. So, Colleen is spreading the word in hopes of finding someone who'll match up with Abigail. (To help out, e-mail [email protected].)

REPORT FROM BURNS FLAT: Terry Lynn Fisher, the rescuer who monitors things at the Burns Flat, Okla., animal shelter, reports that Bailey the Basset, mentioned here yesterday, has been taken in at OK Save A Dog in Prague, Okla. And Freckles, the freckled dog featured on Readlarrypowell.com last week, has been moved from death row at the pound to a foster home in Oklahoma City. There are other success stories. And there is this story -- it has potential for success:

We first heard of this Dalmatian when she turned up in the Burns Flat pound. Terry Lynn suspected she "had babies somewhere" and knocked on doors until she found the family and returned the dog. Now, she's back in the pound, surrendered by the owners. And, she has babies, but Terry says, "I have no idea what happened to the babies....This girl isn't crying to get out -- she is actually screaming. It breaks my heart to see her this way....She looked 'puppied' to death. She's very sweet and loving and when I go into her pen, she just leans against me."

So, Terry Lynn is (again) trying to save this dog. If you can help or know someone who can, call Terry Lynn Fisher at 580-660-1344.

"She has been here twice in a week," Terry Lynn says. "This time she isn't going 'home'."

FLUFFY DOG FINDS HOME: We reported just after Mothers Day that this fluffy white dog had been found near Webb Chapel and Royal Lane in North Dallas. Her finder, Marta, tried to find the dog's rightful folks, but has had no luck and "some dear friends" offered to foster MD (short for "Mothers Day Dog").

Now, Marta reports, "My friends are convinced that MD, now called Sandy, is a wonderful gift and they are very happy to make her a part of their family." Marta says she'd loved to have kept the pup, but that her dog Georgia is "insecure." "The next best thing in that regard is for my friends to adopt her so that I can keep in touch with this sweet pup, thus the story ends happily for all involved."

PAYCHECK-TO-PAYCHECK: Radio news reported this morning that one of the presidential candidates had announced that, if elected, he'd sign his presidential paycheck over to charity.

Seriously, maybe that's what's wrong with the presidency. Wouldn't you feel more comfortable if the person in the oval office NEEDED the job? If he knew that if he did a lousy job, he'd be out of work, his car would go back to the dealership, his home would be repossessed and he'd have to move in with the in-laws? Now, THAT would be presential pressure.

Good animals, bad baseball...

It's a morning that calls for honesty in the workplace: Nothing's worse than a Tuesday morning that feels like a Monday.

Ooof. Thank heavens it'll be a 4-day week.

Just when you get accustomed to taking days off, you have to jump back into the fray. Ah, at least there's a fray into which we can take a flying leap.

So, school's out in Texas and the Texas Legislature has ended its session. There must be a punchline there somewhere -- perhaps the word "detention" can be applied.

SHELBY CHARMS A VETERAN: Shelby, the one-eyed Aussie who was on the clock at the Garland Animal Shelter, was claimed on Friday. Lou Olinger, the veteran rescuer, reports, "I got her out in time on Friday. I took her home and I have had many options as to fostering, rescue groups and possible adoptions from as far away as New York.  She is not going anywhere.  She is mine!

"At first, it did not look like it would work, as Basil my 2- to 3-year-old Lethal White Aussie, deaf but not blind, tried to attack her. But she is very street smart for a year old ... and they are now fast friends. Basil needed a playmate, as all my others are either too old or too small.  She is a living doll.  So beautiful and so very sweet.  She can see well out of her one eye. The other eyeball is in there, but the eye is a slit and no sight at all. She hears very well. We already love her dearly.

"It was a month on May 24 since we lost our beloved Ziggy. Shelby nor anything or anyone will ever replace Ziggy, but I think Zig is happy that we saved Shelby and that we will give her the wonderful home that our Zig enjoyed for his 11 years."

THE JACKSBORO REPORT: They're working under a deadline -- the Jacksboro Animal Shelter has to be rid of its animals by the end of the week -- but they are having some good fortune, reports Jacksboro Council Member Keri Lane who also happens to be a veteran rescuer of critters. "I have been able to arrange placement of quite a few of the dogs here in the Jacksboro shelter," she reports. But stay tuned, she says. There may be some dogs that need placement. These are photos of some of the dogs that are in the shelter. They range from good ol' mutts to purebreds such as these two Jack Russells. (To offer to help, e-mail [email protected])

I am almost certain the town was not named because its official municipal dog is the Jack Russell. Jacksboro may not even have an official dog. But the Jack Russell would be appropriate, don't you think? I mean, geez, Texas already has dog-related names: Colleyville, Pittsburg and Chihuahua Springs, the famous resort for small, hairless dogs.. I'm kidding about Chihuahua Springs, but some developer with land on the outskirts of Dallas just thought, "That might sell to out-of-towners ...."

A HOME FOR HOLLOWAY? There's got to be one out there somewhere. You may recall the story of Holloway. Wendy Anderson of the Southeast Dallas Humane Society was at a vet's office when someone brought the "lost" dog in -- his tags had a number but the number didn't match to a human who knew him.. (Scroll down to May 22 to get the "back story" on this foundling.)

At any rate, Wendy reports, "I still have this dog but not the room for him. If anyone can take him, I will have all his medical done at my vet. Or if someone can foster for me, I do provide all the food and medical he needs."

To help this dog, e-mail [email protected].

RESCUE DOG FACES CRISIS: Marla Margol with Legacy Boxer Rescue has an update on Missy, the dog formerly known as Mrs. Fielder because she was living in an open field, next to an AT&T building at I-30 and Cockrell Hill Road in Dallas.

"Missy's health is deteriorating & she has vets baffled right now.  Meanwhile, the donated funds we had originally received for Missy's spay & heartworm treatment, are being utilized for her treatment in hopes of getting her healthy to even withstand the heartworm treatment.  We have set up a donation button (click HERE ) on our website and would so much appreciate it if you can find the open space to tell her story, so that word can spread for these much needed funds.  Her story can be found on our website www.savetheboxers.com. Missy is listed on LBR's site as a courtesy listing.  Any funds/donations thus far have come from the AT&T employee, friends & my own finances.  She is far from being out of the woods.  We've come too far with this girl and overcome so many obstacles. It would be inhumane to let her down now at her worst."

VOLLEYBALL TO HELP ANIMALS: The folks with Friends of the Animals at Cedar Creek Lake send us many tips about animals and, now, we get one from them about volley ball. This, I think, is the first animal-related volleyball tournament we've reported -- first EVER.

But before we get to that, we'll explain this photo. Joey Waters reports, "My wife found this puppy in the middle of the Seven Points intersection this past Wednesday.  We have taken him to the vet and was treated for an eye infection; worms; cleaned his ears out; and got his first rabies vaccination.  We named him Wylie because he looks a lot like a coyote but he has a lot of Malamute blood.  We would keep him but we already have 2 dogs and 2 cats." (To ask about adopting this little fellow, call 903-340-6641 (cell) or 903-432-3327 (home) or e-mail [email protected].

Back to volleyball:  The Humane Society of Cedar Creek Lake will host a 4-on-4 coed volleyball tournament June 2 at Kemp City Park. Winners get tee shirts and trophies thanks to the sponsorship of Dr. Lisa Jones and Trophies Inc. Entry fee is $40 per team -- proceeds go to the Humane Society. Play begins at 7 a.m. -- isn't it still dark at 7 a.m.? To register or ask questions, call Shorron Rankin at 903-880-2201 or Krista McAnally at 903-288-5943.

FROM BURNS FLAT: The tireless Terry Lynn Fisher, monitor of the Burns Flat, Okla., Animal Shelter, sends a note about Bailey. "She is about 4 1/2 years old and is an owner surrender. Almost a year ago she was left at a groomer's and this family felt sorry for her, so they took her home. For whatever reason, they feel they can no longer care for her so at the end of this week she will be one of my pound babies."

Bailey is purebred, up-to-date on shots but no spayed. She's shy, but "very good with children, dogs and cats," says Terry.
"This sweet girl will be terrified at our pound. Please, if you know of a rescue or someone that can save her from the ordeal of ending up in our pound, let me know."

She has until the end of the week, Terry says. Call Terry at 580-660-1344.

FROM THE HOUSTON AREA, A STOCK-MINDED FOX TERRIER: Our Houston-area tipster Dana Dicker reports that the LaPorte Animal Shelter is loaded with dogs and, especially, cats -- including many mommas and their litters and some cats about to become mommas.

E-mail Dana at [email protected] to ask questions and click HERE to see the LaPorte inventory of critters.

Dana notes that LaPorte has a "gorgeous English Setter that has been there for two weeks already. His name is Petey and he is fabulous and already neutered."

The shelter also has Nasdaq the Fox Terrier. "He moves as fast as the market," she says.

Nasdaq the Fox Terrier -- believe that's the first time I've seen a dog named for Nasdaq.

WEATHER REPORT: We've got more rain in the forecast for today in North Texas. Seems like only a few weeks ago that we were lamenting the lack of rainfall around here. There were giant cracks in the earth, lakes were low and the Texas Rangers stunk. Now the cracks in the earth have closed, lakes are full and the Texas Rangers still stink. It can't rain enough to wash away that much stink.

Kelsie's position on napping...

There is no doubt that this is a dog trying to set a good example for hard-working people everywhere.

"Get some sleep, folks, and here's how you do it," Kelsie seems to be demonstrating.

Thus, Kelsie is our spotlighted pup in our traditional weekend feature, "Let Sleeping Dogs Lie & Napping Cats Nap."

Kelsie bunks with Richard and Betsy White in Rowlett. Richard says Betsy snapped this photo of the 9-year-old Rat Terrier flopped over and snoozing on the bed. That's OK. Kelsie has earned a good rest.

Richard says that Kelsie "had a rough start when we first got her as a puppy -- when she broke her leg running after a ball in the back yard. Two surgeries later, she was as good as new."

She did, however, spend "the best part of six months close to her crate or attached to the coffee table on her leash -- vet's orders."

And she recently "got a new pal from the Rowlett Animal Shelter in the form of Kona, a Beagle mix who is now her best friend," says Richard.

Kelsie looks so natural in this photo that you almost think it's her bed and she just lets the people share it. The pillow sure seems to fit her physique.

(Remember, your sleeping critter -- any species, including relatives -- can be featured in Let Sleeping Dogs Lie & Napping Cats Nap. All you have to do is take the photo of your sleeper or napper or snoozer and e-mail it to [email protected] with information about the critter and his or her people. We're proud to be able to feature these peaceful pictures in a world that has just too much racket most of the time. Seriously, I think all that noise keeps us insomniacs awake more than our deep psychological problems. Sometimes.)

Laws, dogs, cats and night lights ...

OK, gang, we're heading toward the holiday weekend and it's time to remember to drive safely, walk safely, exercise safely and if you're leaving the Greater Dallas/Fort Worth Area for a roadtrip to Oklahoma or Louisiana, gamble safely.

Now, we're going to try to take note of a lot of things with as few sentences as possible:

LAWMAKING: Randy Turner, president of the Texas Humane Legislation Network sent out a nearly giddy note yesterday about the Texas House and the Texas Senate agreeing on a version of the animal cruelty bill. And, if Gov. Rick Perry (left) signs the bill, Mr. Turner says that "for the first time in Texas history it will be a crime to (1) commit cruelty to stray and feral dogs and cats; (2) “recklessly” commit cruelty to an animal (prosecutors will no longer have to prove that a person intended to commit cruelty); (3) kill or cause serious bodily injury to animals “in a cruel manner”—which is defined as “a manner that causes or permits unnecessary or unjustifiable pain or suffering” (it will no longer be necessary to prove 'torture'); and (4) fail to provide water to an animal in a person’s custody."

Other animal-related bills are being weighed by the Legislators as the House and Senate work their ways to a polite and quiet closing ceremony on May 28 -- the law says the session must end at midnight. (Polite and quiet may not be completely accurate.) And, yes, that is Inky, the Cocker Laureate of Texas, showing that not just the governor has good hair in Texas.

FOR BABY BOOMERS: OK, this one is sort of personal. Some of us kids used to listen to the great rock-and-roll radio station WLS (890 AM) as the night air carried its signal from the Windy City south to Texarkana and points in between. From 5 a.m. until midnight on Memorial Day, WLS, now an all-talk station, is staging its "Big 89 Rewind" and will feature all music, all day with such guests platter-spinners as Larry Lujack and John "Records" Landecker. We were first tipped to this via former Fort Worth radio jack Larry Shannon's website, www.radiodailynews.com. Check out details at www.wlsam.com. Wouldn't it be something if music made a comeback and bumped the mouths off the WLS air. Oh, a Baby Boomer can daydream, can't he?

SHELBY: This is a one-eyed Aussie named Shelby. Lou Olinger, the veteran rescuer, sent out a note Thursday afternoon that Shelby -- totally vetted, house-trained and obedience-trained -- is on the list to be put to sleep if nobody claims her by 6 p.m. Friday. She's in the Garland Animal Shelter. Contact Lou at [email protected] or phone 972-965-3287.

CATS AND KITTENS: The Mount Pleasant Animal Shelter is overloaded with kittens. Of course, at this time of the year, if a shelter was NOT overloaded with kittens, that would be news. The Mount Pleasant Animal Shelter is at 501 N. Madison -- Mount Pleasant is 100 miles northeast of Dallas right up I-30. The contact is Theri Brown at 903-575-4174 or [email protected]. No photos -- but you know what a passel of kittens looks like. ... Meanwhile back in the Metroplex, rescuer Russell Posch provides us with links to animals in the Irving Animal Shelter. Click HERE for dogs and HERE for cats.

WIGGLES? There are a zillion dogs needing homes in the Greater North Texas Petroplex but never in a million years would I have guessed that this dog's name is Mr. Wiggles. He really looks like the somber uncle trying to be on his best behavior at a church wedding. Mr. Wiggles, found wandering in Dallas, is now in the care of Animal Rescue of Texas, we hear from ART volunteer and veteran Oak Cliff Shelter Walker Maggie Dahl. The theory is Mr. Wiggles is about 12 and is a Clumber Spaniel/Golden Retriever mix. He may need to lose some weight (kind of refreshing in the rescue world). He's housebroken, hard of hearing and loves to go for a walk around "a short block." And he naps a lot. "He's in pretty good shape for an old guy that came in horribly filthy and flea-infested," Maggie writes. "Thanks to The Petroplitan in downtown Dallas for giving him a much-needed bath.) To see about fostering or adopting Mr. Wiggles, e-mail [email protected].

FROM THE CAN FOLKS: Yesterday we mentioned that the Companion Animal Network is running low on foster homes and spending money. CAN is not running low on dogs. This one is Jillian. She's a 24-pound schnauzer who "totally entertains herself with toys, is housetrained and loves other dogs." CAN's Gail Whelan says, "She is a fairly high energy dog, but she also loves to watch TV or listen to KERA/NPR with you. Her favorite program is Wait! Wait! Don't Tell Me." Ah, a dog with a sense of humor. (To ask about adopting or fostering, e-mail GAIL. [email protected].)

BLUEBELL'S THE NAME, AFFECTION'S THE GAME: This dog is named Bluebell. We've learned of her from Dorrie Mowery, a rescuer who works with a local clinic to help unwanted critters -- she was recently instrumental in helping find a home for Lotus (mentioned last week on this website.) At any rate, Bluebell is a 2-year-old, 45-pound Lab who "had babies when we got her, so she has that natural motherly instinct," Dorrie says. "She is sweet and ready to love." In addition to Bluebell the dog, there are three Siamese kittens, one black cat and three gray kittens available. To ask about any of these critters, e-mail [email protected] or call 214-232-0082 (cell) or 214-522-6703 (work).

Bluebell the Dog. Are there other dogs named Bluebell? This may be a first for me.

CORSICANA PLAN: Our tipster Julie Maupin of the Humane Society of Navarro County says there's a big off-site adopting event coming Saturday for the Corsicana Animal Shelter. Movie Gallery, next to CiCi's Pizza and "in front of Tractor Supply" on Highway 31, will host the shelter adoption event from 10 a.m. until about 1 p.m.. (Check out the inventory at www.corsicanapets.com.)

WANT A DOG WITH FRECKLES? Yep, this one has some freckles. He comes to us from Terry Lynn Fisher in Burns Flat, Okla., where she monitors the city pound. "He was a wiggle worm," she says. "As I let the other dogs out to clean their pen, each one ran up to him to visit him. He is very playful and a real sweet one." The problem is the pound is full and a holiday weekend looms and he's got to be moved ASAP. To help, call Terry Lynn at 1-580-660-1344 or click HERE.

Burns Flat isn't all that far from Dallas/Fort Worth -- especially on a holiday weekend when all you were going to do was avoid yard work, anyway.

ONE COOL CAT: This cat is so cool they named him Sinatra. In fact, Dana Dicker, our reliable tipster from Houston, says he's the "sweet, singing Sinatra." He was saved from the Sugarland Animal Control just before his time was up. She says he is a "year old ball of love with a beautiful long, gray coat and cute little mitted feet. You have probably already guessed how Sinatra got his name -- you should hear this darling boy sing.

"He is quite the social butterfly, too. Within minutes of arriving at his foster home, he was busy investigating and introducing himself to all the other 4-legged friends in the house."

He's neutered, up-to-date on shots, microchipped and, apparently, in tune. To adopt him, call 713-502-4002 or e-mail [email protected].

A DOG IS SAVED: A couple of days ago somebody told Wendy Anderson of the Southeast Dallas Humane Society about a miniature schnauzer with a broken leg in the Oak Cliff Animal Shelter in Dallas. She couldn't sit still until she got the animal into a safer spot. And, as it turns out, this dog has a broken pelvic bone. Wendy says the vet told her the pelvic break would heal in time but that "right above" the dog's knee "there was a clean break and the surgery [to repair the leg] would cost about $1,100."

Because the dog is young, Wendy reports, the vet says "we can try putting it in a splint and about 8 times out of 10 it will heal correctly. If not, we will have to amputate."

These are "before" and "after" photos. "I had to shave him since his mats were so bad they could not be cut off. He had those 'weed spears' in him -- I pulled out about 5 -- and when I say 'in him,' I mean they made sores that looked like little puncture wounds. The good news is he was heartworm negative! The vet bill ended up costing $241."

And, she says, this is a sweet dog who sat patiently through all of his treatments. "When the vet was looking at his leg, he whimpered but never once growled or snapped. He is going to make someone a wonderful boy."

To help this dog, get in touch with Wendy at [email protected].

SANDY'S SEEKING A PLACE TO LIVE: Well, this is your big ol' typical ugly story -- I'll spare you the details, but to summarize, it was all unpleasant for two dogs. We get this from Pam Silva, our contact with Reach Out Animal Rescue (ROAR)  in Athens.

The old chocolate Lab with bad hips, Cheyenne, was adopted, but Sandy, a 4-year-old neutered blue heeler was not. Now, among the indignities Sandy has suffered is "he spent at least one year chained behind a bar ... and was beaten in the head every time he did something -- who knows what."
ROAR is protective of this dog and believes in him. "All of the credit goes to Rhonda Gordon," says Pam. "She went back out there and told the woman to stay in the house and got Sandy, all by herself, with treats into the car. He even gave her kisses. She took him to my wonderful vet...where he got his shots and his teeth cleaned. He is heartworm positive.."

With people, Sandy is fine. With other dogs, Sandy is not. "He will never be good -- probably -- with dogs, cats and children. Still, I know a lot of dogs that aren't," says Pam. ROAR is paying the vet bill, but hopes to get Sandy into a canine training facility for 30 days. This is going to cost $900 and nobody at ROAR has won the lottery lately. To ask about helping Sandy, e-mail Pam at [email protected] or go to the ROAR website HERE.

DALLAS -- A TOWN WITH QUIRKS: The City of Dallas has decided to put a lid on Woodall Rodgers Expressway between Pearl Street and St. Paul and turn the 5 acres of truck-in dirt and greenery into a downtown park on this "deck" over a freeway. This will require closing Harwood Street, eliminating one more way to get out of town in a hurry. Also this week, Dallas has decided to allow downtown buildings to stay lit at night -- if you've ever seen Dallas in the daylight, you know that's a good thing. Dallas is a city that looks best at night. It always reminds me of that Mickey Gilley song, "Don't The Girls All Get Prettier at Closing Time."

Pre-holiday crises and a TV dog...

This is going to be a sort of "Emergency Day" at readlarrypowell.com. We've got overloaded shelters all over the area, Jacksboro is facing a major shelter crisis and the long-time rescue group Companion Animal Network is facing the crises of too many animals/not enough foster homes/dramatic lack of funding. Only people can solve these problems. Read on:

SHELTERS: Some of you will be taking Friday off from work. Some will take the Memorial Day holiday on Monday. Some will take both and have four days off. And some of you are already watching the clock like it's about to start spitting out money.

Whichever you're doing, remember that shelters are often quite packed as a holiday arrives. We've gotten messages from Plano, Little Elm and others in the past 24 hours.

When the adoption rate drops, the euthanasia rate rises. People take holidays; animals don't.

If you have friends and acquaintances who are dogless or catless, you might remind them that they could really help out by adopting shelter animals and saving their lives. (That chow-mix is Erica and the Lab-mix with the "look of hijinx" or, maybe, "I hate the paparazzi" on his face is Lucky. Both are in the Little Elm shelter for now.)

New friends wait for you daily in area animal shelters.

And don't give me that "I don't know where to go" malarkey. This isn't rocket science. Just look in a phone book or Google the shelter in your town. Don't be afraid to fall for a dog or cat. Don't be afraid to let a dog or cat decide to be your friend, either. It's quite an honor.

JACKSBORO CRISIS: We've got a genuine emergency cropping up in Jacksboro, northwest of Fort Worth. And it involves one of the area's noted foster moms, Keri Lane, now serving as Mayor Pro Tem on the Jacksboro City Council.

Some of you know the Mayor Pro Tem as a volunteer with Weimaraner Rescue of North Texas -- others may recall that Keri fostered "Little Joe," the dog whose ears and tail were mutilated last year by a man who was subsequently deported.

Keri and Jacksboro are facing a municipal crisis -- and because of that, so are a bunch of dogs.  The Jacksboro Animal Shelter flunked a surprise state inspection on Tuesday.

"We have known for a while that the shelter needed many upgrades and yesterday the state came in and did a surprise inspection and we failed miserably," Keri says. "On top of that, the animal control officer just retired.

"The situation is we need to clear out all the dogs now and I don't want them to be euthanized. I have gotten the dogs a reprieve for now and have gotten permission from the city manager (who is very pro animal) and the police department to go out and take pictures and get information on all the dogs out there and try to get them placed with other rescue organizations."

We hope to have photos of the dogs later this week. Whenever cats come into the shelter, a volunteer moves them into a cat-specific rescue group because the Jacksboro shelter has no cat facilities.

So, we're just talking about stepping up to save some dogs here. To help save these dogs, e-mail Mayor Pro Tem Lane at [email protected].

Thank heavens there's an animal-sensitive person on the Jacksboro City Council. Ought to be a requirement on ALL city councils.

COMPANION ANIMAL NETWORK'S CRISIS: For years I've been writing about the non-profit (501-c3) Companion Animal Network and its dedication to saving animals. Most of the time these animals are victims of human neglect or human ignorance. Combine three terms -- human, neglect, ignorance -- and you have an expensive challenge.

Add a dash of what's known as "compassion fatigue" and you have a crisis.

Expenses are up, money is down, fosters homes are dwindling and energy is waning, but Gail Whelan marches on. And this week she is facing an ugly reality. She has issued this: "We are in the unenviable and uncomfortable position of asking for donations. We are a small group (3 people) and are unable to raise funds through events.  We have no benefactors and no grants at this time.  We are hoping to apply for grants later this year or early next year, but we are not there yet.

"Donations may be made through PayPal on our website:  www.ca-n.petfinder.com or by sending a check to:  Companion Animal Network, 11529 Glen Cross Drive, Dallas, Texas 75228."

Now, that's pretty straight-forward. And when you donate you want to know who you are helping. This dog Jenny is the latest dog to come into CAN's foster system. Earlier this week, Gail pulled Jenny, a 10-year-old Beagle, from the Tri-Cities Animal Shelter, a municipal shelter jointly operated by DeSoto, Duncanville and Cedar Hill. Jenny's human died, Gail says, "and the rest of the family just took her to be euthanized. She is a lovely dog... Sweet, playful, house-trained, social." Routine blood work just to make sure she's healthy will be $100, Gail says. "I could have left her. But, then, I couldn't."

In recent weeks, some people have made foster commitments, then backed out -- this means that an already rescued dog winds up living with other dogs when he or she ought to be living in a nice quiet foster home and learning how to be a well-behaved canine companion.

Why do fosters back out? Gail says, "One didn't realize there was a weight limit for animals at their condo. ... One decided she was not 'emotionally ready' to be a foster. One spoke up before asking her husband."

So, how can a person help the Companion Animal Network? Adopt from the group. Foster for the group. Donate to the group. And, maybe, you're cash-poor but you know how to write grant applications -- donate some time and some skills.

Companion Animal Network isn't the only group that has spent the past two years trying to recover from the arrival of all those hurricane animals. You may recall that even before those rescues, shelters and rescue groups in North Texas were burdened to the breaking point by "local" animals.

The Katrina and Rita animals may have come to North Texas because of an act of nature -- but shelters are now overflowing because of the same ol' human reasons: acts of ignorance and neglect. The burden of making things right for these wronged animals falls on the shoulders of good people. Bless their hearts and dry their tears.

SADIE IN PLANO: Our pal Debbie New at the Plano Animal Shelter is keeping us up to date on Sadie, the dog with Addison's Disease.

The  3-year-old dog has been "sinking," Debbie says. She's getting meds for her condition and a staffer has taken her home to see if one-on-one care will help her -- stress, such as dogs get in shelters, complicates Addison's. (You can read about Addison's here.)

We first reported on Sadie's plight last Friday (May 21) and you can read about her by scrolling down to that entry.

To offer to help Sadie, e-mail [email protected] or stop by the city-run shelter at 4028 W. Plano Parkway. Call 972-769-4360.

Sadie is not the only animal in the Plano Shelter as we approach the holiday weekend. Remember to pass the word along.

IN HAPPIER NEWS: OK, so  that today won't be just crises and complications, we turn to our buddy Ed Bark, the famed TV critic, whose work can be seen at www.unclebarky.com. He has tipped us to Stormy the Weather Dog at a TV station in Tyler, CBS 19. We always find it amusing when we can get a dog tip from a guy named Bark. Ed's probably tired of such references.

That's Stormy in a photo gleaned from the tv station's website. Click HERE and then click on the dog's photo at the top of that website.

Isn't it good to know that there is at least one TV station somewhere with a sense of humor and, unlike Dallas' current TV crop, it's not all crime and crises on the tube.

Sometimes there's a little dog that barks a weather report.

Sports, lawmaking, dogs, cats & cars

This is Wednesday and a good day for paranoia. Or, perhaps, tranquility. You pick.

Let's move on with the day's activities without even mentioning that Arlington has won the right to host the 2011 Super Bowl and that there's no World Series on the horizon in the foreseeable future or, apparently, until you-know-what freezes over. Maybe the Texas Rangers should put Roger Staubach in charge of the "Committee to Find Pitching."

ALERT ON HORSE SLAUGHTER: As work began in Austin this morning we got an e-mail from the folks at the Texas Humane Legislation Network saying "we have learned that Senator Seliger plans to amend a bill today in the senate that will legalize horse slaughter."

The THLN wants folks to call their state senators and "urge him/her to watch for such an amendment and to vote against it."

This is Sen. Kel Seliger, Republican of Amarillo (the photo is from his Senate website). There is no plant in Amarillo that slaughters horses for human consumption -- the last two in Texas were in Fort Worth and in Kaufman County.

Amarillo is home of the Big Texan Steak Ranch where the meal is free if you can eat the 72-ounce beef steak in one sitting. That's a beef steak. Not a horse steak. Surely nobody out there in the horse-happy Panhandle would chow down on a horse.

To find out who your senator is, click HERE.

The Texas Legislature has more ways to wiggle than a bucket of nightcrawlers.

LOU THE DOG: Isn't this the absolute photo of a dog with mange? The defeated look is the killer. Like the spirit is gone. Ah, but there's good news. This is a photo of Lou BEFORE. The "after" Lou is a handsome brindle rascal with a great spirit.

Melinda Franklin found Lou in West Dallas -- she works at a school there. And, as observers of animals in Dallas know, West Dallas is rough on critters. Rough on humans, too.

Melinda recalls, "I couldn't leave him to die. I couldn't bear the thought that all he'd known in his life was rejection and pain. ... He was only six months old and in such bad shape that he had to have been born with the mange and the infections which had him, when I found him, in between life and death. The stench in my car from his rotting skin is hard to forget.

"When I first saw Lou, he was sitting with his butt on the curb and paws in the street -- head down. I often work in neighborhoods where I see strays running the streets. I've rescued so many cats. But I've never seen an animal look like this. He looked like a ghost to me. I wasn't even sure I was looking at a dog as I drove past him."
It took her 25 minutes to trap him -- he was weak and ran out of gas.

A man stopped to help and put on some heavy work gloves so he could lift the dog. "He just cratered in the man's arms because he was so weak and frightened to death. He lived in my garage for the first two months because he was contagious to my cats. For the first 10 days, he only stood to go to the bathroom. Then he would return to the blanket."

It took her two weeks to get him to walk on a leash and another two months to get him to walk more than a block or two. "He wouldn't look anywhere but at the back of my legs. Not even a squirrel or another dog could catch his attention. I thought he was just well behaved, but I understand now that he was just that sick, weak and traumatized."

All of that was more than a year ago. Melinda has patiently socialized Lou the Dog and "he is the sweetest little guy."

Well, not all that little. "At 75 pounds," she says, "He is not longer little, but in my mind he is. He has a lot of energy and definitely needs to be walked on a leash as he likes to chase anything that moves. .... He is gentle with all other animals. he has lived with my 4 cats and has been around lots of other dogs. He was attacked by a female Pit half his size. His reaction was to drop to the ground -- submit. This happened when I took him to meet a family who wanted to adopt Lou as a sister for their family dog, Lily. Lily, it turns out, is dog aggressive. ... I drove all the way to Itasca to introduce Lou to them. When I left with Lou the husband was still t4rying to get me to 'put Lou in the pen with her and see how they do.' A lot of imbeciles out there."

So, that brings us to this point. Lou still needs a good home. To audition to adopt Lou, the healed dog, e-mail [email protected] or call 214-202-7097.

No imbeciles need apply.

KITTENS READY TO ROMP: We got this tip from Deborah Fugit, mom of Daisy the Westie, soon to be profiled in an edition of Urban Animal magazine. One of Deborah's colleagues at the Billingsley Company, Tom Holland, has a trio of kittens that need good homes. Or one good home if you are patient and confident in your abilities to herd cats.

At any rate, Tom says there are "stray" cats that live "in the neighborhood that all of the neighbors kind of take care of and one of the cats had kittens." These good-hearted neighbors are in Lake Highlands Estates.

The kittens needing homes are two gray females and an orange boy. And as you can see from these photos, one likes old shoes, one likes the bed and the orange boy likes to pose for action photos. If he grows into his ears, you'll need an exotic animal permit to keep him on your property! (To ask about adopting, e-mail [email protected].)

KITTEN FOSTERS NEEDED: Our reliable tipsters at the Friends of the Animals at Cedar Creek Lake are looking for someone to help foster and socialize some kittens. Lois Reller reports that a feral cat "has five colorful kittens now about three weeks old."

To offer to foster or, perhaps, to adopt these "colorful" kittens, contact Lois at [email protected] or call 903-887-7691.

RADIO SPOT: Now, seriously, has there been a real good car slogan since "See the USA In Your Chevrolet"? On the radio this morning I heard a spot that says Kia has "The Power To Surprise." Back in the early 1970s I had not one but two Chevrolet Vegas. Their power to surprise often involved a muffled explosion, smoke billowing from under the hood and a tow truck. Don't know why Chevy quit making Vegas -- maybe GM ran out of letters of apology...though I don't recall getting one. Or two. 

On Tuesday, lots of dogs...

It's Tuesday. Let's get right work as if we didn't even care that a holiday weekend was waiting at the end of the week.

WALLY NEEDS OUT: Russell Posch, the independent rescuer who monitors things at Irving's city shelter, asks, "Do you know anyone who favors Chows? This guy is NOT a typical Chow. He's very loving and waggy -- likes to interact with humans."

Of course, there are people who will swear that THEIR Chows are always loving. Their Chows may not have been locked in a cage to await death, however.

Russell's note reports that Wally is 5, neutered and was an owner-surrender. "He stays at the front of his cage and wants to visit anyone who comes by. He is very waggy and licky. West Texas Chow Rescue says they're full and can't take him. Can someone step up for this sweet boy? His tracking number is 1583. He's available now."

The Irving Shelter can be reached at 972-721-2256. Or click HERE for more shelter info.

DOG DEJA VU: Sandra Teter saw a picture of this dog and says she "could swear" that this dog was post in a newspaper ad "forever. It was lost and the owner ran an ad for weeks and weeks. It was lost in the North Dallas area. It is not in the paper any more."

So, we're turning to readers of www.readlarrypowell.com to see if anyone recalls spotting this particular dog in a newspaper ad. In the meantime, here's the story of this particular dog as we know it.

This dog is Tasha, a female husky, currently at the Richardson Animal Shelter. (Click HERE.)

The dog is described as "beautiful and well-behaved. She came to the shelter as a stray."  (This information was first passed on by Elise Bissell, executive vice president of Richardson AnimaLuv Inc., 214-908-0074.)

And, there you have it: Whether Tasha is the dog Sandra saw in the newspaper ad or a different stray, she still needs a home. And, hopefully, it'll be the right home -- either the right NEW home or the right OLD home. A good reunion would be nice.

Those people who placed the newspaper ad invested a lot of money in trying to find their dog and lord knows how many people actually saw that ad.

A TWIST IN THE TALE OF A DOG: Oh, boy, this is rich. We get the story from Wendy Anderson, the longtime force behind the Southeast Dallas Humane Society.

It has to do with Holloway -- this dog who is an undetermined mix who at times looks like "he may have some Dobie in him or maybe Weimie," Wendy says.

Heck, he may be pit. May be bird dog. May be who knows? Maybe he's just one of the Good Lord's mutts -- mixed up and happy to be here.

This dog had shown up with a collar and a tag with a phone number on it. In rescue, that's one of your basic miracles -- a tag with a phone number! Alas, fate stepped in.

Here's the story from Wendy: "I was at an interview at a Vet Clinic when a lady came in about a stray dog with a name tag, she called but the people were not home and she could not keep him. This is RIGHT off I-635. The vet's office said they could not take him in so I offered to take him thinking that the owners would call once they got off work....Well, the people called back but they said that was NOT their dog and they don't know how THEIR number got on the tag since they have had the same number for YEARS! So, now this mystery dog is in my back yard and I really don't have room for him. He has no micro chip by the way.  He is about 5-6 months and has not been neutered. He is very thin but tall although he looks like he could be a Pit mix, maybe he has Dane or Weimie in him. I don't know."

She says he gets along with the other rescues. But he needs a home. To help him find one, e-mail [email protected].

A REQUEST TO HELP A DOG: Shelby Patrick has issued a request for sincere help. Here's the story: "I have to move and cannot take our beautiful dog with us. I am not being irresponsible, I had her re-homed over a month ago with a full return promise. She was returned unexpectedly this weekend thru no fault of her own.

"Her name is Chicken -- she is so gentle and loving that the name fits. She is not mean at all,  hence the name Chicken.

"She is 2 1/2 yrs old, has all shots, spayed, microchip and housebroken. She loves children, loves going on walks and is well behaved in public. 

"We have 6-month-old twins, she loves them and we trust her in the house with them. Also, she doesn't chew furniture and can be left alone. She is also crate-trained as well as house-broken. ... any help is greatly appreciated."

Call Shelby at 972-293-2641 or 606-344-2728.'

STILL LOOKING FOR A HOME: I've been trying for a couple of days to remember the name of that movie from a few years ago that featured an Italian Greyhound. No dice.

The Iggys became hot items after the film --  just like Dalmatians after 101 Dalmatians.

Every now and then, someone will realize that their Italian Greyhound just doesn't fit into their lives. And that's how Mac, a 2-year-old, came to be available. His owner was gone from home 12 to 14 hours a day and Mac was crated the whole time.

He's neutered (now), up to date on shots and house-trained. He's currently in a foster home and, our tipster says, "adores their dogs." Nobody's sure how he is around cats or kids. And, his foster family says that "when you pick him up, he literally hugs you."

His adoption fee, $70, will cover his vet expenses. To audition to adopt Mac the Italian Greyhound, contact either Barbara or John Kennedy at 903-451-3093 or e-mail [email protected].

We've mentioned Mac before on readlarrypowell.com. The folks at Friends of the Animals at Cedar Creek Lake have kindly monitored his situation for us.

You'd think such an affectionate movie-star-type dog would go pretty quickly on the adoption market.

There are many mysteries in the world, among them why some animals are easily adopted and others are not.

RANGER PRIDE: Look, kids, the Texas Rangers have been swinging away lately, really running up the score on the opponents. But, experience tells us it's too early to declare that this is a "trend." Still, in your heart you think, "Should I begin saving up for those World Series tickets?" Or just convert that money into a CD that matures about the time Jerry Jones and Arlington get to host the Super Bowl?

The Texas Rangers have broken more hearts than all the roulette wheels and blackjack dealers in Vegas, Reno and Bossier City combined. If the Rangers were a high school football team, you'd want your team to play them at homecoming.

Energy, fostering and tapping...

Is there an energy crisis in America? Monday is the wrong day to ask that question.

On Sunday afternoons, sometimes, I take the big fellow, Hambone Jack, for a ride in the family pickup. We went for one yesterday -- and the whole time Hammy's nervously looking at the gas gauge and saying to me, "You're paying HOW much for a gallon of gasoline? That's not going to cut into the canine food budget, is it?"

Then his next question was, "I'm not going to have to get a job, am I?"

Well, there's your modern American challenge. Let's move on to see if there are situations that can be solved:

A FOSTER CRISIS: Well, goodness, these dogs are out of kill shelters, but there's been a bump in the road, a hitch in the giddyup, a fly in the ointment and a monkey wrench in the machinery.

Their fosters backed out.

Debbie New of the Plano Animal Shelter had been trying for a while to find someone to take Sammo, a black Lab mix (left), and, finally, on what would have been his "last" day, Gail Whelan of Companion Animal Network stepped up. "We had a confirmed foster or we would not have been able to pull him," she says.

Then, last Friday, Gail pulled the handsome, big-eared Ernie from the Tri-Cities Animal Shelter on his last day. And, she had a "confirmed foster," she says.

But, she reports, "As has been happening with nauseating regularity, both fosters backed out. Once I have committed to take a dog, I will NOT go back on my promise -- not to the dog, not to the shelter."

She says that she has the dogs at her house, but her home is full now. Not just with these two but with others that she has on a temporary basis.

So, Gail is desperate to get some foster help, especially, she says, for Ernie (right).

Ernie is 7, neutered, up-to-date on shots and weighs 75 pounds. "He is housetrained, calm, walks well on a leash, doesn't chew and wants to lean on you. ... "

To offer to help Gail with any of the dogs in the Companion Animal Network safety net, e-mail [email protected] .

Gail is also working on finding a home for Kramer (left), a young purebred Doberman currently housed at a kill shelter. He's been up for adoption for two months, she says, and his opportunities to escape an ugly fate are fading fast. (To ask about him, e-mail Gail at the above address or call George Bowmer at 214-263-7097 or Gail at 214-686-8987. Why don't we list Gail's cell number? She explains, "One of my fosters at my cell phone...")

THE PLANO CONNECTION: After Sammo went into the Companion Animal Network, Debbie New at Plano Animal Services began focusing on getting a home for Sadie. Here's the story from Debbie:
"Poor Sadie is a very loving and sweet 3-year-old who was given up by her owner because they were moving. She was so heartbroken when they left her here that she ran to the front door to follow them. Sadie is a special needs dog who has Addison's Disease which requires monthly medication. She is housetrained, knows all sorts of commands and likes to sleep in her owner's room. She likes other dogs -- depending on the dog, of course -- and is very friendly and playful with children. She loves to play fetch and play with squeaky toys. She is calm and a quiet dog too. Sadie has many years left in her so please consider adopting this very special dog." (E-mail [email protected] or stop by the city-run shelter at 4028 W. Plano Parkway. Call 972-769-4360.)

REMINDER: May 25 is the deadline for entering the SPCA of Texas' annual PetFlix film festival. Details are at www.petflix.org. Also, you can buy $10 tickets to attend the festival of films on June 3 at the Granada in Dallas. It's a fun time.

SHOW BIZ TAPPING TALE: Over the weekend we got a note from legendary Dallas Tap Dazzler Fran Dempsey. The Tap Dazzlers, as you may know, are a troupe of tapping fanatics who have tapped for such events as the Cotton Bowl Parade (they still have one of those?) in Dallas, Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York and at other high-profile events. Here's the latest from Fran: "You won't believe what the Dazzlers did last Saturday [May 12]! We were called to show up for ... auditions for America's Got Talent held at the the Hilton (LBJ/Dallas Parkway). Jerry Springer ... is the host this next season of AGT and after taping two of our routines, he interviewed us, even wanted to get in the middle of us for a picture AND in our kick line. With his newly-acquired dance experience, he stayed up with us perfectly and didn't miss a kick. He was very cordial and no boxing match broke out!"

Fred and his pickles...

Our weekend feature, Let Sleeping Dogs Lie & Napping Cats Nap, is proud to present a little pickle-eatin' fellow named Fred.

That's Fred snoozing by himself.

And, you can take a look at the other photo and see that Fred is not often by himself.

These are the critters that have apparently owned the couch in Audrey and Gary Merritt's home in Ennis. You, too, may have dogs or cats that own your furniture. It's just something that happens before you even know it. (Audrey IDs the couch dogs as poodles Missy, Radar and Gadget and Juliette, the black and tan doxie curled up in the middle, and one more poodle, Raider. On the back of the sofa are Dusty and Mickey. Missy, Radar and Raider have all moved off of Audrey's foster couch and were adopted -- perhaps to find new couches of their own.)

Regular readers of this website will recognize Audrey's name -- she's the energy behind Chrystie's Kids, the charity in Ellis County, and, of course, NECAAP, the North Ellis County Animal Awareness Program.

Fred is a 10-year-old miniature poodle. Audrey has had him since he was 4 -- since the day Audrey pulled him out of the Tri-Cities Animal Shelter, the municipal shelter that tends to animal business on behalf of Duncanville, DeSoto and Cedar Hill.

There was something special about Fred that touched Audrey: Fred has been blind from birth.

Yep, he's a blind miniature poodle living with a gang of rascals.

"He's definitely spoiled," Audrey says. "And he sleeps where he wants to."

And here comes the confession: "He's the only poodle I know who eats dill pickles. That's his treat."

He prefers the traditional dill pickle slices -- like you'd find on a hamburger at, perhaps, the nearby Waffle House.

In fact, when Audrey walks into the Waffle House, she says, "The cooks ask 'Do you need some Fred Food'? The other customers don't know what they mean, but they know what Fred needs."

So, with this report on Fred the Pickle-Eating Dog, we increase the world's knowledge of what can happen if you give a dog with a "problem" a chance. He'll work his way into your heart, reserve a spot on your couch and find his way into the minds of the folks at the Waffle House. He'll also sleep where ever he wants, just as the Good Lord intended.

(Remember, readlarrypowell.com is proud to help you show off your sleeping critters. Just send the photos and info about the humans and the animals to [email protected]. Let Sleeping Dogs Lie & Napping Cats Nap is our way of saluting the animals who truly understand what it means to doze off. After all, at readlarrypowell.com, our corporate motto is "Insomnia or Else.")