Over the weekend I got a comforting message from a Chinese fortune cookie, "No need to worry. You will always have everything that you need."
Now, either my needs are very limited or ... well, I'll check my winning lotto numberse later... Let's move on to several items including one about why "instant replay" is important in cats.
LITTLE BITTY DOG: Our rescuing pal Consuelo "Dr. Chelo" Murray has been dealing with what we'd all call a "personal crisis" that involves chemotherapy and radiation and that sort of challenge.
Wendy Anderson of South East Dallas Humane Society, in the meantime, had gained custody of Baby Girl, whom Consuelo calls "a little bitty dog." (Regular readers and folks familiar with rescue know that the South East Dallas folks usually wind up with big ol' dawgs. Big!)
Baby Girl appears to be a Papillion/Chihuahua mix. And, as people who saw last weekend's "Let Sleeping Dogs Lie and Napping Cats Nap" feature here at Readlarrypowell.com, Wendy also has a 2 1/2 year old.
When Baby Girl was "rescued from the streets, she had a little bit of Demodex mange," Dr. Chelo says. "But the stress of life with an active toddler were a little bit too much for Baby Girl's sensitive nature and her Demodex started getting worse.
"Wise Wendy decided that Baby Girl needed some serious convalescence and who better to help with that than someone who had experience with Serious Convalescence -- me! So, little bitty Baby Girl came to my house."
Initially Baby Girl was a bit shy in the home and stuck to her "blankies and pillows."
"Then," Dr. Chelo says, "the magic of the Multiple Dog Household did its thing and little Baby Girl's real personality came out.
"She dances on her back legs, terrorizes my Fox Terrier mix, Dudley, and they get the evening 
Zoomies on schedule, racing down the hall, up the sofa, down to the floor, bounce off the patio, into the yard and repeat until fatigued."
And there's this side: "For a little bitty foo-foo dog, Baby Girl is a Mighty Blanket Thief. She snuggles under the covers at night, and sometime around 2 or 3 a.m., she has managed to wind the sheets and blankets all around her, like some canine taco, leaving me to freeze, clinging to the corner of the bed clothes while she snoozes happily."
Her hair is growing back but "from one side she looks like a Papillion/Chihuahua, from the other she is looking more and more like a Chinese Crested."
And, Dr. Chelo ads, "Being half-bald doesn't bother Baby girl one bit. As far as she is concerned, she is the most beautiful dog in the world, and the only reason SHE did not take Best in Show at the Garden is that she could not get a flight out to New York in time! She is affectionate, smart, playful and very loving. She will push limits, and will benefit from Obedience Training."
You can ask about adopting the beautiful, lively Baby Girl by getting in touch with the South East Dallas Humane Society. You can click HERE or call 469-831-7833.
UPON FURTHER REVIEW: Our reliable tipster Trish Barrington, the Animal Control Division manager at The Colony, sent us a note about a cat and asked, "Will you mention this beauty? I'm not often taken by a cat, but this one is really special. She just looks like she should be in a bay window sunning herself."
About two minutes later, a second message from Trish arrived. "She's a he, upon further review and fur-parting." Still looks like he ought to be sunning himself in a bay window, though.
And, Trish says the cat, once known as "Stella," is now known as "Stellar." And, Stellar the Feller, er, Fellow is 13-pounds of litter-trained cat. He also is among the "most affectionate" cats The Colony has had in a while, Trish says. He's got peach markings on his legs and "little cream tufts here and there. What a lovely, lovely cat," she says.
To ask about Stellar, e-mail [email protected] or call 972-370-9250.
TIPPY: There can be quite a bit of anxiety in dealing with rescued rascals and Cathie Desell, one of 
our regular tipsters, is experiencing that right now.
This kitten, Tippy, "is one of a trio of strays I have 'semi-adopted' who has recently started staying in the house on occasion," she says. He was among some ferals she'd been trying to coax to civilization. This isn't always a particularly simple task. Often they don't want to be civilized.
She says Tippy "did not come home one morning last week when the rest of the outside cats showed up for breakfast. I have put up flyers in the neighborhood and called the Irving City Shelter, but he seems to have disappeared into thin air. ( I would not be surprised if someone else in the neighborhood had been feeding him and won his affection, as he is a very beautiful cat and very sweet, litter box trained, etc.) If so, I would be satisfied, just do not want him alone and scared. If you have room in a column soon, can you run a little nugget about him? I am in Irving in the Walnut Hill and Belt Line area, and can be reached at 214-441-2885 or 214-220-5729."
People who deal with feral cats arrive on the planet with an extra helping of enthusiasm. Cathie says, "I am still trying to trap the rest of the feral strays and get them fixed -- seven down, one to go."
CAMP BOW WOW'S CHARITY WORK: I should have mentioned this a lot earlier, but my filing system isn't what it ought to be and sometimes stuff slips out of sight. Still, there is plenty of time to join in on a project that benefits both Animal Rescue of Texas (ART) and Lucky Dog Rescue of Arlington.
We get the story from our reliable rescue source Becky Delgado. Here's the info:
Becky notes that she assists Camp Bow Wow, "a premier doggy day and overnight camp located just outside of downtown Dallas, with doing events, writing their newsletter, etc. I wanted to let you know that during the month of February, CBW is hosting its first annual 'Cupids and Canines - Find Your Puppy Love Match!' It's a fundraising 'event' of sorts. This is our first year doing this, so I'm not sure how we will do, but funds that are raised will be going to two local animal rescue groups. Animal Rescue of Texas (ART) and Lucky Dog rescue (Arlington).
"The two rescue groups have put together binders with pictures and bios of their adoptable dogs, brochures and other materials which CBW has set up for display in their lobby. We want to try and spotlight these dogs with the CBW clients, friends, family, coworkers, etc. CBW is accepting donations from their clients during the month and selling some training booklets written by Patricia McConnell, a renowned animal behaviorist, proceeds of which will go to the two groups.
"For any new campers that come to CBW during February as a result of learning about the camp thru Cupids and Canines, CBW will donate 10% of the proceeds for their first day of camp to the two rescue groups.
"Any dogs adopted out thru Cupids and Canines will also receive a gift certificate from CBW for 2 free days of day camp. Additionally, CBW will also be donating new leashes and collars to each group. We have several fun things planned for clients and campers throughout the month as well."
Camp Bow Wow is in the shadow of Downtown Dallas at 1800 Irving Blvd. Call 214-747-3647 (that's 214-747-DOGS). Or e-mail [email protected].
UNCLE BARKY'S SATURDAY SHOW: Oh, boy, our pal and former colleague at the big paper in Dallas, Ed Bark, the TV genius, has scheduled another show for 4 p.m. Saturday. This time he'll be talking with Fox 4's Good Day Team Tim Ryan and Megan Henderson.
The venue is Stratos Global Greek Taverna, 2907 W. Northwest Highway in Dallas (near Bachman Lake). Just an FYI: Go for the conversation, but by all means, go for the food, too. The salads are magnificent (that's my vegetarian 
opinion). Mmmm, hummus, too.
Anyway, the format is Ed basically conducts a TV interview show without benefit of network cameras. You'll learn things and be entertained.
And, in the meantime, you can keep up with events in broadcasting by visiting Ed's website www.unclebarky.com. And, yes, I'm aware of the fact that a site known for helping ol' dogs is also pitching a site and event for a guy named Bark.
THE BEEF RECALL: In the reporting on the Great Beef Recall of '08, I couldn't find a story that said exactly when the Humane Society of the United States investigator had been at the Hallmark/Westland plant in Southern California. So I asked the HSUS and the response was, "Our investigation was conducted over a six-week period during October and November of 2007."
The HSUS didn't release the info, according to its own timeline, until Jan. 30. The meat recall was issued Feb. 17. From autumn to Feb. 17 -- don't know how much of that meat was still on the shelf.
Well, goodness, what can you say. The "sense of urgency" might not have been that great? Of course, on behalf of carnivores, we have to say thank heavens someone is watching these things.
CONTEMPLATIONS: We've got drizzle around here today, so our song for the day is the melancholy Marry Hopkin hit, "Those Were The Days." ... OK, gang, I've got to give full credit to my brainyspouse Martha for this: Congress gets all alarmed over the use of steroids and human growth hormones in Major League Baseball and stages hearings about things in that industry. Where are the hearings into the drug behavior in the film industry? When you count the deaths, maybe it's time the government acted to protect those stars by having hearings. ... For your mulling pleasure, which do you prefer, the Michael Douglas/Albert Brooks version or the Peter Falk/Alan Arkin version of The In-Laws? It comes down to "Serpentine" or "The Fat Cobra," perhaps.
