It's Friday and we're just danged happy to be here. Winter is coming back, but that's OK.
We can still light the artificial Christmas tree in the living room and pretend that it's December and 
not just beyond the midway point in February. A person can pick his own insanity sometimes.
By the way, you might think it's a little early for "puppy and kitten season" -- not around here. Check the shelters. They're loaded.
And keep your eyes open as you drive down the road, too. Here's a prime example:
On Valentine's Day, Robyn Kirby found eight puppies on the side of the road near Quinlan, in East Texas. As Robyn says, "some moron dumped [them] out to fend for themselves. I think they are probably 6 to 8 weeks old and they are just absolutely adorable. It took us about an hour-and-a-half to get them all but we finally did. They are safe and full and happy at the moment at our place, but I need to find somewhere for them as soon as possible."
If you can help, call Robyn at 214-356-8582 or e-mail [email protected].
They look like they might be Aussie/heeler mixes. Whatever they are, they were treated like trash and if you saw someone dumping them, call the authorities and report the villains. This sort of behavior is against the law in Texas.
IN IRVING: Meanwhile, Russell Posch, the noted Irving Animal Shelter monitor, has found this family awaiting either rescue or the needle.
Someone surrendered this dog with 11 puppies.
The pups aren't weaned but they're available now to a rescue group who can care for them, Russell says.
The mom's "temperament is in question," he says.
Well, of course, she'd be upset and protective with the new surroundings and the uncertainty of how people would treat her babies. Perhaps someone can ease her mind and save her, too.
The look on the momma's face will just break your heart, won't it. The person who let this occur ought to be horsewhipped -- spay-and-neuter, spay-and-neuter, spay-and-neuter. Is that so hard to remember?
We love the puppies, but the world has enough unwanted puppies. Where is the blessing in having them born just so they can be killed in a group in a city shelter?
OK, the Irving shelter is at 100 N. Briery Road in Irving -- that's just east of the intersection of Belt Line and Rock Island Road, south of Airport Freeway. The phone during regular hours is 972-721-2256 and after hours call 972-721-3597.
Eleven puppies. Frightened momma. Need some good humans involved to make this a happy ending. The odds aren't good.
AND CATS: Good grief, there's not a shelter around that doesn't have plenty of cats in need of homes. We hear about this one courtesy of our reliable tipster, Sydney Busch, at Friends of the Animals at Cedar Creek Lake (The Friends run the spay-and-neuter clinic in Gun Barrel City -- hint, hint to any of you people out by the lake who haven't had your critters fixed yet.)
This particular cat is Peaches. Obviously she is designed to be a lap cat.
She was brought to the Humane Society of Cedar Creek Lake by "someone who didn't feel like grooming her any longer," according to a note from Stacey Elfarr of the HSCCL shelter.
Peaches is spayed, loving, cuddly and declawed -- so she has to be an indoor cat. .
To ask about giving this lap cat a home, e-mail [email protected].
If someone beats you to adopting Peaches, just go to any shelter's website and you'll find plenty of available cats.
Here's a funny thing: Some people don't know that they are "cat people" until they actually have a cat. Then they discover, "I like having the rascal around the house."
REMINDER: Send your animal-related event notices for March, April and May to [email protected] for free listing in Urban Animal magazine. Today is the deadline. March, April, May, DEADLINE. The key words for free ink.
HOW ABOUT JED? Great follow up from Corsicana. We hear from Julie Maupin of the Humane Society of Navarro County that ....well, here's the gist. Marcia Longo, the humane society secretary, "ran into a young couple she knows last night [Wednesday] at dinner and told them about Jed. They went to the shelter today [Valentine's Day] and adopted Jed! We are all so happy."
Now, there are plenty of dogs and cats still at the Corsicana shelter -- you can see them by clicking on www.corsicanapets.com. Some are on the clock and it's ticking steadily.
AMONG THE GROUPS NEEDING FOSTER HELP AND OTHER THINGS: Oh, boy, this "need" for volunteers and donations and a good break just never ends in rescue.
We clicked on the Greyhound Adoption League of Texas website HERE and found this message: "GALT IS IN EMERGENCY MODE!" The group has taken in 15 injured Greyhounds in the past six weeks. Among the former athletes in GALT's care is this one, Dumplin. You can see Dumplin in the adoptables list on the GALT website. ... And, Companion Animal Network is desperate for 
foster homes. Lots of animals needing places to stay that can help socialize them and teach them that all humans aren't creeps. (Call 214-808-3238 or 972-686-8987 and leave a message. Gail Whelan will return the call.) "Please do not leave a long message," she begs in self-defense. And she cites this dog as one of those that needs an understanding foster home. This dog doesn't even have a name, she says, then adds "How sad is THAT!" Sad, but not as sad as how CAN got the dog. The 18-month old, male red-nose pit was "thrown out on I-35." Yep, tossed out like a bag of fast-food trash. The person who picked him up has taken care of his medical needs. He's said to be "very friendly and waggy."
RABBIT NEWS: Now these rabbits are, from left, Sherlock and Watson -- I don't know where the North Texas Rabbit Sanctuary gets the rabbit names. Someone may be quite literary, though one of 
the available bunny rabbits is named Ronnie Van Zant, after the late musician with Lynnard Skynnard.
Sherlock and Watson are Dwarf Wooley Jersey Rabbits.
They are among the rabbits who will benefit from the annual North Texas Rabbit Sanctuary raffle -- tickets go on sale Saturday and the drawing for the prizes will be during the NTRS Open House, 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., March 16, at the sanctuary, 1013 Lesa Lane in Garland. Details are on the rabbit website HERE.
Tickets are $1, 12 for $10 or 25 for $20. And the prizes include the Pamper Yourself Spa Basket, the golfer's Dream Basket, the Starbuck Lovers' Basket, the iLuv my iPod basket and the Wine Lover Basket -- you've got to be 21 to buy tickets to win that basket.
You can reach the North Texas Rabbit Sanctuary at [email protected] or 972-205-1881.
FYI: I did not see a rabbit named Moriarty on the list of adoptables. But there is a Holland Lop named Buddy Holly.
EARS IN HOUSTON: As regular readers may know, we're a sucker for exotic ears her at Readlarrypowell.com. This is Lucinda and she's among the available animals from Houston's Bureau of Animal Regulation and Care who'll be at Highland Village, 3030 Westheimer, in the Bayou City from noon to 5 p.m. today, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday.
You can see more available animals and read about the Highland Village adoption effort by clicking HERE.
The theory on Lucinda is she's possibly a Greyhound mix -- she's got a brindle coat and lots of energy. She's a little scared of men sometimes, so she barks at them. Maybe she's just looking for the right man -- wouldn't be the first gal to find herself in that spot after a bad experience with a man.
CONTEMPLATIONS: Which would you rather have? Dental problems or tax problems? And are you happy that you have a choice? ... One of our little granddaughters, Emily Grace, had, after taking dance class last year, announced that she wanted to be known as "Sparkle." During the fall, however, she enjoyed sitting with her dad and watching football while eating roasted peanuts -- crack open the shell, enjoy the peanut. And she decided that she now wants to be called "Peanut." Suddenly a kindergartner has more aliases than Bonnie and Clyde. Baseball season is coming and her dad is a Texas Rangers fan, but I don't think she'll announce that she wants to be nicknamed "Nohope."
