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Opening day ...

Last day of March, Texas Rangers' opening day.

It seemed appropriate to use flowers as the illustration for these opening lines. That's in our front yard -- some years the blooms are darker. Some years there are more.

And, as the Texas baseball season begins, there is always hope. Though, after year after year of disappointment, the hope for a pennant fades like old blossoms. And the fragrance evolves from the sweet glory of wisteria to the dreary stench of last place. But, honestly, let's say it together one more time: "This is the year of the Rangers." Oh, come on. Put some enthusiasm into it.

Now, let's move from fiction to reality and seize the opportunities to help people.

A CAT SITUATION: We got a note over the weekend from Brita Wines -- we wrote about her back in "1990 or 1991," she says, "about a cat I had found that had been burned with motor oil. Her name was Butterscotch and because of your column she found a wonderful home."

So, that shows you Brita's been at this animal thing for a while now. She knows the ropes and she knows when to ask for help. Now she's asking for help -- and with good reason.

This situation involves a dear relative of hers who has "a house full of cats -- at least 15-20 of them. She finally has called me asking for help."

The dear relative has become a "hoarder" but realizes she needs help. Brita has attempted to get help through assorted rescue groups and shelters, but, as you all may suspect, everybody is already full of cats.

The good thing is she's trying to get help before an "authority" steps in and simply kills the cats. Nobody wants this to turn into a "collector" story for the evening news.

So, Brita needs assistance and advice -- maybe someone who has a cage for one or two here, someone else who can take a pair somewhere else until all are rescued. (To offer to help, e-mail [email protected] or call 830-885-5798 or (cell) 214-557-3171.)

"I will keep trying to find other ways to find homes for these cats," Brita promises. And she adds, "Any help would be a blessing."

CAMPUS DOG: Terry DeGaw of Serenity Springs Sanctuary and Animal Rescue has passed along a note in an attempt to get some help for a dog found on the University of North Texas Campus in Denton.

The finder is Rebecca Peace and this is the handsome dog.

Rebecca says the dog had a collar but no tags when she found him roaming the campus. "I've done everything I can to find his owner, but have had no calls so far. The dilemma is that I am moving out of my house in the next few days and I have nowhere else to keep him. I would like for him to have a good place to live. I have notified the Denton Animal Shelter, but I would not like to take him there for fear of him being euthanized."

The dog appears to be a Lab/Border Collie mix and he's neutered. He's young and, Rebecca reports, "gets along with dogs. I took him to the dog park and he played very well with all of the dogs there. He has gotten in a few tiffs with my boyfriend's dog when they were eating, though. However, I don't know how he reacts to cats."

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

REMINDERS:

            -- Coming up Saturday, Camp Bow Wow and the Marquis at West Village will co-host an adoption event (11 a.m.- 3 p.m.) featuring a load of critters needing homes. These dogs and cats will come from Dallas Animals Services, Paws In The City, the Companion Animal Network, etc. The Yap, a doggie boutique, is preparing goodie bags for adopted dogs and Camp Bow Wow will offer some "freebies, too, reports organizer Becky Delgado. The Marquis at West Village is a 3700 Cole Ave. in Dallas -- in the Uptown Knox/Henderson area.

            -- DFW Cocker Spaniel Rescue is selling raffle tickets for a new Toshiba laptop -- you can see the info at the cocker rescue website HERE. You can also see adoptable dogs there, too. The raffle tickets are $10 each and the drawing is on April 15 -- happy tax day. Email your payment for the tickets to DFWCSR, P.O. Box 852625, Mesquite, Texas, 75185-2625.

            -- The SPCA of Texas and Gallery 2910 are presenting Paws and Prints 2008 from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday at Gallery 2910, appropriately at 2910 Commerce St. in Dallas. Tickets are $20 each (Click HERE.) The event, in addition to benefiting the SPCA, will include a reception honoring artist Kristine Byars and photographer Heather Pollard. There'll be a silent auction, too. The SPCA will benefit from ticket proceeds, the auction and 15 percent of the artwork sales that night.

(Just FYI: I went to the SPCA site and looked at many of the adoptables -- all works of art in their own right. I found this fellow Harley, a 3-year-old Catahoula, for whom the ideal destiny would be living in a home where someone with a camera caught ever nuance of that wonderful appearance. He's an example of the animals the SPCA helps -- a down on his luck dog who came in needing help.)

OPRAH AND PUPPY MILLS: We've gotten a number of notes about an upcoming edition of The Oprah Winfrey Show -- it'll focus on puppy mills. Click HERE to see the Oprah promotion. And click HERE to read about it on the Best Friends sanctuary site.

GOOD NEWS ABOUT A DOG: Bonnie Bowman dropped us a line Sunday about Raider, a dog we'd featured on March 25. You may recall this photo of Raider at rest.

"Raider found a new home today," she writes. "A friend posted his flyer at her vet, the vet tech passed it along to her brother and the brother was very interested. It was love at first sight for both of them."

CONTEMPLATIONS: The time change continues to affect our house -- either that or Baby Jane Doe, our shrill-voiced big shepherd mix, likes the sound of humans griping in a dark bedroom at 4 a.m. Perhaps, in a previous life, she worked at a dairy and barked encouragement to cows and milkers. ... So, the Texas Rangers begin the 2008 campaign in late afternoon Dallas time at the big league park in Seattle. We will soon know whether the arms are working or whether the Texas Rangers are breaking hearts again. ... I keep reading about all these critical financial crises and can confidently report that, once again, I was way ahead of everybody else in facing that sort of stress.

Neighborhood nappers...

We have a "first" for this weekend's Let Sleeping Dogs Lie & Napping Cats Nap -- a presentation of photos on behalf of a neighborhood animal alert group.

Alert sleepers.

How about that? They say it takes a village to raise a child. Ah, it takes a neighborhood to make the animals safe.

So, at the request of Maeleska Fletes, the photos of these sleepers are dedicated to the Little Forest Hills Animal Alert. Little Forest Hills is a neighborhood on the east side of Dallas' White Rock Lake -- it's famous for its artsy types and friendly neighbors.

And, apparently, it's an easy neighborhood in which to grab some Zs on the family couch. Thus, indeed, we are citing these dozing critters in our regular weekend feature, Let Sleeping Dogs Lie & Napping Cats Nap.

These critters room with Maeleska and "my other half," Nick Shannon.

Maeleska is the coordinator for the Little Forest Hills Animal Alert -- you can read about the neighborhood critter watch and rescue HERE.

Who are these sleeping animals?

Maeleska says the big dog is a 2-year-old chocolate Lab named Charlie Brown. The white cat giving it a good stretch in the middle of the couch is the long-haired wanderer Pearl. And the tuxedo cat is Pookie, a rescue. (The photo was taken several weeks ago and shortly thereafter Pookie was lost to cancer -- he was, however, an excellent napper.)

Not pictured, but somewhere else in the house -- probably napping -- is a cat named Bayla.

"Pearl is our newest addition and she fits perfectly," Maeleska says. "She was rescued off the DART tracks. She loves Charlie! They sleep together all the time."

And, of course, that is a close up of Pearl who looks as if she might be channeling a teenaged human during her nap. Head buried under the arm to keep the light out, pretending not to hear any noise in the house -- well, you were all teenagers at some point, maybe. Perhaps you know what it's like when you just really need to catch some Zs and you're so cute that people won't quit taking your picture.

Maeleska, in the meantime, is dedicated to the mission of the Little Forest Hills Animal Alert. Several neighborhood watch groups have had these localized animal rescue and recovery systems in place for years. Maeleska says she "started ours with the help of [neighbor] Andie Comini -- she is great! I am trying to spread the word so everyone in my neighborhood will register their pets and hopefully other neighborhoods will start theirs. If we pull together, our pets will make it home safely should they get out."

And what will they do when they get back home? Well, of course, they'll either sleep or nap, whichever is required.

(To help Let Sleeping Dogs Lie & Napping Cats nap spotlight your sleeping critters -- dogs, cats, siblings or politicians who drop by and nod off in mid-promise -- e-mail the photos and the info about you and your animals to [email protected]. We are proud to publicize happy sleepers. As regular readers know, we at Readlarrypowell.com are insomniacs -- and one of the things that keeps us awake nights it the possibility -- however remote -- that a politician might stop by and nod off. Or, worse, stop by and not nod off.)

One more Friday emergency...

VINNY AND COMET AT SERIOUS RISK: Erin Land e-mailed us just a few minutes ago about a desperate attempt to save two dogs, Comet and Vinny, at the Little Elm Animal Shelter north of Dallas. Erin says the dogs are scheduled to be euthanized after 4 p.m. today.

"They are both housebroken and good with other dogs and kids," she writes.

Eight-month-old Comet (right) is crate-trained, leash-trained and follows commands. And 2-year-old Vinny is housebroken. Comet was an owner surrender because of allergies in the home. Vinny was found wandering on Deer Hollow in Little Elm.

Read about Comet HERE and read about Vinny HERE.

You can adopt either of these dogs for $10 -- two for $20 -- and save a life while gaining a friend -- or friends.

Here's the info on how to contact the Little Elm Shelter and save these two dogs:

The shelter is at 100 W. Eldorado Parkway in Little Elm (zip is 75068.) Call 214-9750460 or 972-377-5548. Remember, the shelters would much rather get an adoption fee than a bill for the euthanasia. E-mail Animal Control Officer Cynthia Medrano at [email protected] or [email protected].

You can't lollygag. These dogs, like so many other critters in area shelters, are on a solid deadline.

Friday report, Part II

As promised in today's first posting, here are some more stories gleaned from an overloaded in-box.

We'll start at White Settlement and our travels will take us into shelters, down an alley, onto city streets and walking through the "wild." Here goes:

A REQUEST FROM WHITE SETTLEMENT: Our new pal Marybelle Denton of the White Settlement Animal League has issued a call for volunteers to help with an emergency adoption on Saturday at the White Settlement Police Station.

Why? Because suddenly the already overcrowded White Settlement Animal Shelter became the caretaker of 8 unexpected dogs. So the League is trying to get some adoptions going as quickly as possible in order to keep dogs from being euthanized.

You can see the White Settlement shelter information (including adoptables) by clicking HERE. To volunteer to help with the adoption or to ask about or to join the White Settlement Animal League, e-mail [email protected] or call 817-614-9127.

We've mentioned that they have an overabundance of dogs, but we probably ought to mention there are plenty of cats there, too. Including this one, Tara, who, the staff report says, put "her sweet head on our hands when we got her out for the photograph. "

FYI: At White Settlement, the basic adoption fee for dog or cat is $25. You can't take two people to the movies and buy popcorn and a Coke for 25 bucks.

BE ON THE LOOKOUT: We get this alert from Julie Maupin of the Humane Society of Navarro County. After all, you can't have enough eyes looking for a lost dog. This dog is Mitzi and she's been missing since March 16.

She belongs to Magen and Brian Autwell of Eustace (that's about an hour or so southeast of Dallas on Highway 175).

Mitzi was, we're told, "last seen at the car wash in Eustace on Highway 175."

If you've seen her or know her whereabouts, call either 903-425-6123 or Brian's cell at 940-367-7572.

BE ON THE LOOKOUT IN HOUSTON: This request for more eyes on the scene comes from our tipster Dana Dicker in Houston. Sam has been missing since Sunday.

His human took him out at midnight for a walk, but the rascal managed to take off and run through the neighborhood near Highway 290 and West 34th/Mangum.

Here's the big rub on this big dog:  Dana says, "Sam just had knee surgery on his back leg a few weeks ago and is still very much recuperating. Where this burst of energy came from, we don't know, but we MUST find him. He will have a limp and even hold his leg up at times. He needs to be on major rest, not running the streets and it's urgent that we find him right away."

If you've seen this dog with the great face and a bum leg, e-mail [email protected] or call 713-502-4002.

GASOLINE MONEY NEEDED: Well, sure, prices may be taking a slight slip, but, honestly, gasoline is way too expensive for most of us right now. And that explains why this dog needs help with transportation.

We got our tip from Sydney Busch of Friends of the Animals at Cedar Creek Lake on behalf of the Humane Society of Cedar Creek Lake  -- the society's shelter is in Tool.

The deal is this "very gentle pit bull" and her puppies have been accepted by a rescue group in Corpus Christi. The Humane Society in Tool has a volunteer who'll drive but the shelter is light on cash and needs help with paying for the road trip.

To help transport this mom and her pups, you can send a check to the Humane Society of Cedar Creek Lake, P.O. Box 43531, Seven Points, Texas. 75143 or call shelter manager Krista Mc Anally at 903-603-2342 or at the shelter at 903-432-3422. The trip arrangements are being lined up today.

The pups are about three weeks old and, Krista says, "Mom is very cooperative with all of us at the shelter. She has never growled or shown any problem with us picking the babies up, cleaning or anything else we needed to do."

CRUELTY CASES IN MANSFIELD: The letter came from Caroline Blair, an independent rescuer. She writes, "I have learned of 2 different cruelty cases in Mansfield Animal Control. The workers at the shelter have been working diligently to help these dogs!  The are trying to find a rescue group who can save them -- or someone to foster.

"They have saved the one from being returned to the owner!  Both cases will be going to court. I have received permission from the ACO at Mansfield to share this information with you - in hopes you feature these 2 on your website. ...After everything these 2 dogs have been through - they are  hoping to get them out the front door."

Caroline's note included the stories of Foley and Dempsey as presented by Lori Rodriguez, the Mansfield ACO. She wrote:

"Foley and Dempsey are very special cases for me. Both myself and Officer Smith have worked diligently on both of these cases. Both of these dogs deserve to know what its like to have a normal life. We have been able to bring charges against both owners due to their lack of care and compassion. Both owners are awaiting trial. The last thing I want to do is to walk into a courtroom and tell the judge that I just spent the last 6 months trying to save this dog's life only to kill it. Our entire staff has gone above and beyond to try to make these dogs lives as normal as possible, now we need your help."

Dempsey, the boxer mix whose ribs are showing, has been at Mansfield for nearly six months and Foley, a shepherd mix, has been there several weeks.

Year-old Dempsey was "found at a residence with two other deceased dogs, believed to have starved to death. He was emaciated and appeared anemic. We have neutered him. He has put on a lot of weight. He loves everyone. He loves to go on walks and roll in the grass. He is a boxer mix."

Foley was "picked up as a stray and the owners actually tried to reclaim him. He is about 30 pounds underweight and has sarcoptic mange. He is also heartworm-positive. We got a seizure warrant to retain custody. We went to court and won and his owners are now facing charges. We started him on revolution and antibiotics. After that is taken care of he will need to be treated for heartworms. He is very friendly and loves any attention.

"We later found out that the owners were keeping him in a wire crate in direct sunlight in the backyard. No food, water, or shelter. ... He is seven years old and a white German Shepherd mix. He has already put on about 7 pounds in the two weeks that we have had him."

To help save these two good dogs, contact ACO Rodriguez at Mansfield Animal Care & Control at 817-477-2038 or e-mail [email protected].

A REMINDER FOR URBAN FOLKS: You may think you're living in a city, but the local wildlife population thinks you've simply moved into the old country neighborhood.

Here's an example. Our longtime tipster Cathie Desell writes, "My pet sitter sent me this picture - this is the coyote that I think about a month ago was seen with a cat in his mouth. There is one undeveloped field covered in scrub brush and stunted trees that he probably hangs out in. I live in Irving near Belt Line and Walnut Hill (directly east of DFW Airport) and there is not much undeveloped land around here anymore! He sure does not look like he has been missing too many meals, does he? Of course, he has a right to survive, too, I just don't want any of my cats (inside/outside or strays that I feed) to become coyote dinner.  I would make a compact with him to feed him dog food twice a day if he promised not to eat any cats! I wonder if you have any 'coyote whisperers' in  your audience!"

More than likely, we have "Coyote Shouters," people who yell, "GIT OUTTA HERE, VARMINT!" at the top of their lungs. There probably isn't a way to drive coyotes away, so you need to take steps to protect your critters from these predators.

There is coyote information on the DFW Wildlife Coalition website HERE. But coyotes are smart -- they may have been reading it, too.

A BURNS FLAT FACE: Our Burns Flat, Okla., contact Terry Lynn Fisher, the hardworking rescuer, continues to try to keep animals moving through the local shelter.

Among her most recent projects is this rascal -- the subject line on her note read "A face to love."

"He is so precious," Terry Lynn says. "Very sweet and loves being held and cuddled.

"He was found roaming the streets, dragging a chain that I honestly cannot believe he could even hold his head up with."

He's a pug mix -- larger than a pug but not quite a medium-sized dog. If you can help him, e-mail Terry Lynn at [email protected] or call 580-330-1459.

BELLE'S STILL NEEDING A HOME: We first mentioned Belle back in mid-March after she was rescued by Gary Springer.

And, now, Gary's neighbor and friend Lorri Coston is stepping up the drive to find a good home for this dog.

Lorri reminds us that Gary "found Belle chained to a tree in our alley 3 weeks ago. It was sleeting, snowing and raining and she was shaking uncontrollably in the 30-degree weather. She was starving and cold, but when he untied her and gave her food, she just wanted to be petted and loved.

"Over the past 3 weeks Belle has shown us her wonderful personality. She is full of energy and plays well with other dogs her size. She is crate-trained and great on a lead and will make a wonderful jogging partner. She even likes riding in the car and stays on her side!"

She's about a year-and-a-half old, weighs 53 pounds and has a "shiny thick chocolate coat and big amber eyes."

Belle is up to date on her shots, is heartworm-negative and has been spayed.

"We have 4 dogs and 2 cats between the two of us and are unable to keep her or board her due to financial strains," Lorri says. "Gary is putting his house on the market next week and is unable to keep Belle any longer. We are at a loss and are looking for a foster home or a forever home for Belle. Our time is running out and my heart is breaking and we are needing help."

The folks at Paws In The City have placed Belle on their website HERE. You can also e-mail [email protected] or call 214-213-2569 to offer a home for Belle, the dog tied in an alley and left to freeze.

AT THE COLONY: Patricia Barrington, Animal Control Division Manager for The colony, has spotted a pair of special dogs that need homes a rescue group to take them in and make sure they're properly taken care of before they go into new homes.

That's Lyla with the big ears. "Lyla is a smiling, loving, treat-motivated 7-month-old gal," Trish says. "She doesn't have a tail but has ears to compensate. She loves being held and gets along well with other dogs."

The little Pomeranian is 8 years old. And, Trish says, "She is a lap dog that can't stand to be without her person.

"When she is put in her kennel, she just goes nutty, scratching at the door and crying. Stella-Bella seems to be house-trained and is super sweet."

She's will be available to a rescue group on Saturday.

You can get in touch with Trish at The Colony 972-370-9250 or by e-mailing [email protected].

WHEW! And, for now, that concludes Part II of our Friday report. No doubt there are other situations that need to be dealt with. The thing is, it's up to humans to keep their eyes and hearts open. And sometimes their pocketbooks. Thanks for reading. But, especially, thanks for helping.

Crowded shelters, movie contest, etc.

OK, let's shake our shoulders free of the week's stress and get ready to enjoy a weekend that dazzles us all.

Remember, if you have friends who don't have pets, this is a good time to suggest that they visit the shelters in Carrollton, White Settlement, Little Elm, Dallas, Fort Worth, Arlington, Grand Prairie, Irving, Marshall, LaPorte, Houston, Burns Flat, Okla. -- oh, pick a city. They all have an animal crisis this time of year. We'll get to that in a moment. First we explain the logo.

CAMERA READY? The annual SPCA of Texas Pet Flix Film Festival is scheduled for June 8 at the Granada Theatre in Dallas -- and the deadline for entering your film is May 23. You can get all the entry details at the SPCA website HERE.

Tickets to the big evening are $12.50 each and now available.

Among the prizes in the competition: a pet vacation package from WUF Pet Resort and Spa, tickets to the 2009 American Film Institute festival in Dallas, etc. The grand prize will be announced in a few weeks.

You can enter 4 films -- $10 an entry.

The competition is always tough, it always has heart and the animals are always the stars. The particulars and the entry application are all at the SPCA site.

THE CANTON CHALLENGE: Oh, good grief, the little shelter at Canton, the city famed for its First Monday flea market, is under some sincere pressure these days. There may have been, we understand, some spring break-related dumping of animals.

However they got there, the mission of assorted volunteers is to get them out.

Our info arrived via tipster Christy Giles and shelter walker Kelli Morris of the Frisco Humane Society.

Among the dogs at the Canton shelter: A trio of Great Dane puppies -- owner release.

And there is the little rat terrier, Bella, who gave birth to two puppies after she arrived at the shelter. The babies are a week old and doing well while waiting for a rescue group to take over her care.

And there is Nelson, the handsome Border Collie mix who "smiles for the camera." Kelli's report read, "He has a great personality and he poses and smiles for the camera in an effort to say 'Help me get out of here!' He is a great-looking dog."

To help these dogs or any of the animals at the Canton shelter, call 903-567-4880 or e-mail [email protected].

Canton is about an hour east of Dallas on I-20.

MEANWHILE IN GARLAND: Deborah Trevino, who monitors the Garland Animal Shelter, notes that this Treeing Walker Coonhound has been in the kill shelter for about 3 weeks. "He's got about another week before his time is up," she says.

He's about 3 years old, is neutered and, obviously, camera shy. But, once he's over that, he's a "sweet, friendly" guy.

Contact Garland Animal Services at 9722-205-2000.

THE FRISBEE DOG: Oh, boy, here's another one in our continuing series of "Where dogs come from." You may recall that earlier in the week, Dana Dicker of Houston's Scouts Honor Rescue www.scoutshonor.petfinder.com told us about a dog that showed up with a note tied to its collar, "Please take me."

This dog, Lacy, didn't have a note, but she did have some fun. "She was found wandering near a park where other dogs were playing and followed a couple of Frisbee dogs home that day."

It's the usual story of a found dog -- friendly, playful, "loves to be loved on and gets lots of attention fro her human."

Her favorite exercise, Dana says, "is to run along with the other dogs as they chase down their Frisbees. She is also a fan of playing fetch when it suits her fancy. She appears to be some type of mix breed that may include some Staffie or boxer. According to the veterinarian she is one - two years old and she definitely exhibits the energy of a young dog."

Now, she needs a place to stay because the mom in her foster family gave birth last week and time and demands are taking away from the dogs. Everybody wants Lacy to have a home where she can be the center of attention -- she loves kids, Dana says.

She's spayed, up to date on shots and microchipped. All that's missing is a family to give her a home.

To ask about adopting or fostering Lacy, call 713-502-4002 or e-mail [email protected].

A FRIDAY NOTE: My e-mail in-box is as full as a tick on a fat dog, no offense to any fat dogs. So, I'll be adding things to today's report throughout the day. Please check back with Readlarrypowell.com periodically to see the new items, the new challenges.

CONTEMPLATIONS: Our dogs woke us shortly after 3 a.m. today -- this is about 2 hours earlier than normal. Martha can always go back to sleep. I cannot. So, thanks to cable TV, I watched Cool As Ice, the Vanilla Ice re-make of Rebel Without A Cause (according to IMDB -- the International Movie Data Base). Trust me, it's not a scene-for-scene remake. For one thing, James Dean didn't gyrate. But Vanilla Ice isn't all the worst singer-would-be-actor. That title is held by Glen Campbell in True Grit. Maybe Al Martino in Godfather III.  ... I miss Peggy Lee. She could act and sing. ... New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer -- Broadway musical, theatrical film or TV miniseries? Don't think somebody isn't already working on something. Maybe it'll turn up in the SPCA PetFlix contest under the title "Why We Spay & Neuter."

Puppies and other fresh starts...

Today's report will contain some happy news and some odd news, all of it involving critters and none of it involving politicians -- no need to help them, they're getting enough headlines on their own lately.

We've got an update on Sam and Sara (left), the burglar-foiling dogs in White Settlement and we've got a tale of a dog tied to a store in Addison and abandoned. Here Goes:

SAM AND SARA AND SAY WHAT? It's the "say what?" part that'll kind of make you smile.

We got this story from our reliable tipster Denise Wilson and it's about the strangest turn you'd expect in the tale of Sam and Sara. You may recall that Sam and Sara have been in the White Settlement Animal Shelter for a while. People have been trying to get them out and into a home -- they are remarkable dogs because, as Denise writes,  they are the two "that foiled a burglary in progress and made off with the shoe of the would-be burglar."

Their reward was to be put into a city shelter that, while good people run it, has the mission of euthanizing unwanted dogs and cats. But angels have been looking over them.

And the "say what" event occurred Monday. As Denise explains, they were taken to a vet Monday to be spayed and neutered and "it was then that we realized Sara had a secret." She delivered 8 puppies -- 5 boys and 3 girls. Several of them are pictured here.

And so is Sam, who may be the proud papa -- I guess lawyers and DNA experts may have to sort that out. Or maybe we'll just declare he's a happy uncle or something.

They're all in "protective custody" for now at the White Settlement shelter on the northwestern edge of Fort Worth. The shelter phone number is 817-205-8650. The shelter, we're told, has been working with the White Settlement Animal League to help all the critters.  (Get in touch with Denise at [email protected] to see how you can help the League or the shelter  with this situation. White Settlement is making big steps in increasing its adoptions and saving more animals -- increased publicity, more volunteers, etc.)

ABANDONED BUT RESCUED: Oh, boy, yesterday we had a dog in Houston with a note tied to its neck, then two pups that were thrown out of a vehicle. Today we report on this handsome dog from Addison, home of many businesses and many fun events but not so many abandoned dogs.

We get the story from Addison Animal Service Officer Sara Sexton. This dog, she says, was tied to the front door of a liquor store.

The call came in after 9 p.m., so the store was closed. And the dog's leash "wasn't just wrapped around the handle, but it was tied. They put the leash through the handle and tied it."

The only people around were the police officers who had summoned her. The dog had no tags, no chip, nothing to indicate ownership or who might have tied him to the store.

"I walked up to him and he was wagging his tail and jumping on me -- he was happy to see me. He's never shown any signs of aggression," Sara reports.

Addison, by the way, picks up so few strays that it doesn't have a shelter and depends, instead, on temporary housing at vet offices. To find a dog tied to a liquor store is an unusual event in Addison. Might happen in Dallas now and then, but Addison isn't a "throw-away" town.

To offer to help Officer Sexton find a home or a foster group for this 3-to-4-year-old dog, contact her at 972-450-2845 or e-mail [email protected].

A DOG WITH EARS AND ALLERGIES: Our reliable tipster Christie Hansen has sent a note to us about this poor dog. Christie's in touch with the dog's owner who says the dog "has chewed her feet so badly she's having trouble walking because her pads are so raw."

According to the note from Christie, the dog has been given over-the-counter antihistamines in accordance with a vet's instructions -- sometimes the treatment works, sometimes the itching is more powerful than the drugs.

The dog's owner doesn't have the money to pursue cures.

So, the hope is a rescue group with experience in this sort of problem can take the dog in, stabilize her and find a good home.

The pup is 7 months old, has one brown eye and one blue eye, is good with children and house-broken.

She's just sensitive to something -- and isn't this a great time of year for allergies in humans and dogs. We can all share the misery, but humans can cope and dogs must depend on the kindness of humans.

To offer to help, e-mail [email protected] or call 214-384-5739.

SATURDAY CELEBRATION: Noted vegetarian chef Jeanette Prasifka, owner of Crosby Catering & Coffee, reminds us that The Great American Meatout 2008 is Saturday. The Dallas celebration -- admission is free -- is sponsored by the Black Vegetarian Society of Texas and Vegetarian Dallas from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at the Martin Luther King Jr. Center, 2922 MLK Blvd., in Dallas. (Entrance is around the corner on Pennsylvania, we're told.)

The festival includes speakers, demonstrations, food sampling, information tables and entertainment.

Just an FYI: I'm not a member of either of those sponsoring groups, but I have been a vegetarian for more than a decade. I feel less guilty about my dining -- no little critter had to die just so I could have a meal. Also, once I quit eating meat I quit having noggin-knocking headaches and my springtime allergies nearly vanished. Seriously. You can ask any of my carnivorous relatives.

On the other hand, I thought being a vegetarian would help me lose weight. Alas, I have personal flaws, i.e., I declared apple fritters, pies and biscuits to be "vegetables." I love asparagus and broccoli and beans and lettuce and tomatoes -- but I adore biscuits. Enough of my personal angst and challenges, let's move on.

CONTEMPLATIONS:  While perusing The Drudge Report, I saw an Associated Press story that says (and I'm simplifying) having a "big belly" in your 40s could lead to dementia decades later. (Click HERE.)  I remember yo-yo dieting in my 40s, so, probably, in my 60s or 70s I'll probably have moments where I'm clear as a bell and moments when  -- what was I saying? ... American Idol -- do you quit watching after they've weeded out all the oddballs? ... You've got to pick a movie to watch today and it's the last one you'll ever see because you've won the lotto and will no longer have time for fun, what movie it be? The Graduate? E.T.? La Dolce Vita? Ernest Saves Christmas?

A note, a car toss, a slumbercat...

This seems to be turning into a busy season for rescuers, based on the number of e-mails we're getting asking for help with shelter animals and animals found in unpleasant and dangerous situations.

We'll mention a few today -- it's often nearly impossible to keep up with all the needs, but we do try to hit the desperate or odd cases or endearing stories in hopes of raising awareness OUTSIDE of the animal rescue community. That is where the secret to success lies. Rescuers have built a strong foundation, but they wear down under the constant crises and fresh hearts are needed to help save the animals -- adopt one, foster one, donate to a cause, show up and help a rescue group move adoption display equipment once-a-month. The tasks are many, the rewards great.

HERE IS AN EXAMPLE OF WHERE DOGS COME FROM: This happens to be in Houston but could happen just about anywhere. If you're driving around in Dallas or Fort Worth or Chicago or Tampa or Seattle...well, you know. Pick a city, find unwanted animals.

We get this dog's story form Dana Dicker, our Houston tipster with Scouts Honor Rescue.

"This adorable boy was seen wandering a neighborhood for the last week and a Good Samaritan saw him again ... When he got to him, he noticed something hanging from his collar.  It was a note that said "PLEASE TAKE ME." Poor baby had been dumped by his owners with this chicken way of asking someone to take him in!

"We would really like to help him (unless another rescue has room!  Hee-hee) but what we need is a foster home for him! 

"I don't know how to say no to something like this, it's incredibly sad. The people that found him ... will get him to a vet and foster short term until they leave town in a week. He is going to be a great looking boy with a good bath and a little love. He is very sweet and social and is doing well with their 2 labs in the house."

To offer to help this noteworthy dog, e-mail [email protected] or call 713-502-4002.

dog with note.

SO THEN THERE WAS THIS: Just as I was still shaking my head over the dog that was set free with a note on its collar, an e-mail arrived from Gail Whelan of the Companion Animal Network.

Gail writes, "These girls were thrown out of a vehicle on a highway. The woman who saw it happen stopped and picked them up."

And, as you can see from their photos, they are congenial pups. In fact, they were photographed on the bed. Not on the dog bed. On the human bed. So, there appears to be some socialization underway -- after all, if you're on the bed, it's easier to access the remote control for the bedroom TV.

Anyway, the pups have had their first shots. Gail says they "appear to be collie mixes of some kind."

So, the challenge now is to find a home or foster home for the dogs. Call Gail at 214-808-3238 or e-mail [email protected] or call George Bowmer at 214-263-7097. Remember, rescue people are also working people, so if you don't get an answer right away, be patient. Sometimes you have to earn money to support your rescue habit.

A CORSICANA CRESTED: Oh, OK, the name is really "Chinese Crested." But the dog is in Corsicana, we hear from Julie Maupin, our reliable tipster with the Humane Society of Navarro County. (That's not it on the right. Read on.)

She forwards a note from Julie Coker, the Animal Control Supervisor for Corsicana, about a relatively rare 4-year-old purebred that had made its way into the city shelter. "The owner is moving back to England and cannot take him with her," Supervisor Coker reports.

She also adds, "He is good with kids, dogs, cats, ducks, chickens and horses (he has been at my house)."

So, there you have a look at both the dog and the menagerie at the Coker home. Ping the Dog found a home and someone will pick him up later today, it turns out.

But Corsicana still has plenty of just plain ol' dogs and cats. You can take a look at them by clicking HERE.

As you know, at Readlarrypowell.com, we applaud the big-eared dogs such as these two Corsicana cuties: Lacy, the rat terrier, and Sargent (not Sergeant) the German Shepherd.

Both are young. Both are available. And both may pick up many TV channels from low-orbit satellites.

IN PRAISE OF A NAPPING CAT: We're mentioning Capone today rather than waiting for a spot in our weekend feature, Let Sleeping Dogs Lie & Napping Cats Nap, because of timing.

The rascal was a ward of The Colony's animal shelter, but he has since been moved into Second Chance SPCA which (as we noted yesterday) is celebrating its second anniversary this weekend. So, when you decide you want a really cute cat with a tendency toward napping, well, Second Chance is the place to find Capone. (Click HERE for Second Chance's info. And click HERE to see the animals needing a home at The Colony's shelter.)

And here is the Capone Testimonial from Patricia Barrington, The Colony's Animal Control Division Manager: "This is Capone. He’s one of the loves of my life. I rarely am smitten with a cat, but this little fella caused me to analyze and re-analyze my home pet population and I almost conned myself into taking him home … reason prevailed and I didn’t. He’s with Second Chance SPCA now, awaiting a forever home.

"Capone is a sleeper, that’s evident. But, my goodness, he has a personality in both his slumbering and alert states! Capone met my Pit Bull, Leo, when Leo came to work with me to make her vet appointment later that day … they bonded quickly. Then, Capone, stealthily pounced on the back of laid back Leo and attacked her ear holes! Leo gave her a good bark and went back to sleep and Capone moved on to his next victim; the power strip under my desk.  He got so tangled in cords and wires, I thought I’d never get him out.  I did.  Then he went to sleep. 

"This is Capone’s daily routine.  He has to attack at least one good-natured canine, conquer some inanimate object and sleep. He eats when he must and uses the litter box as little as possible. Sleep and play are Capone’s passions. This is the second greatest cat I’ve ever met and I certainly hope the good folks at Second Chance SPCA screen the heck out of his potential people!

"Capone can sleep anywhere; in someone’s arms, on a desk, on a keyboard, in a cubby, in a tray and even in my 10 year old daughter Emilee’s diorama depicting Stephen F Austin’s stay in a Mexican prison for declaring Texas independence from Mexico ..."

So, there you have it, the story of Capone, taken in at a city rescue shelter, then moved into a no-kill shelter where the odds are much better that he'll find a home.

CONTEMPLATIONS: Lots of pollen in our part of Oak Cliff, Texas. You can write your name in the thick layer on the hood of my pickup. Achoo. ... Why must some TV sports news shows have that irritating music/racket in the background of all reports? Don't programmers think the action on the screen enough to hold the interest of the viewer?... People who are marveling at Britney Spears' performance on How I Met Your Mother -- don't you remember her spot-on comic performance a few years back as a secretly bigoted talk show host on Will & Grace? She can act. She's just had trouble acting right sometimes. ... Take the rest of the day off. You need the break. We don't have another three-day weekend until Memorial Day in May (26th). You can't have politics flying thicker than pollen and not need some time off.

Tuesday's collection...

Here we go with a Tuesday report that will not mention politics. That ought to encourage you to read on with a feeling of relief.

TWO YEARS: Well, goodness gracious, we hear that there's a bit of a celebration coming Sunday at the Second Chance SPCA, the little shelter that was established because, well, some hard-headed, good-hearted volunteers saw a need.

Second Chance is a no-kill adoption center that has manage to ring up more than 600 adoptions in its two-year history.

The big celebration is from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday at the shelter, next to Doggie's Wonderland at 505 Alma Road, between the George Bush Expressway and the Plano Parkway. There'll be treats for dogs and humans, games for dogs and humans (including a dog/owner look-a-like contest), face painting for kids (our the young at heart, I guess), airbrush tattoos, prizes and giveaways.

You probably can also browse for a new friend -- like all shelters, this one always has some inventory hanging around. (For more info about the big party or the shelter, call 972 424-0077 or visit www.scspca.org.) Among the wards of the SC-SPCA is this 28-pound fellow, Murphy, a young Beagle/Cocker Spaniel mix. He's a long-eared dog with a good nose and a sense of fun, I'll bet.

AFTER THE PUPPIES: Last month we ran a series of stories about a series of adoptions -- Lynn and Tony Gatlin of Corsicana had taken on the task of fostering nine puppies found under an old house.

Anybody that'll foster nine puppies deserves a medal. But, they weren't the only patient folks in the Gatlin household. There are also a couple of patient cats. Judging from their photos, they appear to be in no rush to move on.

The orangish cat is Bevo and the lounging striped rascal with the white paws is Jack.

Lynn says she and Tony have been fostering them since May 2007. She says, "We've had so many other critters in and out of here since then that Jack and his brother, Bevo, haven't been fairly 'advertised' for lack of another term.  They're just so easy that we forget they're foster cats and not our own! But to make room for more homeless kitties in need of a temporary place to land, we know we must find forever homes for Jack and Bevo."

These guys will be a year old in early May. They're very social, very friendly and accustomed to being with each other. So, the ideal thing would be for them to go to the same home -- but that may not happen.

Bevo and Jack are lap cats, couch cats and bed cats. And, not that they've been spoiled, but their bedtime snack is "chicken-flavored baby food."

To offer to give these cats a home or homes, call 903-874-3722 or e-mail [email protected].

THE DOG NEEDS A HOME: You can just about figure that when you see photos of a dog as adorable as these pictures that there's a human situation involved.

Indeed, we get the story from Bonnie Bowman who, on behalf of a friend, is trying to find a home for Raider, a 70-pound dog who is out of a home. His human lost her business and had to move in with her mom, we're told. There was no room for 2-year-old Raider -- and Raider was on at least his second home, having been abandoned at a grooming shop a year ago.

Raider "needs to be an inside dog," Bonnie says. And she says he currently "hangs out in the backyard" and spends his nights in a kennel. Bonnie says, "He's incredible. He's just a big love." (And, as you can see in the photo to the right, Raider can "stand at attention" if needed.)

To ask about helping Raider, e-mail [email protected] or call  817-266-8569.

ASSORTED NOTES OF NEEDS AND INFO: Tina Hamilton who wrangles the Meals on Wheels Pet Program over near Cedar Creek Lake, has issued a call for "Ol' Roy Bones and Bits -- if possible Yellow Bag. Seems to be cost-efficient and liked by many seniors' pets." She might also need at food at some point. Check with her by e-mailing [email protected] or call 903-880-4124 or 214-789-0265 (cell). .... Shelters hustling for adoptors because of dramatic needs: Carrollton, White Settlement. You can Google 'em and see their PetFinder lists. ...Our horse rescue monitor, the tireless Jennifer Glick of Rowlett, tips us to a "well done video" about the plight of horses. It's on YouTube HERE.

REMINDER: They're still gathering participants for the first "adoption event" at The Marquis at West Village apartment homes in Dallas from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on April 5. Camp Bow Wow and The Marquis are the co-sponsors -- The Marquis is at 3700 Cole Ave. in the Uptown/Knox-Henderson area. To see about getting your adoptables on display in this pet-friendly environment, contact Becky Delgado at 214-729-6330. You don't have to be a group, you can be an individual rescuer. Among the scheduled participants are Paws In The City, the Companion Animal Network and Dallas Animal Services.

CONTEMPLATIONS: When you work with the TV almost always on you hear things. For example, there's a noontime anchor on Channel 8 who can't say the word "distribute." Comes out something like "distri-BUTE." ... Do dogs sleep better in the autumn or in the spring? It's a toss-up at our house. ... Baseball season opened at 6 a.m. Dallas time Tuesday when the Boston Red Sox and the Oakland A's played in Tokyo. Boston won, 6-5, in a 10-inning game. And, now Texas (with two other idle teams) is suddenly atop the American League West, having not played a game and with its opening game not coming until March 31. They finally found a way to be atop the division -- don't pitch. Be interesting to call the club's front office to see if the phone is answered, "Thank you for calling your first-place Texas Rangers."

Roses, Rovers and ruminations...

Holy smokin' time warps, we've hit the last full week of March. This month we've enduring the time change, the departure of winter and the arrival of spring.

Our wisteria is blooming (weakly -- no photo yet) and we saw bluebonnets peeking out of the weeds on the side of a freeway Sunday (no photo yet).

But, one of my rose bushes favored us with a single red rose over the weekend. Life's good when there is at least one flower. Now, today's activities:

FANTASTIC FRISCO EVENT: Get ready. The Frisco Dog Park Inc. group, is hosting its first "Rover Rally" from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday at Frisco Commons, reports Frisco Dog Park Inc. President Sarah Perham.

The idea is to raise awareness of efforts to establish an off-leash dog park in the City of Frisco -- geez, it already has a big soccer park and a big baseball park, you'd think getting a little ol' dog park would be a piece of cake.

If you click on the small photo of the Rover Rally poster, it'll magically grow to where it's big enough to read (if I've done this correctly.)

Sarah describes the Rover Rally as a "festival for dogs and people of Frisco and the surrounding communities and will be similar in scope and scale to Barktoberfest."

There'll be entertainment, demonstrations, contests, pet photographers, vendors and other things. Visit www.FriscoDogPark.org to read all about the park and the project -- there are even ways to join up and get involved in establishing the off-leash park.

A COUPLE OF IRVING DOGS, PANCHO AND HANS: This one made the rounds over the weekend. I mention this in case there's someone from outside of the rescue community reading today's report and they've been thinking about getting a couple of reliable, house-broken dogs that are each other's good company.

These dogs are Pancho and Hans -- they didn't come into the shelter at the same time, we're told via a note from veteran Irving Animal Shelter walker Russell Posch. He says that they "became accidental roommates" at the Irving shelter and now have bonded.

"Whenever they are separated, they bark and howl," Russell writes.

The shelter is attempting to keep them together -- that is, two dogs, one home.

You can call the Irving shelter at 972-721-2256. The shelter is at 100 N. Briery, just east of the Belt Line/Rock Island Road intersection. (Click HERE for more shelter info.)

EXPERIMENTAL ANIMALS: We got a note from Cary Birdwell at Adopt-a-Dallas Pet that had to do with something that isn't all that pleasant when you think about it: Lab animals. A local university -- after using more than two dozen guinea pigs in "behavioral testing" -- agreed to turn the little rascals over to the Texas Rustler Guinea Pig Rescue. (Click HERE and you can read all about this.)

No doubt we humans still have much to learn about the behavior of guinea pigs -- that must be why a university would need them for behavioral testing. Maybe the project had something to do with determining whether a guinea pig with unlimited funds would invest in a home mortgage company. Let's just suggest that the record may reflect that no guinea pig has ever suffered a financial meltdown and had to file for bankruptcy because of bad investments.

Anyway, you can adopt a guinea pig by going to the Texas Rustler site HERE.

A WORD ABOUT FOSTERS: I got an e-mail last week from the folks at Paws In The City rescue group saying they needed fosters (and donations.) Same thing can be said of almost every group that takes care of dogs, cats, guinea pigs, porky pigs, bunny rabbits and any other kind of animal that can be down on its luck and lose its home. Pick a group and you'll find a need for money and people. You might not have a lot of dough laying around, but maybe you'd like to have an extra critter laying around for a while -- might help you decide if you really want to adopt a certain breed or if you want to just remain a volunteer giving your heart to more than one critter.

A PIT IN HOUSTON: Our Bayou City tipster Dana Dicker forwarded a sad tale to us. It comes from Leslie Cook of Pflugerville who reports, "A friend of ours passed away in January. He owned a beautiful pit bull named Zoe. The family was going to put her in an animal shelter, so we took her so that she would be put to sleep. I've tried and tried to find a home for her. Even with all of her qualities, I haven' had any luck. ... I understand that there are a lot of other dogs in need, but I really cannot keep her much longer."

Zoe, about 3, had lived with her master "from the time she could be weaned," Leslie reports. "She is completely house-broken. She also knows some commands: sit, speak, up, got to crate."

Leslie has three kids and the dog is fine with them. Zoe also gets along with other dogs, if "introduced right," Leslie says.

Leslie says she would "donate $100 to help with cost to board her" until a home can be found.

"I don't know what else to do. I've posted ads and talked to anyone that I thought might be interested."

To help Zoe, e-mail Leslie at [email protected] or call 512-251-7711/

CONTEMPLATIONS: Last night we watched Torch Song, the 1953 film with Joan Crawford as a singer with an unpleasant personality and Michael Wilding as a piano player blinded in World War II -- it's quite an exercise and no doubt, at the end of each day of shooting, the two of them had to floss the scenery out of their teeth.... On the upside of film-going, over the weekend we saw a splendid picture, Miss Pettigrew Lives For a Day -- it's very funny, very tender and sweet with some racy images and situations. But it really can grab your heart -- it takes place as air raid threats begin to unsettle London just before World War II. ... Speaking of movies, did you know there is an Indiana Jones and The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull countdown clock at www.indianajones.com? The film opens on May 22 -- a Thursday. When the first Indy film, Raiders of the Lost Ark, opened in 1981, my kids were 10 and I think I was, too.

The rabbit at rest...

Last weekend in Let Sleeping Dogs Lie & Napping Cats Nap I lamented that we'd not had a sleeping bunny during the years that we've been publishing this weekly slumber feature.

Almost immediately we got a note from our pal and rabbit tipster Sarita Rossi of North Texas Rabbit Sanctuary. Her note included a photograph of a sleeping boy -- let's just call him our "Easter bunny."

This rabbit's name is Zinfandel (like the grape and wine) and His Bunniness belongs to Cristy Alcorn, the North Texas Rabbit Sanctuary president.

Sarita says, "As you can see, Zinfandel is crashed out and dreaming about his next meal of parsley and carrots." (That's Zinfandel awake in the next photo -- he must have herad the word 'carrot'.)

Regarding the slumbering Zinfandel, Sarita says he is a Holland Lop. Lops have the droopy ears. He's named for Zinfandel because of his coloring -- like the wine.

(Just fyi: Holland Lops have only been recognized since 1964. Click HERE to read about them. That means, Holland Lops' recognition in the Netherlands [Jan. 1964] and The Beatles' arrival in the United States [Feb. 1964] occurred at roughly the same time. If the Fab Four had been rabbit fans rather than fans of the walrus, perhaps they'd have been The Lops. Perhaps not. One's mind tends to grow murky when typing in the evening hours... Back to today's bunny.)

Sarita says, "Rabbits don't always sleep this way -- it just depends on the rabbit. Zin is a  very relaxed rabbit, so that's why he crashes out like this."

(You can learn more about house rabbits by going to the North Texas Rabbit Sanctuary site HERE or the House Rabbit Society HERE.)

So, ladies and gents, with this weekend's Let Sleeping Dogs Lie & Napping Cats Nap (and thanks to the NTRS folks), we offer the answers two questions:

(1) Anybody ever seen a rabbit sleeping? We have now.

(2) Who gets all that parsley that shows up in grocery stores and as garnish?  Bunny wabbits.

(We're proud to promote sleeping in any brand of mammal, marsupial, reptile, amphibian, bug, bird or whatever. Send your dozers' photos and info about it and you to [email protected].  Why do we honor slumberers? Because, as insomniacs, we recognize sleep as the great treasure of the earth. Never mind gold or diamonds, a good sleep is more important to the soul. Of course, we confess that we have been, in nearly six decades of somewhat futile and drowsy existence, never been able to collect gold, diamonds or slumber. Still, life's good if you can work in a nap, be ye bunny or buffoon. That extra photo? Why, that is Inky, our staff impressionist and Cocker Laureate of the State of Texas, with his dear acquaintance Harvey (thank you Mary Chase!). They are doing their spot-on impressions of a pair of Holland Lops walking into a cafeteria and seeing a platter of Mom's Hippity Hoppy Meatloaf garnished with parsley and baby carrots.)