We're going to open today's report with an extremely appropriate quote from Julie Maupin of the Humane Society of Navarro County. She included it in an e-mail sent out this morning and we'll explain it later in this edition. The quote: "As one friend said - How nice it is to have a happy story to share."
If we were meeting in a Baptist Church I'd shout from the pulpit, "Can I get an 'Amen!"?
Now, let's find -- and make -- some more happy stories to share.
A DOG AWAITING: We first heard about this dog in a tip from Mike Epperson. It's a thing of mystery. Mike writes, "I don't know the lady who wrote it or how she happened to include my address on the distribution list, but there it is."
A woman named "Rachael" sent out the note. It explains that on Sunday evening (April 20) she and her husband "found" a stray when he wandered up to their front door. No owner stepped forward; no rescue group had room. And he had an injured leg -- apparently the "sweet boy" had been attacked by another dog, she says.
With no other place to turn, they surrendered the dog to Grand Prairie Animal Control.
After getting Mike's note, we got in contact with Debbie Barclay, the noted shelter walker at Grand Prairie's Prairie Paws Adoption Center.
She checked on this dog, let him nuzzle her hand and found out from the shelter folks that the dog will be available for adoption starting April 30 -- that's tomorrow.
You can see the Prairie Paws inventory by going HERE and clicking on the adoptables. The shelter is at 2222 W. Warrior Trail in Grand Prairie. Phone 972-237-8575.
So, what we have here is an inadvertent conspiracy aimed at saving a dog. Just one more step needed: someone to go get the dog and give it a home.
As "Rachael" wrote in her note, "I am sending this email to as many rescues as I could find in hopes that someone out there may help him. It will only take one rescue to get him out safely (and that is all I care about)....I feel I must do all I can. He came to me! He came to my front door and trusted me to help him, and I am so frustrated that I could not offer him more!"
THE CARROLLTON SITUATION: Of course, Carrollton is a suburb of Dallas, but it has big city animal problems, specifically overcrowding.
And we've gotten a few notes again this week about animals on the brink of disaster there -- in fact, Wednesday is their "day" unless they are rescued or adopted.
As you may recall, Carrollton Animal Services Joe Skenesky works hard to involve rescue groups and just plain folks in moving animals out of the shelter so the city won't have to euthanize these good souls. The shelter is currently full of cats and dogs. We've picked a couple of dogs to highlight today -- eyes and faces, that's how we picked 'em today.
First up is Nelly, a young Fox Hound mix who weighs in at 50 pounds and is "tall but not thick." She's so beautiful in this photo that she looks like a portrait of some wealthy family's favorite dog -- something you'd see in a museum, not a shelter.
She has no health issues, the shelter says, and she's available for adoption. She was a stray -- no tags, no nothing, just wandering.
Then there is this guy Stroker. He's said to be a Mastiff/Pit mix and he's suffering from "cherry eye," but can be easily healed with proper treatment and loving care. That's some face, isn't it?
Stroker is about a year old, weighs in at 80 pounds and is an owner surrender. He's still coping with walking on a leash without tugging and he may think he is still a puppy. He can also jump with all four feet in the air -- the staff nicknamed him "Rabbit." And his supporters figure he needs to go to a house without small children because he might accidentally knock them over with his exuberance for life. That's all in the shelter report. He's obviously charmed someone with his character-actor face.
To help Nelly, Stroker and the other Carrollton dogs and cats maintain their exuberance for life, contact the shelter and adopt a friend. You can call 972-466-3420, or e-mail
[email protected] . Click HERE to look at the shelter's animals.
FOLLOWING UP ON THE DALMATIANS: Our Burns Flat, Okla., tipster Terry Lynn Fisher has followed up on the two "skinny, wormy" Dalmatians that showed up in the city shelter. "There was an elderly man that lived here about two months ago. I guess he fell and laid for several days with a broken hip. These two dogs belong to him -- they were found laying beside him, loyal until they took him away.
"His children came and packed all his belongings -- all but two. Yes, these two poor innocent babies were just let loose and left behind."
Now, Terry Lynn says, the pound is beginning to fill up and these dogs are getting closer and closer to being put to sleep. "If I cannot get them to a safe place, they will be put down."
She's looking for an adoptor or a rescuer to help save the Dalmatians. To help, e-mail [email protected] or call Terry Lynn at 580-330-1459.
THE MILITARY DOGS: Our tipster in Sallisaw, Okla., has a followup on yesterday's item about the military reservist/doctor's dogs that were surrendered to the shelter after the doc was called up. A rescue group is picking up Blueberry the Heeler today. But nobody's claimed Beau the Lab/Border Collie mix, so he's going to be lonely and puzzled. To save Beau, e-mail Tina at [email protected] .
THE ARRIVAL: Oh, boy, they just show up sometimes. Yesterday, reports our Houston tipster Dana Dicker, her vet called about a Lab that someone had just brought in. She is a senior, a good 11-12 years old.
"She has been running this neighborhood for the last 10 days. The guy keeps calling the numbers on the tags and no one calls him back. He brought her to my vet today to see what to do.
The 56-pound dog has "gray around the muzzle, several fatty tumors, arthritis, etc. But the thing that is killing my vet is that she is SO HAPPY, wagging her tail non-stop and bouncing all over the clinic giving anyone she can some love. My vet is doing a work up on her at no cost in an effort to encourage someone to give her a final home."
To help this dog, e-mail Dana at [email protected].
THE GOOD NEWS STORY: Yesterday we mentioned that the Wossum Family in Corsicana was going through a rough time because little Gizmo the Yorkie had vanished on his bedtime walk Saturday night after the annual Derrick Days festival had closed.
Three Yorkies went out, two came back.
Our pal Julie Maupin of the Humane Society of Navarro County -- Remember the quote in our first paragraph today? -- had tipped us to this disappearance and this morning she sent us the happy news from Rachel Wossum.
Gizmo was found alongside Highway 31 -- he was standing in a ditch and preparing to cross the highway. "A sweet lady and her daughter" saw the dog and rescued him from the dangerous predicament. Then, her husband saw one of the flyers for the dog and the connection was made Monday evening and Gizmo is home.
Rachel wrote, "Never doubt the power of prayer. ... Thanks to each and every one of you that has assisted with putting out signs, sending e-mails, passing the word in any way you can and for all of your love, support and prayers."
So, networking, traditional search methods, the grace of strangers stopping to save someone else's dog, a big dose of prayer ... it all adds up to a happy ending.
LOOKING FOR PHOTOS OF SLEEPERS AND NAPPERS: You'll note this drowsy dog has a dynamic cuteness that leaps off the screen. Oh, OK, that's one of our dogs, little Annie, who isn't so little, but does enjoy a good sleep, most of the time on the floor next to my chair when I'm working. (She's usually right there with Inky the Cocker Spaniel and Griffin the Big Orange Cat.)
Annie is this week's poster pup for our weekend feature "Let Sleeping Dogs Lie & Napping Cats Nap." Her photo is here to remind you that we need photos of your sleeping critters for Let Sleeping Dogs Lie & Napping Cats Nap, read around the globe on the WorldWideWeb. (That all one word? I'd ask Annie, but she's sleeping.)
We've run photos of sleeping dogs, cats, a rabbit, turtles, an alligator, a tiger, a lion -- we'll feature any sleeping critter. We're insomniacs and we believe sleep is a treasure more precious than diamonds or collectible Beanie Babies. Send photos of your sleepers or nappers or sleepers and nappers to [email protected] and include info about the critters and yourself. We've featured animals from Arizona to Florida, from Chicago to Seagoville -- all over.
We're hoping for cats this weekend. Send in your cats -- wasn't that a Judy Collins hit? We've got a special dog planned for the weekend after that.
CONTEMPLATIONS: Yesterday I mentioned my funspouse Martha in the context of not being able to remember why one of our feral cats is named Smidge. She took a moment this morning to remind me that she does know and that I don't pay attention. Please, what husband in his right mind won't confess to that? Martha's explanation: "She is named Smidge because she has just the tiniest smidge of white on her throat, unlike Moriarty, who has almost a tuxedo front." I'm fine with that Smidge explanation, but I do wonder why someone would name a perfectly sweet feral cat after Sherlock Holmes' archenemy. ... Oh, it's a beautiful day around here. Sun shining, a little breeze making the spring foliage shiver and, of course, birds singing in full glory. Except for one mockingbird in a tree just outside the front window. That little rascal has been going through a repertoire this morning that would put a lounge singer to shame. He's got more songs than a truck stop jukebox. And he's loud and slightly off tune. The feral cats? They finished their "breakfasts from a can," put earplugs in and wandered off to the other side of the house to avoid the mockingbird. I have seen this bird -- or a relative -- chase the cats across the yard. ... Things to make you smile: Snowcones, the fizz on a freshly poured Coca-Cola, opening an envelope and finding that the Book of the Month Club says you have credit on your account. Now, there's a miracle.
