ReadLarryPowell.com

The last day of July -- already...

On Thursday, the fallen scribe rose.

Yes, after two days of groaning with each breath, wincing with each keystroke of my left hand, of being unable to raise that hand to my chin, I have apparently recovered from the backyard tumble I took Monday afternoon while trying to do manual labor.

Having sworn off such foolishness, I will now dedicate my energy to presenting today's items without regard to personnel safety -- though I have installed a seatbelt on my desk chair -- just in case -- and I'm wearing a typing helmet. Here goes and watch out for flying consonants.

FUNDRAISING ONE PUP AT A TIME: That big ol' Boxer dawg is Nancy Drew -- named for the spunky detective. You can read about her HERE and the deal is, she "whelped a litter of beautiful puppies" after she came into the care of Legacy Boxer Rescue.

So the Legacy folks, with five boys and three girls to name, decided to auction off the naming rights -- you know, kind of like Jerry Jones is doing with his new football stadium. And, maybe Legacy will raise as much money as ol' Jerr.

The bidding is underway on eBay HERE.

The proceeds, of course, go to Legacy's mission of saving the Boxers. And I used this photo of the pup in the yellow ribbon because of the sincere expression on the face. Reminds me of the pup's Mom. Oh, and don't think about naming this pup for one of the Hardy Boys -- she's a girl. Could be Jo or Frankie, I guess.

EYES AND EARS: As you may have noticed, Readlarrypowell.com has long donated space on either side of our site to rescue groups and shelters and that space allows those folks to showcase particular critters off their websites. (You people who buy the ads help make that space available, bless your hearts!)

One day last week, a dog from Dallas Animal Services popped up.

Fascinating face. Fascinating.

So, according to the DAS website HERE, Lilo The Rhinestone Cowboy (as she's known) is still available. (Her entire name won't fit on the city's website, I'm told by Jennifer Selesky of the DAS Adoption Desk.)

Lilo's a 7-month-old Husky/Lab mix with a short white coat and "shocking blue eyes and adorable stand-up ears." Understatements, wouldn't you say? It's not every day one dog can take 3 photos and have the same eyes in each picture.

According to the city's site, she came in as a stray and has been looking for a home since June 20 -- this is way beyond the usual stay in a city shelter. Lilo can be yours for $85 -- once she finishes with some routine parasite treatments, Jennifer says. The pup will be available on Aug. 4.

The shelter is at 1818 N. Westmoreland -- at I-30 and Westmoreland, west of downtown Dallas a couple of miles.

There are other dogs and cats available there, too. The animal folks in this town worked hard to get that new shelter built -- and it has a big ol' sign on the front that reads "Adoption Center." That ought to be a statement of fact rather than an ambition.

Lilo's number is a541465. Remember, it'll take someone giving her a home to make sure she lives out her life with a name.

Don't forget that almost all shelters -- Marshall, Rockport, Carrollton, Arlington, etc. -- have huge inventories of dogs and cats. Shelter dogs and shelter cats have great records as adopted animals. Once they've been sprung from a shelter, few have gone into politics.

Oh, that black dog with the ears? That's TJ, a 7-month old dog currently in the Marshall shelter just 2 1/2 hours east of Dallas on I-20. He weighs in at 20 pounds and is "friendly, sweet and adorable. A goofy sweet baby." And he's one of many, many dogs and cats that Animal Control Officer Eva Sepulvado is trying to help survive the shelter experience. To help, call her at 903-935-4530 or 903-926-2695 or e-mail [email protected]. Click HERE and you can see the Beagle, Rat Terrier, Labs, mixes, Maggie May the Anatolian Shepherd, a ton of cats and dogs. All needing a way out.

HOW MANY HEELERS ARE THERE? We might as well call this "Heeler Corner."

These two dogs surely have something in common in a family tree somewhere.

Now, we've mentioned one of them before -- the old girl without the neckerchief. That older dog -- she's 15 -- is from Burns Flat, Okla., and hardworking shelter monitor Terry Lynn  Fisher is trying to find her a place to live outside of the little Oklahoma town. You may recall that she nipped a jogger and wound up in stir. Heelers nip. That's what happens sometimes. (Just FYI: Terry Lynn also has been trying to help a woman in Corn, Okla., find a home for a momma dog and six pups who, the woman says, will be shot by her husband if they don't find a home. Reader Marge Wadoo suggested in our "comments" on July 29 that "the biting heeler should be introduced to the husband ... who wants to shoot the puppies. Put an iPod and some Nikes on the man and set that heeler loose on him!" I'm thinking we could probably raise funds with such an event.)

Returning to the point at hand. This dog is named "Fat Girl" but you could probably change that. Terry Lynn says, "She is boarding right now for I could not bear the thought of her at the pounds. after all her years on earth, she deserves so much better than this."

To help this heeler, e-mail Terry Lynn at [email protected] or call 580-330-1459.

In the meantime, in a flurry of activity last evening, Humane Society of Northeast Texas Adoption Counselor Justin Allred sent out word from Longview that this heeler needed to be rescued  -- the clock was ticking. Sure enough, things came together and Deirdre Marr with Riff's Friends Dog Rescue and Park Cities Obedience School, agreed to take the dog in and transportation was being arranged in the late hours. So, this dog with the neckerchief and the chubby resemblance to the Burns Flat dog, is safe now thanks to some quick teamwork.

The dog's name wasn't listed in any of the e-mails, but every one carried the subject line "Beautiful Blue Heeler." Never really been an ugly one, has there?

AN ARMFUL OF DOG: This ultra relaxed Rottweiller is Deux, pronounced "Dew."

We got the note about him from Margot Morris who is trying to help her sister, Meagon Morris, find a home for the 100-pound 2-year-old. That's Margo with the armful of Deux.

"She has two Rotts already and Deux doesn't get along well with her older dog....He is a sweetheart and a huge goofball," says Margo. "he is so nice to people and older kids. He gets alone with my Chocolate Lab and my sister's other female Rott. We took him walking in downtown Dallas...and the other dogs didn't seem to bother him much. He has always lived in a rural area, so we don't know how he would act in city life.

"I think that he would do best in a home with older children and no male dogs. We have tried to find someone that is good enough to take him, but can't find the perfect fit."

The dog's currently living in the Red Oak/Glenn Heights in southern Dallas County. To adopt Deux, you'll have to pass a rigorous audition and pay a $75 re-homing fee. To ask about Deux, call 214-228-0973 or e-mail [email protected].

And, when you first saw this photo didn't you think "Wow, a Rottweiller doing an impression of a cat."

SIMBA'S READY FOR A HOME: A while back, PR/marketing maven Vicki Young of The Young Company in Dallas wrote to us about a boatload of dogs needing help in Abilene. "All of the puppies ... and the two special needs pups have found homes," she reports.

Then, she moves on to the next challenge. "Now I need help with Simba," she writes. (That's Simba -- one photo in the sun, the other in the shade. Pretty in any lighting.)

"We think she's a Border Collie Mix," Vicki says. "An 89-year-old lady in Haltom City found her starving in her front yard July 10 and was kind enough to take her in, get her to a vet and keep her for 3 weeks while she recovered. The lady is frail and can not keep the dog.

"After a trainer at PetsMart contacted a rescue group I work with, Bob and I went out to the PetsMart in Hurst to meet Simba and the lady who rescued her.

"As the lady was leading Simba into the store, Simba pulled out of her collar and ran. We ran for hours looking for her and by a miracle she didn't get hit by a car, and an animal control officer who just happened to be in the area picked her up. We had called them for help in catching her so they
knew to contact PetsMart if they caught her. We drove to the shelter and got her. Guardian Angels were looking out for this dog. There were very busy streets everywhere.
"Bob and I are fostering her until we can find her a permanent home. We have a 12-pound dog who is afraid of Simba and has been hiding under furniture since she's been with us or we would keep her ourselves. We're very fond of her.
"She is a very sweet, loving dog, she loves to run and play. House-trained, heartworm negative, and has had her first round of shots."

Now, almost no dog arrives without quirks. "She is afraid of doors (we're working on that)
and sudden noises.

"She walks on a leash. She needs to be with a rescue group, or an experienced dog owner to help her become less afraid. Probably an active family with no other pets, or pets her size. She weighs 34 lbs now, but she needs to gain about 10 pounds. So, she will be a 45-50 lb. dog. She
does well with older children."

To ask about adopting or helping Simba, e-mail [email protected]. Vicki writes, "This is a very special dog that has great potential to be a wonderful pet for the right family."

OUR ARKANSAS CONTACT REPORTS A YORKIE CRISIS: Molli Corbin, who monitors things around Dardanelle in Northwest Arkansas, says that it's hot there, too. And, also, "Once again people are throwing dogs away.

"There is a mill not far from me that is wanting to down-size. They are giving up their Yorkies and Pugs. I have found a rescue to take the pugs, but I have not found a Yorkie rescue. do you know of any small dog rescue around you [North Texas or beyond] that might have room for some of these Yorkies? Like most 'millers,' they will not give me a number yet. The only information that I have is that the dogs are between 2 and 6 years of age and are up to date on their shots."

She's also looking for a foster home for a male Silky that came from a mill -- he's about a year old and healthy, but "not ready to be placed in a home."

To offer help to Molli, e-mail [email protected].

CONTEMPLATIONS: Our longtime radio industry tipster Larry Shannon, the former big-time DJ in Dallas/Fort Worth, sends word that nominations have been announced for the 2008 class of the Texas Radio Hall of Fame (click HERE). One of the nominees is J.P. Richardson -- known to us old folks as The Big Bopper. If he hadn't been around, how many of us boys in 1958 would have ever heard of chantilly lace? The Big Bopper is also credited with coining the term "music video" and creating the first one in 1958. So, our contemplation? Where would we be without radio? ... Can you believe the great catcher Ivan "Pudge" Rodriguez, originally a beloved Texas Ranger, is now a New York Yankee? Another Ranger will be going to the Hall of Fame in another team's uniform. And the Texas Rangers struggled to beat the worst team in baseball lately -- excitingly close games, but they shouldn't be. ... What is Starbucks -- closing 200 shops in the U.S. and 600 in Australia --  going to do with all those extra cups and all that unsold coffee? Auction it on CoffeeBay?

An Irving dog waits...

When you get a last-minute note from Russell Posch, the Irving shelter walker, you know that the dog has a top recommendation and is facing an awful fate.

This dog, Norbert, is living his last few hours unless someone steps up. There are many dogs and cats in the same situation all over the area, but something about Norbert caught Russell's eye.

His note says, "Norbert was dropped at the shelter by a citizen. He is about 4 years old and has a bad case of demodectic mange. He weighs about 65 pounds. He is available to rescue only right now.  Norbert is a very friendly boy, but he is in a state of discomfort because of his mange.  He is not considered adoptable and won't be kept much longer. Can someone help Norbert?"

If no one helps him, he will be put to death, the victim of overcrowding in shelters and an owner who didn't want to invest in healing a very cureable problem.

To ask about rescuing Norbert, call the Irving Animal Shelter at 972-721-3597.

A happy dog; help wanted; and a plea...

Sometimes you reach a day when things begin to bug you -- the heat, the constant drone of your air- conditioner sucking money out of your life-savings, stupid "racket music" behind sports reports on television,  the idiocy of reality shows, etc.

It is at this point that I look at my cocker spaniel, Inky, asleep at my feet and think "If you could sing on key, I'd be rich."

(That is our staff impersonator Inky giving us his impression of a world famous cocker opera singer walking into the dressing room backstage and spotting a craft services table with a big steaming platter of Mom's Metropolitan Opera Fat Lady Sings The Blues Meatloaf with Asparagus Spearcarrier garnish.)

Now, let's talk happy things, then we'll close with a contemplation with a purpose.

WHEN ROSEMARY BECAME PRALINE: Perhaps you recall this photo on the left. We posted it here on July 21 when the dog was known as Rosemary and was on the clock at the Carrollton Animal Services shelter. I suggested that the person taking her shelter photo said, "Give us a little attitude, like you're an early 1900s musical hall star or maybe somebody's aunt posing for a picture at a family reunion in the summer."

We now have the real story on this dog. We get it from Laura Heymann of Arlington who begins her letter with "I cannot even begin to tell you how great this dog is!"

She knows because she and her husband, Mike, have adopted Rosemary and changed her name to Praline.

"She has made a seamless transition into our house and has made fast friends with our other doggies." [That's Sam the purebred Lab and Rusty the Lab mix.]

And, Praline appears to be "completely trained," Laura says.

"Within 30 minutes, she would go to the back door and told us she needed to go out. She also knows how to sit, lay down, sit pretty (up on her hind legs only), shake, kiss, speak, stay, roll over -- you name it, this dog does it!  She was definitely someone's baby.

"I'm sorry they didn't find her but I'm so glad we did and she wasn't put to sleep. She is a big cuddle bug, but doesn't jump on furniture... or chew (that was a challenge with one of our dogs). "Our vet's best guess is that she is a year to a year-and-a-half old and she's a Lab-Collie mix."

As you can see from the photos, Praline is already making her people happy.

"I think she already knows her new name, too," Laura says. "She didn't answer to Rosemary or any other name we thought of, so we figured it would be OK to change it to Praline. She is so dainty and girly - she's just precious. We are in love with this little girl. I can tell any and all of your readers - rescuing shelter dogs is the way to go! We love our first dog, the purebred Lab, of course, but he has had such a spoiled life and has been a very difficult dog - the doggie equivalent of a spoiled trust-fund baby is the best way I can put it.  Our two rescued dogs are just a dream and we love them so much.  I think they appreciate what they have, too.

"So I'm happy to report, this is VERY MUCH a happy-ending story."

(Just FYI: Joe Skenesky and the folks at the Carrolton Animal Services shelter are not out of dogs and cats. Click HERE to see the inventory of available cats and dogs.)

THE DUMPED DOGS: For a while now we've been monitoring a dumped-dog area near the Seagoville/Dallas border on Malloy Bridge Road. We've monitored through the eyes of people who actually get out in the heat and have a hands-on approach to saving these unwanted dogs.

Last night we got a note from Deborah Trevino: "Well, the inevitable has happened again," she says. "One of the dogs has been apparently hit by a car. Little Cheyenne is not walking on her rear left leg, and she is visibly in pain. Poor thing, she still stayed near me to eat hot dogs out of my hand. But, she kept having to sit down every couple of minutes due to being unsteady on 3 legs. It was heartbreaking driving away knowing she was in pain, and that I couldn't bring her home. Her sister is in foster care, and it is hoped that the two sisters can go to a forever home together."

To help this dog, e-mail [email protected]. The other dogs need help, too, if you don't beat someone else to Cheyenne.

PENNIES FOR PETS AND A MISSING DOG: The annual KRLD-AM (1080) Pennies For Pets campaign moves to Starpower, 15340 North Dallas Parkway, today -- it benefits the Metroplex Animal Coalition and Dallas Animal Services. And, we hear, when you visit Ernie Brown and Jay McFarland as they host their show at Starpower today, you may find handouts regarding Shelley, the elusive dog that escaped from a foster's yard in The Colony and was last seen in Frisco.

HELPING TASHA: One of the good things about working in an office with a human side is you can look for help from your colleagues. So, someone forwarded an e-mail to us that put us in touch with Israel Villarreal of Grand Prairie who has turned to his co-workers for help in placing a "loving dog."

Israel writes, "We are trying to find Tasha a good home with someone that will spend time with her and love her. Tasha is an American Eskimo, she is 5 years old, weighs between 30-35 pounds and is 2 ½ feet tall."

You'll have to pass an audition to adopt this dog. Israel says, "Tasha will stay with me until a good home is found for her."

So, this is not one of those "deadline pressure" situations, but is a careful approach to re-homing a family dog. To ask about Tasha, e-mail [email protected] or call 817-798-5062.

A FOSTER HOME FOR SUNNI: We checked this morning with Krista McAnally of the Humane Society of Cedar Creek Lake and, yes, Sunni, the 3-year-old female white boxer, still needs a foster home.

Why? Because she's undergoing heartworm treatment and will need a quiet place to stay still for several weeks. Sunni came into the society's shelter in Tool via animal control.

"She is a very sweet girl and was adopted soon after getting here," Krista says. "She went to her new home on a cattle ranch and was fine for about a week and then decided it was great fun to chase the cows.

"Before she started chasing cows, her new owners took her to the vet and discovered she had heartworms and they were going to have her treated.  However, after the cow thing, she had to come back to the shelter. I have someone that will pay for her HW treatment but she will need a place to recover. She will get along with other dogs as long as they are male. She is aggressive to females, otherwise she would already be at my house."

You can read about Sunni on the Humane Society website HERE. To offer to help this would-be cow-chaser, call Krista at 903-432-4322 or e-mail [email protected].

A LONG CONTEMPLATION: Today my goal is to tidy up a little bit of the cyberscape. So, you people who have computers, pay attention:

Suggestion 1: Stop hitting "send all" when you really need to simply send to a specific person.

Suggestion 2: Retrain your forwarding reflex. I'm begging you. Make the world a more efficient place: be mannerly with your e-mails. Stop mindlessly forwarding messages. A number of times we get a message marked critical, then 4 or 5 minutes later we get a "never mind" message -- this indicates that someone has forwarded a message without checking the rest of their in-box to see if a situation has been resolved. And, for crying out loud, every now and then check the original date on an e-mail -- if it's a week old, the crisis has probably passed. Check with the original sender or make a phone call. Make an effort to help, not just an effort to forward. But if you must forward, be sure the original sender's info is on the e-mail, too. It is time-consuming to play "detective in search of missing clue." I'm an aging fellow.

Suggestion 3: Efficiency might save more lives. Don't read that as a threat, though, I promise you never know when I'll snap and reach through the screen and grab you by the mouse....

What's that? Yes, I do delete things, but when I'm not sitting at my computer with my worn-down finger hovering over the delete button, your dupes and needless e-mails fill up my 1,000-limit inbox causing valid e-mail to bounce away.

That bouncing e-mail might be critical to the life of a dog or cat, but it can't reach safe harbor because you have stubbornly refused to clean up your massive address list or you have carelessly hit "send all" without regard to others.

I'm not asking you to stop speeding or smoking or to give up chocolate. I'm just asking that we all become mindful of our e-mail habits. I'm serious about this. In animal rescue, a lot of energy is wasted. That doesn't help the animals.

You may comment on the preceding innocent suggestions by clicking on the "comment" button at the end of today's entries. And, this one time only, cut and paste these suggestions and send them to everyone on your mailing lists -- except me. I already have a copy.

Highs, lows and a kerplop

On a hot Tuesday in July, we have this collection of results and opportunities. And one little tale of a tumble.

A DOG FINDS SOME HELP: When last we wrote about this dog on July 21, she was in the Collin County Animal Shelter after being struck by a car and personnel there and shelter monitor DeDe Whitcombe were trying to help her.

Help arrived in the form of Paulette Klein and family.

And, as you can tell from the photo, the dog's plight was tenderly resolved and, in fact, she got a hot pink cast out of the deal.

She also got a name: Sadee.
"She is doing great -- she loves the attention my kids are giving her. She really likes going outside .... to see what is going on....She is really a sweet heart."

And Paulette confides that after that during one vet visit, she'd taken "four pages of notes ... on meds, restrictions and the time-table for doctor visits."

Paulette says she and her kids "do volunteer work at Operation Kindness -- walking dogs and cuddling the cats. It really is a great place. Three of our animals have come from there.

"I am so happy to help Sadee (named on the way to the ER by my 14-year-ol daughter).

"Fostering was something I have never done before, but some with DeDe's e-mail really touched me. I offered to help financially and then she responded and wanted to know if I could take her. I did not expect that -- thought about it and then decided we could do it."

ASIDE: And, there, folks, is how this happens. Your heart takes you from being outside to being inside the situation. And your heart is rewarded.

Back to Pauline's story. "We drove up to McKinney and Sadee (still a number at that time) was ready for us. We were told to give her an aspirin for pain to take her to the vet in the morning. We decided that maybe the ER was a better place for her so I called DeDe and she told us there was one on Custer. The doctor at the ER was wonderful and Sadee never mad a sound while she moved her broken leg around.

"After the x-rays, we found out the leg was shattered and would require a specialist. Lucky for us they were in the same building and could keep Sadee overnight."

Further examination revealed that the "injury was older and had started to heal, so the operation was a little more complicated."

The vet "used a plate instead of a rod -- only 150 dogs in the U.S. have had this done. But [the vet} feels that after about 8-10 weeks of recovery, the leg will be as good as new."

The challenge now? Keeping her still while she heals.

We'll, no doubt, have further updates about Sadee. And it's always good to see so many people (Collin County, DeDe, Paulette and Family, the veterinarians, etc.) working to help one little dog get to live out the rest of her life.

JENNY TV NOTE: Margaret Morin, who organized Concerned Citizens For Jenny to support sending the Dallas Zoo's lone elephant to a sanctuary in Tennessee, reports that she'll be interviewed about the issue about 9:50 a.m. Tuesday on Fox News on cable. It'll probably be played a few times, guessing by Fox's modus operandi, and you can probably see it on the Fox website.

SIMON'S ADVENTURE: You may recall that on July 18 we told of how the Oklahoma Beagle Rescue people were helping find one of "their" fellows, a big Beagle mix named Simon who had been adopted to a family at Sachse. And while the family was on vacation three weeks ago, Simon  -- as Beagles will do -- dug out of the yard and vanished.

Yesterday we got the good news from Chuck Crawford of OKBR. Simon "was picked up by a neighbor only a block away from his house. They were planning on putting up signs, but they never did. One of the other neighbors saw the [Simon] signs and the dog and called the owner. So, everyone is happy again." And, Chuck adds, "A big THANK YOU to everyone that helped to get the word out on Simon."

OKBR is headquartered in Norman, Okla. Click HERE to see the website.

AN OKLAHOMA MOM AND PUPS BECOME POTENTIAL TARGETS: We get our tip from Terry Lynn Fisher who has her hands full monitoring things at the Burns Flat, Okla., pound (and we'll get to one of those dogs in a minute.) But right now we'll discuss Terry Lynn's efforts to keep a momma dog and her six pups alive in Corn, Okla., about 50 miles west of Oklahoma City.

A woman from Corn contacted Terry Lynn about saving these dogs.

The story is the dog showed up at a house and had six puppies. The woman of the house "can't afford to keep them," says the plea for help. "The momma has some obedience, already knows how to sit and down, etc."

The dogs are black and brown and good natured. And the mom is, of course, protective.

"She may be part German Shepherd and [I] don't know what the other half is. The lady that has the dogs says her husband will shoot the dogs. This is a very urgent matter."

So, if you can help these dogs call Terry Lynn at 580-330-1459 or e-mail [email protected] or call her contact, Denene, at 580-343-2070 or e-mail [email protected].

Now, among Terry Lynn's challenges at the nearly always overloaded Burns Flat shelter is juggling the fate of an old friend. She's already tried to help this dog once. A few months ago, the dog, a heeler mix, bit someone and went into quarantine. Terry Lynn says she "had a temperament test done on her. She showed no sign of aggression so the judge let her go home.

"Sadly, a friend let her out this morning and as a man jogged past she bit him."

The city has decided the dog can no longer live in Burns Flat, so Terry Lynn got authorities to "agree to let me get her out of town so that she does not die."

Terry Lynn says she talked to a few people involved with the dog and she things the dog "was doing what heelers do and she nipped his [the jogger's] heels. But she cannot go home."

The dog is about 15 years old, is spayed and has always been an inside dog -- she lives with small kids, a dachshund and a pit bull.

"Her owner is heart-broken over this. She spent hours at the pound with her today, loving her and telling her how sorry she was. This old girl looked at her with such confusion, it made me cry."

So, to save the dog, get her out of town. To accomplish this, e-mail Terry Lynn at [email protected] or call her at 580-330-1459.

A LAB IN ARKANSAS: We got this note from Freddie Felkins of Greenbrier, Ark. Folks who know Arkansas know that Greenbrier is north of Conway and southwest of Heber Springs in the northern part of the state.

"I live in Greenbrier, Ark.," Freddie writes. "Recently someone abandoned a two- or three-year-old female black Lab. Do you know of any rescue groups in this area?"

So, there's your challenge, readers. Find a reliable rescue group for that abandoned lab. E-mail your info to [email protected].

AND IN DALLAS, THIS CRISIS: Wendy Anderson, founder and president of the South East Dallas Humane Society has crushing family pressures that are causing her to issue a plea for help with this foundling.

"I really need to find a place for this pup.... With a newborn, a toddler, a new job and now my dad in ICU dying, I can't do it. Please, someone help this poor fellow. ... thanks for any help at all. Even if someone could just transport him to the vet and back, that would be a big help."

Of course, the best thing would be to find a place for the handsome fellow and take a little pressure off Wendy. To help, e-mail [email protected].

A FLOWER MOUND DUO: Dot Lott of the Flower Mound Humane Society says they've "got a couple of sweeties that need to be 'advertised,' shall we say! They are both Anatolian Shepherds that we got from a puppy mill raid. We have discovered that Anatolians are a challenging breed, and there doesn’t seem to be a lot of people who understand them or their needs.

"They are livestock guard dogs, very protective of their families, and can be destructive when bored – as can happen with any dog. They are not as adaptable to city family life as other breeds, so they definitely need some room to roam (supervised, of course! LOL!)  Milli Vanilli [right] – I promise I did not name them! – and Truman are both housebroken, good with other dogs, and very smart. They both love to give kisses, and just want to protect their family.  They would do best in a home with bigger kids since they are both on the larger side! 

"We actually have 5 of the dogs that were picked up in the raid, but Truman and Milli are the ones that we would really like to get forever homes for soon. They are both big love bugs!"

To ask about these dogs, contact the Flower Mound Humane Society HERE or e-mail Dot at [email protected].

A PUPPY SAVED, NOW NEEDS HOME: Kim Owens is looking for help placing a 15-week-old puppy found a month ago. The pup showed up as the family dog was being walked -- some of you have experienced such lucky events as this.

At any rate, Kim writes, "We have nursed him back to health from having had Parvo. He has been given a clean bill of health and only needs one more round of shots and a home. We have hit up all our friends and have contacted the rescue organization from whom we adopted our dog, but they no longer handle 'large breeds.'

"We are happy to foster him until the right person comes along but we need help getting him out there."

There is an $80 adoption fee, Kim says. The fee covers a portion of the medical bills. And the adopting human must promise to neuter the pup.

To offer a home for this puppy, call 214-213-6711 or e-mail [email protected].

SEEKING SOME LEGAL HELP: Katrina Tiner of Flower Mound describes herself as a pet photographer (Pawfect Photo) and owner of VIS-A-PET Home Pet Care and a "pet whisperer." So, obviously, she's got some financial and emotional investment in animals.

Here's her question: "I am a mother of 16 adopted pets. I worry that they will not be cared for when I die. Can you recommend a good, pet-friendly estate attorney so that I can make sure my loved ones are cared for in the event of my death."

If you can help, e-mail [email protected].

(Aside to animal-friendly attorneys: Here at readlarrypowell.com we are partial to attorneys and will even sell you an ad at a very reasonable price so you won't have to depend on word-of-mouth in the animal community. E-mail [email protected] if you'd like to talk rate and display.)

CONTEMPLATION: The Associated Press has distributed a story that says a Yellow Lab named Wille Bean Roscoe P. Coltrane is a candidate for mayor of Fairhope, Ala. (Click HERE.) If a Lab ran for president, how many of you would happily cast a canine ballot? If the Lab is elected mayor, will you move to Fairhope? ...  Best vegetarian tamale in town? At Uncle Julio's? ... True or false: The sound of "You've got mail" has replaced the plop of a newspaper on the porch in your life.

A REPORT ON THE BIG TUMBLE: Oh, dear loyal readers and others, my typing fingers are fine. But there's part of me that is in a bit of pain.

I was working in the backyard yesterday afternoon in the 105-degree heat and, as I tried to drag a downed limb past our rotting deck, I caught a work boot on a stretch of timber that passes for a walkway.

As I fell, I stuck my left hand out to catch my massive body -- it was akin to trying to catch an SUV with one hand in the fast lane of a Dallas freeway. So I ripped up a bunch of arm parts, then fell, left chest first, onto that timber.

I whapped down on it pretty hard.

Then I rolled over and looked up at the sky, figuring if I didn't have a heart attack or stroke in the next 2 minutes I'd be relatively OK. No dogs were outside in the heat, so I had to maintain consciousness because there was no one to lick me awake.

I have underestimated the amount of pain involved. The bruising. The difficulty of drawing a breath that doesn't hurt. The inability to raise my left hand to scratch anything above my upper lip.

I'm sure I'll get better. I am now looking for professionals to handle taming our backyard. Unless, of course, I heal quicker than I think I will at my advanced age.

And the reason I mentioned this is to explain to scientists around the world why their seismographs jumped viciously about 3:30 p.m. Monday and, to chefs, why every soufflé in France fell flat.

Jenny & Other Critters...

Our Monday has arrived and we're assessing the weekend damage and the prospects for the rest of the week.

We suspect we are not alone in this endeavor. Now, let's move on.

THE JENNY DEMONSTRATION: Supporters of Jenny the Elephant lined the entranceway to the Dallas Zoo on Sunday. The question now is whether his peaceful protest by smiling and waving people will have any influence on the people who will make the decision whether to send the Dallas Zoo's last surviving elephant to either a sanctuary in Tennessee or an animal park in Mexico.

There appeared to be around 200 people lining the entrance to the zoo. They handed out pro-sanctuary flyers and waved at passing vehicles. Their signs were gentle and not inflammatory.

Margaret Morin, who heads up the Concerned Citizens for Jenny, e-mailed an assessment to friends and supporters after the early Sunday afternoon rally. She urged them to thank local broadcast media for their work and noted that "unfortunately" the big print media's "photographer didn't show up until long after the rally was over, so they got only photographs of a few of us who waited."

The bulk of the demonstrators covered the entranceway to the zoo -- lining the access road and the zoo's entrance -- but there were lone protestors on nearby corners, too. These people politely covered a lot of territory.

Margaret also wrote, "I told everyone in the media the truth -- that our CCFJ rally was a local DFW grass roots citizens effort.  And, we are not extremists. We are just D/FW citizens who care about Jenny and do not want her to go to a 'drive-thru' tourist attraction in Mexico where she will be exposed to cars and trucks driving up to her day and night (the Mexican facility is open at night). Jenny is terrified of cars and becomes very depressed when she sees a single car. Her life with be misery with a constant stream of cars.
"It is my hope that the media could see from the make-up of the crowd, that we were a good representation of the Zoo's core constituencies. We had older people in wheelchairs, young kids, families, and adults of all ages. Everyone was nicely dressed and well spoken.
"[Dallas City Council Member] Angela Hunt's husband came as Ms. Hunt was out of town. As you may recall, Ms. Hunt is the lone Dallas City Council person who made the effort to visit the drive-thru tourist attraction in Mexico and The Elephant Sanctuary in Tennessee and has since supported Jenny being transferred to TES. Voters should remember this in the next election and call her office on Monday and thank her."

And, we got this assessment from our longtime tipster and critter rescuer Mary Garrett who wrote, "Really good turnout at Jenny demo. All ages and races.  Lots of very senior seniors plus an SMU group. ...The only time I remember being this hot was when we were building dog pens down in Terrell ... Look for a gray-haired red-faced old lady with a bright pink umbrella on the evening news clips. That's me and I'm glad I went."

More to come on this Jenny story -- no doubt.

THE SHELLY REPORT: Helen Miller, who has been monitoring the hunt for the escaped "Shell Station Dog" reports that she got a phone call over the weekend from a man who claims to have seen the roaming dog at a Sonic on West Main in Frisco.

As you may recall, this dog was originally trapped at a Shell Station at I-30 and Belt Line in Grand Prairie, then released to a foster home in The Colony, then escaped from that home and vanished into the busy neighborhood. Efforts continue to return this skittish dog to safety. If you've seen her, e-mail [email protected].

FROM ROANOKE: You may recall the disturbing story from last week. Someone left a Boston Terrier puppy in a cage on the side of the road in Roanoke and by the time anybody stopped, the dog was dead, apparently from the heat.

This morning we got a note from Roanoke Police Sgt. Chris Almonrode who reports, "We have no leads, no suspects. We are taking the cage to have it fingerprinted this week. If we get a match, I will send out a press release."

If you know something about this case, if you saw the cage being put out on the side of the road or if you know someone who may know something, call the Roanoke police at 817-491-6052 or e-mail your information to [email protected].

REMINDER: It's Monday and the clock is ticking in animal shelters. Saving the animals will involve inspiring hearts. Remind your friends and neighbors to look into these shelters and find a friend or two. Marshall, Longview, Carrollton, Little Elm, Dallas, Texarkana, LaPorte, Houston, Grand Prairie, Arlington, Irving -- oh, just pick a city. It's probably got a "pound." Google it and look at the inventory.

For example, there are two dogs in the Carrollton Animal Services Shelter.

There's Barney the Basset who is probably 4 or 5 years old and came in as a stray.

Then there is little Bella. Her story is a prime example of how people should adopt animals ONLY when they know they and their homes are suited for adopting.

According to the bio on the Carrollton site, "This little lady was released to the shelter by her people who were having trouble getting her to stay in her yard. Most dogs escape from their yards simply out of boredom. Bella is hoping to find herself a family where she will be loved and played with enough so she won't want to run away."

To ask about these dogs, call Joe Skenesky at the Carrollton shelter at 972-466-3420 or e-mail [email protected].

That dog with the conflicting ears? That's Warren. A stray -- thought to be a shepherd/boxer mix who wound up in the LaPorte shelter near Houston. And the dog who appears to have NO ears? That's Sammy. He's a Lab mix. His time is really short, they say. He's been in the shelter a while and hasn't drawn any interest though he's said to have "excellent manners" and a sweet demeanor and knows how to sit on command. You can ask about Sammy by calling 281-842-3700. Click HERE to see more LaPorte animals.

CONTEMPLATIONS: The heat is oppressive in Dallas. The highways are paved and yet we stick around this oven. ...... Your Readlarrypowell.com couple saw Batman: The Dark Knight. One of us loved it. The one who didn't grow up reading DC Comics (Superman, Batman, Flash, etc.) didn't love it. Aaron Eckhart is great as Harvey Dent, the DA, and the camera loves him. Heath Ledger's Joker is magnificent -- Oscar certainty. The drama becomes "Who will accept Heath Ledger's Oscar?" ... The big floating banana over Texas isn't going to happen. You can see the original plan HERE. And read the Houston Chronicle story of the demise of the banana blimp plan HERE. Frankly, given recent salmonella developments, I'd like to see a giant jalapeno blimp floating next to a big tomato blimp next to a big question mark with "CDC" on it.

Our Monday has arrived and we're assessing the weekend damage and the prospects for the rest of the week.

We suspect we are not alone in this endeavor. Now, let's move on.

THE JENNY DEMONSTRATION: Supporters of Jenny the Elephant lined the entranceway to the Dallas Zoo on Sunday. The question now is whether his peaceful protest by smiling and waving people will have any influence on the people who will make the decision whether to send the Dallas Zoo's last surviving elephant to either a sanctuary in Tennessee or an animal park in Mexico.

There appeared to be around 200 people lining the entrance to the zoo. They handed out pro-sanctuary flyers and waved at passing vehicles. Their signs were gentle and not inflammatory.

Margaret Morin, who heads up the Concerned Citizens for Jenny, e-mailed an assessment to friends and supporters after the early Sunday afternoon rally. She urged them to thank local broadcast media for their work and noted that "unfortunately" the big print media's "photographer didn't show up until long after the rally was over, so they got only photographs of a few of us who waited."

The bulk of the demonstrators covered the entranceway to the zoo -- lining the access road and the zoo's entrance -- but there were lone protestors on nearby corners, too. These people politely covered a lot of territory.

Margaret also wrote, "I told everyone in the media the truth -- that our CCFJ rally was a local DFW grass roots citizens effort.  And, we are not extremists. We are just D/FW citizens who care about Jenny and do not want her to go to a 'drive-thru' tourist attraction in Mexico where she will be exposed to cars and trucks driving up to her day and night (the Mexican facility is open at night). Jenny is terrified of cars and becomes very depressed when she sees a single car. Her life with be misery with a constant stream of cars.
"It is my hope that the media could see from the make-up of the crowd, that we were a good representation of the Zoo's core constituencies. We had older people in wheelchairs, young kids, families, and adults of all ages. Everyone was nicely dressed and well spoken.
"[Dallas City Council Member] Angela Hunt's husband came as Ms. Hunt was out of town. As you may recall, Ms. Hunt is the lone Dallas City Council person who made the effort to visit the drive-thru tourist attraction in Mexico and The Elephant Sanctuary in Tennessee and has since supported Jenny being transferred to TES. Voters should remember this in the next election and call her office on Monday and thank her."

And, we got this assessment from our longtime tipster and critter rescuer Mary Garrett who wrote, "Really good turnout at Jenny demo. All ages and races.  Lots of very senior seniors plus an SMU group. ...The only time I remember being this hot was when we were building dog pens down in Terrell ... Look for a gray-haired red-faced old lady with a bright pink umbrella on the evening news clips. That's me and I'm glad I went."

More to come on this Jenny story -- no doubt.

THE SHELLY REPORT: Helen Miller, who has been monitoring the hunt for the escaped "Shell Station Dog" reports that she got a phone call over the weekend from a man who claims to have seen the roaming dog at a Sonic on West Main in Frisco.

As you may recall, this dog was originally trapped at a Shell Station at I-30 and Belt Line in Grand Prairie, then released to a foster home in The Colony, then escaped from that home and vanished into the busy neighborhood. Efforts continue to return this skittish dog to safety. If you've seen her, e-mail [email protected].

FROM ROANOKE: You may recall the disturbing story from last week. Someone left a Boston Terrier puppy in a cage on the side of the road in Roanoke and by the time anybody stopped, the dog was dead, apparently from the heat.

This morning we got a note from Roanoke Police Sgt. Chris Almonrode who reports, "We have no leads, no suspects. We are taking the cage to have it fingerprinted this week. If we get a match, I will send out a press release."

If you know something about this case, if you saw the cage being put out on the side of the road or if you know someone who may know something, call the Roanoke police at

817-491-6052 or e-mail your information to [email protected].

REMINDER: It's Monday and the clock is ticking in animal shelters. Saving the animals will involve inspiring hearts. Remind your friends and neighbors to look into these shelters and find a friend or two. Marshall, Longview, Carrollton, Little Elm, Dallas, Texarkana, LaPorte, Houston, Grand Prairie, Arlington, Irving -- oh, just pick a city. It's probably got a "pound." Google it and look at the inventory.

For example, there are two dogs in the Carrollton Animal Services Shelter.

There's Barney the Basset who is probably 4 or 5 years old and came in as a stray.

Then there is little Bella. Her story is a prime example of how people should adopt animals ONLY when they know they and their homes are suited for adopting.

According to the bio on the Carrollton site, "This little lady was released to the shelter by her people who were having trouble getting her to stay in her yard. Most dogs escape from their yards simply out of boredom. Bella is hoping to find herself a family where she will be loved and played with enough so she won't want to run away."

To ask about these dogs, call Joe Skenesky at the Carrollton shelter at 972-466-3420 or e-mail [email protected].

That dog with the conflicting ears? That's Sammy. He's in the LaPorte shelter near Houston. His time is really short, they say. He's been in the shelter a while and hasn't drawn any interest though he's said to have "excellent manners" and a sweet demeanor and knows how to sit on command. You can ask about Sammy by calling 281-842-3700. Click HERE to see more LaPorte animals.

CONTEMPLATIONS: The heat is oppressive in Dallas. The highways are paved and yet we stick around this oven. ...... Your Readlarrypowell.com couple saw Batman: The Dark Knight. One of us loved it. The one who didn't grow up reading DC Comics (Superman, Batman, Flash, etc.) didn't love it. Aaron Eckhart is great as Harvey Dent, the DA, and the camera loves him. Heath Ledger's Joker is magnificent -- Oscar certainty. The drama becomes "Who will accept Heath Ledger's Oscar?" ... The big floating banana over Texas isn't going to happen. You can see the original plan HERE. And read the Houston Chronicle story of the demise of the banana blimp plan HERE. Frankly, given recent salmonella developments, I'd like to see a giant jalapeno blimp floating next to a big tomato blimp next to a big question mark with "CDC" on it.

Sleep -- it's all in the angle...

Our witty pal Aubrey Zeppa sent a note that was titled "A Rescue Gone Horribly Wrong."

If you'll just ask her "How's the Colonel?" she'll beam proudly at the thought of the rascal.

Yep, he's a rescue gone wrong. Gone wrong all the way to the heart.

So, that's why we're spotlighting Colonel in this weekend's edition of Let Sleeping Dogs Lie & Napping Cats Nap. You might note that I've cropped a close-up so you can see one tooth sneaking out of that sleeper's mouth. This means that when he's sacked out, even his lips are relaxed. That ability to mine the depths of relaxation makes a stiff-lipped human jealous, you know?

What's the story on this great sleeper?

Aubrey explains, "After trying my best to 'rehabilitate' this rescue dog for nearly two years now, taking him to training classes, faithfully giving him money for his insurmountable remote control/cell phone/carpet padding habits, and driving him to doggie day care three times a week, I think I’m going to have to admit that I’ve just plain failed. Somewhere in the raising of this dog, I have gone wrong."

He's obviously a dedicated sleeper. And, apparently, when he's dedicated to a chore, he will not let his head be turned, unless he's upside down in a chair and then he turns his head the way he sees fit.

Where does an upside-down dog come from?

"I found Colonel in September of ’06 at Left Behind Animal Rescue in Aubrey, Texas. They do mostly big dogs, and I was looking for a young man to keep me company whilst all my human compatriots are busy being deployed overseas.

"Colonel dog was only 6 months old when I picked him up, but the shelter assured me that, having already attained the prestigious rank of Colonel at such a tender age, he was past the point in his career when he might himself be called up for duty. That, in combination with his adorably pathetic adoption photo [left] made him an easy sell."

So, with this sleeper, we, at Readlarrypowell.com, have come to this conclusion. A dog that sleeps upside down has probably turned someone's life upside down and has her pretty well trained regarding such things as taking him to playtime at doggie day care and making sure his sleeping place is empty when he needs some inverted slumbering.

Frankly, you just have to salute the Colonel.

(To nominate your sleeping critter for our weekend feature, Let Sleeping Dogs Lie & Napping Cats Nap, e-mail a sleeping photo and info about you and your friend to [email protected]. Remember, at Readlarrypowell.com we are honored when people send us photos of their sleeping animals -- and we are envious because we are insomniacs. We might be tempted to turn ourselves upside down in a living room chair in an attempt to embrace the elusive joys of slumber. We just don't know how big a work crew we'd have to hire to get turned rightside up again.)

On Friday, lots of typing...

We have quite a collection of things to offer for Friday  -- an elephant rally, dogs, cats, etc. We've got everything but a speech from a candidate -- so, it's safe to proceed. Read on:.

THE ELEPHANT ISSUE: The "Save Jenny Rally" is scheduled for 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday on the front lawn of the Dallas Zoo -- that's near the big giraffe statue at Marsalis and I-35 south of downtown.

Details are on this flyer (click it to make it larger) and, of course, you can go to the Concerned Citizens for Jenny website HERE to get details about the "family oriented peaceful rally."

These people want the Dallas Zoo to send Jenny, its only elephant, to a sanctuary in Tennessee rather than to an animal park in Mexico.

In a bit of irony, ralliers against the zoo probably will park on the Dallas Zoo lot and have to pay the zoo five bucks to park.

Anyone with experience in July in Texas between 1 p.m. and 2 p.m. probably knows to bring water, a parasol and other heat-fighting implements. Be a shame if the event were known more for mass fainting than for mass protest.

You can read about City Council member Angela Hunt's fact-finding trip by going to the Dallas Observer's Unfair Park blog HERE. (She's in favor of the Tennessee site.)

At Unfair Park, you will also get a flavor of the unpleasantness of the "discussion" between the councilmember and others.

To sign a petition calling for Jenny to stay in the U.S., go HERE.

And,  once again, in the interest of fairness, if there is a "Send Jenny To Mexico" website, I will be happy to list it. If there is a "Send Jenny To Mexico" rally, I will be happy to note it.

THE BOY DOG WHO PLAYED MOM: These things are always white-knucklers until the dog is actually out of a shelter and in a foster home, but, for now, it looks like the Collin County Animal Shelter, a rescue group from Minnesota and some local folks are teaming to save a dog now called Mister.

We featured him earlier in the week, thanks to our tipster DeDe Whitcome, who monitors comings and goings at the Collin County shelter (and consistently praises the staff for helping save animals).

We cited this dog earlier in the week -- he's the "talkative" boy who came into the shelter with a bunch of puppies and, for a while, people thought he was the Momma Dog. He was making every effort to tend to and wrangle the pups as if he were in touch with his momma side. This caught the hearts of many people.

As it stands now, efforts are being made to get Mister into the hands of a local volunteer who would then make sure Mister is safe and help get him to the Midwest Animal Rescue Service in Minneapolis. He is already on the group's website HERE. We are monitoring this and will let you know as soon as the dog is sprung and on his way.

A local woman who volunteered to sponsor "Mister," wrote to me, "I would be very happy to sponsor Daddy the Caring Dog in the Collin Shelter if there is a rescue group that would be willing to take him. Any dog that has worked to hard to take care of his fellow creatures deserves a chance to be taken care of!" 

A DOG'S PROGRESS: You may recall how Josie came to be in the care of strangers. She was the family dog who was left behind when the five members of the Hart Family were killed on June 20 in Plano when their van was struck by a speeding driver.

Here's is an update on 35-pound Husky-mix Josie from our reliable tipster with Animal Guardians, Natalie Blankenship.

"Josie is doing so much better than the first week after leaving her home of 6 years. A little bit of trust has gone a long way with her foster family and her attitude  -- now she wags her tail and plays with my husband and me. She will do all of her obedience training with a grin (she has a mischievous side) -- loves to go for walks  -- she is eating good and will even roll over for a belly rub occasionally. She is totally housebroken and has nice manners in the house.  Because she doesn't want to be around any of our dogs (all bigger than the size who lived with her), she has limited time just loose in the house. "We have made special times for her to play in the yard -- she likes that as long as she knows she can have yard play time as well as a walk. She really prefers going for a walk over anything!! She'd probably love living with a jogger!  We think she would do best in a home with no young children.  Possibly do best as the only dog unless it was a small size dog.  I would love to get her into a forever home soon before she gets too attached to her foster family."

To ask about adopting Josie, e-mail [email protected].

THE SEARCH FOR THE SHELL GIRL: Helen Miller, who has been keeping us informed about efforts to recover Shelley, the Grand Prairie service station rescue who escaped from a backyard in The Colony.

She was seen near the Home Depot at Highway 121 and Paige Road and has been roaming through the area. Reward posters are all over that neighborhood and the animal control folks have been alerted to her as well. In fact, The Colony has come close to catching her, we understand from Helen.

There's a reward for the dog's capture. If you know her whereabouts, call The Colony Animal Control at 972-370-9250 or Helen at 817-292-4396 or e-mail [email protected].

MORE CAN DOGS: As we've noted several times, the Companion Animal Network is winding down its business -- lack of adoptions, lack of foster homes, impossible expenses, etc. Never, however, was their a loss of enthusiasm for helping animals.

So, that's why we're running three more CAN animals today. These volunteers took in dogs that no one else would save and they're still trying to find homes for them.

They even help animals on the "edge" of CAN -- animals that someone has and needs help.

So, Gail Whelan of CAN contacted us about helping this fellow after she got an e-mail from Carolyn French.

Buddy was dumped at Bachman Lake, according to a note from Carolyn He's under 2 and if you'll look at the way I cropped his photo, you'll note that I cropped out some things that are going to need "cropping" later. I thought it was better to focus on that handsome boxer-mix face.

To offer to help Buddy e-mail [email protected] or Gail at [email protected].

Oh, and there's this one. Her name is Sissy. She had a happy home from when she was a puppy for 5 years -- when her human had to go into an assisted living facility. The thought is that Sissy would be a good fit for an older couple or a single person who is home a lot.

Sissy, in addition to being quite a looker and romper, weighs in at 45 pounds and is up to date on her shots. To ask about adopting her, call Hope at 214-914-3795 or e-mail [email protected] or [email protected].

And, finally, Gail says she is "assisting someone in re-homing this sweet dog."

This is Sophia and she is a Puggle. A Puggle is a Pug and Beagle cross and, indeed, this is one cute dog. (To offer Sophia the Puggle a home, e-mail [email protected] or call 972-686-8987.)

Now, I went to the American Kennel Club site and I found AKC pugs and AKC  Beagles, but I didn't find AKC Puggles. So, further exploration tells me that the Puggle is a "designer dog" -- not yet an actual breed except in the hearts and minds of people who love them and want to promote the breed and maybe make a buck or two.

In the old days, we'd just call these a Beagle mix or a Pug cross and say, "Isn't that a cute dog? You want it? Free!"

I went to a Puggle website where these puppies were for sale anywhere from $200 to $650 and beyond. If someone tries to sell you a registered Puggle, ask 'em where it's registered. Martha and I were once registered at the old Foley's Department Store, but that's a wedding story and we never asked the AKC for papers.

FUNDRAISERS: Just an FYI regarding our initial item. It comes from Jonnie England and, apparently (see yesterday's note about Jonnie), is her first PR effort on behalf of the Metroplex Animal Coalition.

            --Here's the deal: KRLD (1080 AM) is hosting its third annual Pennies for Pets from Monday through Friday next week -- that's July 28-Aug. 1, if you don't have your calendar with you. The adoptable animals at the assorted "remote" broadcasts will be from Dallas Animal Services and the pennies and other donations will benefit the Metroplex Animal Coalition which, as you know, runs a low- to no-cost spay/neuter program. From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. each weekday, KRLD's Ernie & Jay Show will be collecting the pennies. And there'll be all sorts of stuff available for purchase -- collectibles, gift cards, etc. Items and locations of the remotes will be online at www.krld.com or you can simply tune in each day and they'll tell you where they are -- you won't even need an high definition converter.

That dog is Matilda, one of the Dallas Animal Services' available dogs. Click HERE. She looks like her caption ought to read "suspect in bank robbery." But the story is she's so sweet she'd make parole on the first try.

             -- Perhaps the fact is Boxer people love to shop. That maybe how we can explain this August 3 "Shop For a Cause." You can get the details of this shopping festival at the Legacy Boxer Rescue site HERE. The thing is, according to the rescue group, the group has already rescued 200 Boxers this year -- in all of last year they rescued 304. This indicates more expenses are coming. So, the group is trying to raise money in anticipation of that. The Legacy folks figure they "must raise $10,000 to continue saving boxers in need."

That dog is Rowdi, a young boxer who, from the looks of her mugshot from the Legacy website HERE, has no "off" switch. Lives up to her name, they say.

RECOMMENDED READING: Randall Patterson has a story in the Houston Press about the challenges faced by two sworn peace officers whose job is to protect animals. According to his story, the officers are from a constables office and the Houston Humane Society contracted with the constable to, basically, put some teeth into the application of cruelty ordinances. You can read Randall's story HERE -- maybe print this out and send it to someone who needs to know that there's a way to get sworn law officers involved in animal enforcement. You know, maybe a way to get dog fighters in West Dallas shut down. That sort of thing -- not that such an awful thing would happen in Dallas and be allowed to go on even though specific addresses are provided by reliable observers. Randall promises to alert us on follow-ups to his story.

CONTEMPLATIONS: On a Friday morning in July, we are inclined to think of things from the past: summer days spent at the lake in our teen years, picking dewberries in thorn-filled thickets in northeast Texas while looking for berries with one eye and snakes with the other; the sudden shock of seeing "Back To School" signs in stores. What's to become of all our memories? ... Discuss: TV is better when Kelsey Grammer has a show on it. ... Note to the third-place Texas Rangers: Dallas Cowboys training camp has started and the media spotlight has shifted from hopeless to hopeful. As is the summer tradition, the pressure is off the Rangers franchise now -- the front office can start talking about "Wait 'til next year."

Jonnie England's new job; opportunities to help; pondering the world as it turns

OK, here we are working on Thursday's report while wondering how we can make a lot of money while simultaneously making people smile and maybe even tap dance.

We sell ads on this site (and feel free to invest), but I'm thinking I may have to take up singing. People would pay me to take my act to another Zip Code.

Oh, yes, today we'll discuss a "regular person" and some kittens.

Let's move on before I break into song:

NEW MAC POST FILLED BY JONNIE ENGLAND: The veteran animal issues legend Jonnie England, who left Operation Kindness earlier in the year after more than two decades of building the organization, has been hired by the Metroplex Animal Coalition in the new position of Director of Communications and Animal Advocacy.

The non-profit coalition position is being funded by a grant from the Mitchell Family Foundation of Dallas. Jonnie says she's excited, and honored and grateful for the "opportunity to continue working in animal welfare on behalf of homeless, stray, abandoned and abused animals in our community."

In the newly created position, Jonnie says she'll "provide professional PR, marketing and development services to animal shelters and humane organizations that have neither the resources nor the expertise to further the cause of animal welfare. The purpose of the position is to serve as a voice for the animals, promote their humane treatment and increase awareness of animal issues in an effort to save more lives."

And she says, "I’ll continue to support Dallas Animal Services and, of course, work to further MAC’s spay-neuter programs, but assist other groups as well. Organizations will apply for assistance in the areas of public and media relations, marketing, cruelty awareness and prevention, education, fund development and needs assessment.  I’ll be able to use my 22 years’ experience, the skills I’ve learned and the contacts I’ve made to assist a wide range of animal groups and issues.  I am very excited about this great opportunity, and so grateful to the Mitchell family and to MAC for making this possible!"

That photo? That's Jonnie's little pup Muffin. She's always starry-eyed when she's getting some publicity.
TRYING TO KEEP THE WOLVES FROM THE DOGGIE DOOR: We got this note from Laura South on behalf of Midcities Humane Society, headquartered in Grand Prairie, but working all over the area.

Times are hard for the group. It's the same story faced by so many rescue groups. Not enough money. Not enough foster homes. Too many rescued critters.

She wrote to me, "I sent out a plea asking for help before our rescue has to close down as we are having major financial trouble due to low or no adoptions and boarding costs due to fosters dumping dogs. If there is anyway you can post this plea on your site I would really appreciate it. We are looking for any donations or fosters who would take in one of our dogs -- or even rescues that would take in one of our dogs. We are getting desperate." (These dogs are Cutie Pie on the left and J.D., said to be a Border Collie/Lab mix. Both are available right now.)

Without fosters and with a slow adoption rate, the expense rate goes up. The group has been functioning since 1992, Laura says. It has a core of about 20 volunteers. She says, "Our vet bills and our boarding bills are $3,000 and $1,000 right now and they are still adding up. We can't afford all of this due to no or low adoptions."

So, there's the plea: The Midcities Humane Society, a non-profit group, needs adoptions, needs fosters and needs help with bills.

You could almost plug the name of any rescue group into this story and the description would fit.

If you'd like to help Midcities Humane Society, e-mail [email protected] and Laura can help you decide how best to help with donations or fostering. You can also go to the Midcities website HERE.

The president of the society is Nancy Reighn, Laura says. Laura is acting as the spokesperson in this tough spell. The group currently has about 50 dogs and cats in its care.

Laura is straightforward about her efforts to get help. "If we get enough help, we won't have to close. If we get the help with donations and fosters we won't have to close," she says. "That is reason I am asking for help: so we won't have to close."

TWO CAN DOGS: This is either irony or coincidence when you consider the preceding item. This item has to do with the efforts of Gail Whelan and her Companion Animal Network cohorts to find homes for their remaining animals and close down operations. The decision was made earlier this month -- not enough adoptions, not enough foster homes. Certainly not enough cash.

But plenty of good dogs.

Among them are these two . Logan (left) has found a foster home with Dr. Virgina Ellsworth ("the best vet in the city," Gail says), but will need permanent home.

And Tank is aching to be adopted, Gail says. She says he's a "big goof" who is "dying for someone to pay attention to him and teach him something. he is very smart and eager to please. He just has no training. He is great with other dogs and people of all ages. Tank came to us from Burns Flat, Okla., and was due to be euthanized. He had such a great smile and the people there just loved him, so we could not turn away." The Lab mix is about a year old and weighs 60 pounds. "He is built like a Sherman Tank -- hence the name," Gail says.

To ask about these dogs or anybody else in the CAN inventory, e-mail Gail at [email protected].

SPEAKING OF BURNS FLAT: See how the world is connected? Gail Whelan mentions Burns Flat, Okla., and we follow right up with two stories from devoted Burns Flat rescuer Terry Lynn Fisher.

She's trying to get GG out of the city shelter. She calls her GG "because she is such a good girl. She is so sweet and loving. Loves to share kisses with people and even all the other animals in the pound. She has been here a while, but with no camera, I could not get her posed. but here she is, in all her glory." (Regular readers will recall that Terry Lynn bounced her camera off a kennel floor and it did not survive the inadvertent, to use a basketball term, "dribble.")

GG "needs to leave this weekend," Terry Lynn says. Because of crowding conditions, "I have to have her gone before they open up on Monday morning." (To ask about helping this dog, e-mail [email protected] or call 580-330-1459.)

Terry Lynn sent a few photos, but this one seemed to be one that demonstrated the grateful personality of this little dog.

Now, Terry Lynn is also working to help a woman in Moore, south of Oklahoma City. The woman ran across an awful thing on her way home from work earlier this week.

"She noticed a beautiful husky dead on the side of the road," Terry Lynn says. "As she glanced over, she noticed something moving.

"she went back and what she saw broke her heart. This precious little girl was laying next to her dead mother, covered in her blood and still nursing.

"Animal control pulled up to get the body and said they would take the pup, but the woman was scared of what might happen so she took her home.

"she is not able to keep this sweet baby, so we really need someone to help with her ASAP."

Terry Lynn is the connection point for taking care of this little pup. E-mail [email protected] or call 580-330-1459.

HELPING AN OLDER SCHNAUZER: Our Schnauzer rescue guru, Evelyn Hoover, has a challenge. She's trying to place an 8-year-old male, neutered Schnauzer named Beaudroux.

"He is so sweet and friendly, but has chronic arthritis and has difficulty in jumping and walking although he does well on Rimadyl."

To ask about adopting Beaudroux, who is barely middle-aged in Schnauzer years, call 972-285-4525 or e-mail [email protected]. "I would really like to get him settled into a good home," Evelyn says.

He sounds like the ideal companion for someone who isn't interested in a lot of flashy movement and enjoys taking it easy. If we didn't already have a houseful of dogs like that, I'd take him.

THE REGULAR PERSON'S KITTENS: Julie Spencer sent me an e-mail and asked "can just a regular person who found a couple of kittens" get them mentioned on Readlarrypowell.com.

You bet. This whole website is set up for regular people -- regular readers, regular animal rescuers, people who open the door and find cats on their porches, or regular people who stop to pick up a dog, etc.

The hope of the animal world is the "regular person." All of the rescuers already have houses full of animals. All of the shelters are already full. It is the "regular person" who holds the key to saving the animals.

Here's Julie's story: "I found two absolutely adorable 3-month-old black kittens and cannot keep them as I already have 10 cats."

Time out: I'm not sure you can have 10 cats and be a "regular person," but maybe you can. We have 4 and we're not regular. Continuing Julie's note:

"My friend from the North Texas Rabbit Sanctuary told me about your column and suggested I tell people about the kittens via your website....I would love to get these little male kitties a home soon as I don't have enough time for them."

To ask about adopting these lively kittens, e-mail [email protected] or call 972-740-3005.

Regular persons may apply though, of course, these are not "regular" kittens. They are, like all kittens, extraordinary in their own right.

CONTEMPLATIONS: Something to discuss: Life is sure funny sometimes. ... Sometimes you hear a song that you forgot you'd ever heard. Such is the case with Everyone's Gone To the Moon, which popped up Wednesday evening on Ron Chapman's new station, Platinum 96.7. It played right after Carly Simon's You're So Vain. I don't think I was mellow -- heck, I was driving in Dallas and how can you be mellow when you're doing that? ... To my recollection, I've never had a Corona beer, but I have enjoyed the brand's subdued, no-star, clever TV commercials for years. And now they've gone and spoiled the record by letting country star Kenny Chesney sit in a chair and sing while wearing a cowboy hat on a beach. Discuss: That's OK or that's as wrong as a tuba solo in Charlie Daniels' The Devil Went Down To Georgia?

Rusty Greer news...

Well, the Texas Rangers bit the dust again in this afternoon's game, coughing up a sure victory when the bullpen fluttered in Chicago.

But there is good news in Cowtown. Texas Wesleyan University's baseball coach Mike Jeffcoat, who was once a Texas Ranger pitcher, has hired everybody's favorite Texas Ranger, Rusty Greer, to be an assistant coach. The Texas Wesleyan Rams play their games at Fort Worth's Legendary LaGrave Field, home of the Cats. And the Rams, under Jeffcoat, have a great winning record.

Just thought I'd bring this up if you're still feeling the throbbing headache of today's 10-8 disappointment. Always good to see Rusty Greer in baseball.