OK, charitable readers, I don't want to call this "hard luck Monday" because it's really a hopeful Monday. But to get to the point of needing some hope, there had to be some hard luck along the way. Read on:
SCUBA RESURFACES: Back on the last day of June, two Dallas Animal Services officers pulled a struggling, weary, about-to-go-under-for-the-last-time dog out of a pool behind an abandoned house.
He was soon named Scuba and, via A Different Breed rescue, he went into a foster home.
But in an e-mail from ADB, we learn that this weekend the group got a call from the family that has been fostering Scuba. Due to doctor's orders, the dog need to be out of their home immediately -- a child has "developed severe allergies to the dog. The family is heartbroken, as they say he's a sweet, wonderful dog. He's great with people, including children, and he's house-trained. Scuba's only issue is that he's cat-aggressive."
So, if you can help re-home this dog Scuba -- abandoned, threatened, rescued and in a tough spot again -- call ADB's Debbie Ferrell at 214-316-6604.
This photo is from shortly after Scuba's rescue -- after a bath, but before going into foster care.
DELILAH'S PROBLEM: We get this story from West Side Animal League's Marybelle Denton who tells us about a dog named Delilah Blue.
She was adopted from the White Settlement Animal Shelter when she was a puppy and "had problems with her frequent urination since the beginning."
Now that Delilah is an adult dog, this problem has become too much of a challenge for the single mom who also has two sons. Marybelle wrote that the "going back-to-school expenses along with everything else have really tapped her out."
Delilah can be helped with surgery, Marybelle says.
Last week, this mom tells Marybelle that she took Delilah to the vet to get x-rays and advice and the trip cost about $240. "I know it wasn't the wisest decision to take," she said, "But I decided to pay for Delilah's vet visit with my utility bill money...."
Now, it looks like Delilah may be going back to a shelter where, of course, she'll probably have NO change of being adopted because of her medical problem. To offer to help Delilah, contact Marybelle at [email protected]. You may also make donations to the West Side Animal League, P.O. Box 150673, Fort Worth, Texas, 76108. Bob Fox, the West Side treasurer, says be sure to put "For Delilah" on your donation. He says the group aniticpates getting its official non-profit designation soon and tax breaks will be retroactive.
MORE ON THE BRIDGE/GRAVEL PIT DOGS: You may recall that on Friday we mentioned rescuer efforts were continuing regarding the many dogs that have been dumped along the Dallas/Seagoville line on Malloy Bridge Road.
Johnna Bigley sent out a note that she and Christye Davis were going to get a couple of the injured dogs and, almost immediate, Johnna says, Sandi Laird of Operation Kindness volunteered space for these dogs.
As you can see from the photos, they both are in bad shape, suffering from malnutrition and open wounds.
"The greyhound was in terrible shape," Johnna says. "Extremely thin, dehydrated, very weak and his wounds were much worse....We believe he was attacked by something. We helped him into the car and poor thing was nervous as he stood most of the way with his legs trembling from weakness."
Sandi, who has experience at raising greyhounds, discovered ID tattoos on his left ear -- according to the markings, the pup -- they're calling him 'Seth" -- was born on April 4, 2002, in Massachusetts, sent to Corpus Christi to race, and then retired "to a breeder somewhere. We have no idea how he found his way out on such a lonely backroad....other than the obvious. He was dumped there."
The little brown dog is being called Tuffy. He's knee-high and weighs about 25 pounds. And he's got demodex mange, she says.
"When we left," Johnna says, "they were both wagging their tails and I was crying again -- this time tears of joy."
And, Sandi Laird, who has seen more down-on-their-luck dogs and cats than most of us can even imagine, says, "From the looks of both of them, we are going to have them a while before they can go up for adoption."
One thing that would help make recovery for animal easier would be if someone would "would give us the $1.5 million that we need to build an adjoining hospital so we could care for these animals properly. Right now, in this shelter, we have five broken legs, four FHO’s [femoral hip ostectomy], fifteen heartworm positive dogs, a kitty with half a face (her face looked like that Greyhound’s shoulder when she came in. She is doing much better now) and three amputees."
Go to www.operationkindness.org to read about the shelter's operation and donation procedures.
If you donate $1.5 million, I'll bet they put your name on the building. Or at least let you name one or two of the dogs.
JENNY NOTE; SKIP ON THE RADIO: The Texas Humane Legislation Network, self-described as the "mainstream voice for the animals of Texas," has issued an "action alert" to promote sending Jenny the Elephant to a sanctuary in Tennessee rather than leaving her in Dallas as the zoo attempts to create a "savanna" exhibit. Visit www.thln.org to read the alert and to keep up with animal issues and legislative efforts in the statehouse in Austin. (FYI: Notes are already flying through cyberspace reminding Jenny supporters to show up at the Dallas City Council meeting on Wednesday to emphasize their stand that Jenny should be retired to an elephant sanctuary in Tennessee and not kept at the Dallas Zoo.)
And, THLN's Legislative Chair, Dallas attorney and animal fan Skip Trimble, can be heard courtesy of El Paso's Public Radio station, KETP-FM, program Animal Concerns of Texas, by clicking HERE. That'll take you to the archives -- Skip was on yesterday and that program may not be listed yet, but you can hear his Aug. 10 appearance in which he discusses spaying and neutering.
CAT TALE: Ann Balaban of New Beginnings Cat Rescue sent us this link to a newsletter story about two blind cats, Mocha and Marmalade, who, indeed, got a new beginning and seem to be thriving as only cats can thrive when they are being served by humans who are under their spell. Click HERE.
FROM THE LAKE: These tips reach us via Sydney Busch of the Friends of the Animals at Cedar Creek Lake.
-- There's an 8-pound "very sweet and not hyper" min pin available for adoption. His older human is no longer able to take proper care of him, so a volunteer with Friends is helping her find a home for this older dog. (Call Nellie Peel at 903-887-0151.)
-- Then there are two parrots -- this is one of them and the photo, obviously, was not taken by a Hasselblad or a Nikon, but by phone. Veteran rescuer Tina Hamilton says she "paid $250 to get the babies out of a bad situation. Had them checked by a vet. They are doing great. One speaks some words, mainly in Spanish. the other one purrs like a kitten.. Would like to recoup some moneys and find them a good home. Will come with cage and toys. Asking $200 OBO." Call Tina at 903-880-4124 or e-mail [email protected].
-- Three look-alike kittens -- two boys and a girl -- are looking for homes, according to Lynn Malaby. They're about 8 weeks old, litterbox-trained and "very people friendly but have never been outside." The person who was going to take them became ill, so Lynn is juggling them and hoping to find a place for them. This is one of the kittens -- and we're unsure whether this is a boy or a girl -- but we know it's a cute kitten. To offer to help the trio of kittens, call 903-498-4299 or e-mail [email protected].
THE KITTENS FROM THE EXPLOSION: You may recall that last Friday we posted a story about an explosion at Whitney that burned Sharon Black's dad over 51 percent of his body and put him in Parkland Hospital's burn unit.
He had rescued and been caring for two momma cats and their litters -- 8 kittens altogether. After the explosions, the kittens were rescued but the momma cats had vanished.
Response to plea for help was "overwhelming," Sharon reports to her good friend Susan Behrens.
And Susan reports to us that Operation Kindness has agreed to take the kittens. And that, "more importantly, it will be one less worry for Sharon and it will allow her to focus 100 percent on guiding her father down the long road towards recovery."
A longtime rescuer fostered the kittens over the weekend and reports that "other than being sooty and having singed whiskers" all appear to be "in good shape....They are very friendly and curious. I've picked up most of them and they purr and otherwise don't seem too skittish."
Sharon's uncle, who had been tending to the litters, said the momma cat who had been spayed after Sharon's dad took her in, has been seen since the incident. The other momma may be coming in for food under cover of darkness.
These 8 kittens are adoptable through Operation Kindness. Click HERE. The six males and two females include two calicos, a gray tuxedo, a black tuxedo, a black and grey tabby, a white and grey bi-color and a predominantly white kitten with a gray tabby tail.
CATCHING UP: On Friday we posted a note from Barb Oates about two Lab mixes in the Grapevine Animal Shelter. They were on the clock and it would stop on Saturday if they weren't claimed. We got this note from Barb late Saturday: "I've have been told they made it out alive. Thank you for spreading the word!"
DOORSTEP DOG: Usually we're telling you how Terry Lynn Fisher is trying to save dogs in the Burns Flat, Okla., animal shelter. This time there's a twist.
She writes that "a lady showed up at my door....She had this boy in her car." He'd been running down the middle of the highway and "there were actually people swerving to hit him," Terry Lynn says. "She freaked and stopped for him. He ran and jumped right in her car.
"So, here he is. He is not neutered, but seems OK with my dogs. As he walked through my house, he just looked at my cats."
As you may suspect, Terry Lynn's home is already loaded with a few "personal pets" and some from the Burns Flat pound. So she needs some help finding a spot for this handsome guy. E-mail [email protected] or call 580-330-1459.
ANOTHER HIGHWAY DOG: You'll see them now and then on the highways in the greater metropolitan area. Usually they're older than this one. But here's the story from our longtime tipster Donna Dutkofski, billed as the "Benevolent Dictator of the House of Mutz."
She says her friend Teresa King, "who is very active in rescue and dedicated to Golden Retriever Rescue was out to dinner late the other night and found a little female puppy running back and forth across the highway. 'Casey' is approximately 9 weeks old, 15 pounds and though she looks
like a lab mix she has a much more delicate build and may end up looking more like a pointer as an adult. She is tall and has a very pretty, shiny black coat with a beautiful white flash. She's smart, already walking on the lead and starting to sit on command! She stays pretty clean, too! Casey has had a veterinary exam, vaccinations, a deworming, a bath and has been given a dose of Frontline... Does anyone want to adopt this beautiful little girl or is there an all-breed rescue group with an open space (Trust me, I know how rare that is!) that can help a fellow rescuer out?"
To ask about Casey, e-mail Teresa King at [email protected].
MOMMA DOG NEEDS A HOME: we got this note about a "dropped-off" dog from Augie Gardino who writes, "Some non-caring human dropped off a pregnant dog at our house abut 3 months ago. She had 8 puppies and, after 7 weeks, we found homes for all of them."
Momma now thinks she lives where she was rescued -- at Augie's house between Burleson and Mansfield, south of Fort Worth.
The problem is the big dog and the little Poms already at Augie's house aren't mixing. there have been dust-ups and the Poms aren't happy with the big dog.
Augie says,
"We have been feeding her for over three months now and she is still somewhat afraid of people." But, he says, she's been "giving some signs, that she is improving. She sometimes dances around and wiggles her tail, like she is excited, when, I go to feed her. So, I think, if someone works with her daily, she will come around."
But, it's kind of urgent that the big dog find a home of her own. To offer to help Augie find a home for mom -- and helping to calm down some Poms -- e-mail [email protected]. And if you're with a rescue group with an open spot, contact Augie, too. He's anxious to make sure nothing bad happens to the dog.
COMTEMPLATIONS: Awoke this morning to a TV that is showing "Nolympics." Yep, no Olympics. Last night, tuned in to the Olympic closing just in time to catch a bunch of people "flying" around in the stadium. I know people think that's new and refreshing, but, frankly, at first I thought I'd tuned into a cable showing of Logan's Run. Remember the flying scenes in that 1976 film made in Dallas/Fort Worth? The song goes "everything old is new again." .. What will we watch without the Olympics? Oh, yeah, politics. ... Last week of August. School starts today in a lot of places -- already! I still miss my old Highland Park Elementary School in Texarkana. Good school, good teachers, good kids and there was a cafeteria, too. Interpret that as you wish. Fish sticks on Friday. Every Friday. The world was dependable then.
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