ReadLarryPowell.com

Jenny & Gypsy; dogs 'n' cats; Vick...

The large, old mammal at Readlarrypowell.com had an interesting Tuesday -- he spent the afternoon at the Dallas Zoo.

And if you keep up with issues in Dallas, you know what that means: a visit with Jenny the Elephant (left). And, as a bonus, we met the new zoo elephant, Gypsy (below right), who is in quarantine and not yet available for public viewing. (The folks at the zoo invited me to visit last November, but my circumstances precluded that and we worked in the visit yesterday and, fortuitously, got to meet Gypsy.)

As you may know, Jenny has been the focal point of a very public argument involving a pro-Jenny organization, Concerned Citizens for Jenny, and the pro-Jenny Dallas Zoo.

Yes, there are pro-Jenny people on both sides. And there's been a dash of the Dallas City Council thrown into the mix, too, though, largely, the council was sort of an observer that caught a bit of heat now and then. No need to rehash all that. After all, there's a new council no doubt soon to be deserving of its own heat.

 There are a lot of good-hearted people who want to see Jenny moved from Dallas to an elephant sanctuary in Tennessee to live out her years in a more natural habitat than her current small enclosure (the Zoo people don't like the current enclosure, either).

It appears at this point, though, that Jenny will be staying in Dallas and living in a new exhibit that increases her roaming abilities by many acres. She'll also get that new companion, too. The keepers told me that Jenny is a "dominant" being and that Gypsy tends to be submissive. They think things should work out.

You've heard celebrities and many others speak out on behalf of Jenny. And you can read the Concerned Citizens For Jenny stance at www.savejennynow.com. On the site, these folks declare, "Jenny has spent the last twenty-two years eking out a pitiful and miserable existence in a less than one quarter acre barren and antiquated exhibit at the Dallas Zoo. She has lived in solitary confinement since May of 2008, which is inherently cruel, as female elephants are intensely social creatures and require the company of others of their species to thrive and remain emotionally healthy."

Now, it appears, these specific situations are about to be resolved. Construction is well underway on the "Giants of the Savannah" exhibit for elephants, giraffes, antelope and other animals. It's due to open to the public next spring, but the animals will move in much earlier so they can become comfortable before visitors arrive.

You can see the stretch of land -- 10 acres -- from the vantage point of the Marsalis Avenue Bridge over the Zoo property. True, it's Dallas, not Africa, but, then, these animals -- elephants, giraffes, antelopes, etc. -- may never have seen Africa or may have left it when they were not much more than toddlers. (See a copy of the Savannah plans at www.dallaszoo.com. You should visit the zoo now, so you can hold the before and after in your mind and see what is being done.)

(Yes, the ideal situation in the world would be for all animals to live where they belong, but you can't un-ring that bell. And if your philosophy is to leave animals where they belong, I guess you'll be happy to sign your house over to coyotes, raccoons and deer and ... well, you get the drift. Oh, and don't forget about poachers in Africa killing elephants for ivory, great apes for superstitious reasons.)

As for being alone, Jenny and new arrival Gypsy may already be communicating the old fashioned-way, low-frequency rumbling trumpeting. They are housed about a mile-and-a-half apart right now -- Jenny in her old, familiar exhibit and Gypsy all the way across the zoo in the new quarantine center not far from Marsalis on the east side of the zoo.

When you see Jenny, you notice that her left tusk is shorter than her right. That's because she's "left-tusked" and uses it more and keeps it worn down, her keepers tell me. You'll also notice that Gypsy has a stumpy tail -- not because some mean zookeeper slashed it off, but because she had an infection as a "child" and it had to be removed. Her tusks, however, are even and beautiful.

Keep in mind that I've never picked up an elephant off the side of a Dallas freeway, pulled one out of Kiest Park, or found one sleeping at the door of a service station (as I have dogs), so I don't know the ins-and-outs of elephants and their personalities. But these animals both seemed happy yesterday interacting with their keepers -- the Dallas Zoo uses the "protected contact" method of communication, keeping the keepers and the animals safely separated. The old methods -- free contact -- of the pole with the hook and the chain on the leg, etc., haven't been used by the Dallas Zoo for years, we're assured by the zoo folks.

Just before 2 p.m., Jenny was out of her "barn" next to the giraffe enclosure and enjoying a sunny afternoon while visitors -- young people, old people, kids and a newshound -- stopped by and marveled at her size and her graceful movements. At more than 10,000 pounds, she's larger than most females in the Savannah category (the African forest elephants are smaller).

An hour or so later, on the other side of the zoo, we met Gypsy, a retired performing elephant from Kountze, Texas. She has her own tractor-trailer rig. And she has her own toys -- large hard-plastic elephant toys.

When she arrived in Dallas, we're told, she walked out of her trailer, looked around, then went back into the trailer. "We thought, 'Oh no, she hates the place'," one of the zoo workers told me. Then, Gypsy reappeared carrying her favorite toy. She was, apparently, ready to move into her new quarters.

So, what's next? At some point in the next several weeks, there'll be a big introduction. Zoo personnel are already moving items with each elephant's scents between their living quarters. Then, Gypsy will be moved to the area with Jenny and they'll be separated by a giant gate. It's almost like introducing cats to each other through a closed door.

And, at some point, they'll live together for a while, then move to the new Savannah exhibit. That's months away. (In the photo to the right, Jenny, who has just been given an afternoon treat by her keepers, shows her disgust with the paparazzi by hiding behind a pole. I'm kidding. I'm such a lousy photographer, I didn't even see the pole until after I snapped the photo. She turns more gracefully than most of the running backs in the NFL.)

I'm not sure what's next in this controversy over Jenny. I do know that people who have gotten involved with Concerned Citizens for Jenny are involved with their hearts. And, so are the people at the zoo -- speaking lovingly of a giant animal they see every day and know better than any of us.

But, I thought you might want to get a brief look at one day at the zoo. There are so many other things to address regarding the Zoo's efforts to create a "natural" home for so many animals, that there's not room or time today. We'll trickle out more as time goes by. We know lots of people love the Dallas Zoo -- we've seen the traffic jams on I-35 at Marsalis. We know lots of people love Jenny -- we've seen those jams at the zoo, too.

And we'll assume that there will be some people who decry this report -- if you want to comment that you think I've "drunk the Kool Aid" or that I'm a shill for the Zoo or that I give the "crazy Jenny people too much respect" or that I "don't respect the city council enough," why go ahead and write to this address: [email protected]. I'll read it and respond and maybe even repeat it, so be sure to sign your name.

Keep in mind that I am a large, old mammal and treat me as kindly as you would any other large, old mammal.

THE PUPPY MILL BILL: The Texas Humane Legislation Network issued an "action alert" this morning because the Texas Veterinary Medical Association is working against the "Puppy Mill Bill." Catch the THLN's alert HERE.

HOLY SMOKE, LOOK AT THE DENTON CROWD: Well, goodness, every now and then a photo catches you eye. And this is Jenkins, said to be a Boston Terrier Mix. He's #4073 at the Denton Animal Shelter. Why is such a cute small dog in the shelter?

The report is he "was found at the Denton Dog Park, abandoned by someone. He was there for over 3 hours with no one there to claim him. He is very sweet, unaltered. ... He gets along great with the other dogs at the shelter. He looks to be about 2 years old. Since he was found as a stray.. he will be available for adoption after his stray hold on Saturday."

In the mean time though, click HERE to see more Denton animals desperate for rescue from "death row" including Lester the Mastiff, Great Danes Ramsey and Julius, and this cat with the question-mark tale, Skyler.

To ask about any of them, e-mail [email protected]. The shelter is at 300 S. Woodrow Lane in Denton. Call 940-349-7594.

A MABANK SITUATION: Pam Sylva is working with an interesting and kind of long-running situation in Mabank in East Texas.

A member of a humane society alerted her to this a few months ago and a follow-up revealed that about 15 dogs were living in a fenced yard at an abandoned house and it looked like they had no food, no clean water and no shelter.

A deputy sheriff checked things out, determined that people lived there, warned them to take care of the animals and say he made them give up several of the dogs.

But people are people. Last week the deputy called Pam and told her that several of the dogs had left the yard and upset the neighbors and it was time to move them out. And, nobody was living there but the dogs.

The dogs get food thrown over the fence by the owner every other day, Pam says. Water is hauled to them in a trash can. It's an ugly situation.

So Pam is looking for help in getting 15 dogs into rescue just to save their lives. "We can use all the help anyone can give us," Pam says. "Please, in this tight environment, if anyone can donate money, or better yet if you can take even one of the dogs, anything at all to help save them. They are all an average of 50 pounds, and are chow mixes."

To offer help, call Pam at 903-432-3898 or e-mail [email protected].

CONTEMPLATION: Disgraced ex-NFL quarterback Michael Vick left Leavenworth prison in Kansas today and is driving home to Virginia, according to news reports. What in the world will happen to this convicted dog-fighter and dog-killer? Surely no more NFL football. What if he is changed? How can you tell? What do we do about forgiveness? Or about second chances? How do we suppress our tendencies to want not just justice but revenge? Good grief, we have never met him, never seen him walking the streets of our town, never seen him with or without a dog, but he is a challenge to our own souls, isn't he? Now that is a heavy-duty contemplation, isn't it.

--- To comment on the Jenny portion of this report, click on [email protected]. To comment on other areas of the report, click below. ---

 

Lost, found, available, saved & viral

E-mail is a wonderful thing. That's how I learned that yesterday's "chained" dog is no longer tethered and ignored and that Ellie the boxer has vanished. Read on.

And, just this morning, for example, my in-box held five copies -- FIVE -- of a note with this subject line: "Congratulations Your Email Address Has Won  £1,000,000.00 (One Million British Pounds Sterling"

The text read, "Please you are advice to download the attachment file for your award winning details and contact your claim agent Mr. John Benson." (I'm sure they meant "advised.")

The note was signed, "Management." Looking back, that's the best note and maybe most believable note I've ever gotten from "Management."
Whooooooo! Scones and ale for everyone. OK. as we wait for that ship to come in, let's proceed with the day's activities:

That dog? Well, that's Cisco. He's our earhound for the day and the year-old, 60-pound lop-eared pit is in the Irving Animal Shelter. Cisco probably has not heard of England but apparently is keeping an ear out.

If that big payoff arrives today, I'll give some of it to shelter walker Russell Posch so he can buy batteries for his camera and keep taking photos of the Irving foundlings. To see more photos, click HERE. The shelter is at 100 N. Briery in Irving. Call 972-721-2256.

KITTENS: A number of e-mails today indicate that there are way too many cats and kittens in assorted shelters including The Colony, Carrollton, the aforementioned Irving and many other places. The subject line on one e-mail literally indicated that in Gainesville it's "raining" Kittens. Maybe it's slight irony that the shelter where it's raining kittens is Noah's Ark.

FOUND AND NEEDING A HOME: Ishita Sharma is looking for a home for this foundling. She found her a the AMLI at Bryan Place luxury residences at Central Expressway and Ross Avenue in Dallas.

"I found her purring outside our house and think she might be a stray as I can't find her owner despite posting posters, etc.," says Ishita.

This cat is all-black except for a small patch of white on her chest and she appears to be almost an adolescent. And, as you can see in one of the photos, she doesn't shy away from a good rub of the head.

"I don't know where to take her," Ishita says. "As no one is responding on Craigslist and the SPCA and 'humane society' are both full and thus not accepting any animals. I can't keep her much as I would like to as I am allergic."

To help Ishita place this cat, e-mail [email protected].

THE FORMERLY CHAINED DOG: We got an e-mail from Johnna Bigley with photos of the dog that had been chained on property near the Malloy Bridge Road dog-dumping site in southeastern Dallas.

You may recall that the dog had been left at the property in the care of the man who appeared to be no all that interested in the dog's fate. As anyone who has ever taken in more dogs than they started the morning with, adjustments have to be made. Here's Johnna's story.

"Many people asked why I let him there, but with nine dogs at home I had to come back home and get to work on a solution in order to be able to isolate him from my dogs until he's checked out and had his shots. God is working for this baby though because I found someone with a 12 ft. by 12 ft. chain link pen who set it up... and another lady who brought me a dog house...."

At the rescue site, she did some diplomatic talking with the distrusting elderly man and eventually persuaded him to allow her to take the dog."

The dog is "the sweetest thing," Johnna says. "he's shy and scared right now, but I caught him already wagging his tail at me."

Johnna's hoping she can place this dog in a home straightaway so that he won't have to spend time adjusting to an "in-between" place. To offer to help with this dog's vet care or to audition to adopt him, e-mail [email protected]  or call 214-673-3844.

THE LITTLE DOGS CATCH A BIG BREAK: You may recall that last Thursday we told of Arlena Sheets' efforts to find homes for her three Schnauzers -- this was in the wake of her husband, Nathan, being killed on the job in March and all of the assorted upheaval that comes with such a tragedy. The dogs Alphie and Muffin have found a home and its with some people who need no introduction to folks who regularly visit Readlarrypowell.com. They're now living with Jim and Deana Hanson in Weatherford, west of Fort Worth in Parker County. And, it looks like Missie, the third dog, will be going to another place to live. As Arlena wrote of Alphie and Muffin, "I am so thankful they will have other dogs to be with and that they will be taken care of and loved." We heard from Deana about the Parker County pair. She wrote, "They are really sweet dogs and even though they are older and have a few little health problems they are super loving dogs. Very well trained. They ate and went to sleep in their crates just like we'd always had them. How lucky is that? Thanks for listing them...it would have been awful for them to end up in a shelter."

A LOVE STORY: Today, our Prayers & Passages page (click on the link on the right side of this page), has a story of the love of a little guy who came to be known as The Boofer.

PETFLIX DEADLINE EXTENDED: The entry deadline for the SPCA's annual PetFlix Film Festival has been extended from May 15 to the 27th. The festival is June 7 at the Granada Theater in Dallas.  Details are at www.spca.org.

FROM BURNS FLAT: Relentless rescue worker Terry Lynn Fisher of Burns Flat, Okla., describes this dog as "the new girl in town." She says the dog's coat is "long and wavy and very soft" and, she has a set of ears that qualifies her as the Oklahoma Earhound of the Day.

Typical of a lot of dogs that wind up in a shelter, she's a little bit afraid, but when Terry Lynn sat on the ground, the dog "crawled into my lap."

Now, you may recall that Terry Lynn was helping last week with placing dogs that had been left behind when a family moved out of a house at Cordell, Okla., not far from Burns Flat. There were nearly a dozen, but through rescues and adoptions, there are now just three -- all healthy and social. And Terry Lynn has until Wednesday to move them out of the shelter.

To help with any of these animals, e-mail Terry Lynn at [email protected] or call 580-330-1459.

FORMERLY CINNABELL: We first encountered this dog when she was known as Cinnabell and being showcased at the Arlington Animal Services shelter -- she'd been in Arlington's care since May 2008 when she was 4 months old when Arlington was in the "old" shelter.

But Sami, as she's know known, has moved around more than just that one move. A couple of homes haven't panned out and Cinnabel/Sami bounced back to the shelter. Our Arlington tipster Dianne Watson told us about Sami's travels and referred us to a note from LK Greer who describes Sami as being "beautiful with a hint of mystery" and in the current care of the Fur The Animals Rescue Group. (Click HERE).

LK writes lovingly of the 40-pound, year-and-a-half old dog described as "like a miniature black Lab." And she says Sami could be "a playmate for your dog, a companion for your walks or a partner for your car rides."

The adoption fee is $125. Sami's current on vaccinations, is spayed and on heartworm preventative. She's also house-trained.

To ask about adopting Sami, e-mail [email protected] or call 214-415-9522.

URGENT IN DALLAS: There are a number of animals on the "urgent" list at Dallas Animal Services, we learn in a note from Jonnie England, the veteran animal rescuer and Metroplex Animal Coalitions' Director of Animal Advocacy and Communication. Urgent means just what you think it does. They're on the clock and it's ticking fast.

I picked Weddo as the representative. But if you click HERE you'll see other animals in the Dallas Animal Services Adoption Center.

Weddo is a 6-month-old Shepherd/Dalmation mix  who has a white coat and brown freckles on those championship ears. He's a stray who came to the shelter in early March. He weighs 44 pounds and the adoption fee is $85 -- that includes microchipping, "fixing," and vaccinations. The shelter is at I-30 West and Westmoreland in Dallas. Call 214-671-0249 or 214-670-8246.

BE ON THE LOOKOUT: Ellie, a 4-year-old female boxer vanished from her backyard during the daytime yesterday in the Frankford/Coit area of North Dallas near the George Bush Tollway.

Ellie's people are doing all the right things to try to get her dog back -- calling, posting, searching, etc. Elaine Allred writes, "I am praying that some good Samaritan has found this precious animal and is keeping her sheltered until we get reconnected."

If you've seen Ellie or know her whereabouts, e-mail [email protected] or call 214-212-1978.

CONTEMPLATIONS: My funspouse Martha will sometimes cackle out loud at a particular website called "I Can Has Cheezburger" -- last night she went into such a laughing fit that I thought might require oxygen. Turns out she was watching a video about "cat yodeling." Here's the LINK.  If you're at the office, good luck on the laughing. ... Regarding the new emissions rules: I will continue to drive my pickup for as long as it and my money can hold out or until they build a Smart Car that can haul stuff to the dump. The rules don't take effect until 2016 -- by then, of course, we'll all be driving rocket ships. ... Our final contemplation is from a rescuer we know who also is growing weary of the mindless forwarding of e-mails. She was inspired by our "viral Cookie and Coco" note yesterday to thank us for posting it. She wrote, "Every time I get this stupid email I want to scream even louder! Why, oh, why can animal rescue people not just freaking check the source? It's one thing with the general public, but really?" Yep, really!

--- To comment, click below ---

Monday's challenges...

Consider this a selfish wish, but there has to be a National Let the Dogs' Human Sleep Late Monday at some point on the calendar. Maybe a Let the Dogs' Human Sleep Late All Week celebration.

OK, let's dive into the day's notes while trying not to disturb the dogs who, eager to rise at 4:57 a.m.,  are now sleeping peacefully, wrote the sleepy fat man bitterly.

DUMPED AND FOUND: Oh, this is a rich one. This dog is Alaska, formerly known as Rex.

Amy Pelzel, the volunteer with Denton Animal Control, reports that the husky mix was first taken away from the owners in February for neglect. For some reason a court gave the dog back to the owners.

Very sick, very skinny, still went back to the owners. These things happen.

On May 14, according to the latest report, he was "found dumped on the side of a county road. He had a rabies tag...but the numbers were all scratched out. Shelter staff took the tag to verify with the vet and discovered that it was, for a fact, Alaska again. Apparently these owners dumped him and before doing so actually scratched out the numbers on his rabies tag."

The owners, we're told, will be charged with animal abandonment. A judge has told the shelter it can transfer Alaska to a rescue group or adopt him out.

He's 3- or 4-years-old, is playful and good with other dogs. To ask about giving Alaska a proper home, e-mail [email protected] or Call the shelter at  940-349-7594.  (Note: The shelter's closed to the public on  Mondays, but will help rescue groups if you make contact.)

LITTLE GUY NEEDS A HOME: This is Six, named for the "Six Million Dollar Man" because he currently has a big ol' gadget that holds his healing right leg in place as he recuperates at the North Texas Emergency Vet Clinic in Carrollton.

We get his story from vet tech Regina Bohannan who says Six is sweet and splendid and needs a place to live.

Carrollton Animal Services brought the little Chihuahua mix into the hospital. "He had been hit by a car and had a fractured femur and some moderately severe abdominal wounds," Regina says.

The surgeon next door to the hospital volunteered to use some new equipment to help save Six -- things just worked out. Dog in the right place at the right time.

And now he needs another place -- either a rescue group or a home. No fee, but you'll undergo a rigorous audition to land this 17-pound rascal. To make an appointment to see Six, call North Texas Emergency Veterinary Clinic at 972-323-1310. Ask for Regina or Wendi.

OUT BY MALLOY BRIDGE: We first heard of this dog several weeks ago when Deborah Trevino

was able to rescue a "fluffy puppy" from the property near the by-now notorious Malloy Bridge Road dumping area.

FLASH: SHORTLY AFTER 1 P.M. WE GOT WORD THAT THE DOG HAD BEEN TAKEN TO SAFETY. MORE LATER....

It seems there is an adult dog chained up by someone near the dumping a

And Johnna Bigley, one of the dumping ground rescuers for more than a year, sent out a note reading, "Here I am again...in tears while typing this.

"There's a precious baby chained 24/7 who needs help from this miracle network!  For weeks, while leaving food for two nearby strays on Malloy Bridge Road, two wonderful ladies and myself have heard the barks of a poor dog hidden behind mile high weeds and debris. When asked, the owner has repeatedly refused to let anyone go back and see the dog or even take pictures of him.."

Over the weekend, Joanna saw a man in the yard and stopped to talk to him. She says, "I managed to talk him into letting me see the dog under the guise that I may have someone interested in taking him off his hands. That seemed appealing to him. Even though he told me not to, I hurriedly snapped the attached pictures. This poor baby (probably only seven or eight months old) is on a 4-foot rusty chain wrapped twice around his neck with bailing wire.  There was no food bowl in sight and the water bowl was filled with dirt and green mold placed too far away for him to even get close to.  

"He's gentle dog, never growled or even made a sound.  He just trembled, huddled in the back of his old rickety wooden dog house that's surrounded by mud. The man yanked him out without any sympathy at all. I was able to pet him. In fact, I loved all over him.  And, needless to say, I fought back tears as I secretly promised this baby with the saddest eyes that I would find help.  Please."

So, the move is on to get this dog to safety. Call Johnna at 214-673-3844 or e-mail [email protected].

Deborah says that when she first saw the dog, he wagged his tail, but when the man approached "he hid behind the dog house."

Some people have forwarded responses to Readlarrypowell.com -- offers to help with a hands on "rescue" no matter what the guy at the property thinks. We'll probably hear more about this case.

CALL THIS SEGMENT 'THE NEIGHBORS': Oh, goodness, there are some opportunities here.

             TWO DOGS IN OAK CLIFF: These dogs are "strays" who have been roaming a North Oak Cliff neighborhood, Winnetka Heights, for a few months. Helen Shikoff describes the situation as "desperate."

She thinks these dogs -- she's calling them Harold and Kumar -- have been on the streets for a few months, but are adoptable. she's trying to find an organization to take them in.

Because she already has her Dallas limit and "two very excitable dogs," they aren't able to come into her house.  They have caught the eye of Dallas Animal Services -- the "dog catcher" advised her to take the dogs in and keep them restrained or they would be facing time in the lock-up. "I'm sure the circumstances will be dire," says Helene.

To offer help or advice to Helene, e-mail [email protected].

            A HOARDER? We get this note from Michele Houston in Dallas. She's looking for help and advice. "I have a next door neighbor who has become a hoarder. Currently, he has somewhere around 14 cats and 3 large dogs.  He is on disability and cannot properly take care of them or of himself. I found all this out when he went out of town for three days and asked me to take care of them.  He mentioned the place was a little dirty. Admittedly, I am OCD; however, his house disgusted me. The place is a giant kitty litter box. He hadn't cleaned anything in months.  He feeds everyone and they all have water. He loves them as much as he can, but this can't go on.

"I talked to him.  He took the three dogs to my vet and got them fixed.  He fixed 4 of the cats. He promised he would contact the SPCA and you and any rescue groups about taking as many of the cats as possible. (He hasn't done that.)"
She's just wondering what to do to help the man and the animals without any big legal to-do or adding to burdens. E-mail advice and answers to [email protected].

            A PIT: This not comes from Cecil Hall in Boyd, Texas. "My new neighbor has a pit bull 'Willy' that he keeps in a 6 by 6 pen. He never visits with the dog. I talked to him about finding the dog a new home, he is very anxious to do just that. I have visited with the dog myself he is very docile. A very friendly dog. He is brown, uncut male. Could you help me find a place for this great dog?" (To offer some help to Cecil, call 817-845-7189 or e-mail [email protected].

CITY OF DALLAS GETS LAB LOADED: We got this note from Joni McConnell of A Different Breed Animal Rescue, a group that works closely with the City of Dallas Animals Services and Adoption Center. "The City of Dallas has received a large amount of Golden Labs lately, all young between the ages of 1-3 years old, some AKC, very sweet dispositions, and all heartworm positive!  Grrrrr. ... All are scheduled to be euthanized, unless someone steps in willing to foster and willing to finance the cost of treating them for heartworms."

ADB is looking for donors to pay for the heartworm treatment, places for the dogs to go and any help to save the dogs.  Contact her at [email protected].

CONTEMPLATION -- STOP THE COOKIE AND COCO E-MAIL: All weekend long, just as I thought I'd opened my last e-mail regarding Cookie and Coco, two Labs desperately looking for a home, another would pop up and I'd dutifully send out the link to Snopes.com entry about how the e-mail had gone viral and the dogs had been adopted back in February.

Why do I bring this up? Because it is a reminder to people who open their e-mail and breathlessly forward: CHECK IT OUT BEFORE YOU SEND. To see the Snopes.com report, click HERE. On Monday morning, I got a copy of a note from someone who'd sent out the note on Friday and was later advised of the situation. It read, "My apologies to everyone. I found that out Saturday but have no computer at home."

Makes no sense to me, but at least that's one person who has stopped forwarding blindly.

Remember, sometimes it only takes a second to check out a story. Your bogus or out-of-date e-mail may be affecting the life of an animal that really needs help.

--- To comment, click below ---

Oscar, the fortunate sleeper...

Angel Hutto can testify as to the winning ways of Oscar.

After all, she drove two hours from Dallas just to give the little rascal a chance.

And that story -- and his ability to sleep --are why the little guy is in the spotlight of this week's edition of Let Sleeping Dogs Lie & Napping Cats Nap.

He is also an example of why some people should not be allowed to breed -- interpret sentence structure as you wish. But, to be polite we're really referring to those breeders who think they can get creative with the offspring of another species.

Here's Angel's story: "I had to show off my latest rescue which we decided to keep.

"I picked up this little guy in Sulphur Springs. A lady -- uneducated breeder -- mixed double dapple dachsunds and ended up with a blind and deaf puppy."

Let's stop right here to say that a "dapple" in dachshunds is like a "merle" in Aussies, Shelties, Collies, etc. There are things that should not be done.

Dogs are not Gregor Mendel's peas, for those of you who took a sideswipe at genetics as a curious topic one day in a long-ago junior high science class.

Things just go bad when some pinhead tries to breed merles to merles or dapples to dapples. You can look it up. It's science. You almost can't beat the odds though, I guess, someone somewhere can cite one time when things worked out. Still, why risk it? Two reasons: (1) You're a breeder who thinks you're stronger than genes or (2) You are an idiot.

Look, no matter how Oscar got here, he's here and he's loved and that's important.

Back to Oscar's breeder. Angel says, "She took the little guy to the gassing shelter to be put to sleep.

"I called about him and got an OK to pick him up. I drove two hours to get this little guy before they gassed him.

"He is the best little guy ever. You would not know right away that he is blind and deaf. He can hear really loud noises and can see light and dark and that is it. We are in the middle of potty training (a challenge).

"Not only is he deaf and blind but he is cryptic [undescended little boy parts] which made his neutering a bit more expensive. He is now about 5 months old and runs through the house like a wild cat.

"Because of an uneducated breeder he is one of many born with defects destined to live his life in a almost dark and quiet world yet he is happy.

"I don't know how to get the word out to people about uneducated breeding habits. Had I not picked him up he would have been dead by now. I just had to share my almost sweetest baby in the world."

Of course, if you've got a computer and can Google, you have no excuse for not seeing the info about breeding. It's not hidden, not stacked up somewhere government reports on UFOs. It's available -- like water and air. It's there.  
Angel says that Oscar is "just so much fun. He sleeps all night and fights over the pillow with the cat. He absolutely loves Muffy, the white and tan lady he curls up with. She is so old and I am afraid he will be lost when I lose Muffy ... He keeps her going and she is his security blanket. "

When she speaks of Oscar, she's still puzzled and disgusted by the breeder's behavior. "There is so much information out there. The breeder had no excuse for what happened. She then, like many breeders, took him to be destroyed because she could not profit off his disabilities.

"However, he is not disabled, he is special. Some breeders will kill the pups themselves and do horrible things to them. They will also continue to breed regardless of the risk knowing there is a chance they will have a normal one and a not so normal one."

Oscar beat the odds. He was en route to being put to death in a gas chamber. "He is now living happy and healthy with his little friends not knowing he is different. I hope one day people will wake up and see what they are doing to these animals. So many of those like Oscar are not as lucky to make it this far. It is just so sad. ...I feel so strongly about this stuff and I get a little carried away."

That vest? "His vest was made by a lady in Indiana. I wanted people to know what was going on with him and why he is the way he is. She made the vest free of charge. I offered to pay her for it but she said no."

(To spotlight your snoozing critter or critters in Let Sleeping Dogs Lie & Napping Cats Nap, send the photos and the info to [email protected]. We're proud to help demonstrate that sleep need not be elusive -- well, in animals, anyway. We know it's elusive in humans. First-hand knowledge. Darn the luck.)

--To comment, click below --

Be on the lookout: Daisy

You probably heard about this guy, Doug Maupin, a young man who failed to appear for jury duty and when the warrant popped up, he was sent to jail -- wound up being there nearly three months when someone lost the key. He was there without being able to find a way out of the place until a reporter nudged the Collin County authorities and they said "Ooops."

Anyway, when something like this happens to a human, something else often happens to a pet. Our sources tell us that while the guy was locked up, his pug Daisy vanished from the caretaker's back yard in Allen in March. You may see e-mails making the rounds about this.

Now that the guy's out of jail, he's trying to put his life back together and one of the things he's wanting is Daisy the Pug.

If you've seen Daisy or know her whereabouts, e-mail [email protected] and contact will be made to try to help reunite these pals.

And, of course, one bit of advice: always answer the summons for jury duty. in a timely manner.

Doxies, a Dane and things...

Here we go with a Friday report. Keep in mind that Friday is the gateway to the weekend except for you people who started clockwatching on Thursday. Now, cue the music of your choice and on with the presentation which includes, by the way, a Great Dane in a tough spot near Waco.

A CROWD IN DENTON: Bunch of animals in the Denton city shelter these days. E-mail requests for help flying all over the rescue universe. They're trying to get the animals to safety. Since adoptions are slower than intake, it's up to rescuers to rescue.

Among the Denton critters is this lively 20-25-pound Dachshund mix Annie (40802). She's about 3 and loves people, according to the shelter. And the white on her face matches the white on her paws. (Not sure how much Doxie is in that dog!)

Nelly (40848) is today's earhound -- her ears may be worth a separate number at the shelter. She's also a Dachshund mix -- there must be an outbreak of doxie mixes in Denton. Nelly's about a year old, appears to be comfortable as an only dog She becomes available at 10 a.m. Saturday.

Then, of course, there are plenty of cats, too, at the Denton shelter.  This is Princess (40815), a Russian Blue who came in spayed and microchipped (because of that her adoption fee is $60, around half of the usual fee). The story is that she'd been adopted to a "home with a small child and apparently was frightened of the child and she hid."

The Denton Animal Shelter is at 300 S. Woodrow  Lane in Denton. Call 940-349-7594. Dog adoption is $120, cat is $110 -- unless a discount is in the works. Click HERE to see the shelter site.

GREAT DANE IN TOUGH SPOT: Our reliable tipster Denise Rinker from Waco tips us to a crisis for a Great Dane. The dog is in a shelter near Waco and it's a shelter that doesn't allow adoptions to the general public and works with few rescue groups. The dog is extremely emaciated, Denise says. And there is way to get the dog out of the shelter if she can find a place for the dog to go. This rescue is being conducted with minimum splash. To offer a place or some help of any kind, call Denise at 254-732-4952 or e-mail [email protected].  

IN THE COURTS: The San Jose Mercury News has a story today about the jury beginning deliberations in the trial of a guy accused of beating his girlfriend's cocker spaniel, Copper, to death with a hammer. Because of the three-strikes law, this guy, if convicted, will get to spend the rest of his life in jail. To see the story, click HERE.

FROM BURNS FLAT: These two dogs were picked up together in Burns Flat, Okla., reports our reliable tipster, Terry Lynn Fisher.

The boy is young and sweet and the Dachshund girl "is tiny," says Terry Lynn. "They had a lot of ticks and they had fleas. ... She is skin and bones, but very sweet. I sat on the ground and she climbed up and curled up in my arms."

Terry Lynn echoes the sentiments of shelters all over when she says, "As you know, I am full and need dogs moving. These two need to go as soon as possible."

To help her move these dogs along to a home or a rescue group, e-mail [email protected] or call 580-330-1459.

(FYI: Be sure to visit our Prayers & Passages page -- click on the button on the upper right side of this page. Terry Lynn has a special request for her little, senior Dachshund, Wee Wee.)

SPCA GETS CUSTODY: There were two hearings in Hunt County Peace Justice James Barnett's Precinct 4 court yesterday -- when they were over, the SPCA of Texas had custody of 17 neglected animals seized last week in raids on two Hunt County properties.

The seized animals included 8 neglected dogs from Quinlan and five dogs and seven cats from East Tawakoni. In the first case, the judged ordered $1,120 in restitution be paid to the SPCA; in the second case, the restitution amounted to $1,260.

In the second case, three rat terriers were returned to the owner with orders to take care of them properly. The owner had testified, according to the SPCA, that "he didn't start out with this many animals but in the past seven months he has taken in strays and other animals that were abandoned on the property, which turned out to be more than he and his family could care for."

Both cases came to light as the result of tips from good-hearted citizens.

And it is, knowing how humans dump animals, entirely believable that someone could, through no fault of their own, be overwhelmed by dumped dogs on a rural property.

AN AMERICAN BULLDOG RESCUED: The fellow who signs his e-mails Don the Rescuer, says that this is one of two American Bulldogs his cohorts picked up out of the Longview Animal Shelter last week. The "very small group" focuses on American Bulldogs and is always looking for foster homes. (This dog is currently in the custody of Shelter2Rescue in Arlington, Don says.)

This is Madeline and though she is seriously afflicted with mange right now, Don says that "everyone who has come in contact with her is impressed with her sweet spirit."

She has not only mange, but heartworms, a secondary skin infection and other physical ailments.

She was "formerly used as a puppy mill 'producer', and then tossed out like trash to suffer and fend for herself."

Shelter2Rescue has set up a Madeline Fund at Loop 12 VCA, 3607 Buckner Blvd., Dallas, 75228. Call 214-321-6916.

SARGE FINDS A HOME: Remember Sarge, the big dog at the Winters, Texas, animal shelter? Debbie Ballard reports, that Sarge has been adopted. "He's in  good hands now and out of that death trap. We are working with the chief of police here in Winters to extend the time a dog gets 'the privilege to live' in the pound." All negotiations take time, but Debbie and her pals are resolute.

And Sarge is happy, so that's one more for the good guys.

SUSIE Q: Well, look at that pose. That is Susie Q. and she's camera-ready.

We get her story from Terry DeGaw, founder of Serenity Springs Animal Sanctuary.
"There is a very sweet female dog (Susie Q) that is in need of a home. She had a prolapsed uterus but surgery was performed with great results.  Of course, she was spayed at the same time.

"Don Barnes, the ACO in Chico, Texas, has been attempting to find her a home," Terry says. "He has been caring for her since February and feels she would make someone an excellent companion if he can find the right home. ... She is very sweet and loves people.  I'm not sure about cats but she is dog friendly."

As you may suspect, the squeeze is on at Chico to move the dog one way or the other. And, as you also may know, these pits are not always welcomed with open arms in Texas shelters. So, this really is a chance to help a dog beat the odds.

To ask about this pup, e-mail [email protected] or call ACO Barnes at 940-393-0463..

Terry says the story is the dog was wandering the streets of Chico when picked up. Chico is about 20 miles west of Decatur, which is about an hour northwest of Fort Worth.

You can read about Terry's mission at Serenity Springs Sanctuary by clicking HERE.

REMINDER: Rescue groups are often full -- short of foster homes, too. The key to saving more animals from awful fates in crowded shelters is getting non-rescue people involved in adopting and fostering the animals. There's no magic chant. Humans can't cast a spell on these people. But if you can just get someone to look at a picture or listen to a story, sometimes they'll rise up and save a critter.  Something's got to turn around the madness of solving the animal problem by killing the animal.

CONTEMPLATIONS: On a cable TV news show this morning I saw a young, fresh-faced student discussing President Obama's commencement address at Notre Dame. She complained -- I swear -- that  there would be no dialogue, that the grads would just be sitting in their seats and listening to him talk. Maybe I was too groggy to think, but at that morning moment I couldn't remember ever having heard of a "commencement dialogue." Besides everybody knows why people attend Notre Dame -- Fighting Irish  football. ... The Miss Texas Scholarship Pageant is moving from the very Texas Fort Worth to Arlington, the state's second-most unlike Texas city. The first? Dallas, without a doubt. I'm pretty sure there's not a place in the city where you can buy a saddle blanket unless it's going to be used as an accent piece in a high-dollar home. You can buy spurs in Dallas, but not for ranch work. ... From someone who doesn't understand the economy or car dealerships: If you want to sell more cars, why do you reduce the number of places cars can be bought?

--- To comment, click below ---

Assorted crises and an old paper...

It is Thursday and there is ample time left in the week to help people and animals. Here are some opportunities:

FAMILY CRISIS: The subject line on the e-mail pretty much says it all: "Critical for two senior Schnauzers; Husband killed; woman disabled with newborn...."

So I called Arlena Sickles and talked with her about her situation. You'll note there are three dogs in the photo. Arlena thinks she has a home already for the "chunky girl" Missie (left). So, homes are needed for Muffin, the oldest, and Alphie in the middle of the photo. (Knowing the circumstanes now, doesn't that photo just break your heart a little?)

They're all rescue dogs and "seniors," says Arlena.

The past year has been rough for Arlena. Her husband was "killed at work" in mid-March. She was put on bed rest last year because of her pregnancy and circumstances. And now she's dealing with all that, plus raising a 16-year-old and a 4-month-old.

Her original e-mail, widely distributed by people trying to help, begins, "I cannot take care of all the dogs, with our newborn, and my being disabled, and after my husband was killed in mid-March."

After that and with being ordered to bed during the pregnancy, the routine medical care of the dogs sort of slid to low-priority, though she loves them and has tried to keep up, Arlena says.

Alphie, possibly 10, got his shots last year, she says, but the little salt-and-pepper guy has a tendency to have seizures and may have a thyroid problem, says Arlena. Muffin, thought to be about 13-years old, is loveable and has never lived as an only dog.

E-mail Arlena at [email protected]. But she suggests calls work better at 469-387-8266. Her note included this: "With an old computer and dial up and a newborn and dealing with paperwork and other matters after the loss of my husband, I am not online much and you may get my voice mail when you call. I try to return calls as soon as possible within 24  hours.  The phone is best for me."

LOOKING FOR HELP IN HENRIETTA: We talked with rescuer Annie McClintock in Henrietta, Texas, this morning about a couple of dogs that need help.

One of them (right) is in danger because her human is in jail -- probably she'll be on the clock shortly because he's in no position to reclaim her. The other, Dilly, a blue-heeler mix (below), simply wound up in the pound because of owner-surrender -- she's on the clock already, thus needs immediate help.

Henrietta is 20 miles east of Wichita Falls -- or if you're in Dallas, it's a little over 100 miles to the west, according to the people who are there.

The note from Annie reports, that the 2 year-old Aussie or maybe heeler/Border Collie with the docked tail (right) was impounded after the owner was arrested. The dog is "unlikely to be reclaimed and so I did not want to wait until the last minute to try and get some help...It appears to be a nice dog and in good health."

Now, Annie says that female's name is something the owner knows but the owner is a bit out of touch with everybody right now except his cellmates and local law enforcement. But, she's trying to work ahead just in case the dog suddenly needs a home -- sort of get someone in rescue on stand-by and keeping a spot for this dog.

The second dog is a "blue mix", a female who is "quite sweet" and wound up in the local pound -- known as "Dilly", she is an owner-surrender.

When time comes that they have a place to go, Annie writes, "I can get them out, vet and transport if anyone can foster or help with placement. I work with Clay County Animal Shelter, a small no-kill here in Henrietta. But it is always full so I rescue many dogs that the shelter cannot take especially those in the local pound which puts them down after 3 days."

Time is, of course, always pressuring dogs in pounds. To help Annie save these two, call 940-733-1500 or e-mail [email protected].

LITTLE RESCUES, BIG NEED: Oh, goodness, the Humane Society of North East Texas, based in Longview, recently got custody of dozens of small dogs from a puppy mill raid in Longview. (You can see photos and read the details by going to and clicking on "What's New?")

As it turns out, our retired rescue pal, Audrey Merritt of Ennis, is not quite completely retired and as the Texas rep of the Queenie Foundation, she has taken in three poodles and a Maltese/poodle mix from the raid. They've all had their vet work ups, one had a tumor removed and they are due to be groomed soon so they can be up for adoption next week.

These dogs are all 5 years old, says Audrey. The 7-pound poodles are Mr. Pup, Jenny and Bonnie. The "Maltipoo" is Greta, who weighs six pounds. She had a tumor removed from her eyelid.

When the Queenie Foundation took on these four pups, it also took on their vet bills. So far, the total is $725, says Audrey. So, the drive for donations has begun. To offer to help or to adopt, you can contact Audrey at [email protected]. 

The Queenie Foundation is based in Connecticut and is run by Enid Breakstone, formerly of Dallas. You may recall that Enid organized the annual candlelight vigil for homeless animals for many years. Read about the foundation at www.queeniefoundation.org.

And, when you e-mail Audrey, she'll be happy to tell you about the dogs, their tendencies and how to help them and their bills.

CONTEMPLATIONS: Around here someone says "dogfighting ring" and we tend to think of a bunch of thugs and beer-guzzling rednecks out in the woods or in a barn being meaner than the law allows. Reader Barbara Lukas reminded us that idiots are everywhere when she sent a note about a dogfighting ring in the Bronx.  Click HERE. The ringleader was alleged to be Alexander Estephane but I can find no evidence that the trial has occurred. Justice may move slowly in New York, too. ... Which would you rather get your hands on -- the guy who invented air-horns that blast your ears at commencement exercises or the people who decided credit cards should be allowed to raise interest rates in a meaner fashion than the Mafia? ... Regarding the death of writer Bud Shrake, our pal and former colleague at two newspapers, Bud Kennedy, used his Fort Worth Star-Telegram column to reminisce about The Fort Worth Press. Bud Kennedy and I worked together at The Press in the early '70s and later at the big paper in Dallas. His tender thoughts of The Fort Worth Press reminded me that we had a lot of fun working for that run-on-the-cheap afternoon tabloid, competing against the big Star-Telegram's AM and PM editions -- and doing it all at cut-rate pay in a building that wasn't air-conditioned in a time when people smoked lots of cigarettes and big, smelly cigars. You can read Bud Kennedy's column HERE. And why is it that all the great writers are named Bud?

--- To comment, click below ---

Ears and other things...

Look, I just couldn't pass up using this photograph as our opening picture today. We're going to go ahead and declare the dog, known as Ears, to be the day's official "earhound." We'll get to Ears and her Burns Flat, Okla., pal, Puggles, in a little bit.

In the meantime, the term "mugshot" really seems to apply to this picture.

I do sort of wonder what Ears was thinking when the camera was aimed at her. "Is this going to get me on Oprah?" Or, maybe, "Vanity Fair, I'm your cover girl." Probably not "Got milk?"

HANDSOME NEEDS A HOME: Now, this is a dog at rest. He's obviously photogenic and certainly deserves to be known as Handsome.

What's his story? Susan Owen says, "I found him dodging traffic on the back side of Love Field."

Well, there you have it. Handsome flew in on a chartered jet from the Good Lookin' Dog Convention and took a wrong turn at the airport, slipped through the fence and wound up in the traffic. That's the best explanation I can find.

The likely alternative is the traditional "Loose Dog in Dallas Traffic Explanation": Some pinhead dumped him.

Whatever the case, he's about a year old and weighs around 70 pages (this photo is a few months old, Susan says).

He's healthy, neutered, "playful but not hyper" and "thinks he's a lap dog when he can get on the couch and lay his head in my lap," says Susan, who confesses that she's at the limit for dogs and can't keep him.

To help her find a good couch, er, home for Handsome, e-mail [email protected] or call 214-956-7245.

If you think you've seen him before, it's possible. Handsome sometimes has been displayed at adoption events at the Irving and Lewisville PetSmarts by HART (Humane Animal Rescue Team).

HOW ABOUT THOSE ARLINGTON AUSSIES? We've learned from our Arlington tipster Dianne Watson that Whiskey and Paxton, the two 6-year-old Aussies in a tight spot at the suburban shelter, have been saved.

You may recall reading Dianne's description of how bewildered Paxton suddenly became reinvigorated when he went into a "get acquainted room" at the shelter and spotted his dear pal Whiskey.

They were pulled from the shelter by the rescue folks at Pound Pals.

Kerri Hass of Pound Pals says that in the past year the group had taken in a couple of senior Beagles, Opal and Mo, surrendered by the family after their human had died.

"When I saw this Aussie duo, I flashed back to the thought of Mo and Opal left in the shelter after their owner died and I cried at the thought of them being split up and one left behind to die in the shelter alone. I knew we had to act fast if we were to keep them together."

She called "trusted volunteer" Arnold Barnhart who "actually took off work and made an emergency transport for these two."

The dogs are now in a boarding facility -- together. "The thing," Kerri says, "is that Paxton and Whiskey must adopt out together and remain together for their entire lifetime....Paxton may be 'funny looking' to some. Personally, I think he is uniquely handsome. He is shaved and his eyes are crossed. ...  We are not sure how well he sees but we are sure that his new owner will need to love him as he is."

To audition to adopt these pups, you can get the adoption application at http://poundpals.cfsites.org/index.php.

And Dianne, who first told us of the reunion in the Arlington shelter, sums up the situation this way: "They are safe and they are together again."

REGARDING TINY THE CAT: If you scroll down to our Tuesday afternoon edition you can read about the search in Plano for Eldon Sumrall's big gray-with-white socks kitty, Tiny.

Our pal Rebecca Poling, president of the Companions For Life animal education group, sent us a reminder that "Feral Friends has a great lost-cat recovery program with a great success rate." Here's that website: www.feralfriends.org/info/display?PageID=6033.

HENDERSON COUNTY SITUATION: Pam Silva, a veteran rescuer in the general area of Cedar Creek Lake east of Dallas, reports that there's been a development in a situation being monitored by the Henderson County Sheriff, herself and the Athens Humane Society.

"In what looks like an abandoned house, there are many dogs that are left with no shelter, food thrown over the fence and water whenever. They breed indiscriminately...." You get the drift. It's an ugly story with a human at the core.

So on Monday, many of thee dogs got out of the property and a neighbor complained. so the authorities responded. Pam is attempting to save the dogs -- two are being left with the person who has the property. But there are many that need help and, Pam writes, "it is our one shot to save them."

To help, e-mail Pam at [email protected].

SARGE STILL WAITS IN WINTERS: Our tipster Debbie Ballard from Winters, south of Abilene, is very concerned about Sarge, who we mentioned on Monday. She's gotten no response to her plea to help get the big, friendly guy off death row at the pound.

She writes, "I've gotten online to look at rescue groups and some of their sites are no longer there, they don't return e-mails, etc. It's very frustrating and they should take their links off the web if they are no longer doing pit bull rescue. 

"We've gotten the city to hold off on destroying this dog for one day. I'm begging them for more time and have offered to provide food for him. I have no stalls left at home. I'm literally swimming in dogs right now. I can transport the dog this weekend. I can basically do whatever it takes to save him."

To offer to help save Sarge, contact Debbie at 325-365-0198 (cell), 325-442-4261 (work) or 325-754-4050 (home). E-mail her at [email protected].

NOW ABOUT THAT EARHOUND: Yes, now we get to Ears, who, with Puggles, is currently in the custody of the Burns Flat, Okla., shelter and that means our tireless tipster and noted rescuer Terry Lynn Fisher is working to get them both into either a good home or rescue group so that they'll be safe.

Ears is "beautiful and full of energy, love and life," Terry Lynn says. And "Puggles is a calm and dignified little lady."

Both dogs get along with everyone.

Terry Lynn reports she was sitting on the floor and talking to them. "They both slowly came to me and when they saw I was a friend, both actually fell into my lap."

To ask about adopting these dogs, e-mail [email protected] or call Terry Lynn at 580-330-1459.

Terry Lynn also sent some photos of a trip she made to Cordell, about 16 miles east of Burns Flat.

"The story I got is a landlord went to a rental and found the people gone...They left 13 little dogs there, most some type of terrier mixes...

"There are 11 in the 2 kennels, and 2 that got loose, but are hanging around there...I am going to try to trap them, to get them safe. This shelter is in the country with nothing around and I will not be surprised if coyotes do not eat the two that are loose...They are scared and run from me, but stay close to the pack...

"Then, there is the little loner girl...she is the one with the black face...the others do not like her...I was told because she is not from the "pack", but I think they are jealous because she has on a collar and they don't. She has been there 11 days and was to be put down today [Tuesday], but I asked him to hold off until I see what we can get done...

"So, I have until Saturday to move all of these little ones...They look bigger in the pictures, most are pretty young and all appear to be healthy...They seem very social, also."

Again, if you can help with one or more dog, contact Terry Lynn.

She says that "we saved four from death here [Cordell's shelter] two weeks ago. This shelters has nobody that even looks at it. Saving these little ones would be such a blessing."

CONTEMPLATIONS: Do you think the world would be different if everyone got 45 more minutes of sleep each morning and didn't follow it with a mad dash on a freeway? ... Is nothing sacred? Now the administration is targeting Cheerios for ambitious advertising. And nobody's heard from the Cheerios Kid though rumor has it he's been in Florida doing dinner theater since he was rejected for the "Got milk?" ads. ... On this up-earlier-than-I-intended morning, here's something to discuss: No coffee ever smelled better than the coffee on passenger trains in the '50s. Today's best coffee? Might be at the Waffle House. And, please, if you're paying four bucks for a cup of coffee in this climate, your judgment may be impaired. Heck, that's more than you pay for gasoline.

--- To comment, click below ---

PM Editon: Mr. Sumrall's cat...

OK, ladies and gents and beings from another world, we've got two things to note in our Tuesday afternoon edition of Readlarrypowell.com:

BE ON THE LOOKOUT IN PLANO: The recent bad weather knocked over part of the fence at Eldon Sumrall's home in Plano and his cat, Tiny, about a year old, took advantage of the event.

We get the details of the story from Mr. Sumrall's son, Gene, who says his dad was outside last Wednesday for some play time with the cat.

Tiny's an indoor cat who likes a supervised outside visit now and then.

Mr. Sumrall had to step inside just briefly. When he returned, Tiny had vanished into the older neighborhood near the area of Plano Parkway at Ohio Drive.

It's possible someone picked up the big cat, or that the cat is simply enjoying a romp outside and hiding under shrubbery and watching the world go by. Or living with a neighbor who hasn't seen the many signs posted in the area.

When last seen, Tiny was wearing tags, Gene says. He is a "bigger than most cats" gray fellow with four little white sox on his paws. And he's microchipped -- he was adopted from the Plano Animal Services shelter.

Tiny's people have done all the right things such as visiting neighbors and putting up signs.

Our tipster Niki Witham sent us a copy of one of the notes from Mr. Sumrall. It reads, "I have lost my beloved cat, Tiny. He is my life. I am 83 years old and in not-so-good-health. I have cried like a baby for him many times and I want to know he is well. For an old man that has had cancer twice and a very bad heart, I am sorry to beg for my baby, but I miss him so very much."

There's a reward. If you've seen Tiny, the large gray cat with white sox, call 214-460-8188.

REMINDER: Thursday is the last day to take advantage of listing your summertime pet events for free in the next issue of Urban Animal Magazine. To submit a listing (keep it simple -- just basic facts), e-mail the info to [email protected]  and put EVENTS in the subject line.

Again, that is FREE ink to publicize your June, July, August and beyond events. This means you: Shelters, rescue groups, pet supporters, breed groups, pet supply stores, etc. We're proud to present the events list in honor of all the critters that need help and their human watchdogs, too.

--- To comment, click below ---

Camping, cinema, critters and space...

Here we go with our Tuesday report. Ah, Tuesday -- not so much pressure as a Monday (How about that Mavericks squeaker!), but, still, too far from Friday evening to relax.

HAPPY CAMPER NEEDS RESCUE: OK, we have no photo of this dog, but, probably, the thing to do is just to imagine that this is your dog. Or the dog you had as a kid. Or, maybe, a dog you'll have some day. He's a happy camper -- and that's not good.

We get the dog's story from Kathy Deatherage. She writes, "The KOA in Caddo Mills has a young dog that has been roaming their campground for about three weeks. There have many attempts at catching the dog including drugging it (it didn't keep it down), nets, etc. No one can get near the dog and they haven't had any luck at catching it. I don't think this will end well unless someone can offer a solution.."
Kathy says she hasn't seen the dog, but she is told that the puppy is about 6 months old, almost solid black weighs about 15 pounds and might be a border collie-type."

"Skittish and destructive," are two more words that fit the rascal. "It is taking camper's rugs, cushions, etc., and tearing them up. As you can imagine, this isn't the best for business and campers are complaining."

The dog will come close to get food, but that's the limit.

If you have suggestions for trapping the dog or persuading it to come along happily, e-mail [email protected]. The KOA number is 903-527-3615.

LIGHTS, CAMERA, ACTION IN A HURRY: Keep in mind the 2009 SPCA of Texas PetFlix entry deadline is at 5 p.m. Friday. It's ten bucks a film. And the money goes to the SPCA. Best Overall Picture wins $2,500; Best Long Tail and Best Short Tail get $500 each.

The finals judging is an annual good time open to the public. This year, the PetFlix Film Festival is from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday, June 7, at the Granada Theater, 3424 Greenville Ave. in Dallas.

Tickets are available now at www.granadatheater.com. (My judiciousspouse Martha and I are among the judges again -- it's not as easy as it looks. The quality of films is pretty darned good.)

It's a fun evening. The filmmakers always do a great job and the judges are always challenged. It's a good time.

NOTE THESE THINGS AND THESE DOGS: The Texas Humane Legislation Network has several irons in the fire in Austin at the Texas Legislature. There's a puppy mill law, there's a proposal to call cats an "invasive species," there's a proposal to require all parakeets to speak French. Pause. I'm kidding about that last one, but you can go to www.thln.org and click on action alerts and see the assorted battles being fought on behalf of Texas' animals. ... We've gotten some e-mails regarding the Glen Rose Animal Shelter -- relax, mostly dogs and cats thought Glen Rose is the dinosaur capital of our area. Nobody has been dumping dinosaurs -- that we know of, I'm led to believe. Anyway, there are some good animals in the overcrowded shelter. Among these availables are Sadie and Ernie (sharing a cage) and a dog named "Happy" though that might not be the word you'd use for this picture -- but who names a dog "Apprehensive"?

To get info about the Glen Rose shelter and adoptions, click HERE. ... Then, lately, the Collin County Animal Services Shelter in McKinney has had a bunch of animals -- there WERE THREE Cocker Spaniels, according to our tipster DeDe Whitcombe. Two have been moved along to safe places, but this fellow, Number 167498, is still there. (I don't know what his real name is and, if he makes it out of the shelter, he'll probably come to whatever you call him.) He can be saved by a rescue group -- adoptions are handled exclusively by the SPCA of Texas' McKinney shelter. A citizen can't adopt straight from the Collin County shelter, but the people there hustle to find ways to get the animals out.

CAT CRISIS: We got this from one of our Houston tipsters, Alexandra Kelsey, who wrote, "These babies are adorable.  Their humans have suddenly been sent overseas and they cannot afford all the medical necessary for all six of their cats, so the three newest ones are looking for nice homes.  Dusty and Bowie would really love to stay together..

Bowie is the ginger and white boy; Dusty is the "big gray fluffball", and Tommy is the "ginger boy " showing off his stretch. He was a park orphan who loves to cuddle and snuggle.

To ask about these cats call 281- 467- 2870 or 936- 321- 8732 or e-mail [email protected].

The stretching of a cat can be an impressive thing. You see nature films of tigers in the jungle and lions doing the stretch on the savannah and then you see one of the smaller cats stretching on your coffee table or couch and you think, "I've got to cat proof the glassware."

CONTEMPLATIONS: Longer daylight saving time period than ever this year. More time to drive in the evenings. Gasoline prices started creeping up a few weeks ago by Mother's Day were just plain insulting. By Memorial Day, look for $2.75-$3 for a gallon of regular in Dallas and by mid-summer, hello $3.50. You almost think the gas stations are run by the same people who run movie theater concession stands. ... I've been watching the cable TV show "River Monsters," about giant fish in rivers and over the weekend I saw the one about the big catfish in the Amazon and coincidentally, the tiny parasitic fish that can enter the human body in most unpleasant ways. If you open up this website some day and it starts, "As I was swimming in the Amazon last night..." you'll know that an imposter has taken over my mission. I swear, on a stack of anything you can stack, that you will never find me swimming in the Amazon. Holy yuck. ... As I was watching the new movie Star Trek I thought, "Geez, in space there are no dogs." And then I realized, "Of course not. They're at Federation headquarters herding Klingons."

--- To comment, click below ---