Welcome to our daily conversation -– if this were about cows we could call it our “dairy conversation" -- about the state of the world within our reach.
Or maybe just beyond it. Or maybe we’re knee-deep in the world and even deeper than that in alligators. Having summed up the state of civilization, let’s move on and please be sure to read all the contemplation at the end today.
THE PUZZLEMENT IN FORT WORTH: Our longtime tipster, the hardworking Ginger Leach of Fort Worth Animal Care and Control sent me the photo of this big ol’ dawg and began her note with this: “We do not understand why we still have Murphy.”
Murphy is this “super wonderful” Leonberger mix. “Our director absolutely loves this dog but he unfortunately cannot take him or he would already be lying on the sofa channel-surfing with him.”
Murphy has been at the shelter since June – long time for a dog to survive. (I think thats a cellphone photo, so what your seeing is an impressionist's view of the dog.) Here’s the official report: “He is a handsome, sweet, loving and playful 1-year-old fully VETTED Leonberger mix….He has an awesome immune system. He has never ever thought about getting sick. He is good with other dogs, loves people and travels well. He has been to all the off-site adoption events we have had in the last 3 months.”
You can see Fort Worth Animal Care and Control animals, directions to the shelter, etc., by clicking HERE. Call Ginger at 817-392-7087 or 817-680-0849.
MEANWHILE IN DENTON: Holy smoke, the “intake” is way overloading the “outgo” at Denton. In the past few days, we’re told, the Denton Animal Control shelter has taken in 30 new dogs – and that’s not a puppy mill raid, that’s just business as usual. Humans turning in their animals and hoping for the best.
Among those animals is Princess, a “Shepherd-Staffie mix “released “by someone unable to care for her.” She’s spayed and good with children, the shelter says, and she’s a bargain adoption at $60. She's also, obviously, an "Earhound."
Then, there’s Alvin the Basset Hound, a drooping "Earhound." He’s around 3 years old and a purebred.
These dogs are on the clock in Denton and because of the sudden influx of animals, the clock is moving faster as the week progresses. To ask about them, e-mail [email protected]. For directions to the shelter and to see more animals there, click HERE.
IN CARROLLTON, SOME PROGRESS: The folks with Carrollton Animal Services have been hustling all week to get animals adopted or into rescue groups and many of the animals
we’ve featured have been fortunate enough to find a haven.
Joe Skenesky sends us this note about three that still need a place to go. As is the case in most city shelters, their survival depends on (a) strangers speaking up for them or (b) fewer people dumping animals at that shelter.
There’s Dover, a Doberman mix the shelter bio describes as a “happy-go-lucky boy who appeared at our door one morning asking to be let in so he could find a home to call his own.”
He’s playful, but also enjoys napping. And what man can’t relate to that?
Then there is Robby, the retriever-boxer mix, who came in as a stray. He prefers to eat alone, but other than that the 60-pounder gets along with other dogs.
And the girl in the mix is Therma. The 8-month-old pit bull mix arrived as a stray. She likes to play with other dogs and is available to a rescue group only.
Call the shelter at 972-466-3420 or e-mail [email protected].
THE LAST TIME WE SAW FERRIS: Seems like only a month or so ago there was big turmoil surrounding the Ferris Animal Shelter. That, apparently thanks to a show of force from animal rescuers, subsided somewhat and now business is almost back to usual because the little shelter is full again and animals are on the clock.
Adoption fees are $40 and rescue groups don’t have to pay. The problem is the shelter doesn’t get a lot of foot traffic. Ferris is about 20 minutes south of Dallas on I-45. Misty Clark is the dedicated animal control officer.
Amazingly, you can get a “Tub O’ Cats” at the Ferris Shelter. Anyway, that’s the way they lined up for this photograph.
And there are three German Shorthair Pointer pups – could be purebreds – that were dumped. The two girls and their brother are about 3 months old and if they’re going to get any older, someone will need to step up for them.
The soulful Lab mix is Megan, under a year old. She “has the cute webbed feet,” the shelter bio says. She’s “very, very sweet” and gentle e and knows how to pose for the camera.
To ask about any of the Ferris animals, call Misty at 972-877-1210.
FROM YESTERDAY: The little white Lhasa Apso at The Colony Animal Control shelter has been claimed by Tzu Zoo & More Rescue and the Beagle with the soft ear went to Second Chance SPCA of Plano, reports The Colony’s Animal Control Division Manager Patricia Barrington who ads, “We still have plenty to choose from, though!”
LATE NIGHT REPORT FROM BURNS FLAT: As we were about to shut down the computer last night, we got this note from our reliable Burns Flat, Okla., tipster, hard-working rescuer Terry Lynn Fisher. “OK, it is 9:30. I am trying to finally settle down for the night. There is someone banging on my front door. I go look. There is some crazy lady with a puppy. Either I take it or it goes to the country.
“Look at this dog. She is tiny. Maybe 6 weeks at the most. I bet she does not even weight 4 pounds, a little ball of fur. If I take her to the pound, which is full, she could squeeze through the bars. I have no place for her. Please, if you have a post for a bundle of fur, let me know.”
Now this note followed on the heels of Terry Lynn’s correspondence about EIGHT puppies that are soon to be en route to the pound. “The owner has a registered boxer that she planned on breeding and selling the pups – before she could do it, some sneaky hound dog went into the yard….Now there are 8 babies that she ‘cannot get rid of’. They are still at her home but will become pound puppies very soon.
“The ‘good’ thing is she was educated on how many pure boxers die every day and she is now taking momma to be spayed and not doing the baby thing again.”
But, that leaves these little guys out on a limb. You can tell they’re rowdy little pups – two got caught wrestling, then there’s the “puppy gang” romping near the sliding door that they can’t enter.
Terry Lynn has more shelter animals that need help, too. Contact her at 580-330-1459 or e-mail [email protected].
ASSORTED NOTES:
Denise Rinker, who is working to end gassing as a means of euthanasia in Texas shelters (click HERE) has also created a video that is “dedicated to all rescuers.” You can see it by clicking HERE.
The West Side Animal League, which works to help animals in the White Settlement Animal Shelter, is looking for donations for its October garage sale. Big items, little items, working electronics, toys, etc. The sale is billed as the “First Annual Rummage For Rover.” To arrange to donate something, call 817-350-3450.
Many rescue groups are aware of the Linens For Animals project. Here’s the new WEBSITE. Take a look and see if they can help you or you can help them.
Famous rock band Three Dog Night and ardent animal rescuer/candidate for Texas Governor Kinky Friedman are teaming for a fundraiser on Sept. 18 in San Antonio to benefit Texans For Kinky. I figured that since the Republicans have been getting all the Texas gubernatorial news stories with incumbent Rick Perry and challenger Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, we might as well mention that Kinky’s hat and cigar are sailing toward the ring. This event follows on the heels of the Sept. 16 A Bloody Mary Morning with Willie Nelson and Kinky at the Gleneagles Country Club in Plano. That show, according to the Kinky website HERE will begin at “Elevenish (unless Willie wakes up earlier.)”
A CONTEMPLATION FROM NACOGDOCHES: We’ve reported on the state of things in Nacogdoches where volunteers and shelter workers are still coping with the overload from the “backwoods puppy mill” raid week before last.
You folks who have helped with puppy mill raids can relate to the emotions so eloquently expressed in the letter from Volunteer Nancy Hinds. Today, her letter is our daily contemplation. You can still help animals that were rescued, but the clock is ticking on them and it will stop later today. E-mail [email protected] or call 936 615 7715 to ask how you can help. Click HERE to see a slideshow of the animals. The shelter is at 3211 SW Stallings in Nacogdoches. Call 936-560-5011
Nancy sent us a letter about this experience that is so touching and inspiring that it should be shared.
She writes that “to date there have been 50+ adoptions from the Expo center of the dogs seized on 8/12. Mostly small dogs, of course, even some oldsters who just want a nice corner to lay in. I hope the people who adopted these guys will be kind and gentle with them. They certainly deserve it. I hope everyone who came looking for a companion and didn't find one at the Expo center travels a few more miles down the road to the shelter. There are plenty to choose from there and they are just as important as these guys.
“All the little dogs are gone, even the cranky old one who we thought had some sort of dementia going on. Maybe that happens after a while when your toenails are grown into your foot pads - it goofs up your thinking. Now we have a sea of Pit Bulls, all sweet, all wonderful and deserving. There is Humphrey, the brown Pit who has the biggest smile. All he needs is a cigar to look like Humphrey Bogart. My little girl is still there, the one with the empty eyes who radiates resignation. She has curable demodectic mange so bad even her toes splay because of the scabs in between them. I keep praying someone will see her beauty and take her home to love. She makes my heart hurt.
“Many dogs are staying right here in Nacogdoches, with local families. I have a heartfelt hope the shelter does not see a rush of these guys coming into the shelter in a couple of weeks as the new families are faced with some of the peculiarities of puppy mill dogs.
“The cats are going South this weekend to their new digs. Their foster homes are excited to see the moms and the kids. The bunnies left today [Wednesday] in a small eco-car along with a couple of doxies, a mama poodle and her five newborn babies, a Chihuahua or two, and a big dog who shall herein go unnamed but we called him Spud. Oh and Dad came along for the ride. I hear it was quite a sight to see them all fit into the little eco car and drive the 2 hours home. The person who took them made a great impression on the staff manning - or should I say "womaning" - the Expo adoptions. The humans all wanted to go home with her.
“Someone I know from down the road just a bit piled four Pits in her Mustang yesterday and drove off into the sunshine with them. I hear they are smiling and have full bellies tonight.
“Another wonderful rescue person came from due north yesterday and took some pups we had in the isolation ward because they were exposed to parvo. Although asymptomatic, the pups did test positive for this awful disease but because of the rescuer's diligence, they were treated with preventative immediately upon getting to their new hometown. Two more lives safe tonight because of the goodness and dedication of a rescue person.”
Nancy says she “saved the best for last.” The dog identified as Number 7 “will be going home on Saturday. She will be under the care of a rescue/shelter person in the DFW area. This person was calm in the storm today; her email was so kind and compassionate. I feel #7 will be in the best of gentle hands.”
And there is the pit challenge. Nancy writes, “Our local Pit rescue person has been trying desperately from day one of the seizure to find someone, anyone, who can take some of these Pits and help get them into good homes. She has tried calling every Pit rescue organization she can think of - but hears either ‘no, we are full’ or gets no response. She has a number of messages in to Best Friends network -- but I don't think they are going to make it here in the Miracle Bus by tomorrow [Thursday] at 6p.m. I can't begin to imagine how she is going to feel if/when these dogs are euthanized … after she has carried them out of hell, worked with them, walked them, loved them for two weeks, every single day. The pain is almost palatable to think about -- Humphrey, Mama Dog, the clown dog who cocks her head at you to get your attention. The dogs we have grown to know and love, who have thrived under the limited care a handful of volunteers can give them each day. I can only imagine how they would feel to have a steady diet of love. They would think they were in heaven.
“Soon it will be over. We will go back to our lives and wait for the next call out. This is our first time to work together as a group and it has been an incredible experience. Bonds and friendships formed over piles of poop, lessons learned, spirits soared and crashed with each day. Right now I tend to mourn the losses - I think they deserve to be mourned, the ones who we will lose tomorrow [Thursday] night. They deserve a pat, a hug, a proper farewell after all they have been thru. I hope the donated rawhides they munched today helped just a tiny bit to make them feel valued. They certainly were surprised at their gifts and were like the proverbial kids in a candy store with them. I hope they know how hard we tried and how every minute we spent for them was a labor of love for each and every one of them.
“Later I will be able to celebrate the successes - Eco car animals, down the road animals, the neurotic, the tiny, the fat, the toothless. But right now I can just watch for the Miracle Bus and hope it comes on time for a few more souls.
“These animals gave Nacogdoches a gift - one that will be very expensive for some of them. The gift of watching a community of people work together side by side, hot, stinky, sweaty, but with all our hearts tied together for Smiley, Clown Face, The Sorority Sisters, and all the rest. It makes me proud to see us go from separate groups of individuals to a mass of humanity doing what we can for these guys. I just wish it was enough for all of them.”
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