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Monday, meatloaf and critters

The morning after a sickening Dallas Cowboy defeat is always so wretched. And  that loss came on the same day the Texas Rangers once again coughed up a hairball to make certain we won’t have to worry about them embarrassing us in the playoffs again.

Yuckamundo. Nearly 40 years of “Wait ‘til next year.”

This photo? That is our official Readlarrypowell.com impersonator, Inky, the Cocker Laureate of the State of Texas, giving us his impression of a Dallas Cowboys fan, who has already over paid for a ticket and for parking, rushing into the All-You-Can-Stand Buffet Section at the new Cowboys stadium and spotting a big cold platter of Mom’s Tony Romo Misfiring Meatloaf with a side order of Flozell Adams’ Turkey Legs. (Aside: If you saw the game, that all makes sense. If you didn’t, trust me, you are better off.)

Now, take your mind off two ol’ dogs that can’t be helped, and focus on some animals that need assistance from humans.

CUTE GUY, NO HOME: This big dog is named Cooper and we got his story from Gail Rushing of the American Black & Tan Coonhound Rescue. In that one photo, he and a pal look as if they’re part of the “Knothole Gang” at a baseball park and they’re watching a game intently. Of course, there is no Knothole Gang at the Rangers Ballpark in Arlington, just a knothead gang in the front office.

But back to Cooper. Gail reports, “I have been trying to help the folks at Vickery Place Animal Hospital place a beautiful dog named Cooper. He's been at the clinic for 5 months. They just don't get enough foot traffic for adoptions and they are desperate to find a foster or permanent home for Cooper.  He's at 11 months old and fully vetted.  They contacted me because they had been calling him a bloodhound mix.  I don't see bloodhound and my group can't take a dog that is so far from our breed.  Hopefully if you could put him in one of your daily posts someone would step forward and help out Cooper and all his human friends at Vickery.  He loves kids and in his perfect home he would have a kid or two to call his own.

Vickery Place Animal Hospital is at 2720 N Henderson Ave. in Dallas. Call 214-252-0800.‎ You may also e-mail Gailforce@sbcglobal.net to ask about Cooper or about helping with Black & Tan Hound Rescue.

MEANWHILE IN CARROLLTON: This cat Buckley was photographed just as Tony Romo threw an interception that was run back for a touchdown in last night’s Cowboys game. I’m kidding. This guy, Buckley is one of many animals at the Carrollton Animal Shelter and hard-working staffers are trying to find homes for all of them.

Buckley, despite this fang-filled photo, is said to be a friendly guy who was “found as a stray wandering around without a care in the world. He is very friendly and very outgoing. … Buckley loves to talk to you and is a sucker for a scratch behind the ears.”

And, yes, he’s not the only cat. And this dog, John, is not the only dog in the Carrollton Shelter on the clock, either.

John also was a stray – a senior dog found in the streets. He’s about 13, the shelter folks think and “looks to have a bit of arthritis in the hind end as he is slow to get up and a little unstable when he first stands, though he works through the stiffness pretty quickly.” You can see a video of John HERE.

To ask about any animal in the care of Carrollton, e-mail Joe.Skenesky@cityofcarrollton.com or call 972-466-3420.

TWO CUTIES: The dog is a rescued Aussie named Cooper, and the little girl is Emily Stephens, 7, niece of Sara Shepperd of North Dallas Dog Rescue.  

Emily had her first soccer game this weekend and Cooper happened to be along to watch, so it was just natural that Emily and Cooper pose together – after all, Emily has been involved in rescuing nearly her entire life, Sara says.

Cooper was on “death row” at Collin County Animal Services when he was spotted by Debbie New of Plano Animal Services, Sara says, “Thankfully..Debbie “remembered my love for Aussies and called!”

Cooper was picked up in a storm last Wednesday night. “He is limping and can’t put his back left leg down, so I don’ know if he was hit by a car of if he has a general hip problem….He is bothered at all and is still jumping on and off the sofa and fetching and retrieving a tennis ball.” (He’s en route to the vet today.)

Sara says Cooper is a “full-Aussie – h is less than 40 pounds but still a standard size… He is all chocolate colored with some caramel markings and a few white spots on his chest. Once we got him into the car he crawled right into my niece Emily's lap and cuddled with her! (By the way, at age 7 Emily has been in animal rescue for 4 years - she has always been my ‘child-friendly control group’ for dogs we save, She has volunteered at Operation Kindness and now understands and knows the cruelty of euthanasia and importance of spay/neuter laws. Saturday was her first trip to an actual municipal pound/shelter to save a dog's life). … Coincidentally Saturday was her first soccer game of the season, so I snapped a few photos of the two of them together. Cooper, knowing me for a mere half hour, hammed it up for the camera - Emily always does!”

To ask about helping Cooper find a good home, e-mail sara8868@aol.com.

And next time you animal people (I am guilty, too) have an unpleasant thought about humans, remember, not all of them are bad and some of them are just 7 and play soccer and love animals. They’re the future of rescue.

NEEDING HELP IN CORSICANA: Back on Sept. 2 we featured Tabitha Wilkes story about this dog, Baby, found in a rural area as Tabitha made her health-care  rounds. A “sweet lady named Cathy, living on disability checks,” had found 6-month-old Baby, apparently hit by a car and suffering from two broken legs.

Tabitha managed to raise funds to cover the vet bills. Baby and Cathy bonded and the dog is healing well. She’s been spayed, thanks to the Humane Society of Navarro County, Tabitha reports.

But over the weekend, Cathy’s medical condition took a nose dive and she was hospitalized. Tabitha stepped up to take in Baby, but she’s now desperately trying to find a foster for the dog. “I have nowhere to house a dog, I live in a downtown Corsicana apartment. I have no yard, no grass. I have her penned in a portion of a back room. I have two kids, 3 cats and a blind Boston I rescued earlier in this summer. Can anyone help me?”

If you have a spot for Baby, call Tabitha at 903-229-1036.

MUST READING: The great reporter and former colleague of mine at the Big Paper in Dallas, Katie Fairbank, filed a story over the weekend about the way things apparently are at the Garland animal shelter. It’s worth the read and Katie deserves praise for looking into the situation. Google "Katie Fairbank" and "Garland shelter" and you should go right to the story of unfortunate treatment of animals.

A GUY NEEDS SOME HELP: Way northwest of the greater Metrosprawl, in

little Burns Flat, Okla., tireless rescuer Terry Lynn Fisher is again trying to beat the Grim Reaper to animals in the city pound, among them this pit lad.

She says she “honestly thought his ‘people’ would come for him.

“He was picked up for chasing some kids -- not to hurt them, but because he wanted to play too. One of the moms got scared, so she called the police. They said he jumped right in the car, ready to go for a ‘ride.’  He is so sweet and loving. He has no aggressions towards any of the other dogs, big or small, male or female. He loves everything and everyone.

“But because I waited [for his people], he is very close to being out of time.”
To help rescue this friendly guy, e-mail Terry Lynn at remembering_oddball@yahoo.com or call 580-330-1459.

THIS IS OTIS CAIN: Yep, big ol’ friendly pit bull named Otis Cain. We got his story via Terry DeGaw of Serenity Springs Animal Rescue and Sanctuary -– she

deals mostly in big livestock but every now and then someone comes to her with a plea for help with a dog.

O.C. Baker has run intotrouble finding an apartment that will accept Otis because of his breed. He’s a 3-year-old unfixed fellow. The dog is “friendly – doesn’t bite – and lieks to be inside the house. He is house-trained and obeys on command (sit, lay, shake, etc.)”

His shots were due in July.

“He likes to go for walks,” writes O.C. “But mostly lays around the house sleeping. Otis Cain is a very good dog. He has been loved a lot … I want him to go to good home.”

To contact Otis Cain’s human, call 214-694-6075 or e-mail onash@twu.edu or ordonia.baker@hotmail.net.

CONTEMPLATIONS: You know, I always like a colorful poster. Must be the ‘60s influence that still roils through my Type O. So, when Laura Claffey of Wildfire Publicity sent this illustration in hopes of drumming up some publicity for the SPCA of Tennessee, I couldn’t resist. It’s a great bit of fun, I think-- particularly because the event’s title has a bit of fun, Woofstock. If you happen to be in Nashville Thursday, why, enjoy the fun. (Click on the poster to make it larger.) … Meanwhile, the State Fair of Texas opens Friday and last week we mentioned that the Fair and DART are eagerly awaiting the arrival of the first State Fair trains in 53 years. That’s a reference to the new DART Green Line dropping off passengers at exactly the same spot the old Dallas trolley system dropped ‘em off way back then. If my math is right, and it may not be, that would take us back to 1956 and why would the fair need mass transportation in 1956? Because it had a hot act playing at the Cotton Bowl. Young Mister Elvis Presley. I’m just supposing that’s the reason. Might not have been any parking. … I didn’t watch the Emmys last night – I was watching the tragic Dallas Cowboys performance – but I’m wondering if, in 2009, the former TV kid actor (Doogie Houser, M.D.) Neil Patrick Harris has replaced everybody else as “America’s Sweetheart.” Besides, this morning I’m trying to find things to worry about other than whether that one bad snap, fouled up play in a critical game two seasons ago is the actual bellwether for Tony Romo’s career and the young stud has finished his run. Is it too early in the season to throw up our hands and weep?

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Sleeping off the adventure...

These pups earned the spotlight in this weekend’s Let Sleeping Dogs Lie & Napping Cats Nap because they can sleep after beginning puppyhood under the influence of what Native Americans called the “Ghost Dog.”

And, as you can tell from the photographs, once they were rescued from a North Texas coyote-populated field, they mastered the art of tandem sleeping.

Willow and Sage were dumped in a field in Anna and when they were caught and turned over to the Collin County Animal Services Shelter in McKinney, they were starving and covered in ticks.

DeDe Whitcombe, their foster mom and photographer, says that “Collin County Animal Services released them to me immediately on medical release due to their condition.”

DeDe is a Collin County Humane Society volunteer and veteran foster.

The puppies “slept for two days after being rescued, poor babies,” says DeDe. She says it took rescuers two days to trap them.

“You cannot tell because they are so furry but they have zero fat or meat reserves.  Terribly emaciated.  A bazillion burs and seed ticks.”

(Aside: “Bazillion” is a rescuer’s technical term, as perhaps a bazillion of you rescuers know.)

When they were rescued, about a month ago, they were about 8 weeks old. DeDe thinks they may be “Pyr mixes -- with what I am not sure. The male has Pyr fur, but with brindle coloring – pretty cool looking little pups. Precious, huh?”

It would be sweet enough just to know they’d been rescued from a field, but, there’s more to the story.

“You know Anna is coyote country,” DeDe says. “I imagine that they were   surrounded because they stayed close to a home.

“The first night I had them (our ISO/Intensive Care Units is our master bath) it was the middle of the night and I woke to the sounds of coyotes. Not unusual, but they sounded like they were in the bedroom with me.

“I flew out of bed and rushed into the bathroom and it was the pups.

“I think they actually picked up and learned to mimic the sound.

“They are now making puppy noises and barking but those first couple of nights were pretty freaky. Nothing like waking up to coyote cackles that close!”

Sage and Willow will be available for adoption in about three weeks after they get all their medical work done. To ask about adopting them, visit www.collincountyhumanesociety.org.

In the meantime, the rest of us can be grateful that in the middle of the night when nature calls, it just means we get up and take the dog for a walk, we don’t get up and wonder if there are coyotes in the bathroom.

Coyotes In The Bathroom – now there’s a title for a good book.

(To nominate your howling and yipping or mewing and meowing or hissing or silent critters for spotlighting in Let Sleeping Dogs Lie & Napping Cats Nap, send photos and info to dallrp@aol.com. Remember, we endorse the outdoor life, but not as much as we endorse the beauty of being able to sleep. We’re insomniacs, not lumberjacks.)

PM Edition: Lola, Dog Day & Oprah

Before we all get to the weekend and go completely nuts, here are some reminders. Operation Kindness’ Dog Day Afternoon is on Sunday and at The Colony you can adopt some pretty swell animals.

Here’s our Friday afternoon edition (And remember, city shelters are almost always full and animals are almost always on the clock, in case you wake up and think “I need a good friend,” you can find ‘em pretty easily around here).

LOLA IS STILL WAITING: This is an astonishing development. You may recall Local – originally Number 7 plucked from a “backwoods puppy mill” in East Texas at Nacogdoches.

She came to The Colony’s animal shelter to wait for what surely would be a swift adoption for an easy-going, sweet dog.

And look at that photo. Have you ever seen a dog that looked more natural in an office chair? She looks like the perfect reception clerk. Thanks to speakerphones, she doesn’t have to pick up a receiver so she doesn’t even need thumbs to answer calls.

But Patricia Barrington, The Colony’s Animal Control Division Manager, says, “Well, Lola is STILL here. Everyone loves her. She makes visitors cry daily as she lets them pet her while one of us in the office pitifully articulates her history. But, no one wants to take her home. Which may cause us folks here at the shelter to shed a tear or two.  So, Lola is still seeking a place of her own.

“But, of course, Lola isn’t the only canine seeking a comfy spot in a cottage of her very own.  Little Lacy is a Catahoula type puppy of about 8 weeks old.  This girl is SMART."

(Aside: Looks like an Earhound to Readlarrypowell.com.)

Patricia continues, "She will sit on command and fights all those puppy urges to wag and wiggle and bound and leap and chew and tear and somehow manages to sit still at the feet of her person, intently looking up at him/her for directions.  This is an incredible little pup and will undoubtedly make the life of her adopter a whole lot more enjoyable and pleasant. I’m not a puppy person (I like their breath and the way they moan when their bellies are full – other than that … well, I like grown up dogs) and I am this sweet girl’s biggest fan.

“And, we also have Sam.  Sam is a looker, isn’t he?  This big ol’ Lab-type boy (possibly Labrador Golden Retriever mix) is a well mannered gentleman.  Sam gets along well with other dogs and conducts himself with the utmost dignity in every situation.  Sam’s 3ish years old and around 80 pounds.  He’s perfect. 

“And, that goofy little orange kitten is Simon.  He’s spoken for, but I couldn’t resist sending you his picture.  That is the most perfect Halloween pose, ever, in my estimation.  He should be a model.”

To ask about these or any of the animals at The Colony, call 972-370-9250 or e-mail pbarrington@thecolonytx.gov.

DOG DAY AFTERNOON: One of the most eagerly anticipated events of the critter year, Operation Kindness’ annual Dog Day Afternoon is scheduled from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday at Flag Pole Hill at White Rock Lake in Dallas.

The event features contests, games, vendors, adoptions, laughs, conversation, etc.

You can get all the details at www.operationkindness.org. And, the event has free admission.

OPRAH AT THE FAIR: Yep, the famed TV personality, actress and weight-fighter (bless her heart) Oprah Winfrey is coming to the State Fair of Texas on Oct. 12. (See HERE). When I told our excited household that Oprah was coming to the fair, my Fairfunspouse Martha replied, “Must be for the Deep-Fried Butter.” I think she’ll probably just happy to be in Texas without being sued by cattlemen. She may be the biggest TV talk show host to visit Dallas since Morton Downey Jr. in the early 1990s, before anybody knew you could fry butter.

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Tales of Hope & others ...

On Friday, as every day of the week, we try to find some good news. What we’ll start with today is a case of “good news/bad picture.” Then segue into a better picture/bad story. First Hope, then Taffy, then the rest of our report.

SAVED, BUT HOMELESS: The bottom line is this dog Hope is in a vet’s care, has put on five pounds and is in need of a foster home or a real home.

So, you can relax your anxieties and flex your beneficial tendencies.

We first heard of  Hope’s story from Darcelle Cowles who lives in Kilgore, works in at UT-Tyler and keeps an eye on rescue situations in Northeast Texas.

The story is that about a month ago in Longview, just as the Humane Society of Northeast Texas shelter was closing for the day, an animal control officer arrived with a dog that had been confiscated because of neglect. The owner had fled when police questioned him about the dog (An investigation is ongoing. One suspects that the guy isn't exactly cooperative.).

The white pit bull mix, according to a report from the shelter's interim director Rhonda Spitler, was emaciated, covered with sores and scared to eat in front of anyone.”

Get this. The shelter report further says, “She weighed 39 pounds. The chain attached to her weighed 20 pounds.”

She wasn’t expected to live through the night. The Humane Society of Northeast Texas was awarded custody, (That photo on the left was taken today and sent to us by Rhonda. You can see that Hope's putting on some weight.)

Hope, who has been spayed now, is on the road to recovery. She's been treated for all sorts of parasites (including heartworm) and, Rhonda reports, "has begun to be OK with eating while others are watching.”

An anonymous donor picked up the tab on all her early treatment. But donations are still needed to cover all her bills -- you can see how to donate at the society's website, www.hsntx.org. 

To contact the shelter about helping Hope by adopting her or fostering her, call 903-297-2170 or 903-918-0350.

And just in case you wondered, I spoke with Rhonda this afternoon about pursuit of charges against the guy and things are moving, perhaps glacially, but there could eventually be a case. And, in the event that legal avenues become blocked, there are people who have volunteered help administer what they would regard as justice. That isn't going to happen, of course, but it is nice to think about now and then as long as you remember to pray for forgiveness after you think about picking out a sturdy two-by-four and ... well, you know.

THE TAFFY MISSION: Well, goodness, Keli Halteman of Halteman’s Haven, a cat rescue, got a call from Denton Animal Services about a cat that had been surrendered. It seems this girl, Taffy, had been found injured with hideous wounds on both back legs and the people who found her hadn’t bothered to get the legs treated. Keli can tell you the ugly stuff, but I’ll stop there.

At any rate, Keli hustled the cat to a vet, got her spayed, got her shots and a microchip, and had the legs examined. The result is a recommendation for a double-amputation to “even her legs out and to try to re-graft skin on the stumps to get her more comfortable. She scoots around on her stumps and it makes me cry,” Keli writes. “She seems happy to move about and I catch her playing with toys all the time. She loves the laser pointer. She eats. She is a normal cat in every other aspect.”
One leg is missing at the knee, the other leg has no paw. But she is all-cat all the time and with proper surgical treatment could live a long and healthy life. The estimated cost of surgery and care is $2,000.

To ask about helping her, e-mail kellyhalteman@att.net. And there is a Taffy account at her vet’s office: VCA BELTLINE EAST ANIMAL HOSPITAL, 2555 N Beltline Road, Sunnyvale Texas 75182, Call 972-226-0265.

“She has a long road ahead and it will be difficult to get her rehabbed and the legs have to be done at different times so it is a separate surgery charge,” Keli says. “I have lots of overtime lined up and I have several pet-sitting jobs that will go right on the account to pay for this. I have to help this cat. It is a mission now.”

REGARDING THE GASSING METHOD OF EUTHANASIA:  We know there is a movement against this gassing of shelter animals specifically in Garland and Sulphur Springs. Reader Carolyn Perkins has a suggestion for getting someone with a “name” involved in the movement. She writes, “Kinky Friedman is a huge animal advocate so wonder if someone can get him involved in putting a public face on the issue or make it a campaign issue? I recall last week one of his platforms was mandatory spay/neutering -- I'll shoot an e-mail to his campaign folks but might be worth mentioning to others with a higher profile/clout in the animal world. It’s ridiculous that they are still doing that in Garland.”

YOU’VE GOT TO BE KIDDING: Just when we thought we’d reached the “happy ending” portion of the story of Chocolate Chip, former abused and neglected dog on the clock at the Euless Animal Shelter, we get a note about a monkey wrench in the works. Our tipster, Steffenie Vela, the Girls Awareness Program Sponsor at Trinity High School in Euless, reported a couple of days ago that Chocolate Chip had been adopted by a teacher and his name was now Barber.

But, yesterday came the news that, Steffenie writes, “the lady that adopted him has been told by her apartment manager that he has to be removed immediately from the apartment.  He has not done anything wrong! In fact, he has been a model dog, crate and housetrained completely.  Someone apparently saw her walking him and complained to the manager! Please help us find a place for this sweet dog!  He has been through so very much!  He gets along with everything and everyone except cats.” To ask about helping this hard-luck dog, e-mail velas@hebisd.edu.

HELPING OUT IN EVERMAN: This big dog is Zeus, one of more than a dozen pit mixes and pits currently at the Everman Animal Shelter, and, reports Everman ACO Teresa Weldon.  She’s trying to get the attention of rescue groups and the general public to find some homes for these dogs.

Zeus, who is a couple of years old, has charmed the staff and is referred to them as “our shelter man.”

Teresa also reports that there are so many dogs and puppies in the shelter that it is short on food and, she says, “I always need cat litter.”

“I just got in 13 puppies and I already had 4 litters in foster. We are going to have a Puppy Fest Saturday at Marshall Grain in Fort Worth [2224 E. Lancaster) from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.,” Teresa writes.  To offer to help, call 817-461-5495 or e-mail evermananimals@yahoo.com.

A DIFFERENT BREED GARAGE SALE: I was reading a note from Joni McConnell about A Different Breed Animal Rescue’s weekly adoption at Pepper square (noon-4 p.m. Saturday at Preston and Beltline, when I ran across this paragraph: “We are still hammering out the details of our FUND RAISING GARAGE SALE!  Know it will be Sunday the 18th of October up at Pepper Square. Please continue to collect items for us and start cleaning out the garage and closets! We will send out drop off times soon! Thanks!” If you have things to donate, e-mail  jkmcconn@yahoo.com.

ANGIE’S NEEDS: We heard from both the aforementioned Joni and our rescuing pal Debbie Farrell that the legendary “Fairy Dogmother of West Dallas” Angie Manriquez is “in need of breakdown-type crates.”

Deb writes that the collapsible crates need to be medium, large and extra large. Used crates would be good, too. And so would donations of money to buy new crates. “If you want tax receipt then you need to donate to Angiesfriends.org otherwise, contact me  and I can make arrangements to get them to Angie,” says Deb. Call 214-316-6604.

ONE MORE DEB NOTE: Yesterday we mentioned a Scottie that a friend of Debbie Farrell’s had rescued a free-roaming Scottie and was looking for help with the little guy. Deb reports that the handsome lad is now in the loving care of the Frisco Humane Society.

TICK-FREE IN BURNS FLAT: As you may recall, Terry Lynn Fisher in Burns Flat, Okla., encounters some interesting challenges. These three represent the latest. When they came into the city shelter , she says, they “came in with a zillion seed ticks. I honestly thought I was going to lose the little brown and white one. but today he is doing a lot better.

“ Sadly, my pound is filling up again so these 3 are now on a time limit. I am supposed to get them out by Monday. And as of right now, there is no place for them to go.   They are very young and very small, especially the little black female. While they were scared and shy when they first came in, they are now loving and friendly and just need a home of their own.”

To help her with these certified tick-free dogs, e-mail remembering_oddball@yahoo.com or call 580-330-1459.

CHICAGO KITTENS: We’re reaching across state lines today to one of our favorite towns, Chicago. Our longtime pal, veteran animal rescuer and Child of the Windy City, Andy Allen reports, “We must find a foster or permanent home for two special kittens in the Chicago area! They are currently being fostered by my sister, Jill, whose greyhound is most unhappy with his new roommates. Her downstairs neighbor and fellow fosterer also has two hostile dogs.”

These kittens are pushing six weeks old, they are healthy, litter-trained and cuddly. Charlotte is the calico and Beverly is the tabby. They are “very devoted and would love to be adopted together,” Andy reports.

She also says, “We welcome any serious leads, contacts and suggestions.”

In Chicago, to ask about adopting these kittens, call 773-539-9850 or 312-388-3132 or e-mail j.horwich@sbcglobal.net. If you’re in Dallas and think you have a home for the kittens or a lead, call 214-821-4877 or 214-415-8965 or e-mail andyallen@prodigy.net.

OLDER CATS NEED A HOME:  Leslie Garnett is trying to find homes for “these two loyal companions” who “have provided comfort, love, and companionship to my 82 year-old great-aunt for the last 13 years.” The great aunt, however, is moving to an assisted living facility today and the cats need a home. “We would love to be able to put my aunt's mind at rest and let her know that her beloved pets will be well-cared for after she is gone.  Honey is a playful, outgoing male.  His brother, Charlie, is a little shyer but warms up once you get to know him.  If you know of anyone who would be willing to take them in and provide either a temporary or permanent home, please contact me as soon as possible.  I live in Dallas , but my husband and I can be in Fort Worth on Friday or Saturday to transport them wherever we need to.” To offer to help, e-mail lkerr22@yahoo.com.

FROM OUT AT THE LAKE: Here’s one forwarded to us via Friends of the Animals at Cedar Creek Lake, the folks who operate the world’s greatest spay/neuter clinic at Gun Barrel City.

Now, just on the face of things you can tell this is a great dog.  Shelly Brown, a Realtor at Cedar Creek Lake, sent out the note about Samantha and describes her as “people person” who “doesn’t do well when left alone. She goes off to find someone who IS home. I think she’d do better with another dog (or two) so she wouldn’t have that fear of abandonment.”

She’s under a vet’s care right now for heartworms – “She was so skinny and lifeless when we found her,” writes Shelley. (E-mail shelly4800@aol.com to ask about adopting Samantha.)

I’ve saved the greatest sales pitch ever for a dog. Here it is: “She’s not hyper, doesn’t slobber and is a polite car-rider.”

Sure beats some of your relatives, doesn’t it!

CONTEMPLATIONS: Saw a TV story yesterday that Irving has decided to implode Texas Stadium. Here’s a question: Why hasn’t anyone suggested selling pieces of the roof of Texas Stadium to make money. That’s probably the most famous roof in the United States, maybe the world. Break it up into little chunks and sell it. … I took Hammy the Big Dog out for a walk this morning and realized immediately that something was different. No rain. Still no sun – but it was 5:30 a.m. … I saw a story that said taxing soft drinks would help fight obesity – no tax on diet drinks, you think? Anyway I’m sure taxing soft drinks would fight obesity just as taxing cigarettes has stamped out smoking and  taxing gasoline has forced everybody to park their cars. If they ever institute an idiot tax in America, some people are in trouble.

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Politics, animals and Big Tex

Here we go with Thursday’s report. That’s a simple opening for a complicated world.

METHOD OF EUTHANIZING: Based on e-mail discussions and conversations, the practice of gassing animals in shelters is about to become the focus of animal rescuers. A few shelters in Texas still use the method, though most use the needle nowadays and isn’t that just a lovely thought, too.

The two shelters getting the most attention for using the old, but still legal, gas chamber method are Sulphur Springs on I-30 northeast of Dallas and Garland, nestled on the northeast shoulder of Dallas.

There is a website that opposes this method and we’ve mentioned it before: www.stopgassingtexaspets.com. And, Dr. John Pippin, the Dallas-area animal activist, is involved with trying to convince Garland to top the practice (e-mail jjpippin@sbcglobal.net.) So is noted rescuer Nancy Underwood (e-mail nancycunderwood@gmail.com).

Carole Sanders, founder of Animal Angels of Texas, the sanctuary/rescue at Jacksboro, sent us a heartfelt letter about trying to figure out how to change Sulphur Springs’ political mind about gassing unwanted pets. “No animal should have to suffer this kind of cruel and inhumane death.  I've written the [Sulphur Springs] city secretary, Gail Roberts but I doubt my one little email will have much impact.  [Dallas attorney and tireless animal rights worker] Skip Trimble and others have been able to get most of the towns and cities to stop this practice but there are still places like Sulphur Springs that act as though they simply don't care.”

Each city needs a movement within – actual residents who can affect a change through political power. The term “outside agitators” probably gets dusted off now and then and used to describe people who don’t live in a city but are trying to tell that city what to do.

The other method of stopping gassing would be to convince the Texas Legislature to change the laws. Perhaps the Texas Humane Legislation Network (www.thln.com ) could consider that effort.

Of course, this situation perfectly demonstrates what Readlarrypowell.com believes to be the prevailing philosophy in Texas regarding animal situations, i.e., “Got an animal problem, Let’s kill it.” The primary goal should always be saving the animal, not figuring out how to kill it on a budget. Help me down off this soapbox before I break a leg and they have to shoot me. And I hope you get that subtle hint that things have changed but not enough in a civilized world. If we are civilized.)

RV PARK DOGS: Jennifer Lee sent us a note about a friend in Cleburne who is having trouble dealing with two dogs roaming an RV park.

Here’s the note:  “There are two sweet beautiful dogs wandering around in Cleburne on the Fun Time RV parking lot. One looks hungry. The other looks like she nursing. One looks like a pit mix, the other is a chocolate lab. They both look like they have skin diseases and the lab has some sort of small skin growth in her ear. My heart is just breaking. Does anyone know the proper authorities to call to get these dogs taken care of?”

We’re turning to you readers for help with this since you may have good contacts in the Cleburne animal rescue world.  E-mail Jennifer Rendon-Belander at jenniferbelanger@tmo.blackberry.net.

CORSICANA CAT:

[Special note to Sarah who caught my misrepresentation of Chigger in an earlier edition: He's a she. Not a he. Sarah, good catch!]

This is Chigger and she’s looking for a new home. We got the tip on her from our pals with the Humane Society of Navarro County.

 

Seems that Chigger is a good healthy cat whose human died and the widower says he is just not a “cat person.” He’s working hard to find a good home for the cat. The official description is “Chigger is very sweet and cuddly and would make a great pet for a little girl.”

You’ll have to pass an audition to adopt this cat. Call 913-673-1847 or 903-641-8577 or e-mail purdontom@hotmail.com.

And, in the meantime, the Humane Society is planning an adoption opportunity from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.Saturday at Atwood’s Farm & Home store in Corsicana. The society will be featuring animals from the Corsicana Animal Shelter.

POLITICAL CATS IN HAWKINS: The little East Texas town of Hawkins is about to see a “Save the Library Cats” movement, we’re told by our longtime tipster Deborah Montana. The seed of the movement is a recent neighborly disagreement.

Hawkins is about 2 hours east of Dallas on U.S. 80.

The basic story is the town librarian has, for years, “cared for the local strays and drop offs. She has done amazing work and adopted out many cats. She and a handful of volunteers have trapped and done a catch-and-release program – complete with spay/neuter and shots – without city funding, just contributions by locals.”

Some of the cats are genuine strays – less than a dozen at any time, Deborah says – but some are just neighbors’ cats who enjoy the congeniality of the situation. And, Deborah says, the library board approves of this “extraordinary work.”

A resident of a home across the street from the library (who adopted one of the library cats) is upset that other cats attack her cat and that the “town cats” have damaged her property. She has complained to city hall. So the city has told the librarian to stop feeding the cats.

The librarian relocated as many as she could but more cats have been dumped there or just shown up.

“A number of us are going to the [council] meeting Monday night,” says Deborah. She plans to highlight the librarian’s work and give the city a “financial look at the benefits of having a volunteer force that has addressed a problem without the aid of city funding. I am going to present the Texas laws for both animal cruelty and control and a diagram showing the numbers of cats that can increase over a year if left unaltered. I will also tell the board about the colony factor regarding the cats and about the vacuum effect when a colony is removed.”

The effort is aimed at allowing the librarian to continue her good work. Deborah says, “We will help the woman resolve any structural problems with her home if she needs lattice work or chicken wire put around her house. We will raise money to put sprinklers or some kind of motion system around her property to keep the cats off her lawn. As far as her cat getting beaten up...well...she needs to assume the burden of keep her cat either in her yard or her house. “

The meeting is at 6 p.m. Monday at Hawkins City Hall – the meeting room is at 250 North Beaulah Street, on the north side of the building.

To offer ideas or to help Deborah and the library cats, call 903-769-9542 or e-mail emailtodeborah@gmail.com.

A WANDERING DOG: This fellow Duke was out on his own and ran into a blessing – he was picked up by someone who loves animals.

We get the story from veteran rescuer Cile Holloway who explains that the 8-month-old shepherd-cross was found wandering in Mesquite. “My former sister in law found him and has looked for an owner for three weeks-plus -- run ads- - placed posters throughout - etc.

“As the story so often goes, Tammy has two other dogs and is unable to keep 'Duke’ and is desperately trying to find him a home.  She currently has him on the wait list at the SPCA and Operation Kindness.

Duke is said to be obedient, playful and loving.

Cile sent the note out to her pals in the animal rescue business “(1) in case there’s an owner looking out there and (2) in case someone is looking for a very sweet new dog.”

To ask about adopting or helping Duke, e-mail nikemudge@tx.rr.com.

ALL THOSE PUPPIES: Remember this great photo of all the puppies at the fence?

Traci Thomas e-mailed us the news that not only have all 9 puppies been adopted to good homes, but so has another dog, Paris, a Lab-Collie-Shepherd mix who was in her care (seen here chewing a treat on the family couch). And that just leaves the momma dog, Hope, without a home.

As you may recall, the momma and her pups were at an office in Grand Prairie.

Traci explains, “Hope is a Terrier mix that came up to my office wet and starving. I fed her and she then proceeded to show me to the back of the business next door where she had the cutest 9 puppies I'd ever seen that were in a horrible situation. We have been able to find loving homes for all of them! Yay! Hope is the last and you can tell at one time she was someone's indoor pet. She is leash-trained, crate-trained and potty-trained. She gets along great with our dog. She loves to play and gives the BEST kisses, wants nothing more than to be with her companion. She also plays fetch with a tennis ball and loves to watch everything you are doing, she just takes it all in. She has the kindest eyes that just seem to always be saying ‘thank you.’ She wants nothing more than to please her companion. Her only drawback for a household is that she is NOT good with cats! If you don't have cats she is literally PERFECT! She is the sweetest little girl that deserves a fair chance. If you or ANYONE you know is looking for that unconditional love only a pooch like Hope can offer please contact me.”

To offer to take Mama Hope, e-mail traci.thomas@uaw848.org or call 940-642-8779.

TWO – NO, THREE – DOGS IN PLANO: Oh, boy, the e-mail has been flying around about these two big dogs in the Plano Animal Services shelter.

Karlie is the big black dog and Spike is the brown dog – two more huggable big ol’ necks and kissable big ol’ muzzles you may never have seen. They are said to be older and extremely bonded to each other.

We don’t know why their humans, leaving town for Connecticut, gave them up, but we’re sure they had a good reason, though some people in emails have wised off, “We didn’t know Connecticut didn’t allow dogs.” Look, whatever the reason, these two dogs are now in a shelter that has to euthanize to keep up with the onslaught of abandoned, surrendered or strayed animals – fortunately it’s a city shelter with an aggressive adoption program.

Our pal Debbie New of the Plano shelter describes the situation thusly: “They are very sweet and we are very full.”

And she says, “Please put a plug in for Spotti, too. He is one of our favorites.

Spotti is a “cute and sweet dog who was lost and never found by his owner. He is a happy dog who loves to go for romps in the yard.” He’s probably a little over a year old, very friendly and, as you can see in this photo, very dynamic. (Remember, click on the photos to make them larger.)

To ask about these dogs, call the shelter at 972-769-4360 or e-mail Debbien@plano.gov.

HAPPENED TO FIND A SCOTTIE: Our rescue pal Debbie Farrell sent us a note about this handsome pup. “My good friend Elaine is a profession pet sitter.  She was walking a customer's two Labs when one of the neighbors mentioned she found this little dog but couldn't keep him.  Elaine offered to ask her friends in rescue and if some financial help could be found the woman said she would foster him.  “Well, Elaine goes back today [Wednesday] to walk the Labs and she finds this pup running around in the front yard completely unattended.  So, she scooped him up and took him home. She's taken him to the vet and he isn't microchipped.  He has a few spots where he is missing some fur so he's been checked for mange.  Turns out its just allergies… thank God AND he's heartworm negative!  He received his shots today and after taking the necessary medication for his allergies then he will be neutered.  Seems to be fine with kids and other dogs.

“Elaine has 4 dogs and lives with her sister in law and she has a house full of cats.  The only place for this guy to stay is in her garage. Does anyone have room for this little fella?”

To offer to help this little guy by fostering or adopting call 214-316-6604 or 972-272-3343.

CUTE DOG NEEDS HOME: (Bet you’ve never seen that come-on before. Hah.) So, this time the cute dog’s photo arrives in a note from our pal Sydney Busch with Friends of the Animals at Cedar Creek Lake.

It seems that Happy Tails of Gun Barrel City is trying to help find a home for Ripley, just about a year old and not fixed but ready to stop being an outside dog and move into the role of “inside lap dog,” according to Tina Hamilton of Happy Tails of GBC.

The person who is currently caring for him says, “He was left outside most of the time and neglected as you can tell since he hasn't had all his shots and his skin is irritated. I only took him to find a good loving home. I just can't keep him; I am alone and on a fixed income. He is so fast and gets under my feet that I'm afraid I'm gonna fall. I have had him a week and he goes out to potty and sleeps all night in a wire crate.  He's happy here being loved by me and the company of my Scotties. He's really a sweetheart.”

To ask about helping Ripley, e-mail happytailsofgbc@yahoo.com or scottymom2u@aol.com or call 903-880-4124 or 903-275-5990.

CONTEMPLATIONS: I feel the need to apologize to myself for allowing me to get excited about the Texas Rangers playoff prospects. Last night they got one-hit by the Oakland Athletics. Yes, fans, they may have broken our hearts again – they just waited until later in the season to do it. They sure can’t blame the oppressive Texas heat this year. … Big news from the State Fair of Texas: Big Tex, the giant Midway cowboy, goes up at 10:30 a.m. Monday – we assume that rather than cowboy attire, he’ll be dressed in a rain slicker, galoshes and carrying an umbrella. Oh, and at 10 a.m. on Sept. 25 (the fair runs Sept. 25-Oct. 18), there’ll be the “arrival of the first State Fair train in 53 years” at Parry Avenue and Exposition.  We’re trying to round up some info on that from the fair PR department and will explain the situation soon as we can. In the meantime, start your cravings. Corny dogs, cotton candy, deep-fried butter. … And in case you wondered, autumn starts at 4:18 p.m. Dallas time on Tuesday. Still time left for a 100-degree summer day.

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Miu Miu, Old Red and others...

Ah, middle of the week and we’re beyond the middle of September already – how can time move so swiftly? Consider that as we approach today’s topics.

THE CATS OF THE WORLD: We focus on a lot of dogs at Readlarrypowell.com, but that doesn’t mean we’re ignoring cats. In fact, we can’t. Annabelle Bob the Black Cat sleeps snuggled next to me and Inky the Cocker Spaniel every night.  She and the dog are enamored of each other.

I figured we should mention cats first thing today and so I went online and looked at the inventory at the Dallas Animal Services Adoption Center. Dallas is a big town. It’s got lots of cats. You adopt a cat from a city shelter and you’re saving maybe two lives – the cat you adopt and the cat that gets the display cage so it, too, may be adopted.

As regular readers of this site know, Readlarrypowell.com is fascinated by black-and-white cats. No two are alike. Patterns are different. Personalities vary. What they have in common, we have determined through observation, is a sense of hijinks. And, so, today we offer this photo of Miu Miu, a black and white cat who looks like she refused to sit still and was mewing "Hey, hey, Buster!" when the Great Cat Decorator was putting on her face!

She’s got a Charlie Chaplin moustache and a Salvador Dali tilt.

She’s two years old, weighs in at 9.5 pounds and came to the shelter because her previous owners said “they could no longer care for her.” She’s been available since Aug. 17. To see how to adopt her or any of the animals at the Dallas Animal Services Adoption Center click here.

UPDATING: We’ve gotten notes from Mary Ann Nastro, our Siberian Husky tipster, and Lisa Drummonds of the Collin County Animal Services Shelter, reporting that the dog with the tumor in his mouth, Old Red, taken in when a bunch of cruelty victims were surrendered, has gotten a good break. Regarding the old gentleman dog's medical care, Mary Ann says "surgery to remove the tumor was successful.”

Lisa writes, “I  just got update this morning. The tumor was removed, x-rays showed his chest to be clear. The tumor was sent off to lab to determine what type of cancer and chances of it coming back. He also has an infection due to the tumor but the vet has him on antibiotics.  He seems to be doing very well! Better prognosis than most thought. I can only imagine what he feels like being able to eat normally again after so long, and keep his tongue in his mouth. He must be happy!”

There are still some mixed breed dogs from that surrender who are in a tight spot and need help. E-mail siberianxpress1@tx.rr.com  to ask how to help.

Lisa says many readers responded to the Old Red’s plight and adds, “I am so glad to learn that people are haring the pleas and trying so hard to help. We have some wonderful rescue groups and volunteers in this area. We are blessed.” (To ask Lisa about helping the Collin County Animal Services animals, e-mail ldrummonds@co.collin.tx.us .)

GOOD NEWS FROM EULESS: Our Trinity Euless High School Girls Awareness Program (GAP) tipster, the group’s sponsor, Steffenie Vela, e-mailed the good news late yesterday about the dog we came to know as Chocolate Chip. Once neglected and mutilated by the chain around his next, Chocolate Chip has found a bit of success.

Steffenie reports, “Chocolate Chip, a.k.a. Barber, is now in his forever home. He has been adopted by a Trinity High School teacher and her daughter.”

Good news.  And, the Euless Animal Shelter still has more adoptables. You can see them by clicking HERE.

A WANDERING DOG IN A PARK: I know that some of you folks who exercise in Dallas’ and other North Texas parks must think every loose dog in the world is in our proximity. To demonstrate that we are not alone, I’m offering up this note from our reliable tipster in Houston,  Edna Taylor, who usually deals with cats. She writes:

“Metro was found wandering around the Eastex Park and Ride lot and looking for someone to save her.  Well, you all know that Frank is not going to leave a puppy dog (or cat) alone on the mean streets of Houston so we picked her up and took her home.  After finding out she is micro-chipped, we contacted Montgomery County Animal Shelter and they gave us the adopter’s name and phone number. After numerous calls and messages, the owner STILL had not returned any of our calls so I believe it is safe to assume that he is a LOSER and he probably dumped her at the park and ride lot to begin with.  So, now Metro needs a LOVING home to call her own.”

Edna describes Metro as a year-old, 29-pound “loveable little mutt” who is not a pit bull mix. She’s healthy and micro-chipped.

And her foster mom reports that Metro learned her name quickly, is “pretty much housebroken” and is “wonderful with kids.” Metro not only loves playing with the kids, but she also loves romping with the foster’s Basset Hound, Fred. It’s obvious, the foster says, that she’s not an apartment dog.

As you can tell from one photo, Metro has the requirements to be today’s official Earhound. And, in the other photo you can tell that this is a dog who knows how to enjoy a good tummy-scratching.

To ask about adopting Metro, call 713-626-4052 or e-mail tayloredna@msn.com.

THINGS TO NOTE:

--It’s Greyhound Awareness Month all over and especially at the highly regarded Oak Cliff dining spot Zen Sushi in the hip Bishop Arts District. From 5:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. tonight and tomorrow, 25 percent of dinner proceeds will go to the Greyhound Adoption League of Texas.

-- Planning ahead: The Flower Mound Humane Society’s Fido Fest ’09 is scheduled from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Oct. 24 at Westchester Park, 3901 Churchill Drive, Flower Mound.

--- Interested in getting your dog and yourself involved in those nifty agility contests? Here’s a good place to start, the Dallas Agility Working Group, known as DAWG. Yep, these are the people who run alongside their dogs as the happy rascals climb ladders, walk platforms, run through tunnels and do the impossible – sit still and wait for the command to move. Thanks to a note from DAWG’s PR Chair Lynne Smith, we can tell you that you can learn about this sport and when you can see the next trial at www.dawgagility.org. Our favorite moment a couple of years ago was watching a Yorkie run the course. The little guy got on the seesaw, raced to the other end and waited patiently as the board slowly moved down, hit the ground with a bounce that launched the running Yorkie on to the next challenge. And you can’t underestimate the amusing look on the faces of the border collies and Aussies. Great spectator sport. They oughta charge you to watch but most of the time they don’t.

CONTEMPLATIONS: Here’s an important morning contemplation: oatmeal or cream of wheat? … Is there anything as disconcerting to the morning driver than looking at the car and seeing a tire that’s low but not flat? The challenge: Do you add air or let an expert check it out? Safety first, right? … The Texas Rangers. To quote Natalie Wood’s character in “Miracle on 34th Street,” “I believe. I believe....” Not sure what I believe, but I’m hoping for the best and that means the playoffs.

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Saved, rescued and available

One hardly knows where to start today so, since we’ve had so much rain, let’s just dive in.

REVISITING CHOCOLATE CHIP: Look, I don’t know how he got the name. Who knows how any of these shelter animals get their names?

Maybe his real name is Chip and he likes chocolate ice cream, so they call him Chocolate Chip. We mentioned him before – he has some angels who are trying to help him, the Girls Awareness Program (GAP) members at Euless Trinity High School.

In fact, you may recall that their sponsor, Steffenie Vela, first sent us the note about the situation. Chocolate Chip was in the Euless Animal Shelter  -- he’d apparently been neglected because, as you can see in the photo, the dog’s neck was rubbed raw by the chain that had staked him out in the summer sun.

The latest development is that Chocolate Chip went to a foster home, but he can’t abide cats and has to move on to another home. In the meantime, he’s in a holding pattern at the old foster home until at least Saturday. There’s a chance that you’ll be able to meet Chocolate Chip in person (apply to adopt him, too) on Saturday at the annual GAP Pet Fair on the parking lot of Trinity High School, just north of 183 at Industrial in Euless. To ask about adopting or fostering Chocolate Chip, call 817-689-4740 or e-mail velas@hebisd.edu.

The pet fair, from 10 a.m. to noon on Saturday,  will feature adoptions, $15 micro-chipping, low-cost vaccinations, an ask-the-vet booth, vendors, breed rescue groups, a photographer, dog baths (if they’ve all dried out by then), human food (which sometimes becomes critter food) and the Jason Martin Band.

AN ONSLAUGHT OF DOGS: Traci Thomas was in Paris – the Lamar County Paris – on Saturday and found two dogs – a brown one and a black and white pup – that were “literally just dumped off. They were absolutely starving and we weren’t about to just leave them. So we picked them up and I was actually able to find a loving forever home for one of them, but I have the remaining one.”

Yep, she’s got the brown one and her name is now Paris and she “really responds to any kind of love and affection.”

As you may suspect, there’s an “animal crowd” issue at Traci’s one-bedroom apartment, so she really is trying to find a home for this dog.

But that’s not all. Not by a longshot.

About 4 hours after the Paris e-mail arrived, she sent this note about a situation at her Grand Prairie office.  “My heart is absolutely breaking. First the 2 dogs from Paris, now here at work we have a mother dog and her 9 puppies that are in dire straits. We are getting them out of this situation here and taking them to our garage. I really need help; any help would be greatly appreciated.”

Call Traci at 940-642-8779 or e-mail traci.thomas@uaw848.org.

Monday afternoon, Traci snapped this incredible photo of the lineup of puppies at the fence. She says that “unfortunately the Mama is MIA, I just fed her what I had here and I'm sure she went to find more as she's skin and bones. The pups are located in the business next door. The owner said the dog nor puppies are not his but he has them caged so they wouldn't get in his way. Ugh!!!!!!!!”

A CERTAIN DOG AND GRANNY NEED HELP: This dog is Jake and he’s the canine companion of Diana Pearce who is new to North Texas.

“My dog Jake needs foster care until the end of November. I am saving money to get a place of my own until then. I am living with my daughter and her family. Jake has not been around children before and he is not being friendly with my 2 year old granddaughter, so they want him gone now. I have no choice other than to live here until November. I can provide for all expenses. I am new to Texas and know no one and my daughter knows only people she has met through 'mother meet up' groups, so they all have young children.”

Five-year-old Jake is a long-haired border collie who weighs in at about 50 pounds. He’s up to date on shots and is on heartworm and flea prevention. He has “hip dysplasia … but still gets around well. He is not supposed to run but that’s like telling a kangaroo not to hop.”  He’s not good with storms.

To help Diana, e-mail grannymomdiana@yahoo.com or call 214-927-2318. She lives in Red Oak and says, “I am willing to deliver Jake up to 100 miles away and pick him up.”

FROM OUT AT THE LAKE: We love it when we get messages from Sydney Busch and the folks with Friends of the Animals at Cedar Creek Lake. It gives us an opportunity to mention the world’s most successful spay/neuter clinic in Gun Barrel City. I don’t know if we can prove it’s the “world’s most successful spay/neuter clinic” but nobody else is making the claim and the clinic has a great record.

So, here’s the deal on this. The note is from Tina Hendon who is overloaded with foster puppies and needs some help with these three. That’s Dixie with the red collar and the movie star pose – how about those ears! Yes, Dixie is today’s Earhound. Then, there’s Sandy in the blue collar. And, that smiling black and white dog is Shylo.

The e-email explains, that “we came upon a passel of puppies in the middle of a Farm to Market road Saturday while going to visit friends. We didn't have the heart to see their little bodies splattered all over the asphalt, so we picked them up. At first sight, the little ones are all ribs, hip bones, big ears, and pleading eyes. Aside from being extremely underfed, they appear to have no sickness, ticks, fleas, etc.  We bathed, wormed, and clipped their nails Saturday. All they want to do is play and be held, and of course, eat.  After 2 days, they're each responding to their new names and are increasingly more responsive to human interaction. If you think you might be able to foster one or two, we'll supply food, treats, meds, whatever, and take them back if it doesn't work out for you. We'll also keep trying to find homes for them, for as long as it takes.”

To offer to help these three good lookin’ dogs, call Tina at 817-821-7371 or 21-665-6619 or e-mail Hendon.Tina@epamail.epa.gov.

AND IN DALLAS: Our eternal rescuer pal Elaine Munch sent us this note about extraordinary rescue efforts by Mark Cooper, the new rescue coordinator at ‘Dallas Animal Services. He’s got a number of very adoptable but heartworm positive dogs who need rescuing.

Elaine explains, “They have ‘one plus,’ that is, they are heartworm positive and that's all that stops them from making the adoption program so they are releaseable to rescue groups. … They are all highly adoptable and I'd love to help Mark with this effort. He is trying so hard to help them.”

Now, one of these dogs recently rescued thanks to Mark’s extra efforts is this little Chihuahua, Baby Girl, a 2-year-old surrendered to the city shelter because she barked too much in the apartment. (Aside: That’s the sort of thing that makes me love her even more. A good dog can tell when something’s going on that shouldn’t be. She's in the foster care of Dog and Kitty City for now.)

To ask about any of the “one-plus” dogs, visit the Dallas Animal Services Adoption Center at I-30 and Westmoreland. You can see animals and get adoption info online at www.dallasanimalservices.org. 

LEFT BEHIND: Cheryl Lang of No Paws Left Behind reports that four dogs and six puppies were abandoned at a Canton property due to foreclosure.  “We have been caring for them on the property since 8/18 when they were discovered.  I having a terrible time finding a rescue to come forward and help these poor things out and hope that you can give me some direction.  Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!”

Well, we’ll start by mentioning the situation here and see if anyone can e-mail cheryl@nopawsleftbehind.org and offering to help with these animals.

They’re just ol’ dawgs, not any specific breed, but the kind of dog that, if you reach down to pet one of them, probably two or three will walk up to you and offer the tops of their heads for a good rubdown, too.

They probably didn’t even know they’d been abandoned. And isn’t that heartbreaking.

ESCAPES THE THREAT: Oh, boy, look at this guy “stack.” Show-quality, right? More like his police photograph. Here’s the story from Gail Whelan who has closed the intake at Companion Animal Network, but, you see, there was this one more tale of a close call, this one more dog, this one more critter who needed a helping hand.

Gail reports that on Friday she got “an urgent email from a young woman whose brother in Louisiana was planning on shooting his dog this weekend because the dog had killed some of his chickens.  (Can you hear the "Deliverance" tune in the background?) She seemed very sincere and said she had been calling and emailing and no one answered her. She was desperate to save this dog.

“So, she left Argyle at 7 a.m. Saturday, drove to Louisiana and got the dog, and then brought him to me.  She and her mom gave a nice donation to help toward his vetting.  Both of them apologized profusely for the brother's behavior -- I know they were both embarrassed by it.
“Take a look! WHO THE HELL COULD HURT THIS FACE?” Gail writes. “He is less than one year old and weighs 30 pounds. He is precious. Will not eliminate in his crate and loves the other dogs.  Never stops wagging!”

His name is Buster and he is available to a good home. To help him out, e-mail Gail at can_rescue@yahoo.com.

A DOG NAMED DALLAS: Interesting story out of Carrollton Animal Services where Dallas, a Spitz/Lab cross, has been waiting for either an adoption or, well, you know.

Her shelter bio tells the chilling tale: “This sweetie was found running stray throughout the neighborhood with no place to go and no place to call home. She is a sweet girl who gets along well with other dogs and is a young adult. She is playful and active which would make her a great companion for active children or adults.

“Dallas was supposed to be on last week’s list but was overlooked by all the staff.  Our mistake is her good fortune as now she has an extra week to find a home.”

While we offer her portrait from the Carrollton website, you can click HERE and see Dallas run around in the exercise yard, happily wagging her white-tipped tail.

To ask about adopting Dallas, call 972-466-3420 or e-mail joe.skenesky@cityofcarrollton.com.

SOMETHING ABOUT THE 26TH: Oh, two things to note in case you haven’t already:  (1) The Metroplex Animal Coalition’s Wags and Waves celebration at the Hawaiian Falls Waterpark at Firewheel in Garland is scheduled that day – all the details are at www.wagsandwaves.com. … In the meantime, over in the “rural” area east of Dallas, there’s the 11th Annual Cedar Creek Cleanup Day, we hear from Tina Hamilton of Happy Tails of Gun Barrel City that Happy Tails will be responsible for the cleanup from Spring Valley to Penny’s Gas on Highway 198. She writes, “Come out and join us for a couple of hours to help support a cleanup effort to aid in the preserving our community and our precious Cedar Creek Lake. Also show your love of animals as well.” To ask about helping out, call 903-880-4124.”

CONTEMPLATIONS: The Jay Leno Show – yes or no? Seemed funnier than the post-news shows. … I was in a nearby park doing my daily 2-mile walk yesterday – there was light drizzle most of the time, but I saw one woman walking her Aussie and that dog looked elated to be out of the house.  Cabin fever in dogs – not a problem at our house. They’d rather be on the couch with the cable TV tuned to the Golf Channel. … Is it too early to begin planning your Halloween costume? Your Thanksgiving menu? Sure, you’ve already finished your Christmas shopping.

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Soggy Monday...

An entire rainy weekend?

In Dallas? Holy soggy, Batfish. Our North Texas playground was nothing but soaked for the entire weekend.  And that just about never happens.

Cabin fever – it’s got a grip on Monday.  Still drizzling at our house. Cloudy. Never happens. Now, our presentation:

BE ON THE LOOKOUT: (NOON UPDATE: We just got a cellphone e-mail from this pup's human. The dog has been found in a shelter and is en route to a vet for a checkup and some extra care. More to come on this story, no doubt.
We'll leave the story on-line because it has been e-mailed all over the place and people who see the e-mail may also look at Readlarrypowell.com and should know that Barley has been found. Also, as the pup's human noted, it might serve as a reminder to secure the household pups when the tradesmen are stopping by....larry)

The rain isn’t helping in the hunt for this light-colored Italian Greyhound Barley who bolted from his yard in North Oak Cliff early Friday morning. We spokes to his human Heidi Maher, this morning and she says the dog hates rain and is very skittish, so conditions might make it tough for anyone trying to coax the dog to safety. “We’re just trying to get a real-time sighting now,” she said. (If you’ve seen Barley, call 214-288-1383.

 

Barley escaped from the family’s backyard when the yard guys were there. She says that “when they ran after him, he panicked and took off. He was seen by a neighbor…” That was in the Jefferson-Montclair area. But, in the rain, he could be hunkered down anywhere.

Heidi wrote of her dog, “Despite the fact that I constantly complain about all of his barking, stealing the kids’ food, and burrowing into my covers at night, I found myself reduced to tears when I walked in and he didn’t run up to greet me.” She and her four boys miss this canine pal.

SHELTER NOTES: Every city- or county-run animal shelter in the Greater Soakedtroplex has a bunch of animals needing humans to pull them to safety. We’ve gotten notes regarding the shelters in Denton, Arlington, Ferris, etc. Just pick a town.  Many of the animals have been in the shelters for weeks and their time is almost at an end. Now and then there are things to report that remind us that there are success stories. Maybe we'll hear some of those.

WASH OUT: We’d mentioned that the annual EARS (Education and Animal Rescue Society) charity dog wash was scheduled Sunday at Happy Tails Doggy Daycare – ha. Too much water of the rain variety. The event has been rescheduled for Oct. 4 at Happy Tails. Same time, same place. Maybe no rain. Could snow. October in Texas – anything’s possible.

SARAH THE ROTTIE: This girl, hit by an 18-wheeler on Highway 380 in Jacksboro on Sept. 3, was taken in by Animal Angels of Texas. Our Animal Angels hero Carole Sanders says that the dog was with another dog when the accident happened and the second dog ran away. “The driver of the 18-wheeler did stop and was really upset…” she says.

The dog was taken to an animal hospital and scanned. Carole says that when the Home Again microchip was traced, it tracked to San Antonio Animal Control. Dead end, of course.

So Animal Angels took over and on Sept. 9, Dr. Granville Wright at The Animal Hospital on Teasley Lane (that's the name of it) in Denton operated and saved her leg. Sarah’s now at Animal Angels in Jacksboro and awaiting a new home.

“If anyone is interested in adopting this awesome girl, please contact us directly,” says Carole. Call 940-567-3252 or 817-271-1048 or e-mail carole@animalangelstexas.org.

“We haven't known her long enough to know much about her other than she's good with other dogs and is extremely gentle.  She was in shock and I imagine, in a great deal of pain when she was first brought into the hospital but she never growled or showed any aggression when she was being examined by the vet and staff.  She's had her rabies and other vaccinations updated and is heartworm negative.  As time goes by, we'll learn more about her but what she really needs now is her very own home and family.”

JUST A PHOTOGRAPH OF THREE DOGS IN NEED: In Burns Flat, Okla., tireless rescuer Terry Lynn Fisher is working feverishly to save a bunch of critters in the city’s animal shelter. “These little cuties are out of time,” she writes.

And sometimes a picture is worth a thousand words, so, instead of telling you how amazed we are that these three cute dogs don’t have laps to crawl up into, we’ll just tell you that you can help Terry Lynn save them by e-mailing remembering_oddball@yahoo.com  or calling 580-330-1459. 

SMILING DOG FARMS UPDATE: Last week, Jay Hellerich of Smiling Dog Farms at Wharton was trying to raise $2300 in a hurry to meet the week’s needs at the sanctuary. Big-hearted donors made it work. And he sends out a note outlining plans to help Smiling Dog Farms raise money and avoid crushing panic n the future. In the sanctuary’s immediate area, supporters are going to distribute donation jars at clinics and pet supply store. Someone donated color brochures which will be next to the jars. And, Smiling Dog Farms is pursuing a suggestion that groups that send dogs to the sanctuary help raise money by hosting a joint fund-raiser in their area. Bakes sale, car wash, dog wash – whatever it was, the proceeds would be split between the group and Smiling Dog. To make other suggestions or to help get in touch with Smiling Dog Farms by going to www.smilingdogfarms.org.

NEEDING A HOME: This dog with the fetching look (can’t believe I wrote that, but it is a cute look) is Roxie. She’s a former resident of the Tri-Cities Animal Shelter now in the care of Audrey Merritt in Ennis – and Audrey is, as you may recall, founder of the North Ellis County Animal Awareness Program. That’s NECAAP, pronounced “knee-cap.”

Audrey says she is tending to a limited number of animals these days --- “one or two at a time,” she writes – and Roxie is one of the pups. She’s “a very sweet, 1-year-old, 6.2-pound Doxie/Chihuahua mix who just wants to be with you. She follows everywhere you go. She likes to curl up in your lap or snuggle under the covers in bed. Roxie is fully house-trained. Loves other dogs and children; she is very playful and retrieves toys when thrown.” (To audition to adopt Roxie call 972-875-1597.)

CONTEMPLATIONS: In anticipation of the fall TV season (for which I hold as much hope as I got from the summer season), I clicked on my pal Ed Bark’s blog, www.unclebarky.com. As you may know, Ed is one of the nation’s most respected TV critics. He’s got more info than an encyclopedia. And, I’m telling you, if you want to know something about TV, Ed can tell you.  … Bad thing about a rainy weekend, it forces you to see all the things inside a house that you’ve been putting off – organize books, turn piles into stacks, find out what important records are in that big box in the corner of the bedroom. … While walking Hambone Jack on Sunday morning, he enjoyed the splashing about. I ruined my only pair of casual non-dress loafers. I found myself standing in the yard and ankle deep in runoff from the driveway. Hammy, meanwhile, was nosing into the shrubbery looking for his pal, our feralesque cat, Smidge, who, as it turns out, was curled up on a dry chair on the front porch and didn’t even meow in protest when Hammy shoved his big muzzle into her cat food dish and lapped up the last morsels.

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The Delmar Nappers...

We honor “Cat Nappers” in this weekend’s presentation of Let Sleeping Dogs Lie & Napping Cats Nap.

Obviously, these cats have a solid handle on the concept of “nap.” After all, they're in pairs, one is under a lamp and there is a window box loaded with nappers.

The nominations for were made by our pal Andy Fisher who for years worked for the good folks at NBC and now is the Readlarrypowell.com chief correspondent for the Eastern Seaboard. (Talk about a lucrative position….)

Andy sent these photos and explained that the two black cats belong to “my lovely charming friend Betsy Jones” and he says they are “sleeping in tandem. Actually, they are sleeping in Delmar, N.Y., a pleasant suburb of Albany, where Betsy lives with her twin Eagle Scout sons -- and more cats.”

Here is Betsy’s explanation of the cats in her world:

““I currently have 7 indoor rescued/adopted cats.  The two black cats are Pete (L) and Freebee (R).  Freebee was a free cat from Freehold. N.Y., hence the name. Freebee likes to chew on toothbrushes and lick my face (it's my secret skin care regime). Pete was on the verge of death from a liver infection and refusing to eat.  He likes to ride on my shoulders, so I put him on my shoulders and my youngest sprinkled cheese on me. Pete nibbled and rallied.

“The white cat's name is Cutie.  She has 7 toes on each front paw and 5 on the back.  She likes to squich into baskets and chew on Barbie dolls.
“In the window are Pete and Freebee (upper L and lower R), Spike (orange upper R) and Amber (muted calico, lower L). The window faces a dentist's office and his patients get a kick out of seeing our sunbathing cats.  Spike weighed 1.5 pounds when rescued and was dropper-fed back to life.  Amber likes to tilt her head way back and look at the world upside down while being cradled in my arms.”

Andy has other notes about the cats. For example, he writes, “Freebee's favorite pastime, when not sleeping in tandem with Pete, is taking vertical containers of fluids and making them horizontal.  It's no fun if there are no fluids in them.”’

And, regarding the window snoozing, he explains that “this is what was intended to be a greenhouse in her dining-room window, but the cats have foreclosed upon and evicted the plants.  I'll bet no one has ever sent you a condo full of sleeping cats!”

He’s right. This is our first window box condo of cats.

As we were preparing this edition of our weekend feature, Betsy sent us a note that read: “Saw a sign today: ‘Cats are like potato chips: you can never have just one.’"

I think I hear a chorus of “amens.” Maybe a chorus of "amews."

(To nominate your window sleepers, sofa snoozers, etc., for spotlighting in Readlarrypowell.com’s weekend feature Let Sleeping Dogs Lie & Napping Cats Nap, send photos and info to dallrp@aol.com. We are proud to show the world that your critters know how to sleep – this is a service we provide that gives mental support to our fellow insomniacs. We believe that we can learn from our animal friends. How many of you jump on the bed and circle three times before plopping down?)

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As the weekend begins...

A FEW LATE FRIDAY AFTERNOON NOTES: Before the weekend arrives, here are some things we need to mention.

Terry DeGaw reports that Serenity Springs Animal Sanctuary is the topic of a report by Channel 11 that is supposed to air during the 10 p.m. news tonight. Serenity Springs is home to many animals including 92 pigs, a bunch of horses and horse cousins, 11 cats, 6 dogs, two steers, many fowl and a single goat. See www.serenityspringssanctuary.org.

    --We also got, during the day, two responses from a question earlier today about a rescue group needing donations.

Our pal Cathie Desell, no stranger to raising funds for animal causes, reports that “just recently DFW Humane Society left a big plastic bag on the front doors in my neighborhood (Irving) asking for donations of household items and clothing, presumably for a garage sale or thrift shop. I haven't ever seen that before, however, so this may not be the group your reader was asking about.

“Of course, people could get together and hold garage sales and donate the proceeds to a shelter or rescue group. They are a lot of work but do bring in the $$$!”

And Britta Sjostedt, longtime tipster and rescuer, responds, “I believe it is ARK (Animal Rescue Klub). We get an orange bag to collect items every few months--they are based out of Carrollton.”

TWO MORE WEEKEND EVENTS: The SPCA of Texas is hosting the Sixth Annual Hill’s Science Diet Pet Fest, themed “The Wizard of Paws,” at its McKinney facility from 9 am. To 1 p.m. Saturday. That’s at 8411 Stacy Road/FM 720 in McKinney. It’s free. “Munchkin Land” has a bounce house and kid stuff and the “Emerald City Marketplace has a bunch of vendor booths and foods. “Toto’s Territory” is a doggie playground – just for dogs.

And from noon to 4 p.m. Sunday, EARS (Education and Animal Rescue Society) will host the EARS 2nd Annual Dog Wash and Meet and Greet Day from noon to 4 p.m. at Happy Tails Doggie Daycare at 10121 E. Northwest Highway in Dallas. The goal is “to raise $3,000 to help our mission of saving homeless animals,” the group says. Most recent rescues have depleted the group’s emergency medical funds.

WEEKEND: Stop by Readlarrypowell.com this weekend for our regular feature, Let Sleeping Dogs Lie & Napping Cats Nap. Dedicated to insomniacs and to the wonder of sleeping animals, it’s read around the world by people who are awake.