We’re going to close out the year with some things that we hope are happy and, if not completely happy, may at least allow you to end 2009 with a smile.
Before we move on, we have a tribute performance by our Readlarrypowell.com staff impersonator, Inky, the Cocker Laureate of the State of Texas. Here he is giving us his impression of an elated massive TCU football lineman gleefully rushing into the post-Fiesta Bowl locker room and spotting on the Buffet Table of Gridiron Triumph a big steaming platter of Mom’s Happy Horned Frog Meatloaf with a side dish of Fort Worth I Love You Mashed Potatoes and Creamy Cowtown Gravy. Yes, for the big game on the evening of Jan. 4, Inky will insist on being shaved sprayed purple, i.e., sprayed and nudered, and being called Hoss.
TWO FUN THINGS FOR ANIMALS:
--We hear from Krista Mc Anally, manager of the Humane Society of Cedar Creek Lake shelter in Tool, Texas, that some planning is underway for the society’s first building campaign fund-raiser, a “Casino Night,” tentatively set for Feb. 19. Time and place to be announced, but the idea is to raise money to make the shelter a bigger, better place that will house and help more animals. To get involved, e-mail dogshsccl@yahoo.com and to see the adoptable pets, go to www.hsccl.org. (That's a photo of Rowdy, a Shar-Pei mix who, 4 months ago, was left on the shelter's front steps with 10 siblings -- they had to be bottle-fed and took up some of the shelter's emergency funding.)
--Alan Lintel of Paws In The City sent out a note about a giant pie fight – in fact, the event is the “World’s Biggest Piefight” and it’s scheduled on Jan. 7 at Embassy Suites in Grapevin. The event will help Dallas Animal Advocates raise money to build fences for low-income families (prevents the tethering of dogs), Alan says. To volunteer to be a Paws piefighter, e-mail alan@pawsinthecity.org. Paws will get some of the payoff to aid in heartworm treatment for dogs. The other goal of the event is to get into the Guinness Book of World Records. And, in case you wondered, participants arrive at 5 p.m. and the fight starts at 6 p.m. and goes with good-natured fury until 6:01 p.m.
It'll be much shorter than the piefight in Blake Edwards' Jack Lemmon/Tony Curtis movie The Great Race, but just as enchanting, I suspect. And I am assuming a crew of dogs and cats will be brought in to help clean off the custard-caked faces.
AS LONG AS MICHAEL VICK IS COMING TO TOWN, HERE’S A GENTLE REMINDER OF WHAT HE HAS DONE: Yes, the scandalous football player and convicted felon Michael Vick is supposed to be at the Cowboys Stadium in Arlington Sunday afternoon to play the Cowboys.
He may be here, but we can cite someone who is in Kanab, Utah, because of his illegal and despicable actions.
It is this dog, Georgia. And we learned of her because Cathy Burk took the time to post a collection of photos she shot in November during a volunteer session at the Best Friends Animal Society – the famous sanctuary at Kanab. Cathy posted her photos HERE. And we asked her to tell us a bit about the experience. Here is what she wrote:
“I’ve volunteered at Best Friends Animal Society in Kanab, Utah, twice in 2009 – January and November. “I had heard about Best Friends for years (they are now celebrating their 25th anniversary), but didn’t really know that much about them until I watched the second-year season premiere of Dogtown on the National Geographic Channel.”
That episode was titled “Saving the Michael Vick Dogs”.
Cathy says, “I was hooked after seeing this show. My friend Kathy McGee said she had heard that you could go volunteer at the sanctuary for however long you wanted. We checked into it and in January 2009 made our first trip.
“This place is absolutely wonderful! We volunteered with the dogs and there are a lot of them! ... Their basic needs (food, water, shelter) are taken care of, but each day they are given love and attention by the caretakers and the volunteers who come to help. As a volunteer you could do anything that needs being done – sweep the building, scoop poop, change the water buckets, feed the dogs, take them on walks or outings or just sit with them and give them attention.
“The caretakers and the trainers also work with the dogs to help them overcome behavioral problems they may have so they can find a forever home – that’s the goal for all of them. It is difficult for the caregivers to say good-bye when the time comes though as they love those kids very much.
“One other thing the volunteers can do is take a dog on a sleepover. Isn’t that great? I always miss my dogs when I am away. Take a dog on a sleepover is a great way to help them get adjusted to a more home-like environment. We are asked to fill out an evaluation sheet, so the trainers are made aware of any potential issues that need work.
“EVERYONE I have met at Best Friends is wonderful! They truly love what they are doing and helping the animals is the most important thing to them. It was so refreshing to meet so many like-minded people who come from all over the country to this small town in Utah! After I got home from my first trip, I realized how I felt when I was there. I felt like I was home. I don’t think I have ever felt that way doing anything before. Home. What a feeling! It’s impossible to describe.
“I know one day I will retire from the corporate world I work in and return to Best Friends to either work or volunteer. For now, I have 3 trips scheduled for 2010 and 3 trips scheduled for 2011 already! I highly recommend a visit to anyone who is interested in rescue or even just animals. You will fall in love! “Some of the animal sections are limited on the number of volunteers at one time, but I was told they always need someone to work with the dogs and cats. It is the most wonderful experience I think I have ever had!
“By the way – Dogtown premieres its 4th season Friday, January 1 at 9 p.m. Central Time on the National Geographic Channel. “
And the story on Georgia? She is a “Vicktory Dog” as the former Michael Vick dogs are known.
Cathy wrote, “Georgia is a Vicktory Dog that was seized from the Michael Vick dogfighting ring. She is such a sweetie and is the 'spokesdog' for Best Friends concerning dogfighting. She is such a diva!”
During her time with the dog-fighting ring, Cathy reports, “All of her teeth were medically pulled so she could be forceably bred and not able to hurt the male dog. Now she has a life of leisure where she is loved by all the caregivers!”
And that second dog is now known as Kali but she was Casey when she was on the put-to-sleep list at the Humane Society of Cedar Creek Lake and Cari Weinberg used some extraordinary effort to get her out of the small shelter in Texas and into a place where she is now safe and has prospered.
AN UPDATE ON LUCKY THE DUCT-TAPED DOG: Back on Dec. 17 we told the story of Lucky the Duct-Taped Dog, a little fellow picked up by Kayee Gutierrez “five miles from civilization” on a country road near Paducah, Texas, at the base of the Texas Panhandle.
Someone had taped the dog’s muzzle shut and front legs together and dumped him.
Lucky was taken to Palmer, south of Dallas, and wound up in the custody of Ginger Murchison who took on the responsibility of fostering him and promoting him as a worthy dog to have around the house.
This week we got a wonderful update from Ginger who has been in touch with Lucky’s new human, Mike Wilkins of Plano. She says, “I can assure you he is in wonderful hands, as seen by the attached photos. He has several new family members and is enjoying life. He has grown so much since I had him 2
weeks ago. Thank you all so much for your support and help in finding the ‘duct-taped’ puppy a new, loving, and well-deserved home. And a huge thank you to Khrista Hollingsed for dog-sitting Lucky during the holidays.”
Lucky has been renamed Max, though he is still lucky. As you can see from the “after” photos, he’s quite the handsome lad and he also has no trouble falling asleep after playing with a bunch of dog toys.
BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR A BIG DOG: Back in October we got a note from Vicki Reid about her missing little dog Yoda (turned out, Vicki told us, the dog had been stolen and was recovered).
Overnight last night Vicki sent us a note about the family’s black female Great Dane, Roxy, vanishing from the family’s property a couple of miles south of Eustace (vicinity of Dusti Road and Charlotte Trail) near Cedar Creek Lake.
Vicki says Roxy “has limited eyesight in her right eye, not too bright and a little skittish, but very sweet.”
The dog vanished between 1 a.m. and 8 a.m. Wednesday.
“She’s about 130 pounds and has a white strip under her neck and chest. She is my husband’s baby!” Vicki says.
If you know the whereabouts of this Great Dane (the photo is from 2006), call 972-567-1290 or 972-839-0056.
CONTEMPLATIONS: When dogs and cats wind up in happy places with loving people, the goal of rescue and of good hearts has been achieved. You people who take the rescue and shelter business seriously on behalf of the animals should be smiling today at the success stories – and at the prospect of more successes in 2010. A good resolution for the new year? If you just plain folks who aren't in rescue or shelter work haven’t already decided to adopt this lifestyle, you can resolve to “Be Kind To Animals.”... Regarding Mike Leach, the now ex-coach at Texas Tech, that whole routine about the players' "fat little girlfriends" should have gotten him canned. Civility has a place in sports -- in the rest of life, too, though, apparently it's a losing battle trying to get people to mind their manners. ... Remember, when we wake up on Friday morning, it’ll be 2010 – another “next year” the Texas Rangers’ management has been telling us to “wait ‘til” for the nearly four decades.
