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A sweet sleeper...

The look on this cat’s face is like, “What? It’s May? Already? And here I am caught with the dog. Dang. Well, maybe nobody'll notice the snoring mutt.”

But, in reality, that's not ol' mutt and this photo was sent to Readlarrypowell as a nomination for our weekend feature, Let Sleeping Dogs Lie & Napping Cats Nap.

As you can tell, there is a sleeping dog in the picture, a young Golden Retriever. 

Marlo Schrader provided the photo and the info and says the picture is “not just one of a slumbering pup and a cat.” Nope, she says, it’s “not so much napping as conquering....a picture of a Happy Ending.”

She says that the dog is Haley, a former ward of Golden Retriever Rescue of North Texas. Marlo was Haley’s foster.  And the unnamed cat is one of a couple that Haley now lives with are getting a really good break from a breed rescue group.

Haley “was picked up by animal control as a stray at the tender age of 8 weeks old,” Marlo says. “Barely 7 pounds and scampering around the streets for who knows how long, but she was very skinny and dehydrated when picked up and no one came looking for her.

“She was my foster girl and was adopted after 8 weeks in my care into her current forever home where she happily resides with another Golden and two cats, including the one depicted here who is obviously laying down the ground rules of who’s in charge very clearly.

“So although the world of rescue is not a Fairy Tale there are happy endings to be found.”

Ah, yes, the great face of a Golden accented by the no-nonsense face of a new pal who just happens to purr while the puppy snores.

(To nominate a slumbering dog, cat, in-law or chupacabra for spotlighting in our regular weekend feature, "Let Sleeping Dogs Lie & Napping Cats Nap," send the photo or photos and info to [email protected]. We’re proud to publish photos of all ages of critters than can sleep, nap, doze, catch Zzzzzs or just plain ol’ nod off. When we do this, an angel may not get his wings, but an insomniac will find new hope. After all, if a super alert dog or cat can sleep, maybe there’s hope for humans.)

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PM Edition: Mooshu's situation...

We’ve gotten a couple of e-mails this afternoon about a dog that is facing a dire situation at the Carrollton Animal Services shelter.

Rescuers and shelter people live with hope. And they also live with reality.

In the case of this dog Mooshu, the folks at the Carrollton shelter reported to me just about 4 p.m. that the dog's aggressive nature and seemingly lack of socialization have worked against it. Before we got that bad news (that Mooshu will almost certainly not make it out of the shelter), we'd heard from a few people about trying to save the dog.

One of our tipsters, Alexandra Kelsey, heard about this situation in Houston and sent out a note summarizing Mooshu’s situation in what she calls “sound bites.” She wrote, “Mooshu sound bites: Dumped. Found. Vaccinated. Turned in to shelter. On euth list. 48 hours left as of 4/30. Waiting anxiously for person wanting a sweet buddy.”

Tipster Johnna Bigley, a veteran rescuer, checked with the shelter and says Mooshu’s official reference number is 21781. She, too, was hustling to get help for the dog.

Mooshu’s original rescuer, Rosie Ortiz, explains how things got this way:

“I recently found a very sweet stray dog. I named him Mooshu and decided to board him at a kennel till I found him a home. This was the only option since my apartments won’t allow pit bulls on the premises. While he boarded, he received his Rabies, DHLPPC, Bordetella.

“Turns out not many people want to take in a stray pit bull. So I spent days calling shelters and begging for someone to take him.  I couldn't afford to keep him there [at the boarder] any longer and I had to give him to Carrollton Animal Services. 

“Carrollton will not adopt out Pits to general public, something I didn't know, and so now I'm letting all the no-kills know about this sweet little guy.  I fell in love with this dog and I hope someone else will, too.”

So, through no fault of the rescuer or of the dog, there is not much good on the horizon for Mooshu. This is what happens when a dog is not given the respect that a living being deserves. This is what happens when neglect or maybe even cruelty are the prevailing conditions in a dog's life.

Who knows? Maybe a year ago this dog's nature would have been differnt. Somewhere a human let this dog down and now it is up to other humans to "clean up the mess" that was made of this dog's life.

It is sad for all concerned. Criminal. Certainly immoral.

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As April exits...

Can you believe April is just about over? What a sweet and wonderful spring month this has been.

And it has been a month of surprises.

For example, one evening I was typing madly at my computer and decided I needed to get something fizzy and healthy out of the icebox – a Fresca, perhaps, doctored with some orange juice. And when I spun the chair around from the desk, I was confronted by the sight of our big cat Griffin in a new pose on the back of one of our chairs.

He’s just never done this before.

It was like walking outside and finding your car in the top of a tree. Totally unexpected repositioning of a large object.

So, quickly I snapped the photo from behind – he’s so broad that I’ve thought about selling advertising on his backside and walking him around at sporting events.

You see this from behind and you have to wonder, “What does that look like from the front?”

Well, there he is. That’s what Griffin looks like when he’s managed to hurl his massive bulk into my relaxospouse Martha’s nearby recliner, then pad gently over to the adjacent reading chair and flow into a balanced position.

Well, it is a comfortable chair. And he is a built-for-comfort cat.

SATURDAY AT THE BALLPARK: Just a quick reminder that the big Third Annual Lone Star Pet Adoptathon, sponsored by the Texas Animal Shelter Coalition, is from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday in Arlington on Rangers Ballpark Parking Lot E at Ballpark Way and the Road to Six Flags. Lots of animal groups with lots of adoptables.

FOUND AN EARHOUND: I was doing a little background research on a different topic when I clicked onto the City of Fort Worth Chuck Silcox Animal Care and Control Division site on PetFinder and spotted today’s Earhound, a fellow named Romeo who is available for adoption.

Isn’t that a great face?
He looks like he’s always listening – as if humans had something important to say other than “Soup’s on!”

You can see more animals in the Fort Worth shelter by clicking HERE -- it’ll also tell you how to ask about adopting Romeo. (Call 817-392-PAWS.)

Probably Fort Worth could save a lot of money on ink if the letterhead just read “Fort Worth’s Silcox Animal Shelter” instead of printing the giant, long title. If “City of Fort Worth Chuck Silcox Animal Care and Control Division” was a banner behind a biplane, neither one would ever get off the ground.

Still, the long title is no reason to reject Romeo.

ABOUT DALLAS: Keep in mind that people have been hustling all week to save 47 dogs that are on the upcoming May 10 put-to-sleep list at the Dallas Animal Services Adoption Center. Big shelter, big list. Check out the animals at www.dallasanimalservices.org. We got copies of photos of lots of these animals and since I don’t know who hasn’t been spoken for, I’m not going to run a photo of one and get someone’s hopes up for adopting the dog of their dreams though, I swear, if you stop by the center at I-30 and Westmoreland, the dog or cat of your dreams is probably sitting there waiting on you.

AND WHAT ABOUT DENTON: Holy smokin’ overload, Batman. Too many dogs. Too many cats.

The Denton shelter appears to be overloaded and that’s bad for the animals because it puts pressure on the people to either euthanize or hustle up adoptions and rescue.  

Now, among the cats at Denton is this fellow Jones, a 2-year-old white-and-brown tabby who, the shelter says, “was living on top of someone’s car and the car owner finally got tired of his little paw prints and brought him to the shelter.” Yep, the offense that may cost him his life was leaving paw prints on a car – and we don’t even know what kind of car. Could have been a Yugo. To save Jones or any of the many cats at the Denton shelter, e-mail [email protected] or call 940-391-7760.

And that dog is Mindy, a young Akita who is the shelters “Diamond In The Ruff Pet of the Week” and that means she can be adopted for a bargain price of $60. She’s about 8 months old, friendly and “great with other dogs and people.”

To ask about adopting Mindy, e-mail  [email protected] or call the shelter at 940-349-7594.

RILEY AND THE RESCUERS:  This dog Riley needs some extra help. Here’s how we found out.

We got this note from Nikki Williamson about a fundraiser on Tuesday (May 4) at Half Shells Oyster Bar & Grill on behalf of Take Me Home Pet Rescue.  At lunch and dinner (11 a.m.-10 p.m.),  Half Shells, 6617 Snider Plaza, will donate 15 percent of the total sales to Take Me Home.  Oh, and you can dine on the patio with your critter, too.

Now about Riley: She’s a 3-year-old Newfoundland – a big dog and she’s got a lot of big hair. But she also has a knee ligament tear that is making life difficult for her – she has trouble walking right now. And she’s got heartworms.

So, Take Me Home got her out of the Richardson Animal Shelter and has begun working to give her a better life.  Surgery on the knee will take about $4,000, according to the vet’s estimate. Heartworm treatment is another $800, Take Me Home says.  (Take Me Home’s address is 508 W. Lookout Drive, Suite 14-40, Richardson, Texas, 75080. It’s a 501C3 group.)

On the organization’s website HERE there’s a paragraph that reads, “We have  been in existence since April 2008 and have already rescued 270 cats and kittens and 85 dogs from local shelters and other unfortunate situations.”

So I asked Nikki about all those animals and she put me in touch with Elise Bissell who said, “We have a lot of good friends and neighbors who help with fundraising, fostering and adopting. I manage the rescue group pretty much 24/7 but could do nothing without all the help we have of a few core volunteers. I also believe in working closely with other groups in any way we can to help each other get pets adopted to loving homes.”

Networking and luck – the two great tools of rescue.

And, as Nikki says, “We do have a great network, but not enough fosters.”

So, Take Me Home Pet Rescue’s theme as the new month arrives is multifaceted: Help Riley, eat at Half Shells and sign up to be a foster. And, of course, get Riley a haircut.

FOSTER FELL THROUGH: We mentioned this dog a couple of weeks ago – she was one of two look-alike puppies that showed up in different parts of the metrosprawl and had absolutely nothing in common except that they both need homes.

This girl, Phannie, was found at a laundromat and moved into a kill shelter, but she then came under the guiding hand of the Companion Animal Network.

But, according to CAN’s Gail Whelan, “

Something truly beyond her control has happened and now [the foster] cannot take Phannie. This AMAZING puppy has trained herself.  She will NOT eliminate in her crate.  She is SMART, happy, good with others, etc.”

To offer to foster Phannie, e-mail [email protected] or call 214-969-4831.

  LITTLE WALTER: We wrote about this at the time. Our reliable tipster Edna Taylor and her hubby Frank were out walking and found Little Walter next to a lake at Summerwood in Houston.

Yep, pink nose. And I think he outlines it with mascara.

Anyway, Edna writes that “when I sat down next to him, he crawled in my lap and just started purring.  He did have a nasty old collar on with a bell but he was not neutered so someone didn't care too much about him.  Every time a car would pass by he would cower as if he was afraid. For all we know, his ‘family’ could have simply tossed him out in hopes that someone (like us) would come along and take him, so, we did.

“Little Walter is a brown and white tabby boy, about 1 year old, only about 8 pounds and likes to have his nose kissed.  He was neutered, combo tested and vaccinated.”

To ask about adopting Little Walter, e-mail [email protected].

GARLAND NOTE: I got copies of notes from people miffed that the City of Garland continues to euthanize animals by gassing and subject lines reading “MAYDAY Alert” and urging people to call Garland officials and urge an end to the practice. The correspondence then notes that May Day is actually Saturday, so make the calls on Friday. Darned calendar. Anyway, this is a nice thought and, of course, we endorse ending euthanasia in any method in shelters. But we wonder if these campaigns might be more effective if instead of occurring on one announced day when people can take their phones off the hook, the campaign was relentless. Oh, probably someone smarter than I am has already thought this through.

CALI NEEDS A HOME: Heather O’Hara is moving and can’t take her cat with her, so she’s trying to find a good, responsible home to take care of 13-year-old Cali, a spayed Russian Blue.

To offer to adopt Cali, call 214-597-3377 or e-mail [email protected].

MUSIC TO OAK CLIFF EARS: We got a musical note yesterday from David Spence, the Good Space real estate guy regarded as the guru of Oak Cliff’s hip Bishop Arts District.

The news is the Dallas Symphony Orchestra will perform a community concert at 8 p.m. on June 1 at Kidd Springs Park and David is hoping to boost the crowd. He wrote, “The scene at last spring’s concert was right out of a Frank Capra movie, but a common lament was that not more of our neighbors were there to enjoy it.”

Remember, it’s free and you don’t have to be from Oak Cliff to attend. There’ll also be other attractions that evening – vendors, kid games, etc.

And, having been to one or two of these, Readlarrypowell.com can tell you that there’s even a place for your dog -- if your dog won’t bark at the brass, woof at the woodwinds, can behave on a leash and won’t taunt the tuba player. Tuba players are sensitive, I’m led to understand.

CONTEMPLATIONS: Not that I’m cynical, but I do wonder how much gasoline companies will raise prices this week as they explain that it’s all because of that oil slick in the Gulf of Mexico. ... In a moment of weakness, my goodcookspouse Martha and I sampled – for the FIRST time – a Cinnabon roll – this one was purchased via a Schlotzsky’s drive-up window and not at a mall. We were underwhelmed, so we wonder, “Are the mall Cinnabons different?” Anybody know. Anybody like Cinnabons more than they like a donut shop cinnamon roll or apple fritter? Who has the best cinnamon rolls? ... The animal shelter in Texarkana, Ark., which is across the street (State Line Avenue) from my hometown, Texarkana, Texas, is beginning its seasonal celebration this weekend and the title just makes me smile. The shelter is celebrating “Cinco de Meow-O.” Read about it HERE. And it reminds me of the time I was in a daily news planning meeting at the big paper in Dallas and as we tried to figure out what we’d put on page one the next morning, one of our new-to-Texas editors told us very seriously that one of her reporters had written a story about “Cinco de Mayo which this year falls on May 5.”

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Saving animals & a coyote quandary

Here is today’s report at Readlarrypowell.com, a daily look at the world brought to you by some great sponsors (see their ads down the side of this page) and with the intent to help people, help animals and make the world a better place.

Also, I’ll entertain free apple fritters if anyone has coupons. Sorry, I forgot. No sugary carbs on the current diet. Never mind the fritters, just read on and see if you can help.

CITY SHELTERS: Full. Lots of adoptable, loving animals on death row in nearly every city. It is the shame of our enlightened era. Well, one of the shames. We don’t have room to list the rest of them, but this one we can do something about with vigorous adoption programs, vigorous spay/neuter programs and vigilante committees with two-by-fours  .... WHOA! Hang on.  Hit the brakes. Forget that two-by-four thing. Just concentrate on the adoptions and spay/neuter programs and try to get the good-hearted general non-rescue-prone public involved in the plight of domestic animals in America.

 Now help me down off this soapbox before I fall and break my custom-grooved Big Thunk Sudden Education Model Two-by-Four.

BE ON THE LOOKOUT LOON BAY:  This is a bit of a tough case and we learn about it from Cheryl Voris on behalf of her neighbors, Gary and LeeAnn Fox. They live in the Loon Bay area of Gun Barrel City at Cedar Creek Lake and they’re looking for their old white cockapoo Casper who vanished more than a week ago.

Cheryl says Casper is “almost blind and deaf (not to mention his very thinning hair) and they suspect he managed to slip out of their fenced yard.”

If you know Casper’s whereabouts, call 903-258-7396 or 903-802-2305. Cheryl says, “They have looked high and low, along with contacting every vet in the surrounding area and animal control. This old guy has been a family member his entire life and they are just heartbroken.”

BE ON THE LOOKOUT GAINESVILLE: Two Huskies bolted from their yard in Gainesville earlier this week and the search is still on for them. Both are wearing collars with IDs and are microchipped.

Quinn, the female, is a red-and-white with blue eyes and the boy, Wes, is silver and white with blue eyes.

Both were adopted from Texas Husky Rescue. If you know the whereabouts of these two dogs, e-mail [email protected] or [email protected].

RENO’S RECOVERED: We posted Reno’s photo on April 23 and the story of his disappearance from the residence he shared in Bryan Place with his human pal Denver Smith.

You may recall that Denver had stepped back inside to quickly pour Reno’s food but in just that short time, Reno finished his business in the front yard and went roaming.

“We got an e-mail from Denver on Tuesday that reads, “I found my dog yesterday!  He was at Fitzhugh and San Jacinto in a church parking lot. Thanks for the help!”

Looking at Reno’s photo, it’s no surprise that the angel was found in a church parking lot. He’s properly serene and, obviously, at peace with the planet.

MEANWHILE IN FORT WORTH:  On Monday we published a notice from staffer Ginger Leach about the long-timers at the Fort Worth Animal Care & Control Shelter. They were facing the grim reaper this week and, indeed, at least one, has been “sent on.” But several have been adopted or rescued and there are some left including this Beagle/Bassett mix named Bagel. She’s heartworm positive but up to date on other shots. Her fans at the shelter – she’s been making fans at the shelter since August -- are hoping to help her avoid the Big Shot this week. To offer to adopt or rescue Bagel, e-mail [email protected] or call 817-392-7087 or 817-680-0849. You can see more Fort Worth animals HERE.

BURNS FLAT BEAGLE BOY: Based on the fact that Beagles are scent hounds, I’m suspecting that this is the front view most seen by people who have Beagles in their households.

This, of course, is a Beagle without a household. He’s currently on the “list” at the Burns Flat City Pound in Burns Flat, Okla. Tireless tipster and rescuer Terry Lynn Fisher tells us, “My sweet Beagle Boy is still here. I really am surprised, for he is the best dog ever. Sweet, loving and NEUTERED, something I do not see very often here in Burns Flat. His time is running short. Please, if you can take him in, let me know. I thought I had a safe place, but I guess it fell through, and now, he has this week and has to be gone.”

To offer to help this Beagle Boy, call Terry Lynn at 580-330-1459 or e-mail [email protected].

HELPING A GUY NAMED RINGO:  Jeanie Malcom supplies Readlarrypowell.com daily with tips and stories of down-on-their-luck dogs and cats. Today she’s got a story and she’s trying to get help for this guy Ringo. She writes:

“Ringo belonged to the neighbor of a friend of mine ... Believe it or not, he is only 2-3 years old. He looks older due to the neglect.

“She noticed that he was chained, left outside without shelter during all kinds of weather and was frequently without food or water. When she realized that he had been left out in the snow storm a couple of months ago, she became very upset and boldly went to the neighbor and asked for the dog. Thankfully, he complied.

“The good news is that Ringo is now safe, sheltered and fed.  The bad news is that he is heartworm positive.  His treatment is estimated to cost between $900 and $1,100.  Ringo’s angel is a wonderful woman who could really use some help with these expenses. If you would like to make a donation for Ringo’s treatment, please send it to my attention at the address below. No gift is too small.”

That address is Jeanie Malcom, Event & Training Coordinator, Hunt Consolidated, Inc., 1900 North Akard Street, Dallas, Texas 75201.

NEARLY 100 PERCENT GOOD NEWS: As the close of business neared yesterday, we got a mood-boosting note from Patricia Barrington, the animal control division manager for The Colony.

Yesterday we featured a bunch of animals from The Colony and every one of them was adopted during the day “except sweet Chili.”

You may recall that Chili is the adorable cat who photographs well with his shadow.

To ask about giving Chili a home, e-mail [email protected] or call 972-370-9250. And, FYI, Chili isn’t sitting all alone in The Colony’s shelter – there are other adoptables. See them HERE.

TWO SPCA NOTES: The SPCA of Texas is one of those machines – fueled by good hearts and volunteers – that never sits still. Sometimes it in courtrooms, sometimes it’s got a kid project going. Here are examples:

            --In Forney yesterday, Kaufman County Justice of the Peace Don Cates awarded custody of three dogs to the SPCA of Texas. These three neglected dogs had been rescued on April 20 from a lousy spot in Terrell. You can read more about this on the SPCA site HERE and see photos HERE.

            --On Saturday, 40 sixth-graders and their parents from Stonebridge United Methodist Church will be at the SPCA of Texas Perry Animal Care Center in Plano to help build dog-walking trails and garden areas. The project is possible due to a pledge by John and Joyce Webb, longtime supporters of the SPCA in McKinney.

            The official SPCA release reads: “The garden’s design was donated by McKinney resident Maria Birchette. In addition to Birchette’s and Stonebridge United Methodist Church’s contributions, the SPCA of Texas has benefited from the partnership of Neil Sperry and McKinney Crape Myrtle Trails, who have agreed to install 200 crape myrtle trees on the Russell H. Perry campus.

Not only is the Webb family responsible for the vision and funding of the new garden, but their contributions will also allow for restoration of the already existing outdoor play area. The installation of field turf in that area will provide a cleanable, mud-free place for adoptable dogs to romp, rain or shine.”

CONTEMPLATIONS: This thing with Texas Gov. Rick Perry whipping out a laser-sighted pistol and killing a coyote is perplexing on many levels and from my perspective none of them political. I’m serious about this situation – this is not a political thing. I assure you from my heart that this isn’t political. This is animal. To show I’m non-partisan, it used to really grind my soul that Ann Richards, when she was governor, always grabbed a gun and went hunting on the opening day of dove season. I thought that was despicable – blowing the symbol of peace right out of the sky.

But, back to the current gov:

First, we wouldn’t have wanted the coyote to get the governor’s daughter’s Lab.

Second, we know that coyotes are wild animals who seek prey.

But there are two schools on how to dodge this: (1) Kill the coyotes or (2) scare the coyotes off and don’t put your animals at risk.

We got a press release from WildEarth Guardians of Denver  about sending a plastic whistle to the gov and “offering to pay for a class in assertiveness training following his slaying of a song dog.”

Yeah, this is bringing out the people who apply all sorts of mystical things to a coyote – we prefer to simply respect the coyote for what it is, a native of the area here long before we were and an animal that lives by its instincts as mankind claims more and more of its home.

It’s sad and awful when a coyote claims a family pet, but, honestly, people know they’re out there, so, for crying out loud, why not take preventive steps to protect your pets from them? (Surely someone has an anti-coyote protection plan.)

I’m not sure that jogging with a pistol is something we all ought to do -- lots of us have trouble jogging with a cell phone and a radio without dropping them.

At our house we don’t have guns but I’ve been around them and owned them and they’re more dangerous than snakes – that’s why there are so many intense firearm safety courses. People who like guns know the dangers and they want everyone who has a pistol or rifle to be safe with it.

And the governor told the AP that he carries the firearm when jogging because he’s afraid of snakes. Hitting a coyote with a pistol is like hitting a bull in the backside with a bass fiddle compared to shooting a snake. If you’re going to shoot a snake, brother, you’d better be a darned good shot. They don’t stand still and stare at a puppy, they wiggle and move and slither and ... well, yeah, my tendency regarding snakes is to immediately jog in the other direction.

So, Rick Perry is catching some flak and, at the same time, other people are saying “Good shot, governor” and I guess I’m stuck thinking that I’m glad the coyote didn’t get the Lab but I hate it that the coyote died and I kind of wish the governor hadn’t handled this problem in the traditional way Texas handles animal problems: “Let’s kill it.”

But I wasn’t there. I don’t know how close a call this was.

We have coyotes all over North Texas and I know that whenever I hear of a small dog or cat missing in a new housing development, I immediately think “coyote.”  But, sometimes it’s not a coyote – sometimes it’s a big hawk that swoops down and nails the family cat or a small puppy.

Nature is nature. And, I guess, it’s the governor’s nature to carry a sidearm.

But if I were fit enough to jog and my old exercise partner Hambone Jack was still young enough to trot along with me through coyote territory, I wouldn’t be carrying a pistol, I’d be carrying a bag of cheeseburgers and whenever we encountered a coyote, I’d throw a cheeseburger at the coyote, hand one to Hammy and grab a veggieburger for myself.

If we were to run into a snake, well, I’d lose my appetite.

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What about the dog in the car? (and other tales of critters)...

We’re mentioning a number of things today, but probably our Contemplation at the end of today’s report – don’t look just yet! – will touch the ol’ angry button on some of you, just like it did on Lorraine Johme, noted rescuer and friend to animals everywhere.

It has to do with a dog, a car and ... well, we’ll catch up on it after you see the other things you might help with. Read them before you get mad at what Lorraine saw.

LOOKING FOR GOLDENS: Well, of course, we know there are Golden Retrievers that wind up in rescue all the time. But sometimes there are special angles to a story. We get this from our pal Sandi Laird of Operation Kindness. It’s a special request. “We need to try to find two Golden Retrievers that need a home.  A brother and sister or two sisters would be great. They can be puppies or adults. We have a person who has been very good to our shelter and they want Goldens. We will sterilize them, vaccinate them and do the microchips. If they have heartworm, we will treat them.”

So, there’s a guaranteed dog-loving home with the full workup for a couple of Goldens if you know of such a pair. Contact [email protected].

REMINDER: We are assembling the events list for Urban Animal Magazine’s summer edition. If you have animal-related events coming up in June, July, August and beyond, describe them in a simple paragraph and send the info (with a contact phone number and e-mail) to [email protected]. Put EVENTS in the subject line.  Keep it simple. Don’t send elaborate attachments or posters and don’t make it read like a dog wrote it. No time for cute when you’re fighting a deadline. Just write a couple of simple sentences. Gosh, that would be so helpful – not just to me, but to the animals, too. The deadline? Let’s say May 10. That gives you a dozen days to e-mail the info. Surely this can be achieved.

THE STORIES: We’ve gotten some photos of cute dogs and a shadow-casting cat from the folks at The Colony Animal Shelter. They’re all available for adoption – this week that is the main reason they’re photographable. Next week, perhaps, they’ll be photographable because they’ve become beloved family members and everything they do is cute.

Kiwi is the Cairn Terrier mix with the movie star (Benji, maybe?) look. She’s 3 years old, weighs 15 pounds and a “great little dog,” the report reads. And she apparently had puppies recently, but they were never found and only Kiwi was saved and placed in the shelter.

Gelfing is the young – maybe under a year – Corgi-type. The 20-pounder is described as a “low-riding wonder dog.”

The dog making the Harpo Marx face is Lacy, a 6-year-old Lab-Golden mix. She’s already spayed, microchipped and house-trained – and available for $20.

Oscar is the black Lab-type who, the official report reads, is “nothing special until you meet him” then, apparently, he becomes an adorable, affectionate nuzzler. He’s under 3, weighs about 40 pounds and knows basic commands.

And, of course, the cat casting a shadow is named Chili. I don’t know why I said “of course.” I have no idea why a black cat would be called Chili – except it may be of the cat breed “Chinchilla.”

At any rate, to ask about adopting any critter at The Colony’s shelter, e-mail Animal Control Division Manager Patricia Barrington at [email protected] or call 972-370-9250.

TODAY’S EARHOUND: Karen Lee nominated this dog Chico for “Earhound” after seeing that set of ears trying to tune in pictures from the Hubble Space Telescope.

Chico is in the Euless Animal Shelter and is being sponsored by the Euless Trinity High School Girls Awareness Program (GAP). But Chico’s not a good shelter dog and that makes for a not very marketable presentation. Some dogs just don’t belong in shelters.

The GAP report is that Chico, who may have Pharaoh Hound in his family tree, is an affectionate guy who’d work best as an only dog.  He’s still learning to walk on a leash. (Because he’s a GAP dog, he can be adopted for only $50.) Call the Euless shelter at 817-685-1594 and ask about #011911.

REGARDING THE SEIZURE:  The SPCA of Texas has been awarded custody of the 39 “cruelly confined cats,” six horses, three dogs and two squirrels found on property in Kaufman County last week. Justice of the Peace Johnny Adams also ordered that the SPCA be paid $8,697 in restitution for taking in the ailing and neglected animals.   But the SPCA says it doesn’t expect to get any of the money.

TAILGATE AT THE BALLPARK ON SATURDAY: You won’t find the Texas Rangers at their ballpark in Arlington on Saturday, but you can see an amazing celebration of animals. It’s the Texas Animal Shelter Coalition’s Tailgate 2010 Pet Adoptathon, a gathering of adoptable critters from more than 35 animal shelters.

The hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Parking Lot E.

And I don’t know who drew the splendidly amusing artwork for this event, but you can see it on the Texas Animal Shelter Coalition website HERE.

ANIMAL PEOPLE ARE ‘PEOPLE PEOPLE’ TOO: The Greyhound Adoption League of Texas, an organization that takes in retired athletes, is now involved in another athletic endeavor – golf. GALT is one of the sponsors the Forest Park Medical Center Bryan’s House Open Golf Tournament. The 19th annual Bryan’s House Open is scheduled for Monday at Gleneagles Country Club in Plano. Tee off is at noon with a “shotgun-start.” Golfers know what that means.  You can link to the golf sign-up via GALT at www.galtx.org or Bryan’s House at www.bryanshouse.org.

CALL FOR SUPPLIES: I’m sure every shelter in the world needs supplies. Maybe you could check with the one in your neighborhood or the one where you got your dog or cat to see if it needs some things. In the meantime, we’ve gotten notes regarding needs at two shelters – the  Everman Shelter south of Fort Worth and the Humane Society of Cedar Creek Lake Shelter in Tool, Texas, east of Dallas.

--At Everman, shelter ACO Teresa Weldon reports, “We are in desperate need of bleach, Dawn dishwashing liquid, concentrated Lysol and puppy food.” To offer to help, call 817-561-5495 or e-mail [email protected].  To see Everman’s animals, click HERE.

--At the Humane Society of Cedar Creek Lake shelter in Tool, manager Krista Mc Anally reports these needs: “We are running low on some supplies that we use daily. Mainly cleaning and disinfecting supplies.”

She lists the “urgent” needs as Clorox Bleach, liquid laundry detergent, Fabuloso or Pine Sol cleaner, paper towels and toilet paper. Also need: kitty litter, canned cat food, latex gloves, canned dog food, alcohol, Neosporin, copy paper, hand sanitizer, peroxide and, of course, Band Aids.

Donations can be made at the shelter each day but Wednesday after 11 a.m., at the Friends of the Animals Clinic in Gun Barrel City on Tuesdays and at the Brookshires in Seven Points and Mabank and at First National Bank in Seven Points.

See the shelter’s adoptables at www.hsccl.org. Contact Krista at 903-432-3422 or e-mail [email protected].

YAPPY HOUR: Dogs are welcome on some restaurant patios at Village on the Parkway today. We got this reminder from Jaime Hopkins, director of marketing at Village on the Parkway. The village’s monthly “Yappy Hour” starts at 4 p.m. today. It’s a monthly celebration of animals and animal causes. Participating Village restaurants include Friday’s, Blue Mesa, Otaru Sushi, and Outta the Oven. The Village on the Parkway is at Beltline and the Dallas North Tollway.

ON THE WEST SIDE, THE HOOTERS GIRL DOG WASH: Thought that would catch your attention. The West Side Animal League’s Fido Fest is scheduled for 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday at Gateway Park, 1701 N. Beach St. in Haltom City and fest festivities include games, contests, art projects and – no kidding, -- the “Hooter Girls Dog Wash.” (Folks from West Side Animal League say the organization needs to borrow a big canopy for the day --- call 817-320-0399 or 817-271-2552 or e-mail [email protected].)

FORT WORTH REMINDER: Coming up Saturday, the grand opening of the City of Fort Worth and PetSmart Charities Pet Adoption Center. The “open house” is from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the PetSmart at 4800 Loop 820 in Fort Worth. Lots of dignitaries, critters, etc.  Click HERE to read about PetSmart Charities and you’ll note that this is, according to PetSmart, “Second Chance For Love National Adoption Weekend.”

ROCCO RECOVERED:  Good news from Corsicana. The little guy Rocco is home, we hear from Project Pawz’ Lyn Gatlin. She writes, “Just wanted to thank everyone that kept an eye out for him. He was found at Fullerton-Garrity Park here in Corsicana today [Tuesday] and is back home with his family tonight.  He actually decided to greet and follow a few ‘walkers’ at the park.  Just like his family thought, Rocco migrated toward people!! After quite an adventure, this social butterfly is now ready for a few good meals and some rest.  Rocco and his family pass along their appreciation for helping to get him home where he belongs.”

ATHOS AND MARLEY FOUND: Two dogs that went awanderin’, Husky mix Marley and Husky Athos, have been found. It was an adventure. Tipster Niki Witham tells us about the hunt for her friends’ two dogs.

“A family in the area who was moving kept the duo in their yard over the weekend until
they were leaving town Saturday afternoon, when they dropped them off at the
Plano Shelter. We guess they just never thought to look for the dogs'
owners. Sadly, if they had dropped the canines off two hours earlier, this happy
ending would have occurred much sooner.”

Marley, who was already fixed, was sprung. Athos, who wasn’t, is staying in the shelter to get neutered, Niki says. And both pups are now microchipped.

Perhaps the highlight of the adventure: Niki says that “in the pouring rain the night they went missing, we papered the neighborhood with flyers until 2:30 a.m. after a midnight run to FedEx for copies. Misty (dog mom) has a new baby at home, and her husband was at a wedding in Costa Rica when Athos and Marley dug under the fence. They pulled the Houdini act in about 10 minutes' time. My boyfriend and I helped her until we were all tired and soaked, then we called it a night.”

ALL WRAPPED UP: That was the subject line on the note we got from Sydney Busch of the Friends of the Animals at Cedar Creek Lake. As regular visitors to Readlarrypowell.com know, Friends operates the world’s most successful spay/neuter clinic in Gun Barrel City, Texas. And it is a labor of love. The clinic draws many supporters and can always use more. It operates, so to speak, on Tuesdays. And this is a photo of one of the patients from yesterday’s sessions at the clinic. As you can see, there is some sincere bundling done at the clinic. Sydney writes, “No critter gets cold at Friends on Tuesdays.” Looks more comfortable than a Snuggie, don’t you think? Maybe in the winter next year the clinic can sponsor “Human Wrap Wednesdays” and we can all go spend some time in “Bundle Therapy” once a week.

CONTEMPLATION OR GET READY TO BE MIFFED: We got this from Lorraine Johme last week when she was really ticked off about this situation. We let it simmer for a while and it still reads with great force and good sense and we hope people will pay attention to Lorraine’s goal which is to keep people from putting their animals in danger. Here’s her note about an incident week before last when she was “parked at the Albertson’s in Grand Prairie on my way home from work.

“I was sitting in my car digging for the list I had in my purse of what I was planning on purchasing. I heard a dog barking and of course I looked around to see who had a dog in their car.

“At first I didn’t see it and then it kept on and I finally spotted a cute little mix in a BMW convertible.

“Now mind you the parking lot was quite full it was 5:30 so this car was parked more than halfway down the parking lot away from the store. The little dog was panting, then it would jump down on the floor to get out of the sun I believe, but every time it heard someone or a noise it would jump up on the seat and start barking.

“I had just turned off my car and was going to get out when I noticed some vagrants – panhandlers -- going around begging for money car to car.  I stayed in my car watching them and had noticed they normally hang out across the street at the gas station begging for money.

“I then realized they were watching this little dog. They walked by several times and looked around to see if anyone was looking. I thought, ‘Oh no they are going to grab that dog and probably try to sell it for fast cash,’ That has happened before over at the gas station.

“So I got out and walked toward the car and they walked away.

“I then stood there for about 20 minutes and the gentleman finally arrived. He whistled to get the little dog’s attention and it jumped up on the seat all excited.

“I asked him when he got closer ‘Is this your dog?’

“Right away he got defensive and told me ‘Yes she is my girl and I love her to death and take her everywhere I go so don’t start preaching to me.’

“I got so mad! I tried to stay calm but then lost it. I told him, ‘Do you understand how many dogs are stolen out of cars every day? Do you realize two vagrants had been watching her and could have grabbed her by her cute little harness and she would be gone? Do you realize I just spent 20 minutes standing here waiting for you to return watching your dog so she wouldn’t be taken?

“I then walked away and he was yelling ‘Sorry lady.’

“This has bothered me so much this past week. He loves his dog so much he takes her every where yet leaves her in danger. This gentleman was in his early 60’s by his looks and the dog was groomed and you could tell well taken care of.

“I just don’t get how people can be so ignorant to what happens every day to people’s pets they love.
“If you look on petfinder.com or Craigslist in lost and found and there are hundreds of missing pets.

“My husband gets upset with me because I won’t leave our dogs out on nice day in the back yard while we are at work. I’m not coming home to my pets either getting out to chase something or someone accidentally opening my gate and them getting loose. It would drive me nuts not knowing what happened to them.

“I’m sure you get these stories every day, but I need to sound off to someone that understands where I’m coming from.”

So, dear Readers, there you have it. And I know some of you are simmering  along with Lorraine. Now that the temps are warming up, idiots will be leaving dogs in cars and kids, too. And that’ll be another challenge for us to understand why people don’t have good sense when it comes to protecting little lives.

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Low notes, high notes, birds of a feather flocking

Oh, boy, we’ve got dogs, cats, flamingos and Tony Bennett today. How’s that for a lineup?

LEFT IN AN APARTMENT: Oh, goodness, what a face. This is Starsky and even to the untrained eye you can spot the Siamese strain in this rascal. Plus, he’s got a championship set of whiskers and a set of ears that qualifies him as an official “Earhound.”

Starsky is in the Carrollton Animal Services shelter and on the put-to-sleep list for Wednesday, according to hardworking Joe Skenesky of Carrollton’s shelter.

How did such a distinct cat as Starsky wind up in a shelter? He was “left behind when his person was evicted from his apartment.”

And, yes, his ears are “a little bit deformed and it make him look a little on the mean side, but he is all loves and purrs.”

To ask about adopting Starsky before he faces the grim fate because of irresponsible people, call the shelter at 972-466-3420 or e-mail [email protected].

A CRIME OR A SHAME? Is it a crime or it is a shame that there are 57 animals (47 dogs, the rest cats) on the “put to sleep” list for Monday, May 10, at the Dallas Animal Services Adoption Center? Well, how about it’s a shame that the animals are there and it’ll be a danged crime if they can’t be saved.

Here are two of them – our Earhounds for the day. As you can see, there are two different kinds of ears here. Tipsy (right) and Thea are both Shepherd mixes and both available.

That third one is, obviously, a very laid-back Dallas cat – her name is Sasha and she came in as a stray.  

To adopt any animals drop by the shelter at I-30 west and Westmoreland – easy off the freeway, easy back on if you are askeered to go 80 or 90 feet into the West Dallas industrial area. 

See more animals at www.dallasanimalservices.com . To ask about adopting them, e-mail [email protected]  or [email protected] or call 214-671-0249. Rescue groups should email [email protected] or call 214-670-8298.

Just wondering: Anybody have any idea how many animals have passed through the Dallas Animal Services Adoption Center since it opened? Well, got to be a big number. Dallas has a lot of loose critters.

BE ON THE LOOKOUT IN CORSICANA: This guy, Rocco, a Shepherd-Lab mix, may have become spooked by Friday night’s storms in northern Corsicana and gone over the family fence, according to a note from Lynn Gatlin of Project Pawz who is helping the dog’s family hunt for him. Rocco is a year old and looks a little older than he does in this photo, but he’s basically the same dog, only older and large. When last seen he was wearing collar and tags. He’s also neutered and microchipped.  If you know Rocco’s whereabouts, call 903-872-8343 or 903-874-3722.

UPDATE ON SWEETIE PUP: The dog with the broken ball joint (possibly beaten, you may recall) underwent surgery Monday and is “resting comfortably.” His spokesperson, rescuer Debbie Farrell writes that Dr. Jennifer Lavender of Metro Paws Veterinary Clinic in Dallas neutered him while repairing his hip. Good-hearted donors came through with the money to pay for all this.

Debbie also reports that “a wonderful couple” met Sweetie on Friday and the dog “ran right up to the husband with his tail wagging. They fell in love and are going to foster him for now but are also considering adopting him if he gets along with their cats. Otherwise, they will foster until we find a home.”

FOUND IN A CREEK, NOW NEEDS A HOME: Samantha Castillo apologized for the “candid” photo of this dog – the puppy was just too wiggly to pose.

Here’s the story from Samantha: “Last weekend someone dumped a black lab puppy in the creek behind my house in the rain storm. She looks to be about 8 weeks old and very sweet. I contacted a lab rescue, but have not heard back from them.”

Samantha says there is a small creek that runs through her Euless neighborhood and before investigating the yelping puppy, it was thought the dog had been left on an apartment balcony. But, upon further exploration, the puppy was found yellng for help in the creek.

She’s trying to find a place for this puppy to go. Call 817-713-4422 or e-mail [email protected].

NOW IS YOUR CHANCE TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN A YARD: Never mind pulling crabgrass and killing weeds, here’s something that is visible and we learn about it from our pal Dot Lott at the Humane Society of Flower Mound.

She writes, “It's Flamingo Flocking time again, so if you could put the word out it would be appreciated!”

Well, we’re always happy to write about Flamingo Flocking. Dott says the Humane Society is announcing the return of “a favorite Spring fundraiser: Flamingo Flocking!
“It's fun!  It's embarrassing! It's flamingo extortion!  But it's all for a good cause. Starting at $25, you can have a flock of plastic flamingos set up in an unsuspecting friend's yard. Perfect for the proud graduate... the birthday boy or girl... the parents of that sweet new baby.... or anyone who appreciates a bit of humor!”

Hmm, “appreciates a bit of humor.” Not sure that’ll play in Dallas proper, but the suburbs seem to have a sense of humor.

How it works: “Under cover of darkness local volunteers will set up and later remove the flamingo flock (contributions for removal gratefully accepted).  Imagine the look on your friend's face when they awake to a yard full of flamingos.”

To see how to get involved click HERE or call the Flamingo Hotline at 972-874-0807 or e-mail [email protected]. 

The flockings start in May. And, as Dott reminds us, these flockings are not malicious, but are accomplished in the spirit of good humor.

If this was going to be a malicious thing, it would be “Grackel Flocking.” No offense to fans of grackels, who are probably too busy washing their cars to be reading this.

CONTEMPLATIONS: Movie you’d least like to be forced to watch: 1982’s The Pirate Movie with Kristy McNichol or, from 1998, The Avengers with Ralph Fiennes? ... You walk into a Tex-Mex restaurant. There are two daily specials: Cheese enchiladas with beans and rice or fish tacos. Which do you order? ... We saw the great Tony Bennett last night at the Meyerson in Dallas. We were in the presence of greatness (fifth time for me, fourth for Martha). As is Mr. Bennett’s tradition, in each show he sings one song without a mike (Fly Me To The Moon). And he praised the hall’s acoustics to great applause from the audience.  Here’s one thing about the acoustics: You may be able to hear Tony without a mike, but when someone in the upper balcony coughs during a quiet spell of “Shadow of Your Smile,” that’s crystal clear, too. Seriously, sometimes in a theater in Dallas you do wonder if this is the “Most Consumptive City in America.”  Ah, but nobody’s cellphone rang. And, the overwhelming joy of the evening was hearing the legendary singer perform. He’s the cool every ol’ guy wishes we could be. And he can deliver a song. Not that you asked, but my current fave is "Boulevard of Broken Dreams." His notes hit the heart.

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Some Monday things...

We’re going to start Monday with a little good news – no sense getting a bucket of bad news right off the bat today. Here goes:

NELSON’S TRIUMPH: Back in December, we used this snoozing picture of Nelson in our Let Sleeping Dogs Lie and Napping Cats Nap feature. Over the weekend we got a note from Tammy Lewis, who fosters with Metroplex Mutts.

She says that Nelson “was officially adopted last weekend after spending 4 months as my foster dog.

In that time he ate a chair, 5 pairs of my shoes, a wicker ottoman, a couple of dog beds, various

phone cords and a dozen or so stuffed dog toys.  He also stole my heart!!

“Everyone he ever met when he was with me loved him.”

She’s been adopted into a home with a girl named Mary Jane and that’s the two of them in that photo. Tammy says, “Be on the lookout for Nelson on lower Greenville where he will be

walked often with Mary Jane in the coming months of great weather.

“I'm so happy for him, I know he has gone to a perfect family and will now have the life

that he's always deserved.  Thanks to Metroplex Mutts for letting him become part of their program.

I could not have found a home for him without them. A big ‘Thank You’ also goes out to K9-U where Nelson spent 2 weeks for boarding/training and came back a new man.  His training was transferred to his new owner so he can continue to excel and show everyone he meets what a great example of the breed he is.”

Then, wistfully, Tammy adds, “I miss Nelson's sweet face but know that he's where he needs to be.”

AN OPEN HOUSE AT THE CLINIC:  The SPCA is hosting an open house from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday at the Martin Spay & Neuter Clinic at 4830 Village Fair Drive (I-35 south at Ledbetter).

Why? To show off the renovations and to honor the donors who helped. (Some of you longtimers in the area will remember that this is a former Red Lobster that was converted into a spay/neuter clinic probably 15 years ago, maybe more.) The clinic “treats more than 21,000 animals each year,” the SPCA says.

And here’s the key paragraph in the clinic’s latest development (quoting from the SPCA news release): “The renovations were made possible through generous contributions of funding, materials and services by SPCA of Texas Board member Mary Spencer, Adleta Supply, the Margot W. and Ben H. Mitchell Fund of Communities Foundation of Texas, The Holman Foundation, among many others. The Martin Spay & Neuter Clinic is also the recipient of funds generated each year by the volunteers of Paws Cause.”

THE FORT WORTH GANG HAS A THURSDAY DEADLINE: That’s right, these dogs are scheduled for euthanasia on Thursday.  Well, goodness, we can’t run ALL of the photos of the animals in the Fort Worth Animal Care & Control Shelter, but we can publish some of them.

These, in particular, are facing a potentially dire situation because they are “2009 Models” – dogs that have been in the Fort Worth shelter since last year and time is pressing.

We get their stories and photos and the “threat level” (urgent) from the hard-working Care & Control staffer Ginger Leach.

Here’s who they are:

Manny, a retriever mix who is OK with “most dogs” and is usually a “sweet, laid-back fella.”

Then there’s Sweetie, a Lab mix who is “sweet.”

 And, Margo is a terrier/shepherd mix described as “one happy gal.”

Romeo is described as “laid back and super handsome.”

Then, there’s Chica. “She has been at the shelter since last June, which is a first.  She has been a wonderful girl throughout her stay.  She has gotten stressed in the past month after being with some crazy puppies and began losing her fur.  She has been extremely healthy except for being heartworm positive and the recent hair loss.

“Please if anyone can save sweet little Chica, let me know ASAP.  It would be so heartbreaking for her to have lasted this long just to be sent to the Bridge.”

To contact Ginger about animals at the Fort Worth shelter e-mail  [email protected] or call 817-392-7087 or 817-680-0849.

BE ON THE LOOKOUT: These two dogs – Marley the sprawled Husky mix and Athos the standing Husky – are missing

They were last seen on Friday near the intersection of Custer at Nottingham.

If you know their whereabouts, call 214-991-7444 or 469-371-0299.

A note from Misty Vidal explains, “They are not microchipped nor do they have tags because we took them off because the dogs are always banging them against the glass door. We are stupid, I know.”

These are family dogs and they have a 9-year-old girl who misses them.

ANIMAL ANGELS FUNDRAISER: How about that photo? That’s from a notice regarding a fundraiser for the Animal Angels of Texas sanctuary near Jacksboro. Got a dog, a great sky, a picnic table and the Texas flag – brings a tear to my eye.

Anyway, the sanctuary will benefit on May 13 from a fundraiser at Sambuca-Uptown, 2120 McKinney Ave., in Dallas. Tickets are $25 and for that you get two cocktails, appetizers and conversation.

You can order tickets in advance and avoid the on-site registration line by going to www.animalangelstexas.org.

Carole Sanders, who has been running the sanctuary a long time, takes care of more than 300 critters that nobody wanted in her 38-acre no-kill, no-crate facility.

FOLLOWING UP ON THE ELK CITY HOARDER DOGS: This photo shows three of the dogs – a Jack Russell mix and some Dachshund mixes – that our Burns Flat, Okla., tipster Terry Lynn Fisher got after a hoarder situation at Elk City turned sour.

Five dogs – originally moved into a rescue group – proved a bad fit for the group and they were moved into Terry Lynn’s custody. The word was the dogs were biters, but Terry Lynn reports, that the dogs “did not try to bite me, but if grabbed, I feel the little Jack Russell will in a heartbeat – strictly out of fear. As I sat there, he licked my hand.”

The rest are small and dong fine. But they need homes because they’re all in the Burns Flat shelter and “facng death.”

To ask about helping Terry Lynn help the dogs, e-mail [email protected] or call 580-330-1459.

ALWAYS LOVE A CHANCE TO TYPE “WHOO HOO!!!!!!!” Well, things went swell for the Collin County Humane Society over the weekend. Our tipster DeDe Boozer-Whitcombe says that thanks to the people who donated things, “it was a huge success and although the final count is not yet in, it looks like we are going to come in right at a little over $1000.”

This dog Alexus is one of the many animals who’ll be helped by the proceeds. You can read Alexus’ story HERE and you’ll note that she’s today’s Earhound because with those ears she resembles at 1957 Plymouth Belvedere.

DeDe wrote, “Thanks to our volunteers who worked so hard, and thanks to Amy with  Mastiff rescue who not only picked up our leftovers but helped us deliver furniture right at the end and clean up! Whoo Hoo!!!!!!!”

Yep, and in case you wondered, “Whoo Hoo!!!!!!!” is not copyrighted and can be used on t-shirts, tatoos and license plates in Texas. Not sure about other states.

A NOTE FOR BERNICE AND THE VET CLINIC: We wrote last week of the loss of Francis the Dog who had been accompanying Bernice Edge on her round-the-U.S. horseback trailride before falling ill in Wheeler, Texas.

Notes of sympathy to Bernice can be sent to [email protected]. And, her pal Lisa Eades of Garland says, “Bernice does have a guestbook on her website www.endeofthetrail.com  that people can sign. “

 As you may recall, Francis was treated at the Wheeler Veterinary Clinic and the folks there were extraordinarily hospitable to Bernice. Lisa says, “Something else I have been telling folks is, if they have a few minutes, to write that nice vet and his wife out there in Wheeler and thank them for that generous kindness they offered to the lady long rider. In my book, it was above and beyond real Texas hospitality.”

Write to Ben Ed & Lee Ann Hillhouse, Wheeler Veterinary Clinic, 1309 W. Oklahoma, Wheeler, Texas, 79096.

CONTEMPLATIONS: Martha has been ill with a respiratory problem for more than a week and is finally returning to work today after, for the first time in her life, missing an entire week at the office. She’s got her pills, her inhalers and her gameface on. It’s unusually quiet at our house right now – no coughing, no wheezing, no calls from physicians and pharmacies. I’ll be doing laundry, vacuuming, etc. – returning to my routine. And, it’s just after 9 a.m. and Martha has left and the house, for me and the animals, is a “lonesome quiet.” ... I saw a notice on a website somewhere that you could “pre-order” a book. Puzzled, I am, about the difference between “pre-order” and “order.” Must have been written by a former government employee who was “pro-active,” which, near as I can tell means “be active before you are active.” ... Enjoy your Monday, folks. As they say every day behind closed doors in Washington, D.C., “Things could be worse.”

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A rare trio with a mission: snooze

For this weekend’s edition of Let Sleeping Dogs Lie & Napping Cats Nap we are going into territory that is infrequently traveled.

It is almost the domestic equivalent of a National Geographic camera team going into the jungles of South America and sneaking up on a three-toed sloth dozing with a slumbering jaguar in side-by-side recliners while watching a Dallas Cowboys game. It’s a rare scene.

In fact, the human who adores these animals, Stephanie Cronk, says that “it’s VERY rare (in fact, this is the only photo I have of it) that the cats let Lewis [the pug] this close without some sort of repercussion, much less let him sleep with them.”

We’ve mentioned Stephanie Cronk here before. She is one of the sponsors of the Euless Trinity High School Girls Awareness Program (GAP), the club that has adopted the Euless Animal Shelter as a project.

And this photo represents three of her seven critters. Lewis is the Pug, Mitch is the Red Tabby and Modano is the black-and-white domestic shorthair.

One of the reasons this is a rare photo is, she says, “Lewis has a thing about ‘having’ to be next to someone when he sleeps, so he was determined on this day, that it would be the cats.”

All seven of the household’s critters are rescues. Lewis came from the Euless shelter and Mitch from the Fort Worth Humane Society, Stephanie says. “Modano was rescued 9 years ago from a co-worker who really had no business having kittens. I think since Lewis is the smallest of our dogs, he’s the only one that the cats will ever allow this close to snuggle, although I’d love to one day get a photo of all 7 in a sleeping pile!”

(To nominate your slumbering household or barn critters – dogs, cats, cattle, horses, deadbeat brother-in-law, etc. – for Let Sleeping Dogs Lie & Napping Cats Nap, send the photo and info to [email protected]. At Readlarrypowell.com, we are proud to publish photos of sleeping animals because, as insomniacs, we hope that we, too, some day, without having to turn to over-the-counter pills, will be able to drift off in a comfortable position for more than just 20 or 30 minutes. To sleep, perchance to wake with a start and wonder why all night long.)

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Update on emaciated Mineral Wells dog

We published a story this morning about this emaciated dog being picked up off the streets in Mineral Wells (scroll down to see the morning post). Here’s the angry followup from Johnna Bigley, our tipster.

Terrible Update:   

“Ginger [of They're All God's Creatures] just found out the people [who had the dog] went ahead and dumped him in a rural area probably last night under the cover of darkness (cowards!!!).  Supposedly, they went back to try to get him knowing how upset Ginger was but are telling her they can't find him.  They're position is they fed him for two weeks and he's not their problem.  Debbie with the Palo Pinto Humane Society has been driving around today trying to find him but no luck so far.  Apparently, it's a large area to search.  Debbie's number is (940) 445-0144 if anyone would like to help search for him.  People are so disappointing and that baby's face is going to haunt me forever!”

On Friday, many stories...

And, now, looking at our calendars we find that it’s Friday and we’re still, generally, without a clue for the entire week.

Having established our position, let’s proceed. And keep in mind that these are only a few of the stories of animals in trouble or animals being helped or triumphs of rescue over idiocy. Read on:

REGARDING FRANCIS: The news of Francis, the trail-riding dog, is sad. Shortly after 9 a.m. we got a call from Lisa Eades of Garland who has been in touch with Bernice Ende, the “long-rider” whose horseback trip around the nation has stalled in Wheeler, Texas, because of concerns about her dog Francis. (See yesterday’s lead item.) Lisa says Francis is going into surgery this morning. Sadly, around 1 p.m. I got a call from Lisa saying that whatever the little dog was facing was too much and she did not survive. We're attempting to find a way to send sympathy notices to Bernice out on the trail and will let you know as soon as we find a way.

A DOG NEEDING A BREAK: This gorgeous dog is in an ugly situation.

We get the details of the story from our rescue pal Deana Hanson of Weatherford. She reports that Cassie was adopted via a shelter “courtesy listing” into a home.  And the adoptors were warned that the dog had never been around cats and cautioned to watch the dog carefully for at least three weeks to determine the dog’s tendencies.

Yesterday this dog attacked the family cat (the cat has a broken jaw and spent yesterday on IVs and is being treated). The guy took the dog to the new Chuck Silcox Fort Worth Animal Care & Control Shelter where she is being monitored by veteran shelter worker Ginger Leach who was tipped to the story.

So, that’s the deal with this dog.  And we know how awful it can be when animals attack other animals – it’s a nerve-wracking experience and you never want to go through it again. But there are ways to avoid these things.  First off, we, as people, as humans, ought to wise up.

Now, to ask about getting this dog into a safe spot, e-mail [email protected]

This is a good time for a patient rescue group to squeeze in one more dog.

BE ON THE LOOKOUT NEAR DOWNTOWN DALLAS, M STREETS: Well, goodness, Reno has gone missing in Bryan Place, the residential area just west of Central Expressway on the edge of downtown Dallas.

Denver Smith says that two weeks ago his dog was “in my front yard doing his normal business. I went in real quickly to pour his food, came back and he was gone. He has never run off  before. I’ve checked animal services every 72 hours, had search parties, I look every day, posted hundreds of flyers, etc. etc.  He was seen seven times in the M Streets area 4 days after he left, but no one grabbed him.  He is microchipped and very friendly, so I think someone has him.”

If you’ve seen this 55-pound dog or know his whereabouts call 214-477-5292.

BE ON THE LOOKOUT LITTLE ELM: Melena Mesta has been searching for her Chihuahua Peanut since April 10 when he vanished on Witt Road in Little Elm. We published a “found” Little Elm Chihuahua photo on Wednesday and that led to this note from Melena.

She says she “took off work and went to see if [the dog in the Little Elm shelter] was my missing Peanut and it was not , but, I still could not help crying for whoever lost that puppy. I am still holding onto hope that the person who took my dog will return him to us or drop him off by our home and Peanut will find his way back. I just know he would....I have posted him on every website I know of...I do have a reward for whoever returns my dog – no questions asked.”

If you know Peanut’s whereabouts, e-mail [email protected] or call 817-938-0997.

TWO HOMELESS DOGS: These dogs have nothing in common except they are dogs and they need homes and they were lucky enough to fall under the protective umbrella of Bekki Harvey and her goddaughter Amanda.

Brandy is a 3-year-old female German Shepherd who was surrendered to Dallas Animal Services when the owner “could no longer care” for her.

And McNugget is a 10-week-old Alaskan Malamute male who “was found with his five littermates in a cardboard box on a very, very, cold day” at a McDonalds in Martinsburg, W.Va., a little over a month ago. Each of the puppies had been individually wrapped in plastic. Yet all survived.

Shelter intake people initially told Amanda that McNugget was blind and would have to be euthanized. But Amanda, at 17, has a history of animal rescue and care, so she took McNugget home and got a vet to look at him. Just as the vet predicted, the little guy improved dramatically and isn’t blind and is healthy.

Amanda has been in town this week visiting Bekki. This  photo of Brandy and McNugget  was snapped this week in the play area of VCA Preston Park Animal Hospital.  To ask about adopting either of these two rescued pups, e-mail [email protected].

A CAT RESCUE’S COCKER: Usually Keli Halteman is working to save down-on- their-luck cats and kittens with her rescue organization, Halteman’s Haven.

But the Cocker Spaniel breed rescue groups were full and Keli says “I had to help – especially when my fav vet called to ask me.”

The story is that a mother of 5 brought the sick puppy to the VCA Beltline East Hospital where Keli works.  The dog hadn’t been eating or drinking for several days, the family had no money and rather than euthanize the dog for the sake of expediency, Dr. Paola Lott said she would take care of the dog for free. The family then decided they wanted to take the dog home and “let him die there with them,” according to the story we got from Keli.  Dr. Lott called Keli and Keli said she’d take the dog into Halteman’s Haven. The transfer was negotiated and that’s how the cat group got the cocker.

Now, Curley isn’t out of the woods. He’s being treated for parvo.

Keli is raising money to offset the expense of the treatment.  To offer to help Curley, contact Keli at [email protected].  Or you can write to VCA Beltline East Hospital, 2555 N. Beltline Road, Sunnyvale, Texas, 75182. Or you can call Keli at 972-375-8709.

Late last night we got a note from Keli who reports that Curley “is doing great. He is a cool little dog. I have NO IDEA about Cockers, but I am going to learn.”

FOUND IN MINERAL WELLS: Johnna Bigley, who has spent a lot of time helping clear out the abandoned dogs on Mallooy Bridge Road in southeast Dallas, sent us a note about this fellow found “emaciated” and wandering the streets of Mineral Wells.

Ginger Barnes of the rescue group They’re All God’s Creatures is trying to find a foster home for him because, Johnna writes, “the people who found him can’t keep him and they’re about to turn him back out on the street.”

To offer to help Ginger and this dog, e-mail  [email protected] or call 254-592-7311.

A PUBLIC RELATIONS SPECIALIST AND SOME EARHOUNDS:  We spotted these on a long, long note about all the animals currently awaiting either homes or euthanasia in the Denton Animal Shelter. Long, long note. Lots of animals.

And in this first photo I think you can see why Ozzy was named the shelters  “Diamond In The Ruff Pet of the Week” – he looks like he’s just so darned glad to see ya. Because of his special ranking, he can be adopted for only $50. He’s about a year and a half old and is a Yellow Lab. He’s pictured with some buddies who also need homes.

There’s a boatload of dogs at this shelter right now.

However, we were able to spot today’s Earhounds without a problem. They are Stephen and two young female goats, Cathy and Gayla. They’re available for adoption and the official report reads: “They are all cute as can be, very sociable – sweet and friendly.”

And, of course, as goats they have special privileges. I’m not sure what they are, but people generally let goats do what they want to do, within reason.

To ask about any animal at the shelter, e-mail [email protected].

BURNS FLAT REPORT RE: ELK CITY: Terry Lynn Fisher, the tireless rescuer in Burns Flat, Okla., continues to work to find homes for some little hoarder dogs – a Jack Russell mix and three black-and-tan Dachshund mixes – who came from a home in nearby Elk City, Okla. The rescue group that was taking these dogs rejected them – Terry Lynn says all are now terrified, but she thinks they can be saved. To help her, e-mail [email protected] or call 580-330-1459.

FOLLOWING THE CASE: You may recall that Tina Hamilton, founder of Happy Tails animal rescue group, and Gun Barrel City have gotten crossways on things and are headed to court. There’s a new wrinkle involving the FBI and you can read all about it on David Webb’s journalistic website, The Rare Reporter HERE.

YESTERDAY’S KAUFMAN COUNTY RAID:  We mentioned yesterday that the SPCA of Texas and the Kaufman County Sheriff’s Department were seizing neglected animals from a property in Kaufman County.

Sure enough, the seizure of animals on property in Mabank was completed and, according to the SPCA, authorities seized 39 “cruelly-confined cats, six horses, three dogs and two squirrels” that were apparently being kept as pets.

There’ll be a custody hearing at 11:30 a.m. Tuesday at the Kaufman County Precinct 4 Justice of the Peace Court, 103 N. Main, in Kemp.

This is one of the cats who was kept in a filthy barn with horses and dogs.  All the animals are now in the care of the SPCA.  To see how to help the SPCA help these animals, go to www.spca.org.

FOR YOUR PLANNING PURPOSES:  Here are a couple of things:

--Unleased Indoor Dog Parks has scheduled its summer garage sale and pet fair for May 15 and is looking for participants, according to Beth Bowers, the general manager.

The park is looking for sponsors for the event, donors and volunteers – and for participants in the bake sale!

[Aside from Larry: Just the words “bake sale” make my dieting taste buds quiver with anticipation, then collapse with disappointment. But you folks go ahead and buy some things – enjoy them on behalf of those of us who can’t.]

To volunteer to work with Unleashed or to ask about participating, e-mail [email protected] or call 214-388-0701, ext. 304, or 214-476-9938. Read about the parks at www.unleasheddogparks.com.

--Pet Supplies Plus , 4100 Legacy Drive in Plano, is hosting a “Healthy Pet Expo” from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday. It’s free. Nutrition experts and advisors will be on hand, says Kris Westman, spokesperson for the store.

CONTEMPLATIONS: OK, VCR or DVD? (I’m sure I’m nuts, but the videotape seems to be less annoying.) ... You walk into a restaurant. The greeter welcomes you warmly. You’re given a choice of tables – the one near the aquarium or the one near a table of executives celebrating a successful layoff at their company and the rise of its stock.  It comes down to this: Do you sit next to the eels or next to the bottom-feeders? Third choice: Take the table next to the aquarium and dare the executives to walk on the water. You know some will try. ...  Enjoy your weekend with your critters. Forget a movie and go to a park. It’s cheaper and, unless you’re allergic to pollen, you’ll be healthier for the experience. Besides, you know how you react to hot-buttered popcorn – it makes you swell in areas that don’t need to get any bigger.

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