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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