Happy Friday, ladies, gentlemen and others. We have a number of topics today ranging from the above momma dog Amereica at Operation Kindness, a protest in Garland, missing dogs in Dallas, a need for fosters and on to a contemplation of pronunciation and music of the clones.
And we’ll have a note about this handsome fellow Joshua, too. He’s waiting for help in Burleson. First we’ll go to Garland. Read on:
THE GARLAND PROTEST: Members of CRASH (Citizens to Reform the Animal Shelter) and other folks will gather this afternoon in Garland for a candlelight vigil to protest the way the city’s shelter is run, claiming that shelter policies result in “needless killing of companion animals claimed by rescue groups.”
The CRASH folks cite instances in which they claim Garland shelter personnel knew rescue groups were claiming animals, but killed the animals anyway.
The protest begins at 5 p.m. at Firewheel Shopping Center, 5301 N. Garland Avenue, south of the George Bush Turnpike.
CRASH led the drive to get Garland to stop using a gas chamber to kill animals. In the instance of this protest, CRASH has named a euthanized mother dog “Mother Mary” and has confirmed through reliable sources that the dog was killed as her unweaned puppies were going to a rescue group that wanted to take her, too.
The CRASH goal, according to a statement from the group, is “Transition of the Garland animal shelter from the current ‘kill first, kill fast’ approach to an adoption and rescue-focused approach. Current shelter policies ensure that barely one-third of animals in the animal shelter leave alive, and local rescue organizations have repeatedly seen animals killed while the rescuers pleaded to pull them from the shelter.”
A NOTE ABOUT BURNS FLAT: Tireless rescuer Terry Lynn Fisher of Burns Flat., Okla., is facing a tough weekend. The little shelter in Western Oklahoma is overwhelmed and, for the first time in quite a while, euthanasia is a real possibility. There are several dogs that need a quick rescue to avoid the needle. Contact Terry Lynn at 580-330-1459 or e-mail her at [email protected]. She is a hustler, but she needs help. JOSHUA’S PREDICAMENT: This fellow is named Joshua and he came into the Burleson Animal Shelter, south of Fort Worth, about a month ago after being whipped up pretty good by another more aggressive dog. The shelter gave him vet care and got him all healed up and now he’s on the clock. All will be for nothing if no one takes him.
Shelter technician Anastasia Ramsey has been championing this handsome dog’s cause all over the area but so far there are no takers. The only thing Joshua is fighting is the reputation of “pit-type” dogs.
Anastasia says the dog is a year-and-a-half old, is heartworm negative, up to date on shots and “has a donor willing to sponsor his neutering.” Here is his story. Anastasia writes, “ Joshua was called in as an injured dog, and when we arrived on scene we found a bloody mess. Some other dog had gotten a hold of him and absolutely ripped him apart. He had deep punctures and lacerations all over his rear end, and quite a few on his head and neck area. Joshua’s’ wounds are all healed up now, and he has been waiting for a MONTH for someone to adopt him from our facility. Despite his previous encounter, Joshua has shown absolutely no aggression while with us. I easily take food out of his mouth, and he responds to the ‘drop it’ command; he has no other dog aggression and has regular play time with our large (and rather obnoxious) German Shepherd shelter puppy. While he is curious about cats, I have seen zero negative reactions from him, his tail continues to wag even as they hiss and spit at him and he goes about his business. He does know his basic commands and should have no problem learning any advance commands anyone would want to teach him. He really is a doll, and everyone here at the shelter loves him- he’s a true ambassador for this breed as he showcases every positive quality they exhibit.”
Call the shelter at 817-426-9283 or e-mail [email protected] or [email protected].
LITTLE DOGS NEED FOSTERS: Rev. Melissa Wootton Bitting, founder and president of Recycled Pomeranian and Schipperke Rescue, has issued a desperate plea for foster homes. She writes, “We have been overrun with the rescue of two backyard breeders' dogs (read puppymill dogs rescued from south of Abilene and from Oklahoma), and an onslaught of owner-released Schipperkes.”
Foster homes get healthy dogs and the fosters “are responsible for loving and caring for the Pom or Schip and showing it to any potential prescreened adoption applicants.” The rescue provides any heartworm meds needed.
She says, “We currently have lots of great Poms and Schips (and some Chihuahua and Pomchi puppies) that are just waiting for a wonderful foster home, and we have a Schip and a Schip mix that are boarding at the vet clinic due to no foster home space available.
“If someone has always wanted to do something to help dogs, this is one way to do it! They will make a world of difference to their foster dog's life!”
That little dog in the photo, by the way, is one of the dogs that needs a foster home.
To volunteer to foster, e-mail Cheri Fults at [email protected] or [email protected].
Rev. Melissa closes her request with this keen observation: “Fostering is a hard job as you have to love the dog like it was your own, but love it enough to let it go to the perfect home!”
BE ON THE LOOKOUT DALLAS: --ROXY: This dog with the magnificent tail is 85-pound Roxy who dug out of her yard and was last seen on Wednesday near City Place in the Lemmon-Central Expressway area, according to her human, Bruce Solis.
Roxy is an indoor/outdoor dog who prefers the company of people, Bruce says.
He’s posting signs in the area and has been checking shelters.
Roxy is friendly, was wearing a collar and tags and is microchipped. She’s about 2 years old and Bruce has had her most of her life.
To report her whereabouts, call 214-202-6551 or e-mail [email protected]. --NAEJ: Bobby and Jean Bonds are looking for their lost husky mix, Naej, who somehow, inexplicably, escaped from her yard last weekend. She has been spotted in the generally area of Little Forest Hills near Dallas’ White Rock Lake most recently but may be wandering, Bobby says.
She’s a 6-year-old who is microchipped and has had “ACL surgery, so she sits sideways on her back legs.”
This dog, with one brown eye and one blue eye, is also athletic, likes to run and hike and “could be anywhere.”
To report her whereabouts, call 972-413-5657 or e-mail [email protected]. TWO NOTES CATCHING UP WITH DISTRESSED DENTON-AREA ANIMALS:
-- Denton Animal Shelter volunteeer Amy Pelzel sent around a note about an injured Doxie that had been struck by a car. The note has been forwarded many, many times and Amy reports today that this rescued dog is now in the care of All Texas Dachshund Rescue. --Yesterday we told the story of a momma dog who had been teased by some kids and wound up in the Pilot Point Animal Shelter. Stephen Plyler, the rescuer who took a personal interest in her case, reports today that “I got a great response from your readers. Momma is SAFE and going to Metroplex Mutts today.”
A NOTE FROM OPERATION KINDNESS: Operation Kindness has a big fundraiser this weekend, but to demonstrate why fund-raising is important we need to turn not to humans but to a Rat Terrier Mix. The shelter is calling her "America." (Her photo with her pups opens today's report and to illustrate the fundraising effort we offer this work of art from the famous Jimmy Ellis.)
Mark Cooper, the hard-working Dallas Animal Services rescue coordinator, sent out word that the shelter had a pregnant Rat Terrier mix that needed a safe place to go.
That was yesterday. Operation Kindness, the no-kill shelter in Carrollton, responded. Today we heard from Sandi Laird, the longtime intake manager at Operation Kindness, that the little dog had her puppies last night before the shelter could get her into foster care. “You are not going to believe how many she had. She had TEN! I can’t believe a dog that small could have that many babies inside her. But, then again, her belly was huge. She is doing well this morning.” And, according to the Operation Kindness staff, so are all 10 puppies.
And that is why the Third Annual Operation Kindness Bark-n-Beer fundraiser Saturday is important. The money goes to help care for the unexpected arrivals – you know, like when you take in one dog and get 11.
The event is from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday at Duke’s Original Roadhouse, Beltline at Midway in Addison (not far from Operation Kindness!). Tickets are $25 per person and there are all sorts of dog-themed beers available with the “light buffet.”
Emcee of the event is radio personality Richard Hunter who, as you may have read elsewhere or heard on the radio, adopted a Michael Vick dog. He probably can tell you some warm tales about a rescued pitty.
CONTEMPLATIONS: This segment has no breathless report about the Super Bowl and I’ll bet you’re relieved. Well, not a breathless report, anyway.... Call this story “The Value of Captain Kangaroo.” You Boomers will recall that the Captain was always bringing knowledge to the kids of the TV world. Earlier this week I was watching Channel 5’s late afternoon news and two anchors were so excited that a Fort Worth Zoo critter had picked the Green Bay Packers to win the Super Bowl and they kept referring to the animal as a “kwati.” Yes, a “Kwati.” So I turned from the keyboard to look at the screen and saw a coati mundi, a native Texas animal which, as anybody who ever watched Captain Kangaroo knows, is pronounced “coat-uh mun-dee.” You can look it up. One anchor referred to this member of the raccoon family as “some kind of squirrel” and said it was so cute she might have to get one for a pet. Not a squirrel, not a pet, not a “kwati.” May be righta bout the Packers. ... Listening to WRR (101.1 FM), the city’s classical music station, I heard a rousing number this week and after it was over the announcer identified it as “The Attack of the Clones” from the Star Wars series and said “that was one for all you Trekkies.” Goodness. I may not know The William Tell Overture from the Theme to the Lone Ranger, but I do know the difference between Chewbacca and a Vulcan. Live long and prosper.
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