A bill, some dogs, some puppies, a lucky black cat and the world in general...

More on this dog later – I just felt like we should start the workday with a smile and that photo of Buddy cracks me up.
Plus, to further set the mood for the day, I got an e-mail about a load of puppies from the East Texas rescuer Stephanie Mosby and it began, “This is just crazy! They’re everywhere. They’re everywhere!”
Sums things up today in town and out of town. Now, read on and if you know the lucky Lotto numbers for today, please forward them to me. I swear I’ll use the money to accomplish good things.
Moving along:
PUPPY MILL BILL: AN UPDATE: The Texas House took its final vote on the Puppy Mill Bill earlier today and the vote changed -- the ayes increased to 98 and the nayes dropped to 42 and only one person (the speaker) abstained. Now the bill goes to the senate. (This morning's report follows this update.)
The Texas Puppy Mill Bill has taken one more step toward becoming law – it got its second OK on the floor of the Texas House yesterday and is awaiting a third.  The bill would then need Texas Senate approval and, of course, the governor’s signature. (The Texas Tribune has an explanatory story HERE.
Proponents say the law will put the kibosh on unscrupulous breeders and make certain that breeding animals have vet care and decent places to live and will set standards for the care of animals in breeding situations. Opponents think it punishes respectable breeders and the Responsible Pet Owner Alliance even says it is all part of a conspiracy to outlaw family pets.
The Texas Humane Legislation Network endorses the bill (See www.thln.org ) sponsored by Houston Democrat Senfronia Thompson. The Responsible Pet Owner Alliance (click HERE does not. The ROA agrees with Republican Representative David Simpson of Longview who said it would create “a dog gestapo.”
Rep. Simpson has been the constant blockade to the bill’s progress, though he is apparently not the only opponent since the vote was 95-44 with two present but not voting.
MEANWHILE IN DALLAS: If you are interested in local animal issues, you can catch up with things by attending the City of Dallas Animal Shelter Commission meeting at 1:30 p.m. Thursday in Room 6ES at Dallas City Hall. Among the items on the agenda is progress in hiring a new Animal Services Manager. Other issues will surface, too, and you’ll hear updates regarding assorted animal-related code enforcement challenges in the city. You don’t have to buy a ticket to get in.  And there’s a point at the end of the meeting where citizens can discuss animal issues.
BABY SHOWER AT THE SPCA? Yes, indeed, the SPCA of Texas has so many puppies and kittens right now that it’s hosting a “Baby Shower” fund-raising effort. You can read about it by clicking HERE.
BABIES IN NEED: The aforementioned Stephanie Mosby (see the opening paragraphs today) is trying to help this momma dog and her 9 pups.
UPDATE: Stephanie reports in mid-afternoon that this canine family has a place to go. Details later.
Mom is, possibly, a Chocolate Lab and her pups are, probably, not. She “wandered up off a busy Highway 64 outside of Canton and into a yard where some people were sitting outside.” She was hungry, emaciated, flea-ridden and “very pregnant.”
The 4- or 5-year-old dog’s “canines have been hacked off, so she looks older than I think she really is,” Stephanie says.
Not to suggest that there are puppy mills anywhere in East Texas (note to Texas Rep. Simpson), but getting rid of those teeth is one thing breeders do to keep the females from defending themselves in forced breeding situations – according to the people who combat puppy mills.
This dog is, Stephanie says, “a great, loving dog and a good mother, but she is living out under an RV shed in a make-shift ‘box” on a blanket on a dirt floor.”
“These people were very kind to let her stay there and then give birth two days later, but they cannot keep her. ... The husband is getting a bit impatient but refuses to take them to or see them go to a shelter. Being an older farmer, his comment was, ‘They’d be better off if I put ‘em in a bucket of water.’
Stephanie says $100 has been pledged to any “reputable, trusted group who can take them in.” Transport may be arranged, also.
To offer to help, e-mail [email protected].
BURNS FLAT NOTE: Yesterday we mentioned that the pressure is on in Burns Flat, Okla., because rescuer Terry Lynn Fisher is about to get custody of 10 puppies and their mom – this is the case where the “father” of the owner threatened to take a hammer to the pups to get rid of them.
Terry Lynn continues to look for help with housing this mom and her family.
Terry Lynn says the mom, still nursing the newborns, will need to go to the same rescue as the babies. She pledges, “They are NEVER going back to the idiot owners.”
To help, e-mail [email protected] or call 580-330-1459. Terry Lynn is getting these dogs today so it’s pressure-cooker time for finding a place.
BUDDY, A GOOD DOG: This is Buddy in his “Have Bowl, Will Travel” pose.
Tommy Darnell has the story from Lakeside, a Fort Worth suburb. “We rescued Buddy from the side of the road when he was a puppy, just a few days before Christmas 2007, putting him at about 3.5 years old. Buddy was one of 15 puppies who were dumped on the side of the road in a cardboard box near our house. He is crate-trained and is house-broken, but truly prefers to be outside most of the time. He loves to play fetch and will play until you make him stop. He also loves to run and spends his days running back and forth across the backyard, chasing airplanes, birds, and you name it. He would probably be a great jogging partner with a bit of training.
“Where the problem comes in for us is that we now have a 2 year old son and plan to have more children in the coming years. Unfortunately, Buddy has never been exposed to children and, as such, is still too hyper, rowdy and rough to be around young children. He may calm down some as he gets older, but that remains to be seen. The reality is we must find him another home as he will not mix with our new family situation.
“As we said before, Buddy was a rescue dog, so we don't know his breed background. He has the coloring of a Jack Russell, but weighs in at around 45 pounds and is very lean and healthy. His shots are up to date as of about a month ago.
“Buddy would be a perfect dog for a family without children, or with older children (middle or high school aged). He has never been around other dogs so he may possibly do better as the only dog in the home. However, with training and patience, we could see him thoroughly enjoying the company of another active dog. A house with a fenced backyard is ideal, so that he can continue to do the running that he loves so much.”
To offer a good home to Buddy, call 817-312-7197 or e-mail [email protected].
A GOOD NOTE FROM AN ANIMAL SHELTER: Each Monday we get the over-the- weekend report from Carrollton Animal Services about the animals on the Wednesday euthanasia list.
Here is the latest note and we wish they all read like this. The Carrollton folks report, “Great news since we had so many adoptions and rescues yesterday and our shelter population is low we are able to hold the remaining three (Yeager, Robin and Twiggy) animals over until next week. This will allow them more time to hopefully get adopted. They are still available to adopt or rescue so pass the word around about them.” (Call 972-466-3420. See the Carrollton shelter animals HERE.)
FYI: Twiggy is the lucky black cat who dodged the needle -- no photo because, after all, who doesn't know what a black cat looks like? But Robin is that Jack Russell-lookin’ pup and that big ol’ 90-pound dawg with the darling face is Yeager. These animals have survived for some reason – hopefully to give friendship and companionship to a needy and respectful human.
CONTEMPLATIONS: Is it too early to worry about the Texas Rangers pitching? Rough game last night. Maybe someone will steal Toronto’s bats before gametime tonight. ... This is a curious world, isn’t it? ... You walk into an all-night diner on I-35 in Austin and there is one open seat. It is between Houston Rep. Senfronia Thompson and Longview Rep. David Simpson. Do you sit down and ask, “What’s good here?” and see what happens?
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