On the roof, in the shelters, in the yards and in the memories

Welcome to Tuesday. Pour your coffee, your tea or the national drink of your choice and proceed.
The weather folks say the temp is supposed to rise to around the mid-90s in Dallas today.
Air-conditioning -- the reason there is still a Dallas. Without air-conditioning, this would be a big empty space on the map.
A STAR ON THE ROOF: East Lake Pet Orphanage’s 10th annual Wine on the Roof celebration on May 7 will honor actress Loretta Swit, and Richard Hunter, the Dallas radio personality.
They’ll each get the John LaBella Award, presented to people who have “shown compassion towards animals and ... focused the attention of the public on responsible animal care.”
The emcee will be Channel 33’s weathercaster Rebecca Miller, who was presented the first LaBella Award. (Larry aside: Eastlake was kind enough to present the prestigious award to me the next year. This is a tremendous honor and is named for the Dallas radio personality and animal advocate who died in 2001 traffic crash in Dallas.)
Ms. Swit is, of course, famously known for her eternally televised role of Maj. Margaret “Hotlips” Houlihan in M*A*S*H (and for those of us with triviatic memories, she was the original Det. Christine Cagney in the TV movie Cagney & Lacey which begat the long-running series about two female detectives).
Richard Hunter is known around here as the guy who adopted a dog from Michael Vick’s defunct dog-fighting ring and, during the Super Bowl events earlier this year, got the bodyguard brush-off treatment when he tried to speak to the quarterback/convicted felon about the improved life of the dog. (This was about the time then-Mayor Pro Tem (now Mayor) Dwaine Caraway gave a Key To the City of Dallas to the felonious Philadelphia QB.)
Now, I don’t know who did this Gone With The Wind poster, but it’s pretty nifty, so congrats to Eastlake for the artwork and the awards and the 10th annual Wine on the Roof.  For ticket info go to www.wineontheroof.com. See Eastlake’s adoptables at www.elpo.org.
A DOG WHO NEEDS SOME HELP: Yeah, he's an Earhound, alright, but TJ is also a scared little dog, a min pin. And he’s got a chance at not being scared if the right person will work with him, says Melissa Upchurch, the adoptions coordinator for Animal Guardians of America.
She says that whoever takes this dog in must “be willing to give him space and time to adjust.”
He has a “fear aggression,” says Melissa. “But he never bites hard. ... He’s just a dog that’s scared.”
How tough is it to find a place for a dog like this? “I've asked a million people and other reputable rescues.... I have to be honest about TJ's situation, so no one ever answers me (and I don't blame them). If anyone can help TJ or refer me to a sanctuary rescue, please call Animal Guardians' hotline, 972-398-2123.”
The back story is that TJ, says Melissa, has “been labeled a ‘dangerous dog’ by the City of Frisco. TJ had his reasons and when viewed from a dog's perspective, it all makes sense. Nevertheless, the long-time foster I had him placed with must return him to us. Obviously, the new guardians of TJ must not reside in Frisco or Collin County. AGA does not have anywhere for TJ to go, and his fear will only amplify if he ends up at our kennels. TJ needs one-on-one attention to feel secure and safe in a home with a strong leader and an established routine. Then, TJ's real personality will come forth again. He was taken from his home almost a year ago by the City of Frisco. AGA went to court to save his life.”
THE PUPPY MILL LAW: The folks with the Texas Humane Legislation Network have issued an “action alert” and are hoping to influence Texas. Rep. David Simpson (R-Longview) to get on board with HB 1451, which he stalled last week with an administrative block. The bill i supposed to face a vote on April 21. If you go to www.thln.org you can see the action alert and read about the bill which would, if followed (and we all know how many people follow the speed limit laws) would significantly reduce the ability of backyard breeders and puppy mills to line up cage after cage of little dogs and force them to have puppies until they are worn out and near death. Some people “farm” these dogs like other people “farm” chickens.
CARROLLTON’S CROWD: Adoptions and rescues have been slow lately, the Carrollton Animal Shelter’s latest note says.
Among the animals is this dog with the dear face, Frankie, a 5- or 6-month-old male who came in as a stray. He’s No. 23641.He weighs about 20 pounds and may still be growing but more importantly in the effort to save his life, he appears “to like to visit with people who pass by his kennel run.”
You’ve got to hope that congeniality means something when it comes time to decide his fate.
Then, still waiting after being on last week’s euthanasia list and having survived, is this cat Leopold. Great name for a majestic cat. He’s No. 23583.
To ask about these or any animal in the Carrollton shelter, call 972-466-3420 or email [email protected].
MEANWHILE IN CARTHAGE: Deborah Trevino, the Seagoville shelter volunteer and rescuer, first tipped us to the challenges of dumped dogs in Glynis Ritter’s neighborhood in Carthage in East Texas. And Glynis now sends us a note about her latest foundling.
“It seems like I keep attracting dogs where I live. My friend and I were walking down Hunter Road on Friday morning and this pup started following us. It finally stopped following us, so we could continue on with our walking. When we came back, it was still there and followed me on up my street, but stopped at a neighbor’s house.
“ Friday afternoon late, when I went to feed Ebony, Ivory and Benji down in the field, I didn't see it.  But, instead of going back up the house from the field, I went down the road.  When I got on my street, I heard it behind me.
“I am  not sure what kind it is. It is a she and may be about 3 or 4 months old. She has a very short tail. “Some people think she is a heeler mix. She is very friendly! I have named her Baby. I have her in the kennel in my backyard.
“She and Freckles don't get along, so he is having to stay in his kennel. They both need a home ASAP!”
To ask about adopting either Baby or Freckles or both, e-mail [email protected] or call 903-693-9664.
Yeah, that’s Freckles with the frying pan. I think he’s trying to indicate that, like the best short order cook  in your favorite diner, he’ll take orders. Maybe.
SHORT NOTICE: This note was forwarded to us by Sydney Busch of the Friends of the Animals at Cedar Creek Lake, which operates the world’s most successful spay/neuter clinic at Gun Barrel City. I can just see Sydney shaking her head as she read this note and passed it along. It’s got a lot of questions and some drama and you, too, will probably shake your head.
Here is goes, as presented: “Being kicked out of their house, a family is looking for a temporary home for their two small dogs...2 yr old male Pom - not neutered, 6 month old female Boston Terrier mix - not spayed. And they need you to come to Streetman to pick them up as they have no car anymore...oh, and by Wednesday April 20.”
Call 903-388-6737 “if you can help,” the note reads.
(Larry soapbox aside: Someone get the Book of Records because we’re going on the record now with a suggestion that anyone who thinks they’re going to be forced to need a place for their dog and cat in the distant future, start hunting now. Start asking for help now. Don’t wait until the last minute. OK, I’m sure that worked. Let’s move on.)
DOXIE IN A SHELTER: One of our rescuer/tipsters who prefers to remain mostly anonymous also doesn’t want the name of the shelter she’s working with known, but it is up in the northern area of the growing metrosprawl, a small shelter without much help but with a desire to work with this one person to try to save animals.
This dog Blu came in yesterday. The tipster says, “He is a full-blood Doxie dumped at the shelter. He is deaf with one blue eye. ... He is very loving sweet and such a good boy.”
Doesn’t matter – he was still dumped in “a small, rural shelter un by the sheriff’s office,” says our tipster. “Thee babies receive no vetting, no blankets, not a thing.”
So, to get Blu into a foster home or adoptive home, e-mail [email protected].
(Aside: We’ve had a discussion with this tipster about more publicity for this shelter but she prefers to be discreet because she is afraid attention will make the officials shy and she will lose trust, thus, access to animals that need saving. Any other thoughts on this?)
CONTEMPLATIONS: There is a Six Flags Over Texas historical exhibit at UTA through the middle of August – these days (the park is celebrating it's 50th year)  when I think about Six Flags I think about all the changes – things that are gone, things that have arrived. You’re probably an “older American” if you remember Skull Island, the Caddo War Canoes or tickets under $5 and hand stamps. Oh, and there was irony in the Caddo War Canoes since the Caddos were peaceful farmers. You drove to the park from all over the state -- back in the early 1960s, you were paying less than 25 cents for a gallon of gasoline. ... Thought of a person who reads a lot of e-mail: Punctuation – does no one care? ... They handed out the Pulitzer Prizes yesterday. First time I was at a newspaper that won a Pulitzer, one of our reporters popped a bottle of champagne and the cork hit another reporter in the eye and sent him to the hospital for the duration of the celebration. Next time, we had cans of champagne. I'm kiddng. But it's always more cost-effective when you don't win a Pulitzer.
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