The rate is alarming but there are angels...

Let's get right to Friday's report:
AT DALLAS ANIMAL SERVICES: As you may recall, we periodically mention the “VSP” (Very Special Pet) dogs and cat scheduled-for-euthanasia at Dallas Animal Services. Those animals have been at the shelter for 45 days, They are all healthy and adoptable, yet they are all facing euthanasia within a week of making the list.
Sometimes all those dogs and cats – usually no more than 8 or 10 at a time -- are saved by rescue groups. And that is a good thing. A really good thing.
But, I don’t want to leave you with the impression that those are the only animals facing euthanasia at the Dallas Animal Services shelter. (FYI: Ms. Boss (left), the only unclaimed dog from last week’s VSP list, is going to a rescue group.)
In spite of all the interactions with overloaded rescue groups and adoptions and owner-reclamations, animals are killed at a despicable rate each week at Dallas Animal Services.
It’s not the fault of DAS or Code Compliance or even the Dallas City Council, which generally can be and usually should be blamed for just about anything going sour or dynamically stupid in this town.
The fault belongs without fail to the residents of this stinkin’ town. They let their animals roam, they let their animals breed, they dump their animals at the shelter and tell their kids that the puppies and kittens will all be adopted or taken to the city-run puppy and kitty farm somewhere out in the country. Again, this is despicable behavior and it is killing animals.
This isn’t news to people who have been involved in rescue. It is probably “so what” news to people who blissfully go about their lives without a compassionate thought unless some rock star says to them, “Hey, y’all hear about that earthquake somewhere way off? Throw some money in the bucket. Here’s my next big hit.”
The opportunity to stop some madness exists right here.
At last Sunday’s mayoral candidate forum, one of the questions provided by the Metroplex Animal Coalition began “Last year, Dallas Animal Services euthanized 23,435 cats and dogs.”
That is just damned amazing, isn’t it. Pardon my French. But it really disgusts me to the core and I can’t help it.
Good and decent and stubborn people have been working for decades to stop this madness and the only thing that has changed is we have a newer, larger place to store animals until they can be killed. What sense does that make?
We’re celebrating saving 10 or 11 dogs and cats each week and last year the shelter was killing around 65 animals a day.
You may wonder what inspired this rant. This morning, things just ticked me off, OK? The “general public” – that demographic that doesn’t wake up each day and try to help animals and rarely reads this website unless they’re trying to unload a family pet – has no idea of the catastrophic numbers of animals involved in this system of “accept and kill unless they get lucky.” The challenge is two-fold: Make them aware each day and move their hearts to help solve the problem while realizing that they are contributors to the problem. We’ve got to make the Dallas Animal Shelter a destination place for people who want animals, not just for people who want to get rid of animals.
Because of overwhelming numbers, the old ways of saving animals aren’t working efficiently enough and they’re just wearing out the good hearts who struggle against great odds.
But, for now, until someone comes up with an “App” that automatically spays and neuters or smites idiots in the back of the head or testicles, we’re left with a city shelter full of unwanted animals purring and wagging their tails as they’re moved to the death room.
Unwanted animals? See that German Shepherd? She’s Eva, obviously a young dog. I don’t know how she got to the shelter or how old she really is or if she knows any tricks or commands. The shelter doesn’t have enough hands to do a reporting job on every animal that comes in and post more than the minimum on PetFinder.
That Chihuahua – that’s Chiquita. She’s also available at the DAS. And that cat? That’s Russ B – he’s got extra toes.
Yesterday my e-mail (and I get a ton) brought a note from Dallas Animal Services with the subject line “Chihuahua mania.” It was distributed to rescuers and people with an interest in helping the shelter.
Animal Control Officer Janet Henderson wrote, “We are really full.” And then she included notes about 8 dogs that “have until the close of business on Sunday.”
Janet was begging rescuers to “tag” these dogs and save their lives. You can see the shelter’s animals at www.dallasanimalservices.org. And, there is a movement afoot (thanks to the interim director, Dallas Police Lt. Scott Walton) to run “specials” --- cut the adoption fees --- the shelter is at peak capacity. Maybe we’ll hear more about that soon.  Money shouldn’t stand in the way of saving lives. Should it?
In writing this, I think I’ve come across one of the things that inspired my fuse to blow today. Janet’s note begging for help told how some of these eight dogs arrived.
Mya, an 8-month-old Cocker Spaniel/Chihuahua mix was an owner-surrender. Who knows why? How much trouble could a dog that small be?
One Chihuahua’s description read “Owner surrender. Reason: No time.” For crying out loud. Make the time.
But the two that really got to me had this line. Both are Chihuahuas and they were thrown into peril under the cover of darkness. Their note reads: “No name. Night drop.”.
Dogs that once had names and had thought they were loved for at least a few minutes and thought they were going on a ride with their beloved humans, were dumped in the night drop. No note. No explanation.
Just a dog. Throw it away. Just a cat. Throw it away.
Stick a needle in, deliver the blue juice and toss the body into the big green bag with the others.
Way to go, Dallas. Solve animal problems in the traditional Texas way: Let’s kill it.
WHY SHELTERS SHOULD ANSWER THE PHONE: I got a request for help from Debbie Bryan. I’m leaving out the name of the shelter – it’s not a municipal shelter and it struggles for funding, like all of us -- because I don’t know what the circumstances were there. Maybe there was a hostage crisis or a burglar took the phones or maybe, like everybody else, they’re strapped for cash and can’t hire someone to answer the phones. At any rate, this is one reason shelters and rescue groups must have dependable communications.
Debbie writes, “I have been working with a couple trying to help them adopt a German Shepherd puppy or mix and they have one they would like to adopt from NAME WITHEHELD. However, they cannot get anyone to answer the phone or answer their e-mail. Can you contact someone and have them get back with me at [email protected].?
“They are a wonderful couple and have already been approved by Good Shepherd Rescue in Plano, but all their dogs are young adults. The litter from NAME WITHHELD caught their eye. I'd appreciate any help you can give.”
OK, here’s my little bit of advice to the shelter: “PICK UP THE PHONE.”
A BREAK FOR BINGO: This dog’s photo first showed up on Monday in a note sent around by Homeward Bound Animal Rescue’s Gina Piner who was trying to get Bingo off death row at the Arlington Animal Shelter.
Bingo was dodging the needle left and right and the clock was ticking.
One of our former colleagues at the big paper in Dallas, animal fan Mary Ellen Botter, sent me a note about helping Bingo and she really captured the emotion when she wrote, “These things are so sad. They hurt my heart.”
Isn’t that precisely what happens!
Gina had written on Thursday that Bingo had made it out of the shelter briefly, but had been brought back and was, again, at peril. She asked, “Can anyone take this very sweet, beautiful boy before it's too late?  He walks well on a leash and is very sweet, docile, calm and quiet!”
Arlington Animal Services has many, many animals awaiting either help or a bad fate.
But Bingo got a break. Gina told me this morning, “Bingo has been  tagged for rescue, so he is safe -- as long as they will still take him if he is heartworm positive.” He’s being tested today.
If he’s positive, Gina says, “Maybe there are backup groups that will take him that have emailed to tag as well.” (If you’d liked to be a backup for Bingo, e-mail [email protected].)
MEANWHILE IN THE COLONY: The Colony’s Animal Control Division Manager Patricia Barrington sent me a bucketful of photos of adoptables currently on the clock at that city’s shelter. All are entertaining or handsome or cute or adorable.
And there are some who are special cases.
She says that Sophie and Buster are a pair and the shelter is hoping to adopt them out together.
Buster is a 6-year-old Border Collie/Chow mix. And Sophie is a 6-year-old Chihuahua. As you can see in the photo, they are comfortable with each other. Or, in the words of the shelter assessment, “they are really BFFs in the truest sense.“
If you don’t know what BFF is, get someone under 30 to tell you.
That cat is Cheshire, somewhere between 3 and 5 years old, and gifted with a coat that will require daily brushing.
To ask about any animal at The Colony, e-mail [email protected] or call 972-370-9250. You can see more of the Colony’s adoptable HERE.
 WHAT’S UP WITH THE TEXAS PUPPY MILL LAW? A pretty swell explanatory story is available courtesy of the fine online newspaper, The Texas Tribune. Read reporter Christopher Smith Gonzalez’ explanation of the latest delay by clicking HERE..
THE LATEST ON PUPPY: You may recall that yesterday we told the story of Lorraine Johme and her co-worker trying to help a young dog – the runt of the litter – left in the backyard of a home to live a lonely and sickly life. Lorraine promised to update us when the dog was moved to safety. It isn’t a happy story – and it may not be one. But it has an element of humanity. We have to remember that for all the jerks on the planet, there are at least two or three people trying to take up the slack.
This is a photo of Puppy. It was taken a few months ago when Puppy was robust and healthy. Now he is weak, emaciated and in despicable condition.
Lorraine tells the story: “We went and picked up Puppy yesterday. He wouldn’t get up on his feet so my co worker jumped the fence and picked him up.
“The vet took him in right away and did a fecal and he tested positive for parvo.
““The cost to treat him is $275 if we could bring him in daily or $800 to leave him there. We decided since we didn’t have the resources to keep him away from other dogs we should euthanize him as the vet didn’t think he would make it through the treatment.”
I’m going to stop right here, Dear Readers, to tell you that there are humans who see hope in the wag of a tail.
Lorraine says, ““As she [the vet] went to take him out of the door he started wagging his tail which was the first sign that he acted like he had a little bit left in him.
“She turned around and said, ‘I can’t put this dog to sleep after he started wagging his tail like that,’ so we decided to start treating him and she says we will know in 2 days if he will have a chance to pull through. “We talked to the owner after returning from the vet and told him that Puppy had parvo, He says the dog was up to date on all his shots as were all his dogs and that they don’t leave the yard so he doesn’t know how that could have happened.
“I told him the vet says he needs to clean up the dog feces in his backyard because there is a chance his adult dogs could come down with the parvo. He acted a little concerned, but it was almost like he was relieved his problem was gone. I thought maybe it was just me but my co-worker felt it was an act. After I left my co-worker said the neighbor let one of his adult dogs right out in the backyard.
“We did find out Puppy isn’t quite nine months old so he isn’t really a puppy like some may think. I will keep you updated and my hopes are to get him back on his feet and find him a forever home where he won’t be put in the backyard to live out his life alone.”
The vet whose heart was moved by the wag of a dog’s tail is D’Anne Stephens. I asked Lorraine if it would be OK for me to list the vet’s address in case people wanted to help with Puppy’s vet costs. The address is D’Anne Stephens DVM, 1811 E. Park Row Drive, Arlington, Texas, 76010. You can call 817-277-1195.
Maybe Puppy will make it. Parvo is tough to beat.
But Puppy has a good vet, Lorraine says. “She was wonderful --- very hands-on and caring.”
CONTEMPLATION: You’ve got enough to think about today. Try to come up with a way to get the population of the entire City of Dallas working on behalf of animals and the Dallas Animal Services Shelter and Adoption Center. No hill for a stepper, as the WWII boys used to say. Pro-bono ad campaigns. Skywriting? Tax breaks for doing something good for animals? Bribes? Rewards? Free chocolate? Speaking as a taxpaying citizen of Dallas, we just can’t be this awful, can we?
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