Glowing dog, shelter critters and unsettling moments...

Here we go, typing with a cup of coffee and a puzzled look after a weekend in which gasoline at my usual filling station was 20 cents cheaper than it was the weekend before.
Yeah, just another one of your mysteries of modern life.
Speaking of modern life, here’s an expanded version of a photo we ran last week (click on it to make it larger). It appears to show a glowing white dog standing guard while a momma and pups eat.
Tawana Couch, the rescuer who photographed this scene, points out the cross in the background. More later today on the chilling adventure Tawana had while trying to help these dogs.
DALLAS AND ANIMALS: Some cases from the weekend stretch into Monday and maybe beyond. They’re all special cases – and, of course, all animals in shelters are special cases. Why are they in shelters? Strays, runaways, born there and, of course, surrendered by owners or finders.
There are seven dogs and a cat on the “Very Special Pets” euthanasia list for Tuesday at DAS – these animals are healthy and adoptable and have had no human interest for at least 45 days. (There are plenty of other animals in the shelter who haven’t been there that long and who face a bad end if humans don’t step up and rescue them.)
Among the cats is this 15-pounder – kind of sizeable – a calico named Myla.
And the dogs include Coco (see Friday’s report), and an obvious Earhound named Elvisee, a 3-month-old, 15-pound Shepherd mix.
Then, there’s the Hypnotic Dog Scottie – check out that gaze.  Scottie is an 8-month-old, 33-pound Husky mix, they say.  Obviously, with those eyes, Scottie could work as a nightclub hypnotist. Now, he’s just trying to find an audience that’ll take him home.
These dogs and cats are all on the clock for Tuesday.
To adopt e-mail [email protected], [email protected] or [email protected] or call  214-671-0249 or 214-670-8312.  (To get them into a rescue group, the contact is [email protected] or call 214-670-8298.
All are adoptable at reduced fees: $27 for the cats and $43 for the dogs. (Usually $55 for cats and kittens and $85 for dogs and puppies.  Get all the details at dallasanimalservices.org.
ANIMAL SHELTER COMMISSION MEETS THURSDAY: The next Dallas Animal Shelter Commission Meeting is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. Thursday in Room 6E South at Dallas City Hall and the agenda is available for viewing at the City Secretary’s website HERE:
New business includes updates on the Dallas Companion Animal Project (the no-kill task force), the shelter make-over, hiring updates, civil animal cruelty seizure cases updates, etc.
Probably someone will mention the Justice Vigil, maybe euthanasia rates will come up in the shelter report, possibly someone will discuss the use of temporary employees to perform key shelter duties. Stand by. It's open to the public -- this is a democracy, you know.
A JUSTICE NOTE: On Saturday, the burned dog Justice was buried at Tooth Acres Cemetery and the funeral drew quite a few people, among them our pal Della Wallace whose comments were captured in the WFAA-TV story HERE. What’s left in this case now is (a) prosecution of Darius Ewing – who could plead out and dodge a trial, I guess; (b) possible other arrests and (c) some way to increase prison time beyond the 10-year point. (Anybody working on that? Is it on the agenda for the Texas Humane Legislative Network for the next session of the Texas Legislature?)
BRIEF NOTES (MAYBE):
---Collin County Animal Services volunteer shelter walker Allison Roberts reports that the McKinney facility had a slow weekend and “not many dogs got out….still a very critical situation at CCAS – could really use some rescue help.” (Contact points: e-mail both [email protected] and [email protected] )  [Larry aside:  Lots of “big ol’ black dawgs” at CCAS and you know what lousy companions they make – at Readlarrypowell.com we’ve only had four or of five of them through the years and that’s only because we’re suckers for dear, charming, mannerly, loving dogs, the rotten rascals. Nah, don't give these dogs a chance -- they'll just worm their ways into your hearts and make you happy to have them as friends. Rotten, I tell ya, rotten.]
-- We’ll let determined Burns Flat, Okla., rescuer Terry Lynn Fisher’s words explain this big ol’ dawg Blue. She writes, “This boy is absolutely stunning. He belongs to a family from hell. They chose to let him run the streets and being big and pit, neighbors call every day. They [animal control] had a call on him last night, and the police got involved so, he is finally off the streets. I need him out as soon as possible. I had a possible offer for foster, but he would have to be vetted first. … I [the Burns Flat shelter [am in complete overflow. They just brought two more in. I need help now. I feel like I am drowning here.” (Call Terry Lynn at 580-330-1459 or e-mail [email protected].]
THE ANGEL DOG AND AN ENCOUNTER WITH AN ODD FELLOW: Last week we mentioned veteran rescuer Tawana Couch’s attempts to help some dogs at a vacant lot in southeastern Oak Cliff near the Veteran’s Hospital.
You may recall the special “glow” on the white dog, a male who appeared to stand guard while a momma and her puppies ate.
(In this photo you can see a cross in the background and the “aura” the sun created on the white coat of the boy dog.”)
Here’s the unsettling event that went on Saturday, from Tawana’s report: “This afternoon was bad. I was getting very close to the dogs. Mama ate out of my hand and puppies [also]. Close angel dog watching over all of us. Then I see a guy across the street. Next thing I know he comes running at me. I was able to jump back into my car and haul out but the parking lot by the [weed] lot is a church (Even more interesting the angel dog is by a church) and they had the exit blocked off so I had to turn around. At this point the crazy guy starts running after the dogs and chases them into the bushes. Then he starts at my car again. I got out [of there]. I did go around the block and he was chasing one of the puppies. Now I am scared for the dogs and puppies. We have to get them out.”
To offer to help, e-mail [email protected].
[Larry aside: Yes, now and then rescuers face people who don’t seem to have it all together. Not that I’m going to buy into the angelic aura on that dog  as being anything other than sunlight teaming with a cell phone cam, but, you know, Tawana has been doing this a long time and, well, I guess it’s possible that the white dog belongs to her guardian angel. She’s gone into some places where you’d need a guardian angel and a devoted guard dog.]
CONTEMPLATIONS: When it comes to re-establishing routine, is Monday the roughest morning? Bound to be a study somewhere that says more coffee is poured on Monday morning than any other day. And there is a flock of mockingbirds -- a herd, maybe -- in the trees and shrubs near our front window and each of those rascals is running through an extra loud and vigorous performance of his repertoire. This cocaphony is so loud it may be affecting the rotation of the earth. I swear, these birds are celebrating spring with an amazing concert. I'm taking aspirin. … Not keeping up with basketball has allowed me not to realize until this morning that this Los Angeles Laker thug Metta World Peace with the vicious elbow to the side of an opponent’s head is actually Ron Artest, the player who, several years ago, went into the stands during a notorious brawl and was suspended. “Metta” is said to be a Pali word meaning “good will and non-violence.”  Irony, eh? … This is, by the way, National Work Zone Awareness Week. Why is that? Because it’s takes less time to point out where people are working than where they’re not working? Just a thought.
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