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Barkley's Halloween salutations & a Dallas delivery...

As you can see, Barkley is an incredibly patient dog. He rooms with our tipster Karen Lee and hubby Dennis.
She sent this out on Halloween morning and wrote, "We wanted to share all the great Halloween’s from Barkley’s past!!  Happy Howl-o-Ween to All!!"
What's the story of this Halloween-happy dog? Karen explains, "Barkley was rescued as a stray by homeward bound animal rescue and went into a foster home and named buddy.   We adopted him 16 yrs ago on Halloween weekend and we figure he is now about 18 as he was thought to be about 2 when we adopted him.  He's always been a ham for the camera and a very good sport. He is now deaf and almost blind but is still a puppy at heart!   We remain in touch with his foster mom who tells us all the time that she will take him back if it doesn't work out!!  Haha!!!  It' worked out beautifully!!!!!"
***
REMEMBER THIS DOG FROM YESTERDAY? Yes, we posted this photo yesterday of a pregnant dog in East Dallas. Denise Victor, who usually deals with feral cats, spotted her and a limping companion.
She sent out a request for help, which you may have read here.
And here's the update as of around noon today. Denise writes, "I did get a foster, however when I went back to the place I feed her she came running up no longer pregnant. She’d had the puppies somewhere. I followed her after she ate but she went and sat in a field.
"I went back there this morning and walked and called her up and down several streets but she never showed up. I’m pretty sure she’ll come back for food and hopefully lead me to the puppies.
"I also had an anonymous donor say she’d vet and board all dogs if I could get them."
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Halloween treats and challenges...

Hello, Halloween.
Exciting, isn’t it? How many of you are reading this in costume?
Come on – you know that Readlarrypowell.com has the One-Way Camera App in the masthead – almost unnoticeable.
Madam, you look fabulous. … Oh. Sorry. Sir, you look fabulous.  This camera is a really handy app.
That is our staff impersonator Inky, the Cocker Laureate of the State of Texas, giving us his impression of a second-grade trick-or-treater rushing up onto a spooky front porch with an elaborate Halloween scene and spotting a big steaming platter of Mom’s Bewitching Meatloaf and a sign that says, “Take one scoop only, add a ladle of Goblin Gravy and drop into the bottom of your bag.”
That dog on the right? That’s Inky as a Lab mix – I’m kidding. That’s an “I’m in a shelter? Son of a gun, this could be bad” mug shot for 8-Ball, a dog in the Irving Animal Shelter. More on him later in today’s edition.
Ah, Halloween, gateway to Thanksgiving – and yesterday I spotted a carton of egg nog for sale at the neighborhood grocery store. It was The First Nog of the Season. Trick or treat, happy Thanksgiving and merry Christmas to all.
Now, or topics for the day:
THE DAS CHALLENGE: We got a tip this AM that Dr. Cate McManus of Dallas Animal Services had challenged DAs staffers to do 550 adoptions in October. This is the last day, as you calendar watchers know. The staff is 29 adoptions short of reaching 550, we’re told.
All adoptions are half-off now and the Very Special Pet animals (they’ve been in DAS 45 days or longer without a nibble) are free – no fee at all.In September, DAS adopted 488, a shelter source reports. The shelter is open until 6:30 p.m. It’s a I-30 and Westmoreland. The DAS link is HERE  or the FAcebook page HERE.
That little white dog is A746756 and the DAS PetFinder site lists her as a “Toy Fox Terrier.” And (Larry aside), if she’s a Toy Fox Terrier, I am a Radio City Music Hall Rockette wearing stiletto heels and fishnet stockings.
The other dog is the young Claudine (741413). She is a Miniature Albino Grizzly Bear mix. I’m kidding. She’s also not a Rockette, but she is available to become a great companion.
 PUPPIES AND KITTENS: We have a couple of stories on the topics of puppies and kittens.
One has to do with a litter that isn’t in a shelter; the other is about a litter that is in a shelter.
In the City of Dallas, you can find both.
---For example, tipster Erin Warren sent this one to us – yes, those are currently yard dogs. And that is their Mom with the spigots.
Erin’s note read, “A young couple found this female dog at White Rock Lake in midsummer.  They later realized she was pregnant.  Meanwhile the couple has a 2 ½-year- old kid and just had a baby 4 weeks ago and two other dogs.  The puppies and mother dog need rescue help ASAP.  They were just wormed and given DHPP and Bordetella …. 3 males and 3 females DOB 9/7/12.  The mom weighs about 25-30 pounds, is housetrained and [has a] great personality.  The couple does not have many resources. … They will take them to the shelter soon if they can’t find help.”
The number to call to offer help is 469-236-7216 or email [email protected].
---Meanwhile, the Dallas Animal Services rescue team sent out a plea about cats. It read that the team wants “to focus on some of the felines we have here at DAS.  With the weather getting colder you would think we would see less kittens and cats being brought to the shelter.  Unfortunately that is not the case.  We have lots of kittens and some beautiful mature cats.”
Keep in mind that young kittens under two pounds are likely to be euthanized by the shelter – it’s a standard practice because they are considered to have lousy immune systems and will foment disease in the shelter.
Next time your unfixed cat has a litter and you take the fresh kittens to the shelter to “find good homes,” consider that fatal possibility. And, while you’re at it, get your cat fixed. No matter where you are in Dallas, there’s a cheap or no-cost spay/neuter program. And a one-time visit to a clinic is a lot less annoying than trying to find homes for a box of kittens in a town that’s already lousy with roaming cats and dogs.
To ask about these kittens, email [email protected]. To ask abut adopting email [email protected]. You can see the animals in person at the shelter at I-30 and Westmoreland
What’s the deal with these three kittens? (They are A750704, A750707, A750709.)
DAS Rescue reports, “They are only about 5 weeks old making them too young for our adoption program.  These poor babies were caught in a trap and then brought here.  They are a bit fearful but young enough that they can be worked with.”
A rescue group will have to work with them. Or it’s curtains for kitties.
A HURRICANE-RELATED NOTE: We noticed during the Hurricane Sandy assault that The Hamptons were being battered pretty ferociously and we wondered how this would affect the efforts of the Society for Companion Animals – as you may recall, longtime rescuer Tawana Couch founded the organization to focus on getting dogs out of the Dallas Animal Services shelter, then out of town via airliner. Many of those rescued dogs have gone to The Hamptons.
Tawana reports, that her contacts at ARF (Animal Rescue Fund of the Hamptons) say the system is still go. ARF also is planning on rescuing dogs from New York City. “They are without electricity and internet, but are determined to save the dogs,” Tawana says.
THE IRVING DOGS: We’ve reported many times on legendary shelter walker Russell Posch’s efforts to help get dogs out of the Irving Animal Services Shelter by spotlighting them with his camera. This morning we clicked HERE to see the Earhounds waiting for homes in the Irving shelter and found a passel of them – mostly Chihuahuas.
But, as regular visitors to Readlarrypowell.com know, we are also hooked on big ol’ black dogs and believe them to be extraordinary companions. Heck, all dogs are extraordinary companions.
But the face of 8-Ball caught us. He’s a youngish owner-surrender. Yes, someone gave up this dog, dropped a friend off at a city shelter. And that his great face. He looks like he has just been told he is on the clock – that’s what goes on at city shelters: taxpayers pay the shelters to kill the unwanted animals.  That’s immoral, isn’t it.
Click on Russell’s photos HERE and see the animals on Death Row.
The shelter phone numbers are 972-721-2256 or 972-721-2257. The shelter hours are 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Friday (try working those hours into your daily work/pick up the kids schedule) and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday – it’s closed on Sunday and Monday.
It’s a big city shelter. That’s why there are lots of dogs and cats.  And it’s not the people inside the shelter who determine the fate of these animals, it’s the people outside of the shelter. The people who don’t spay and neuter, aren’t responsible with the care and housing of their animals and are unconcerned about anything but themselves. Those are the hearts that have to change to keep Death Row empty.
SOME UPDATES:
-- Blue the Chained Rottie is still an unsolved situation. Alicia Petroff reports to us, “There are a few rescue people I am talking to about Blue.  I still have to get [the owner] to sign the release and then set up a day for them to come out. …  I will let you know what happens.”
So, Blue may be on the way to a better life than being unwanted at the end of a chain designed to hold logs on pulpwood trucks.
Offers have been made to board the dog, so it's the devil in the details that are stalling the deal.
-- Our longtime tipster and veteran rescuer Johnna Bigley tells us there is positive movement in the case of three dogs dumped along Mallow Bridge Road in southeast Dallas.
These are those dogs – living in a wooded area on the side of the road where they were apparently dumped. As you may know, such dumping of dogs is against the law in the State of Texas – so if you recognize the dogs and know who dumped them, drop a dime on the evil SOBs (pardon my entirely accurate French).
Johnna reports, “The one limping was caught yesterday.  Pamela McBrayer took her to KCAAP (Kaufman County Animal Awareness Project) for shots and the vet discovered she has a fever and infection believed to be pyrometria.  He didn't want to vaccinate her because of that so he put her on antibiotics and she's scheduled for an emergency spay…
”We're trying to raise funds for her care and for vetting of the other two once they're caught.
”There's a request to Duck Team 6 for help catching the other two but we have to make sure they have a place to go first.  If you run across anyone wanting to help with their vetting, Pamela’s Paypal email address is [email protected].”
You may also call 972-741-7437.
--WHAT OF THE BIG DOG? You may recall the story of this big ol’ dog who’d become accustomed to lounging in a North Dallas neighborhood near Coit and Arapaho.
Our tipster in the case, Bj Ries sent us a copy of a note from the folks who decided to take the Big Black Dog.
It was sent to “all of Big Boy’s fan club and begins, “We are calling him that, along with ‘Buddy’ -- not sure so far.
”We feel very blessed that our Big Black Dog has found us. We have been petless for about a year now and felt like eventually, someone who needed us would find us --- it looks like that has happened in our own backyard, so to speak.
”Jerry had seen Big Boy several nights when he was walking and had even set out food for him, but he never would come close enough to touch. Yesterday, when we first got him, he was very timid and cowered at our touch. Jerry had to pick up him up to take him outside and then to bring him back inside. He seemed too frightened to even walk, although not injured or unhealthy.
”He is eating and in the 24 hours that he's been home with us, he's warmed up somewhat and is doing a little exploring in our house. He seems to want to be in the same room with us and we're confidant he'll feel like part of the family soon. “We are going to wait a few days for him to meet our 5 granddaughters as we don't want to overwhelm him.
”We also will take him to our vet in a few days, when he might be more willing to walk in on his own. We'll keep all of his fans informed of his progress and hopefully you'll see him out with Jerry soon on his nightly walks.”
De’andrea Meyers finished her note with a heartfelt, “Thanks for all your concern and compassion for our furry family,”
Yes, this big black dog goes from being a neighborhood wanderer to “family member” because people teamed up to help him.
It’s a lesson for all neighborhoods. Save the dog, don’t “shoo” the dog.
And, since this is Texas, “Don’t shoot the dog, either.”
CONTEMPLATION: Probably people who are reading this don’t need to be told to protect your animals on Halloween – and to make sure that your dogs are properly restrained when you open your door to greet strangers on the porch. You don’t want a protective dog breaking through the door to clear the porch of strangers. It happens. Not the dog’s fault. It’s the human’s fault. Idiots. … Honestly, I miss the State Fair of Texas – it’s always a comfort to know that the show is running. And, of course, we’re anxious to see the new Big Tex – I hope he looks like the Old Big Tex. Some things ought to stay pretty much the same. … Enjoy Halloween. And let us know if you encounter any genuinely eerie people. You never know what walks the streets of Dallas when the sun goes down. You see how eerie they are in the daylight; no telling what happens at night.
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PM Edition: So you never see a stray?

 

A CHALLENGE ON THE EAST SIDE: Denise Victor is trying to find help for this dog who appears to be expectant.
Denise writes, “I have come upon this pregnant Boxer mix. She looks like she is about to give birth any day now. She’s in East Dallas at Haskell and Dolphin Roads. I’m not sure exactly where she stays but she has been around the last couple of weeks when I feed my ferals.
”She has a running buddy, too. He’s either been hit by a car or has arthritis. He walks stiffly and has a hard time getting down to his food. He doesn’t come to me but she does. I can give her treats and pet her. I have not tried to put a leash on her.”
The challenge is getting the dogs to safety.
Denise asks, “Can anyone take her in before she has her puppies? I’m so afraid for her and her babies. I have nowhere to put her. My 5 dogs (one current rescue who has cost me quite a bit) are all I can manage right now.
”Is there a vet that would be willing to donate space?”
Email [email protected] or call 214-675-0520.
[Larry aside: This post is dedicated to people who swear they never see strays in Dallas. There’s one who is about to give birth to more.]
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On Tuesday, animals wait...

Here we go with Tuesday’s report – Election Day is a week away. And you were starting to think the campaign was never-ending.
QUICK NOTES: The first 25 adoptions at Collin County Animal Services today will cost only $25, according to a note from CCAS volunteer coordinator Miranda Fick. They’re calling it The Fast and The Furriest Adoption Special. (We got the email late last night or I’d have mentioned it earlier.) As has been reported here, CCAS is so full the temp cages are lining up. No adoptions, then euthanasia starts. The shelter is at 4750 Community Avenue in McKinney and is open 9 a.m. to 5 pm. Tuesday-Friday and noon to 5 p.m. on weekends – closed Mondays. That dog is Phantom, a 4-year-old terrier mix who is waiting for a home or the needle. … The Carrolton Animal Shelter is having an extraordinarily slow week for adoptions and rescues. And there are more animals than usual scheduled for euthanasia at the end of the workday.  We reported on this situation yesterday and, yes, that great dog is Odoe – 11 years old and surrendered to a shelter. Email [email protected]; call 972-466-3420.
FREE DOGS AND CATS AT DALLAS ANIMAL SERVICES: That line, as you may suspect, has a double meaning: (1) set the animals free and (2) you can adopt animals without a fee. And, I guess, adoption is the happiest way to set them free.
They are the VSP animals – “Very Special Pets” in the shelter for more than 45 days without a nibble.
There are three animals on the “Due Out” list for today. “Due Out” means this is the day they’re leaving either by adoption, rescue or the needle. The shelter, to put a positive spin on things, changed it from “euthanasia date” a couple of weeks ago.  But the clever folks among us know what “due out” means.
That cat is Cleocatra. She’s “due out” by November 9 – she’s on the “next” list. [Our thanks to Texas Humane Alliance's Jonnie England for the photo of Cleocatra. DAS just sent a list.]
To ask about rescuing these animals, email  [email protected] and to ask about adopting, email [email protected]. The shelter is at I-30 and Westmoreland. Look for Cleocatra’s barge as you cross the Trinity River.
Today’s “Due out” list includes:
AD# 80 – A# 739023  German Shepherd Mix  Red/Wht  “Rusty”  F/S  2 yrs 1 mo  46 lbs (9/1/12)
PAWS# 6 – A# 738968  Lab Mix  Tan  “Sissy”  F/S  2 yrs 2 mos  45 lbs  (8/31/12)
PAWS# 8 – A# 738756  Lab/ACD Mix  Wht/Blk  “Boots”  M/N  5 mos  30 lbs  (8/29/12)
And the “due out” list for the 9th includes:
AD# 1 – A# 740346  Pit Bull Mix  Wht/Tan  “Snow”  F/S  8 mos  34 lbs  (9/11/12)
AD# 2 – A# 740974  Pit Bull  Blk/Wht  “Snoop”  M/N  2 yrs 1 mo  61 lbs  (9/15/12)
AD# 6 – A# 740860  Pit Bull  White  “Sean”  M/N  1 yr 1 mo  50 lbs  (9/14/12)
AD# 7 – A# 741071  Pit Bull  Tan/Wht  “Carmel”  F/S  1 yr 7 mos  42 lbs  (9/16/12)
AD# 21 – A# 740445  Pit Bull Mix  Brn/Wht  “Shorty”  F/S  9 mos  42 lbs  (9/12/12)
AD# 25 – A# 740978  Lab Mix  Blk/Wht  “Bear”  M/N  5 yrs  73 lbs  (9/15/12)
AD# 29 – A# 741128  Chihuahua  Red  “Sandy”  F/S  1 yr 1 mo  9 lbs  (9/17/12)
AD# 31 – A# 741281  Akita Mix  Brn/Blk  “Maximus”  M/N  1 yr 1 mo  50 lbs  (9/17/12)
AD# 33 – A# 741413  Pit Bull  Tan/Wht  “Claudine”  F/S  6 mos  28 lbs  (9/18/12)
AD#  36 – A# 741375  Great Pyrenees Mix  Wht/Brn  “Brindi”  F/S  5 yrs  63 lbs  (9/18/12)  HW +
AD# 37 – A# 741482  Pit Bull  Blk/Wht  “Macie”  F/S  2 yrs 1 mo  50 lbs  (9/18/12)
AD# 51 – A# 740344  Pit Bull Mix  Brown Brindle  “Cherry”  F/S  2 yrs 1 mo  42 lbs  (9/11/12)
AD# 64 – A# 740885  Shepherd/Pit Bull Mix  Brn/Blk  “Lilly”  F/S  2 yrs 1 mo  45 lbs  (9/14/12)
AD# 66 – A# 740918  Shepherd/Pit Bull Mix  Brindle  “Lesley”  F/S  1 yr 1mo  35 lbs  (9/14/12)
AD# 72 – A# 741087  Pit Bull/Shepherd Mix  Blk/Wht  “Jizzel”  M  1 yr 1 mo  45 lbs  (9/16/12)
AD# 76 – A# 741001  Australian Shepherd Mix  Blk/Wht  “Kali”  F  1 yr  30 lbs  (9/15/12)
AC# 15 – A# 740367  DSH  Gray  “Bianca”  F  2 yrs 1 mo  8 lbs (9/11/12)
AC# 29 – A# 741632  DSH  Dil Tortie  “Precious”  F  11 mos  9 lbs  (9/19/12)
AC# 45 – A# 740685  DSH  Gray  “Cleocatra”  F/S  13 mos  7 lbs  (9/13/12)
STAR # 5 – A# 740880  DMH  Wht/Brn Tabby  “Bella”  F/S  2 yrs  6 lbs  (9/14/12).
You think this list is long? You ought to see the “due out” list of animals that aren’t “Very Special Pets.” That’s the horde of unwanted animals that drives the number of animals killed in the taxpayer-financed Dallas Animal Services shelter up to the total of thousands and thousands and thousands annually.
You want photos? They’re on Petharbor.com, the shelter says. And you can see some of them on the DAS Facebook page HERE.
BEFORE YOU SCHEDULE THAT AUCTION: There’s a news story going around that the singer Usher paid $12,000 for a Goldendoodle puppy at a charity auction in New York. Before anybody jumps up in Dallas and decides to make quick charity money by auctioning off a puppy, consider that you’d be breaking the law. Dallas outlawed such auctions in 2008. You can read about it on a Metroplex Animal Coalition site HERE. A glance at assorted stories on line fails to reveal where the Goldendoodle came from and, as all responsible animal people know, the Goldendoodle (while thoroughly adorable) is not an actual breed. It’s a mutt. A mix of Golden Retriever and Poodle which means it’s not a purebred. But, you know, just like purebreds, you can find them in local animal shelters and rescue groups for a lot less than $12,000.
CONTEMPLATION: Saturday morning the power failed in our hurricane-free Oak Cliff neighborhood. It was out about 90 minutes. On Saturday night, in the 8th inning of the third World Series game, when Detroit still appeared to have a chance, the cable TV suffered a neighborhood-wide outage that would last beyond midnight before “innage” was restored. “Transformer in the morning” and “cable at night” makes you wonder, “Terrorist Squirrels?” Then you shudder. After all, no telling what organized squirrels can do to plumbing. … While reading about an injured football player, I ran across a quote that said the player had “already begun the process of prehabilitation prior to surgery.” The term “prehabilitation” sounded like a made up word – sure enough, it’s a term for getting physically fit for surgery. Sometimes these words will aggravate a condition called retroprelexiconoraphicinsanity, i.e., you were nuts, regained composure, then saw this word and got nuts all over again. … When I was a kid in the semiurbanicnearrural (made up that word) Texarkana, Texas, the night before Halloween was known by some as “Beggars’ Night,” when you could pre-Trick-or-Treat. If someone rings your doorbell to make a demand tonight, relax, it’s probably just a politician costumed as a human and hustling votes.
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Pressure on a shelter, pressure on a person

Sometimes a shelter needs help; sometimes an individual needs help. Always, the animals need help.
CROWDING AT THE COLONY: The Colony Animal Control issued an afternoon appeal that sure looks like an emergency.
The shelter just a few minutes north of Dallas is overloaded right now.
It has cut adoptions to $20 – rescue groups pay nothing.
Our contact, Patricia Barrington, the Animal Control Division Manager, reports, “We are currently putting dogs in outdoor runs and will have to make space e to get everyone indoors before we go home.”
They don’t make space by adding a room to the shelter.
So, dogs such as these two are facing an awful fate come the end of the work day.
That delightful Maltese mix is Sis. She’s about 2, is spayed and has had her rabies shot.
That handful fellow is Duke, a “5-year-old Husky-type boy with a wonderful attitude.” He’s vaccinated and neutered.
To ask about these dogs or any animal in The Colony, e-mail [email protected] or call 972-370-9250.
THERE THERE’S THIS ONE: As the afternoon rolled on, we got this note – and it shows that not only do shelters have deadlines, but so do good-hearted people who juggle things as long as they can to help a critter.
Shirley Reynolds says this Miniature Pinscher – he’s on a grooming table in the photo – showed up on her front porch in North Dallas on Oct. 20. “Ran right up to me and, of curse, I picked him up. He had two puncture wounds on his head, which I have doctored.”
She’s run the usual traps to try to find the MinPin’s people – neighborhood alerts, putting up flyers, went to 3 vets with him (no chip) and “called the MinPin Club and they cannot take him as they have 29 in rescue.”
(Larry aside: There are MinPins in shelters all over the place – for example, the folks at The Colony are trying to find homes for George and Toby, a couple of MinPin-Rat Terrier Mixes. No doubt Dallas Animal Services has MinPins or dogs that look like MinPins – maybe even cats that look like MinPins.)
Shirley writes, “I really don't know what else to do but I cannot keep him. I have my limit of animals, according to the Dallas ordinance. So unless someone has an in with a rescue organization I am going to have to turn him over to DAS. I really don't want to do that but I have no other choice. I have given him through tomorrow. I have to go back to work on Tuesday.
To help this handsome dog, email [email protected].
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On National Oatmeal Day, some things are hard to chew...

Welcome to National Oatmeal Day.
No sense bringing up that Dallas Cowboys game – so, we’ll start our day with oatmeal.
Some will choose to celebrate with a cookie.
That dog? Not named Oatmeal. But could be if you adopted her.
Keep reading and you’ll learn about this anxious mother and her six turned-in puppies.
She doesn’t look exactly comfortable inside a shelter box, does she?
Not the only uncomfortable, unwanted animal in North Texas.
CARROLLTON’S CRITTERS: Over the weekend we got a note from the Carrolton Animal Rescue Enterprise folks – also known as the Carrollton animal shelter – and it include a photo of this big green iguana and the revelation “ADOPTED.” (Larry aside: Pretty sure October is not a National Adopt-a-Shelter-Lizard Month.)
Why was a 2 ½ -foot-long iguana in a city animal shelter? Chico the Iguana’s human was going off to college and either Chico didn’t pass the admission exam or the college dorm had a rule against big lizards. Two-year-old Chico was uprooted, moved to a shelter along with his special foods, a big limb to hang on, a light for day, a light for night and a cage.
This special reptile with its paraphernalia was in the shelter with a bunch of dogs and cats that don’t require such sophisticated accommodations.
Inexplicably, the easiest animals to care for wind up without anyone caring for them. But, like the big lizard, they also get dumped because Junior’s going to college or Sissy’s getting married. Sometimes dogs and cats are dumped because the family is moving from a house to an apartment.
And sometimes people just grow tired of having to be responsible.  The more responsible of the irresponsible take the dogs and cats to a shelter, but the rest just open a gate and yell “Git” or drive to a secluded spot, open the car door and shove.
Carrollton ha a big list of dogs on the brink of disaster if nobody steps up to get them to a safe haven. Call the CARE folks at 972-466-3420 or email [email protected].  Wednesday, 6 p.m. – that’s the deadline. 
Mango, that big dog (upper right) is a  Shepherd/Chow mix listed as an “older adult” and weighing it at just under 70 pounds. Owner-surrender. His “people” were moving to an apartment and couldn’t take him, so they went to a new home and he went to death row. He’s got a tumor on his leg and some little open wounds – might not be anything serious at all. But he hasn’t been through any vet exam – why waste money on that if he’s just going to get the needle, you know? Not the shelter’s fault. He’s #26966.
 Heather (#26973, left) is 5-to-7-year old Lab mix who came in as a stay. Great face. Seventy-five pounds. Nobody came looking for her. You may wonder how such a great face gets to be this old and not have someone who misses it desperately.
Bitsy (26969, brown dog right) is barely 4 months old, weighs just over 18 pounds and came in as a stray. She’ll get larger – unless the Wednesday deadline defeats her. She’s just a brown dog – plenty of those around.
Hermie? He’s #26968 and listed as a 2-to-4-year-old Shepherd mix who weighs about 30 pounds. He was a stray at a local ball park – just like Bitsy. Found in a park. Yep, probably dumped in a park, too. Hermie was wearing a harness when he was found, but no tags.
And, there is Odoe (26869), a Shepherd mix who weighs in at 41 pounds.
He is an 11-year-old dog who was an owner-surrender.
An owner-surrender at 11? We don’t know if that was the only owner he ever had. We don’t know if he was handed around before someone said, “That’s enough.”
The people who turned him in said he likes cats and is not all that happy with other dogs.
He’s 11 and in a shelter – he ought to be really disgusted by people.
But, 11 is only late middle age for some dogs and he might be just the right fellow to give a person some quiet companionship on cool autumn and winter evenings. You could probably read aloud to him and he’d listen.
Go to Carrollton’s PetFinder site HERE or visit the shelter critters on the Joe’s Animal House Facebook page HERE.
A COUPLE OF GAP OPPORTUNITIES: As you may recall, we frequently mention the Euless Trinity High School GAP Club’s animal efforts. There are ways to support this Girls Awareness Program that involve helping animals.
For example, through GAP supporter Karen Lee we learned that there’s a foster situation that needs some help.
A GAP Club foster home became overloaded and needs to find a pot for these two Dachshund mixes, Abner and Boscoe – they’re about 9 weeks old and are Doxie/Rat Terrier mixes on Mom’s side and, apparently, Handsome Passerby on dad’s side.
To offer to take up the torch of fostering with these two, email [email protected] or [email protected] or call 817-366-0120. To offer to be a GAP foster, email [email protected].
Just an FYI so you’ll know about the GAP Club, here’s the official description: “The Trinity GAP Club (Girls Awareness Program) is an all-girl's club that functions through Trinity High School in Euless, TX. The mission of Trinity GAP Club is to give these high school girls a positive outlet for their time and to show them positive alternatives for their lives. One of their community service projects is volunteering with the Euless Animal Shelter and sponsoring as many animals as their funds allow to provide spay/neuter, shots, and other vetting costs for the pets. Adoption fees collected from sponsored pets recycle back into their program so they can continue to vet as many pets as possible.”
FREE ANIMALS IN DALLAS: There is a crushing load of unwanted animals at Dallas Animal Services every day of the week. Some make it onto the VSP list – they’ve made it 45 days or longer in the shelter. Very Special Pets.
For these animals, there is no adoption fee. Just drop by and get one – it’s just about that simple. Take the critter, save a life.
DAS’s rescue team provided a long list of endanagered adoptables over the weekend. Rescue groups should ask about them at [email protected] and potential adoptors can email [email protected]. Drop by the shelter at I-30 and Westmoreland – you can’t miss it -- and meet the adoptables in person.
And don’t worry about the air-conditioning working right now – the autumn weather makes all under-performing AC systems look good.
The list is unattractively long for publication here without photos and since the photos are on PetHarbor and I don’t have the skills to easily navigate to PetHarbor to find the animals, I’m just going to hand you off to the DAS Facebook page HERE. I am told a PetHarbor link to DAS is listed somewhere, but I can’t find it. You can probably Google it, then enjoy a dynamic clickfest on PetHarbor. Read more about DAS at www.dallasanimalservices.org.
THE OPENING MOMMA: We got the tip on these animals on Sunday in a note from Allison Roberts, the volunteer shelter walker at Collin County Animal Services.
And the photo of the mommy dog hit right square on a heart nerve. No dog needs to be in that sort of a state – puzzled, anxious, unwanted.
It’s enough to make a grown man cry.
The mom and her six 2-month-old puppies – that’s who she may be hearing and looking for – were surrendered to the shelter over the weekend, Allison says. Some of the puppies have already been adopted, but Mom is still there, Allison says. Two girls and a boy puppy await homes.
There are, she reports, more than 50 adoptable dogs in the CCAS shelter as of late Su9nday. CCAS participated in the Mazie’s Mission Adopt-a-Thon over the weekend, and, she says, “We are all exhausted and still have an over-full shelter. Guess we should be used to that by now.”
How did the mom and six puppies wind up in the shelter? “A lady found the pregnant mom and kept her and the pups in her bathroom for two months,” Allison says.
So, they were in a nice quiet home with daily visits and affection and then in a shelter and lord knows what they were thinking.
The mom weighs under 40 pounds . And, of course, so do the pups – though, you never know how big they’ll get. They might grow to be just the right size.
Mom’s probably not much older than her off spring.
Here are the contact points to offer to help this family: email both [email protected] and [email protected].
CONTEMPLATIONS: Don’t you know a whole bunch of kids in the northeast are going to think of Hurricane Sandy and remember “the worst Halloween ever.” It’s the year they had to trick-or-treat in a boat. … Didn’t really enjoy the World Series – only watched the last couple of innings of two games. Still suffering from the Rangers season. And it looks like the next Super Bowl isn’t going to be all that enchanting, either. … Enjoy National Oatmeal Day. Of course, you might have missed the Oatmeal Festival at Bertram, Texas – contests included washer pitching and oatmeal box stacking. You know how tough it is to stack a round box. And, of course, you have to be really strong to pitch a washer. What? Oh. Not those washers.  I see.Here’s the LINK. The festival was back at Labor Day. Bertram (pop. about 1,300) is about 200 miles south of Dallas and about 45 miles northeast of Austin. It has never been struck by a hurricane. Flash flooding during the Oatmeal Festival will clog the streets, however.
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Big cat naps

Whoa, it’s the last weekend in October and can you believe that there are animals that still need homes this late in the year?
Usually Dallas/Fort Worth and the surrounding metrosprawl are all out of adoptables by Halloween. Am I misremembering?
Astounding, isn’t it. Rescuers and shelters have been working non-stop and, yet, animals are homeless. Why is that? Yes, you are correct. It is because people are idiots.
Oh, and part of the reason is that Casa de Critters and other homes like it only have so much room and they're full.  Mercifully, this cat doesn’t need a home. He's got one. He lets us live in it.That’s our companion Griffin.
When we got him we thought he was about 8 weeks old, but in retrospect the little fellow may have been even younger -- he was just a big cat from the start. And then he had a dynamic growth spurt.
Of all the animals that my funspouse Martha and I have run through this place, he was the only one who gave us anything.
Ringworm.
Well, not us, but he did pass it on to our big Shepherd mix, the beautifully black-coated Baby Jane Doe. Our late sweetheart was just another tough Dallas street dog, you know. Some inexpensive vet work took care of the Great Ringworm Outbreak of 2002.
Griffin then grew into a cat of such substance that when you place him in a carrier, you are required by law to put a sign on the handle that reads, “Hire a helper.”
As you can see, he is a napper. And he’s our orange (in honor of pumpkins) spotlight critter for this weekend’s Let Sleeping Dogs Lie & Napping Cats Nap. (We have others in the hopper, but it takes a while to organize the stories sometimes and our time has been strained this week – my funspouse Martha took two days off and all of our household daytime routines were pleasantly disrupted, though, of course, the cats managed to nap undisturbed.)
I mentioned how small Griffin was when we got him about a dozen years ago – as you can see, he did not stay small and now when he naps, he takes up space.
In this case, the cold snap had arrived and Griffin made his way into the living room. There’s an end table next to my desk – in a normal household it would be large enough to hold a table lamp, a candy dish and two or three frames with family photos.
In our house, a table becomes a "Cat Platform" and this one is barely big enough for this napping cat. But, that’s OK, because when he’s on the table, you don’t have to bend over and pick him up. You just roll the desk chair over to the table and pet the purring rascal. Griffin Oliver Powell – championship napper.
That second photo? He moved to my desk and flopped down on my mousepad (appropriately, I guess) for his interview. Actually, he was also on top of my mouse. I protested. He had no comment.
[To nominate a slumbering dog, cat, gecko, tortoise, macaw, monkey, brother-in-law or any beast that can nap for the spotlight in Let Sleeping Dogs Lie & Napping Cats Nap, send photos and info to [email protected]. We’d even consider running photos of sleeping bats – of course, we’ll have to wait until April when the Texas Rangers are back in town. No insomniacs on that bat rack.]
PERSONAL NOTE:This slight paragraph is a commemorative note reminding my ex-colleagues that the wretched events of 10-27-04 -- the big dismissals at the big paper in Dallas -- are not forgotten, but, more importantly, your efforts to honor the mission of journalism are not forgotten. People remember the things you did that made lives better.
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Smiling dog and the theatre of animal drama...

Look, it’s Friday. Life’s got its moments.
But then, this dog’s face also represents one of life’s moments, a happier moment. It seemed important to being a Friday column with a photo to smile about.
You’ve seen the look on a politician’s face the morning after he won an election. This may be it.
But, of course, forgive me for comparing a dog to a politician. My bad, as they say.
This is Emily and her happy photo was snapped by dog fan/rescuer Della Wallace.
What in the world was going on? Winning Lotto Texas ticket?
”This is pure bliss,” Della explains. “I was scratching her tummy.”
Yep, how many of us have not enjoyed that look when someone was scratching our tummies? If you are a politician, please don’t respond – we don’t have time for an investigation AND an election.
As you ponder that, please read on about some animals that need a person for more basics than tummy-scratching. Dallas Animal Services is trying to help one dog that was struck by a train this morning and others, including one rescued from a shelter disaster in Uvalde. Then there are other backyard crises. But there are upbeat things, too. Read on.
LET’S GET SERIOUS: In Dallas, animals are always in trouble. Too many of them roam, are unfixed, unsupervised, unloved.
Now and then they are in “custody” in a neighborhood and STILL they are in trouble.
We cite Blue the Rottweiler and BBD – the Big Black Dog—rescued yesterday in far north Dallas near Arapaho and Coit.
Both dogs need places to go and, yet, there apparently are no places to go.
Well, no places that will not immediately put them on the clock.
One is Blue, the Rottweiler living at the end of a chain in southeast Dallas. Alicia Petroff has negotiated a release with the owner, but no one will step up and take the Rottie into their rescue group or home. [If you can help Blue, email both [email protected] and  [email protected] or call 214-982-9894.] Alicia said this morning that she’d had one call from a volunteer who will transport the dog. No calls from anybody with room for a Rottie. Got to be some place in the 254 counties of Texas that has a safe place for one big dog. Surely.
On the other hand, consider the case of  the Big Black Dog of North Dallas. Neighbors and animal lovers worked together to get this dog into custody yesterday. He was limping by the time he was in hand.
We got this report this morning from Bj Ries who is our tipster in the case. The dog went to his “yard for the night” and “he howled and barked, then growled” at his hosts. “Sadly, they called animal services,” Bj says.
As it turns out, nobody came to get the dog, but he quit howling and slept overnight and ate this morning. And it looked like he might be on his way to a city shelter.
Then, shortly after 10 a.m., Bj excitedly sent this note: “Eleventh hour! A neighbor came over, very interested in taking the dog and getting him to the vet -- that is taking place as I write this. He has experience with large dogs and has had rescues in the past.”
So, stay tuned with the Big Black Dog. And if this works out, remember, this is Dallas. There’ll be another unwanted dog needing help by the time you finish reading this sentence.
FESTIVAL SATURDAY: There are so many animal-related festival scheduled Saturday that your friendly correspondent can’t keep up with all of them. I’ve mentioned a few in recent weeks (such as the DAS festival in this artowrk) and if you wonder if your favorite rescuers or shelter might be hosting a Halloween festival, Google the outfit and see if it’s noted on the traditional website or on Facebook.
We did get a note abut something new in Arlington. Susan Tandukar, our Partner of Arlington Animal Services tipster, says PAAS and Sponsor Adoptions will host their “first annual” (yep, annual, that’s the plan) “Spoktacular Howl-O-Ween” from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Sponsor Adoptions office on Saturday. That’s at 708 North Fielder in Arlington.
It’ll benefit shelter pets and “help stock the Sponsor Adoptions Pet Food Pantry.”
Admission is $5 OR three cans of pate-style canned dog or cat food per family.
Susan says the event is for people and animals and activities include face-painting, games, treats, balloon animals, a Pumpkin Patch (courtesy of Greens Produce of Arlington), fall-themed photos for critters or kids ($10), a best costume contest for pets, pumpkin decoration, raffles, etc.
The link to the Facebook page is HERE.
  Click on the art to make it larger.
NEEDS A HOME: We got the tip on this dog from our pal Sydney Busch of Friends of the Animals at Cedar Creek Lake. As you know Friends operates the world’s most successful spay/neuter clinic in Gun Barrel City. And lots of request for help with animals wind up in the Friends inbox and are distributed.
This one is about a 3-year-old purebred, microchipped, neutered, house-trained, healthy, handsome alert, smart and “easily trained” German Shepherd named Zeppelin.
How does a dog like this wind up needing a home? Ah, glad you asked. Terry Harris says she took the dog in temporarily to help her daughter and now the dog needs a place where he can get more attention.
She writes that he needs a large yard, maybe one with kids who’ll play with him – he loves to fetch. “He grew up with 2 other dogs, but prefers to be the only dog,” she says.
To ask about giving Zeppelin a home, email [email protected].
RAMBO AT DAS AND A DOG HIT BY A TRAIN: Among the animals on the most recent Dallas Animal Services rescue team’s request for help is this guy Rambo. He’s not the only animal there needing help, but we got the DAS list, then got a related email from Jonnie England, the animal advocate who serves on the Dallas Animal Shelter Commission and with the Texas Humane Alliance.
You might call it a personal testimony. The dog is Rambo, and DAS notes that Rambo came from Uvalde, Texas, -- he was among the animals “suffering and dying under terrible conditions” in the city’s shelter.
The DAS note from Danielle Fry reads, “He was rescued from that nightmare of a place and found a home. Then when he thought everything was happily ever-after a new scary thing happened: children.  Children came into his quiet haven and would not listen to him.  He didn’t want to but the little kids scared him so much, he had to bite. Now he finds himself at DAS In need of a new home, one without any children around!  Rambo is about 8 years old and is neutered.  He is sweet and quiet, making him a great companion!”
Jonnie added this note when she forwarded DAS’s appeal for help. She wrote, “This little guy seems so bewildered and sad.  I’ve visited with him twice… and he’s very attentive and eager to make you like him.  He’s good with other small dogs, too.  Oh, and he’s got a great appetite!  He’s quite a little porker and could stand to lose at least 5 pounds (or more)!  All he needs is a chance in the right home—as do all these dogs (and lots of kitties, too).”
You can ask about rescuing handsome Rambo by emailing [email protected]. If you want to adopt him, stop by the shelter at I-30 and Westmoreland. You can also email [email protected]. Check out more animals at www.dasanimalservices.org and keep up with things at the DAS Facebook page HERE.
 OH, WAIT, FOR CRYING OUT LOUD THERE’S ONE MORE DAS NOTE: Nicki Self of the Dallas Animal Services Rescue team sent this note. “Can anyone help this poor girl?  She has had a rough day. Her morning started out by getting hit by a DART train.  She can walk and has full use of all limbs. She is kinda out of it right now, but our vet thinks she might have some head trauma but otherwise seems alright.  She is approximately 3 years old, appears to be a Border Collie mix, and weighs about 20 pounds. We have started her on pain meds, but she needs to get out of here and into a quiet environment.”
To help save this dog, email [email protected] or [email protected].
A MUSICAL BASEBALL NOTE: Eric Nadel, the animal-loving broadcaster who is the legendary radio voice of the Texas Rangers, is also a big music fan and frequently tips folks to acts worth hearing. That makes him a perfect selection to emcee the “first annual” North Oak Cliff Music Festival on Nov. 3 at Lake Cliff Park, just across the Trinity River from downtown Dallas. Act include Texas tradition Joe Ely and the magnificent singer/guitarist (or maybe guitarist/singer) Carolyn Wonderland. Get the details at the festival website HERE.
CONTEMPLATIONS: I have a theory -- based on the big puppy and kitten season and the lack of sensitivity that permeates the general population of this town -- that rescues and do-gooders have finally reached maximum capacity and minimum funding simultaneously. And, as is the Dallas tradition, the ol’ rule of idiot thumb is about to prevail: “Got an animal problem? Let’s kill it.” That’s why shelters buy lethal chemicals in bulk. … Got to be some way in the computer age to keep up with available open sites for big dogs, little dogs, litters, cats, kittens, litters and a list of people who don’t care. Wait, there may not be enough computer space for that last category. … The weekend is upon us and that reminds me of 2 things: (a) Saturday is the 8th anniversary of the day the big paper excused me and a bunch of other loyal employees from further participation and (b) I’m going to stop calling my Lotto Texas selections “my lucky numbers.” So far, they ain’t.
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TWO DOGS STILL NEED HELP...

UPDATES ON BLUE AND THE BIG BLACK DOG
These aren't the only dogs that need help, but they sure seem like two of the simplest situations to resolve.
--As Martha and I returned from the American Association of University Women Book Fair in Arlington about 7 tonight, the wind was whipping cold and there was an occasional chilly drizzle.
While cooler weather is a relief from the summer heat for us, it is no relief for a dog chained to a tree and trying to avoid whatever is coming his way. I refer, of course, to Blue the Rottweiler whose story we told this morning on Readlarrypowell.com.
He can leave the hellish life on a chain if he can find a place to live – it takes people to find that place. Alicia Petroff has been working to find that safe haven.
So far, nobody is responding in a way that will get Blue off the end of that chain. If you have a constructive idea that will save him – perhaps a place to go that is dry and warm and has food – call Blue’s hopeful helper at 214-982-9894 or email [email protected].
--The Big Black Dog in the far North Dallas neighborhood has a place to sleep for one night. Then, who knows?
You may recall that this morning Readlarrypowell.com reported that the dog, who had been wandering the neighborhood for a while, was still out there and now he was limping.
Our tipster Bj Ries said that the Big Black Dog “gave in this AM and a neighbor slipped a collar on him. He never growled or nipped; I was told [he] wiggled quite a bit and then laid down for all to pet. He has rested in a crate today”
His place at a shelter fell through. Now he’s homeless (again) and, if no one steps up to help him, he’s probably going to be on the clock at a local shelter.
Big black dog walking with a limp – yeah, perfect for the adoption room at a shelter full of cute puppies and lap dogs.
To offer to help him, email [email protected] .
-- An explanation, perhaps? If you can tell me why neither of these dogs deserves the best possible human effort to save their lives, send the explanation to [email protected]. I’ll print it so the rest of us with full houses of unwanted dogs and cats can understand. Please, sign your name, too. We’ll want to nominate you for some awards.
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From animals and space to space aliens...

Some picture, huh? Thinking about saving that dog? Keep reading.
Where to start today? With The Gap Club’s Leash Across Texas fundraiser? With this oh-so-obviously very special Earhound from the SPCA of Texas?  The big Mazie’s Mission Adopt-a-thon starting tomorrow?
Or shall we unveil that story that’s going to knock this presidential election on its ear? Relax. That revelation thing simply isn’t a possibility – those ol’ dogs are in their own hunt.
What we’re going to start with is an attempt to help Blue, a dog in a tough spot in Dallas. We’ll begin with that and move on to helping cats in Fort Worth, critters around the area, the big Mazie’s Mission Adopt-a-Thon and other events. Read on:
THE BLUE PROJECT: Our pal Toni Liguori of Katy’s Promise Rottweiler Rescue www.kprr.rescuegroups.org in Austin tipped us to this story and put us in touch with Alicia Petroff in Dallas who is working to find a place for this chained Rottie Blue to go.
[FYI from Larry: That photo at the top of today’s report was snapped by Alicia after a recent rain. I cropped it a little closer in the second photo so you could see the size of the chain this dog endures each day. Click on the art to make it larger. We already have a Rottie at our house and recommend them as sweet and adorable – they don’t belong at the end of a chain. You may recall that earlier in the week we wrote about a dog that was killed by other dogs as it was chained in a yard and could not escape the attack.]
Toni wrote, “Alicia has been desperately trying to get this Dallas dog safe and properly cared for.  Based on her descriptions of the conditions (and picture…) I have supplied her with the state law, which I do believe is being flagrantly violated.  It is unacceptable that officials continue to tell her that no laws are being broken.”
That aside, Alicia has worked to get the owner’s OK to move this dog out of these conditions and into a safe haven where he can be respected and loved rather than “put to sleep” as the owner originally wanted. This dog is, by the way living in a yard on East Stark Road on the southeast Dallas.
Readlarrypowell.com asked Alicia about this effort and she told us she is trying desperately to help the dog stay out of a city shelter. She’s working with the owner to get the dog into a safe haven. “I don’t want him put to sleep.  I want him to have a better life.  I want him to be able to run and play and not be chained to a tree.  I told the owner back in July that I knew someone who could take him and he refused to let me do it and about 2 weeks ago, he came to my house and said I could find him a home because he couldn’t afford to feed him anymore so I have been feeding him for probably the last 3 weeks and making sure he has water.  I don’t know what exactly the owner is doing to not be able to afford him but I have 4 dogs myself and I CAN’T take him into my home.”
Like most rescuers in Dallas, thanks to the irresponsible attitudes of so many of our fine upstanding residents, all the extra spots for dogs and cats are full.
Here are the basics, Alicia says. “His name is Blue.  He is 2 years old.  He has papers but the person who has them won’t give them to [the owner] because he split up with his girlfriend and it’s her family.  He is current on shots.  He is very sweet but scared most of the time.  He is just now used to me coming into the yard to feed him.  He is chained to a tree because there is no fence to keep him in the yard.” 
To offer to help save this dog from death in a shelter or death by exposure or neglect or parasites or attack by roaming predators, contact Alicia at 214-982-9894 or email [email protected].
THE LEASH PROJECT: Our pal Karen Lee, one of the supporters of the Euless Trinity High School’s acclaimed GAP Club (Girls Awareness Program) sent a note this morning about a really intriguing project – Leash Across Texas, a project designed to raise funds and stretch virtual leashes from the Louisiana border on the East to the New Mexico border on the west – 879 miles or something like that.
You pledge and it adds a stretch of leash to the project. Details are HERE.
The announcement says, “GAP will be the first high school rescue group to build a virtual leash across Texas with all proceeds benefiting the Euless Animal Shelter dogs and cats!”
[Larry aside: I don’t see why Texans couldn’t draw international attention to the plight of domestic animals by doing an actual rather than virtual Leash Across Texas. I know there are bound to be 879 miles worth of leashes at our house – you just accumulate these things, you know? Still, joking aside, seems like this might be as doable as the old Hands Across America Project.]
The GAP folks think the virtual project will raise more than $3,500 for the shelter and the April 20 “fun-raiser” will be celebrated at the GAP Walk-A-Thon at the same time. Details coming on that.
This is just one of the pieces of art associated with the Leash project.
A $1 donation covers a quarter mile of the route.
The chip-in site is HERE. And if you want to help or get information, email GAP Club sponsor Stephanie Vela at [email protected].
THE BIG ADOPT-A-THON: As we mentioned earlier in the week the Second Annual Mazie’s Mission Adopt-a-Thon starts Friday evening. Relax, everyone has plenty of time to get their winter clothes out of storage. And, besides, now and then the weather people miss a forecast and instead of chilly temps, it could be beach time at the adopt-a-thon.
The 45-hour event begins at 9 p.m. tomorrow and runs through 6 p.m. Sunday in The Village at Fairview – that’s at U.S. 75 (Central for you Dallas folks and Stacy Road. Info is on that art work – click to explode it to poster size.
Now, thanks for one of the hardworking volunteers, our pal Patty Sprong, we have links to photos of the available adorables.
There’s a Facebook link HERE. And you can see some of the dogs on the Mazie’s Mission site HERE and the cats HERE.
Last year’s inaugural adopt-a-thon was a success or they wouldn’t have done a second. And, apparently, it’s getting a reputation. Patty says, “It is really going to be big though. Even Best Friends in Utah did an email blast about it. That is big! They sent it to all their partners and members within 100 miles of Dallas. O-M-G!”
TWO FOLLOWUPS: [NOONHOUR UPDATE: Bj Ries, our tipster on the big comfy dog story, tell us just before 1 p.m. that "we got him" and he's resting in a comfy kennel right now awaiting the next step in his journey to a safe haven. More to come...our earlier report today follows...] Word today is that the big ol’ comfy black dog we spotlighted yesterday – the one lounging in a far North Dallas neighborhood – is still on the lam, but there are people who are going to catch him and someone has arranged for a local no-kill to take him. Details to come as soon as he’s in custody. … No sign yet of the Golden Retriever Fabio/Brewer who went missing after a car wreck on an access road at Central at Forest on Tuesday. Search parties are still looking, we’re told.
SOME SPAY/NEUTER NOTES:
--You may recall that yesterday we mentioned a Big Fix For Big D Event Friday at the J.C. Phelps Rec Center at 3030 Tips Blvd. in Dallas. (Click on the artwork to make it larger)
Metroplex Animal Coalition President Elaine Munch said people should know that for feral cats, it’s their Zip Code of residence that matters, not the human’s. If the cats are in one of the Big Fix Zip Codes, they’re eligible for the $20 fix. And, of course, you need to make an appointment – this is, after all, surgery, not just a drive-by event. The numbers to call are on the poster but they’re also at www.bigfixforbigd.com.
--Nicole Weber of the Kaufman County Animal Awareness Project sends word that KCAAP is holding a Big Fix Bash Event at the Dallas First Church, 5606 W. Illinois Avenue from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. on November 13. it’s “family event to help promote spay/neuter for the Dallas area.” [Larry aside: Kind of chuckled at the phrasing: family event for spay/neuter. Heh, heh.]
Click on that artwork to make it larger.
[Larry second spay/neuter aside: Remember, spaying and neutering of animals is the second best way to keep from having unwanted litters of puppies and kittens. The first best way is to take a brain wrench to the people who ignore the reality of unwanted animals and allow their dogs and cats to roam and reproduce. We’re looking into the development of a Humane Human Brain Wrench but it looks years away in the Research and Development Lab, so we’re contemplating marketing the fabulous Two-by-Four of Enlightenment. But that, of course, would be wrong.]
AND STILL NO HELP FOR THE 300 FORT WORTH FERALS:  Remember a couple of months ago when the Fort Worth animal shelter revealed that a bunch of dogs and cats were about to be euthanized because the shelter was out of space? Hundreds of people lined up to show how big their hearts are. TV cameras and newsmen were all over the place like fleas on a Dallas dog.
Where are those hearts now?
About 300 feral cats are endangered by economics and fatigue in Fort Worth. We’ve been writing about this for nearly a month – a guy who’d been caring for about 15 Feral Cat Colonies abandoned them and left a bunch of already financially-challenged and energy-drained women scrambling to keep these cats fed and their colonies properly tended to, mainly along Jacksboro Highway, northwest of downtown Fort Worth.
Donations of dry food would help a lot, says our contact with this project, Sheryl Frederick.
But these people could also use some relief volunteers and some donations for other cat-related expenses.
In the weeks they’ve been crying out for help, no one has helped or even responsed, Sheryl says.
To offer help to these big-hearted volunteers and the constantly in-danger cats, email Sheryl at [email protected] or [email protected].
Or, I guess, someone could always call a TV station – though, of course, feral cats are just not as cuddly as a shelter puppy and the video won’t be as charming. So, yeah, not a good TV story, I’m sure. They're just ol' feral cats. Might not have begun life as a feral cat, though.
ABOUT VAN GOGH: Yes, that’s the boy who is today’s featured Earhound. His photo was sent to us by our Earhound Scout Stephanie Daniels, communications coordinator at the SPCA of Texas where Van Gogh currently resides.
Stephanie wrote, “Boy do we have a special boy for you! Meet Van Gogh, a very special and handsome Boxer mix who was surrendered to us just last week. I know what you’re thinking… where is his left ear? Well, the owners said that Van Gogh was actually born this way. He also has webbed feet!”
Stephanie suggested that he might fit into the EARS (Earhounds of America Registration Society) Handbook under the “Van Gogh” category and, yes, he is right there under “Van Gogh (Natural)” which appears next to, unfortunately, “Van Gogh (Botched),” the category representing Earhounds who have been the victims of pinheads who think they can dock a dog’s ears without the benefit of having a brain.
This handsome Van Gogh is available – see  how to adopt him at www.spca.org.
If the dorm at Readlarrypowell.com had room….you know?
MEANWHILE IN BURNS FLAT: While she continues to juggle the unwanted dogs that show up in Burns Flat, Okla., our tireless tipster, the rescuer Terry Lynn Fisher, finds herself dealing with a desperate cat story now and then.
In this case, she writes, “I just do not understand how people can look the other way when an innocent animal is hurting, suffering.  I received the call that a cat was hurt in the little trailer park here in Burns Flat. I finally was able to find the baby. Oh my gosh. It has a horrific wound to the ‘elbow’ area. Infected and smelled horrible. We rushed it to the vet. Doc Noble [Dr. Bill Noble at Elk Creek Veterinary Hospital] said he will probably be OK, but needs some TLC, along with antibiotics.”
”I do not have a place for cats. … I need a safe place. I have 2 dogs still at the vet, which I am paying boarding on. I really need help with this little one.”
Email Terry Lynn at [email protected] or call her at 580-330-1459.
REMINDER: The big book fair opens in Arlington later this afternoon.
Organized by the Arlington Branch of the American Association of University Women, the proceeds go to help women’s education causes and projects.
And the items for sale range from books to records (or whatever they’re called these days) and unexpected treasures for young kids, medium kids, adult kids and, of course, just plain adults.
Info is on that poster – click it to make it expand.
ALIEN ABDUCTION? ALIEN ABDUCTION? I know we’re in the middle of an election campaign and earlier in the week I heard a radio story about a guy in East Texas being the target of a rock chunked by Bigfoot, so it is entirely appropriate that an alien abduction story would pop up.
Our pals at Pegasus Theatre are presenting a Churchmouse Production of “this sparkling new play by Ben Schroth” titled “A Suburban Ganymede."  It’s a comedy about “alien abduction, growing up in the ‘60s, being gay, and Jell-o molds that can save the world! “
This is a “readers theatre” style production – as if you were listening to a radio play and watching the actors. Directed by Jared Culpepper, the cast features Al Raya, Janette Oswald, Bailey Lawrence, Ginger Goldman, Allyn Carrell, Ian Moore, and Roth Farrar.
The play runs Friday and Saturday (8 p.m.) at Richardson Theatre Centre, 2701 Custer Parkway, Suite 911, Richardson, Texas.. Tickets are $10.. Call 972-699-1130.
Click HERE for the Pegasus Facebook link.
CONTEMPLATIONS: Some days are busier than others. Write that down. ... Speaking on behalf of people born between the end of World War II and the start of the recent new car season, money turns out to have been much more important than initially suspected. …. We’ll enjoy the cooler weather – unless, of course, a temperature inversion over the Red River is strong enough to keep it stalled over Oklahoma while Texas sweats and some of us contemplate getting gills so we can breathe the hot, humid air.
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