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The Rangers survive; Pumpkin waits; HSCCL crisis and a hound, Scruffy's bearded cuteness, DAS needs help, flea talk, and a bond hearing on an awful thing...

SEPT. 30, 2013 DALLAS, TEXAS (PETPOWELLPRESS)-- How about those Texas Rangers. One game at a time. We’re excited
Now, as we await Rangers success on the diamond Monday night, here is our Monday edition. 
THE PUMPKIN RE-REPORT
Jennifer Sellers has been monitoring the case of Pumpkin and Sugar, two declawed cats who fell on hard times. Over the weekend we got this note about Pumpkin. As you may recall, the people who “inherited” the cats said Sugar went to somewhere west of Fort Worth (believed to be safe) and Pumpkin was going into a rescue group. Jennifer wrote, “Is it possible to mention Pumpkin again in your report.  I was doing a PetFinder search for him to see what rescue group had him and found he was at the Richardson Shelter.  The people lied to me and just dumped the cat.  So disgusting. Again, he's 15, neutered, shots, in good health, yellow long haired cat....”
The link to Pumpkin in the Richardson shelter is HERE.
[LARRY ASIDE: People who do not deal with shelters and rescue groups frequently don’t may not know the difference, so, maybe these people really didn’t know what they were doing. Or maybe they did.]
Contact Jennifer at [email protected]. The Richardson Animal Shelter phone number is 972-744-4480.
WHAT’S HAPPENING OUT AT THE LAKE?
We got two reports from the Cedar Creek Lake area over the weekend and both have to do with the Humane Society of Cedar Creek Lake Shelter at Tool, about 50 miles southeast of Dallas.
As you may recall, a few weeks ago we reported that government funding decisions (contracts for animal shelter work) had undermined the budgeting at the Society’s shelter. Shelter Director Krista Mc Anally and the Society immediately launched an effort to save the shelter and keep it operating.
Krista says there’ll be a news announcement Monday about the successful money-raising campaign. But, of course, things are still needed. Homes, primarily.
For example, there’s this hound. (And this note was sent to us by Sydney Busch of Friends of the Animals at Cedar Creek lake, which operates the world’s most successful spay/neuter clinic at Gun Barrel City, Texas.) The 8-month-old hound was adopted from the Humane Society of Cedar Creek Lake then brought back because she won’t stay put -- she climbs fences. As Sydney’s note chastises, “Dogs are PACK ANIMALS NOT SOLITARY ONES - GRRRRR. A  wood privacy fence would contain her, but so would leaving her IN THE HOUSE”
She’s spayed, house-trained, loving and still has puppy energy. She’s back at HSCCL waiting for adoption. Call the shelter at 903-432-3422.
The shelter is undergoing cost-cutting measures and a note from Krista declares, “We are currently out of vaccines and antibiotics.
And they need cat litter and food -- lots of things to help ends meet until they can glue everything back together. 
Email Krista at [email protected] and she can tell you what they need. Got to hsccl.org and read about the shelter and its challenges.

A SCRUFFY UPDATE
We mentioned this dog a couple of weeks ago -- Scruffy terrier mix that showed up at a Fort Worth Home. Karen Lee, our consistent tipster, sent us a note over the weekend about the dog Scruffy. Efforts to find his owner failed. His first foster home wasn’t a fit. “Although ducks didn’t seem to be of interest, the cat did,” she wrote. So Scruffy needs someone with a cat-free home to take over care of the newly-neutered and vaccinated Scruffy.
He’s 2, adorable, has a beard and “gives great kisses and he loves every dog he has met.” Likes to walk on a leash.
He’s like the hound from Cedar Creek, however - a fence is no obstacle to him. The contact point is [email protected].

AND AT DAS, TWO NOTES
-- Kelly Bond, the Homeward Bound Animal Rescue shelter walker, has a report from recent strolls through Dallas Animal Services.
She reports that there are many cats, kittens, puppies and dogs awaiting help and rescue. And here is the key email address: [email protected].
See that Chihuahua? Kelly reports, “ A CUTIE!!! He has been in the shelter for a month and x-rays show a complete fracture. His foot turns out and looks like it has to be painful but you sure wouldn't know it by his personality!  He is only 9 months old and 6 pounds.” That dog is A804865.
Then there is the little 5 pound “absolute doll. He was brought in by a citizen as a stray.” The guess is he’s 8 years old -- in Chihuahua years, that’s still young. The dog is “still spunky and just has a precious personality. A808508 is his number.
If there ever was a photo of a cat that said “depressed” it is that picture of the neutered Maine Coon -- an owner-surrender on September 23. He is about 2 and weighs nearly 11 pounds. “he would be so much better off in rescue because he seems depressed,” Kelly writes.
And, of course, there’s that entertaining box of kittens. One of many such boxes of kittens at DAS. 
-- Emails have been flying all over the cyberroutes about two things involving Dallas Animal Services. We’re reporting on the topics. One is a citizen visiting the shelter reports seeing an animal shelter employee mistreating a dog -- the complain was forwarded around and, on Friday, Dallas Police became involved in investigating the story, an email reported. The dog is said to be fine. And, there are reports of a runaway flea epidemic at the shelter -- stay tuned on that. (Remember, feel free to click on COMMENT below and explain or illuminate.)

A BAIL BOND HEARING
Veteran animal advocate Jonnie England, who has been monitoring abuse cases for years, sent out a note Sunday afternoon about a 9 a.m. Monday bail bond hearing in the 204th District Court on the 7th floor of the Crowley Courts Building at Riverfront and Commerce just west of downtown.
It’s a disgusting case, according to the facts that are alleged. The defendant’s bond is currently just $500 and the District Attorney’s prosecutors want a higher bond. The allegations are that on August 30 Mesquite resident Robert Prichard beat Candy, his Pit Bull, with a shovel, threw her into his swimming pool and held her down with a pool net until she was drowned. Why? Because she’d chewed up the pillows on lawn furniture.
The announcement of this hearing went out in hopes of getting a crowd there that respects animals as living beings and thinks such brutal behavior as alleged is a crime against the people of the state, too.

REMEMBER THE FIVE LUFKIN CHIHUAHUAS
Let’s see, there was Megaloo at 15, then Bonnie the dog who sings “I love you” and Jake, the 1 1/2 year old dog. And there were two other older dogs. Yep, see this photo? Debbie Jones of the Lufkin Animal Shelter sent us a weekend note that read, “The last two of the senior Chihuahuas were just adopted together!  They went to a lady who has adopted from us twice before.  They have a wonderful Furever home!” You see Killer and Tiny Tim being the center of attention in that photo.
So, Debbie notes, that just leaves Jake awaiting for a home. (Email [email protected] to ask about him.)
Five dumped Chihuahuas. The four way older Chhuahuas found hearts. Jake’s waiting. That’s his happy, cute self on the left.
CONTEMPLATIONS: There is no doubt that the San Diego Chargers will not have to vacuum the turf at their stadium for a while -- Dallas Cowboys went Hoover on it so dramatically that there’s probably not even a stray cat hair clinging to that carpet. ... Haven’t been to a movie in a while. Couldn’t get a loan for the snack bar. Also, wouldn’t it be great to discover a comedy that didn’t think &*@*%!! was a punchline? I’m pretty good with words myself, but, geezalou, every now and then I can write a line without having to bleep myself. Thought if I were emotionally involved with the Dallas Cowboys instead of the Texas Rangers, I’d have been bleeping all over the living room during yesterday’s game. ... One of my sons has a ticket to Monday night’s Texas Rangers game. I hope he gets to buy one to Tuesday’s game and then some to the playoffs, too. Everybody have a great Monday. And be kind to animals -- even the human kind.

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Our wide-eyed weekend sleeper; the seizure dogs and a found dog named Lexi in Irving. ...

[LARRY NOTE: We’re going to cyberpress a little earlier than usual with our weekend edition -- this is a big, busy weekend and we want people to have the opportunity to read these things before they get caught up in discussing Big Tex’s new look at the State Fair or lose themselves in sporting events or shopping. Give the animals a chance and if you can’t personally, then copy this column and send it to anybody you know. Spread the word and help the animals.]

DATELINE: SEPT. 28-29, 2013, DALLAS, TEXAS (PETPOWELLPRESS) -- And now we reach our weekend edition of Let Sleeping Dogs Lie & Napping Cats Nap and you’ll note right away that this dog is not in full sleep.
Doesn’t mean the dog isn’t asleep. You dog people know what I mean -- the “Guard Dog Illusion.” These big guard dogs are trained to be alert even when they’re asleep. Oh, wait. this is Patty Sprong’s beloved Pom-Pom and maybe she isn’t one of those giant guard dogs! She sure is, however, a very comfortable dog! [Larry aside: Yes, insomniacs are envious!]
Here’s Patty’s explanation, “Well, I tried to get some pictures of my Pom-Pom sleeping, but she woke up. If you ever get to a weekend and you don't have a sleeping dog submission, feel free to use them.”
We have some actual sleepers in the queue but when we issued an appeal week before last, Patty quickly snapped these photos of Pom-Pom and we give credit where it’s due here at Readlarrypowell.com. Besides, you’ll get to read about a little dog who inspires love.
“We found Pom-Pom running down our street on Easter Sunday 2001. I decided she was a gift from God and she certainly turned out to be just that,” Patty says. “She was about a year old then, soaking wet after a storm, wearing a blue cat collar with a bell on it. We figured she had been dumped the night before. She is still terrified of storms today. Luckily, as her hearing fades, she can't hear the thunder most of the time.
“We tried to find her owner, but were unsuccessful. After 30 days, I decided to keep her. I took her in to be spayed and she had a reaction to the anesthesia and stopped breathing. We almost lost her before she was even ours!
“She has been a great companion for over 12 years and has become a real daddy's girl lately. The two of them (Pom-Pom and Steve) are inseparable. She is battling heart and kidney issues now, and the vet says she is walking a tight rope every day. She loves her little safe place on the bed and she spends most of her time there. We lost her big sister Sandy in February at the age of 15, and we just hope Pommie is with us that long!”
[Nominate your sleeping dog, cat, gecko, chicken, goose or (seasonally) turkey for Let Sleeping Dogs Lie & Napping Cats Nap by sending photo and info to [email protected]. We’re proud to publish photos of these companions because they give the GIC (Global Insomniac Corps) hope that a comfortable sleeping position is achievable.]

*****

A NOTE ABOUT HSFM: We meant to mention this much earlier but things pile up in the life of the disorderly. But earlier in the month Patty had reminded us about the “tireless effort” the Humane Society of Flower Mound has been doing to “help get the seized dogs [from Animal Guardians in Celina] out of the Humane Society of North Texas Shelter and into the HSFM’s Love on Wheels program.
Read about it HERE. 
“They are making a HUGE difference, and have taken more than any other group,” Patty says. And, “They are looking for fosters for this program where people foster for about a month until the dogs are transported to a group in New York. It is the best possible foster situation – short term! They could also use funding for this program because they don’t get any of the adoption money. It stays with the dogs in New York. Flower Mound Humane pulls the dogs and gets them vetted before they leave.
“It has been amazing to watch these dogs leave and to know they will be in loving foster homes and permanent homes before long!”
Remember, check out both the Humane Society of Flower Mound site for available animals and opportunities to help. You can also go to the HSNT site and you can see the assorted Celina animals still waiting for a place to go -- a home, a rescue group.
You can see more than 240 homeless dogs and cats, many of them labeled “DENTON”, at the HSNT PetFinder site HERE.
The quicker HSNT finds them homes, the quicker there is room for other unwanted dogs and cats -- HSNT may be their only hope. That wonderful Earhound is one of the Celine rescues. As you can see, her name is Molly.
Contact the Humane Society of Flower Mound online HERE.  The PetFinder link with all the photos such as that nearly napping cat Pepper and the vibrant 9-year-old Collie mix Jolie is HERE. 
AND A FOLLOW UP ON A FOUND DOG;
LEXI IS IN A FIX IN IRVING

Last week we told the story of a dog who showed up IN the garage at Tomi Ortiz’ Irving home on Sunday. Like most rescuers, Tomi already had a houseful of animals, so with great reluctance she took this dog, now called Lexi, to the Irving Animal Shelter.
Tomi sent a note Friday that read, “It looks like her owner is nowhere to be found. Breaks my heart! I put posters up around the neighborhood, walked around again to talk to people in hopes of finding her owner… and nothing. It’s so depressing and frustrating at the same time! I feel like I’m not doing enough. 
“I wish I could keep her but my dogs won’t have it. It was funny because my daughter Samantha was fussing with ‘Boss’ who we adopted from DAS.  She was like ‘Really Boss?! You’re going to be mean to a stray like yourself?! You’re such a hypocrite!’  Boss just sat there and wagged his tail like ‘Yep! I am!’
“I’m attaching some more photos of ‘Lexi’ that’s what the Irving Animal Shelter on Valley View named her.  She looks like a curious ‘Earhound’ in one picture and a sad ‘Earhound’ in the other. “
Tomi asked that we publish her plea for help again “in hopes now that a rescue group or a adopter might step in.  I would appreciate it.  I’m willing to pay the adoption fee.  I just can’t stand to think of her being put down!”
When you ask about Lexi, she’s #21060365. The number is 972-721-2256. The clock is ticking.
Tomi checked in with the irving shelter to see about Lexi's "time." She reports that she "was told there was no set time. The lady who answered the phone said it all depends on how full the shelter gets. Once that happens, they evaluate and decide. Since Lexi is a Pit mix, I know sometimess they're the first on the list."
[LARRY ASIDE: Those of us who have lived with Pit mixes know what a miscarriage of justice that can be. It is, in the hearts of many of us, a crying shame.  I don’t mind telling you that when I run into one of these situations where a dog is found and all of our usual rescue spots are taken, it makes me want to find the person who abandoned the dog to nearly certain death and apply a healthy dose of “get smarter” with the Two-by-Four of Enlightenment. These animals have souls. They have personalities. They have everything but paychecks and that is why they’re treated like accessories or annoyances in today’s world. People are idiots. Somewhere there’s got to be a home for Lexi. Surely. Some mammals look natural behind bars -- not dogs.]

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How dee, good news about animals and beds and books...Our State Fair, etc.

DATELINE: SEPT. 27, 2013, DALLAS, TEXAS (PETPOWELLPRESS) -- This is our Friday edition and what do we know about Friday, Sept. 27? Hint:  How dee, fokes. Wel come to thu grayt Stayt Fahr uh Tex iz.
Not sure that’s how he’ll sound, but after reconstituted Big Tex was accidentally unveiled by the wind at Fair Park Thursday, the fair’s PR guru Sue Gooding sent out a note reminded Fairfans that Big Tex will actually “be heard at 2 p.m.  on opening day.” So, there you have it -- clear evidence that the State Fair is opening for bidness.

HAPPY NEWS INDEED
As we went to press Thursday night, Susan Tandukar from Partners of Arlington Animal Services sent us a happy note about dog we featured Thursday morning on Readlarrypowell.com. She wrote, “Gregory was resscued today!!!” More to come. Lots of animal  left in Arlington’s shelter.
And isn't it good to know that Gregory beat the odds! 

THE WORD FROM EVERMAN:

Heather Harrison, a  volunteer who hustles to get animals safely out of the Everman Animal Shelter, was working on that mission Thursday night and sent a note that included this declaration: “EVERMAN HAS NOT KILLED AN ADOPTABLE ANIMAL IN OVER A YEAR....PLEASE HELP THEM KEEP THAT RECORD!!!”
There are a bunch of animals there and the clock is swiftly ticking. You can offer to help them by emailing Heather at [email protected] or calling 309-299-5665. 
One of the dogs is this 2-year-old Mastiff mix Chance. Handsome in any jurisdiction. That’s a hint that you don’t have to live in Everman to adopt one of these  animals.

 
ONE DOG AT A TIME...
Of course, sometimes it’s more than one dog at a time that gets rescued, but in this case, the SPCA of Texas, with the “authority of the Dallas County District Attorneys’ Animal Cruelty Unit,” seized this dog from an allegedly cruel situation in Oak Cliff. There’s a custody hearing at 11:30 a.m. Monday at the South Dallas Government Center, 107 Teas Street, in Lancaster in the court of Valencia Nash.
According to the SPCA, the dog was seized after a couple of visits and no response from anyone on the property. The news release reads, “The dog was found behind the residence on the property, tethered to a tree by a tie cable, which is in violation of the Texas Health and Safety Code. The investigator did not observe any water or food in plain view. The dog is emaciated and appears to have various health issues.”

NEARLY A THOUSAND PET BEDS DONATED:
We got a news release revealing that 892 luxury pet beds -- said to be worth more than $40,000 in the release -- have been donated to the Dallas Companion Animal Project by an anonymous “leading national retailer.”
To get the beds, non-profit rescuers and shelters go through the DCAP assistance network. The network is, the release says, “made possible by The Aidmatrix Foundation and paid for by a grant from The Meadows Foundation.”.  It is designed to “courage inkind donations from corporate and business donors in order to build capacity in local rescue groups as part of DCAP’s overall strategy to save more lives.” 

Operation Kindness tipped DCAP to the retailer, DCAP volunteers did the inventory and sorting and the beds are spored in “warehouse space donated by Gordon Lights.”

The news release says, “The beds will be available for allocation to animal shelters and rescue groups that partner with DCAP beginning later this week, with distribution taking place at events on the evening of October 9th and the morning of October 12th at the Gordon Lights warehouse in Addison.”

A LITTLE FYI FROM THE SOCIETY FOR COMPANION ANIMALS

Unable to work out a happy agreement with Dallas Animal Services, the SFCA is looking to other shelters for the animals it will fly to safe havens in other parts of the United States. Hundreds of them.
SFCA’s Tawana Couch’s most recent update reads, “We are now flying dogs to Boston, MA where they are picked up and taken to a shelter in Salem, MA. The shelter is Northeast Animal Shelter, a great no-kill shelter that we are now partners with.”
[LARRY ASIDE: You may notice that these dogs will undergo some cultural changes, but why bring up the New England Patriots cap in that photograph.]

The latest load of saved dogs is among the last DAS dogs who’ll be saved by SFCA unless something changes.

SID IS FOUND

Mary Ann Nastro who tipped us to the story of Sid’s disappearance happily reported that he’d been found. Clever dog, crawled under foster home's fence and vanished. Mary Ann wrote, “Look who has been found! Blue harness and all. Thanks to a tip left on one of our internet posts we were able to link a chain of events that led us to the Plano Animal Shelter where Sid was found safe and sound! We found his microchip was still registered to the shelter that we originally rescued him from (trying to find out why now) and that shelter had no record of transferring Sid to Take Me Home Pet Rescue. But he is back safe and happy with his foster family.”
[LARRY ASIDE: Chips work - you just have to monitor them, make sure the bookkeeping is n order and make sure it stays where it belongs and doesn't slide around under the animal's skin. Don't take it from me. Ask a vet. I heard it from Dr. Cate McManus, the DAS vet/manager.] 

CONTEMPLATIONS: Want another great reason to declare that October is a great month? How about this one: Set aside Oct. 24-27 for the world’s greatest book fair - the American Association of University Women-Arlington Branch Book Fair at the Arlington Museum of Art. See HERE.  We’ve been going to it for years, never left without more books than we needed and always enjoyed the shopping and the people who run the fair. More to come. And if you know the song, sing along with me, “Their book fair is a great book fair, don’t miss it, don’t even be late....” ... You know why NFL players are lucky? If someone suspects they’ve suffered a concussion, they get the day off. If we’d sent home everybody at the newspaper who appeared to have suffered a head injury, we’d never have published. I kid my fellow ex-newspaper people. .... Want a good song for the day? Click HERE.  Have fun this weekend and give your animal pals more affection than they expect. You could do that for humans, too, if you wanted.

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Dallas notes, DCAP prez, wild cats, Gregory at peril, the Bunny Hop, a job opening, Lake news and pumpkins -- it's autumn

DATELINE: SEPT. 26, 2013, DALLAS, TEXAS (PETPOWELLPRESS) --   When is the next election? Oh never mind. I’m sure someone will let us know. The clock is ticking in Arlington's shelter -- 2 p.m. today. Now, here’s our report for Thursday. You've probably noticed that cat photo. Not really a "cat" but REALLY a cat! We got a note about this little Dallas girl from Bekki Harvey who volunteers with the Animal Rescue Corps.
She says Trinity is a 4-week-old Bobcat kitten who was found in the Trinity River bottoms over the weekend by some City of Dallas workers. Trinity was "on the verge of death from dehydration and starvation but thanks to animal rescue people, like Kelly Hilliard, a licensed wildlife rehabber with the State of Texas, the kitten is on the mend. This photo shows Trinity on an IV drip for fluid.”
Kelly is a vet tech at VCA Preston Park Animal Hospital and says the kitten needs donations of raw meat, fish and chicken - they eat up to 2 pounds a day. (Call 972-985-0081 to arrange a donation.) Bekki says the cat will be going to a Texas ranch to live as nature intended -- as a Bobcat.
We’re also reporting another first today: teaching cats to use the toilet. Read on.
DEVELOPMENTS IN DALLAS: 

-- NOTE ONE: The Dallas Animal Shelter Commission meets today at 1:30 p.m. in Room 6E South at Dallas City Hall. The agenda is on the City Secretary’s page at the City of Dallas Portal website. It will do you good to look at it and discover what else it takes to make up a city government.
-- NOTE TWO: There are several members of the Dallas Companion Animal Project leadership on the animal shelter commission. And, coincidentally, we got a news release Wednesday revealing that there’s a new president of DCAP, the original City of Dallas No-Kill Task Force that has morphed into a wide-ranging organization aimed at reducing the numbers of animals euthanized in the city’s shelter. Chris Watts left the presidency in June burt remains on the board of advisors. The new president is veteran Realtor and civic-minded resident Philip Walker, a TCU grad. DCAP Vice President Maeleska Fletes said, ““Philip brings extensive experience in building strong relationships with both individuals and businesses. DCAP’s unique approach of partnering with area businesses to address Dallas’ homeless animal problem requires someone with long-standing community relationships. We believe he brings the right experience.”
As you may recall, the new version of DCAP resulted from the merger of the original DCAP, Metroplex Animal Coalition and Dallas Animal Advocates. Check out DCAP at dallasanimals.org. 
NOTE THREE: The DAS Rescue Team folks sent out a bit of a desperate note yesterday. Too many cats. There are probably too many dogs, too, but the note focused on cats and, you know, if you want to rescue a dog or cat you can email [email protected] and if you want to adopt one email [email protected] . Or you can just go to the shelter and shop around - - it’s at I-30 and Westmoreland. You can’t miss it.
Now, about the cats, DAS Rescue’s note read, “We have lots of cute kittens and a few wonderful cats available for transfer at Dallas Animal Services.”
You’ll note the cat Lilah on the left and Red on the right. 
Their story? Surrendered to the shelter when the “owner could no longer care for them.” They’re both “fixed” and have had their front paws declawed. [LARRY ASIDE: Do not declaw cats. It’s an awful thing. Nobody actually “de-claws” them, the procedure simply calls for cutting off their toes at the first knuckle. Ain’t that nice?]
Lilah is said to be sweet and may hiss at you which, the DAS folks say, is a common warning from declawed cats. I guess they know they have no defense and they don’t want to bite a human -- who does? Lilah likes to rub the bars and talk to passersby. Poor Red is failing to adjust. Hides in the litter box or wherever he can. But he does like to have his ears scratched and tummy rubbed. Just need someone to rescue them.
Like me, neither Red nor Lilah will be at Thursday’s Animal Shelter Commission meeting though the actions or inactions, reports and questions interested the three of us.
GREGORY AND OTHERS IN ARLINGTON

Sure, click on the art to make it larger.
Early this morning (5:47 a.m.) Susan Tandukar sent a note  from Partners of Arlington Animal Services about Gregory, an abuse case who is now on the clock for 2 p.m. today. Nice, huh?
When I went to the PAAS Facebook page, I found photos of many dogs from Arlington Animal Services that,  PAAS says, are scheduled for euthanasia at 2 p.m. Thursday, including Gregory. 
Susan focused on Gregory, but all need a break.
She writes, “Gregory (ID #20788620) was seized in a cruelty case back on 08/21/13 with 5 other dogs and 2 pigs.  All of the dogs were in HORRIBLE shape and one of them was so bad that when they found him, they thought he was dead. All the other dogs and even the pigs have found rescues/adopted EXCEPT GREGORY!!  Gregory has come a long way since 08/21/13 but he is now on the EU list and will be EU'd today at 2 p.m. if someone doesn't step up for him. He can be tagged by rescue OR adopted.  All of the volunteers are networking him like crazy.  He deserves to have that forever family that will love him for the rest of his life.  He does NOT deserve to be killed.  He has survived so much. If at all possible, could you please add him to your column today?  We are all praying for his safety.”
Reach the Arlington shelter at [email protected]. The shelter is at 1000 SE Green Oaks in Arlington. Call 817-459-5898. The PAAS Facebook page is HERE.

FROM FORT WORTH 

-- Saturday is Customer Appreciation Day at the TCAP (Texas Coalition for Animal Protection) Fort Worth Clinic, 2400 Westport Parkway, Suite 100. It’s a new clinic (at I-35 and Westport, way north of 820). The family-oriented event will feature free dog training, door prizes, snakes -- wait, that’s SNACKS -- and other fun things. The puppy socialization training is from 9:30 a.m. to 10 a.m. The “Training Your Cat To Use the Toilet, Not a Litter Box” is from 10 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. From 10:30 a.m. to 11 a.m., there’s a Basic Canine Manners Training class and at 11 a.m., there’ll be a raffle drawing. [Larry aside: You can win a tomcat that knows how to flush the toilet and lower the seat. I’m kidding.]

MEANWHILE IN DENTON

The SPCA of Texas is hosting “Bunny Hop” Saturday at the Denton PetSmart - it’s an adoption event for rabbits and guinea pigs.
According to a news release, the SPCA has dozens of rabbits and Guinea Pigs “which were recently rescued from cruel livng conditions.” And, if you don’t like what you see at the special event, drop by the SPCA of Texas shelters -- both the Dallas site and the McKinney site -- because they’ve got extra bunnies and Guinea Pigs, too. The rabbit fee is $20 and the Guinea Pigs are $15 each.
[LARRY ASIDE: All the rabbits have been either spayed or neutered and why is that? So they won’t breed like rabbits. Of course.]
This event is from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday at the Denton PetSmart, 1441 S. Loop 288. [LARRY ASIDE: This will be the most notorious display of Bunnies since Hugh Hefner’s grand opening of the Playboy Club at Krum. Oh, I made that up. Concept was funny, And Krum could use the ink.]

A JOB OPENING IN ROCKWALL
As you may know, the Collin County Humane Society long ago contracted to run the Rockwall Adoption Center. We got a note yesterday from CCHS President Molly Peterson announcing that CCHS is looking for a “Shelter Manager” for the Rockwall site. It’s a real job and “only serious applicants” need apply. Send resume and cover letter to [email protected].  This is a working position, we’re told. Hard work. Don’t know what it pays, but you rarely see animal shelter managers being driven to work n a Bentley.

MEANWHILE OUT AT THE LAKE
This has to do with the Mabank Jubilee, the celebration Saturday at the Mabank Pavilion in downtown, where else, Mabank, the city on Highway 175 on the eastern bank of Cedar Creek Lake. The city was not named for an errant riverboat pilot who would shout “May bank!” - there’s no river and no such thing as a creekboat pilot. The city is named for each owner of the Mason-Eubank Ranch.
But that little trip down History Lane means I’m mentioning a colorful destination for Saturday -- the Mabank Jubilee where you can see the folks at the Friends of the Animals at Cedar Creek Lake operating their booth. Bet you can even pickup some $10 legendary Pampered Pets Calendars, the famous publication of the Friends.
Friends, as you know, operate, so to speak, the world’s most successful spay/neuter clinic at Gun Barrel City, Texas, right there on the lakeside.
Our Friends tipster Sydney Busch is looking for volunteers to work the booth on Saturday. (She has shifts from noon to 3 p.m. and 3 p.m. to 6 p.m.  to volunteer, email [email protected] or call 903-451-4701 or 214-808-4701. The Friends are on Facebook HERE. So why would Friends have a booth at the Jubilee?
Sydney’s note summed it up: “We will be selling our stuff and preaching our gospel (that would be spay/neuter).” 
Can I get an “AMEN”?
CONTEMPLATIONS: One day last week my funspouse Martha and I were driving somewhere inside the City of Dallas when we came to a complete freeway stop because of construction detours or something.  I asked, “Do you think Dallas will ever stop growing?” and my nativeDallsitespouse said, “No.” I noted that I’d never seen a city that quit growing and, fishing for a sociology term to match that concept, I asked, “Wonder what you call a city that has stopped growing?” and Martha replied, “Detroit.” ... What’s this? Fourth full day of Fall? Leaves turning in your yard yet? My pal, the retired NBC-TV/radio/print journalist Andy Fisher lives in Denville, N.J., and it’s been actual autumn up there for weeks. Maybe since July 4 -- I’m kidding, but at least for 2 weeks. Sweaters and everything. I bring this up because while we’re still in the 90s in afternoons here, I do have evidence of autumn. You see this photo of the blossoming plants? Those are some of my late-summer pumpkin plantings. I got the seeds into the ground a little late -- sure didn’t have to worry about a frost around here. And I know the real farmers have their pumpkins already at market, but, I’m no farmer. I just plant some pumpkins every year and hope to get one or two out of the effort. One year I got five or six Jack-Be-Littles. If this plant produces pumpkins, the package says they will be the size of Volkswagens. I’m going to ship the largest one to Andy so he and Annie can hollow it out and use it as a pleasure boat on Indian Lake. Autumn does bring out the day-dreamer in me. It is my favorite time of year. Colors, Big Tex, football, World Series, Halloween, the Macy’s Parade, Thanksgiving, arrival of Christmas. I may drive over to Tyler -- could be time for me to stop and smell the roses. Pumpkin blossoms -- not so aromatic! But beautiful.

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At midweek, a collection of animal notes and stuff* (*Perfectly serviceable headline word)

DATELINE: SEPT. 25, 2013, DALLAS, TEXAS (PETPOWELLPRESS) -- It is midweek and things are hoppin’. The State Fair of Texas opens Friday -- Big Tex is back and his new countenance will be unveiled.
This is Dallas -- “Big Things Happen Here,” they say.
So, let’s see what we can address today. Here goes:
THIS IS A TYPICAL DALLAS situation. The email arrived last night (and more details are being sought). Read it and weep for Dallas: “Male and female w 4 sm pups on corner of Crow Creek and Hampton.” Yep. Dallas. Big things happen here.
REMINDER: THE SPCA NEUTER SCOOTER FOR A NICKEL event is coming up (see yesterday's report) and the news today is FERAL CATS ARE WELCOME.
WE GOT A TON of emails urging that we donate to organizations on North Texas Giving Day last week. On Tuesday we a copy of the first thank-you note. Came from Feral Friends (we didn’t donate, but we did write about giving day). Feral Friends’ note read, “A BIG THANK YOU TO ALL OUR SUPPORTERS. Thank you to all of you who donated on September 19 through North Texas Giving Day! Because of your generosity, Feral Friends raised over $17,000 for the cats. We surpassed last year's donation amount by $7,000. The Board of Directors and I appreciate all your support.” The note came from Kelly Richert of Feral Friends but, as you can tell, it is also from a bunch of cats and volunteers. And, yes, that’s Peaches, an available cat. Go to the Feral Friends site HERE.
BRAD KIRBY of Lost Dogs of Dallas continues to work to get the state to make it’s stolen dog laws more ferocious. And he’s also been working with the couple whose dog was taken from their room at a North Dallas hotel and then “lost” on the parking lot. You may recall the story -- the dog was making too much noise, hotel personnel removed it from the room while the guests were out and the dog ran away while being walked.
The couple who had Lola, their veteran traveling companion, is in Dallas this weekend to continue the search for the dog that vanished weeks ago. Visit Lost Dogs of Dallas HERE. 
You can read about Susana Garcia’s dog Lola HERE.
THIS IS A FIRST -- a “LaundroMutt” fundraiser. We got the info from Vhea Cannon. Here’s the explanation: “I'm sending you the link to our online fundraiser in hopes that you will share it with your friends and family so we can get closer to our goal of opening the new LaundroMutt! Thank you so much for all your help!” Click HERE and you’ll see why a new LaundroMutt fundraiser is needed.
REMEMBER THIS CHIHUAHUA fellow from Dallas Animal Services? He was in Tuesday’s edition of Readlarrypowell.com -- broken left front leg, probably needed amputation. DAS says DFW Rescue Me tagged the little guy and got him to the vet. Probably will show up on the DFW Rescue Me adoption list at some point.
MEANWHILE IN BURNS FLAT, in Western Oklahoma, our tireless rescuer Terry Lynn Fisher has sent out an appeal because, she writes, “I am working on raising the money to get several dogs to Colorado. If I do not ‘clean house’ as they put it come Monday morning all dogs that have been here over a month will be killed. I MUST move them this weekend. Colorado is offering to take 5.  That is not all of them but it might buy time. All my extra kennels are full.  I'm out of options. If you can help with a little gas please let me know.” Email [email protected] to arrange to help Terry Lynn. She doesn’t get the show dogs, you know. Most of them have been abused or abandoned by local knuckleheads -- some of whom, I suspect, moved to Oklahoma to avoid prosecution in Texas.
KELLER HAS A BUNCH of animals and these three are among them. Fiona Green, our tipster who hustles to get Keller’s critters to safety, says, “Believe it or not the Lab has been at the shelter for a month now. He is gorgeous and very energetic. I try to keep him from going stir crazy by running with him every day. He is pretty strong and we both get a good workout!”
Prince is a young Lab, still has puppy energy and is happy to meet people. Fiona says she’d adopt him fi she had room. “He is full of joy and enthusiasm for life and should be out playing in a backyard or swimming in a pool instead of being in a shelter.” 
The Chihuahua is Roger and he is described as “the tiniest teeniest Chihuahua you have ever seen. Also he has a “unique gray/blue color which might make people think [he] is ‘miniature Weimaraner.’...” He is “friendly and loving. Fiona’s note says that when you call to ask about Roger, “explain that you’re interested in the cutest Chihuahua in the shelter. They’ll know who you mean.”
Six-week-old Rachel s a Chihuahua/Terrier mix -- perhaps. She’s marked like a Catahoula. But has the heart of a “very sweet puppy.” Anyone who has been around puppies knows that the sweeter you can treat them, the better your heart is. That is one of the many benefits of having a puppy around the house. You get better. The dog gets a break. 
To ask about any of these Keller animals, call the shelter at 817-743-4517 or email [email protected].
AND WE HAVE A report on the story of Sugar (left) and Pumpkin, two older cats abandoned when their owner went into a nursing home. Jennifer Sellers had been hustling to guide the family into giving these cats a good chance at living out their lives in a happy home. Here’s her latest report. “Pumpkin was sent to a rescue in Fort Worth this weekend.  The daughter in law didn't know the name??? Oh brother.  Sugar was given to someone in East Texas who is in the country. My first thought was ‘coyotes’ so I told the owner to tell the new one to be careful. I wish I could have found better places but hopefully all will work out.”
You may recall that declawed Pumpkin was basically turned out to wait for whatever would happen next. Maybe we'll know someday. Jennifer said she wants to thank every who was concerned about these two cats and tried to help find homes for them.
AND NOW HERE'S ANOTHER MISSING DOG, THIS notice sent to us by Mary Ann Nastro, a veteran rescuer. This pup is a Take Me Home Pet Rescue dog in Richardson, she says. 
So how does such a dog turn up missing? 
As Readlarrypowell.com has frequently declared, "DOGS ARE TOO CLEVER FOR THEIR OWN GOOD."
Mary Ann says, "Dug under fence of foster home -- had a GPS on collar but it (collar) was found caught under fence. He is microchipped, but no collar, tags."
Click on the poster to make it larger. The Take Me Home Pet Rescue Link is HERE.
CONTEMPLATIONS: Got an email with the Dallas basketball subject line “Mavs Tickets: Exclusive All-Access Presale.” Need to sell them before the season starts, I guess. We've seen what happens to the Mavericks AFTER the season starts. ... The TV was stuck on the Ted Cruz filibuster last night over Obamacare and I was looking at some online news and marveled to my funspouse Martha, “Scientists have invented a no-hangover beer!” and she replied, “You’re going to need it.” ... This country is a mess. That’s what they said when I was a kid. I guess it keeps on. Some messes are worse than others. ... I got up from the computer and walked around for a minute during the filibuster and caught Sen. Ted Cruz reading a bedtime story to his kids (my tax dollars at work). But, here was the key line I heard that I never expected to hear from the Senate floor. He read, “Good people are kind to animals Mean people are cruel.” He then read Dr. Seuss' Green Eggs and Ham and I have to say that Lewis Carroll was a better fit in in Washington, especially for the United States Congress, White House and the Supreme Court. But, I am a veteran of the media and I’ve seen Lewis Carroll’s "brillig" days in government many times. I swear, there are mimsy borogroves in Foggy Bottom.

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Rescued and waiting, spaying and neutering -- and other challenges...

DATELINE: SEPT. 24, 2013, DALLAS, TEXAS (PETPOWELLPRESS) -- Look at this dog’s face! Looks like a portrait, doesn’t it. This pretty-as-a-picture dog is the beautiful Lilly (you can see that Nancy Degenkolb tok the photo). Lilly is one of the more than 200 dogs rescued from the Animal Guardian facility in Denton County.
She and many, many others are available for adoption at the Humane Society of North Texas in Fort Worth. The HSNT needs the dogs adopted so room can be made for other animals. These dogs need to be adopted so they can live out happy, socialized lives.
You can see 10 pages of HSNT adoptables on PetFinder -- wait until you finish reading today’s report then click HERE. 
The dogs from Denton county are labeled. You’ll have to page through a ton of cats. One is named Aphrodite -- thought that was funny because I’d just finished writing a few paragraphs about spay/neuter. They’re coming up shortly.
That dog in the chair? She’s Kaiya. Yep. Waiting. Knows “sit,” obviously.
MEANWHILE IN DALLAS: The City of Dallas Animal Shelter Commission’s autumn meeting is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. Thursday in Room 6E South at Dallas City Hall. It is open to the public.  The agenda is posted on the City Secretary’s agenda page HERE.  I’m booked to be elsewhere and will be unable to attend, but someone is bound to be there besides city staffers and the appointment members of the panel. Surely. Maybe not. That’s how democracy works out. 
So, whether democracy is getting the cold shoulder or not, this dog from Dallas Animal Services needs a warm place to land. DAS Animal Transfer Coordinator Danielle Fry sent out the note Monday evening. He’s about 2 months old, weighs under 7 pounds and is on meds, but his left front leg has been mangled -- both lower bones of the leg are broken. The tissue is dying, so the leg will need to be amputated, DAS says. That’s not something they’ll do at the shelter. In the meantime, Danielle writes, “Even with his injured leg, all he wants is to be held in your arms. He sits at his kennel door whining for attention. When you talk to him, his ears will perk up, making him even more adorable.”
He’s one of the animals that winds up a number on the shelter report that the Animal Shelter  Commission will get Thursday. Intake. Adoption? Euthanasia? Just as I was finishing this item, Danielle sent a note saying someone had “tagged” the dog, so he’s going to be helped. Keep the email address handy -- [email protected] because there are plenty of other animals who need help.

WHILE FORT WORTH AND DALLAS WORK ON THINGS, rescuers continue to acquire dogs and this one is in Irving. To be specific: In the Irving Animal Services Shelter and needing out.
Our pal Tomi Ortiz - perpetual animal picker-upper - didn’t even have to pick up this dog.
On Sunday around 3 p.m. Tomi’s hubby Frank “went outside to close our garage door.  And to his surprise inside our garage was this sweet little girl! When she saw him she rolled on her back and waited for him to rub her tummy.
“She was so friendly, cute and thirsty!  We tried to bring her indoors but of course our 3 dogs would have nothing to do with her and got very upset. So, we walked around the neighborhood 3 times yesterday [Sunday] in search of her owner, but had no luck.  “We’re assuming she had an owner because her nails were trimmed and she had an orange Harley Davidson collar on but no tags. 
“Long story short, we kept her overnight and it broke my heart but we had to take her to the Irving Animal Shelter this morning [Monday].  They told us they would check her for a microchip and let us know if her owner came to claim her.  I know a lot of people from Irving read your webpage so I’m reaching out to see if you’d please post her picture in hope that someone is searching for her!”
Irving Animal Services is at 140 Valley View Lane. The phone number is 972-7221-2256. The clock is ticking.
SPCA OF TEXAS' NEUTER SCOOTER FOR A NICKEL is coming up on October 2 at the Spay/Neuter & Wellness Clinic at Village Fair in South Oak Cliff and at the Perry Spay/neuter Clinic in McKinney. A friggin’ nickel. Five cents. CORRECTION FROM SPCA: In a new version of the news release, the SPCA says they WILL take feral cats, after all. But there are plenty of unfixed domestic fellows roaming North Texas. Got to have an appointment - go to spca.org. The SPCA notice warned that “If left intact, two unaltered cats can produce more than 80 million cats over a 10-year period, and one male cat can sire an unlimited number of kittens in his lifetime.’ [LARRY ASIDE: That one male cat was living in our neighborhood for a while -- randy rascal. Very productive. Yep, got his ear notched years ago and either moved on or is now living at Eunuch Acres on the other side of Barren Valley.]
SPEAKING OF SPAYING AND NEUTERING, we got a note that was headline “Animal Planet Star Jackson Galaxy Lends Support to Outdoor Cats and National Feral Cat Day in new Video PSA for Alley Cat Allies.” Long headline. The subhead was “My Cat from Hell Behaviorist Reminds Public – TNR Best Way to Help Feral Cats.”
And the story was datelined Bethesda, Md., and contains a link to the YouTube video in which Jackson makes a pitch for TNR - he did it in honor of National Feral Cat Day (October 16) -- the PSA was filmed for Alley Cat Allies. Click HERE and come right back, of course.
STOP ME IF YOU’VE EITHER HEARD OR LIVED THIS STORY BEFORE. We got it from Kim Buckman, veteran rescuer. You’ll note that there are photos of a dog here. 
She writes, “It’s been a while since we have spoken. I have taken a little hiatus from full time rescue but, as always with us rescue people, the animals keep coming. I found this little girl on the side the road with the rest of her siblings, they had all been dumped.
“I didn't have room at the Inn for everyone so I was feeding and watering them. On one of my trips ‘Annie’ came out of the bushes and I noticed she had a broken leg. The other pups attacked her as she tried to eat. Well I couldn't leave her there being the weakest link so I brought her home. I had her seen by a vet and she had already formed a bony callous over the break so she did not need further care for the break just some good old fashion rest. I have fully vetted her and had her spayed.
“The rest of the pups were also rescued off the side of the road and I was able to secure funding to have them spayed/neutered and vetted. They are with a foster.
“Annie is a shy little girl with adults but warms up with time; she just needs socialization. She loves kids. She is great in the house; you hardly know she is there. We had a incident here ... and Annie got two of my chickens. The end result wasn't good. I need to try to get her into rescue or a forever home ASAP. I have emailed/FB messaged every reputable rescue group over the past 2 months that I can think of offering a donation if they would take her into their program and if I get a response I get no.  Would you be so kind as to either post her flyer or her pics?” 
Email Kim at [email protected]. Click on the artwork to make it larger.
MEANWHILE IN BONHAM’S animal shelter, there may be these dogs. We learned about them in a nearly less-than-informative email that had been forwarded a few times. The email contained no actual description of the dogs, though you can see one looks like a Heeler of some sort, maybe, and the other is a mom with her family.
None of these dogs may be currently available though Cookie, that pointy-eared dog, was on the PetFinder site Monday evening. Click HERE.
Here’s the text of the oft-forwarded email:  “These animals needs to be pulled ASAP, especially the mother and her pups.  This is a high kill place, please forward to your contacts for assistance if you can help with any of them.  Please contact Jeanie Coleman by e-mail/text at this number 9035050285, she is a volunteer there. The Bonham Pound is located in Fannin County, 121 North of McKinney, between Sherman and Paris.”
So, there you have it. Good luck, pups. 
CONTEMPLATIONS: I wish had a nickel for every time I’d seen “This is a high kill shelter” or pound or place on an email. Is that supposed to make a situation more urgent? If one animal is euthanized to make room for another, that is more than enough, don’t you think? There is no high kill, there’s either kill or no-kill. Unless you have somehow figured out a way to say, “Oh, just one? Well, that’s OK.” ... I’ve been the nicest guy on a keyboard for decades, but, you know, that’s about to come to a startling end. I’m tired of getting half a note from people, then having to play detective and guess what planet the animal is on.  Write this down: ACCURATE INFORMATION SAVES LIVES SO INCLUDE IT IN YOUR EMAILS ABOUT ANIMALS. Is that so darned tough? OK, I swear, I’m going to get meaner. ... I’ve been a professional journalist since 1965 -- one thing I’ve learned: Facts matter. Sometimes I leave them out because of oversight. I might spell something wrong. I might even write a sentence that makes you want to vomit. But, honestly, here’s your simple checklist for every email to anybody who can help an animal: Who, what, where, when, why -- include an email, include a phone number, include your full name. We all know about 2 dozen Kathies, Kathys, Cathies, Lyndas, Lindas, etc., and 500 Mikes and Johns and Bills. Remember, you are trying to save animals, not protect your identity from people who want to help you.  OK, I’m done for right now. But watch your step. And remember: You’re a human -- the only thing between animals and the needle. It is not a responsibility to just guess at doing right.
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Autumn arrives and there's plenty to do...

DATELINE: SEPT. 23, 2013, DALLAS, TEXAS (PETPOWELLPRESS) -- The arrival of autumn is always cause for celebration. It’s the season of busy-ness. Holidays and costumes and the State Fair and fundraisers and fun. You’d need a good calendar to keep up with things.
How’s that for a segue.
OK, I’m biased - I am a fan of the Friends of the Animals at Cedar Creek Lake -- they operate the world’s most successful spay/neuter clinic at Gun Barrel City, Texas. That’s about 50 miles southeast of Dallas. The Laketroplex has been drawing Metroplexians since the advent of paved roads and cheap loans.
Now, we got this note from our longtime tipster Sydney Busch of Friends of the Animals and it had a funny subject line: “Like us on Facebook -- and welcome to the millennium!” Yeah, some groups embrace new media slowly, and Friends is on Facebook HERE.
When you go there, you’ll see a note offering the great Pampered Pets Calendar for sale -- this is the 2014 edition and I think Friends has been publishing an annual calendar since the early days of Civil War photographer Mathew Brady’s career when he was developing his trade by taking pictures of Tennessee volunteers headed to San Antonio and the Alamo in 1836.
Some of the preceding paragraph is historical bunk, but I’m betting some of you readers thought, “That Larry really knows his history.” Hah.
I do know my calendars and you can’t beat the $10 deal on the Pampered Pets calendar. Go to that Facebook site and you can see all the places it’s for sale.
Remember, money that goes to Friends of the Animals at Cedar Creek Lake actually does go to spaying and neutering dogs and cats and trying to get a grip on puppy and kitty season.
TWO TO GO IN CARROLLTON: Several animals made it past the deadline in Carrollton and are on the “urgent” list at the suburban shelter. Carrollton Animal Rescue Enterprise posted the urgents on its Facebook page and among them are this cat with the distinct hair and this dog with the distinct smile.
To ask about either of them or any animal on the list, call 972-4663420 or email [email protected]. 
The cat is named Kaleidoscope. But that coat is definitely a creation of the person
who did the hairstyles for the Lost Boys in the Robin Williams' Peter Pan movie Hook.
And the dog’s name is Vickie. She’s Retriever/Terrier mix who was a Carrollton stray. maybe 3 or 4 years old, she tips the scales at 50 pounds and likes to snuggle. 
Got a great smile, too.
You can see Carrollton’s PetFinder list HERE and you can visit the urgent page on Facebook HERE 
GREAT NEWS FROM LUFKIN: Over the weekend Debbie Jones of the Lufkin Animal Shelter sent the most upbeat of reports: Bonnie the “I love you” Chihuahua was adopted.
That’s her with her new male human.
Debbie writes, “BONNIE WAS ADOPTED TODAY!!!!!!!!!!!”
[LARRY SIDE: I left all the exclamation points in there because, frankly, I think it demonstrates the relief in this situation. You may recall that 5 Chihuahuas were left at the Lufkin shelter and people have been hustling to help them for 2 weeks.]
Debbie wrote, “Husband and wife both fell in love with her right away.  She knew they were her new parents and loved them both. I think the connection was a little tighter with Dad.  All three of them were so very happy though. Her adoption picture should be on Friends at Kurth Facebook page ... Megaloo went to her forever foster home with rescue this morning.  That's two down and I feel so very good about both placements.”
You can see the Friends at Kurth Memorial Animal Shelter HERE.
You may recall that Bonnie is the dog who can sing “I love you” with her human. Megaloo (left) is the oldest at 15. The others are Killer, Jake and Tiny Tim.
And, if you need a Chihuahua, three of these dogs are still available. The best way to contact Debbie is to call her at the City of Lufkin Animal Control/Kurth Memorial Animal Shelter where she is the assistant director -- 936-633-0218. Email here at [email protected].
[LARRY ASIDE: Our own home -- already overloaded with dogs and cats, of course -- is without a Chihuahua for the first time in more than two decades. We can testify that a home without a Chihuahua is a home without a vibrant living force akin to having a Stars Wars character hanging around the house. A good one -- like Yoda -- not Jar-Jar Binks.]
THE BUZZ ABOUT THE BIG GALA:Theresa Brandon of the Cedar Hill Pet Cemetery sent out a weekend note that was pretty wide-ranging and included info about the October 18 gala designed to raise money to help protect the once-endangered memorial park and to help erect a War Dog monument within the park.
There’s a surprise: Susan Bahary, who is famed for the War Dog Monuments she has created, sent a numbered “cold cast resin -bronze finish” monument to be auctioned at the gala. Theresa says the organization is planning to commissioner her to do the Memorial Park monument.
And the emcee for the evening is “Pet Guru” Miss Germaine Baur. See more details at www.CedarHillPetCemetery.org and get your $25 ticket for the “Join The Vision” campaign.
MEANWHILE AT DAS: Over the weekend we got several noticed about animals needing a hand at Dallas Animal Services. One  about a vision-impaired Maltese came from Kelly Bond, the veteran rescuer who walks shelters for Homeward Bound Animal Rescue and pays particular attention to DAS and its kittens, cats, dogs and puppies.
Here’s the target of her latest appeal for help. She writes, “This little sweetheart is 6 pounds of adorable! She is happy and loves attention despite having vision loss. She is only 2 years old and definitely a must save! I saw her during her potty break outside today and you would  never know she had an issue! Please email [email protected] to tag. She is available NOW!”
CONTEMPLATIONS: The Emmy show is a lot more entertaining than the Oscars. Except for the rude music. True or false? ... Anybody else have one of those new washing machines that needs a perfectly balanced load to work properly and you can only put certain kinds of detergent in it? Makes me want to save my quarters and go to the washateria. Used to get hours of bachelor enjoyment washing clothes and playing Ms. Pacman at the laundromat. ... How about them Cowboys! It was only the Rams. Don’t get excited. And, for crying out loud, can the Texas Rangers deflate anyone any more completely than coughing up a walk-off grand slam like a tom cat’s hairball on your pillow at 2 a.m. Startling. 
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Joey, Peanut, Emma Sue & Mabel -- The Slumber Quartet

DATELINE: SEPT. 21-22, 2013, DALLAS, TEXAS (PETPOWELLPRESS)--As you can see from the photo above, Judy Maulden has a household full of sleepers. 
I had to look twice to see the cat. That's Mabel. She "owns" the dogs -- sort of in the sense that your dogs or cats own your hearts. 
And because of the nature of these animals and their apparent affection for handy sleeping surfaces, they are in the spotlight of this edition of the world-wide-read worldwideweb feature of Readlarrypowell.com, Let Sleeping Dogs Lie & Napping Cats Nap.
Yep, the camera caught the household tendency. Nod off.
Judy lovingly writes about them. “These are my precious babies. They all sleep with me at night so I don’t usually have much room on the bed.
“Joey is the Black Lab – he was homeless and living on the streets when I got him.  He is so kind-hearted and soulful.
“Next one is Peanut – she is a little Pitty.  She is deaf and I took her in after she lost her home.  She is so sweet and always happy.
“Next is Emma Sue – she is a Red Healer – I adopted her from the Plano shelter when she was 12 weeks old – she is 8 years old now. She loves treats and taking a nap.
“Last – but not least -- is Mabel – she was a little wild feral kitten when I got her – she is now 12 years. old and loves her dog siblings.  The second photo is the crew just laying around – it’s hard to get them all in one place at the same time."
[LARRY ASIDE: As an animal person I know we always have one more funny or endearing story to tell or one more photo to show and that is why I was absolutely unsurprised when I got one more note from Judy with one more photo! I don’t know what people who have no animals can find to talk about.]
Judy explains that last picture. “I had one more photo. I bought a new couch and didn’t want the dogs up on it so I put the cushions down and covered the couch with an old sheet – I came home from work and found Peanut like this.  Since she is deaf – she didn’t hear me come in.”
And, yes, after the photo was snapped, Peanut got a proper hugging and a reminder that she’s a loved little girl. Where ever she wants to sleep.

[TO NOMINATE your sleeping dog, napping cat, snoozing guinea pig, snoring hamster -- do hamster’s store? -- or dozing critter or in-law of any kind for Let Sleeping Dogs Lie & Napping Cats Nap, send photos and info to [email protected]. Remember, Readlarrypowell.com is happy to show off your slumbering animals to the whole wide world because we believe the message of “Sleep ‘n’ Nap With Ease” gives comfort to insomniacs, many of whom lay awake wondering why they can’t sleep. INSOMNIACS OF THE WORD, UNITE AND NOD OFF!]
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A pet fair, a State Fair, a DAS lake rescue, a singing Chihuahua waits, animals in need and the price of sequestration...

DATELINE: SEPT. 20, 2013, DALLAS, TEXAS (PETPOWELLPRESS) -- Before we get to the upbeat news about the Euless Trinity High School GAP Club Fair on Saturday or one of the 5 Lufkin Chihuahuas getting a break, let’‘s just get this out of the way.
The State Fair opens on the 27th and look at this bad news: The U.S. Drum and Bugle Corps daily performances have been canceled because of sequestration - yep, cut out the expenses and there goes the corps.
The State Fair issued a statement Thursday: “It was hoped that budget uncertainty wouldn’t affect this crowd favorite from returning to Marine Corps Square, but such is not the case. State Fair officials express deepest thanks to the United States Marines for service to our nation and hope to have the Drum and Bugle Corps back at the 2014 State Fair of Texas.”
[LARRY ASIDE: At the Hotter 'N Hell 100 in Wichita Falls last month the usual Blue Angels flyover was canceled and replaced by a cropduster -- I’m not kidding. You can look it up. You can also look up your congressman and complain. If you are a real American, complaining to the government is not just your right, it’s your obligation. This isn’t as bad as the time Jimmy Carter boycotted the Olympics and dashed hopes and dreams, but it’s a stinkeroo of a situation anyway.]
And, you may have noticed that happy photo -- I cribbed it off the DAS Facebook page where it was posted Thursday evening -- one of the adoptions during this, the first week of operation for the new DAS adoption center inside the PetSmart at 16821 N. Coit Road in Dallas. [LARRY ASIDE: Readers may recall that the effort to get this center open precluded DAS from participating in its annual adoptions booth at the State Fair this year. How far north is that PetSmart? It has a park and ride spot for Kansas City Mass Transit.]
AND WHILE YOU'RE AT IT and looking at the DAS Facebook site, scroll down until you see a photo of this dog on the left and read how DAS officer Lee Pogue saved the dog after it was spotted struggling in the middle of White Rock Lake. How a little dog wound up in a lake is another mystery -- but if someone saw somebody throw a dog into the lake, drop a dime on 'em, as we used to say. After you go to the story about the hero, come right back because we have opportunities for more heroics today. 
AS LONG AS WE’RE TALKING DAS, Allen Davis of the Rescue Team sent out a note reading, “This EXTRA EXTRA CUTE PUP was found on Tillery Street today (Thursday).  He has a humerus fracture, but he is in good spirit. We have wrapped his leg in a sling and started treatment for pain. ... The owner has until 9/23 to claim pup.”
This nearly 12-pound pup is believed to be a Chow mix about 2 months old. He’s A#807814. 
[LARRY ASIDE: I don’t know a lot about dog anatomy, but it seems to me you have to make an effort to break a puppy’s upper front leg. Maybe it wouldn’t be such a bad thing if this one didn’t go back to the owner.]
AND NOW WE HAVE AN UPDATE ON THE FIVE CHIHUAHUAS in Lufkin. We got this from Debbie Jones who is the Assistant Director for the City of Lufkin Animal Control/Kurth Memorial Animal Shelter.
You may recall that the five Chihuahuas were surrendered to the shelter after a fire destroyed a family home and the people moved into a tent.
One of those dogs, Bonnie, can sing “I love you” along with the singing human and Debbie is trying to get us a video of that.
in the meantime there is good nose for Megaloo, the healthy 17-year-old dog -- she’s going to rescue Friday. 
To help the other Chihuahuas or any animal in the Lufkin shelter, email [email protected] or call 936-633-0218.
That tan dog is Megaloo. The black singing dog is Bonnie -- she’s 12. The other dogs are spayed female Killer, 14; neutered fellow Tiny Tim, 10 and intact youngster Jake, 1 1/2.
HERE’S A COOL LOGO and it’s news to me. Fixin‘ To Save is the “division of Paws in the City dedicated to reducing unwanted litters to eliminate animal euthanasia in Dallas.” And Fixin‘ is fixin‘ to have a Spay Day on October 20 at Dallas Animal Services at I-30 and Westmoreland. They need volunteers who can speak English and Spanish. Email [email protected] to volunteer. Volunteers will help with SpayDay admission, monitor cats and dogs after surgery and keep the clinic area clean. They hope to do 50 to 70 pets.  [LARRY ASIDE: I don’t know who did this logo, but it’s pretty cool and I’d like to give credit. Hope the logo helps draw attention to a good cause. Hope it helps. Remember DAS hosts a bunch of these spay/neuter clinics throughout the year. Usually can find mention on the DAS Facebook page. Assorted groups do the surgery. Last one we wrote about was helped by the Spay Neuter Network, formerly the Kaufman County Animal Awareness Project.]
SOMETIMES WE FORGET TO WATCH THE CALENDAR, but those folks in Reno, Nevada, don’t. My funspouse Martha spotted this poster and forwarded it to me. As you may recall, Thursday was International Talk Like a Pirate Day. The folks in Reno, where they have one-armed bandits but no pirates, took advantage of the tie-in. Might be interesting to see what they do for Halloween, Thanksgiving, etc. We’ll try to monitor.
See, animal rescue ought to be something upbeat. Animals find homes even without wearing funny hats. Sometimes.
NOW WE GET TO THE TRINITY GAP CLUB PET FAIR AND GARAGE SALE benefiting the Euless Animal Shelter. You see the poster her. You see that dog? That is Toby. He’s a dog who needs a home.
He’s currently in the Euless shelter but the thing that slays me is that look on his face. It’s like, “Hey, dude, check out my fancy collar.”
Don’t you just want to hug the guy? He’s among many animals in the Euless shelter. So is that cat Gypsy. [LARRY ASIDE: Regular and some of you irregular visitors to Readlarrypowell.com know that we endorse black and white cats and believe they are probably not originally from this planet. We have had two black and white cats and it is our theory that all cats that are black and white hail from the the Planet Zany. All cats have a streak of Zany, but the black and white cats -- well, they’re special.]
Now, back to the Pet Fair and Garage Sale. It’s a tradition. The Girls Awareness Program -- the GAP Club -- is one of those do-gooder groups and they continually do gooder for the Euless Animal Shelter. The garage sale starts at 8 a.m. and the fair at 10 a.m. and both run until 2 p.m.
There’ll be inexpensive microchipping, pet portraits for $10, dog-bathing and nail clipping for $5 -- I may stop by myself. Wait, that may be animals only.
Anyway, there’s a big garage sale, too.
Rain or shine, the fair is going to be there on the parking lot at Trinity High School in Euless -- it’s an easy-on, easy-off the Airport Freeway (Highway 183) at North Industrial (Highway 157).
This is the GAP Club’s biggest fundraiser of the year. And all the dough goes to support Euless Animal Shelter animals such as Toby and Gypsy.
Here’s the GAP Club Facebook LINK. Click on that Fair poster to make it larger.
And Stephanie Vela has been the sponsor of the GAP Club for a while - email her at [email protected]. [LARRY ASIDE: When teachers devote themselves to these things for years, you know they’re giving their hearts to the cause. If I am elected to the Texas Legislature I will do all I can to get the state to pay teachers in such a manner than it recognizes their value to society and their worth as professionals informing young minds. Only idiots think school isn’t important. No offense to any Texas Legislators who vote against bills that improve public education.]
How important is the GAP Club to the Euless community? Karen Lee, the animal advocate who founded Barkleyworld.com and who is a big supporter of the GAP Club, sent me a note with this expression of worth:  “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. There are always unforeseen medical expenses so they do fund-raisers such as bake sales, t-shirt sales, tamale sales, etc. PLUS they have an annual ‘Pet Shower’ and collect donations for OTHER rescues and shelters and in their spare time they host 2 Pet Fairs annually to raise funds and promote adoptions for these homeless animals. They have made a huge difference in lowering the euthanasia rate of this shelter and it is a fact that many dogs and cats would not be alive today if not for their efforts. They have won many local and state awards!”
There you have it. Some young people doing good -- try to remember that next time you encounter a story about something going sour on a campus somewhere.
CONTEMPLATIONS: What a wickedly unusual baseball game last night. Listening to the amazing pitching of Yu Darvish, he simply seems to have something not quite working. I have a baseball theory. He must be in love. (Reminder, go to facebook.com/baseballhall and vote for Texas Rangers radio broadcaster Eric Nadel for the Ford Frick Award -- the guy has earned it and the Nobel Peace Prize over the last two nights.) ... I love the State Fair of Texas. Just wanted to say that -- I’ve been working on stories about the State Fair since the early 1970s, maybe before, I can’t remember. My favorite memories? The years our little boys Bret and Bart won the “Most Alike Twins” contests in back to back Fairs and the year I helped judge the pinto bean cooking contest and discovered that pinto bean fudge is not all that bad. Not all that good, either. Every time I think about the State Fair, I embrace the sentiment, “God bless Texas.” ... I’m sure I’ve left something important out this week. But remember this: Be kind to animals. Be kind to animal people. Stay in touch with your elected and appointed officials and remind them that you are watching. That is your power, people.
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For Giving Day, arrgggh, we mention opportunities, animals and Big Tex, arrgggh

DATELINE: SEPT. 19, 2013, DALLAS, TEXAS (PETPOWELLPRESS) -- Yes, it is International Talk Like a Pirate Day. Arrrrgh. Aye, we're procedin' on course. See that artwork on the right? Made it myself. Recently learned to create a text box. Onlybeen working on computers since about 1977 -- quick learner.
But, as you can see today (need I point out that Thursday morn is the morning after Lotto Texas?) is 2013 North Texas Giving Day.
From 7 a.m. to midnight Thursday, you can donate to animal rescue groups, to theater groups and to one of my all-time favorite organizations, the World Affairs Council of Dallas/Fort Worth. The  Council works to improve international understanding to the benefit of North Texans. The theater groups, such as Pegasus Theater, work to improve enjoyment of life. And the animal groups -- I’ll not name a favorite because I have MANY favorites -- work to improve life for animals and the people who love them enough to risk life, limb, financial security and domestic tranquility to help them. 
Giving Day is important to these non-profit organizations. All of them -- from cat and dog rescuers to actors to the globally minded - have plenty of heart but heart won’t spend quite like cash.
NOW, TALES FROM THE PET SIDE AND BEYOND:

Readlarrypowell.com has been writing about Deborah Verner’s rescue efforts for all of its existence -- going on 10 years. It started when she was pulling animals to safety after they’d been dumped on Malloy Bridge Road in Southeast Dallas. She was Deborah Trevino back then.  Same spirit when it comes to saving animals, though.
Lately, she has been devoted to a rescue from a different part of Dallas -- Royal Lane near Abrams in north Dallas. It was one of those things. We wrote about it before -- back on Monday, August 5, Deborah saw the young Shepherd mix female being struck by a car during morning rush. The dog was mangled, but, Deborah wrote back then, “She has a strong will to live since she dragged herself off the street over to the grass.”
The dog was taken to Plano Animal Services. She was treated for many, many injuries.
Deborah wrote that her ID is A106723. “She  was released back to Plano Animal Shelter yesterday [Tuesday].  She is currently in their Surgery Area.  She still has pins in her right hip, and favored that leg while standing.  But, she is a total sweetheart.  She will be placed in Foster Care, where she will stay for over a month.  The pins are expected to be removed in 1 month, then she will stay in foster care a little longer, and then, be cleared for adoption.”
Deborah sent these photos, taken yesterday at the shelter. “This baby got to me,” she wrote. “I can’t get her out of my head. But she survived and that is a miracle.”
She’s calling the dog Bella.
The dog’s had a lot of help from people as she undergoes medical care and recuperation -- the next challenge is finding a home. 
WHEN WE GET A NOTE FROM HOUSTON, it usually comes from either of two
notorious rescuers in the Bayou City -- either Edna Taylor or Kelsey Alexander. For this note, we turn to what Kelsey sent about this dog rescued from being abused in a Houston park.
She write, “Most people think courage looks all busy and boyish, with weapons and lots of flash and bang.  But you know what courage really is??  It’s making a stand, taking a chance, in the face of overwhelming odds.  Courage is not about bravado.  It’s about being afraid and doing something, anyway.  And really, what did Abby have to lose?  Emaciated and starving.  Injuries.  Lonely and homeless.  But, still, her sweet, loving spirit prompted her to take the chance to approach people, hoping for help.  What she got was hate and terrible cruelty.
“But, on a hot September day, just the right person read Abby’s story and went out to find this sweet dog and to get her off the street. And another great person offered to cover Abby’s vetting.  Now, there’s room for one more in this story….just the right person to foster Abby.”
To offer to foster this dog, contact Elizabeth Asher at [email protected]. Donate to Abby’s care by contacting Beechnut Animal Hospital at 713-774-9731.
A note from Elizabeth says 25-pound Abby, an underweight Rottie mix, has a sweet disposition despite the fact that she’s got “some old ulcers in her eyes, ear infections, hookworms and is heartworm positive. She also has an open wound on her front paw. Did I mention she is sweet and loving? She is now enjoying all the love and attention she deserves from the vet techs at Beechnut Animal Hospital. Abby has a rescue group that has agreed to sponsor her IF we can find a foster.” (So far Abby’s bill is at the $600 mark.) 
[LARRY ASIDE: One can only assume that the person who let Abby get in this shape is probably eating regularly and can enjoy walks in the park without catching a rock upside the head. Nice, huh.]
Kelsey also forwarded this one from Katy, Texas. Here’s how it reads: 
“Bella is a 7-year-old Catahoula who has spent her whole life tied up outside to a trailer in the trailer park. She has had many litters, but she is NOT pregnant now.
“She is very sweet, and likes other dogs.
“The people who go over and feed her said they will pay for her spay and shots.  Her owners no longer want her. Please share her for a foster or rescue, so Bella can get off the rope she is tied to!” Email [email protected].
[LARRY ASIDE: There’s a deep trough of sorry running through some hearts in that trailer park -- and yet, there are also people who are trying to help this dog. So, what we can deduce from this is authorities from a village whose idiot is missing could start looking in Katy after they’ve exhausted all possibilities in Dallas. Dang, and I promised I’d be a nicer fellow. Please, all legitimate village idiots, accept my apology.]
YEAH, THE CALENDAR moves pretty swiftly sometime and this poster is evidence that it’s already time again for Mazie’s Mission’s annual adopt-a-thon. This time it’s going to be at the Bass Pro Shops in Grapevine.
FYI, they’re still looking for vendors and rescue groups to sign up -- go to www.maziesmission.org. Click on that artwork to make make it blow up like a big toe after a hammer accident.
[LARRY ASIDE: Someone will correct me if I’m wrong, but I believe the really tough road construction work in that area has been completed. It’s like driving those ultra modern cars in Disneyland when Walt Disney was alive. That’s what I heard. I could be wrong.] 
REGULAR VISITORS TO THIS WEBSITE know we’re keen on the big ol’ Labsters. There are beau coups of them currently available in the Humane Society of Cenral Texas, which partners in the same building as the Waco Animal Services, we’re told. And, indeed, Jack the Lab can be had for zero. Zip. Nada. Just call 254-754-1454 and volunteer to get the big fellow. Some of the others cost $50 and have pledges that go with them, but Jack’s been in the shelter so long that he’s available. He’s called “a gentle giant [who] would love a warm bed to sleep in tonight.” He’s A20765663. (LARRY ASIDE: That's not Jack on the right, that's a LabraDane also awaiting a home. And we're not sure that's Jack on the left, either, but it's one of several unidentified photos that arrived with the email and, what the heck, a dog in need is a dog in need.)
OUR COLLIN COUNTY ANIMAL SERVICES TIPSTER Allison Roberts, the volunteer shelter walker, sent a dire note. It reads, “We have dogs in temp crates again and are very much in danger of losing dogs at any time -- they just keep coming in -- many dogs are vetted and heartworm negative.”
To offer to adopt or rescue, email both [email protected] and [email protected] . You can see the inventory on Facebook HERE and on the official shelter site HERE.
Not sure what’s going on out there in McKinney, but there are a number of quarterbacks in the shelter: There’s an Aikman, a Brady, an Elway, a Tebow, a Namath, a Boomerr -- oh, and there’s a Coach.
The story on Coach is the people at the shelter are “working with him to help him learn that no one is going to hurt him.”
There’s also a Courtni who doesn’t look as if she ever played a down, but could have. 
When Allison sends the raft of photos of CCAS animals, I always take time to look at them because the volunteers and staffers there work so hard to save as many as possible. They have fine looking dogs in the shelter -- but, you know, I’ve never known a dog that wouldn’t look good flopping onto the couch next to you and watching a ball game or something on PBS, even. Well, some things on PBS.
Look at the face on Coach. That dog has been in the league a while, don’t you think? He’s 6 years old and knows “Sit” which puts him ahead of about 3/4ths of the first-graders in the United States.
Oh, and for a couple of weeks I mentioned a CCAS dog named Mary Todd Lincoln -- just seemed like a great name for a dog. Allison told me last night that someone adopted Mary Todd Lincoln and we all ought to feel better about that! 
CONTEMPLATIONS: This is a good day to give, don’t you think? Hope I won the Lotto, then you’ll see some giving. A newspaperman who’s been out of the business for 9 years doesn’t have a lot of disposable income -- unless he’s repurposed himself. ... My funspouse Martha and I were driving home from dinner last night and she said something so funny we both laughed out loud and I said, “I’m going to use that!” and the reason you don’t see it here is I can’t remember what it was and neither can she. But we remembered laughing. Maybe it’ll come to us. ... By now you’ve noticed what appears to be a photograph of Santa Claus. It is -- sort of. We got it from Sue Gooding, the PR hustler at the State Fair of Texas. This is Big Tex -- not recently, but from 1948 or 1949 when Big Tex was in his original gig -- Santa in the shopping area of downtown Kerens, Texas, about 70 miles south/southeast of Dallas. Keren’s now bills itself as the “Birthplace of Big Tex.” I’m not kidding.  Look HERE. I posted this photo to remind you that the newly-attired and newly-designed Big Tex will make his debut when the State Fair of Texas opens for its Sept. 27-Oct. 20 run at Fair Park. Big Tex was the original “repurposed” employee. Arrrrgh, matey.
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