ReadLarryPowell.com

Touch hearts, making a law, enjoying the Fair & other animal tales...

OCT. 11 DALLAS (PetPowellPress) -- We’re going to start this report the tough way. Two losses.
First there’s Loco, the dog for whom Texas’ first Felony Animal Cruelty Law was named. He’s the little guy whose eyes were gouged out. He became a symbol and the Legislature -- he went to Austin to lobby for the cause -- reacted by creating “Loco’s Law,” which made animal cruelty a felony. Scroll down to the post about Loco’s passing from late Thursday afternoon and you’ll see a wonderful quote from his human, Greg Autry,  about this news-making dog.
We’ve mentioned Terry Lynn Fisher, the rescuing force of nature in Burns Flat, Okla., for years and years. She’s lost her dog Sweetie (right). We’re putting that story on our Prayers & Passages page. [Loco will eventually move there, too.]
All of us who have animal companions should be both saddened and encouraged by the stories of these two dogs. They both found people who would   love them. We can draw from that, I think, that there is hope for the rest.

A REPORT FROM THE STATE FAIR OF TEXAS

Nobody from Redlarrypowell.com has been able to shake loose and get to the State Fair of Texas so far this year, but we know a great reporter who was at Fair Park Thursday, our longtime pal Diane Combs who named her dog Martha Belle after a certain Dallas funspouse.
You’ll note two photos from the phair, er, fair. Diane has the story on each. And we are grateful that she enjoyed her day at the Fair enough to tell us about these two things we might have missed.
The first report is, of course, yes, Diane got the required Fletcher’s Corney Dogs -- got ‘em early before the lines got long. Had them for breakfast! Breakfast of champions, we’ll say.
She then went to the dog show in the Pan American Building -- never misses it.  She reports, “On the way to the dog show I passed this gal riding a bicycle type of thing with a wagon or big basket in the front with a dog in it.  It said ‘K-9 kid/dog catcher’ on the side (or something like that).  She said the dog in the wagon was ‘Pixie’ and they helped round up lost kids as well as dogs who come into the fairgrounds that aren't supposed to be there ( a lot of stray dogs in that area ). ...
“Then I went to a booth that was doing adoptions for an agency called DFW Rescue Me.  Larry, I talked to a gal named Helene who was familiar with you and Martha.  They showed me Patty and I fell in love but of course had to resist.  She's a 3- to 4-year-old longhaired Dachshund mix. Awww.”
Diane ads that “Helene loved the fact that Martha Belle was named after Martha Powell.”
[LARRY ASIDE: We do, too, and Martha Belle is one dandy dog! And Diane’s report on the Fair and dogs is just one more bit of proof that, as Rogers & Hammerstein wrote, “Our State Fair is a great state fair.” In the meantime, congrats to DFW Rescue Me for continuing to work on behalf of animals at the Fair. You can read about the rescue group and its “Bark @ Fair Park Adoption Extravaganza” -- may offer to adopt Patty -- at dfwrescueme.org.]

KEEPING UP WITH SAM SAM

Two mood photos here. There’s Sam Sam the Relaxed Cat on a Rug and there’s Sam Sam the Getting Ready to Stretch Cat in a chair.
We got his photos from our longtime tipster Deborah Verner, the rescuer, who is working to find a home for young Sam.
He’s about 8 months old and needs a home, like, now. It was back in July that Sam “was pulled from a hoarder in Lake Worth.... That particular household had several cats from various litters. They do NOT believe in spaying and neutering their pets!”
[LARRY ASIDE: Lake Worth does NOT have a city-wide ban on idiots.]
Sam Sam is up to date on shots but he’s not neutered. otherwise he’s healthy. Small re-homing fee. He comes with his vet records, rabies certificate, collar with tag and his own litterbox.
“Sam Sam is sweet at times, but loves chasing the dogs,” Deborah says. He needs to be in a home with no kids.
To offer him a home, email DT[email protected].

A FELLOW NAMED SAMMY:

This is a multiforwarded email and generally I avoid them because you never know if the problem has been solved, but on the off-chance it hasn’t, here’s the story. This is Sammy and his human writes, “I'm in a pickle with my dog and am about to have to take him to a shelter.  It is my understanding that they will kill him.  He is fixed, potty- and kennel-trained, great with my deaf 3 year old granddaughter.  He is in Anna, Texas. No issues,  I just haven't had responses from Facebook or Craig's list.  Or have had responses and no follow thru.   I'm out of time. ... His name is Sammy.  Great temperament. ... Needs some leash-training, but has had a little practice. He is about 3 or 4, I inherited him, so I'm not 100% on the age, but is out of the puppy stage. I had to move to an apartment and need to find him a home.” Phone or text 469-525-6986. He's obviously good at ridin' shotgun.
 
POODLE. A POODLE IN NEED

Heather Harrison, usually hustling to get animals out of the Everman Animal Shelter, sent out a note looking for help with this 8-year-old girl Poodle (spayed and up-to-date on shots). Heather wrote, “This sweet li’l girl has lost her beloved owner and is now needing a place quickly!  Very cuddly, sweet and affectionate.   Good with other dogs.  Tiny girl so she would prefer older kids.”
Email [email protected] or call 309-299-5665.

A BREAK ON THE MEMORIAL PROJECT GALA TICKETS

Theresa Brandon, who hustles on behalf of the Cedar Hill Pet Memorial Project, reminds folks at that if you're in Cedar Hill Saturday for the annual Country Day on the Hill celebration, stop by booths 62 and 63 and get a $5 discount on the $30 tickets for the 2013 Join the Vision! Gala  (October 18) that will benefit the park by bringing the War Dog Monument to the cemetery. The link is www.cedarhillpetcemetery.org.

MEANWHILE, OUT AT THE LAKE
Tip from Sydney Busch that the Friends of the Animals at Cedar Creek Lake Spay/neuter Clinic in Gun Barrel City (corner of 198 and 334) will host a basic vet clinic from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday. Vaccinations, heartworm testing, feline leukemia testing and microchipping. For more info call 903-451-4701 or 214-808-4701 (cell). 

 ROLLS ROYCE SILVER SHADOW? WOW!

Houston tipster Alexandra Kelsey sent a note pointing out that Texas Husky Rescue is raffling of a 1976 Rolls Royce Silver Shadow. Yes, a Rolls. (Well, it is Houston. Dallas had to sell of its Rolls Royces a few years ago.) Information is at www.texashuskyrescue.org. Tickets are $50 each. Other prizes, too. The drawing is on New Years’s Day.  

HELP MOVING CRATES
Tawana Couch of the Society For Companion Animals is looking for help acquiring some crates -- just transportation of crates, not animals. Pam Chrystal has more than 25 crates available and Tawana has happily said “We’ll take ‘em” and use them to move endangered dogs from the Dallas area to safe havens in other states. “Please don’t feel like you have to go get all of them,” she says. “Even if you can do a car full, this is good.” To arrange pickup, call 214-415-1955 or email [email protected] and to arrange drop-off with SFCA at 619 Woolsey in Dallas, email [email protected].

NO, NO, IT’S THE CAT IN THE HAT

This 5-year-old fellow is in a foster home right now. Happy with kids, has a loud purr, enjoys snuggling and having his belly rubbed. Just a laid-back guy, the foster mom reports. The note reads, “He showed up at their house one day and they took him to the vet and agreed to foster him. When he was neutered, he tested positive for FIV. He needs a special person to love him and keep him indoors.” The contact point is [email protected]. Give him time to get to the computer -- apparently he’s good at finding comfortable spots.
CONTEMPLATIONS: There are so many animal stories around that I lose track. So, if you know someone who needs a dog or cat, have them check with a shelter or a rescue group or just go stand on the street in Dallas and one will wander up or someone will drive by and hand one to you. ... My funspouse Martha and I are scheduled to judge cookies at the State Fair this weekend. It’s a joy. A challenge, a joy and a revelation when it comes to learning just how spectacularly great the bakers are in the Lone Star State. . .. My pal Lee Zethraus sent me this link and it’s fascinating. Cheered me up even if it is, basically, a dog food advertisement! Click HERE and be amazed.
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A SIGNIFICANT LOSS FOR TEXAS: LOCO

OCTOBER 10 HOUSTON: It seems so long ago that Loco was in the news. Small dog. Eyes gouged out by some fiend in Dallas. It made news across the nation way back in 2001.
This senseless crime stirred so many hearts and now more will be stirred as we report the death of Loco today. He was with his humans, Greg and Carol Autry, in Houston where they'd relocated several years ago.
The little puppy had been stolen from their Dallas home. A couple of days later, they found him on their front porch --his eyes gouged out. No one was ever arrested or charged. No one ever confessed to dropping the anguished, blinded dog back onto their property.
Animal people and others were so sickened by this awful crime that they united in a campaign to influence Texas lawmakers to make animal cruelty a felony in Texas. Loco even appeared in Austin at the Texas Legislature. The Legislators were moved.
House Bill 653 and Senate Bill 1724 became “Loco’s Law” and on Sept 1, 2001, animal cruelty became -- for the first time! -- a felony in Texas. Villains could get a $10,000 fine and up to two years in jail. This was a turning point in animal law in Texas.
Gov. Rick Perry came to Carrollton and, as Operation Kindness Executive Director Jonnie England and scores of other people watched, signed the Loco Law into effect right in the middle of the state’s best-known and most successful no-kill shelter.
Loco became a local celebrity, helping to raise money for Operation Kindnes and others and helping to bring attention to the plight of animals in the state. At events,you could hear the whispers begin, "Loco's here! Loco's here!" and there would be the dog -- accepting all petting and wagging his tail vigorously. 
And, today, we got a note from Greg. 
“It is with a heavy heart that I announce Loco's passing. He developed cancer on his jaw about 3 months ago and over the last week he started to really go downhill, so it was time. Very tough day.”
Indeed. A shared loss but also a memory of spirit and goodness, too.
Calling Loco “our Champion of Adversity,” Greg wrote, “He was an amazing dog and we hope he helped many animals throughout the state of Texas. It was an honor to have this little dog as our companion for 12 years. He is now at peace. Our girls Clara and Emma prayed for him last night and asked God to please give him new eyes when gets to Heaven.”
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Politics, animals, garage sales and millions waiting in Benin...

DATELINE: Oct. 10, 2013 DALLAS, Texas  (PetPowellPress) Let’s jump right into things. We’ve got animals to help and people to console. And none of them hold elected office. Oh, and see this dog? Found. Needing a home. One of many throughout the Tenderheart Region, as I may sarcastically start calling North Texas for lack of a nickname that doesn’t include the phrase “bunch of bleepbleeps.” We’ll tell you about this dog in just a moment. Now, our report and garage sale news, too:

A SOAPBOX MOMENT
Seriously, how much idiocy can a government shutdown inspire? Cutting back on honor guards and benefits for people who die in uniform in a war zone? You cannot be serious.
Time to write to your members of the House and Senate and remind them that you’re still paying attention -- if, indeed, you are. You could go to this federal government SITE and that website will tell you who your rep is, but it also has a button that reads “THE HOUSE EXPLAINED.” I’m sure that’s just a little too ambitious. And impossible. Here’s an easier one that gives you both your rep and your senator. Click HERE. And, to be fair, you can reach the White House HERE. 
And, they ought to find the advisor who said, “Go ahead and cut the benefits and the honor guard” and excuse him or her from further participation in that government job.I  Heartless. Absolutely heartless. This is not politics -- this is the American people.

ANOTHER NOTE ABOUT THIS DOG ANNIE
You may recall Annie’s story. Found as a broken-legged puppy near Corsicana, she’s healed and ready for adoption and not one person -- NOT ONE -- has expressed interest in this adorable dog.
How do we know? Because we’re in touch with Kim Buckman who had taken some time off from rescue and, then, found this puppy scrambling in terror as she was attacked by other pups while trying to get a meal on a roadside dump area.
Annie loves kids and loves to chase chickens. She’s good for a family, bad for a farm. Needs a home.
Kim sent me a note Wednesday that I think you ought to read because it tells a little bit about the heart. She wrote, “Well, I hate to bother you again but I have not had a single inquiry on Annie.  I am so busy now that I am ‘healthy’ again that Annie is just not getting the attention she deserves. I am either working (2 hours from home) or home with a toddler, animals and horses to get ridden to compete on. Breast cancer taught me to get out there and live! Don't wait for tomorrow because you may not get it :) I appreciate anything you might be able to do to get Annie some face time. She deserves a good home where there aren't any chickens.”
Email Kim at [email protected].

DEADLINE IS NOON THURSDAY -- DEAD IS THE KEY WORD

Kelly Bond, the Homeward Bound Animal Rescue shelter walker, has been hustling to find some help for these two dogs. One you’ve seen before. That Chihuahua. He has a paw so broken that he needs surgery, according to the shelter vet. He’s been buying time, escaping the needle for a MONTH. Probably no rescue wants to take on the expense of the vet care. Maybe no rescue is able financially. But, surely, someone can save the dog’s life with a simple “We’ll get you out of here and see what we can do” move.
Kelly says that both of these dogs were “so sweet when I spent time with them! These 2 have WAY overstayed their time at Dallas Animal Services! I can help with transport if someone will step up to save one or both!” (Email her at [email protected] or contact DAS at [email protected].
The Chihuahua is 9 months old, weighs 6 pound and is A804865.
The other dog is Hunny, who was owner-surrendered on Sept. 25.  She’s A808567. She has flea allergies and redness on her back, Kelly says. “She was so sweet when I took her out but definitely confused and scared in the shelter.”
The shelter is at I-30 and Westmoreland. Plenty of parking. Plenty of animals. See also dallasanimalservices.org.

MEANWHILE, IN BRAZORIA

We got this appeal from Houston tipster Alexandra Kelsey who wrote about the first dog, “1224 is a good boy. Handsome, sweet, a favorite of the shelter workers.  I'm sure he would love a name, but it's kind of hard to name animals you might have to kill.  Tammy [Grable] is hoping that 1224, and all the other great animals, make it out of her small shelter alive.  1224 came close to freedom but things fell through and he's hanging on by a thread.”
1224 is waiting in the Brazoria County Sheriff's Office Livestock and Animal Control shelter in Angleton, Texas. Call 979-388-2365 or 281-756-2365. Email Tammy at [email protected]. She’ll be happy to tell you about other animals that need homes.
You may notice these two obvious Sharpei mixes. They also have no names, just numbers -- and they were among a bunch of mutts and a purebred Pug on the latest “urgent” list at the shelter.
[LARRY ASIDE: Why do I publish the Sharpei mixes? Because on Tuesday Neiman Marcus unveiled its annual “Christmas Wishbook” and that took me back to Christmas of 1983 when the Neiman Marcus Christmas Catalog offered two Sharpeis as the featured, fabulous “His ‘n’ Her Gifts.” Two thousand bucks each. Nice, huh? The Sharpei was a relatively rare breed in the U.S. back then. But, now, like all other purebreds and mutts, the once rare and valuable Sharpei is just another throwaway dog and just another “let’s breed these two and see what happens” moral mistake. You can’t blame Neiman Marcus for what people have done. People are idiots. Neiman’s once offered a camel in its Christmas catalog. Haven’t seen one in a shelter, but in the North Texas Tenderheart Region, you never know.]

IN EULESS, THEY’RE ALL URGENT RIGHT NOW

We got this note from Karen Lee, the rescuer and animal advocate who supports the Euless Trinity GAP Club (Girls Awareness Program) which has adopted the Euless Animal Shelter as its “cause.” The GAP Club took on this responsibility years ago under the leadership of genuine educators.
Karen’s note reads that “ALL DOGS are considered urgent due to lack of space!!  The Trinity GAP Club is constantly juggling pets from the shelter to boarding to foster homes to keep them alive.  Thanks to GAP’s efforts, pets in this small space-based shelter are rarely ever put down due to lack of space, but it becomes extremely difficult when foster homes are full as is the case right now, and boarding is expensive.  So please consider all the foster pets in need too and there are a LOT!   Adopting a foster pet frees the home to take in a new shelter pet!  Please click on this link for ALL pets in need and more pix—wayyyyy too many to feature on this email ... Keep checking link for updates!”
We’ve posted some here.
The Pit is Petey, a friendly fellow. The obvious Earhound is Rosalee. And the Hound -- floppy ears and long tail -- is Tanner. The white on green dogs are Pickles and Popcorn, or maybe Popcorn and Pickles.
To help by adoption, call the Euless Animal Shelter at 817-685-1594 or stop by at 1517 Westpark Way in Euless.
You can also get more info or volunteer to foster a dog or cat by emailing [email protected].

THAT GETS US TO EVERMAN

Here’s the face of the dog featured in today’s opening segment. Our Everman Animal Shelter tipster, the volunteer Heather Harrison, says, “This handsome li’l fella was picked up as a stray.  He appears to be underweight.  Super sweet li’l guy that just wants to be with humans.  Good with other dogs, cats unknown. Ice blue eyes! Unaltered.”
And then there are these two dogs.
Heather reports, “These adorable li’l girls were brought into the shelter by someone claiming to have found them. They are beyond TERRIFIED at the the pound. Stay huddled in a tight ball in the back corner.  Guessing them to be between 1-2 years old.   Terrified, but not biters! Good with other dogs.”
To offer to help any of these animals find a home or a safe haven, email Heather at [email protected] or call 309-299-5665.

BREEDERS CONVENING FOR 5th EDUCATION SEMINAR

We’re on the mailing list for the Responsible Pet Owners Alliance Texas Outreach and the notice arrived Wednesday that Mt. Pleasant, in Northeast Texas on I-30 about 100 miles east of Dallas, is site of the Fifth Education Seminar and Trade Show Oct. 11 and 12.
The event is put on by the Licensed Breeders and Associates of Texas , formerly Animal Owners Association of Texas, according to the RPOA note. Among the events is a presentation titled “Texas Department of Licensing & Regulation: How Process Works, Citations, Appeals, etc. (regarding new TX Dog & Cat Breeders Law).”
The RPOA Texas outreach website is www.rpoatexasoutreach.org.
RPOA opposes nearly everything proposed by the Texas Humane Legislation Network.

CONTEMPLATIONS: This is the favorite email subject line that I got Wednesday: ‘YOUR 4.5 MILION ATM CARD.” The note said, “I am using this opportunity to let you know that your ATM had arrived in US embassy waiting for the $195 to receive custom clearance certificate before the delivery will continue. The Card arrived yesterday by Custom and demanded that we complete the delivery to your address.” And the email was signed “James Night, US Ambassador, Benin Republic.” Well, anyone who keeps up with things knows that the American ambassador to the West African nation of Benin, snuggled between Nigeria and Togo, is Michael Raynor. Besides who needs the tax problems you get a $4.5 million ATM card. ... A couple of days ago KTVT (Channel 11) ran a story about “brazen coyotes” becoming a concert for residents in the Duck Creek neighborhood in Richardson. One resident described the coyotes as “mangy” and “moth eaten” -- indeed, coyotes are Texas natives and, as a Texas Parks & Wildlife officer once told Readlarrypowell.com, mange is the biggest killer of coyotes. See that Channel 11 story HERE. And, really, do people still have to be reminded to not let their “prey” out alone when coyotes are hungry? And sometimes even when humans are with them, that’s not enough protection. For crying out loud, use your brains. Be aggressive in running off unwanted predators. Good rule of thumb in all situations, unless it’s a bear, I guess. Anybody spots a bear around here, let me know. ... Online, I found a story headlined “Brain scans show that dogs are as conscious as human children.” I’ve had kids and I’ve had dogs. You may suspect how I feel about this “revelation.” Read the story HERE.
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Dogs, cats, events and midweek challenges and CATS

(DATELINE: Oct. 9, Dallas, Texas, PetPowellPress) OK, let’s pretend we’re taking it easy at mid-week. No pressure in any office.
And can the nation survive its elected leaders? Change of subject: Look, it’s a dog in a necktie and he has a problem controlling his, uh, eliminations. Either adopt him or run him for Congress where he’ll fit right in. I don’t think he can play golf, so no DEACON 2016 campaign. More on this dog in a minute. We’ve got a lot of things to get to and Deacon’s in good hands for the moment.

PLANNING AHEAD, ARLINGTON!
Come Saturday, there’ll be some action in Arlington’s River Legacy Park. It’llinvolve humans and animals. Runners and walkers. Door prizes, an auction, crafts -- well, lots of stuff. Face-painting -- that’s for kids, but you never know. It’s the 2013 Paws in the Park. Click on the artwork to make it larger.  You can read more about it on the Friends of Arlington Animal Shelter Facebook site HERE. 
This thing goes on “rain or shine!,” says the reminder shipped to me by the reliable tipster Timi Hazle.
And so you won’t forget, October is National Adopt a Shelter Dog Month. 

PLANNING AHEAD FROM ADDISON TO THE STOCKYARDS!

Our tipster Paige Segovia put us in touch with Kathy Harden who filled us in on two related events: (1) From 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday when you dine at the Sweet Tomato in Addison (15225 Montfort), the restaurant will donate 20 percent of the proceeds “of every dinner/drink combo” to all the rescue groups that are participating in (2) Saturday’s Third Annual Great Rescue Round Up in the Fort Worth Stockyards. That’s on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Kathy says, “We have nearly 30 groups signed up this year - with  breeds from Pugs to Mastiffs (and everything in between) and nearly a dozen vendors. This event is an opportunity for potential adopters to not only meet available dogs but also talk to the pros - the folks fostering for the different groups and ask them questions specifically about that breed.  I've been referring to this event as the dog version of Car Max - where else can you go to see such a variety of purebreds in one location?”
I don’t know who came up with that photo - I found it online at a Great Rescue Round Up site. Congrats to the dog for being photogenic in long horns. Not everyone can wear horns with such dignity and charm.
Oh, and Kathy has one more important note. She writes, “Jennifer Dautrich is the general manager of Sweet Tomato Restaurant and is extremely supportive of all rescue groups. She personally has 4 rescues. This is a great opportunity to come out- see a lot of your rescue friends, enjoy a great meal and talk to Jennifer about having a fund-raiser for your rescue group or other organization. She is great- and is more than willing to do what it takes to help the rescue community succeed in saving more lives.”

PHOTOS AND INFO FROM THE COLONY

Oh, for goodness sake, look at Sassy the Schnauzer -- sticking her tongue out!  And Pookie the Earhound -- he’s a Chihuahua who has been at the shelter for a while and needs a rescue. And then there’s the weekend event at the shelter -- something for everyone but especially for people looking for inexpensive vaccinations and other special needs. Click on it to make it big enough to read. 

Our reliable tipster, Patricia Barrington, the Animal sErvices
Division Manager for The Colony, says there are a number of animals waiting for rescue at the shelter. They all get a personal “socialization” from the staffers -- we helped place Marsden, a butterscotch cat from The Colony a few years ago and you’ll never meet a more “ready-to-be-held shelter cat.”
To ask about any animal at The Colony, email [email protected] or call 972-370-9250. The shelter is at 4720 E. Lake Highlands in The Colony.
NOW WE GET TO DEACON
He’s a remaining dogs from the Metroplex Mutts program. You may remember the story. We get this from Garnell McMichael who has been working on the dispersing of the Metroplex Mutts in honor of her late pal, the group’s founder, Tricia Todd.
Here’s Deacon’s story: “Deacon is with a temporary foster in the Dallas area, but due to unexpected caretaking for a family member, the foster can no longer keep him. Tricia Todd with Metroplex Mutts rescued him in early 2013, when she was still hopeful to recover from her cancer, and Deacon was pulled from a local city shelter with a ‘slight limp.’ After x-rays and several exams by different vets, it’s been determined that he has some minor nerve damage to his pelvic area. No fractures or breaks, but the nerve damage does not allow him to feel when he needs to go potty, and surgery will not correct the issue.
“If he is taken outside every several hours, and you spend anywhere from 20-30 minutes with him to give him time to stop playing and go potty, he does not have accidents inside. He will not stay outside alone and only barks and cries at the door, and does not like wearing diapers.
“He LOVES to play ball or with squeaky plush toys, and is very active running and playing, but occasionally those back legs will give out and he will slip and tumble. He gets right back up and is raring to go again. He LOVES to get belly rubs, and give kisses, and enjoys going for walks with his human. He is a Bichon/Poodle mix, about 12 pounds, 5 years old and completely vetted, leash- and crate-trained.
“He needs a forever home that is able to devote the daily time needed to deal with a special needs, very lovable dog. We can’t bear the thought of him having to be euthanized when he still has so many years of life left to be enjoyed. We are BEGGING for a permanent home for Deacon where they will understand his special needs issues. We would also donate to a REPUTABLE rescue/sanctuary that can accommodate his needs and has an experienced guardian to make a lifelong commitment to Deacon.”:

Email [email protected] to offer to give Deacon the life he deserves.
SPEAKING OF SHELTER DOGS
Notes of Tuesday evening report a dozen endangered dogs in the Denton Animal Shelter. This Earhound is one. She’s a Lab/Heeler mix now known as Coco, but when the owner surrendered her, the poor dog’s name was “Coma.” We are living in the reign of idiots, I swear.  You know the drill, Google Denton Animal Services, check the inventory and try to help  them. ... In the Dallas Animal Services shelter, there’s a pregnant Chihuahua nobody wants. Nice, huh. Rule of thumb: If there’s an expectant dog available in a shelter, there’s someone who hasn’t quite figured out the birds and bees. Email [email protected] . ... And Carrollton’s Tuesday evening note opened with this: “Not been a good adoption week here at Carrollton Animal Adoption Center, lots of great dogs and cats in the shelter and in need of help. If you can rescue just one it would help please click on the link and take a look into their eyes and tell them you will help them.” Call 972-466-3420 or email [email protected]. Black Lab mixes Bubbles and Skittles are there, as is our formerly featured adoptable, Rayne (right). And lots of cats.


MEANWHILE IN ROCKWALL

Is this not a funny photograph?
Came on an email labeled “URGENT! PUPPIES, LONG-TIMERS AND A LION!”
It was sent by Rockwall Adoptions, the animal-pitching of Rockwall that is run under contract by Collin County Humane Society.
The available dogs and cats are many. Rockwall Animal Adoption Center has this deal: All dogs are free to rescue -- if you want to adopt one, it’s $75 to $125, still cheaper than at many rescue groups who have to hustle to make ends me and keep rescuing. So, going to the shelter and adopting a dog does the following: Empties a shelter kennel, allows a rescue group to make room for a more critical case, helps you feel more human about yourself. To ask about one, email [email protected].
Here’s the story on Lion dog. “Poor Oscar was adopted from us as a pup, but wasn't reclaimed by his owner when he turned up stray in September of 2013. He does wonderful with other dogs, and loves everyone he meets. Oscar even likes to give hugs! He would do great with an active family.”
What is this 55-pound dog? Says on the note that he’s an APBT/Bulldog. That’s American Pit Bull Terrier and Bulldog -- but it’s really clear that Oscar is The Lion King.
CONTEMPLATIONS: D Magazine is running its Survival Of The Cutest dog contest again -- won last year by our little pal Nemo, Melissa Boesch’s beloved Beagle, a victim of cancer just a few months ago. Click HERE to read about the contest and see a photo of Nemo. Bless his heart, he was a good, good fellow. ... Show of hands, please: Do you think the nation has been ruined by party politics and ignorant but opinionated voters who have no sense of the value of the democratic process or an understanding that an informed and vigorous electorate is the best protection against bureaucrats, politicians and dictators? ... Our pal Jeff Crilley, the former TV newsman who runs Real News PR, sends out a daily tip sheet and on Tuesday morning he reminded us that CATS, starring Fort Worth’s Betty Buckley, debuted on Broadway on Oct. 8, 1982. It ran for something like 5 million shows. Jeff included a YouTube link so we can see Betty as Grizabella by clicking HERE. We’ll note that today, October 9, is the anniversary of all the newspapers in New York printing reviews of the legendary musical. It ran for around 20 years and puzzled many dog people. 
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The challenges that face animals and their rescuers...

DATELINE: OCT. 8, 2013, DALLAS, TEXAS (PETPOWELLPRESS) -- Some picture, huh? We’ll get to that dog in a second. As regular visitors to Readlarrypowell.com know, we believe animals deserve a better break than being on a planet where humans are the dominant species -- except for germs, of course. Next time you have a cold or the flu, tell yourself humans are the dominant species. Anyway, humans do the best they can and humans involved in animal rescue do better than most. The big drawback is the inability to communicate to the outside world just how much they need to pitch in with defeating the problems of animal abuse and over-reproduction and neglect. 

THE STORY ON THE PEEPING DOGS
They are living under a duplex near Fair Park and Momma roams the busy streets near the State Fair in search of food. We get this story from Karen Brophy, who says she is the “advocate for a homeless man living in his truck by Fair Park.  Saturday, I was getting the gentleman  a burger when I noticed an emaciated Mama dog in the street. I keep a box of Vienna Sausages (for the homeless people) in my truck so I got her to the parking lot and fed her as it was obvious she is starving. That is when I got close enough to see that she is a nursing female. After she ate the Vienna Sausages she turned around and ran about a half mile away back to her puppies. I was able to follow her to a rundown duplex on a VERY busy road by Fair Park. Mama dog and her puppies are living under a vacant duplex.”
Karen has seen in touch with Duck Team 6 and is searching for a foster home for mom and the pups. That is the key need. A foster home.
Karen says, “Mama is very friendly and eats sausages from my hand. I've been by to drop off food for Mama and her pups. She came right up to my truck and I assured her she’d done a great job and that I would get her some help. Duck Team 6 will assist in the capture of the dogs.”
Karen will make a substantial donation to the rescue group that will take in the Lab mix mom and her 3-month-old pups. To offer to save the lives of these dogs by taking them in, call 972-741-2012 or email [email protected].
You could also volunteer to help the homeless man living in his truck, I’ll bet. As I’ve frequently written, animal people are some of the best people people on earth.
THE TRACTOR DUDE ABIDES
Well, for crying out loud, Roscoe remains a mainstay at Trophy Tractor in Grand Prairie, but the wander-up dog has gotten orders. Move on. We’ve posted Roscoe twice in the past month - Trophy Tractors LouAnn Norris usually has a lot better work finding homes for the strays that come to the dealership to try out for permanent dog. But there are already two permanent dogs and that’s all the insurance will allow, LouAnn says.
So, Roscoe Must Go.
Where did he come from? Listen, folks, LouAnn is no slouch at trying to help these dogs. Here’s the Roscoe story. “I have had such a wonderful time having him ... He does have a chip but I have had no luck finding the original owner.  I drove by the address and the house is empty; tried phone number – not connected and have emailed with no response. I even  tried to find him on Facebook – but have had no luck there either.” And she confesses, “I LOVE this dog!”
As you can see from the photos, Roscoe would be an excellent subject for our weekend feature, Let Sleeping Dogs Lie & Napping Cats Nap, but his situation is dire and he needs a home before he needs a new bunch of publicity.
To offer to help LouAnn help Roscoe, call 972-264-670 or email [email protected].
[LARRY ASIDE: You know what? Because the bossman at Trophy Tractor is obviously an animal lover, we’ll just say shop for your next Tractor at Trophy Tractor Inc. -- the website is www.trophytractor.com. Oh, and please don’t decide the best place to dump unwanted dogs is on the Trophy Tractor property. It’s not. Don’t dump dogs. Grow some, uh, morality and ethics and take care of the animals. Like the Trophy Tractor people do.]
TINKERBELLE'S TALE OF WAITING
We’re going to start with a personal note. At the Readlarrypowell.com international headquarters, we’ve had many bigger basic black dogs through the years -- Hambone Jack the LabraDane, Cosmo the Who Know What Gentleman, Baby Jane Doe the Shepherd Mix and, right now, our Rottie, Texas Earl the Cheeseman.
We’re all full up here right now or Tinkerbelle would have a home. Since we can’t take her in, I’m going to try to write her into the heart of someone who doesn’t yet know that they need a dog named Tinkerbelle. We get her story from Wendy Melton, director of the League of Animal Protectors.
Tink’s foster moved out of state to take a job. So Tink waits in boarding -- LAP could use some donations -- it’s a 501c3 non-profit -- to help with that bill, too. But the best thing would be to find this dog a home. Email laprescue.org and ask. She’s fond of cats, but “pesters them” so a no-cat home might work best.
You can see Tinkerbelle on TV HERE and in a tuneful Duck Team 6 video HERE.

AND ROVER, THE VICIOUS DOG, WAITS IN KELLER

Yes, this dog Rover is currently in quarantine. Why?
Owner mistake is the theory in pro-dog quarters such as Readlarrypowell.com. We say that knowingly. You almost can’t find a rescuer who hasn’t been nipped while getting to know a frightened or surprised dog.
Fiona Green, who hustles animals to safety on behalf of the Keller Animal Shelter, says, “Rover was very timid when he first arrived at the Keller shelter but was great once he learned to trust us. He was adopted and returned as he nipped at/bit the adopter when she tried to brush him. He is now in quarantine and is rescue only. If any groups can help, please contact the shelter directly at 817-743-4517 or at [email protected].”
As you can see from these photos, handsome Rover is a beautiful dog with a distinct smile. Who knows why he might have nipped at a hand that held a brush -- maybe a previous hand with a brush had “corrected” him. Bless his heart. He only has a few days in quarantine and then it’s into a rescue group or onto the clock.
TWO OF MANY DAS DOGS
Yeah, they’re cute. They need a home or homes. The Dallas Animal Services folks took these two dogs walking together and they were just fine with it, though, DAS Transfer Coordinator Danielle Fry says the one-eyed pit wasn’t all that happy when the puppy jumped on him, but he’s too sweet to protest.
The sweet Pitster’s eye was removed at some point. He came into the shelter a little dinged up but has recovered.
Lots of animals come into DAS with an iffy state of health. Sometimes it just takes a little bit of work to help them. Like these pups -- they probably have ringworm and that’s a death sentence in
most shelters. Can’t afford an epidemic, they say. So these dogs needed out, too, and Homeward Bound Animal Rescue took them -- that’s who needs the donations to help with their treatment. In the meantime, as soon as they left DAS, more animals came in to fill the kennels. This is Dallas -- as the Chamber of Commerce says, “Big Things Happen Here” and I guess that includes big idiots dumping dogs and cats in a big way.
THE FERAL FRIENDS’ SILENT AUCTION’S COMING UP!
Ever contemplate how much work it takes to raise money to support rescue? Takes a bunch. We got a reminder from Pam Asturias, a board member of Feral Friends Community Cat Alliance and the coordinator for the “Race to Reduce Litters” program. Takes money to spay and neuter and to house and chase and medicate and adopt out all the cats around here. She tend a reminder that “our Feral Friends' Annual Silent Auction Fundraiser (time flies, I tell ya)” is coming up on Saturday, October 26, from 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. at the Dallas Zoo. This cat is one of the Feral Friends foundlings, Peaches, who sits well for a photograph and probably will sit in a lap, too. You can see Peaches’ picture and get $30 tickets to the Feral Friends Silent Auction by going to feralfriends.org. We have cats at our house. We also have feral cats living in the neighborhood. One was so un-feral she’s now an indoor cat, Deputy Chief Kittie Leigh Johnson, after the character in The Closer. Feral cats don’t always have to be feral forever. But they also don’t have to be regarded as hazards, menaces and villains. Trap, neuter, return and you’ve got rats and mice packing up and leaving the neighborhood.
CONTEMPLATIONS: I was reading a story on Huffington Post over the weekend about a dog named Joseph that had been chained to a tree in Middletown, Ohio, for 4 years and finally been rescued and the owner charged with cruelty. This kind of thing happens all the time in Dallas -- ask the Fairy Dogmother of Dallas Angie Manriquez. She's pulled many a tethered dog out of West Dallas. Usually the chained dogs don’t make it 4 years around here because the heat kills them after a  year or two, or the winter gets them, or another animal gets them or someone shoots or poisons them or heartworm gets them. And it’s rare that an owner is charged with cruelty. Some people favor negotiation over punishment for the crime of abuse and neglect. “Give us your dog and we won’t charge you with a crime and cost you a lot of legal expenses” instead of “We’re going to take your dog, save its life and throw your sorry ass into a cold jail cell.” Pardon my entirely accurate French. Here’s that story LINK. ... I haven’t been able to watch the baseball playoffs. It’s an emotional thing Thanks, Texas Rangers. ... OK, let’s all vow to be better people today. In spite of the other people we run into. Yep, that’s your challenge.
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'31 and Done!'; a Yogurt-lovin', soccer-playin' pig and other Monday tales...

(DATELINE: Oct. 7, 2013, Dallas PetPowellPress) The mission of Readlarrypowell.com, since my funspouse Martha and I founded it nearly a decade ago, has been to write animals into the hearts of people. Like, for example, writing this dog into someone’s heart. More on her in a minute. Looks like she might be a genuine bookworm, though. Intent. Happy. Got those eyes.
So, along the way we’ve tried to write supportively about live theater and other good causes (spay/neuter, Straydog Inc., etc.), too, and, especially each year we’ve promoted the world’s greatest book fair supporting women and the causes of women.
This year it’s called the AAUW Book Fair Thirty-One. Used to be the American Association of University Women--Arlington Branch Book Fair. Things change. Names get shorter in the 21st Century.
The book fair spans the centuries. It started in the 20th and is wrapping up in the 21st.
The 31st AAUW Book Fair is Oct. 24-27 and it’s the last one, the AAUW says. (More on the schedule and inventory in Contemplations today.) Our pal Diane Feldman, a mainstay at the Fair, says the slogan this year is “31 and Done!” Now, that’s a catchy slogan -- good for one fair only!
The Arlington Branch is ending the Fair at 31, which, I think is the oldest age of any of the participants. I may have made that up. Anyway, nobody has sold more books and bought more liniment than the people who’ve put this thing on for three decades. A box of real books is a lot heavier than a box of ebooks.
And this is extremely important: The proceeds go to help the cause of education opportunities for women. (We’ll touch on that in Contemplations, too.)
The annual catalog arrived in my email inbox last week. It used to arrive in our U.S. mail box. Always had a great cover. I’m posting one here -- that (pardon my poor photography) is from the 2007 25th annual sale. Again, things change. But those of us who have participated as shoppers at this fair should offer words of thanks to the Arlington Branch of the American Association of University Women for giving us something special in the fall besides Halloween masks and football.
Because of this fair, I own textbooks I loved in public school but couldn’t afford to buy back then. My kids and grandkids have books I loved that were out of print but on the shelves at the book fair. Martha has mysteries that had vanished from shelves. These books all mean something to someone. The Arlington Branch helped us revisit them. I don’t know if you’ll have a moment to send a thanks to these University Women, but here’s the email address: [email protected].
We don’t often get the chance to send a thank-you note to people who have worked so hard for so many. Their hard work over the years has been a wonderful tribute to education. And every strained back muscle, every hour spent stacking books, every moment spent at the book fair is appreciated. And so is the inexpensive price!
BACK TO THAT DOG AND A FAMILIAR CAT
The dog we opened with is Rayne. And the cat pictured here has been published here before because of her dynamite coat. Kaleidoscope is available to anyone.  They are both in the Carrollton Animal Shelter. And the Carrollton Animal Rescue Enterprise folks - the city shelter staff -- have both of these animals on the “urgent” list for early in the week. Yes, “urgent” means there’s a chance that they’ll get the needle before they can get a home. And that’s a rotten thing to do to animals who think they are being helped every time a shelter worker shows up at the cage door.
Rayne, 2 years old and 51 pounds, is available to rescue only because she’s a Pitty type and people are idiots. Carrollton lets rescues take the Pitty-types so they can ake sure they go to good homes. Rayne came to the shelter because her humans moved to a place that would not allow her. Again, people are idiots. Sometimes it’s the people who write off a “breed” because of reputation and sometimes the idiots are the people who don’t properly socialize the dogs, the people who want a mean-ass guard dog who’ll tear anything to pieces and then are surprised when the dog does just that. Idiots.
To offer to take Rayne or to adopt Kaleidoscope, email [email protected] or call 972-466-3420. You can see all the Urgents on the CARE Facebook page HERE.

ARLINGTON HAS A 2 P.M. MONDAY DEADLINE ON URGENTS

This collage was forwarded to Readlarrypowell.com Sunday night.
Sorry for not giving you earlier notice, but it isn’t like you just now are learning that Arlington has an animal shelter that, lately, has been full with animals that are in danger.
What can you do? Click on the artwork to make it larger. Email the address on the artwork and save some animals.
[LARRY ASIDE: Seriously, is every city or county shelter around here so full that they’re keeping the needles at the ready? Why is that? If every person who was at the Dallas Cowboys game in Arlington on Sunday had taken home a shelter dog or cat and consoled it after that stupid loss, then we wouldn’t have an animal problem around here for at least a month. I figure a month is about as long as it takes our Free-Roaming Idiot Population to dump litters and start over.] 
Oh, and this is Adopt-a-Shelter Dog Month. (Check out the amazing face on Monet! A work of art. But aren’t they all?)

TWO NEEDING QUICK HELP AT DALLAS ANIMAL SERVICES

By the time you read this, these two animals may have been helped. Or they may have been “put out of their misery” because, well, sometimes that happens when rescue folks and adoption folks can’t work quickly enough.
This notice arrived Sunday around 5 p.m.  The Chihuahua has had several days to get help for a broken paw -- he’ sonly 10 months old and already under treatment for an upper respiratory infection. And the DAS vet says the dog’s paw needs some surgery ASAP A804865 is his number.
And that Maltese came in quite frightened -- about 2 years old and all of 7.7 pounds. DAS Transfer Coordinator Danielle Fry says the first time she went in to pet the dog she had to “corner her” but she has let her pet her now. “After a couple of pets I stopped to see what she would do. She started wagging her tail and jumped in my lap!” The little pup has some skin issues, but is, of course, totally adoptable.
To help either of these dogs or any dog or cat that needs help, email [email protected]. 

MARMADUKE NEEDS A HOME

Here’s a foundling from Corsicana and we get the story from reliable tipster and rescuer Sharon Coker.  Marmaduke. That’s the name for now -- might fit perfectly.
Sharon writes, “This sweet boy was running the streets and in danger of being run over and my granddaughter took him in temporarily. She runs every morning and he just appeared and would keep up with her, he wouldn't leave her yard and just stayed on her front porch. She couldn't let him starve so she had him neutered, got all his shots and he's heartworm negative. He appears to be a Sharpei mix, about 58 pounds. good with other dogs and very trainable. She is unable to keep him as she is at her limit and rarely home with her work and social schedule. 

“We are trying everything we can to keep from taking him to the shelter.  If he would be a good fit for someone out there please respond to the email [email protected] or call  903-654-2472.”
SOMETIMES THINGS (NET)WORK OUT
Back on October 1 we told the story of this German Shepherd Peri. Terry DeGaw of the Serenity Springs Sanctuary was trying to hustle a home for him. He’d nipped a kid as he was being given a treat and that meant the dog was out of the house and into a shelter. But, Peri got into a boarding place and a little time was bought and Terry started networking.
Carole Sanders, President and Founder of Animal Angels of Texas, saw the mention of Peri.
Serenity Springs and Animal Angels are both northwest of the metrosprawl, out in real Texas. But the computer age makes everyone a neighbor and every computer becomes a connecting point.
So, Carole sent a note that she thinks she’ll be able to help Peri get into the home of “a good friend of some 50 years who I used to fly with. He’s a retired American Airlines captain who lives on his own airstrip in Wise County. He recently lost his male GSD and has had me on the lookout for another.”
We’ll let you know how this works out. But I wanted to make sure people understood the power of the connections in your computer. We can reach across Texas, or, as Tawana Couch does with Society for Companion Animals, across the state lines, to help animals. I don’t know what rescuers did before everybody could afford a computer and nobody had a cellphone.
Read about Serenity Springs HERE and read about Animal Angels of Texas HERE.
A SOCCER-PLAYING, YOGURT-LOVIN PIG NAMED APOLLO 

Oh, boy. Future Farmers of America. Anybody go to high school in a semi-rural or rural area? Remember those blue FFA jackets?
Well, those kids all have projects. And Shannon Mayo is a momma who was afraid her son’s project, Apollo the Pig, was going to wind up at a slaughterhouse.
She sent out a note asking for help from animal people.
We checked with her Sunday to see if she still needed some help and she reports, “I believe we have found a good home for him. I have received an outpouring of support and offers to help him.”
She’d moved Apollo from the Fort Bend County Fairgrounds (where he’d been shown) and “hidden” him at her boyfriend’s house to buy time for the cross-breed pig.
In asking for help, she explained, “He's a very tame crossbreed pig. His name is Apollo. He loves attention, and he loves yogurt. He enjoys a rousing game of pig soccer played with a bowling ball.”
And in that last sentence you can see why I wanted to be sure to report on the fate of Apollo the Pig. He may be just one step away from “Stupid Pet Tricks” on Latenight With David Letterman.
A yogurt-loving, soccer-playing-with-a-bowling-ball pig would seem have market value and by that I mean in advertising.
CONTEMPLATIONS: We’re going to focus on the 2013 Arlington AAUW Book Fair in our contemplations today. Why? Because it matters. The sale is Oct. 24-27 -- the last AAUW-Arlington Branch Book Fair, the 31st fair -- at the Arlington Museum of Art, 210 W. Main St., in downtown Arlington. It opens at 4 p.m. on Thursday with a $5 donation at the door. Then on Friday, Saturday and Sunday admission is free. And Sunday is half-price day. The fair’s inventory  half-price or even more of a discount in most instances, includes all sorts of books, sometimes there’s vinyl, tapes, CDs, DVDs, textbooks, computer books, romances, thrillers (our pal Diane Feldman introduced us to the Jack Reacher books by Lee Child at the fair.).
Proceeds from the Fair go to educational causes for women. And why is that OK with me, a longtime male? Here’s why: My own funspouse Martha is a woman. My mother is a woman. My granddaughters are women (Hannah Rose and Emily Grace) and my grandson, Connor, has sisters. We’ve got women all over the place in our lives. Some of my best friends are women (true fact), some of my most memorable and honorable colleagues in journalism have been women and some of my greatest bosses have been women - in and out of newspapers. They’ve all been literate. They’ve all been either educated or not shy about continuing to become educated. One became a doctor. Some became lawyers.
Nowadays if a woman wants to be educated, she does just what the guys do -- she signs up for class.
It wasn’t always that way. There were barricades.  Some women fought through tough times to become educated. There was a time in Texas when women couldn’t get a credit card unless their husbands OK’d it. You can imagine how tough it was for them to get a loan to go to college.
Changes had to occur to make this a more decent society. Most of the changes had to be in the hearts and minds of men, sad to say. And, now, there are women in key positions all over government and education and business and religion and still they find time to raise families, have careers and guide their children by being determined role models. And, yes, women are like men, too -- we’re all flawed. But with support we can all do better. So, that’s one of the reasons we’ve always felt good about spending money at the AAUW Arlington Branch Book Fair. We get something (books!) and we get to help, too. 
You can read the online catalog of some of the more interesting items in the inventory this year -- they’re not all freshly printed, you know. Old books find their ways into the stacks. Remember, there are thousands and thousands of books and items available at a price so low (half-price or even lower) you’ll hunt down an ATM machine so you can get more cash! [Click Download 31stAAUWBOOKFAIR to get the catalogue of "special" offerings.]
Just a few special “collectible-type” books to mention (and all of these capsules are from the catalog):

-- OUR FRIEND THE SCOTTISH TERRIER. Rowland Jones, ed.
E. P. Dutton & Co., Inc: New York, (1933). Our Friend the Dog Series. 12mo VG/G $ 5.00 One of a series of practical dog books: these excellent manuals are the last word in practical advice to all dog fanciers, breeders, owners, and friends.

-- (Larry aside: I’m mentioning this one because the big hot miniseries on TV this fall is supposed to be Bonnie and Clyde. This book will be a hot item.) “I’M FRANK HAMER”: The Life of a Texas Peace Officer. H. Gordon Frost & John H. Jenkins.
The Pemberton Press: Austin, 1968. Photos, documents. ... VG/G $35.00 Hamer was a Texas Ranger for fifty years and hailed as “one of the greatest law officers in American History.” His most famous case was the tracking down and killing of Bonnie and Clyde, which is recounted in this book.

 -- FIRST ADVENTURES IN READING: Introducing Children to Books. May Lamberton Becker. Frederick A. Stokes Company: New York, 1936. 12mo VG/G
The emphasis is to encourage young readers from 12-16 to acquire an interest and discriminating taste in books. $ 8
-- THE HUMS OF POOH. A. A. Milne; music H. Fraser-Simson; illus. E. H. Shepard. E. P. Dutton & Co., Inc.: New York, (1948). [1st 1930] 4to VG/G- $10.00 “All the songs, ditties, and chantries with which Winnie-The-Pooh varies his conversation and comforts his mind.”
-- (LARRY ASIDE: This is the screenplay for one of my favorite original cast Star Trek films. The actual screenplay! Is that literate or what?)  STAR TREK IV: The Voyage Home. The Screenplay by S. Meerson, P. Krikes, H. Bennett, & N. Mayer. Story by L. Nimroy & H. Bennett O.S.P. Publishing, Inc.: np, 1994, 1st, PREMIER’S Collector’s Edition. Photos. 4to PB NF Original Movie Script. Paramount Pictures.” $30.
-- [LARRY ASIDE: This is my favorite title -- oh, boy, does Dallas inspire the imagination! Plus, the author is a favorite local writer.] THE UNAUTHORIZED HISTORY OF DALLAS, TEXAS. Rose-Mary Rumbley. Eakin Press: Austin, 1991, 1st. B/W photos. PB NF “The Scenic Route Through 150 Years in Big D.” $8.00”

Ah, the written word. But, even more ah, the well-written word. A museum full of them and all at a bargain price. That, friends, is a book fair.
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Daisy curls up and catches some Zzzzzzs

Oh, my fellow insomniacs, don’t tell me you aren’t envious of this precious dog! 
Look at that confident body curl, that nose in the proper sleeping position, the aura of relaxation and rejuvenation. 
What can we say except “Hail, Daisy! Triumphant Sleeper!”
And that is why Daisy is the spotlight personality for this  edition of the long-running Readlarrypowell.com weekend feature “Let Sleeping Dogs Lie & Napping Cats Nap.”
She was nominated by someone who usually contacts us about dogs in need of homes, Susan Tandukar of the Partners of Arlington Animal Services. Susan and hubby D are enamored of Daisy. You can catch up with the Partners’ work by going to their Facebook site HERE. 
Susan says she was catching up on her online reading and decided that she wanted to nominate “my very own Arlington Animal Services rescue 4-legged child Daisy!
“Anytime she is sleeping and the light is bright, she likes to cover up her face,  Also, attached an awake pic for you to see.  Notice the ‘T’ on the back of her neck? She was destined to be a Tandukar!”
What’s the story on Daisy? “We were told that Crazy Daisy is a Chi/Doxie mix (I think maybe some Corgi or something else mixed in there though).  She's got the short squatty legs like a Dachshund but has the mentality of a Chihuahua..LOL.  As for her ears, she has actually grown into them!! IF you can believe that!  She is about 2 1/2 years old and her 2 year ‘gotcha’ anniversary will be next week on 10/10/13! She is an only sleeper as of right now, but I would like to bring a sister home from the shelter for her to play with.  Now to only convince the hubby!”
[To nominate your slumbering dog, cat, bunny, guinea pig, Shetland pony, angora goat or Washington politician, send the photo and info to [email protected] and we’ll proudly post the picture and the story on internationally-read Readlarrypowell.com, Why do we post photos of sleeping animals? To give hope to insomniacs. No telling how many insomniacs are planning to go to a store to try to order a “Curl-up Surefire Sleeper” model human bed now that they’ve seen Daisy’s happy example of confident slumber.]

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Ears, dogs, cats, people and Friday...

OCT. 04, 2013 DATELINE: DALLAS (BEST EARS IN THE UNIVERSE), TEXAS: One of the great things about writing a Friday report is taking the opportunity to dodge the really serious stuff. And it takes some sincere dodging around here.
But, we’ve got a helper in this case. Stephanie Daniels, the Communications Specialist at the SPCA of Texas and, of course, a bona fide ERA (Earhound Recognition Authority). 
This time she sent us this great photo. “Check out Cinnamon, a super-smiley 5-month-old Pit Bull mix who was surrendered due to her family’s landlord issues. She’s SO cute and SO happy! And did I mention those ears? They’re pretty magnificent!”
Indeed, they are! And Cinnamon is available at the SPCA of Texas. Go to spca.org and see how to adopt. When you adopt an animal from the SPCA, it opens a kennel for another animal and keeps the adopted animal and the newcomer from facing the needle  in a city shelter. (October is, after all, National Adopt a Shelter Dog Month. But aren't they all.)
Why would anybody want a dog like this? Three quick reasons: Conversation, companionship and an improved beat to your own heart. Love an Earhound and you’ll find yourself enjoying the remarkable sights of this ol’ earth. True fact.
AT DAS ON SUNDAY: From 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. a low-cost vaccination clinic. Dogs and cats. You know where the shelter is -- I-30 at Westmoreland.  Info arrived on a Dallas Companion Animal Project e-paper and you can get more info at the Dallas Animal Services Facebook site.
TWO GAP DOGS NEED A PLACE TO LAND. Karen Lee, the animal-advocating Euless Trinity High School GAP Club supporter, sent a note about Palmer and Preston, a pair of Golden/Lab mixes lost their place to stay. The other dog didn’t like them. 
These two guys are getting healthier after suffering from malnutrition and, maybe, some arthritis. What they don’t suffer from is the love of being adored by humans. 
You can offer to give them a place to stay or to adopt or to help donate to their care at [email protected].
A NEW FAVORITE SENTENCE. This came from an appeal for help from A Different Breed’s Kathryn Davis. It reads “Please send extra newspaper our way!  We have a chronic shortage so every little bit helps!” Finally, a reason to subscribe, eh? Arrange the delivery, so to speak, by emailing [email protected].
THE HEADLINE WAS INTRIGUING. It read “BLACK POODLE FOUND IN LOON BAY!” and immediately I began to imagine a dog swimming in a bay. So, where is Loon Bay? It’s out at the Lake. Cedar Creek Lake. We got the tip from Sydney Busch of Friends of the Animals at Cedar Creek Lake who forwarded the note to us from Cheryl Voris. 
Cheryl wrote, “We found this sweet, young little girl roaming Loon Bay at Harbor Drive and Blue Bonnet on approximately September 28th. She appears to be a poodle with a little mix as you can see from the picture. She also appears to be under a year old. She was wearing a collar but no tags.”
To volunteer to help Cheryl with this dog, email [email protected] or call 903-887-2872 or 214-577-1644.
[LARRY ASIDE: Loon Bay? Are there loons in Texas? I’m a native Texan and I have seen loons in Texas, but they were running for office. There is a state publication -- the link is HERE -- that includes this sentence. “The Common Loon is the only loon that is common in Texas.” Every now and then I run across a sentence I wish I'd written. So clear, right to the point. As unenhanced as a congressional budget.]
HUSTLING FOR SUNFLOWER AND DELTA: The Collin County Humane Society is hustling money to help pay the big bills being run up by a couple of worthwhile dogs.
Sunflower came into the group’s care on Sept. 24 -- ugly leg injury. Antibiotics and skin wraps didn’t defeat the nerve damage. So, the girl is recuperating. She’s expecting to make a full recovery, but it’s not cheap -- about $800 so far.
Then Delta is the purebred Bloodhound -- a CCHS dog sicne January. Got that eyelit thing --entropian. Painful, can cause blindness, unpleasant for a dog. So, surgery is the order of the day. The lashes are growing in and scratching her eyes -- painfully. Fixing this is going to be about $350 to $400. 
You can help these dogs by goint to the CCHS site and navigating to the donation area or by contacting the CCHS and volunteering. The link is HERE.
WHEN THE ARTISTS WORK FOR ANIMALS 
The Paws for a Purrpose people are kicking off their fundraising season with a reception from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. today at Ilume Gallerie, 4123 Cedar Springs #107, in Dallas. You can see details of the event on Culturemap HERE, The organization supports the South Texas School of Law and the Texas Humane Legislation Network.
More than 40 artists are involved in creative ways to raise money for the cause -- such as this spectacular dog. The big to-do is in Houston next month and you can read about that at www.pawsforapurrpose.com. Handsome artwork -- not an Earhound, of course. We know what Artist makes Earhounds. 
CONTEMPLATIONS: This is something good to contemplate. Jennifer Sellers who’d been hustling to find a home for the abandoned, declawed, 15-year-old

orange cat Pumpkin, has found one. In Houston. We’ll just tell you that the adoptor is someone who admits to being both “animal and age sensitive” Said she couldn’t stand the idea of the ol’ fellow not having a happy home. ... I really miss having the Texas Rangers playing baseball in the evenings. I hope the players miss it as much as the fans -- maybe next year there won’t be any frittering away of games by failing to hold the lead. ... And longtime visitors to Readlarrypowell.com know we support live theater with enthusiasm. And when we opened the email that had this poster, the first staggering thought was, "Oh, holy Bard, Pegagsus and I were born in the same year!" Yep, both of us are 30. What? Of course, I spent some time trodding the boards - that's how I learned to lie about my age. ... I’m going to repeat this comment posted on Readlarrypowell.com by our pal Jonnie England, the legendary animal advocate who has been watching Dallas animal issues for a long time.  When we mentioned the evolution of Dallas Animal Services, Jonnie responded, “Thanks for giving some much-deserved credit to Scott Walton (now Deputy Chief of DPD) for his many contributions to Dallas Animal Services and introducing the concept of ‘Compassion’ to the staff and the culture there. Scott changed DAS from a place of shame and embarrassment into a shelter and an organization that showed the City of Dallas did care about saving lives. And I still think your idea for a statue honoring that sad, lost -- but never forgotten -- cat who died in the wall is wonderful. I'll donate!” That cat has saved Lord knows how many lives since that awful event. Ought to be honored.

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A Thursday assortment for careful readers...

DATELINE: OCT. 3, 2013, DALLAS WHERE VILLAGE IDIOTS ROAM FREELY TEXAS: Welcome to Thursday and we don’t have much to say about it except the first week of October has been moving like a bunny rabbit on a Greyhound track. [FYI, that very distinct dog is Dianne, one of the adorable adoptables at Greyhound Adoption League of Texas, www.galtx.org, and I picked her because she looked happy and the note said she'd just passed her cat test. People who adopt these dogs and are fans of these former athletes have used the same words to describe them: "couch potatoes."]
Now, let’s see what we can suggest today that will help make the world a better place. Be kind to animals. Cheer the Dallas Cowboys. Find a way to rejuvenate the pitching arms and batting of the Texas Rangers. Need a TV evangelist. It has always disturbed me that a baseball team would have an “official hospital.” Just seemed like a negative thing. Official ballpark hot dog I can understand. Official hospital -- sheesh. 

NOW LET’S TALK KITTENS

LaDonna Wernersbach was doing a little yardwork at her DeSoto home when “Ifound 4 kittens whose eyes are still closed. There is a feral cat that lives in this area and I bet that they are hers.”
LaDonna says she has no way to care for them and already has more cats than she needs. She says, “I’ve left them out there because they clearly are still nursing. I am hoping that she doesn’t move them before I can get someone to come get them. Since they are so small, they will be tame.”
So, there’s the challenge. Is there someone who can help these kittens get to safety (and, heck, someone who can catch Momma and get her spayed so this problem won’t pop up again)?
[LARRY ASIDE: Yes, we’ve been through this sort of thing before at Readlarrypowell.com and there is a burden on the heart when you spot these kittens and try as you might you cannot catch them or their mother and they are either too small or too smart for the cat trap. We know there are experts in this field, so the appeal for help is now public.]
To offer to help these babies and LaDonna, too, email [email protected] or email 469-337-7849.

SEVENTY-FIVE YEARS AT THE SPCA OF TEXAS?

 Isn’t it nice of the SPCA of Texas to throw a 75th birthday party for President James Bias -- hang on a second, I’ve misread this press release. Bias is much, much younger than I am. OK, here’s the deal: The SPCA of Texas, a stalwart in animal care in the state and the hallmark of City of Dallas animal agencies, will celebrate its 75th anniversary on Sunday, October 20, at the Jane Rees-Jones Animal Care Center in West Dallas -- you can see it from I-30 and it’s worth the stop. Free event with food, family-oriented events, etc.  Noon to 3 p.m. at 2400 Lone Star Drive. 
The event is open to the public and especially to “all alumni -- previously adopted pets” and to SPCA supporters. 
If you move quickly, you can adopt some animals with genuinely distinct faces. For example, there’s year-old Adelaide the Cat and 3-year-old Shepherd mix Amber whose face looks as if the coloring was created to make all working artists envious of the ability of Mother Nature to create distinct patterns on loveable faces.
Yep, the same ol’ website after 75 years -- spca.org.  That would have been about 1938 when the World Wide Web was connected by two old soup cans and a long string. 

HEARTWORM TREATMENT BARGAINS

Stacey Schumacher, the executive director of the Texas Coalition for Animal Protection, sent me one of those pieces of artwork that won’t convert to anything on my computer. When I griped, she gave it another shot. and this is is. Click on it to make it larger.
You’ll find out about the heartworm prevention special and you can also see how to to to TCAP and get some fixin’ done. As Stacey’s note read, “Tired of unwanted litters of puppies and kittens? TCAP is your answer for high quality spay and neuter at an affordable cost.
See those prices at www.texasforthem.org.
There are TCAP clinics in Burleson, Denton and Fort Worth and now and then in Dallas, too, I think.
Do you know how beneficial spay/neuter is to the world? It keeps people like LaDonna (above) from going outside to trim the shrubbery and finding a newborn family in danger. 

[LARRY ASIDE: And do you know why animals are generally not spayed or neutered? Because people are idiots. Yes, I am prepared to debate you on Dallas City Hall Plaza if you want to take the side that people are NOT idiots. Seriously, l’ve got evidence piled up like pecan shells outside a fruitcake factory.]

HAPPY TAILS AND WINTER NEEDS

Our pal from out at the lake, Sydney Busch of Friends of the Animals at Cedar Creek Lake, forwarded the “winter needs” list from Tina Hamilton at Happy Tails of Gun Barrel City.
As you know (a) Friends operates the world’s most successful spay/neuter clinic at Gun Barrel City and Tina runs Happy Tails in the same general area -- Gun Barrel City is one of the many vibrant cities on Cedar Creek Lake.
[LARRY ASIDE: Cedar Creek Lake is the body of water Columbus landed in when he thought he was finding the new world -- and when he got off the boat and discovered that sailors get 50 percent off at the Huddle House for breakfast, well, that was the end of the Columbus’ exploration. I could have made up some of that passage.]
At any rate, unless Columbus’ heirs come through someone else with a good heart needs to help Tina get prepared for the winter at Happy Tails of Gun Barrel City. She says this is what she needs for the animals:
Hay, bags of pine shavings (TSC 50), 10 by 10 tarps or larger, dog houses, and gift cards from Tractor Supply, Lowes and Wal-Mart. 
Contact Tina at [email protected] or call her at 903-880-4124 or 903-275-5990 or 903-802-6445.

AS LONG AS WE’RE DOWN AT THE LAKE

The aforementioned Sydney also tipped us to this cat, or, as she wrote, “this beautiful cat.”
Heck, yeah, that’s a set of ears on that cat - enough ears to be an Earhound, Feline Lake Variety.
Sydney’s note explains, “This beautiful cat was rescued from a really bad situation -- has been spayed and vaccinated -- and is now ready for her forever family.”
To ask about adopting this cat, call Betty Johnson at 903-887-2780.
As Sydney says of this cat, “Look how photogenic she is!”
Indeed. She’s photogenic enough to wind up on the 2015 Pampered Pets Calendar. If you want to see the 2014 Pampered Pets Calendar -- $10 a copy -- get in touch with the Friends of the Animals at Cedar Creek Lake. They do the annual calendar and it’s a giant fundraiser for these big-hearted animal people and their mission.
Reach the Friends through www.friendsoftheanimals.org or call 903-451-4701 or go to the their brand new Facebook page HERE.
That Facebook site is where you’ll learn that on Tuesday -- the day the clinic operates, so to speak -- this cat was one of 60 animals spayed or neutered. It was, they said, “a wild day!”
Oh, and here’s where you can get that $10 calendar and help support the spay/neuter efforts of Friends of the Animals:
--Flair Publishing 814 Main St. Gun Barrel City (next door to Cochran’s Cafeteria) Monday-Friday
--CCL Chamber of Commerce office on highway 198 in Mabank Monday-Friday
--Syler Veterinary Clinic across from the hospital in Athens
--McDade’s Nursery on Highway 274 at Tool
-- Friends of the Animals Spay Neuter Clinic in Gun Barrel City any Tuesday.
CONTEMPLATIONS: As I’m writing this, my writing partner Inky, the Cocker Laureate of the State of Texas, is sitting here looking up at me. He’s a hand-magnet -- immediately draws my hand to pet him on the head. This dog has been at my side for around 14 years. He is, without a doubt, the most consistent mammal on the planet. He may actually run for office at some point. He promises to neither play golf nor read Dr. Seuss during key moments in the American discussion. Obviously, he’s too serious for a future in American politics. ... OK, maybe this is a longshot, but I’m still puzzled by the new Big Tex. I always saw Big Tex as one of those sharp-jawed lean Texas ranchers who comes to town for the fair and brings a bunch of cows to show off -- you know, a fellow who has a big breakfast and works himself down to a slim, slick, cowboy by the end of the day. The new Big Tex seems to be more suited to spending time sitting in front of a computer playing Grand Theft Cowpoke or something. And in case we wondered who the model might be, I was watching Andy Samburg’s new cop comedy, Brooklyn Nine Nine, and discovered the delightful actor Joe Lo Truglio who plays Detective Charles Boyle. Seemed to have a face that might be used as a model for the 21st century Big Tex. Just a thought.  ... The Texas Rangers. I was sad to see the season end, but, I swear, I can’t remember a more painful season (except the year they hairballed the World Series). The great radio broadcaster and “Voice of the Rangers‘ Eric Nadel is a finalist for the coveted  Ford Frick Award. At our house, the radio is empty without the Texas Rangers on it. I don‘t know when the pitchers and catchers report to spring training, but before that happens, I hope some of the pitchers will report to a group psychiatry session call “Fear of The Plate.”

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Opportunities, Cedar Creek Lake victory, rebounding dogs, and hot air shortage in Washington

DATELINE: Dallas, October 1, 2013 (PETPOWELLPRESS) In connection with the government shutdown, Readlarrypowell.com will reduce the size of verbs and now and then omit expensive consonants and vowels. As an xmpl sm wrds may b msng asrted ltrs.
That previous sentence just saved taxpayers $112 -- based on the American Website Letter Expression & Compensation Meter. As you know all websites in the United States are funneled through the NAS Meter (North American Syllable meter) before they are published on the world wide web.
It is nxpnsv 2 publsh n sch a sucnt mner.
If your computer comes with a $-+ key combination, if you may push them in sequence and the shrtnd wrds wll b cnvrtd 2 trdtnul prsntatn. Agn press $-+ to find that  [watch this!] the shortened words will be converted to traditional presentation. Now, on w tdys rprt. And that dog is Twgy, er, Twiggy, of the Humane Society of Cedar Creek Lake. Read on. But first, a Dallas pair.

TWO DOGS TO GO TOGETHER

Dallas Animal Services’ rescue team sent a load of photos of dogs that need out or else.  It wasn’t quite that blunt, but that is the reality.
in this photo you see two dogs -- A808376 and A808377.
DAS says, “This adorable pair were surrendered by their owner.” [LARRY ASIDE: Translating to American English, rather than English English, that’s “pair WAS surrendered.” Collective nouns are viewed differently across the pond.]
So the deal is these  two are supposed to be together. The Husky girl weighs 47.8 pounds and the Chihuahua fellow tips the scaled at about 8 pounds. “They are so sweet together and we are hoping that they can be pulled together,” DAS says.
I don’t want to frighten anyone, but the DAS note says, “The Chi came in with a cut on his  right lateral brachium.”
I have no idea what a brachium is. I suspect, also, that the DAS Rescue Team is quoting directly from a DAS vet’s report. OK, looking it up, I find that a brachium is the stopping mechanism on a hybrid automobile -- oh, wait, I’m kidding. “The brachium in dog corresponds to the upper right arm on a human. The wound has been sealed and the little fellow is doing fine.
To adopt or rescue this pair, email [email protected] or stop by the shelter at I-30 and Westmoreland. 
And, while perusing pictures, I spotted this 60-pound Hound mix -- 2 years old, clam, gentle and fed up with being trapped in a  kennel all day. The dog needs out. You know what’s going to happen later.
Hounds -- huggable and just perfect for a happy life.

 IT’S ALL ABOUT THE ANIMALS AND MONEY AND ESPECIALLY THE PLAN

The money has been coming into the accounts at the cash-strapped Humane Society of Cedar Creek Lake, the rescue group with the shelter at Tool, Texas. You may recall that a few weeks ago we outlined the desperate situation brought on by loss of shelter contracts with two counties.
President Donny Shubert’s release reads, “HUMANE SOCIETY OF CEDAR CREEK LAKE MEETS FUNDRAISING GOAL, ANNOUNCES NEW BUSINESS PLAN FOR 2014.”
And the release says HSCCL met its recent $25,000 fundraising goal “through community events and an online fundraising drive. These funds assure the financial stability of the Shelter for the remainder of 2013. HSCCL is now tackling its long-term financial visibility and stability by rolling out a new business plan.”
The plan involves eliminating the county contracts and pursuing other community support. The announcement reads, “Going forward, the Shelter will rely on even more community support and involvement. A program is now in place to raise community awareness, to recruit and retain more volunteers, and to increase adoptions. Plans are progressing to offer unique fundraising opportunities with the community, especially local businesses and churches. Other funding sources to provide steady monthly income are being investigated and the Shelter will continue discussions with our local and county officials.
“The HSCCL has provided services to the community for thirty years, and is determined to continue this service in 2014 and beyond. The Shelter will not close. The Shelter will instead implement this new business plan, and resize as required to meet its financial commitments.”
You can read more about the shelter and how to give at hsccl.org. And if you want this dog, email [email protected].
In case you wondered who HSCCL helps, that dog is named Twiggy. She was found “darting darting in and out of traffic on a state highway. When our volunteer stopped to help, Twiggy walked up to the car and allowed herself to be picked up. Extremely emaciated and dirty, she was brought to the shelter where she heartily ate, drank and took a nice long nap after her bath. We guess her age to be about 8-10 months. Twiggy is an affectionate and sensitive girl who thrives on attention and the companionship of humans. the Supporters of the Humane Society of Cedar Creek Lake.”
 
A DOG WHO NEEDS A PLACE TO GO

You may be familiar with the work of Terry DeGaw and Serenity Springs Sanctuary. Pigs and farm critters are the focus. But Terry sent a note yesterday that reads, “I have been getting so many requests to place dogs and cats. I don't have room ...although I have made a few exceptions.  Would you mind posting this one? The story is this is 3-year-old German Shepherd Peri, a rescue and “during a picnic was offered a treat by a young child. While Peri was attempting to get the treat, he accidentally nipped the child who was holding the treat. It seems i was an accident as it had never happened before and Peri has a kind heart.”
Doesn’t matter, Peri’s in a private boarding facility and on the bring of a bad situation. He’s only monthly heartworm meds (light case positive), he’s neutered, smart and energetic.” To ask about adopting this dog, email [email protected].  

 

ROUDIE’S RETURN:

We got this story from tipster Karen Lee. Here’s how it reads: “Roudie is back and in URGENT need of a new home.  She was taken in from our program by a gentleman, who. due to work and living arrangements, can no longer keep her.  Roudie is a shorty and about 40 pounds.  She is a SWEETHEART and loves to play.  She needs a loving person who will give her a chance at a good life.  She will do best with no kids or other pets--- she has been with my young children and did wonderfully, but we believe she needs one-on-one attention to help her thrive.  She will benefit greatly with someone who can train her with positive reinforcement She is spayed, about 3 years old, microchipped, house trained and updated on vaccines.”
Contact [email protected] or call 817-897-1382.

TRANSPORT HELP BECAUSE DOGS WON’T FIT

Tawana Couch, who keeps hustling dogs out of Dallas so they’ll be safe, is looking for some help with bigger pups. She writes., “We have 2 older pups about 25 to 30 pounds each that need transported this coming Thursday please if you can help let me know. So far no one has big enough auto for them. Please if you can, put out the word they need picked up Wednesday afternoon in Oak Cliff at my house and then drop off Thursday morning at 5 AM at DFW Airport, AA global priority.” Volunteer to help by emailing [email protected].

 THE BOND GETS A BOOST

We reported yesterday on animal advocate Jonnie England’s tip about the bond hearing for Robert Prichard, the Mesquite man accused of beating his Pitty girl Candy with a shovel then throwing her into the family swimming pool. The bond was raised from $500 to $50,000. You can see the NBC story HERE. And the story also gets cyber ink on the Animal Newsboard NorthTexas Facebook page HERE .
CONTEMPLATIONS: Something to enjoy about life these days. No 100 degree weather.  ... Things to look for: sweaters. Haven’t seen mine in years. Didn’t need them last year. It was either a hoodie or winter clothing. Don’t care. I still love Texas. ... The government shut down is un-American. But it’s not the only un-American thing going on these days. We’ve got to get back to America the beautiful, a land that makes life better for all people. The facts that stagger me? The Statue of Liberty is closed and there may be no military academy football games this weekend and we may have to drain the air out of our tires, heat it, and mail it to Washington because the nation’s capital is running low on hot air. I may have made that last part up. But, frankly, no absurdity from Washington surprises me.

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