EDITION OF TUESDAY, FEB. 24, 2015 (PetPowellPress)-- A note to anyone who lives with a dog they picked up off the streets or living on a weed lot or the river bottoms: Our sympathy in this horrifying weather. Why? Because we know that these dogs that once slept anywhere and ate anything are now too refined to bolt right out in the morning at their usual time. They have become too dainty for weather, too dignifie to walk outside alone in the sleet. They need staff. [That’s Porche Noel, former limping and starving street dog, who said, “Get back to me on this walk thing.”] Now, in the aftermath of a good weather-pelting, here is our Tuesday report. A little early, but that’s how disruptive this storm has been -- for humans. For some dogs, the only disruption is having to get up to eat. They have someone who changes the channels for them.
OH, and here’s some irony. On the most wintry day in recent memory, word hits the news that the developers ARE NOT going to build that ski resort in Grand Prairie. I guess we’ll all have to “Ski Fort Worth.”
THE STORY OF OREO
Our Houston pal Alexandra Kelsey forwarded a much-forwarded note about a soldier’s dog that was in a tough spot and, as it turns out, the appeal for help didn’t original in Houston but in Dallas with Paws In The City. So, to get the basics on the story of Oreo, we got in touch with Paws President Mark Verma spoken with Oreo’s current humans.
They told him that Oreo’s human was killed in 2012 while serving in the military. She had been staying with her human’s uncle while he was gone.
The uncle has 5 dogs and, it seems, lives in area in which the homeowner’s association sets the limit at 4. So, Oreo gets the opportunity to move on, homeless once again.
The story is she’s good with other dogs and very affectionate with humans -- though a little shy at first. This mixed breed girl -- your guess which breeds -- weighs about 30 pounds. She’s vaccinated, spayed and healthy. And she’s going to keep her original name, Oreo, as long as she’s with the rescue group.
The Paws In The City foster application is HERE. Email [email protected]. The adoption application is HERE and you can ask about adopting by emailing [email protected] .
NIGEL IN NEED
We’re going to start this with a quote from the GAP Rescue team -- the Girls Awareness Program from Euless Trinity High School. Our tip on the tale came from Karen Lee, the Barkleyworld.com animal advocate and GAP Club supporter. GAP’s been trying to help Nigel since before last Thanksgiving. H here’s how this situation came to be:
“POSTED NOVEMBER 2014 - Trinity GAP Rescue was contacted regarding this poor dog found as a stray in a run-down apartment complex in Euless, TX in the DFW area. This is a popular dumping ground for dogs and cats and no one seems to be looking for this guy….so Trinity GAP took him in and took him to the vet for evaluation.
“Posted December 2014 - Nigel's vet report is really pretty good. He has a limp but Dr. Riley says its just a little arthritis which is common with his breed. His thyroid was very low which accounts for his lack of energy and most of his other issues. His thyroid medicine costs about $25 a month. He is neutered. His prognosis is good for an 8-year-old Shar-Pei. The vet said he should do fine with his heartworm treatment because his health and lungs show no advanced signs of heartworm damage.”
So what’s the deal now? The dog can’t stay in boarding forever. He has to either go to a home or go. Nobody wants just “go.”
The latest note on Nigel’s behalf reads, “Nigel is once again VERY URGENT for a foster, home or rescue!! He has had such a sad life—he just needs a safe and loving place to live out his final years. He has a permanent indentation around his neck which probably means he’s been tied up most of his life and then probably dumped at a popular dog dumping area. Please help us save him. He can't stay in boarding indefinitely!! Please contact Trinity GAP Sponsor Steffenie at [email protected] if you can help!”
[LARRY ASIDE ABOUT SHAR-PEIS: Every time I see a Shar-Pei in a shelter or a rescue group or being used as a bait dog, I think of Neiman Marcus. The Shar-Pei was nearly extinct in the 1960s, but Chinese breeders helped it make a comeback. And there wasn’t even a Sharp-Pei in the United States until 1979 -- that’s according to the breed-specific website, a breeder’s website called Carpe Shar-Pei, “Seize the Wrinkled Dog.” When I was a columnist at the Big Paper Downtown, I wrote about this amazing thing that happened in 1983. Neiman Marcus highlighted its Christmas catalog with His and Her Shar-Pei pups -- TWO GRAND EACH. I am almost certain that dumped and abused Shar-Peis did not come from Neiman Marcus, but you never know how those family trees work. So, there you have it, a dog nearly extinct in the ‘60s has been showing up unwanted in shelters and on streets for a couple of decades at least. Humans, what are ya gonna do with ‘em?]
IN THE MEANTIME, SOME FACES AT THE SPCA
Zorro is that year-and-a-half-old masked Blue Heeler (#121167) -- that is one interesting face. Festive is the Aussie Shepherd fellow -- 3 years old -- #138494 -- and isn’t that some expression -- looks like he’s been watching big games on TV and has picked up some facial artistry.
Yes, those are extraordinary faces. Then we get to the SPCA cats and let me introduce you to year-old Domestic Short Hair fellow Chuck (138622) who appears to be responding, “Dog faces? So?”
And then we get that last fellow, Paul, a year-old Belgian
Hare (138119) who apparently watched the Westminster Dog Show and when someone holds up a camera, Paul “stacks.”
FYI: The SPCA also has an available donkey named, what else, “Bunny.” You can see Bunny the Donkey and Paul the Bunny at the SPCA’s McKinney facility which is also where Chuck is abiding. Zorro and Festive are at the SPCA in Dallas. See how to adopt at spca.org.
WEATHER NOTES
-- In anticipation of the lingering icy roads, Texas Coalition for Animal Protection announced it would not reopen Tuesday, but would shoot for Wednesday. (If you have a question about your appointment with a TCAP clinic, call 940-566-5551.)
-- And Monday’s lousy weather forced Cowtown Loves Animal Shelter Pets (CLASP) to bounce it’s meeting from Monday night the 23rd to Monday, March 2, at 6:30 p.m. at Family Pet Care, 1501 Handley Drive, Fort Worth. It’ll be an event discussion plus a report on the Fort Worth Animal Shelter. FYI: CLASP is scheduled to participate in the March 7-8 Funky Finds Spring Fling at the Will Rogers Memorial Center in Fort Worth. It’s a big showcase for all sorts of arts and craft people, designers, food-makers and -- get this -- authors. Now, that is funky.
CONTEMPLATIONS: If you click HERE you’ll see a story on canine pedigrees and what they really might mean. ... Interesting story on KERA radio over the weekend. Fur is making a fashion comeback (not, thank heavens, with Sir Paul’s vegetarian daughter Stella McCartney. Catch the story HERE and know that Readlarrypowell.com thinks fur belongs only on the animal that grew it. ... Before we get to Inky’s latest poem, please remember to send photographs of your sleeping critters and accompanying information to [email protected] for highlighting in our weekend feature, Let Sleeping Dogs Lie & Napping Cat Nap. In honor of all cats and dogs who find comfort sleeping, Inky has inked this insightful weather-related poetry:
Warmly, A Bed Comforts the Soul
By Inky, Cocker Laureate of the State of Texas
When sleet hits my fur
as I am getting busy
it stirs my deep soul,
puts me all in a tizzy.
In August it’s totally
no sweat, don’t you see
nothing is distracting
when I go out to plop down, enjoy the sun and read a good summer novel.
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