ReadLarryPowell.com

As the weekend arrives, animals, politics, genes & windows...

EDITION OF FRIDAY, AUGUST 21, 2015 (PetPowellPress) -- 
A FRIDAY EVENING UPDATE REGARDING TWO DOGS IN THE GARLAND ANIMAL SHELTER. The info comes from our reliable tipster Deborah Verner who tells us that the little pitty with the nasal discharge, James Dean, was rescued Friday afternoon -- we're working on seeing which group so we can direct donations to vet care and adoption-minded people.
The other dog in trouble -- an emaciated Pit girl, is, Deborah writes, "still at the shelter as of tonight.
"She is scheduled for EU if a rescue tag isn't received by 7 a.m This one is really getting to me. ... She deserves to at least know what love is."
To offer to help this dog, email (quickly!) this address: rescue@garlandtx.gov.
NOW BACK TO OUR EARLIER FRIDAY REPORT.

Are we are entering the final weekend before school starts? I can’t keep up, but I’m pretty sure I still owe someone some homework from the mid-‘60s.  All that aside, let’s focus on animals and other things that make Dallas/Fort Worth such a special place -- like DART’s plan to destroy part of First Presbyterian Church downtown to lay down a new train route Is nothing sacred in this town? 

Forget I asked that. I know better. If a wrecking ball can hit it, it’s in danger in Dallas. If you build it, the wrecking ball will come -- eventually.
TWO DOGS NEEDING SPOTS
That has nothing to do with their coats; it has to do with their lives.
One we’ve mentioned before. Gabriela Pataro is hustling on behalf of Buster (A903-632). You may recall he was rescued in southern Dallas after living in a park until people got nervous about his health. Gabriela had been trying to get him to safety when he wound up in the hands of Dallas Animal Services. I asked Gabriela, “Anybody get that dog out of DAS yet?” and she replied, “Nope. I’m getting
desperate.”
MORNING UPDATE: Gabriela sent an early morning note and photo announcing, "Buster can SIT and has been moved into the adoption area of DAS. ... He still needs a good home. Drop into Adoptions Kennel 26 and ask about Buster Red A903632. Free heartworm greatment by DAS. His heartworm count is faint. Let's get him out and into a good famiy, please."

In the meantime, Louanne Smith sent a note about this dog on the right.
She wrote, “I’m only crossposting to help save this sweet soul.”
His name is Martin -- he’s A902229 and he’s about a year old, came in as a stray and was “so excited for company.”
Ask about either of these dogs at dasrescue@dallascityhall.com. 

MORE THAN A DOZEN AT DENTON

Amy Poskey, the famous Denton animal advocate, sent a note saying that there are at least 13 dogs available at Denton’s McNatt Animal Care and Adoption Center as the weekend arrives. . Among the most handsome is Hank, a youngish fellow “who is just the sweetest boy.”  He is an owner-surrender. 

The story reads: "HANK is a 2-5 yr young male Labby/Coonhound mix who is just the sweetest boy!!!  This handsome boy is friendly with people(including children), gets along with other pooches, and is housebroken!!!  What a great boy who will make a nice addition to your family!

Call 940-349-7594.  Email gayla.nelsen@cityofdenton.com, Cynthia.uber@cityofdenton.com, dentonshelterdogs@yahoo.com, and/or dentonanimalservices@yahoo.com.

A CHUCKLE AND CATS GALORE

Take Me Home Pet Rescue’s great newsletter arrived Thursday afternoon and had a note about two adoption events (10 a.m.-2 p.m. at the rescue’s adoption center at 361 W. Campbell Road, Suite 303 in Richardson)  and 1 pm.-4 p.m. Sunday at Hollywood Feed, 10720 Preston Road in Dallas. [LARRY ASIDE: Hollywood Feed? I don’t get around much. Thought it was a restaurant. It’s a pet store. Several of them in town.]
Then, there was this riotous artwork. Just look at that quote.


Congratulations to TMHPR for bringing some funny notions to the rescue world. And, may all your animals find homes this weekend. 

Oh, yeah, the group’s Cat of the Week is that one above: Itty Bitty Kitty. A petite cat with a big presence. Dog of the week? Beau. Rescued out of the middle of a busy street. Shepherd mix. Learning manners. 

So, yep, go to www.takemehomepetrescue.com for all the adoption information you'll need.
CONTEMPLATIONS: Saw a story about a discovery of a malfunctioning human obesity gene. Quoted a doctor as saying, “It’s a big deal. Could have been a little more sensitive -- synonyms for “big” being “important” or “significant.” At least he didn’t say, “It’s a ginormous development!” or “This is one big bite out of a big-ass problem.” [LARRY ASIDE: I write that on behalf of my fellow Orthodox Heftarians -- we’re people who believe in a donut that make your genes shout, “Holy glaze, fatman, that’s a great donut!”]   ...  Saw another story about how the post-Katrina response has turned out to be a good thing for humans and their animals. Written by AP’s great reporter Sue Manning. A lot of that rescuing and matching up post-Katrina and Rita was handled by big-hearted people from Dallas/Fort Worth, as some of you will recall. That was an astounding time. Here’s the LA CBS STORY and here’s the AP site that shows Sue’s range and her animal work. ... In the meantime, an email arrived with this subject line: “Home Depot & Others are now offering Free Window Quotes.” So, yep, it made me think of store employees standing outside windows and shouting free quotes for the shoppers’ pleasure. There might be this one from Stella in Alfred Hitchcock’s Rear Window. “Intelligence. Nothing has caused the human race so much trouble as intelligence.” Then there’s a great quote by the former North Texas congressman Dick Armey: ““Three groups spend other people’s money: children, thieves, politicians. All three need supervision.” And, finally, this is a good window quote: The great Will Rogers who pegged the 21st century before anybody was halfway done with the 20th. “Everything is changing,” Will said. “People are taking their comedians seriously and the politicians as a joke.” [That one’s dedicated to all you people who thought The Daily Show was journalism.]

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THURS PM UPDATE

Our Garland tipster Deborah Verner reports that  of three Garland dogs mentioned in today's early post, the puppy with the broken leg has gotten a ride out of the shelter and is being treated thanks to Project K911.
Waiting to hear about the emaciated dog.  THIS JUST IN: Deb says she's still there but it isn't looking promising for her. Still has a chance as long as a human heart can go to work on saving her. (See this mornings report below.)
And the report about James Dean (A204317) is dire. He's "now urgent!," Deb writes, "Set to be euthanized."
The ACO says the little pitty "was noted to having nasal discharge, and per medical staff, best to be pulled asap. started on meds and is being observed for coughing. Needs to be pulled asap. Please let us know if you can assist with rescue as we cannot guarantee any additional time without an approved rescue’s tag and confirmation of pick up. Oh those ears!!! Little man was found stray and needs out asap. Vaccinated & off hold 8/9! He's just a puppy!"
Rescuer contact point is rescue@garlandtx.gov. Shelter number is 972-205-3470 option 4. Email is Garland's preference, we're told.
Click on the artwork to make it larger.

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Bottle Battalion formed to help babies; animals needing homes; a movie star with an aide to cut up his steak...

EDITION OF THURSDAY, AUGUST 20,  2015 (PetPowellPress) -- Dogs and cats in a household improves the functionality of a human’s  personal laugh track gland -- the hahahalimus. In a shelter, not so much “funny” in the situation. In a home, dogs and cats are smile-makin’ laugh riots sometimes.
Honest-to-pete, if you look at this Hound and you don’t smile, please consider scheduling a counseling session. We’ll get to this available dog in a minute. Here’s today’s report:
IT TAKES A BATTALION TO FEED A VILLAGE OF BABIES

A couple of days ago we cited Dallas Animal Services Transfer Coordinator Danielle Fry’s appeal for people to bottle-feed some orphaned kittens.
Rescuer Chrystal Hays left a comment on that post, and it’s a pretty good story. In case you missed it, Chrystal reports, “In response to concerns about orphaned puppies and kittens at DAS, we have a brand new, shiny Facebook page called DAS Bottle Battalion. If you have bottle feeding experience, please, join us. the basic idea is to have people on-call for DAS when babies need fostering. Sometimes every hour counts in whether little ones will make it. DAS is on board with trying this out, but we need people who can actually do it. It's in the early stages, but could save many lives. The littles will be able to go into adoption once they are old enough, so it is not a long-term commitment...just however many weeks of TLC they need. DAS will help with some supplies, and we are also organizing so supplies can be donated so love and time and skill with be the cost to volunteers.”
You apply through the DAS Bottle Battalion Facebook page HERE. 
That tabby kitten enjoying the bottle is Dexter and the darker kitten is Mochi. Safely fed now and growing because of the Bottle Battalion. [LARRY ASIDE: What about that larger cat? That is Zelda (A903786), according to the DAS cat site at dallasanimalservices.org about 6 p.m. By 8:30, Zelda’s photo was gone. Inexplicably Zelda was not listed as a girl, but as a “neutered male, brown tabby domestic shorthair "about 14 weeks old. I thought I’d post Zelda’s photo in case some of the reading audience did not realize how quickly kittens can grow. And, yes, it is difficult at times to determine a cat’s gender.]

Dear Readers, possibly you recall the recent situation at the shelter in which some late-arriving,  neglected and abandoned kittens were euthanized. There was a bit of a storm. From that storm, there could be a solid solution to avoiding such tragedies.
Chrystal explains that “instead of just being angry, I felt we needed to come up with a solution. A real world, viable solution that did not involve firing everyone or the city council. Several minds more or less independently thought the same thing: if only we could organize people to be on call for DAS. I got fired up enough to just start the page. Others came forward with their own ideas. It's a work in progress, and will be well-regulated so that we have impeccable records and standards and practices. This is different than rescue groups taking babies...because rescue groups become 100% responsible for the babies and their placement and vetting. What DASBB is about is citizens helping DAS babies get old enough to be DAS pets for adoption.
“This difference means that a person with bottle-feeding skills who might be able to devote 2-6 weeks to some infants can step up without the commitment to keep them until they are all adopted, which can be months. The DAS puppies and kittens will go back to DAS for adoption. If the nursing volunteer wants to adopt, or finds people who want to adopt, they will pre-adopt through DAS. DAS is basically doing everything they would if the babies could stay at DAS somehow...vaccinations, medical support, worming, etc. Because these are DAS animals.
“Pat Rodriguez is helping administer the page right now, along with dog trainer Emily Rose. Many of the most proactive and positive people in the Dallas area pet community are on board. We have great experience from supportive members of the community, as well.”

Readlarrypowell.com also feels the need to note Chrystal’s big passion in animal advocacy. It comes out in this sentence she wrote about unwanted cats and kittens. “It’s sad we have a need for this at all. If people would spay and neuter their pets, so much death and suffering could be averted. But until the day comes that it's legislated and enforced and easy, DAS Bottle Battalion will try to help.”

THREE IN NEED IN GARLAND
The Earhound with the nasal discharge was still in the Garland Animal Shelter as closing time arrived, reports animal advocate and veteran rescuer Deborah Verner. She also tipped us to a “poor pub with a broken leg.” That dog has $700-plus in pledges.
And then there’s the emaciated dog -- could just be typical ailments from neglect.
Whatever the case, the same procedure fits for all three: email rescue@garlandtx.gov and volunteer to save a dog.

 

 

 

MEANWHILE OUT AT THE LAKE

Sydney Busch, who spends her Tuesdays involved with the operation, to so speak, of the Friends of the Animals Spay/Neuter Clinic at Gun Barrel City, came away with a story this week.
“This little guy was running through the parking lot at the clinic end of day on Tuesday...Long search could not find owner... He [a Min-Pin] is neutered, microchipped (info can be transferred), very sweet (came running up to me when I called to him), appears to be young - maybe 2-3 years old... He weighs 11 pounds -- found out his name is Bucky. He is in a very temporary foster home now -- will have to take him to a shelter if can’t find forever home.” (To schedule an audition to be Bucky’s new human, call Sydney at 903-451-4701 or 214-808-4701.

Now, about that Hound in the opening photo. Sydney forwarded a note about this dog -- he’s a year old this month, neutered and house-trained. The note from his people says, “He knows No, Down, Sit and sometimes Stay.  His name is Milo. He is a loving dog and we hate to give him up, but we can't keep him in the backyard.  He easily ‘flies’ over the 4-foot fence.”
He was adopted in March from the Athens Animal Shelter where he was listed as a Lab mix, but his human thinks the 45-pound, child-friendly dog is a Redbone Hound mix. 

Whatever the case, he is an Earhound. To ask about adopting him, email txhinckley@gmail.com or call 903-451-5050.

CONTEMPLATIONS: A national theater chain has announced that it is going to check the bags of ticket-buyers. The official announcement says it’s a security, crime-prevention move. This would be what we’d call “hypocrisy,” considering the darned near felonious prices theaters charge for a bag of popcorn and a Coke. Gonna get tough to sneak a 99-cent Coke into a theater that charges five bucks for a smaller container. Hello home movie theater, right? ... Walked in Kiest Park Wednesday evening about 6:30 p.m. -- so cool that it was hard to work up a sweat. It was so comfortable that I considered running for a bit, then, miraculously, I was struck with good sense. ... Holy smoke, NorthPark is celebrating its 50th anniversary. Lots of memories in that mall. The annual SPCA of Texas adoption booth! Santa Claus! Shopping for toys at now-departed FAO Schwartz. And, of course, there was the time I had lunch with a movie star in the Zodiac Restaurant in Neiman Marcus at NorthPark. I’m not going to say Hollywood’s big stars are spoiled, but this guy had an assistant who cut up his steak for him and held it out on a fork so he could eat it. Is that not astounding? Of course, Benji had a lot of movie tricks but he didn’t have any thumbs. His trainer Frank Inn made sure Benji didn’t go hungry at the media luncheon. 

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DOGS ON DEADLINE, THE FAIR'S FLAVOR AND HAIRPLUGS FOR A CAT

EDITION OF WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 19, 2015 (PetPowellPress) -- Stop me if you’ve heard this one: A dog walks into the animal shelter.... Yeah, heard it before, too. Happens all the time. A cat is carried into the shelter. Heard that one, too? Now, here’s today’s report:

THE LANCASTER TELEPHONE BLUES
That’s probably not a song, but here’s the deal: An answering machine broke.
This was the lead on the Furbabies of Lancaster site Tuesday just as some time was being bought for these three dogs.
The announcement read, “EMERGENCY MESSAGE--SHELTER ANSWERING MACHINE BROKEN. PLEASE CALL 972-210-1200 AND STATE WANT TO ADOPT MORTAL DANGER animal. WE MUST NOT LET THE PHONE PROBLEM KEEP US FROM SAVING LIVES. ALL MORTAL DOGGIES GIVEN UNTIL 9 AM in the morning due to phone problem. NOTHING IN THE WORKS for these 3. Please help us save their lives. Contact--call anyone that you can think of. Can someone get NBC DFW to come and help us? Please give them the furever home they are so deserving of. Please see other dogs--WE NEED ADOPTIONS TODAY. Please PM us immediately if you can help. Adopt or foster/rescue. Lancaster TX Animal Shelter 690 E Main St. 972-218-1200.”

These dogs -- they were on the 3 p.m. Tuesday clock until the phone broke -- are Squatter, Tank (left) and Bart.
[LARRY ASIDE: We were on the brink of declaring that Lancaster was getting all the big beautiful dogs until we saw that Denton has a bunch, too. Maybe it’s that all the big beautiful dogs in the world eventually show up in North Texas.]

MEANWHILE IN DENTON

Handsome? That’s just not enough of a word for dogs, is it? Need a bigger word. We’ll work on it.
In the meantime, Amy sent an email with a ton of adoptable dogs -- big and beautiful, all types, assorted mixes -- at Denton’s Linda McNatt Animal Care and Adoption Center, 3717 N. Elm in Denton. Amy reminds us that all Denton dogs are “fully vetted” before they’re available for adoption. Also, any bona fide 501c3 rescue can pull for free.

The emails to use are gayla.nelsen@cityofdenton.com, Cynthia.uber@cityofdenton.com, dentonshelterdogs@yahoo.com, and/or dentonanimalservices@yahoo.com. Call 940-349-7594.
Now, let’s talk dogs. Readlarrypowell.com may never have seen a more formally dressed handsome mammal than Waylon (ID 58277). He’s maybe 20 or 3 and was a Denton adoptee. He was found as a stray and the adoptive nitwits didn’t reclaim him. He’s playful, loves people, and is choosy about his animal friends -- no cats. Amy says, “Waylon is beginning to think the shelter is his home and appears to be getting depressed.  He is not wanting to play much when he’s taken out to the yard and only wants to go back to his kennel.  It’s sad cuz it seems as though he thinks that’s all there is to his life anymore.”
Potentially just as elegant as Waylon is #58324, Max, a 3-month old Pitty/Lab mix -- he and siblings surrendered by a human. The report says, “Max was adopted and returned because he had some tummy issues. We think that the stress of being at the shelter made his tummy upset so he is now in a foster home and doing very well! Max is a friendly, sweet puppy and LOVES other pooches so he would LOVE a pooch companion in his new home!  He loves snuggle time and is also very smart cuz he learned how to sit on command in just a few seconds!”
Then there is Big Boy, #58495, an 8-year-old Rottie/Shepherd found as a stray in the country. “This handsome boy loves to give kisses, sits when asked, and will howl for attention cuz he’s lonely in his kennel at the shelter. He deserves a very loving family who will pamper him in his older years!  And, of course, let’s not forget those precious eyebrow dots that need to be kissed every single day!!!

“UPDATE:  When I was at the shelter on Saturday pulling Bart, I could hear this angel howling for love and I just wanted to go back there and hug him forever!  Of course, all the other pooches chimed in so it was quite the howling party; however, it was really sad cuz these poor babies are just begging for love and attention.  PLEASE give this big ‘ole love sponge the love he obviously craves!!!  And, how can you resist ginormously sweet eyebrow dots???!!!”

AN EARHOUND IN A SPOT

Our vigilant tipster Deborah Verner let us know about this dog we’d featured before. “This is the ‘Earhound‘ boy you wrote about last week,” Deborah said. “He is now Code Red due to nasal discharge.”

Well that’s hardly fair to the dog known as James Dean (A204317). The first step to saving his life is emailing Rescue@GarlandTx.gov.

CONTEMPLATIONS
Goodness, gracious, take a look at these finalists in the Big Tex Choice Awards. 

You know the score: They’re in a “chew off” for the title. It’s set for 2:30 p.m. Sunday, August 30, in the Tower Building at Fair Park. Tickets are $100. Go to the Big Tex site to see how to buy the tickets -- limited number for the big event. That Fair is getting closer and closer. ... MY DEAR FRIEND Carolyn Poh, my longtime colleague at the Big Paper Downtown and, also, the Godmother to the household dog Porche Noel, was listening to me explain how our cat The Senator got his name. [The Senator shot this selfie with an aide.] As you can see, the hair pattern on The Senator’s forehead looks as if he’s had plugs implanted, like half the guys you see when the camera sweeps the U.S. Senate on C-Span. Poh says, “I think the nation's capitol building should be re-named The Hair Rotunda for Men.” I can’t think of a reason not to call it that. ... No real reason to put any pressure on you, fellow shoppers, but for planning purposes, click HERE with a summertime “Ho. Ho. Ho.”

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Ringworm, bottle-feeding, Fair recipes, a time machine and a creep in Athens...

EDITION OF TUESDAY, AUGUST 17, 2015 (PetPowellPress) It’s almost too late to decide what you’re going to do on your summer vacation. We barely get out of our own Zip Code, so, while contemplating the need for a time machine and winning lottery ticket, here’s our report:

RINGWORM? RINGWORM?
It would be so tempting to adopt this lone puppy, A204456, from Garland Animal Services and name him Ringo. So tempting.
But, the real reason we’re publishing his photo is he’s in a fix. Hugo Espinoza, the Community Resource/Rescue coordinator for Garland Animal Services has issued a please for help with not only “Ringo” but for his littermates.
Ringo WAS adopted, but, Hugo reports, the “adoptor backed out once they recieved the information of ringworm.”

Attention people: Ringworm is nothing. It’s curable. Quickly. You won’t even itch (if you are careful. Nobody will shave your head and paint it orange -- like they did in the ‘50s and ‘60s. Pills and ointments. Please, save these lives.)
Hugo reports that the whole litter needs rescue as soon as possible because they probably ALL have ringworm and can’t be put up for adoption until they’re cured. Sometimes at shelters, the immediate response to ringworm has been the needle, but here’s Hugo trying to save little lives! These kids are probably just over two months old. Click on the artwork to make it and the ringworms larger.

To offer to help these sweet pups, email RESCUE@GARLANDTX.GOV. That is the ONLY ADDRESS THAT WILL WORK, Hugo says. 

[LARRY ASIDE: Remember, ringworm isn’t rabies. Shouldn’t be a death sentence for puppies and kittens.]

TWO RESCUE EFFORTS AT DALLAS ANIMAL SERVICES

FIRST THE HUNGRY KITTENS: These kittens may already have been claimed, but, Dear Readers, we probably need to remember that in Dallas-Fertile-Texas kitten season is year-round. Danielle Fry, the DAS Animal Transfer Coordinator, issued an appeal late Monday afternoon for a bottle-feeding veteran to help these babies. They were eating and active, but didn’t have a home to go to overnight so they could get regular feedings. Email DASrescue@dallascityhall.com to help them or, maybe to get on the list to help the next bunch of bottle-feeding babies. Happens all the time in DAS.

NEXT THE RESCUED DOG: This note about Buster came from Gabriela Pataro. She’s appealing for someone to get the rascal out of Dallas Animal Services. She explains right off: “Buster is a good boy!”

He came from difficult circumstances. Gabriela writes, “Until last week Buster had been living on his own at a park in south Dallas since November.  He would run around the apartments and school, eating what he could find. I was notified about Buster by a good lady named Sue who oversees apartment properties in that area.  She knows dogs should all be in a loving home.  I went to visit with the dog and almost had him.  Buster has beautiful teeth, he seems to be a mix of Cattle Dog and mystery dog and is otherwise in good health.
“A couple of days later Buster was following the maintenance guys and he was lured into an empty space where he relaxed with the staff, enjoyed the a/c and got lots of treats while a kind fella named Dennis of Dallas Animal Services drove to pick him up.
“Buster, A 903632 needs a rescue or better yet a home right away!   

“In spite of that he has kept his sweet spirit and very much enjoys being with people. He’s had some tough times and he does have heartworm BUT the person that adopts this boy will get FREE heartworm treatment provided to Buster by Dallas Animal Services.  They will also have one very good dog that is friendly, laid back, not a jumper and in such need of a loving home. Please consider him for your home.  A rescue dog is always grateful and loyal.”

If you can help Gabriela get Buster out of DAS and into boarding, contact her at mgabriela@sbcglobal.net or tex or call 214-240-9330.

ADVICE FROM OUT AT THE LAKE

Our reliable lakeside tipster Sydney Busch of Friends of the Animals at Cedar Creek Lake sent this lost dog poster and a warning that should be heeded by people in urban and rural areas. “If you have a small dog,” she wrote, “DO NOT LEAVE HIM ALONE IN THE YARD.”
Why is that? Because (a) creeps will steal your beloved dog and turn him into bait for training fighters; (b) coyotes will turn your dog into a meal; (c) hawks will grab your dog (or cat) and fly off with them. This stuff really happens, people. There are predators and varmints who don’t understand that you only let the dog out to visit his or her favorite “area” for a minute. The varmints don’t care that your cat is indoor/outdoor.

We can only hope that this “lost dog” is beating the odds and is happily enjoying a spell as a guest in the home of someone who will get him back home and set some minds at ease. 

HELLO, RHODE ISLAND!
Amy Poskey, who hustles on behalf of animals in the Denton shelter, sent us a note about Sheila, the little dog who’d suffered some kind of traumatic injury.
“I’m very happy to report that Friends of Homeless Animals (FOHA) in Rhode Island will be pulling Sheila and she will be with a foster in the Dallas area!  WOOHOOOOOO!!!  Thank you so much FOHA!!!  And, thank you Cody’s Friends for offering to save Sheila, too!”
FYI: Sheila is not the last critter in the Denton shelter. Amy can help you ID other animals that need help. Email  dale.amyposkey@verizon.net .

NOTE FROM HENDERSON COUNTY &
AND A CREEP FROM ATHENS
The Henderson County Coalition for Animals meets at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday at the Henderson County Senior Citizens Center just east of Athens on Highway 31 near Brinson Ford. 

Who is the coalition? The organization’s Facebook site explains it’s a “concerned group of people” trying to “better the lives of animals in Henderson County.
As I read some of the entries on the Facebook site, I saw a note with the headline “Athens man who put cat in dog’s cage to watch it die sentenced to prison.”   Jahmal Anthony Swaby, 21, “pleaded guilty to threatening a witness who had called police to report the cat was being killed at Swaby’s home”  Judge David Sweat sentenced Swaby to 8 years in prison and 12 years on probation for aggravated animal cruelty and threatening a witness, OnlineAthen.com reported.  DO NOT CLICK ON THIS LINK UNLESS YOU ARE ONE TOUGH COOKIE -- you’ll get sick and angry and you’ll want to make sure this jerk does every last minute of his sentence -- you may even wish he’d experience the terror that cat suffered through its last few minutes of life in a cage with a dog that had been driven insane. See the OnlineAthens.com story HERE. Eight years to do and 12 on probation -- not enough, but it’s a good start. Oh, and there’s a co-defendant, Trevaughn Miquan Thomas, 21, who has pled not guilty to animal cruelty -- that case is awaiting trial or, probably, a plea bargain now that he’s seen his nitwit buddy get 8 in the big house. 

[LARRY ASIDE: Let me apologize for reporting on that case -- but people need to know that some of these animal cruelty people people are (a) as bad as you think they are and (b) thanks to enthusiastic prosecution and justice-minded judges, enjoying a taxpayer-financed stay in unpleasant conditions. Don't mind my tax dollars being at work on case like these.]
STATE FAIR NOTICE
Ah, with autumn getting a grip in the air, keep your eyes open Tuesday as the State Fair of Texas announces it’s eight finalist for the  2015 Big Tex Choice Awards -- yep, whatever is deep-fryable is going to be presented! Again! Big Tex, who is always early to rise, has scheduled the press conference for 5:20 a.m.  -- not kidding. Yep, you get up early to get on those morning TV shows! The Fair is a little over a month away -- Sept. 25-October 18. BigTex.com is the infocenter for the the Great State Fair of Texas. My recipespouse Martha suggests we should root for the Deep-Fried Wedding Cake. Not sure that’s been tried yet.

CONTEMPLATIONS

Keeping the faith: Can the Texas Rangers get into the playoffs? Might happen. And I might learn to fly like a mallard by Thursday. ... My favorite email this week: “Hello, I would like to know if you do make up service at your salon or studio,Have a Nice Weekend. Hope to hear from you asap. Regards.”  It was from a woman named Sandra.  If I did make-up service, do you think I’d look like I look? .... Three things to do with a time machine: (1) Return to 1966 and restart my college studies carefully avoiding journalism (2) Go back to 1966 and enjoy a visit to Six Flags Over Texas when it was a theme park and the ticket was about five bucks; (3) Go back to 1966 and enjoy one more pre-vegetarian Texas Cheeseburger at Guy’s Orange Stand in Texarkana. Big and baaad, that was the Texas Cheeseburger. Could feed a family of 4 -- if your family had “thin” genes. Otherwise it was a meal for one. I’d show you a photo of a Texas Cheeseburger, but nobody, apparently, thought to grab a wide-angle lens and shoot one -- the Texas Cheeseburger had the circumference of the front wheels on a John Deere tractor and nearly as thick as the triple stack of pancakes at 2 a.m. at the Round-Up Cafe where the night-shift cops ate down the street. Ah, hit the brakes on that time machine and let’s enjoy 2015.

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209 adopted at DAS; Other animals around the region rescued & waiting...and a Jersey Bear goes shopping

EDITION OF MONDAY, AUGUST 17, 2015 (PetPowellPress) -- A quick check of the Dallas Animal Services Facebook page (above and below)  showed the success in adopting out animals for Clear the Shelter Day on Saturday.
The question becomes, of course: “How quickly will Dallas residents refill those cages?”
May each dog and cat adopted find a home worthy of its soul.

FROM THE HUNT TO THE SHELTER

Louann Smith forwarded this one to readlarrypowell.com.  This dog is in the Corsicana Animal Shelter.
Why? This sounds sort of mean. An expensive dog failed hunting school so she is in a shelter, having been dumped by the disappointed manly man.
Mean? It could have been worse. Many a failed hunting dog hasn’t made it out of the field. Easier to shoot the worthless dog, right, fellas? Don’t have to feed it.

The story on this dog is the owner paid $4000 for her, she “failed hunting school” and, at age 3, the 62-pound girl was dumped at the Corsicana Animal Shelter.
Call 903-654-4928 or text or call 469-537-5850. Email kasta@ci.corsicana.tx.us. The shelter is at 617 S. 12th St., Corsicana. And Louann says, “I can help with transport Tues or Wed if going to qualified, approved 501c3 with gasoline donation.” Reacher her via l.smithplano@rocketmail.com or call 214-289-5114.

DENTON UPDATE

Bart the Dog is now with his foster mom in Rowlett, reports the Denton Animal Shelter advocate Amy Poskey. “Check out his freedom pics!” she typed, then wrote, “Once again, thank you Paws of Love Animal Rescue and thank you to everyone for helping save this precious angel by networking, offering donations and sending prayers. WOOOHOOOOO!!!”  

Then, Amy moved on to this little injured dog who is now in the Denton shelter. “ Gayla Nelsen, the kennel supervisor, has reached out to me in order to find rescue for her as an early release (see email below and the attached picture above).  I met Sheila this morning [Saturday] and she is beyond precious!!!   Bless her heart, she needs out of the shelter where she can heal in a quiet, loving home!!!   PLEASE, can anyone save this angel?”

The story from Gayla is “this little girl was found on someone’s door step here in town, xray revealed fractured pelvis.  She is 1-2 years old, 21.8 lb and the most loving dog EVER.  Surgery is by far the quickest fix (and costly), but Dr. Epstein said that with strict crate rest, pain medication for a time, and a lot of TLC, she could possibly make a full recovery even without the surgery.  It would just take a while.   I was able to catch her just after her medicine had time to kick in.....”
Bottom line is she needs a rescue to help her heal. Get in touch with the shelter  940-349-7594 or visit the Linda McNatt Animal Care & Adoptions Shelter at 3717 N. Elm St. in Denton.  Sheila is #58661. 

One more Denton note: Bear, the dog with the flea-aggravated loss of hair, was adopted over the weekend. Emaciated at 31 pounds, loss of hair -- but adopted by someone who wants to give the dog a chance. “I sure hope that’s a good thing,” Amy told us. 

CATS AND A DOG

The first image I saw in an email from Take Me Home Pet Rescue was this cool cat pitch.

The Black Cat special was followed by the Cat of the Week who, amusingly, is not a black cat, but Lavern who appears to be a tabby girl. She was claimed from a shelter when she was about 3 weeks old and has grown to be come a snuggling girl. She’s close to becoming an absolutely perfect housecat -- just needs that one more ingredient: a home.

Then as long as we’re talking about the “of the Week” category, we’d be remiss if we did not mention Tiger, the Take Me Home Pet Pet Rescue Dog of the Week. He’s described as “an adorable pocket-sized brindle and white Boxer/Shar-Pei/Pittie mix.”
He’s two and good with kids, but might be a little too enthusiastic for kids under 12. “He likes going on car rides and walks and snuggling up with you at night. he also enjoys watching TV and just hanging out with you on the patio.” [LARRY ASIDE: He likes snuggling, TV and hanging out -- almost in the running for “Cat of the Week.”]

Visit takemehomepetrescue.com to see how to adopt.

ONE CAT IN A KELLER SITUATION

Karen Lee, the animal advocate of barkleyworld.com, forwarded this oft-forwarded letter about Kit Kat. (The person to call about adopting this cat is Salle -- yes, Salle -- Marple at 469-996-0715.)

Kit Kat, a 4-year-old fellow ho is neutered and “very friendly and clever” wandered into a yard in Keller. “Will come when she (human) whistles. Perhaps was a dog in a former life.” The cat’s living in the backyard for now but one of the dogs doesn’t get along with him, so the cat needs a new home.

CONTEMPLATION: A QUAKE AND A BEAR
There was a 2.5 earthquake in New Jersey over the weekend -- these two animals were knocked flat. I’m kidding. You may recognize them. They the veteran loungers (as demonstrated in these photos). They are Peaches, the 20-year-old cat, and Maxie the Recently Acquired Dog, who live with our pals Andy and Annie Fisher on Indian Lake in Denville, N.J. That is not far from the epicenter of the Jersey Quake which was about as shaky as some of our Irving quakes -- nobody notices except the machines invented to monitor earthquakes. Still, there was one sort of shaky thing over the weekend that demonstrates one of the differences between a yard sale in Dallas and a yard sale in New Jersey. Here’s the report from our East Coast Bureau Chief Andrew Fisher after he’d filed his quake story with Readlarrypowell.com:

“Naturally, I went to press with my latest Denville Dispatch just before the big animal story broke. I went to the post office to mail the water bill just as a small male black bear (about the size of a Newfoundland dog) trotted across the parking lot, trailed by a cop with a long gun. 

“A woman around the corner is having a yard sale, and the bear was apparently her first customer. The intrepid Denville police were summoned, and an officer chased the bruin and pinged him in the hindquarters with a rubber bullet, and the bear took off toward the river. 

This is the time of year for Mama Bear to chase her boys out of the territory, and their search for new homes often leads them into populated areas (makes sense; that's where the fast food is).”
The yard sale was off to a rousing start, Andy declared.
And the bear? Just browsing, is the Readlarrypowell.com guess.
Our research found that there are Black Bears in all 21 counties in New Jersey and we also discovered: “Black bears are the largest land mammal in New Jersey.” Congratulations, Gov. Christie. The diet appears to be working. 

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A toe, a dog leg and weekend sleepers...

That big ol’ photo caught your eye, didn’t it.
It’s got a big ol’ dawg in it. We have Amy Moore, the local rescuer and animal advocate, to thank for this smile in our weekend edition of Let Sleeping Dogs Lie & Napping Cats Nap.
That dog is Kali. That foot is Amy’s. She explains, “Kali is a Neapolitan Mastiff that I rescued 3 years ago.  Her owner was going to Iraq and needed someone to take her.   She likes to be close.. sometimes, too close!  :).”
Amy says, “I guess she didn’t care that my foot was there when she laid her head down! Now she is sleeping with my toe stuck in her lip!”

And that brings us tho this point, Dear Readers, an example of how the things works in The Astounding World of Animal Rescue. One thing leads to another. That is the simple yet spot-on rule.
And these photos of The Great Kali (that’s her sacked out in the window of Amy’s home in a more traditional Sleeping Dog pose), led to a story about a little Dogue Du Bordeaux who has been having quite a struggle. Amy got us involved in telling this story.

[BEFORE WE GET TO THE KEATON STORY, let me remind everyone that we publish Let Sleeping Dogs Lie & Napping Cats Nap to encourage insomniacs that they, too, can nod off. Send your sleeping critter photos to dallrp@aol.com with an explanation and the story of your animal. Also, I’m willing to bet good money that there are insomniacs desperate enough to ask someone to stick a toe in their mouths just to see if it’ll encourage a good night’s sleep! Now, my fellow toe-dozers, here is Keaton’s story.]

LITTLE KEATON’S PROGRESS

[LARRY ASIDE: We must thank Amy for the details on this story. As you may suspect, it’s not only her toe that is involved with animals, it is her heart.]

THE BACKSTORY

“It’s been kinda crazy with this pup,” Amy declares. He’s known as Keaton and he’s a Dog De Bordeaux (same breed as the dog Tom Hanks fell for in the movie Turner & Hooch.)
[LARRY ASIDE: You might note that there is quite a sleepy dog in this double-shot. That is Keaton after surgery. Just close enough to nodding off to qualify for Let Sleeping Dogs Sleep & Napping Cats Nap. Heck, he may even be dreaming that he IS a cat. Anesthesia does interesting things!]
A rescuer got him from a puppy mill situation. He’s had legwork done because his leg was broken at the puppy mill and he’s had chest surgery, perhaps because his puppy mill genes don’t protect him from properly from odd growths.
Puppy mill dogs frequently have medical problems resulting from poor breeding. That’s why people happily buy a puppy from a mill, then as the dog matures, lose it because of a congenital malformation of heart or intestines or some other key body part that can’t be detected from just looking and cuddling.
Little Keaton had a rapidly growing tumor removed from his chest on Wednesday. “He had a rough night Wednesday night but he is doing better...He is trying to make up for lost time. He just goes and goes and goes.”
Amy has provided this diary for Keaton’s Progress

“JULY 19 -- He was taken in by another rescue (from a puppy mill) and the extent of his injuries were more than the rescue was able to take care of.   

“JULY 29 -- Buffy Rogers took possession of him.  He is approximately 5 months old.  A Dogue De Bordeaux.   We've named him Keaton.   He was covered in ticks and fleas and had a huge abscess.  In addition, his leg seemed to be deformed.  We were not sure what was the cause.

He stayed in a temporary foster home for a couple of days and was just so excited to be a puppy.  He was eating well, climbing stairs, and not letting anything get in his way. 

“AUGUST 3 -- He went to see the vet and got x-rays.   We were concerned with the fact that his leg would swing as if he had no control over it.   After seeing the x-rays, it appears that he had broken the leg a long time ago.  Probably when he was 6-8 weeks old.  The bone / joint have disintegrated to the point that there is nothing there to fuse the bone to.  He was probably stepped on, pushed around, etc in the puppy mill.   He started learning to walk on it that way and every time he does, he is grinding away bone, damaging tendons and causing damage to the skin.  He has been doing this every day for 4 months.
“His resilience is amazing.  If you weren't able to see the disability, you would think he is the normal, every day, happy go lucky puppy.   They put a splint on his bad leg to help straighten him up (he had to bend over at a funny angle to walk or eat).  We are hoping the splint will help strengthen the good leg too.   

“Xrays have been sent to ortho surgeons to see what our options are.  If at all possible, we want to save the leg. Of course its going to be very expensive.  We have been hesitant to put the fundraiser too high until we know an exact number.  We want to be very transparent about the cost and where the money is going.”
“And that brings us to his leg surgery. He’s got a splint, has more work in his
future and still is a puppy with puppy tendencies.”

Here is the personality/attraction summary from Amy: “He is the cutest little guy EVER and I think every single person that has seen him has fallen head over heels in love.”
The fundraising link to help Keaton is here:
 http://www.youcaring.com/buffy-rogers-404051 
(We explain the other fun event later in this report.) 

Amy says, “They are going to splint the other leg.  Its kinda crooked from all the compensating that he had to do with the broken leg.
“What we NEED is donations and what we desperately NEED is an artificial joint!   Otherwise, we will probably have to amputate.   We aren't giving up. And he needs to heal from this surgery before we do anything else.”

As you may suspect, Keaton has fans. Amy says there are “multiple updates and photos” on the donation site. “We are trying to keep everyone informed and up to date since this is not going to be an easy or quick treatment or recovery.  But.. with faith and lots of professional help.. we can get it done!  He is a fighter.. so we have to fight just as hard as he is!”

You may also keep up with Keaton and a lot of other big ol’ dawgs on the Lone Star Pyrs and Paws Facebook site HERE.  That’s where I found this artwork that tells about the fundraiser & wet fun event on Sunday. Click it to make it grow.

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A few notes for Friday: Keeping shelters cleared and animals who are dodging the shelters, plus President Harding and His Closet ...

EDITION OF FRIDAY, AUGUST 14, 2015 (PetPowellPress) -- Let’s dive right into the Friday report as if there might be a weekend on the horizon. 
Probably the busiest people around outside of traffic cops in Dallas and the Dallas Cowboys coaching staff will be the personnel at area shelters participating in the second annual Clear the Shelters event. No adoption fee for animals. You can see which shelters are participating by going to www.cleartheshelters.org. 

What we need after this weekend is a “Keep the Shelters Cleared” campaign. That’s a little tougher to pull off because it’ll take willing participation by the dimwits who think taking dogs and cats to a taxpayer-funded shelter is a surefire way to save lives. Bless the shelter folks, they work hard to save lives, but it’s really tough to overcome the Tsunami of Stupidity that flows freely among us. Bless the animals, every one.

Now, some animals not in a shelter.

FORMERLY OF THE DAS

This guy is named Dallas -- he may be about a year old -- he was adopted from Dallas Animal Services about 9 months ago. Nine months ago? December? A Christmas puppy?
We don’t know that for sure, but we do know that a local social worker Sarah Masih is trying to help a co-worker’s in-laws find a home for Dallas. “He is a sweet puppy who has been raised with children and in a family setting,” Sarah told us. “His family, for not good reason, has decided that they cannot take care of him any more. He was adopted from DAS and they have intentions of returning him this week. My co-worker ... has reached out to me because, apparently, I am the resident dog lady!”

She says she’d put photos of him in the break room at her office and is hoping someone will adopt him. She’d love to foster him, but she’s working two jobs, 5 days a week and has a Boxer mi and a Pitty of her own.
Details? Dallas is neutered, has had his shots, is leash-trained and “is still 100% puppy.”
To offer to help Dallas find an actual good home, email sarahmasih1234@yahoo.com but texting works best Sarah says: 469-939-7792. 

[LARRY ASIDE: Look at this devoted boy, right by the couch, looking up in admiration! Good, grief, he needs a home where he can be respected for his devotion.]

TWO CATS TO GO, PLEASE

Holy cathair, are these beauties or what?
A note about them says, “These two cats will be taken to animal control after the adopt-a-pet Saturday.
We got in touch with Sondra York of the League of Animal Protectors who has made it a personal mission to get some attention for these two. They’re going to be at the LAP adoption at the Allen Petco, McDermott and 75, from noon to 3 on Saturday. 

Sondra says, “I just cannot bear for this woman (who is losing her home, has no car and no job and moving in with relatives) to take them to Animal Control.  It is not their fault she cannot keep them. They are gorgeous, declawed, youngish, sweet and well-adjusted to kids, cats and dogs so they are great cats.  ... I just do not have one single spot to put them because all my fosters are so full of kittens.  Please ask anyone interested to go to laprescue.org and fill out an adoption  form (no obligation- it is just so I can call them back).  I would like to get the best home possible for them.”
Who are the cats? Yoshimi, half Siamese and half tabby who is Marley’s biological mother, is easy-going, affectioniate and loves to play. She has “a soft and sweet chirp-like meow and beautiful ice blue eyes.”
Marley’s dad was a Maine Coon. He’s neutered, gentle likes other animals and kids. And he loves to play, too.

Again, fill out the adoption form at laprescue.org.
FYI, the cat adoption is at the Petco and, as you can see from this artwork, the League has a dog event scheduled at another site. Click on the art to make it larger. Some critters are going to have some fun and some are going to find some homes. Kind of a nice thought for the end of a work week. 

MEANWHILE IN DENTON

Amy Poskey sent out a note saying there are “17 pooches available for adoption and/or rescue NOW!” And they are quite a collection of beautiful, interesting canine faces.
Ah, but there’s more to the story. You may recall that yesterday we cited a dog named Bear, stricken with what appears to be a skin condition.
Amy reports that Bear “was an owner surrender, not a stray, so the county is possibly gonna press charges due to his obvious neglect.  Poor baby is the victim of divorce.”
To ask about any dog in the Denton Shelter, email gayla.nelsen@cityofdenton.com, Cynthia.uber@cityofdenton.com, dentonshelterdogs@yahoo.com, and/or dentonanimalservices@yahoo.com. Or, call the shelter at 940-349-7594.

CONTEMPLATION: Longest season -- NFL, NBA, MLB, Political? ... Are you the least bit envious of kids who are returning to school? Remember the excitement at the prospect of learning! And here we all are, grown up and no need to learn anything else about pilgrims, math, the conquest of the west, explorers of the world, Roman civilizations or senses of humor among Puritan settlers. Or, how to use scissors and Elmer’s Glue. Or a protractor! Do they still use those things? Can they get through the metal detectors? ... Too late to offer congratulations to President Warren G. Harding in person, of course. But, just as the White House has the Oval Office and the West Wing, \we do wonder if a president might officially designate “The Harding Closet.” Read all about it HERE.  That’s President Harding; that’s Nan Britton. We have no photo of the closet.

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On Lefties Day: A truck stop dog, a mangy dog, a Lake Pit, college-level cats and a State Fair Rooster Crowing Contest...

EDITION OF THURSDAY, AUGUST 13, 2015 (PetPowellPress) -- It’s International Lefthander’s Day, according to online sources. High five to the Lefties! Oops, sorry, missed. 
(That subtle humor brought to you in honor of my lefty son, Bret. His twin Bart is ambidextrous.) Moving on, here’s today’s report: 

THEY WERE ON THE WAY HOME FROM COLORADO WHEN...SUDDENLY, IN OKLAHOMA...

This is one of those stories that veteran rescuers read and nod and say, “Yep, that’s the way it goes sometimes.”
Kelly Bond of Road Trip 4 Paws, the Coppell-based non-profit that moves dogs away from peril in Texas, sent the note. It reads, “We took 42 dogs yesterday to meet our partner in Colorado  ...  We took 19 from Young County since they aren't participating in the ‘Empty the Shelter’ day [Saturday] to help them out.
“Then [on the way back, about 2 1/2 hours from home] we found this guy running between 18 wheelers --  dumped at a truck stop in Oklahoma. Filthy dirty, covered in fleas but sweet as he can be. I named him ‘Trucker’.”
Kelly told Readlarrypowell.com that “I took him to Parker Animal and Bird Clinic [in Plano on Wednesday] to see Dr. [Bethany] Whetstone. he is about 6 years old and a high heartworm positive (shocker). He is such a sweet dog. I joked that he liked his sleeping accommodations last night way better than his previous reservation at Love’s [Truck Stop].”
[LARRY ASIDE: We’re monitoring Trucker and will let you know what happens in his life story. In the meantime you can contact the Road Trip 4 Paws people and see how to donate to their efforts by going to the Facebook site HERE.]

A DENTON UPDATE
Bart the Dog has a foster home in Rowlett, Amy Poskey, the persistent monitor of Denton’s animal shelter tells us. He’ll be in the shelter until Saturday morning when Amy and hubby Dale pull him and deliver him to his foster.

And that was the last dog in the Denton Shel -- hang on. I may have overstated that. 

Amy has now sent us a note about this dog Bear.
“I just had to send out an early plea for this precious boy who hasn’t had the best life so far.  Bless his heart, he has lost most of his hair and you can just tell he doesn’t feel good.   I don’t have any details on Bear, yet, but I sure can find out if anybody thinks they can save this boy when his stray hold expires on Saturday, 8/15.  Poor baby needs our help.” He is #58602. Bear is a 5- to 7-year-old Shepherd-Chow mix. He’s on PetFinder HERE.

A PRETTY PITTY OUT BY THE LAKE
They’re calling this dog Red Sonja.
She’s a young dog,  now spayed and vaccinated and in need of a home, reports our tipster Sydney Busch of Friends of the Animals at Cedar Creek Lake, the organization that operates the world’s most successful spay/neuter clinic at Gun Barrel City, Texas.
Red Sonja, after showing up at a volunteers house “hungry, tired and frightened” demonstrated that “she is great with kids and would make an excellent family pet.”
To offer to give Red Sonja a good and gentle, responsible and loving home,  email her rescuer Marie at kingskid55@msn.com or call 817-235-2477 or 903-489-2921.

CONTEMPLATIONS -- Sharon Valenti, who has been tipping us to developments in the SMU vs. The Feral Cats story, sent us a LINK to a column in the Big Paper Downtown appealing for mercy on the part of the university.  America’s universities are traditionally the birthplaces of enlightenment. Right? ... This isn’t big news in the agriculture world, but my annual pumpkin crop, planted in July, is up and green and waving in the breezes. No blossoms yet, no pumpkins yet, but plenty of greenery and hope for the future. Last year I harvested about a half-dozen Jack-Be-Littles and one big sugar pumpkin about the size of a cantaloupe. Nobody said you could see my pumpkin patch from space. I saved the Jack-Be-Littles, let them sit and dry and opened them, planted the seeds and they are now vibrant plants. I have a pickup -- just in case I need to get the harvest to market in October. ... Why this photo of Big Tex? It arrived courtesy of the State Fair of Texas with a news release about new attractions coming for the 2015 edition of the state’s greatest annual festival, the crown jewel of Dallas' wonderful Fair Park. What is happening in the photo? There are two possibilities -- Big Tex’s oddly blocky and thick boots have been filled with cement and he’s about to be dropped off the Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge into the Trinity River for the First Annual Big River Bass ‘n’ Ski Festival or he’s practicing his crowing. Why is that? Because for the first time, the State Fair is staging a Rooster Crowing Contest calculated to “bring spectators to their feet as competitors fight for the highest number of cock-a-doodle-doos!” The event is open to humans of any gender -- readlarrypowell.com assumes they will all be amateurs, no professional roosters. The contest is scheduled for Sunday, October 18, in -- where else -- the Poultry Barn. Read about all the new attractions by clicking HERE. Remember, roosters are against the law in Dallas, so this contest may be won by somebody from a more rural area -- Houston or Fort Worth. [I'm kidding!] Too much to hope that the Rooster Crowing Contest would be won by somebody from the Texas towns of Turkey or Mallard. 

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Rain, animals, rescues and comeback players

EDITION OF WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 12, 2015 (PetPowellPress) -- Drove home in the rain Tuesday afternoon as a storm swept across Oak Cliff. Nice to see the rain. You forget how much you miss it now and then. Stopped raining in time to let the dogs out. That is a good rain. Now, our report (and there's an Earhound at the end):
A CHALLENGE IN DENTON
A few weeks ago Amy Poskey, the Denton animal advocate, sent out a note with three great dogs needing a place to live OUTSIDE of the Denton Animal Shelter.
One was Scout. One was Rico. Both are safe with Paws of Love Animal Rescue in Royse City now.  The third continues to get no interest at all -- except that the people who meet him love him. Amy writes, “Our AWESOME, WONDERFUL, LOVEABLE, ADORABLE, KISSABLE, FANTASTIC BART needs a miracle and I’m BEGGING for your help to save him before it’s too late!!!  The simple fact that Bart is STILL alive and STILL waiting after almost THREE MONTHS at the shelter is a testament to how GREAT this precious boy is!!!  If we lose this angel then you might as well just shoot me cuz I’m gonna be devastated.  We just can’t let that happen!  Can anyone make room for Bart?…  PLEASE???!!!”
She adds, “Please note that we have additional donation offers (along with mine) the reputable rescue who saves Bart! I would be happy to pull him and transport him within the DFW area.” 

[6:45 a.m. update: Amy reports that overnight Paws of Love Animal Rescue said it will have room by Aug. 23 -- a temporary foster is needed until then. Email  dale.amyposkey@verizon.net. to volunteer for the short-term foster position.]
Bart is @#57094. You may recall that  the young Pit Bully boy’s person came to the shelter and never return. The staff contacted the fellow again and again, but no dice. And now, Bart is on a very quick clock at Dentons’ Linda McNatt Animal Care and Adoption Center. Visit him at 3717 N. Elm St. Call the shelter at 940-349-7594.  Email gayla.nelsen@cityofdenton.com, Cynthia.uber@cityofdenton.com, dentonshelterdogs@yahoo.com, and/or dentonanimalservices@yahoo.com. See him on PetFinder HERE.
About Rico, Amy wrote on Tuesday, “Our precious boy, Rico, has left the building and is already with his foster mom, Kellye Robertson, in Royse City, TX!!!   Check out that happy face!!! Thank you, Paws of Love Animal Rescue, and thank you to everyone for helping save this precious angel by networking, offering donations and sending prayers! WOOOOHOOOOO!!!!”  T

And Paws of Love also has custody now of the photogenic Scout. Obviously, he’s a matinee idol! 

TWO FROM FERRIS

Our reliable tipster Laura Macias sent a note about these two dogs, currently residing in the Ferris Animal Shelter just about a half-hour south of Dallas on I-45.
Chelcee Juicek is the new ACO at Ferris and she asked Laura to help network these two dogs, explaing that “they have been there since they were babies. (To contact Chelcee, call 972-877-4180 or email Chelcee.juricek@ci.ferristx.us.
The adoption fee is $40 and you can visit the dogs at 1200 N. Central in Ferris. If you’re a rescue group, you need to give a copy of your 501(c)(3) to the shelter so they’ll have you on record as a rescue partner.

These boys are brothers. Max is the brown one; Jax is the black one.
They are Catahoula/Hound mixes about 7 months old and leggy.
Max is “very sweet and loves attenton” and Jax is “very sweet and loves to polay. He can be a bit shy at first but once hewarms up, he will be your best friend.”
[LARRY ASIDE: Animal folks with long memories will recall that about six years ago, the then-police chief in Ferris had a plan to shoot stray dogs. The city has come a long way since then and the new ACO sure needs to be applauded for reaching out to the rescue community. And, besides, two dogs like this pair? Better than winning the lottery!] 

ABOUT THIS DOG MARGOGH
We got a note from Sara Sparks, the foster, who appreciates the publicity that this unique dog is getting. Then she gently corrected the origin of the name MarGogh. 

“I just thought I’d let you know I wasn’t the brilliant individual that came up with her perfect name. Allison Brandon, my foster representative with Dallas Pets Alive!, was the brains behind that. Just thought it was worth mentioning!”
Absolutely is important that we get that correct. So that brings Readlarrypowell.com to two announcements: (1) If we’re ever found wandering, we want to be taken to Dallas Pets Alive! and (2) we want Allison Brandon to give us a new name. After all, we used up all our good names on dogs and cats. I’d like something dashing, please. And suitably ethnic for my family tree -- just nothing with “Bob” in the middle. Final say will go, of course, to my monikerspouse, Martha Bob. I’m kidding.

Remember you can see how to adopt MarGogh and how to donate to the one-eared Shepherd girl at http://dallaspetsalive.org. That photo is from Tuesday afternoon and it appeared on the rescue’s website with a message that says “she's healing fast and feeling great! Keep sending positive vibes, we hope to have her healthy and adoptable soon!”

CAN THIS BE A WEDNESDAY SPECIAL?
BALCH SPRING KITTENS -- AVAILABLE!

Animal advocate Karen Lee of Barkleyworld.com forwarded this note to us about all these little kittens at the Balch Spring Animal Shelter.
The animals shelter’s website says the adoption fee for dogs or cats is usually just $35 -- but on Wednesday, any dog or cat can be adopted for just TEN BUCKS. The contact listed on the email is Animal Control Officer Vanessa Forsythe at 972-577-6035. The shelter is at 3117 Hickory Tree Road, Balch Springs, 75180.

THE ITALY SEIZURE CUSTODY HEARING
Before any evidence could be presented on Tuesday the Ellis County Sheriff’s Office, the County Attorney, the SPCA of Texas and the owner of seven animals said to be cruelly agreed that the animals should go to the SPCA. Pct. 2 Justice of the Peace Jackie Miller agreed and also awareded the SPCA $1,524.25 in restitution. The SPCA says it doesn’t expect to get any of the money to help offset costs of vet care and proper feeding of the animals. The six dogs and the goat will be evaluated by the SPCA for “potential adoption or placement on a case-by-case-basis.” This is the case in which the Dallas police officer was charged with animal cruelty. Go to spca.org for animal info.
CONTEMPLATIONS: The answers are (a) Derek Holland pitching Texas into the World Series; (b) Sean Lee leading the Dallas Cowboys back to the Super Bowl (c) Blue Bell Ice Cream returning to empty grocery store shelves. The question: Who would be the Texas Comeback Player of the Year? ... Tons of emails arriving reminding us that September 17 is North Texas giving day. Make sure you give the right way -- don’t just give to someone who says it’s going to Giving Day. Crooks taking advantage of good hearts? Aw, shucks, not in Texas! Right? ... Speaking of good hearts, Patty Turner tipped us to this MultiExpressionist Earhound, Garland #A204317, a little tray Pitty boy who goes off the stray hold on Thursday -- that means it's time to Google Garland Animal Services and get the info to save his life. A dog with ears like that doesn't deserve the needle. ... Tuesday's rain felt so good. I arrived at home just as it was at full storm and as I parked I saw that some delivery person had left a big box right in front of our porch gate and rain was pouring right down on top of it and had collected about 2 inches up the sides. I quickly shed my shoes, splashed across the front yard in my socks and quickly soaked clothing. To unlock the gate I had to stand still right under the rooftop downpour. I opened the gate, picked up the feather-light box, slid it onto the porch and stepped inside. I have no idea what’s in the box -- it’s one of my funspouse Martha’s orders. It might be her new umbrellas for all I know. How wet did I get? Had to wring out my necktie. My socks were soaked. I looked like I’d been strapped to the roof of a sedan at a car wash. But, you know what? I’d like to run through that rain and play in it again. Made me feel young. You know, like 40, maybe. Next time it rains, I’m going to build a dam across our road and watch cars run through the 6-inch deep lake! I’ll need to drive up to Bowie County and get some red clay. Rain makes me feel like a kid -- so did the 104 and 105 degree days, though that probably was just a heatstroke.
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