Tales of dogs and a sky on the road...

EDITION OF MONDAY, JUNE 27, 2016 (PetPowellPress) -- One of those odd online holiday sites says Monday the 27th is National Sunglasses Day. Some weather forecasts predict thunderstorms for our area on Monday. Celebrate. Sunglasses and umbrellas. Oh, and listen up: Protect your dogs and cats from ALL kinds of weather -- use your brain or borrow one if you're short of sense. Now, our report:
FOUND HANGING AROUND

This story is about human reaction. It has to do with a dog. A life is saved. 

Our story comes from our pal Diane Combs, a fan of dogs and a supporter of rescue groups -- two factors that helped her co-worker, Melissa Rondon, find a place for this undeniably cute dog. 

“He was hanging around out in the hot sun in the apartment complex [in Oak Lawn in Dallas] where my co-worker, Melissa, lives,” Diane says. “She had checked with neighbors and nobody knew where he came from, but she thought he had been on his own for quite a while because his hair was all matted, he was dirty, and his nails were very long.  Melissa couldn't stand the thought of his staying outside in this heat any longer, so she took him in on Thursday night, gave him a flea bath, cut out a lot of the matting, and took him to PetSmart to buy some doggie stuff- food, toys, etc.
“She really wanted to keep him but couldn't because of one main reason - her cat, Ivan.  She said Ivan HATED this dog.  She said she couldn't go to work every day for long hours and leave him in with her cat (and he's not housebroken).  She gave him a temporary name of Fizzgig - -based on a character in some movie.  Melissa said it was a little monster in the movie who looked exactly like this dog.”

[LARRY ASIDE: Fizzgig was described as the “friendly monster” in the 1982 film The Dark Crystal, a production of the people who brought you the Muppets, Jim Henson and Frank Oz. That, as you may surmise, is a photo of Fizzgig being held like a puppy in the film.]
Diane says, “She brought ‘Fizz’ to work with her on Friday.  Our bosses, being animal lovers, totally allow that.  She had a crate for him, but he spent the majority of the day in Melissa's lap or lying comfortably on her desk with her in plain sight.  He obviously loved Melissa for saving him.   On her lunch hour on Friday, she went to PetSmart near work and had a tech scan for a chip - of course, no chip.  Surprise surprise.”

At Diane’s suggestion, Melissa got in touch with Dinesha Schmidt at A Different Breed Rescue and they arranged that she’d bring Fizz to the group’s Saturday adoption site in Plano.

So, Fizz goes from a hot state of unwanted in a Dallas apartment complex into the heart of Melissa to, thanks to veteran dogfan Diane, into  the loving arms of a Different Breed and, soon, after routine veterinary checks and precautions and neutering, Fizz will become an adorable adoptable. 

You see here photos of the unbelievable cute dog nobody wanted. He’s barely a handful and he knows how to take it easy at the office! 

To get in line to adopt Fizz, get in touch with adifferentbreed.org. ADB has a shelter in Desert, in the northeast corner of Collin County. The group also has volunteers and fosters and can use more. Email [email protected]
[LARRY ASIDE: Just FYI, this dog is exactly the type that usually winds up living with Diane, but other small, cute, loving dogs beat Fizz to all the open spots on Diane’s couch -- and that includes her little guy with the big personality, the public relations king, Larry the Little Dachshund.]
 
TWO DOGS, ONE CHALLENGE:

DEALING WITH HEARTBREAK

Our Houston tipster Alexandra Kelsey got me with the subject line.
“All they have left is a stuffed pig and a wheelchair.”

Look at that photo. Does it not capture sadness in a dog?
Alexandra writes, “Kelly Joseph rescued animals.  That makes her part of our family, whether we knew her or not. 

“Now, Kelly is gone and her two senior dogs have nothing left by a stuffed pig and a wheelchair. 
"Paisley and Tansey were feral puppies when Kelly saved them eight years ago, and she has loved them for all this time.  Now, these girls only have a few days to sort themselves out, as Kelly’s family apparently has no options for the dogs and plans to euthanize them.

“If these were my dogs, or if they were your dogs, all you would hope is that someone in the rescue community would create a magic solution for them.  These girls just need a quiet place where they can live and come to terms with their new circumstances.  They won’t bother anyone, and they are no trouble.  They are reserved girls, and I’m sure they’re grieving.  They just want love, and I’m sure they would pay you back with years of pleasure.  Paisley and Tansey are vetted and good with dogs and with cats.
“Kelly’s friend Pamela reached out to Friends For Life, which is full but trying to make a plan.  Because this is urgent, I am sending this on widely, in case there is some rescue angel out there who can help Paisley and Tansey.  Please pass this on.  It could be you one day.  Or me.”

The contact for the dogs is Pamela Villegas, who will transport the dogs. Reach her at 512-567-0315. Email [email protected].

Pamela is a friend of the late Kelly. She says, “Kelly was an active volunteer for several dog and cat rescue groups in town and despite serious medical conditions, she worked tirelessly to save the lives of many cats and dogs until the very end. ... Paisley was very attached to Kelly and has not left Kelly's wheelchair since her passing. Tansey spends most of her time outside on the back deck but does like to have the ability to come inside.  ... Both girls are spayed, up to date on shots and house-trained. They are good with other dogs and cats, but they have been alone for some time so a slow introduction would be recommended.”
CONTEMPLATIONS: Longtime animal advocate Andy Allen, a pretty swell person all the way around, posted a quote that she labeled “Wise words from a wise friend.” These words bear repeating here -- we don't know who said them but we applaud them because we all need to think about these things in Dallas, Texas, where a loose dog is likely to be a dead dog these days. The topic is looking out for animals. The “wise words” read: “We ALL can be a part of the solution when we address these outright abuses by reporting them. Sometimes that may involve several calls, reports, pictures, emails depending on the case but that should never detour us from getting involved with local authorities, SPCA, HSNT, law enforcement and animal services. Every animal is worth saving so never think your help in reporting such abuse is not meaningful and important. This is a constant issue we must actively address and always be on guard with open eyes to stopping the neglect and abuse by diligently reporting animal abuse of any kind. Please always do your part... These animals are depending on us to save them.” ... Take some time to visit this DAS Accountability Page on Facebook and read the story of the Husky being rescued from a too-small cage on the balcony of a Dallas apartment. Lovely story -- especially inspiring the question "Why were so many dogs in this apartment?" . ... Enjoy this week with its final few days of the month. June 2016 has been more interesting than any of us deserved. That’s the Texas sky as snapped through a windshield headed west on the afternoon of June 24 in the tall pines alongside I-30 in Northeast Texas. Best looking sky in the EU. Wait, I mean, USA. Seems unlikely that Texas will join the EU.


--- To comment, grab your PositiveMouse and give it an upbeat click below. And, congratulate the artist who creates the great Texas skies. ---