ReadLarryPowell.com

Respecting the vote, honoring the process...

[LARRY NOTE: This is a personal contemplation about voting and Americans who kept us able to vote and say just about anything we wanted to say.]

Over the weekend the Commemorative Air Force put its old planes on display at and over Dallas Executive Airport and the Red Bird area of town. 
That’s not far from our home.
So, now and then, some extremely loud plane from a bygone era would fly over our neighborhood, the rumbling of engines rattling our windows and making even the birds and squirrels look up.
Majestic old planes, each held aloft by skillful pilots who know how to use pioneering technology from the first half of the 20th century. 
These planes flew peacefully over the Dallas landscape. I thought what a blessing it is that these war planes are now “for display only.” 

And, as I looked and listened -- running outside like a kid now and then to see what in the world was in the sky -- it occurred to me that I was probably hearing something my dad first heard -- heard for the first time! -- back in the early ‘40s. He was a poor kid from a poor side of town, a school dropout in a family for whom The Great Depression continued for decades.
Because of bad people in Germany, Italy and Japan, my daddy and millions of men like him became pawns -- the necessary but horrifying infantry -- in the great “human chess game” against the Axis. 
That was my pop, years before I was born: Scrawny, unschooled and bewildered Calvin Powell in a uniform that was too big but not as big as the job he’d been drafted to do.
He’d never been out of his dirt-poor neighborhood and, suddenly, there he was being shot at, attacked and enduring hell on earth in a unified effort to save the planet from evil. 
He lived, but, some of him didn’t survive. He lost his optimism, I think. He saw the ugly side of humanity and it never left him.
In his last hours, decades later in November, 2008, he wasn’t recalling his triumphs in life, his family, his friends, his family vacations paid for with money earned by the sweat of a blue-collar soul. 
He wasn’t seeing a greeting at the Pearly Gates from a hospital bed.


My sweet Dad was hallucinating that he was back with the army more than six decades earlier and going into a concentration camp -- Nordhausen -- and trying to help people understand that they were being freed from a manmade hell.

Thanks to an interview with Mom, I learned that Pop was with the the 39th Infantry Regiment of the 9th Army. Col. Paddy Flint, who led the 39th ashore at Utah Beach on D-Day Plus 4, made sure his men were known as the “AAA-0.” That stood for “Anywhere, Any time, Any place bar none.”

And Pop was with the 39th from Utah Beach, into France to take back Saint-Lô from the Germans, and capture The Bridge at Remagen and capture Roetgen, described as “the first German town to fall in World War II.”


Pop just about never talked about the war to his three little boys. You can see why when you search for the video of the liberation of Nordhausen. [I won’t link to it here out of respect for the dead and those who found them, but if you have questions about how bad it could have been, google it and watch it. We need to remember what happened there and that it was other humans who did this. And, remember, too, what evil men did to make terrify our parents enough to make them go to war around the entire planet. Hell won’t be hot enough for some people.]



My father was in a hospital bed, looking up with eyes seeing something not in the room and, with great animation, mimicking the arm gestures of concentration camp inmates rushing to the truck he was in and holding up their arms and begging.

This was from a scene he once told me about in an extraordinarily quiet moment in a late-night conversation when neither of us could sleep. I was already gone from home and had come back to attend my grandmother’s funeral -- his mother-in-law and the only mother he’d known since the 40s. Pop never -- NEVER -- talked about the war. Never. But his heart was near the surface this night.


“They were looking up at us and reaching out with their hands and begging with what I guess was the only English words they knew. They’d all say, ‘Brown bread! Brown bread.’” 
Then Pop stopped talking, and after a few seconds, my iron-hard father tearfully said, “Hell, we didn’t have any brown bread to give ‘em. We’d just fought our way into the place and we didn’t have anything but what was on us.”
Years later, on his death bed, he was reaching up, like those people from decades ago, and saying, “Brown bread. Brown bread.” I knew what he was seeing. No one else in the room with him knew. 


So, on a warm October afternoon in Dallas, when I heard OUR planes over my own home in Dallas -- on the other side of reality from my dad’s young years -- I knew what he heard and what it meant to him. It meant help. And, ultimately, that sound meant peace to him and his fellow infantrymen.
Pop left Europe on Dec. 22, 1945 -- the port was Le Havre, straight across the inlet from Utah Beach where his unpleasant tour had begun in 1944. Pop took a troop ship across the Atlantic and returned to the U.S. on New Year’s Day, 1946. He never wanted to leave America again and didn’t. We could barely get him to leave town. He probably wasn’t the only GI who said if he ever got back home, he was never leaving again.

So, for no reason other than the fact that so many of us Baby Boomers grew up with parents who went to war, I offer these thoughts today. We love those Pops and Moms who were protecting us even before we were born. They gave us the right to have a future. They built an America with opportunities. They made a nation stronger, made it a place people want to come to so they can have the American dream of ambition and achievements. These soldiers and sailors and airmen and nurses and doctors and all manner of men and women came from all sorts of backgrounds to unite in a cause that protected the future of America.
The future they created? It’s just one of the reasons I vote. I’m not going to war, but I have sons and grandsons and granddaughters and I don’t want my ol’ Pop’s lost youth and crushed-by-war opportunities to go to waste. Those opportunities have been handed down. Things he could not do live on in his descendants. You know Pops and Moms and Granddaddies and Grandmas who also created the same legacy for our nation, our families.
This is America. And it is beautiful.
And not only should we respect what these people did, the candidates for office ought behave like it matters to them, too. They are able to run because of what these people did. Respect it. Show some grace and dignity.
God bless you, Pop, and all our forces for good around the world. May the sounds of peace prevail. Babies being born. Applause at graduations. Congratulations at weddings and emotional “Amens!” at the prospect of peace for us all.
 This is why I vote. Every election. My Pop earned it for me.

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ON HALLOWEEN, SPAY/NEUTER AND SWEET THINGS

EDITION OF MONDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2016 (PetPowellPress) Halloween is the last day of Adopt a Shelter Dog Month. But, there’ll probably be bargains in November, too. And, of course, if you keep your eyes open in Dallas, you can always adopt one right off the streets.
That is the work of my funspouse Martha who is an artistically expressive individual and in this case, I think, she was demonstrating the joy of computers. Her actual costume for Halloween is “gainfully employed.” She sold her witch costume years ago when the coven reorganized. I'm kidding. It's what warlocks do.
That dog is one of Martha's "familiars," Wednesday Louise Wagstaff Arden, a Dallas street dog who cast a spell on us. Yes, she naps with ease.
But never mind all that, let’s talk spay and neuter, a big factual issue in this era but also a big issue for decades around here. No idea how to get through to people -- unless you can talk school systems into getting it to be part of the mathematics curriculum, as in 1 plus 1 equals as many as a dozen then multiplies. aggressively. This is our segue to an important note:
DALLAS SPAY/NEUTER GOALS NEED
VOLUNTEERS FOR TARGETED OUTREACH
The city needs people to go door-to-door and preach the gospel of spay/neuter, so to speak. We get this worthy appeal from Maeleska Fletes, a mainstay of Dallas animal advocacy who serves not only on the Dallas Animal Shelter Commission but also as president of the Dallas Companion Animal Project.
She notes that the Boston Consulting Group report on the state of animals in Dallas said “we need to do 46,000 s/n a year for 3 years to make a dent.”


[LARRY ASIDE: Though that sounds like a dramatic number, Dallas has demonstrated for years that it has thousands and thousands of unwanted adult and newborn animals.]
Whatever the real figures might be, Maeleska hits the nail on the head when she says, “We have a BIG job ahead of us.”

She says, “There are a few s/n groups that are working on a plan. DCAP is part of that but those details will come later once we secure funding. What we learned from Big Fix for Big D is that just because the s/n's are offered for free that does not mean they will come. So outreach is the key.
“We go into the underserved areas, knock on doors and talk to the folks. We assist them any way we can, help them with their animals and educate!! We have to work through distrust and language barriers to get to know these folks so we can help them. Basically we do Pets For Life."
Now, the challenge is, Maeleska says, “finding volunteers to walk with us.”


The volunteers will need the Pets for Life training. This is a personal challenge for people. In this training, she says, “There is no judgment allowed. It can be hard but that is a must!
“Right now we are only walking in the Pets For Life area, 75216, but we hope to expand to 2 more zip codes in South Dallas. We will need an army! I hope we can find dedicated folks that will want to be a part of great things coming to Dallas.”

Organizers are assembling the army so they can launch the drive -- it depends on the amount of funding, but if the “army” is ready, the plan can be immediately executed. It’s -- stop the presses -- “forward thinking in Dallas.”

People who want to get involved in helping gain control of the animal population and human behavior in Dallas should email [email protected].
As long as we were talking about animals in Dallas, I went to the Dallas Animal Services website and found some critters that need humans to help them via adoption or rescue. That cat with the championship whiskers and the fantastic eyebrows is Whiskers (A957529). That dog is holiday-minded Mason. And the little kitten is A957719 -- one of many waiting at DAS. You can see adoptables at dallasanimalservices.org or at the DAS Facebook page.
ONE BIG LAKE DALLAS DOG

We got this note from our pal Patricia Barrington, the Lake Dallas Animal Services manager. She has a reputation for great judgement of big dogs and she’s promoting this big dog Bones as a dog who is very eligible for adoption or rescue. 
She writes, “This big guy is a love-bug.  We guess he is probably a Pit Mastiff mix or possibly an American Bulldog Mastiff mix; he’s big and he’s got a boxish head.  Bones has been vetted; he’s vaccinated, neutered and heartworm negative.  He’s a sweetheart. 
“Upon arrival he had a nail grown into his paw pad.  I rolled him on his back, sat across his chest and clipped his nails while he licked my arm and face.  His temperament is pretty outstanding.  The vet who examined him fell in love with his attitude … he’s really a great guy.  However, he is also about 5 years old and has indicators of hip dysplasia (early stages, no trouble with mobility or range of motion, yet, just some clicking and popping in the hips). 
“Again, this guy has a heart of gold, a solid mind and is fully vetted … he’s had a long road to get to this point and is now ready for a home.  ... We need to move this big guy.” 
To help place Bones in a life-saving, life-enhancing spot, email [email protected] or call 940-497-7090.
[LARRY ASIDE: We don’t have photos of the nail-clipping, but we do have these and, as you can see, Bones has a photogenic quality. Another selling point for people who are proud of their pups.]
MORE SPCA RESCUES

Here are a couple of photos taken on Friday when the SPCA of Texas, the Dallas County District Attorney’s office and the Dallas Police Department teamed up to seize 18 “cruelly confined animals” from a home ind Pleasant Grove. The 13 dogs and 5 cats were living in what has become the “usual conditions” of overwhelming filth and stench, the SPCA said.

They’re under care of the SPCA now and there’ll be a custody hearing. You can see more photos HERE.

More importantly, click on spca.org and you’ll see how to donate to the SPCA to help pay for these unexpected but necessary veterinary bills.

MEANWHILE IN BURNS FLAT
The enduring force of rescue in western Oklahoma, Terry Lynn Fisher of Burns Flat, is trying to get deserving animals out of the local shelter. 
Sweet Sandy, the dog behind the shelter cage’s “fence wall,” has been in custody for a couple of months -- ever since  Terry Lynn got a call from some guys reporting seeing a dog “hanging out in the country for a couple of weeks. They noticed there was a ripped-open bag of dog food near her. ... I went to check her out and at first, she wouldn't come to me. Finally, she ran and jumped in the car. [That’s her “riding to help” photo.] “She was covered in ticks and stickers; she was so happy to be with someone. I took her to the pound, where at least I knew she would be safe. This girl is so sweet. She loves other animals and adores children. She may be 2 years old; this girl has lots of love to offer. Being here so long, she has watched so many come and go. she cries a sad cry as we leave. She is getting a little depressed and really needs out.”

Then there’s the white, slim, sweet dog Molly -- “totally vetted and ready for adoption.”
And Rosie is available -- “sweet, gentle, mild-mannered and so very smart.  She is great with other animals and she adores children... we had her at an event where there were nursing home residents and she gently went and laid her head in their laps to let them pet her.”

Email Terry Lynn at [email protected] or call her at 580-330-1459.
MABANK REMINDER
: WHISPER
AND THE LIBRARY VOTE
On Tuesday, Mabank City Council will hear appeals to let Whisper the Library Cat keep her home at the Tri-County Library, now a city facility. Petitions can be signed at Mabank Pharmacy, Mabank Cafe and the Mabank Dairy Queen, we learned from our tipster, Sydney Busch of Friends of the Animals at Cedar Creek Lake. She reminds Whisper’s supporters that for their petition signature to have any weight in the city’s business, you must be a Mabank resident and at least 18 years old.
THE EULESS INVENTORY
How’s this for a collage of critters? It’s not all of them in Euless or the Trinity GAP Rescue care, but, goodness, isn’t that a start and a half! 



Our animal advocate and word-spreading pal Karen Lee of barkleyworld.com sent a note saying that the “Euless Animal Shelter remains VERY FULL on both the dog AND cat sides! The pets just keep coming in and adoptions are way down. ... Trinity GAP Rescue, which supports the Euless Animal Shelter, desperately needs adoptions and foster families! 
“There are just too many pets in the Euless Shelter and in foster homes to show and list so please check out all available pets on our Trinity GAP Rescue website and follow on Facebook. 
You can also call the shelter at 817-685-1594 and have the Pet ID# ready.

CONTEMPLATIONS: While avoiding daytime football Sunday, my clicker ran across a 2015 Austin City Limits with Don Henley. So much more pleasant than football. And quite the lineup of guest singers. Maybe after they shut down the campaign trail loudspeakers we can all get back to enjoying the important things in life. ... Quick! Name your favorite Halloween candy. Now name your least favorite Halloween treat that is more like a trick. And, does anyone still drop popcorn balls into a kid’s treat or treat bag? Kind of a mess. ... Just for fun, here’s Don Henley’s Dirty Laundry. What? Of course it’s not a political statement! It’s about the whole darned culture!
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THE SLEEPING DOG...HOME AFTER ALL

He will need someone that understands his needs.
-- Maeleska  Fletes, April 2013.
 

And, there you have it, canine slumber in all its most comfortable glory.
A perfect example for "Let Sleeping Dogs Lie & Napping Cats Nap," our long-running weekend feature at Readlarrypowell.com.
Move from April 2013 to October 2016 and you have Tommy the Dog, tubby tummy and all, happily asleep in one of his favorite places at the home of Maeleska Fletes, veteran rescuer, veteran foster and, yes, someone who “understands his needs.” She also knows the difference between “foster” and “permanent foster.”

We featured Tommy years ago when the effort to find him a home was getting to be quite sincere. That’s when Maeleska gave us that quote about Tommy needing someone who understands his needs -- clearly he had picked her out and she didn’t realize it yet.

As you may know, Maeleska serves on the City of Dallas Animal Shelter Commission and is president of the Dallas Companion Animal Project. She knows the story of animal predicaments in this town and how humans can be both their curse and their salvation.
“Tommy was a street dog that was caught by JP,” Maeleska helped me recall. JP Bonnelly and Duck Team 6 went out to capture a bloodied dog.
Back then, Maeleska explained, “Tommy was a street dog that had a very hard start in life. He lived in a vacant lot and made his pack two dogs that lived in a fenced-in yard. He always could be found there. Neighborhood bad people would turn their dogs onto him leaving him with open wounds mainly on head. When he was first spotted he was a bloody mess. Duck Team 6 was contacted and a trap was set. It took only one try and he was caught. I brought him home and Dr. Erin Shults [founder of Mazie’s Mission] treated him. He was heartworm positive and had a luxating patella [floating kneecap]. Through donations both treatments were done.
“Tommy had never been in a home. It took an hour to coax him into my house. Walking on a hardwood floor was awfully scary. Now he loves to sleep with a pillow under his head. He still shows some fear when he is around other dogs in an unfamiliar place. He will need someone that understands his needs. He loves the small fosters that come into my home.”
Time moves forward, Tommy finds his happy place and this week Maeleska sent Readlarrypowell.com the Sleeping Dog Picture. (If you want to see if you can talk Maeleska out of this dog, email [email protected]. She can also help you with adopting other dogs and cats, too.)
“He has been with me for about 6 years now,” she said. “He is for adoption but since he has never had one application on him he has become a permanent foster. This was taken one cool morning. He was on the patio enjoying the cool weather. Thought you might enjoy looking at his fat belly.”
Just an FYI regarding Tommy’s vet all those years ago, Dr. Shults, and her very real dream project, the Mazie’s Mission Rescue Clinic: The big fundraiser:  Mazie’s Mission B.A.R.C. Honky Tonk Gala is coming up on November 5. Get tickets and info at maziesmission.org. Here’s the artwork.

[SEND YOUR SLEEPER AND NAPPER PHOTOS to [email protected]. We love showing off your slumbering critters to the world in "Let Sleeping Dogs Lie & Napping Cats Nap." They demonstrate that there are households where animals can relax and nod off like any other member of the family. And, of course, they give hope to the globe’s insomniacs that they, too, can finally enjoy some sleep if they can just find the right position and place on a couch, in a bed or on a piece of backyard furniture. Doesn’t that Tommy photo just make you smile! Bless his loved heart.]

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ON FRIDAY, YOU JUST SHAKE YOUR HEAD...

EDITION OF FRIDAY, OCT. 28, 2016 (PetPowellPress) --We need a clever listicle to start a fall Friday edition. But, we don’t have one. Why? (1) I’m not getting enough sleep. (2) My creative spark was leased to an unnamed presidential campaign. (3) I am concerned about the future of pizza. What? OK, you go on a diet and try to forget pizza.

I am, as regular visitors to this site may suspect, not just a fan of pizza but also a fan of the felines.
This is a photo of The Senator communicating with me via catfrared waves. He loves to head-butt me, then beam the truth of existence into my brain. Sometimes I’m expecting the head-butt. Other time’s I’m jarred and must undergo NFL concussion protocol.
Here’s our daily report and we’re starting with two very different cat notes.
ONE HUMAN HELPS CATS,
THE OTHER ONE DOESN’T...
Lacy Milani-Ingalls, veteran rescuer and hustler on behalf of animals, forwarded this note from someone needing help with some cats. Try not to get miffed when you read the opening paragraph of the appeal from a woman in Lewisville.


“My mother's husband threw 3 cats out of the house and they are now in the back yard with no food or water.  Unfortunately 1 has gone missing and he can’t be found.  They are both males, 1 black, 1 orange, both have been neutered and declawed.  I am very worried for their well being and need  to find them homes.
The orange cat is Roscoe C. Waffles, about 4 years old, originally rescued from beneath the deck at the Mom’s house. The black short hair is Cap’n Morgan. About 5, he, too, came from beneath the deck. So did his lookalike brother Bacardi, who has gone missing. Morgan loved to hang around the blue cat in the photo.
“They aren’t too fond of dogs, but have no problem welcoming other cats.”
The contact points for the cats are [email protected] and [email protected].
OK, CHANGE CAT GEARS

Please, wash your cat eyes out with this. Operation Kindness, the no-kill shelter, is celebrating National Cat Day from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday with $90 cat adoptions.
There’s the official artwork. 
Operation Kindness is calling this a “Cuddle Fest” -- cats and kittens combined with a special adoption fee and the opportunity to “try out” felines in a “cuddling” situation.
As OK’s news release notes, “For each cat and kitten adopted, Operation Kindness is able to make space in the shelter for a new furry friend -- offering a second chance at life, which may not have otherwise been afforded.”
The shelter is in Carrollton -- go to operationkindness.org for directions and other info. 
And, see this strip of cats -- just a few of the many adorable adoptables  waiting for the right human in the catroom at Operation Kindness.

AND, MABANK! WHAT OF WHISPER?
Efforts are still underway to make sure that the Mabank City Council vote on November 1 goes in favor of keeping Whisper the Library Cat in her home of 8 years, the Tri County Library, now under city management. The city just recently took over and the big flap started. One of those “Hi, I’m from the government and I’m here to help you” deals.
There’s a petition online.
Here’s the LINK. We got this tip from our reliable lakeside informant, Sydney Busch of the Friends of the Animals at Cedar Creek Lake, the organization that operates the world’s most successful spay/neuter clinic at Gun Barrel City and, also, the organization that made sure Whisper wouldn’t wind up delivering a litter of library kittens among the stacks.
DOES THIS DEMONSTRATE THE NEED
FOR SPAY/NEUTER IN DALLAS?

We got the tip on this from the great Kimberly Jones, a determined rescuer and animal advocate in Dallas (or wherever needed!). The story is this dog -- no name, but her number is A960043 -- came into the shelter on October 15, then on the 18th began giving birth. When the flurry of arrivals had finished, she’d delivered 10 babies, then, she took on the chore of being mom to another newborn and she’s been feeding and caring for 11 puppies.
The email to ask if you can help with this situation is [email protected].
[LARRY ASIDE: If these pups have already been claimed, don’t worry. DAS is constantly re-supplied with dogs and cats by Dallas: The City Where Sperm Never Sleep.]

CONTEMPLATION: So, in my internet travels I saw a reference to something on the DAS Accountability page on Facebook. This isn’t something DAS is accountable for -- but it is something humans are accountable for and if we could just ID those humans, well, maybe there’d be a way to get prosecutors involved. Admittedly, that’s a long shot. The victims are dead. Warning: if you go to this Facebook page, you will be disgusted. If you are like me and spent some time as an ambulance driver and a reporter covering the police beat and murder trials, you also will be disgusted. If you’re accustomed to people behaving, you’ll be alarmed, appalled and angry. Maybe if more people saw this stuff, more people would work against the mean, morally bankrupt SOBs that are involved in dog-fighting. With that warning, the link is HERE. ... I opened my email inbox and saw this subject line: "Your exclusive Reward expires in 3 days!” Fortunately the sender was a department store and not someone in judicial proceedings in the Great Hereafter. I’m going to need a good lawyer. ...  It’s football season in Texas. Halloween is coming up Monday. Christmas decorations are in stores. And we’re enduring what, for North Texas, represents a cold snap -- temps in the upper 80s. So, what are three things that are remarkable about autumn? (1) The time changes. (2) Leaves change colors. (3) Animals need help in Dallas. Number 3 isn’t limited to a season. This city has such potential to be a national example of animal care. A good national example. We’ve already been the bad example.
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A SHELTER TRANSPARENCY NOTE; ASSORTED OPPORTUNITIES, A CELEBRATION, SHIRTS AND HAPPINESS

EDITION OF THURSDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2016 [PetPowellPress] The latest management post on the Dallas Animal Services Facebook page seems to be pretty black and white, as are these two Dallas Animal Services adoptables, Ashton the Cat and Aspen the Border Collie mix. I nabbed their photos off the DAS website just minutes after I read this newsy note from Rob Sherwin, the Dallas Police officer who is now directing things at the city’s shelter. Here’s how it read on Wednesday:


“Dallas Animal Services (DAS) will start producing a daily data report including a current capacity section, called #TransparentDAS, beginning today.
“This report will show the number of intakes and the outcomes of the shelter from the previous day. Additionally, the current capacity section will illustrate the shelters' limited capacity for dogs and cats. We will continue to release more data in the coming months regarding operations at DAS to promote transparency and increase trust.
“We hope that citizens will understand the challenging but rewarding work that is done by our employees at DAS along with our transfer partners and rescue groups to find homes for the many animals brought to DAS.
“- Rob Sherwin, Dallas Animal Services and Adoption Center
“ #DallasPETS “.
[LARRY ASIDE: So, there you have it. Possibly this will help citizens (if they bother to look) and city officials (see previous parenthetical note) to understand what a mammoth challenge helping animals is in this town. And, for crying out loud, perhaps the folks at City Hall will abandon the age old Texas theory of animal management frequently quoted here at readlarrypowell.com: “Got an animal problem? Let’s kill it.”  Dallas is better than that. We know for a fact that rescuers, rescue groups and shelter workers make the effort day after day, after day, ad infinitum.]


SPCA SEIZURE NEAR SHERMAN

The SPCA of Texas reported Wednesday that, working with the Grayson County Sheriff’s Office, it had seized 53 “cruelly treated animals from a property in Whitewright, near Sherman, northeast of Dallas
What animals? The SPCA says, “36 dogs, 10 cats, three roosters, two ducks, one rabbit and one hen. The fowl were transported to the SPCA of Texas' Russell H. Perry Animal Care Center in McKinney and the dogs, cats and rabbit were transported to the SPCA of Texas' Emergency Rescue Center in Dallas.”
Here are some photos from the SPCA.
And, as followers of cruelty seizures know a custody hearing will follow. It’s set for 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 2, in Precinct 1 Peace Justice Larry Atherton’s court at 200 S. Crockett St. in Sherman.
These animals are already running up a veterinary bill, so to see how to help replenished the SPCA’s vet care funding go to spca.org/helptheanimals.


STELLA! STELLLLLLA!

You may recall that this dog, Lady Stella, was dumped on a road in Keller and a good soul took her in. The dog has gotten a “clean bill of health,” according to reliable tipster, the animal advocate Karen Lee of barkleyworld.com. She forwarded info from Trinity GAP Rescue founder/advisor Steffenie Vela who reports that the rescuer can’t hang onto the dog much longer, so she’s looking for a foster home or a rescue to take in this girl. She’ll be adopted through Trinity GAP Rescue for $125 (that covers some of her medical checks.) To ask about helping Lady Stella, email [email protected]  
or call 817-721-6524.
JUST REALLY NEEDS A LOVING HOME
How can a little dog like this wind up in a shelter? The human factor. And, the human factor is also the way to save this baby. She’s in the low-traffic City of Wilmer shelter, but people are trying to help her. Her video is HERE. And the contact point for her is a text or a call the shelter go-between Laura Macias at 214-949-2726.
 
LOOKING FOR A CAT?

I was merely looking for a cat photo to put among all the dog photos in this edition when I went to the Grand Prairie Prairie Paws animal shelter site and discovered ultra-cute Sugar (A146381). Sugar has been in the shelter since about Oct. 1 and she’s not very old, but she is very adoptable. Go to the city website HERE to see about adopting this baby. Remember, cats are good people. Wait. Cats are better than some people and they’re educational to others.

CONTEMPLATIONS: Our pal Tomi Ortiz, who loves animals and monitors the Lancaster Animal Shelter and the Furbabies of Lancaster, sent us this note. The Furbabies will be at the 2016 Pit Bull Pride event -- it’s from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday the 30th at the Coyote Drive-In, 223 NE 4th St.,  on the northeast side of Fort Worth. The event coordinators are DFW Pit Crew , Fit For a Pit and Pinups for Pitbulls. Why bring up Pinups for Pitbulls? Because of the campy calendar -- it’s more amusing than any political calendar. Oh, wait, I forgot: Pits can become political. Not if loved properly -- just like a good City Council member. As the lads from Liverpool sang, “All you need is love....” ... We’ve long been admirers of the organization Legacy Boxer Rescue. One reason is it has its mission statement in its web address savetheboxers.com. Now we have another reason. Check out that “Zombie Tee.” It reads, “I WOULD PUSH YOU IN FRONT OF ZOMBIES TO SAVE MY BOXER.” At the website, you can see how to order them. You might even take a look at the adoptable Boxers. They have wonderful faces and they’re fun, active, loving and, yet (I’m checking on this), no Boxer has ever won Lotto Texas. Yes, they are as human as you and I. That boxer is, by the way, described as a “Flashy Fawn” and his name is HASHTAG. Modern fellow. Check it all out at savetheboxers.com. ... We need to end this on an upbeat note. How about a video from talented folks at a school in Dallas named after another Texarkana-born person who endorsed knowledge as a path to happiness: A. Maceo Smith High School. Wait for the irritating ad to end, then crank your speakers up and click HERE.

 

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BASEBALL, DOGS, CATS & SCARY MOVIES!

EDITION OF WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2016 (PetPowellPress) We scheduled the deadline for this edition a little early on Tuesday evening so we could all gather around the TV and having a family experience watching the Texas Rangers in the World Series.
What? Absolutely we’re in denial. We’re Rangers fans. We thought it was the team of destiny. Turns out someone else is.That photo? Took it months ago in Arlington -- when hope was alive.. before we began to repeat the traditional, “Wait ‘til next year.” Now, moving on...
TEN TO GO IN DENTON
That’s right, 10. At least. Ten dogs are waiting to be adopted at the Denton McNatt Animal Care and Adoption Center, reports out tipster Amy Poskey.
Among those is this dog Ranger (62989).
Here’s the deal: Ranger’s been adopted and returned three --THREE -- times.
Once the new owner was too busy.
Another time Ranger is alleged to have snapped at a 2-year-old human -- heck, maybe this dog had never been around smallish humans before and didn't now what was up.
The last time, on October 3, he was surrendered after he had an unpleasant run-in with a neighbor’s smaller dog.
So, clearly, this is a dog who needs a strong but loving human to explain how to behave around other people and dogs.
The shelter is at 3717 N. Elm. Call 940-349-7594. Email  [email protected], [email protected], and/or [email protected].

Rescues and decent people may apply. No jerks.



AT THE SPCA -- COULD THERE BE A CHAMELEONIC CAT?

In search of an entertaining cat to promote in this edition, I turned to our pals at the SPCA of Texas to see who’s waiting for a home. Found some interesting animals with interesting names.

That dog is Forest (148434) and he’s a medium-sized, just over 2-year-old Terrier/Pittie mix. And the reason I bring him up is in case someone with a good spirit wants to adopt and yell, “Run, Forest, run” but, as the SPCA points out. Forest is no Forrest Gump -- he’s more likely to be nodding off next to you on the couch. 

Now in the spirit of Halloween, I examined the waiting list at the SPCA of Texas, and being a bit partial to black and white cats, I spotted Uncle Fester (149226). I ask, “What makes you so special?” and it turns out Uncle Fester can do impressions.
That’s him doing an impression of a dog named Turbo (149097). Appears to be spot-on, so to speak in the dog world.
“Anybody can do a dog impression,” I woofed to Uncle Fester. Then I mewed, “Let’s see you do something out of the ordinary.”

“How about if I turn myself into a pig?” Uncle Fester asked.
“Give it a try,” I challenged. And, sure enough, Uncle Fester (149226, the cat) gestured hypnotically and I began to see an animals identified as Gertie the Pig (149864), currently waiting in the SPCA’s Russell Perry facility in McKinney.
[LARRY ASIDE: Some of the preceding may be a work of fiction, but, trust me, the names of the dogs and cat and pig and their numbers are real. And you can see them and how to adopt them at spca.org.]
A HOME? HOW ABOUT A FOSTER!

Paw In The City sent this appeal Tuesday on behalf of Miss Brady. She’s on the brink of being saved. All they need is a foster home. Paws In The City doesn’t have a facility, it has foster homes -- like so many other rescue groups in the area. So, there’s Miss Brady, waiting for a place to go. She’s “been dog-tested” and is congenial with other critters.
She’s a 60-pound, 2-year-old Shepherd mix who likes cuddling and, yes, can be a lap dog for the right lap! Lots of personality, is gentle taking treats and can sit on command which puts her ahead of about half the adult kids in the country. To ask about fostering, go to pawsinthecity.org or email [email protected].
 
CONTEMPLATIONS: Big Tex’s spokesperson, Karissa Candoianis of the State Fair of Texas sent us one more note and it’s about another “first” for the organization -- the “Inaugural Big Tex Postseason Job Fair.” “Inaugural” has nothing to do with the White House. In this case it means “first” and the vent is the the first State Fair of Texas and Goodwill Industries of Dallas Job Fair at the Coliseum in Fair Park. It’s from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Friday. More than 60 companies are participating. Just FYI: The State Fair “provides job opportunities to more than 6,000 seasonal employees every year.” Biggest employer in that Zip Code, I'll guess. ... The Coliseum is on the southern side of the Fairgrounds not far from where, each autumn, there’s a little trailer sellin’ “Dippin’ Dots, The Ice Cream of the Future.” My funspouse Martha and I have been going to the Fair together for about three decades and this year we finally decided to try the Ice Cream of the Future. I will hold my opinion until I hear from more people regarding this adventurous product. Feel free to go to comments below and click an opinion or you can email [email protected]. ... OK, Halloween is coming. Quick. Name the scariest film of the 1950s. (a) Invasion of the Saucermen. (b) Invasion of the Body Snatchers. (c) Not of this Earth. Yeah, I’m torn, too. Sorry, 2016 Presidential Campaign is not a choice.
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SPECTRE IN THE SKY? CATS AND DOGS IN NEED OF HOMES AND PEOPLE

EDITION OF TUESDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2016 (PetPowellPress) How about that image? Snapped over Dallas on Monday afternoon. Looks like a poster for a horror movie, doesn’t it? Spectre Over Dallas? Never sell -- no zombies, no royalty, no wizards. Or it could just be an impressionist’s painting of a dog waiting for a treat. OK, let’s move on.
NEVER MIND THE PRESIDENCY

 Ladies and gentlemen, readlarrypowell.com’s official stance on the upcoming election is that no campaign has ever so completely demonstrated the need to pay attention to the people who are “down the ballot.” Those are the people who are going to stand between us and the White House.
 So, in honor of democracy and the free minds of residents of the United States, we urge you to be educated about your ballot before you cast it. Here’s a starter spot if you haven’t started paying attention already: It’s the Humane Legislation Network’s Voter Guide. Check it out HERE. Election Day is November 8. Read quickly. Pay attention. You have to live with these people until the next election.
CHALLENGING IN WILMER
This appeal from Laura Macias on behalf of animals in Wilmer’s shelter continues to make the rounds and these are two of the toughest sells in the city catalog.


Connor is the one with two poses and no rescue. He’s a young Pitty mix with a sweet personality and “big, sweet, sad eyes.” And, according to the bio that’s traveling with this appeal, “The ACO really loves him -- says he is a good boy.”


That other dog is Vincent, a young “Staffie” who “had someone do something to his ear -- or it was injured somehow.” It has healed, and he is waiting on a home. He is a “very sweet dog.” 


To save the lives of these two long shots in the game of shelter rescue, call or text 214-949-2726 or email [email protected].
YELLER DAWGS IN SOME TOUGH SPOTS
Dinesha Schmidt of A Different Breed Rescue has forwarded some dogs that need help.


The solo dog? “Young male Lab dumped needs place to go.” The report is he gets along with other dogs, knows how to sit and shake on command and he’s in Greenville, just about 90 minutes northeast up I-30 from downtown Dallas. Call 903-461-9707 to offer to help them.


Then, Dinesha forwarded this note: “Two well-behaved golden mixes need place to go -- owner died. They’re in Jacksonville; the family will take care of their vet exams. Contact Macey Evans at 903-541-1806.

MEANWHILE, IN WAXAHACHIE
There are a number of dogs needing a happy escape route out of the Waxahachie animal shelter, according to a note that was forwarded to readlarrypowell.com. 
The note included this line “Waxahachie is a shelter just south of Dallas off I-35. They need some help with these adorable dogs.”
And the first photo I saw was of this dog, Jinxie, a fellow who may be a Himalayan.
Relax. I know he’s a cat. The adoption fee is $15 and an approved 501c3 rescue can pull from the shelter.

The shelter contact is Laura Macias at   214-949-2726 or email [email protected]. 


And that other animal is a Domestic Shorthair -- I’m kidding, but if adopted at the $25 rate, Tammy the Chiweenie -- Chihuahua/Dachshund Mix -- can be anything you want to call her. She’s that adorable.

 

ONE MORE KITTEN


Well, really, there’s more than one, but this totally cute kitten was being promoted on the Dallas Animal Services Facebook page Monday -- sort of a promotional kitten drawing attention to many kittens and cats available in Dallas. The kitten (A954912) is named -- not making this up -- Gary. Gary the Kitten. Go to dallasanimalservices.org to see how to adopt. And you can drop by the shelter at I-30 and Westmoreland and visit with prospective adoptables. 
[LARRY ASIDE: No idea where Gary came from. I had no idea there were any unspayed or un-neutered cats left in Dallas. No doubt someone is driving them in from the suburbs or Catmandeux, a mountain nation where kittens are born in pairs. And if you believe that, let me tell you about the Trinity River Sea Lions that draw tourists from all over the nation. “Arf. Arf. Arrrhoof. Arrrhoofy’all.” Which is Trinity River Sea Lionese for “Adopt more cats.”]
CONTEMPLATIONS -- October 25 is National Pasta Day, according to Holiday Insights, the online celebration authority. How would I celebrate if I were not a fat man on a diet? I think I might just go with either the Pesto Ala Genovese with angel hair at the fabulous Two Guys From Italy or a fettuccine alfredo from Campisi’s Egyptian. Oh, and the 26th is seasonal: National Mincemeat Day. The fruit kind that fits so wonderfully into an autumn pie. Hang on, just typing that has caused me to put on five pounds. Let’s try to take some off: lettuce, lettuce, lettuce, lettuce. Unfortunately, I’m imagining the lettuce on a double-fake meat patty with four kinds of cheese and a bucket of mayo on two hamburger buns as big as hubcaps. Mercifully, I’m not in the mood for ice cream, though October is both National Cookie Month and National Dessert Month. ... How ‘bout them Cowboys! Bye week and they played to a tie. ... See that cat? That is my literary cat, Deputy Chief Kittie Leigh Johnson and she’s reminding you that Readlarrypowell.com always needs photos of snoozing animals for our long-running, internationally-read weekend feature, Let SleepingDogs Lie & Napping Cats Nap. Here she is demonstrating her latest favorite spot -- she has her backside on a sewing machine that’s been converted into a printer platform and she’s resting her cheek on a laptop that is leaning up against the back of a chair. Surely she’s not the most colorful napping cat in North America. Send your photos of dogs, cats or any other slumbering critter to [email protected]. We use them to promote smiles.
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WHAT A HANGOVER LOOKS LIKE (AND ANIMALS IN NEED)

EDITION OF MONDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2016 (PetPowellPress) See that picture? That’s what a hangover looks like, kids.
Holy jumpin’ madcap monkeys, can it be the 24th of October already? Seems like the State Fair of Texas just opened last week and here we on the morning after.
Don’t get alarmed.
I did not find this animal in Kiest Park. I ran across it in a pen with an American Bison -- a buffalo, us cowboys ud caw hit. Sorry, slipped into my native northeast Texan. Snapped the photo at the Children’s Barnyard at the State Fair. 

So, what is that mammoth-horned bovine? 
It is the very picture of a hangover. If you’ve ever had a hangover, you know that to be absolutely accurate.
Just as that Watusi is the very picture of a hangover, this Chihuahua is the very picture of cute.
We got the note about him forwarded from our animal advocate pal Karen Lee of Barkleyworld.com. The note originated with [email protected]. And the note also indicated the dog is in the Lufkin shelter in East Texas but hasn’t been there long enough to show up on the official adoptable site.


 Sarah Dupre’s note indicated he’s an adventurous dog. 
And, frankly, how does a dog that is the epitome of cute wind up “unwanted”? 
The note reads, “This is the little one that is in holding, hadn’t been written up and not on Pet Harbor so have no info on him but went on and took pictures.  Amanda and I guessed he’s about 4 years old.  Cute little fellow, friendly and good personality.  He had a little sniff and growl for Dickens the big Lab but other than that was fine. “
How big is he? He weighs 400 pounds -- wait, I misread that. He weighs 4.5 pounds. A 4-and-a-half pound dog. That's a cuddler.
Again, the contact is [email protected].
TWO DOGS ON THE SIDE OF I-35
You probably saw this email bouncing around over the weekend. Apparently started last week. You can see the tone of things at the DAS Accountability Page on Facebook HERE.  Scroll down on that page and you can see an ugly bodycount along Dowdy Ferry Road, too, but here’s the story about these two interstate dogs.
Acquirable facts have been few in this story but we’ll start with what is said to be the bottom line.
These two dogs -- a female German Shepherd and a male Yellow Lab -- were found alongside I-35. It’s a long highway. Where were they? Not sure. Sometimes getting the who, what, where, when and why is a tough challenge. But the story goes they wound up in Dallas Animal Services. 
Then, according to a note that accompanied the photos, the surrendering person was told that the dogs were going to be immediately in danger in a place called a “shelter.”
[LARRY ASIDE: We know some of the sheltering folks there are actually working hard to find help for animals. So, try just to paint with a narrow brush. Now and then it’s City Hall that needs the shellacking.] 

Back to the dogs: The finder began Facebooking for help with saving these dogs.
Pam Kowalski, a veteran at rescuing, sought out the original rescuer. “She posted them on her FB,” Pam told Readlarrypowell.com. “She has called them [DAS] daily because she feels terrible that she had to bring them to a shelter.  She says on her FB, that she called DAS and they told her the owner claimed the Shepherd, but did not take his Lab.  The hold on the Lab is off tomorrow (Monday), she posts.  This is all I know now, so if this is accurate I think Lab is still there.”
And, that’s the way it stands as of Sunday evening. The shelter is at I-30 and Westmoreland. Email [email protected]. 

SEASONAL GREYHOUNDS

I got the Greyhound Adoption League of Texas newsletter (worth subscribing to just for the pictures --might even lure you into the world of these big ol’ former racing dogs, strays and rescues. Yep, even Greyhounds wind up in a bad spot).

Racing Greyhounds find themselves with injuries and disease and GALT takes them in and lifts them into the adoptable status.
I couldn’t decide whether to refer to the dog in the pool or the Christmas dog when I wrote about GALT, so I simply decided everybody who visits readlarrypowell.com will get a kick out of these two dogs. 
That’s Keaton in the pool. He’s described as “on injured reserve receiving treatment for Ehrlichia Canis” and is said to have “found paradise in his foster home! Please always use care when introducing your hound to water,” GALT cautions. “Take a moment to make sure they now how to get out on their own.”
There’s that.
And there’s this: You don’t need a cement pond (shout out to Jethro Bodine) to foster a Greyhound. You just need a heart and the OK from GALT.

That holiday hound is a reminder that that GALT’S holiday store is opening soon at The Plaza at Preston Center, 4004 Villanova in Dallas. It operates from 10 a.m. to 5 pm. November 12, 13, 19, 20, 26 and 27. See some of the merchandise at www.greytstore.com.

Oh, yeah, football is a season, too. And GALT is raffling off six tickets to the Cowboys vs. Washington Thanksgiving Day football game at AT&T Stadium. Go HERE or to galtx.org.

NEVER TOO EARLY IN THE SEASON
TO ACQUIRE A REALLY GOOD CAT

As Adopt a Shelter Dog Month rolls toward a close, I thought I’d find a cat to mention, so I went to the Euless Trinity High School GAP Rescue site because last week, the Euless Animal Shelter  was being listed as “full” and probably it still needs some help emptying the cages. 
One way to empty cages there is to adopt from a GAP foster. That makes room for a shelter critter to move out and into a foster home.
In this case, Noelle is in a foster home and doing well. She has a story, of course. 
She’s been in the care of GAP for a year and is spayed, house-trained and up-to-date with shots. 
Noelle is also a special needs cat. She’s described as a “beautiful, gray tri-pod.”
 Yep, got her name because she was found at Christmastime, GAP says. Her leg had been severed by the fan blade in a car and she was suffering from a “horrific infection,” reads her bio. “Despite this trauma Noelle is friendly, loving and very healthy. She will only be adopted to a homeowner . Noelle must be an inside-only kitty.” Ask about Noelle by contacting her foster mom at [email protected]. You can see more Euless adoptables HERE.

CONTEMPLATIONS: Just some random thoughts left over from a visit to the State Fair of Texas. Some of those new cars are really pretty. And Big Tex’s jeans look like the pockets are painted on. Hasn’t always been like that, has it? His boots are still clunky -- they look like Canadian snow boots that someone spray painted instead of nicely shaped, practical in the stirrups cowboy boots befitting a legendary Midway Cowboy. ... That photo of the colorful dog? You could get that on T-shirts and sweat shirts. It’s a political message in Dallas, but a reality message in many homes. ... Finally, see those three young ladies? My wiseacrespouse Martha and I were moving along toward the livestock barns when I spotted this trio wrangling their show critters along the broad path. Thinking that I was asking for the names of the show animals, I asked “Whaddaya call those?” Almost in unison the trio replied, “Sheep.” Cracked me up and I said, “Yeah, I had a headstart on that” and my funspouse Martha laughed and kindly said, “City boy.”

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NAPPING CATS & THEIR BAKER

 These napping cats are featured today because of raspberry sandwich cookies at the State Fair of Texas.
I’ll bet that’s a sentence you never expected to read in your whole life.

But that’s how we’re launching this weekend’s Let Sleeping Dogs Lie & Napping Cats Nap. And these cats are the ingredients for a happy household.
 And is that not a spectacularly napping cat in the opening photo? Look at those paws! That is Dave. He knows how to nap, as you can see in his expert use of four pillows and a couch.
On Sunday the 16th, my tastyspouse Martha and I helped the Creative Arts Department at the State Fair of Texas judge cookies. We’ve done it for years. This time we drew sandwich cookies. It was a fantastic category. A hefty man's dream! (That's Dave again on the right. Not sure what he's dreaming of.)

I wrote about the contest last week, mentioning how the high-quality entries made it so tough to judge -- and I applauded that second place raspberry sandwich cookie. It was spectacular. Explosive flavor raged in the filling, possibly the best raspberry filling in the known universe.

Demonstrating that writers never know who’s reading their stuff, shortly after I praised the raspberry cookie, I got a thank-you note from the baker, Toni Steger, who said the “raspberry jam used in the entry also got honorable mention in the canning contest.”
Then, in her sign off, Toni referred to herself as
“Toni Steger, mom to orange tabbies Dave and Squeaker, grey tabby Max
and calico, Missy.
All rescues!   >^_^<   .”
Is that not a cool bit of artwork and a cool note for a resume: mom to rescues!
Naturally, Readlarrypowell.com is always in the market for photos of slumbering critters, so I asked Toni if she had any pictures. Boy, did she! (The two nappers on the couch are Dave and Squeaker.)

While Toni is a pretty good cookie baker, she’s not a pro -- amateurs only at the State Fair. Could be a pro -- she's a consistent price-winner, it seems. In the email that contained all these photos and bios of the cats, she also said, “I did ten canning entries this year so I have an abundance of jams, jellies and sauces so I looked for recipes where I could showcase my canning efforts. I also won first place in the Southern Comfort Foods contest for meatloaf using my first place winning Chili Sauce.” 

And all the while, she’s got these spectacular, loving napping cats and they have their own stories.
Toni wrote, “I am honored that you would consider them for Napping Cats Nap.   As you know in a multi-pet household, it's difficult to photograph all at once.”

But, she did a great job. She also included a bio for each cat. These are the bios in Toni’s words:
Dave (10 years old) is a rescue three times over.  First rescued by Dr Jeffery Ellis at Preston Park Animal Hospital and was used as blood transfusion cat.  When he got tired of being poked and prodded, he went to live with my friend, vet tech and wildlife rescuer Kelly Lindstrom.  However, at Kelly's house he became jealous of her twin sons so she felt a child free environment is best for him.  Now, he is the resident greeter and is the only cat that greets people that visit. 

Max (9 years old) was rescued by my former in-law's Randy and Connie Ramsey ...   Max's mom was a neighborhood feral that had her kittens under their storage shed.  I adopted him when he was 8 weeks old. [That's Max and Squeaker posing with a potrait and Max stretched out below.]  The vet warned me during his initial check up that he was going to be a big cat and he was not kidding!  He topped the scales at 32 pounds but has since been on a weight reduction plan and has slimmed  down to about 22 pounds,  He favorite thing, besides reminding me when it's feeding time, is to watch TV with me. [LARRY ASIDE: And Max apparently enjoys a nice cuddle with Missy. Tandem Napping -- possibly an Olympic demonstration sport in either the winter or summer games.]

Missy (9 years old) was initially rescued as a kitten by my aunt and uncle in East Texas.  My aunt passed away three years ago and two years later my uncle passed away as well. Prior to my uncle passing away, he was hospitalized for 5 months and poor Missy was alone in the house except for a pet sitter visiting once a day. 
She had been an only cat for so long, I wondered how she would adjust to her new brothers but everyone gets along great as you can see.  She also thinks that catnip toys are the best thing ever invented.  All toys are shredded in her path.

Squeaker (3 years old), the baby of the bunch was literately rescued from the front yard in Plano.  [LARRY ASIDE: Look how Squeaker right foreleg and tail are a matching wrap on that kitty body!] My neighbor and I had noticed a young cat hanging around outside but we were not able to approach him.  Finally on a very cold February night two years ago when the temperature was projected to get down to the 'teens was he finally convinced that inside a warm house with a full food bowl was the place to be.  He was not neutered and it was discovered that he had one un-descended  testicle.  For the week while waiting for the neutering appointment, ironically on Valentine's day, he was nicknamed "The One Ball Wonder"  :-D  His favorite thing to is see how fast he can run through the house. [LARRY ASIDE: And that's Squeaker, turning an arm into a naptime pillow and, below, turning a windowsill into the perfect naptime platform.]

[YOU DON’T HAVE TO BE A PRIZE-WINNING COOK to get your slumbering critter featured in our long-running weekend feature, Let Sleeping Dogs Lie & Napping Cats Nap. Just snap a picture and send it and the story of you and the critter to [email protected]. You don’t even have to bake cookies to get the focus on your slumbering critter. After all, we post these pictures to inspire the planet’s insomniacs to live with the hope that they, too, can catch some sleep if only they can find the right couch and enjoy five or six raspberry sandwich cookies with some warm milk before they close their eyes. Sorry, I was inserting my own daydream into that explanation. But, when asleep, I may dream of Toni’s raspberry cookies. I can only dream -- I’m dieting for the holidays and the Torture of Denial has begun.]
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Cows, cats, dog and a possum...city life in Big D

EDITION OF FRIDAY, OCTOBER 21, 2016 (PetPowellPress) What is this?

This the most visited cow in Dallas County. All butter at the State Fair of Texas in the Creative Arts Building. So, let’s move into the arena of dogs and cats and see what we churn up .

EULESS NEEDS HELP


We got the story on the crush of critters at the Euless Animal Shelter from our pal Karen Lee of Barkleyworld.com, a support of the Trinity GAP Rescue organization which has a working relationship with the shelter.

Here we are, heading toward Halloween and the shelter is, Karen writes, “dangerously full on both the dog AND cat sides! We desperately need some adoptions and some foster families!  Fostering saves lives!!   Please consider becoming a foster parent. Application posted on our website  GAP Foster Application  Also posted is GAP Volunteer/Foster Information that provides lots more detailed information on volunteering and fostering with GAP!”
There are a bunch of available animals and you can see them at the trinitygaprescue.org site.
 Because I’m nuts for animals, I’ve pulled a few from the collection to feature. That’s Tex in the hat. He’s #16887, a young Yellow Lab mix and “such a good sport. He let the GAP girls dress him up for his pix, and he even wore a funny hat for them.” He’s 45 pounds of smart, lovable dog. Came in as a stray. 

The dog in the Halloween frills is Laramie (16822), a young girl, 65 pounds of Labradorable. Needs a home or foster quickly to get active and avoid cage depression.
That orangish cat with the comfortable look is Maxwell (16722) who came in as a stray. And the tuxedo guy is Baker (16775), an adorable cat who kneads and that’s why he’s called Baker. We've had a couple of those -- Cyril and Poirot -- and they were so adorable and entertaining that they forever created a warm spot in our hearts for the tuxedo cats. Wacky bunch, too.
The final critter in our display is the amazingly artistic Hooch (16872), an American Bulldog/Staffie who was “found on Highway 10 and is already neutered.” He weighs about 70 pounds but is so affectionate and adorable that the GAP folks think “this sweet boy would make a great cuddle bug.” He’s social and sweet.
Contact  [email protected]    You can follow GAP on Facebook HERE .
The Shelter number is 817-685-1594.
Take a good look at Hooch. Clearly that dog is an Earhound. Look at those fancy ears. And look at that great face accented with a dramatically swooped tail that is, suddenly, at rest while the photo is being shot. That is one camera-savvy dog. Deserves a home with someone who understands the sentence, "I adore my dog."

THE SOCIETY FOR COMPANION CHILI?
OK, this is a first, but Tawana Couch and the Society for Companion Animals have achieved a lot of firsts around here. In this case, it’s the first time in all the years of Readlarrypowell.com that we’ve announced that someone needs a volunteer for a chili party. 
The note from Tawana reads, “We need a volunteer to man our SFCA table at an Oak Lawn Neighborhood Chili Party! All you need to do is socialize, talk to people about how SFCA ships out the dogs and hand out some SFCA cards while at the table. Get a free Chili dinner!”
The chili party is from 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Thursday, October 27. Volunteer by emailing [email protected] or Becky Hettich at 214-707-6013 or 214-520-3503. Read about the Society at societyforcompanionanimals.org.
That photo came off the SFCA's web page in "photos" and I believe it represents the goal Tawana set for the organization: Get all dogs into a home where they can curl up on a couch and nod off while enjoying the loving company of an adoring human with a camera. That may not be the mission statement, but it works.


PUPPIES AND KITTENS
These puppies and kittens are foundlings who lucked out and wound up in the care of Take Me Home Pet Rescue.

 















Here’s the TMHPR explanation: The puppies were “saved from a sad situation in South Dallas. They are now safe and thriving together in a Foster Home. However, it is almost time to split them up. So, what does that mean? We need three puppy foster homes. Each home will take one boy and one girl to foster. Then, when about 10-12 weeks old they will begin going to their adoptive homes. Fostering is such a rewarding experience and TMHPR provides all of the supplies. So, if you are looking for some puppy breath of your own, trying fostering to adopt! It is a great way to raise a puppy from a very young age AND help a sibling find their Forever Home.
What about these kittens and their mom? “Lady Marmalade and her Breakfast Kittens will be attending their first ever adoption meet and greet!”
The TMHPR Meet ‘n’ Greet is from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at the organization’s adoption center, 561 W. Campbell Rd., Suite 303, in Richardson. Landmarks? It’s behind Fuzzy’s Taco Shop and next to Off-Campus Books.

CONTEMPLATIONS: How early is too early to go to bed? I can remember not even thinking about bed until the bartender announced “Last call.” Those days are gone! I’ve actually been witness to sunrises -- nowadays I wake up to see them; in the old days I saw them on my way home. I’d write that book, but there are statutes of limitations and some of the people involved still have lawyers. ... We’re still enjoying daylight savings time, but the time change is coming. When is that? 2 a.m., Sunday, November 6. Voters will still be groggy on the 8th. ... We need some nighttime music. How about some Clair de Lune? This song is so beautiful, it’s good night or day, off-year or election year. That animal? That is Moony de Loony, the o’possum who sometimes bunks in the wintertime cat bed on our front porch. It’s close to the feral cat buffet. Moony, a master of disguise, is learning to mew.
 He's soon to be featured in a Broadway show based on Ol' Cat's Book of Impractical Possums.

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