EDITION OF FRIDAY, MAY 26, 2017 (PetPowellPress) -- First, congratulations to everybody who is finished with their school year, including carpooling parents. Yes, of course, students and teachers, too. Now, let’s all have some good fun.
I hope you spend time this summer reading newspapers or viable online journalism or paying attention to broadcast reports. It’s the responsibility of the nation’s population to pay attention to the government and those you elected. That’s how anti-cruelty laws gain support -- from informed citizens who sound off with knowledge. That’s one of my favorite Founding Father quotes. Enjoy some learning.
THE BILLS ADD UP
Take Me Home Pet Rescue, an all-volunteer organization headquartered in Richardson but operating all over, has already taken in 135 animals this year and, according to an appeal from TMHPR, “We are on pace to surpass all prior years.”
They don’t all arrive healthy. So there are a lot of veterinary bills -- more than $15,000 a month -- many are street dogs, abused and neglected and injured. They weren’t always “street dogs.” You know how it works: A human lets down the animal. The animal suffers. Other humans take up the slack because they have the larger hearts.
See that photo of the dog on the ground? She’s one that ran up some medical bills.
Here’s the story from TMHPR. “Grace, a young lab/husky mix, was found injured, sick and malnourished when a group of volunteers went to check on neighbors in need right before Christmas and one of our Texas cold snaps in December 2016.
She was found lying on an old dirty dog bed in the middle of her owner’s yard surrounded by trash and broken toys. She was unable to stand and was urinating on herself. This girl was in bad shape but she never quit smiling and wagging her tail at the volunteers..”
Read all of Grace’s story HERE. And that photo of the dog on clean bedding? That’s a healthier, happier Grace, thanks to Take Me Home Pet Rescue.
The TMHPR Cat of the Week? It’s this beautiful boy Martin.
And he needs a home. You want to see him “making biscuits? The video is HERE
On Saturday, TMHPR is having a Meet ‘n’ Greet at its headquarters Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. -- that’s at 561 W. Campbell Rd., Suite 303, in Richardson. Then, on Sunday, the rescue is hosting an adoption event at the Pottery Barn at the Galleria, noon to 2:30 p.m. More details at takemehomepetrescue.com.
MEANWHILE, IN RED OAK
In this little suburban shelter in Red Oak, about 10 minutes south of Dallas’ city limits on I-35, there are a number of animals with the needle at the ready.
And Laura Macias, whose mission is to help smaller, low-traffic shelters get some attention, is trying to help save the current population. We’ve picked two of many to highlight. To help any of them -- and to help Laura help the Red Oak Shelter, call 214-949-2726 or email [email protected].
The beautful cat is Foxy, who came into the shelter wearing a pink collar, but, the note reads, “no one came in to look for her.” She’s being treated for a mild upper respiratory infection and is in need of a life-saving home right now. She’s “very loving,” the shelter says.
That dog? Buddy. Rhodesian Ridgeback mix, the shelter says. The note that came with his photo reads, “One of the incredibly sad stories that none of us will ever understand - look at this face - the owner left him at the shelter and didn't look back and it is breaking this poor guy's sweet heart. ... FYI, the owner said he wants to be an entirely indoor dog and loves nothing more than being in the house. Are you kidding? What's wrong with people? Sigh ... how could someone do this to him and leave him? There is nothing wrong with this wonderful sweetie pie. That he's precious and just as sweet as this smiling face looks. HOUSETRAINED too ... help save a VERY deserving dog's life ... you will be getting such a good boy.”
SPEAKING OF BASEBALL
We’ll, we weren’t, but speaking of baseball, anyway, best of luck Friday night as the minor league Texarkana Twins open their first season of play at George Dobson Field on the Texas side of the Twin Cities. I knew George -- a hustling newsman for KCMC radio back in the ‘60s.
FYI: My sons, Bret and Bart, played baseball and are twins born in Texarkana the city that sits astride the Texas/Arkansas border! One baby was born in Texas, the other born in -- what, are you nuts? Both were born in Texas! You think that as soon Bret arrived, we threw the mother into the back of a pickup and dashed two blocks so Bart would be born in Arkansas? Please. Even I draw the line at some funny ideas. But, of course, all these years later, if we’d known we were going to have twins, I might have given that two-state delivery a try.
HERE’S A REMINDER FOR PEOPLE
WHO DON'T KNOW ABOUT BIOLOGY
Probably, nobody reading this needs to be reminded to have their critters spayed or neutered. But maybe you know someone who does need to be reminded. Our reliable source, Karen Lee, the barkleyworld.com animal advocate and champion backer of the Trinity GAP Rescue efforts, reminded us of a deal going this weekend courtesy of the Texas Coalition for Animal Protection. Get the details and the locations and set up an appointment at texasforthem.org.
And if TCAP is booked, try out the Spay Neuter Network HERE https://spayneuternet.org/ . One of these will match your schedule, surely. Now, prep the dogs and cats.
[LARRY ASIDE: Dear Readers, feel free to copy this and glue it to the foreheads of people who have neglected to get their critters “fixed.” Here’s the passage: If you don’t know why spay/neuter is important, please go to the nearest public library and check out a copy of How the Birds and Bees Affect Littering. It’s subtitled How Did You Get This Far Without Knowing How Mother Nature Works?]
CONTEMPLATION
Our contemplative focus for this edition is a video that goes with this message. Isn’t that a good message for Texas? We are a loving bunch, aren’t we? Well, except for the yahoos who dump animals and neglect them and abuse them and don’t spay/neuter and don’t vaccinate. OK, so, some of us are loving. The inspiration for my ran is a note from the great Tawana Couch, founder of Society For Companion Animals, the organization that loads unwanted Texas dogs onto airplanes and takes them to safety in other states. These are some families with relocated animals. And if you click on this (crank up your speakers!) LINK, Tawana says, “You will see SFCA dogs we just flew to AWA...We have been flying 64 dogs this week. Take at look at some in this video.” So, our contemplation? Contemplate how good it feels to know that.
Click this LINK and enjoy a “homecoming.” Go to Animal Welfare Association online to read aboout “South Jersey’s Largest and Oldest No-Kill Animal Shelter.”
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