EDITION OF TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 2018 (PetPowellPress) Yeah, I’m writing this in a bit of a fog. No, not on any pills. Just fed up with wintry weather. Weather and my back injury have kept me from having a normal life since Christmas Day -- What? Yeah, I fell down a chimney in my red suit.
Still, to use the peculiar Northeast Texas vernacular of my roots, “Lookit them other fokes. Heck, I ain’t got it so bad. Yeet yet? Yownsomore?”
I’m trying to retrain myself to be grateful for everything I experience. Everything -- I’m even finding funny things about this back problem that’s put me on a cane and keeps me from riding more than about 15 miles in a car right now. I blame (credit?) this newfound upbeat attitude on the back injury and the fact that 24 hours a day I can ask Aleksa to play protest songs from the 1960s and early ‘70s. All we are saying is give peas a chance, you know?
(That first photo was 
shot as night fell on Cedar Hill a couple of days ago. The second photo, of an elephant cloud and a poodle cloud over Dallas, was shot last August when we lived in a warmer, dryer territory.)
Note to people who live north of Oak Cliff -- I feel guilty griping about our weather (38 during the noon hour and a balmy 40 as rush hour approached).
But, really, nobody in Texas signed on for extended periods of bone-chilling cold. Except during July and August when our atmosphere is properly “refrigerated” in homes and sports domes by air-conditioners that run 24 hours a day. Usually summer is when the big utility bills arrive -- news stories suggest we’re getting bigger bills this month. Heck. Just when I thought I could pay off Christmas’ sled repair.
Our weather forecast for the next few days can use a bit of Beatlemania. Click on this sunny George song as you read on. Everything’s going to be all right. I’ll get a grip in Contemplations.
AND IN THE DALLAS SHELTER
As long as the weather was chillier than I wanted, I took a glance at the available adorables on the Dallas Animal Services online listings -- you can see ‘em at dallasanimalservices.org or at the big shelter on Westmoreland and I-30, kind of in Bonnie and Clyde’s ol’ neighborhood. I hate to name drop. I’d drop the name of 
that Chihuahua whose ears are too tall for his cage, but he only had a number when I spotted him on the website: A1020333. And, in case you wondered, that Pittie/German Shepherd mix is a named Kitten. No kidding. In keeping with the weather theme of the day, that cat scrunched at the back of a DAS transfer package is Stormy. All were listed 
on the DAS website Monday afternoon. If nobody takes them? See the DAS Daily report for Sunday the 4th. While many animals are reclaimed and many animals go to rescues and some are adopted, it’s the euthanasia stat that goes up on Sundays at DAS.
Not the shelter’s fault: We have people who don’t mind dumping their critters into the heart of peril. And we have a city that embraces the ol’ Texas theory of animal management: “Got an animal problem? Let’s kill it.” Sad.
ONE OF THE WAYS TO CUT DOWN
ON THE NUMBER OF EUTHANASIAS
We’re not really sure “euthanasias” is an actual plural, but if you want to reduce the number of animals who are put to death with a needle, “plural” plays a role. Why? Because it takes two to tango and when they do, in the City of Dallas, the world’s most fertile municipality, one + one = equals a litter. How big is a litter? They don’t call this town Big D for nothin’.
But the Spay/Neuter Network is trying to reduce the number of puppies and kittens born just to be killed either by the government’s official needle or by nitwits who toss unwanted animals into trash bins, creeks, highway fast lanes, Dowdy Ferry Road weeds, etc.
So, read about the Spay Neuter Network HERE and call here for info or an appointment: 972-472-3500.
The February 12 
Spay Neuter Network event is described this way: “FREE FIX for DALLAS dogs and cats! Includes FREE Rabies shot, Parvo shot & Microchip!
“Mobile clinic will be stationed at 4444 S Hampton Rd, Dallas. Qualifying zip codes: 75116, 75134, 75203, 75207, 75208, 75210, 75211, 75212, 75215, 75216, 75217, 75223, 75224, 75226, 75227, 75228, 75232, 75233, 75236, 75237, 75241, 75249, 75253. Select the Dallas Special at checkout.
“Residents who live outside these zip codes will be charged the regular affordable rates (HERE) after surgery. A $20 deposit is required to make an appointment. Deposits are refunded after surgery."
DOG ON CAMPUS
NOW ON THE CLOCK
This is Hunter, maybe as old as 5, and a German Shepherd/Husky mix fellow who is vetted, heartworm negative, loves people and appears to be dog friendly. Amy Poskey, our Denton McNatt Animal Shelter tipster, sent a note explaining that the 95-pound dog “was found running around the Texas Woman’s University campus here in Denton. Some of the students took him to the shelter and, surprisingly, he hasn’t been reclaimed and now he is in ISO with kennel cough. This big boy is very cramped in the isolation room so we would REALLY like to find a rescue or an adopter for him ASAP! The students who interacted with Hunter fell in love with him and raved about how sweet he is!”
Amy’s trying to get him to safety. The email contacts are gayla.nelsen@cityofdenton.com, paul.o’neill@cityofdenton.com, dentonshelterdogs@yahoo.com, and/or dentonanimalservices@yahoo.com. Call the shelter at 940-349-7594.
[LARRY ASIDE: Don’t even try to figure out why such a good lookin’, apparently sweet and human-oriented dog is found running free on a university campus. There’s clearly a human failure somewhere -- beyond that we’re at a loss.]
CALENDAR NOTE
FROM OUT AT THE LAKE
The Friends of the Animals at Cedar Creek Lake’s Saturday Low-Cost Vacation Clinic -- wait, that’s Saturday Low-Cost Vaccination Clinic is from 10 a.m. to noon on Saturday, February 10, in Gun Barrel City at the Friends of the Animals Spay/Neuter Clinic. Not only is the world’s most successful spay/neuter clinic in Gun Barrel City, so, too, is the world’s most successful vaccination clinic in Gun Barrel City. Our tipster, the great stalwart of the Friends, Sydney Busch, says no appointment is necessary but you must be there “no later than 11:30 a.m. for the 10 a.m. to noon event at the spay/neuter clinic. What you can get for your companion animal are low-cost vaccinations, microchipping, heartworm testing and other non-surgical procedures. Questions? Email Sydney@friendsoftheanimals.org.
And, by the way, the Friends can always use donations. The clinic always needs supplies, the latest technology and money.
THE EARHOUND VARIETIES
& GUEST SPEAKER!
LARRY CONFESSION: Every time I visit the Greyhound Adoption League of Texas website, GALTX.ORG, I find myself marveling at the variety of Earhounds produced by one breed. Consider these four adoptables -- no cookie-cutter ears on these pups.
Speaking of ears, ours are why we recognize the voice of the guest speaker at the annual GALT Greyt Retired Athletes Dinner -- he’s Brad Sham, radio voice of the Dallas Cowboys.
The dinner is February 24 at III Forks in Dallas. Cocktails at 6 p.m., dinner of Chateaubriand or salmon at 78 p.m. And, bless those Greythound people, “a vegetarian entree is available if you prefer.” There’s more on the League’s website at galtx.org. At the site you can also see how to adopt those dogs and many others.
So many, many of the GALT adoptables are, indeed, retired athletes, hence the “Greyt Retired Athletes” name for the dinner.
CONTEMPLATIONS:
John Mahoney, best known among American TV audiences for playing Martin Crane on Frasier -- dad of Niles and Frasier, has died. He was an, in a word,
“actor.” It’s kind of a shame that the Frasier staff and writers can’t reunite for one farewell episode for this “real” actor. He captured his roles. And, I’m not using a photo of Mr. Mahoney as Marty Crane, but as a 
one-named character, Perry, who has an enlightening dinner with Best Supporting Actress Oscar-winner Olympia Dukakis in the great romantic film Moonstruck, starring Cher, who won the Oscar for Best Actress. Frasier’s on all the time these days. Take some time to enjoy Moonstruck just to see John Mahoney’s role. While you’re at it, enjoy the romance. They really don’t make ‘em like they used to, way back in 1987, three decades ago and in a different century. Enjoy Musetta’s Waltz HERE. And remember, “Pop don’t like Johnny.” ... As long as we’re talking film, another motion picture musing: Am I the only Star Wars fan who thinks The Last Jedi is the second-best of all the Star Wars films, behind the original now titled Star Wars: A New Hope? ... Back to the lousy weather. Try this theory: If the Battle of the Alamo (Feb, 23-March 6, 1836) been in Dallas County with this unpleasant winter weather, former U.S. Congressman David Crockett might have gone back to Tennessee. Just kidding about that. Seriously, though, Mr. Crockett opposed President Andrew Jackson’s Indian Removal Act as well as Jackson’s banking theories -- that cost Crockett his seat in Congress and gave him the free time to come to Texas where ... well, you remember the Alamo. American history and Texas -- they go together.
--- To comment, grip your ThinkingMouse and click clearly below. ---
