BUBBLES RESCUED; AN OKLAHOMA CHI IN THE COLD; SMALL SHELTER BOY BRYSON & CONTEMPLATING AN AWFUL 'SANCTUARY'

EDITION OF THURSDAY, APRIL 12, 2018 [PetPowellPress] -- Let’s open with something upbeat. Who among us does not need an animal story with a happier ending than we expected?

THE BUBBLES SOLUTION
Oh, my, weeks ago our pal Tomi Ortiz tipped us to the plight of Bubbles, a dog waiting and waiting in the Lancaster Animal Shelter. 
That’s the photo you first saw of the handsome Bubbles -- a dog who looked as if he was born to “stack” at show. But nobody came for Bubbles. 
Until this week and Tomi is as excited about this triumph as we are! Bubbles gets a break! The rescue came from POLAR -- Paws of Love Rescue, based in Royce City. The Furbabies posted this "leaving town" photo and this note:
“Thank you Rosanna for transporting. Thank you POLAR for rescue.”

The Furbabies also suggest, “Please donate to this wonderful rescue who has saved so many of our homeless pets this last year and continue to do so.”
Reach POLAR at pawsofloverescue.com.
Follow the continuing canine and feline adventures of Furbabies of Lancaster, Texas, on Facebook HERE
Plenty of critters still waiting at the Lancaster Animal Shelter, the Furbabies’ page notes.

THE COLD DOG IN OKLAHOMA
This dog is, of course, a Terry Lynn Fisher Project way out in western Oklahoma. Since the roads are paved and the computers are all working, people in North Texas have the ability to reach all the way to Burns Flat and help Terry Lynn find a good home for this ol’ girl.
(Get in touch with Terry Lynn at remembering_oddball
@yahoo.com.) 

This little dog “was found laying in a ditch after a night of freezing temps,” Terry Lynn says. “When the lady who found her picked her up, her little body was already stiff. She didn't move anything but her cloudy eyes, watching every move the lady made. They thought she was as close to death as possible, and to be honest, she probably was. The lady sent out messages to her friends asking for help, but she was going to take her to the pound there. This is a town 90 miles from me. They are a HIGH KILL pound with no vets on call.

“Looking at the picture our mutual friend sent me, I could not stand her going there to die, alone and scared. So, yes, I went and got her -- I know: This is the last thing I need, but the old ones touch my heart.

“We got her to the vet where they started her on pain meds and worked to get rid of the zillion fleas eating away at her body. As her frail little body started to warm, some movement came back and she started to act like she was feeling better. This morning [Wednesday], they feel she is finally strong enough and are running blood work to see more of what is going on.

“Right now this is what I know: She is OLD. Waiting to hear about how old the Doc thinks she is when he calls me with lab results. She is hard of hearing and has limited vision. She is set in her ways and pouts when they make her take her medicine. She eats and drinks good and goes out to potty. She gets nervous -- Chihuahua! -- but a lot of it comes when she isn't sure what you are doing to her."
There’s more to come on this dog’s story, including the bill for her medical care. She’s at Elk Creek Clinic, 1301 Airport Industrial, Elk City, Okla., 76455. (Shelter is at 580-225-4863.)
Terry Lynn says, “I have no place offering yet [to take this dog], so I am putting the plea out there for a wonderful rescue, foster or a forever home.”

AND NOW, REPRESENTING
THE SMALLER SHELTERS
OK, let’s try this reminder one more time -- the small city shelters at Red Oak and Wilmer need some human attention to save the animals. Our representative for the two shelters is this dog, Bryson of Wilmer, a handsome Bulldog mix, who is a shelter favorite and is available for adoption or rescue right this very moment. 
For animals in the Red Oak and Wilmer shelters, contact Laura Macias, who has made helping them her mission. Email her at [email protected] or call or text 214-949-2726.
FYI: Bryson is a nuzzling dog who wags his tail and loves being the center of human attention. Adopt him, then run him for office! He’s got the vote-getting demeanor, he just can’t find that forever home. Yet. Maybe this description will help some heart make a decision.

CONTEMPLATIONS:
HOW DOES THIS STUFF HAPPEN?

There are so many things to contemplate in today’s world, but it is the story from the SPCA of Texas that keeps drawing my attention. You probably read about it or saw it (here’s CBS-11’s version.)
The details in the opening of the SPCA news release from Tuesday were horrifying. It read, “Today, the SPCA of Texas, the Van Zandt County Sheriff’s Office and the Van Zandt County Constable's Office seized and the SPCA of Texas took custody of 87 allegedly cruelly treated animals from a self-described ‘sanctuary’ for animals near Canton, Texas, in Van Zandt County. The animals consist of 70 horses, 9 donkeys, 6 pigs and 1 longhorn. More than 50 additional deceased horses were found in various states of decomposition on the property.”
These photos are from the SPCA’s files. The link is HERE and you should be warned that there one particular photo of what appears to be many bodies of horses that will be tough to take. You can get through the rest of the photos by reminding yourself that the animals have been rescued and are being cared for by the SPCA.

This will be an interesting legal case. First, there’s a custody hearing at 10 a.m. on Thursday, April 19, in the court of Precinct 2 Peace Justice Sandra Plaster in Canton.
The news release also contained this passage: “The SPCA of Texas received a complaint of suspected animal cruelty and visited the property on March 3, 2018. During that visit, the SPCA of Texas began working with the owners, educating them on the proper feeding and care of horses and entering into an agreement with them to bring the animals' conditions into compliance with Texas Health and Safety Code. At this time, the presence of the deceased horses was unknown.”

There was more investigation, movement to save the animals that were left and collection of evidence, etc. Go to spca.org to see how to donate to the investigations department at the SPCA and the department that is left holding the bill for nursing all these animals back to health. 
CBS11 reported that the place that was raided was called “Over the Moon Sanctuary” -- it’s not in our files. Probably not in yours, either.
So will there be charges against humans? Will there be a trial? Will there be some sort of legal work that keeps the place from operating? Why were all those dead horses at the site? 
What a mess. And, remember, helping animals is the responsibility of every human -- sometimes you just have to make a call.
That last photo? It’s of a horse going to an empty bowl on the property. The empty bowl appears to be the most vivid and accurate symbol of this “sanctuary.”

A PERSONAL NOTE: Looking back over this item, I think I know why I’ve gone on for so many words. I simply do not know what to think of this situation and the “why” of it all gnaws at me relentlessly. Hoarders losing touch with reality? Good people overwhelmed by reality. The challenge of too much to do while the abilities are limited? This is a case that really needs some professional study. I’m probably not the only person this will bother for a while.
--- To comment, click below. --