ReadLarryPowell.com

TRANSITIONING TO NOVEMBER WITH THOUGHTS OF DECENCY, ECHOES OF THE HEART

EDITION OF THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 2018 [PetPowellPress] We’re greeting November early on October 31, not because we’re suiting up for Halloween but because we’re taking November 1 away from the keyboard to do some thinking.
November being our favorite month, you understand. 
It is exquisitely autumn in Texas. Some warmth at the start, some cold at the end, maybe. It’s a month with its own mind. 
Here you see some of my agricultural work. I grew those pumpkins and maybe a dozen others (Jack Be Littles, about  as big as a tennis ball) on vines that spread across our front yard and created a blockade for the postman’s usual path, but also created a walkway right up to the front porch mail slot.
Of course, the rain on Halloween turned the walkway into a pond -- not sure if the ghosts and goblins wore waders this year when reaching for the candy, but, maybe they’ll remember “that year the crazy old guy covered up the yard with pumpkin plants.” Oh, and to borrow from Linus of Peanuts fame, this is a "very sincere pumpkin patch."
November 1 was always the day my brothers and I would look through the candy we’d collected and make trades. In retrospect, we should have swapped it all for healthy vegetables, but we were kids -- we believed TV commercials about the joys of chocolate and other delights.
 If you’re reading this on Halloween, make a vow to start November helping a dog, a cat or a human. Yeah, every now and then violate your own personal rule and help a human. I know how it goes: Spend enough time rescuing animals and you get a little bit fed up with people.

But, REMEMBER THIS THING THAT DOGS AND CATS KNOW: Angels walk among us and some of them are you."

A BRIEF MOMENT
FOR AN OL’ DOG

The story on this dog had bounced around to all the usual suspects and Karen Lee of Barkleyworld.com had forwarded it to Readlarrypowell.com. 
Tiffany Nicole Flores of Saving Texas Senior Dogs had sent an appeal earlier in the week saying that the dog was heading toward a local shelter. The family was moving and unwilling to keep this guy. Tiffany’s note read, “He has spent his entire life on a chain. The harness so old that it has worn off the hair where it has sat for years. He was kept outside in the cold of the winter and the unrelenting heat of the Texas summers. Unloved and uncared for and now, unwanted. The shelter would be a cold and lonely end to an already long, miserable life. Yet despite insurmountable odds, this Old Grandpa is nothing but grins and tail wags. Happy to feel the pat of a hand and have a full belly.”

So, I dabbed my tears and called Tiffany to double-check and she said Dallas Dogrrr rescued the dog and found a safe place for him -- as you’d expect, after all those years on a chain, he’s got some health issues.
 I told Karen, “I watched that video and just nearly thought I might have to get up and walk around the block five or six times in the rain. I guess I've had too many old dogs in my life to not be able to feel their hearts when I see them.”
Karen, also, had to grab the tissues and tap down those teardrops of understanding. 
Watch this ol’ dog enjoying a walk HERE.  After reading the story of this dog, I told Karen, “Pour me a shot of Wild Turkey with a club soda on the side. I'm avoiding Halloween candy.” She concurred.

DFW COCKER SPANIEL RESCUE
IS BUILDING UP THE INVENTORY
The annual “holiday party and auction” benefitting DFW Cocker Spaniel Rescue is scheduled 6 p.m.-10 p.m. on November 17 at Cafe Max in Richardson. Tickets are $35 through the 5th then they go up to $40. (Here’s the LINK.) In the meantime, they’re still gathering items for auction. What could you donate? Here’s a LINK. 
Ask about the auction to donating by emailing [email protected] or [email protected] or [email protected] or [email protected] so we can arrange a pick up or drop off.
In case you wonder who the money helps, you can go to dfwcockerrescue.org where you’ll find such beauties as Lacie, 12, who lost her home when her human broke a hip.
[LARRY NOTE: We officially endorse all dogs. And we have experience with Cocker Spaniels, having been blessed with the presence of Inky, the Cocker Laureate of the State of Texas, for about 14 years. Fair warning: Take in a Cocker and be prepared to be treated as an equal -- and that’s a lot  of forgiveness for being a human coming from these angels.]

HEARING FOR VAN ZANDT COUNTY CASE
SCHEDULED ON NOV. 5 IN CANTON
You may have seen the story of the SPCA of Texas and the Van Zandt County Sheriff’s office seizing 110 “allegedly cruelly treated animals” from a spot near Canton last week. Here’s the breakdown: 39 puppies, 35 dogs, 24 cats, 11 kittens and one horse.
Know how all this got started? Child Protective Services investigation in June. Children’s Advocacy Center then contacted the SPCA of Texas which was denied access to the property. But things continued and on the 19th, the sheriff’s office contacted the SPCA with, basically, a “let’s try it again” suggestion.

Search and seizure warrants were executed on the 26th. And, according to the SPCA of Texas news release, “The owners of the animals were arrested at the scene for child endangerment and animal cruelty and were booked into the Van Zandt County Jail.”

A custody hearing on the animals is scheduled for 2 p.m. on Monday the 5th in the court of Precinct 2 Justice of the Peace Sandra Plaster, 250 E. Grove St., Canton. 
Here’s a link to see MORE PHOTOS from the scene.
You can donate to help the SPCA continue these cruelty investigation missions -- info is at spca.org.

CONTEMPLATION:

THE ECHOS OF SOULS AND SEASONAL SENSATIONS

The sound of the noon hour? We have a gated front porch and and it has a long flower bed attached to it and thick shrubbery. It’s impenetrable by bipeds, so it’s a perfect hiding place for feral cats. For two decades we had an irrepressible colony of feral cats -- first the family was black cats that came and went. Smidge and Moriarity, brother and sister who almost liked people, lasted the longest -- more than a decade. We trapped,neutered, returned -- repeatedly. 
The next family was tabby cats -- all grey and black- or brown-striped with the M on the foreheads. Along the way there’d be others now and then, for example a black and white -- that’s The Senator -- he arrived already fixed and now advises me on literary matters. And one older fellow “got into something” after a few months of stubborn independence and I captured him against his will to try to get him some help. But anti-freeze is a tough monkey to beat once the cat’s found it somewhere. That’s what the ER doc said. That cat was known -- while on our porch -- as “Ol’ Doc White” -- every morning he looked like he was arriving after a two-day drunk and a fight with the ol’ lady.
The last kitten we took in -- a year ago in November -- is Simon, a “flamepoint” -- he had a tabby mom, two gray tabby siblings and an orange tabby sibling. They all vanished one night and left him in screaming in the shrubbery at about 4 weeks old. (That's the photo I took just after he'd been told he was not a girl. I'm not kidding. Below are his "flamepoints!").
We took him in and he is our big ol’ boy housecat. Not feral -- firmly an inside cat.
 Now, there are no cat residents on our front porch. But just outside the bars, just across the 2-foot-wide flower box and down 3 feet to the leaf-covered ground under the holly bushes, is an upside-down old silver cat food can. Some feral dropped it there -- probably overlooked by me on the porch but not overlooked by the cat. 
As this is being written, in a gentle cool rain about noon on Halloween, the shrubbery is in the right position and the unreachable catfood can is in the right place for water to run to an “elbow” in a “limb” of shrubbery. That water, forever in circulation on earth, becomes one big drop at a time that falls straight to that can with a resounding PLINK. You can hear it by clicking here. 
And when I hear it, I hear the echoes of Lord knows how many cats and kittens and, yes, dogs, who visited our front porch and found a meal and, many times, a happy place to live their lives. 
Those are my echoes.
May your November gift you with wonderful echoes of your own. Add the sound of a new cat or dog to the household. Meanwhile, I'm not going to try to fish that can out of the flowerbed -- I like to hear the memories.
--- Offer and opinion, solution or lucky Lotto Texas numbers by clicking on “comment” below or emailing [email protected]. ---

ADORABLE PUDEL'S ATTIRE! PLUS, BIG HALLOWEEN SCARE? SHELTER CLOCK

EDITION OF HALLOWEEN, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2018 (PetPowellPress) Hang on, I’m trying to get into my costume -- I love the Radio City Music Hall Rockettes.
I’m kidding. Look, you think you have to dress up to find something scary this Halloween? Hey, leave politics out of this! 
In fact, here’s a great photograph of someone all dressed up for Halloween. And assorted other occasions, too.
This handsome Standard Poodle is 11-year-old Rommel. His human, Trish Carroll, told us she gave him the German name to link him to his heritage. She points out that many people think Poodles are French but, according to “respected authorities,” they are German, i.e., “Pudelhunds.” You can look it up.

We snapped this picture of him at the Old Town PetSmart, 5500 Greenville Ave., last weekend. And, yes, Rommel would be eye-catching in the aisle of any store from Buc-ee’s to Neiman Marcus. It just so happens that encountered this calm adorable gentleman in a cat aisle -- there was a cat adoption event nearby. 
Tricia gives Rommel a seasonal look each year. Here’s Rommel’s FACEBOOK Page.

HALLOWEEN? IT’S THE TIME
TO ADOPT FOR $10 AT DAS

Yep, final day of the Big City Shelter’s $10 adoption special. This guy is among the dogs available at DAS. He was featured on DAS’ Facebook page with this explanation: “Mason is ready for Halloween! Mason is a social boy who is playful and gets along great with other dogs. If you would like to adopt Mason, please visit us at the main shelter! If you would like to foster Mason, email [email protected]. Thank you Julia Rigler Photography for the adorable picture!”
And just in case you wonder if a Calico kitty can give off a proper Halloween face, here’s a photo of Wombat (A1042115) at Dallas Animal Services. The little girl, just beyond 13 weeks old, has been in the shelter’s care since October 19. Based on Readlarrypowell.com’s experience in kittenwrangling, we’re confident Wombat has mellowed since that photo was made. You can ask about adopting Wombat by calling the PetSmart Everyday Adoption Center line at 972-381-1588, Ext. 5. [LARRY ASIDE: I think I’d shorten her name to Womby or maybe make it Wombygirl and I’d teach her that cuddling is a great for both participants. She looks like a fast learner.]

YOU WANT SOMETHING SCARY?

CONSIDER THE WILMER STATS!
The word from the supporters of the Wilmer Animal Shelter is bleak. The opening sentence of the appeal read, “Shelter is almost full! Please help with even one if you can! Desperate!.”
You know where Wilmer is -- about half a can of “sody pop” sippin’ south of Dallas on I-45. Small town. No public relations budget for the shelter. Animals come in. There’s no foot traffic. Nobody sees these wondrous animals unless they’re making a point to help them. That’s where Laura Macias and Leighann Hayden have come in, but they’re limited by their access to lottery winnings and the interest of people who don’t care about small shelters.

So, here are some faces in the shelter that need a home or else. In order, Rocky, Daisy and Jaxon keep waiting. And so does the needle -- but apparently not for long. To help them, call or text 214-949-2726 or email [email protected].

YOU WANT SOMETHING ELSE SCARY?
CONSIDER THE CODE REDS IN MESQUITE

These two dogs are Code Red for 11 a.m. Thursday. Got a whole day, eh? Well, not so fast. The shelter’s site HERE says it’s closed on Wednesdays. Oh, my. It opens at 11 a.m. Thursday. Oh, my. Surely there’s a solution somehow.

The volunteer Mesquite Animal Services shelter biographer Judi Brown began the story of Mimi with this terrifying passage: “CODE RED Due just severe overcrowding Mimi is now on that code red list for the second time, so this is serious! She has until 11:00 Clock Thursday morning. That’s not much time!! Please help this energetic girl as she has so much spunk needs out of her small cage.
“Mimi is a two-year-old German Shepherd mix that came to Mesquite Animal Shelter as a stray on 10/10. She weighs 60 pounds. She is long and tall and has a long nose. She has beautiful coloring.” When you call the shelter at 972-216-6283 or email [email protected] about Mimi, use her number: 39888806.

Also on the CODE RED list for 11 am. Thursday is this vibrant little guy listed as “Skipper” on the Mesquite shelter website -- the key number is ID 39954558. 
Judi describes him as a “very adoptable fun-loving boy.” He’s a 2-year-old terrier mix, weighs about 15 pounds and came in as a stray on October 18. His tail wags constantly. He’s very alert. He walks very well on the leash. As a matter fact he heeled when I took him for a walk. He shares his kennel with another dog without a problem. He was not interested in meeting the cats. Bonus: he is FIXED!”

These are not the only animals awaiting adoption in the Mesquite shelter. Any time you adopt one, it takes pressure off of others. See the adoptables online HERE. Among them are those cats with the funny shelter monikers. Remember, you can visit the shelter and meet them all in person -- it’s at 1650 Gross Rd, Mesquite, TX 75149.
Again, closed Wednesday. So make calls, do emails. Call the shelter at 972-216-6283 or email [email protected].

[LARRY ASIDE: Holy smoke. Talk about “fighting the clock.”]

CONTEMPLATIONS


PERSONAL AT HALLOWEEN
In honor of my little brothers, who liked to dress up for Halloween when we were kids, and my sons, Bret and Bart, who also like to costume for the holiday, we’ve found a link to a bit of a thriller hit from my kids’ era HERE and one from the era of me and my brothers HERE with the World’s Oldest Teenager. Enjoy the music. My mom has long cherished a photo of her three sons on a late 1950s Halloween: Me as a hobo, Barry as a matronly woman and Garry as a cat. Barry was never happy with that photo -- but he picked the outfit. And, somewhere from 45 years ago at a home in Fort Worth, maybe, there still exists a “Super 8” film of my little pre-school twin boys in their chosen costumes: Bret was Groucho and Bart was Harpo -- a pair of Marx Brothers. The lady of the house handed over some candy and asked us to wait while she got a movie camera because “those little boys are so cute.” They still are. Don't know what they're wearing this year. Ah, Halloween! Enjoy it and watch the calories. FYI: That is me and Deputy Chief Kittie Leigh Johnson dressed as our favorite highly commercial movie characters "The Mildly Annoyed Hooded Malcontent & The Not Particularly Curious Cat." We're open to any offer for the film rights to these Halloween characters. Cue the spooky music.
--- OFFER COSTUME ADVICE OR CANDY SUGGESTIONS BY CLICKING ON ‘COMMENT’ BELOW OR EMAILING [email protected]. ---

IN THE WORLD OF DOGS AND CATS, A REASON TO MAKE CRUELTY LAWS MEANER; THE SALE OF A ROMANTIC BUILDING

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2018 [PetPowellPress] You know what a bright sunny Monday will do? It’ll make you realize you’ve GOT to wash your car before it rains again. Doesn’t mean you will, of course.

Welcome to National Candy Corn Day and, later, traditional Mischief Night -- in my Northeast Texas childhood, some people called the night before Halloween “Beggars Night.” I refer to it as Calories Night.
Keep reading. I'll tell you about that sad little dog in a minute.
Anybody who comes trick-or-treating at our house -- and we’ve had maybe 10 kids in 25 years -- will be getting fun-sized Butterfingers. I got a deal on two 5-pound packages three years ago. I’m kidding. They’re fresh, alleged the drug store in Oak Cliff.
Speaking of fresh: How fresh is the idea that people need to make sure their animals are not free to run out the front door and attack the ghosts and goblins, etc. Honestly, protect the animals. OK? Here’s the SPCA of Texas Safety list. 

All that aside, how about that moving photograph of that little dog. Not in costume. Not showing off. Just surviving. With help from an angel. More later.
And, remembering to remind people that $10 adoptions continue through October 31 at Dallas Animal Services, we cite a cat first posted by DAS on its Facebook page. The DAS story reads, “Rey has the biggest eyes and the sweetest heart.” He’s 6-months old -- among the hundreds of available animals at DAS. See how to adopt Rey at dallasanimalservices.org -- if you want to foster him, email [email protected].
MAKING CRUELTY LAWS TOUGH:

PROPER THING TO DO FOR FIENDS
Or, here’s why animals will benefit when people attend the Texas Humane Legislation Network’s Rock the Vote event or people donate to THLN. The money goes to helping THLN persuade legislators to get mean with mean people. Make animal cruelty laws tougher than beating a rattler bite with witch hazel and a Band-aid. 
Look, I threw in that punchline because I got an email from THLN Monday about a cruelty case and I didn't want to dive right into it -- it really got to me.
I’m not going to post the photo of a dead dog. But a note from Laura Donahue of THLN says, “The Harris County Sheriff's Office announced Tuesday that its animal cruelty task force would be investigating the death of a duct-taped dog found inside a plastic bag along a north Houston road.”
The photographs are hideous. The Houston Chronicle story is HERE.  Get in touch with THLN at http://www.thln.org.
[LARRY ASIDE: Honestly, those cruelty laws can’t be strong enough. Somebody who duct-tapes a dog to death after beating it needs to do worse than hard time for a few years. That ought to be a life sentence. I’m a native Texan -- I don’t want people like that ever roaming free in my state. Good grief, I’m sickened by this evil person. This calls for a public outcry that influences the Legislature to protect the decency of the state.]

A GAP RESCUE NEEDS A PLACE
EITHER TO LIVE OR TO WAIT
This guy is Hamilton, a “Golden/Lab Mix” who is in boarding because Trinity GAP Rescue has run out of foster homes. So the appeal has gone out to help find a foster who can stand looking at this dog’s face ever day -- that oughta have hundreds of people lining up! Look at that face -- that is a true loving dog/happy to see you face.
 He’s 2 or 3 years old, is endur- ing heartworm treatment and needs a quiet, happy, lone- or easy-dog place to live until he’s adopted. 
To offer to foster or adopt, email [email protected]. Get the foster application on the GAP page at http://trinitygaprescue.org/. You can also see other animals that need homes -- for example, that 2 or 3-year-old cat Murphy with the Halloween-style mask. [LARRY ASIDE: We’ve long maintained that black and white cats are the adorably zaniest! He’s available!] GAP animals have the benefit of being loved and treated wonderfully by the volunteers and fosters. It’s part of the mission!


THE DOGS FROM
ELK CITY, OKLA.
We opened with a photo of this dog -- no name given even though he’s 15 years old and probably knows his name, but can’t really tell us. He may be in a bit of shock.
We learned of him from Terry Lynn Fisher of Burns Flat, not far from Elk City.
Here’s what she wrote, “Oh my goodness... look at him... he is FIFTEEN YEARS OLD... In the Elk City pound, where they are very short staffed and one guy is trying so hard to help keep them alive...
“I have sent out emails on them and am trying to help... I didn't list this little one... I am pulling him... I will take to my vet today [Monday] and have him checked out then bring him home. He will need rescue or permanent placing, but I cannot stand the thought of him laying in that pound, scared and alone...If you have room in your home, please let me know... He will be safe here, but he needs a forever place.”
These are some other dogs at the Elk City shelter -- Terry Lynn is working to help them all dodge the grim reaper. Long odds. But you can help her by getting in touch at [email protected].

CONTEMPLATIONS
BASEBALL, BIG SALE AND BAGS

I already miss baseball season. But, Boston beat Los Angeles in the World Series. That means Texas Rangers fans are, again, waiting ‘til next year. So, here’s a note to the weak-armed Texas Rangers’ front office: Hey, it’s next year. What are you waiting on? Get some pitching. Don’t wait for the new stadium. Win the hottest Texas-hosted World Series in 2019, then win the coolest in 2020. Entire lives have come and gone while a parade of executives has failed to line up a winning team -- only been to the Series twice since that first game on April 21, 1972. That season started late because of a strike and it was the last season during which American League pitchers batted. History -- that of which the Rangers are not quite a part.


 

 

 

 

 

 

The Big Paper Downtown reports that its old building, the 69-year-old Rock of Truth (As the inscription on the front reads) at 508 Young St., within walking distance of Dealey Plaza, is being sold. I always thought it would make a great casino -- alas, Texas money goes to Oklahoma and Louisiana and Vegas.
I can tell you that building has a lot of great memories. It’s where I met Martha -- first saw her with the blondest hair, the deepest dimples and the reddest “job interview suit” I’d ever witnessed. I turned to my buddy Brad and said, “Oh, my” and that was it. I hope the developers leave a spot on the corner for a “Texas Historical Marker of Romance.” I’d like to see a “Texas Historical Marker of Massive Profit” -- a lot of ex-employees would see the humor in that. Stock closed at $4.51 a share Monday.

Local weather forecasters say it’s going to be thunderstormy (that a word?) for Halloween. So, everybody wear proper gear and make-up that doesn’t run. Don’t use paper bags that get soggy and make sure you have tiny drainage holes in your plastic bags. If you are a witch, make sure your broom is properly grounded -- a good rule year round, don't you think? Sometimes I miss trick-or-treating on Halloween. My adult goal is, of course, to miss the calories.
--- TO OFFER COSTUME ADVICE OR A PHILOSOPHY FOR GETTING MORE CANDY, CLICK ON ‘COMMENT’ BELOW OR EMAIL [email protected]. ---

SAVING ANIMALS: RESCUE, ADOPTION; CONTEMPLATING THE DESPAIR

EDITION OF MONDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2018 [PetPowellPress] For Monday we’ll just declare that we’re a sick of human behavior and focus on the good, angelic hearts who are trying to help animals. We’ve had enough anguish in the past few days, so I’m going to start today’s report with something genuinely beautiful. Made by a human!!!! How’s that for a 180 turn on the highway of humanity?
We will have, of course, Contemplations, but first help the animals. Take a positive step in your neighborhood, your city.
LOOK AT THIS GREAT QUILT:
COULD BE YOURS, ANIMALS WILL WIN
So, I got the photos of this quilt from Sydney Busch at the Friends of the Animals at Cedar Creek Lake and showed it to my Funspouse Martha who immediately said, “You have to busy raffle tickets. I want that for Christmas.” 
Here’s the story on this whimsically entertaining quilt. Sydney says the “gorgeous quilt” was “made for us and donated by Quilters Guild in Gun Barrel City.” 
The raffle drawing will be at 4 p.m. Tuesday, December 18. As you know the Friends operate the world’s most successful spay/neuter clinic in Gun Barrel City and it is open on Tuesdays. So, that raffle may be coming at the end of the work day! 
Tickets are $5 each and you can buy them at the clinic on Tuesdays -- it’s a pleasant drive from wherever you are to Gun Barrel City. Also e-mail or text Sydney and she’ll help you purchase as many tickets as your bank account can stand! Call or text 214-808-4701 or email [email protected].
You can drop by the clinic on Tuesdays and see the quilt on display in all its 68 x 60 glory! What happens to the funds raised? Sydney says, “The proceeds from this will go into our new emergency medical fund to help indigent pet owners get veterinary medical care.”

[LARRY ASIDE: You can read more about the organization at www.friendsofthe animals.org or by going to the Facebook page HERE.

ADOPT-A-SHELTER DOG MONTH?

MANY WAITING IN MESQUITE,
INCLUDING A BAIT DOG
Oh, geez, look at that face! This is 45-pound Keller (3998583). I like to think he’s waiting to love and be loved and doesn’t want to upset anyone -- been around a number of dogs like this guy and they have a loyal happiness in them that is wonderful. He’s in the Mesquite Animal Shelter and that’s why we got his story from the volunteer biographer Judi Brown. Keller’s under a year old, a “smoky grey Pit,” Judi says. “Even with scars on his face he’s very photogenic! He’s very friendly and affectionate and if given the opportunity will climb up onto your lap. He’s also very alert. He is curious about everything and explores everything! He went nose to nose wagging his tail with other dogs in the bay. However his hair went up on his back when he met the cats. He also barked at them.”
 Call the shelter at 972-216-6283 or email [email protected] to tag Keller. See more Mesquite adoptables HERE.

PACINO, FORMERLY A BAIT DOG


This is Pacino (39985506), once upon a time a bait dog. We got the tip on him from Karen Lee of Barkleyworld.com who forwarded a note from Mesquite Animal Services. The note reads:
"This is one of the most heart-wrenching cases and yet he met me with the happiest face and a butt full of wiggles. The moment I locked eyes with him, I almost began to cry. You should have seen the JOY on his face when we gave him a soft bed! It was truly heartwarming.

“All of his teeth appear to have been intentionally filed down and he has abscesses on his ears and face. The vet suspects he may have been used as a bait dog because of these conditions and because he is HIGHLY reactive to any animal that comes near him. He is very sweet with people, though. He will be a tough placement, but we would like to give him a chance.”
[LARRY ASIDE: 
He’s on the clock for 11 a.m. Monday. I hope this is in time.]
The note reads that his initial medical report showed him “to be emaciated with open wounds on his face, legs and ears. The wounds appear to be mostly fly bites but his ears appear to have it the worst and have what I suspect are large hematomas on his ears."

To save his life, email [email protected]. The shelter’s number is 972-216-6283.
[LARRY ASIDE: Isn’t there enough intentional death in this world already?]

THE CONTINUING CAMPAIGN
TO SAVE WILMER ANIMALS
Here’s an available Earhound. There are a bunch of animals in the small Wilmer Animal Shelter and everyone of them in this facility -- just minutes south of Dallas on I-45 -- is at risk right now.
We’ve posted many of them and here’s one more, clearly an EARHOUND, Daisy, a Rhodesian Ridgeback mix who is described in her “SAVE ME BIO” as “SWEET, SWEET, SWEET.  Very loving girl.  She has double dew claws on the back!  She is adorable - loves other dogs - and check out those ears.  (They certainly are the cutest ears ever - seriously).  Please, help save her.  The person that rescued  Daisy gave first vacs and she tested heartworm negative so she's healthy!  She just needs someone to save her.” To help save her call or text 214-949-2726 or email [email protected]. 


A BRIEF FROM BURNS FLAT

From Michael Corleone in The Godfather: “It’s strictly business. It’s not personal.”

Animal rescue is personal. It’s not business. Your heart makes you an offer you can’t refuse. Save the animal.

Here’s the note from Burns Flat, Okla., rescue role model Terry Lynn Fisher that inspired that opening paragraph.
On Sunday she wrote, “This weekend, I told myself I was going to take some time away from the rescue part and spend it with my grandbabies. I have been so stressed over personal issues, and there have been so many in need. That didn't happen. The calls started Friday night and never stopped. I will be sending several emails out, so please bear with me. If you can help, I appreciate any I can get here.  If not, I totally understand, for I myself know how many needs we have had lately.
“
To start, here are the two here at the pound that I need moved asap.  Both are young and so very sweet. Both came from people that just didn't care.”

Ebony is the young Lab -- “she is crate-trained house-broken and loves everyone. When first met she is hesitant but once she realizes you will not hurt her, she is a love bug. Fine with other dogs and cats."

Ivory is the girl in the cage in the back of the pickup on her “rescue day.” Terry Lynn wrote, "Young little scruffy girl. I adores her. She is so full of love. Her family just never really cared and let her run wild -- she almost got hit so many times. A little thin but we are working on that.”
Terry Lynn would love to place these girls with rescue groups to give them a maximum opportunity to find a loving home. Email her at [email protected]. If you think you know a group, copy this and send it to them or give them our address www.readlarrypowell.com.
Terry Lynn has many other rescues she’s coping with and there’s no rule that says Oklahoma dogs can’t find good homes in Texas, though Texas dogs often have a hard enough time finding good homes in their own state. 
She’s also helping with the Elk City Pound, that’s about as far away from her as the drive from downtown Dallas to downtown Fort Worth only there’s less traffic and construction. But here’s the deal and contemplate these two dogs as you read what she’s written: “Elk City is about 23 miles from me... It is where my vet is and the town we go to for just about everything. The pound there has never really been a good place. There use to be a very evil man in charge. Thank goodness he is now gone and the young man that is ACO now cares and tries to save them...”
These are two of around a dozen dogs -- all sorts, big, small, meek, friendly -- that are about to get the needle if no one helps. Terry Lynn is helping as the go-between so contact her at [email protected] and offer to help or at least give her a “thank you” for trying so hard every day.

AT DAS ON THE FINAL SUNDAY
OF ADOPT A SHELTER DOG MONTH
I went deep into the list of the 275 adoptable dogs posted at dallasanimal services.org on Sunday. There are four of the faces. Unwanted. Likely to get the needle even if it is “Adopt A Shelter Dog Month.”
As long as I was looking at the dogs, I looked at the cats (63 on the website, more in the shelter) and the “other” category: two guinea pigs (Mocha and Frappe) and this magnificent Earhound, i.e., Earhoundus bunnyrabbitus.
That is Hazel, a 14-week-old black-and-white shorthaired rabbit. She’s been at the shelter since September 22. 

Cali is that magnificent Calico (A1041948), a shelter resident since October 11 -- she’s about 9 months old.
And, then there are those wonderful, wonderful dogs. Hundreds of them. And only humans can save their lives.
[LARRY ASIDE: When I write “Dallas -- let’s stop the killing” -- it’s not just aimed at the Dallas City Council’s philosophy or the shelter following the orders to “humanely” end the lives, it’s aimed at the people who don’t care or decide to ignore what happens when they CHOOSE not to be responsible for the lives of the animals they once said they loved. This constant euthanizing -- not really an accurate word -- this constant killing can only be stopped by getting humans to act like a decent species. And that is a chore in a “don’t care society” in Dallas.]

CONTEMPLATIONS:

A LITTLE BIT OF LIGHT ...
Dear Readers: I’m still reeling from the Pittsburgh shooting. It is difficult to accept that there has been yet another mass shooting by an apparent madman in our America. 
It isn’t that a “place of worship” was the the target -- it is that THE PEOPLE who worship were the targets. That guy didn’t care about shooting up a building, he was intent on killing THE people. That is so disturbing.
I grew up with a second-hand haunting by Hitler and his philosophy. My dad was in the Infantry in Europe -- just an American teenager trained to kill and sent to a beach in Normandy in an effort to end “the war.” He was among the GIs who were shot at and bombed and, yet, lived to liberate concentration camps. The visions of the dead and the barely living haunted my Dad for decades and, in his deathbed despair, were among the last things he remembered in the threatening fog of the evening of his own passing.
 And now, there’s this demonic guy in Pittsburgh -- an American with a wrong-headed view of people.
If my dad had survived until now, he’d have a whole new round of night terrors -- only this time inspired by an American whose rights were saved because Dad and others -- my Baptist dad and his childhood Jewish friends -- went to war.



HOPEFUL AMERICAN BOY
 -- Maybe I have lived a life of total naiveté -- In my childhood in the 50s and early ‘60s I was confident that humans, having seen World War II and Korea, would get wiser about their own behavior. Vietnam proved to me how stupid I was with that optimistic thought.
"Despair” is such a spot-on word for that feeling that permeates the aftermath of an event such as Saturday’s.
 Remember that line from the Spanish writer/philosopher George Santayana: “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” 

The cataclysmic event of 1963 occurred in Dallas on November 22 -- one man assassinated the President of the United States and changed a world. An awful event.
But two months earlier, there had been that despicably wretched event in Birmingham, Ala.
On a Sunday morning, September 15, 1963, a handful of Ku Klux Klan plotters dynamited the Sixteenth Street Baptist Church in Birmingham. The timed explosion on a morning when people should be safe in their place of worship, injured 22 but killed four girls -- three 14-year-olds and an 11-year-old. It took decades to put anybody in jail for this horrible crime.

A LINK TO PITTBURGH? 
Why link Birmingham to Pittsburgh? Because good people care. People who want swift, certain justice. People who believe in the goodness of our nation and its system of justice.
My longtime friend and former colleague at The Dallas Morning News, Lori Korleski Richardson, is the wife of author and former journalist Jim Richardson, now a respected and beloved Episcopal Priest. They live and worship in California.
On Sunday morning, Lori posted this note: “Mourning in wake of the Tree of Life Synagogue murders, remembering what Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. said after four little girls were murdered in an Alabama church: ‘We must be concerned not merely about who murdered them, but about the system, the way of life, the philosophy which produced the murderer’.”
God bless our America and keep every good and kind and respectful resident of this nation safe. Help the others see the light. As the Jewish proverb goes, “A little bit of light pushes away a lot of darkness.”

--- Offer an opinion, advice or a solution by clicking on “comment” below or emailing [email protected]. And God bless America with light to push away darkness. ---

 

JUST SO NOBODY FORGETS...

This is a personal note to my scores of former colleagues who remember the date October 27, 2004, as an odd day in our careers at The Big Paper Downtown, not that odd days were unusual. 
You’re not forgotten, you are in the hearts of people who were there with you and people who remember your loyal work.
(I loyally dressed as a rabbit once for an event designed to help promote the integrity of the newspaper -- usually I edited and wrote, but not in the bunny suit. It was a rental.)
So this layoff was a BIG layoff. Lots of loyal employees. Some people went on to find other jobs in newspapers, some didn’t. The paper, like the industry, was in a convulsion and passing it on to the people who’d helped it grow.
I like to think that all affected found a happiness. (I'd found happiness in 1991-- wedding photo! -- with my Funspouse Martha, also an employee of The Big Paper until she left the next year, '92, to start a pet-sitting business because, she said to some bosses, “I’d rather work with animals.” All laughed. I’m told.)

Back to the Dark Day of the Layoff: Not sure the management team found happiness. I hope each person who had a vote has acquired an understanding of what happened that day and what their actions meant to lives and families.
Of course, “understanding” is not the equivalent of “comfort.”

(FYI, if you want to see how big the company was in those days, there’s a link below to a really positive news release from early in 2005.)
In the meantime, on Thursday the 25th in 2018, I bought two cups of coffee and paid $4.21. The stock price of The Big Paper Downtown, once magnificent, closed at $4.45 a share on Friday. That coffee was pretty good. I didn’t see the paper.
Well, why go on with lamentations? We’re happy The Big Paper Downtown continues to publish. America needs honest, aware, smart, stick-to-the-mission newspapers in print and online. It’s integral to freedom and democracy. Even in Dallas. 
That photo? That’s my late companion, Inky, the Cocker Laureate of the State of Texas and our staff impersonator, giving us his impression of a dog who nodded off while looking out the front window and waiting for somebody to throw a newspaper into the yard. FYI: The paper hasn’t arrived outside that window since the morning of 10/27/2004. I excused myself about two minutes into managment's private "gee, we're sorry exit interview" with me to walk down to circulation and cancel my subscription. Seemed like the thing to do. Still does.

I can’t decide which Bob Dylan song to close with:

Selection A from Dylan’s Not Dark Yet

“Don't even hear the murmur of a prayer
It's not dark yet, but it's getting there.”


Selection B from Things Have Changed

“People are crazy and times are strange
“I'm locked in tight, I'm out of range
“I used to care, but things have changed.”


Here’s that link to the 2005 vision of The Big Paper's company: CLICK HERE.
A lot of property mentioned is gone now. And, after reading that news release, maybe Things Have Changed is appropriate.

--- Thanks for indulging me. Offer advice, support or therapy by clicking on comment below or emailing [email protected]. ---

UNDERCOVER SLUMBERDOG -- CHARLOTTE, CAPTURED IN HER MORNING ROUTINE

We asked for photos of slumbering critters and got this great response from our pal Jeneva O’Connor. “Not sure this is useful but I had to send it,” Jeneva wrote, then explained, “My Charlotte, now 11, puts herself to bed, under the covers, every morning after breakfast. You know, that post- breakfast nap!
“I had to lift the bedspread to get the shots, otherwise there's just a picture of a lump!”

As you can see, Charlotte is too beautiful to be relegated to “lump” status. 

Jeneva founded N-TRUST-UR-PET and, as the website says, she’s been taking care of pets in the Park Cities and Preston Hollow since 1986. In that amount of time, a petsitter gets to know a lot of a clients and a lot of animal people.
So, what’s Charlotte’s story? 
Jeneva, long a Beagle backer, writes, “Charlotte was the result of an accidental breeding, her dad being a horny 9-month-old PBGV(Petit Basset Griffon Vendeen) and mom an unsuspecting 13-inch Beagle. My good friend -- who gave me Benjy, and Melissa Boesch's Nemo [the late beloved star of local cute dog contests] -- called me when the puppies were born, and that is when she realized who the father had been.”

[LARRY NOTE: DEAR READERS, I’m going to keep you paternal suspense for a second to ID the two sleeping dogs as Benjy and Charlotte from 2009, and the baying Beagle with his distinct foreleg, is Nemo, around 2013, or so. Now, back to paternity.]
Jeneva explains that her friend “had just been keeping him [Dad] temporarily and he had jumped the fence to get to the female. She had not known that he did that, or that the female was in season at that time. 
“There were 8-mixed puppies and she wanted to place them in good homes. Not exactly a 'rescue' story. I went to see them and fell in love with Charlotte. She is more independent than the Beagles, and has never slept on the bed with me. 

“As far back as I can remember, after the Beagles get off the bed and eat, she goes back on my bed and digs into the bedspread until she can burrow underneath. It is pretty cute to see the lump. She will sleep for several hours like that. ... She really is adorable and has her own way of doing things. This is what she really looks like and yes, that is a cat condo which she took over when she was old enough to use the couch to access it. It gives her a better view since she has her mother's legs which are very short!”

[LARRY ASIDE: How adorable is Charlotte! And, don’t you Westminster Dog Show fans love it when the announcer says, “And now we have the P B G V” or when the announcer explains the difference between a 13-inch and a 15-inch Beagle. One does have to say Charlotte looks like she got the best of both breeds and may be the world’s most comfortable P B G V B G, i.e., Petit Basset Griffon Vendeen Beagle Gal.]
SEND THE PHOTOS AND BIOS OF YOUR slumbering dogs, cats and other critters to [email protected] and we’ll post them in our long-running, internationally read, weekend feature Let Sleeping Dogs Lie & Napping Cats Nap. Your story may inspire someone to give a good home to a dog who loves to nap under the covers, on a cat condo or in the lap of a favorite human. And, expect some of us dedicated insomniacs to try getting some sleep by pulling the covers over our heads after breakfast-- it's The Charlotte Method, it’s a proven slumber strategy.
--- Offer comment, consultation or congratulations by clicking on “comment” below or emailing [email protected]. ---

FOR FRIDAY'S EDITION: ASSORTED NOTES ABOUT DOGS, CATS, PEOPLE AND PRODUCTS FOR INADVERTENT FELINE ENTERTAINMENT

EDITION OF FRIDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2018 (PetPowellPress) Bear with me. The realization just struck that it’s two months until Christmas. OK, straighten up. Here are some animal challenges. And other notes.

OREO NEEDS HELP --
HE’S A DALLAS CAT!
That’s an envious stretch, isn’t it! You wouldn’t think a sophisticated international city like Dallas would have free-roaming, unclaimed cats, would you? Oh, you would! Well, of course! That’s where the Dallas kittens come from. But this guy isn’t going to be helping anybody make kittens unless there's a miracle in Big D.
 Our tip on Oreo comes for noted local writer/ editor/ journalist Kim Pierce, my former colleague at The Big Paper Downtown who also wears with honor the label “Protector of Cats.” Kim writes, “We are reaching out because little Oreo – a sleek, black-and-white, 2-year-old male kitty – needs a Hail Mary pass. He was rescued from a dangerous, heavy traffic area with no refuge on Canton Street by the Dallas Farmers Market.
 “The woman who had been feeding him cannot take him in for personal reasons. If the situation were different, she’d take Oreo in a heartbeat! But in an effort to help him, she did get him neutered and tested for FVRCP/leukemia (negative). She also got his vaccinations, including for rabies.
“ A temporary foster stepped up. Oreo, who’d been living outside, adjusted very quickly to being indoors. After warming up to his foster parents, Oreo enjoys morning pets, tummy rubs and playing fetch (yes, fetch) with his toys. He also gets along with dogs.

“Problem is, he needs to find a new foster or a home by Nov. 7. He will not do well in a shelter. We are desperate to find a place for this sweet baby to land.”
 To offer to help Oreo -- adoption, foster, etc. -- call or text Kim at 214-534-0233.

SPCA’S ANTI-CRUELTY WORK GETS
PETSMART CHARITIES HELP
In a news release Thursday, the SPCA of Texas announced that it’s the recipient of “an $85,000 grant from PetSmart Charities, the leading funder of animal welfare in North America.” The money will be used solely to “support the medical care and rehabilitation of pets in North Texas recovered from environments of cruelty and neglect such as hoarding, dogfighting, starvation and abandonment.”
 The money will finance “medical interventions” -- that’s “testing, vaccinations, microchipping, wellness medications, extenuating medical treatment and rehabilitation, for some 3,000 animals rescued from abuse. Grant funds are also allocated for upgrading laundry equipment to include a commercial washer and dryer for the Russell E. Dealey Animal Rescue Center.”
 SPCA President/CEO James Bias said the current equipment can’t handle the daily capacity. And, he says, “The increase in capacity allows SPCA of Texas volunteers to spend more quality time interacting and working on enrichment with these animals, instead of transporting laundry to offsite locations."
Kelly Balthazor, regional relationship manager at PetSmart Charities, said, “Every pet deserves a safe and loving home however, sadly, this is not always the case. It’s not often an opportunity comes along to specifically help an especially vulnerable selection of the pet population – those who have experienced neglect and/or abuse.” 
[LARRY ASIDE: In case you need a mature dog to accompany you on your day’s activities, you can adopt Coco, a “large female Dalmatian/Australian Shepherd” at the SPCA’s Jan Rees-Jones Animal Care Center in Dallas -- asa bout /3129311, the six-year-old girl in the Super Hero Mask. The kitten is Sassy (167372), a 3-month-old getting ready to enjoy her first Halloween -- she’s waiting at the SPCA’s adoption area at the PetSmart in Frisco.]

CHECK OUT THIS SLOGAN IN PERSON;

THERE’S A COSTUME CONTEST, TOO

In case it’s not big enough for you to read, the slogan under the Don’t Forget to Feed Me Pet Food Bank illustration reads, “So that no pet owner ever has to choose between stay...or go!” 
The organization would like you to “stay” for a while -- from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday at the ribbon-cutting celebrating the new location for Don’t Forget To Feed Me Pet Food Bank Inc., at 5825 E. Rosedale in Fort Worth.
(We’d not have seen that had it not been for the tip from the great animal-advocate Karen Lee of barkleyworld.com.)
Visitors can tour the warehouse space, enjoy treats (human and critter), and there’ll be a “furry friends” -- I think they mean animals, not guys with beards -- costume contest at 2:30 p.m. Wait! Instructions suggest, “Dress up your whole family, match your pet’s, or just go all-out on your furry family members.”

THE DAS SPECIAL CONTINUES
THROUGH HALLOWEEN
Just a reminder that Dallas Animal Services is adopting animals for $10 through the end of October. Do they have enough animals? Well, I reckon. I’ve taken the liberty of breaking out two separate listings from the DAS’ latest “report cart.” See the whole card HERE
https://dallascityhall.com/departments/dallas-animal-services/Pages/Daily-Report-Card.aspx .

How many animals are on the clock at DAS --- hundreds and space is limited. What happens to animals at the shelter: Adoption, rescue, reclamation or the needle.
Check the euth stats in that second frame. Click on the artwork to make it grow.
So, go to dallasanimalservices.org and see the faces of animals whose lives need to be saved.
We already highlighted this cat, Zeus, this week.
But, so what! Somebody save Zeus and get extra credit on your permanent record.

EVERMAN’S SHELTER
NEEDS SOME HELP
Heather Harrison, our long time contact for needs in the Everman City Shelter on the southern side of Fort Worth, sent a note about the dogs in need and included the info that the Everman Shelter is run “by a hard working, devoted Animal Control officer.  He is begging for help to make space so he doesn’t have to euthanize! Does anyone have space for a dog??”
 We’ve chosen to use this collage titled “SENIOR BORDER COLLIE NEEDS A MIRACLE.”
His name is, as you can see, GRAMPS. He’s 9-year-old male Border Collie/Lab mix. Why is he there? Heather’s note read, “He was dumped at the shelter when his owner died last week.  He is a larger fella with wobbly back hips & a small lump on his side.   He is very well mannered & calm.   He really just wants a quiet place to lay his head!
Other animals include 10-month-old Shepherd mix Austin, 8-year-old Lab mix Chase, 2-year-old Pointer Mix Lucas and a year-old female Cattle Dog named Lizzy (look at those ears and that tail!). There are many more. To ask about helping, email Heather at [email protected].

CONTEMPLATIONS
OPEN HOUSE/GARAGE SALE AT LAKE;
NEED  SLEEPERS/NAPPERS;
AN ACTION-PACKED CAT GIFT
See that dog Cookie? She’s #2202 at the Humane Society of Cedar Creek Lake Shelter in Tool, Texas. You’ll be able to meet this distinct canine beauty on Saturday because the HSCCL is hosting an open house from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. (We got the tip on this from our reliable Lakeside monitor, Sydney Busch, mainstay of Friends of the Animals at Cedar Creek Lake which operates, of course, the world’s most successful spay/neuter clinic at Gun Barrel City, not far from Tool or the lake.) At the open house, you can tour the place, get free hot dogs and refreshments and pick out a new dog or cat to enhance your life. The shelter is at 10200 CR 2403 in Tool. Phone 903-432-3422 -- see more of the adoptable dogs and cats on Facebook HERE. Missie is a 10-month-old Aussie/Heeler mix who “loves to give kisses” and, as is the earmark of a great Earhound, “listens to commands.”...

My dog, Porche Noel, says that unless you want to see more photos of her sleeping in a pile of bed covers while dreaming of her time as a general with the Space Force, you’ll send us photos of YOUR sleeping dogs and napping cats for presentation in our Sunday feature Let Sleeping Dogs Lie & Napping Cats Nap. Porche poetically says wake up, smell the roses, send photos and bioses to [email protected]. Other people deserve to see the animals you adore. ....
Thursday night, my funspouse Martha was going through the daily mail including the latest (of many so far) edition of the Ross+Simmons Catalog. Suddenly she laughs and says, “They’ve got the perfect thing to give anybody whose got a cat.” This is a photo from the catalog of the 40-inch tall ladder that an electric Santa climbs up and down while any of 15 Christmas carols play as the lights flash and your cat sits and contemplates just how to leap up there, capture Santa and run off with him! Then, sometime in the middle of the night, you’ll hear a happy cat padding down the hall with a mouthful of a right jolly ol’ elf while humming, “Here comes Santa Claus, here comes Santa Claus.”
--- Offer opinions, suggestions or winning Lotto Texas numbers by clicking on “comment” below or emailing [email protected]. ---

OLD DOGS; YOUNG DOGS; CATS, PASTA, BONEHEADS AND A DALLAS SONG

EDITION OF THURSDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2018 [PetPowellPress] Every now and then there’s a story that touches hearts. This one probably got to me because we have an old dog, Annie, the 15-year-old Heeler mix.  Wednsday morning I got an intense STACK of email dealing with the same topic: "URGENT SENIOR GOLDEN RETRIEVER IN NEED."
The original request from help had come from the great Steffenie Vela, rock-solid mainstay of the Euless Trinity GAP Rescue.
Many of you reading this probably have an old dog hanging around the house -- an old dog who has been with you so long that you almost can’t remember a time without him or her. This situation will get to you. On a number of levels but mainly in your very soul.

Steffenie’s request outlined a woman’s situation: “She is moving and husband won’t let [the dog] go with them.”
An explanatory note about Lucy said the Golden Retriever is 17, has arthritis in her rear legs, her teeth are worn, her hearing bad. But “she is sweet and has never bit anyone. She just wants to be by your side and be peaceful.”
 
A number of people became interested in helping Lucy.
 Jane Herrick’s note from her office read, “One of our secretaries emailed GRAlliance and they are taking her.” 
Accompanying that message was a note from Golden Retriever Rescue Alliance -- GRAlliance -- reporting that “we are already in contact with the owner and plan on bringing this girl into our program.”
A few hours passed on Wednesday and I got in touch with Tricia Phillips with the rescue group. I could almost feel the tears she must have had as she typed this: 
“Larry, unfortunately, we just received word from Lucy’s mom that her quality of life is getting bad enough with her arthritis that she is having trouble getting around and eliminating. She has decided to take her tomorrow to be put to sleep. We are very saddened by this. We would have loved to give the old girl all our love for whatever time she had left. We respect her decision, though, knowing it is one of the hardest decisions we have to make as pet owners.”
God bless Lucy and may she run like the wind, wag her tail at the angels and always be the leader of the pack with a loving soul to walk beside.
[LARRY ASIDE: Yeah, I’ve got some tears now, too. Old dogs deserve our tears and the touch of the hands they love comforting them at the end. Old dogs...members of our family, owners of our hearts. 
 Here’s the link to Golden Retriever Rescue Alliance:
https://grralliance.org. And on Saturday, November 3,
from noon to 2 p.m. you can visit the Golden “meet-n-greet” at the Chic-Fil-A in Hurst, 767 Grapevine Highway, across from the Lowe’s. Some of the dogs will be young, some not so young. The thing about Golden Retrievers is no matter their age, they’re always game for the next event.]

ANOTHER QUICK NOTE
ABOUT THE WILMER PLIGHT
We got a note Wednesday from Laura Macias and Leighann Hayden about the situation in Wilmer, just south of Dallas. We’ve written about the shelter’s pressing population woes before, but never with the tone used in the latest note from the small shelter monitors.
The key sentence reads, “This shelter is unable to do adoptions, so, sadly, if a rescue does not pull, then the dogs have no chance.”
To offer to help Laura save these dogs, call or text her at 214-949-2726 or email [email protected].
These dogs, among the “most urgent” at the little shelter, are Annaliese, a young female mixed pup who enjoys being held; Rocky, a Staffie who used to live with Chihuahua before his life’s path went sour; Braden, a Shepherd mix who was dumped at a “dumping area” and Jaxon, the adorable Mastiff/Bulldog mix who is said to be among the most loveable dogs ever at the shelter.

Good grief, surely there’s someone who can find a place for these fab faces.
THE BIG TEX BOOT CONTEST
I’m not sure you can see the boots on reconstituted 2013 Big Tex clearly enough in this photograph -- I took it during the first State Fair after Big Tex burned to the framework in 2012.
As I wrote upon seeing his first set of post-fire clunky books, I could imagine Big Tex holding out his arms and asking, “Howdy, folks, do these big thick boots make my feet look fat?”
But, we’re in 2018 now and things have changed, including Big Tex’s boots. (These photos of Big Tex's 2018 boots -- fancy ones -- were taken by the Fair's photog David Brown.) On Wednesday, the State Fair Announced that, reading from Fair PR Senior VP Karissa Kondoianis’ news release, “Big Tex got a brand-new pair of custom Lucchese boots for the 2018 State Fair of Texas, and now he just can’t get enough! He wants to sport a fresh, new design next year, too.”
And that is where you, Dear Readers, come in. No matter your age, you can participate in the 2019 Big Tex Boot Design Contest, presented by Lucchese Bootmaker. The news release says, “all you need to do is draw, paint or illustrate your design on the templates provided at https://bigtex.com/designmyboots/ .”
The contest opens November 1 and closes January 31, 2019. That gives Lucchese enough time to get the winning boots good 'n' ready for the 2019 Fair Sept. 27-Oct. 20.

CONTEMPLATIONS
PASTA, BONEHEADS AND AN EASY DALLAS SONG
Holy macaroni, you won’t believe what the special day is for October 25. Allow me to elbow you as you noodle around a bit. Yes! October 25 is World Pasta Day, according to Holiday Insights. Unlike so many “days,” this one has some facts behind it. Holiday Insights says, “World Pasta Day was established as an annual event  at the first World Pasta Congress held on October 25, 1995, in Rome, Italy. It is promoted by pasta manufacturers around the world.” We’ve never seen a dog that would turn down pasta, but we have lived with a couple of felines who loved spaghetti -- more appropriately, they were fond of angel hair pasta. Slurped it up like cartoon cats. This guy is Zeus (A1046033), about 4 years old, currently a resident of the Big Dallas Shelter operated by Dallas Animal Services. He, like other animals at DAS, is available for $10 through October 31. Call the shelter at 214-670-6800 or stop by at I-30 and Westmoreland. Get a cat for just $10 and you'll have plenty of money left over for pasta! ...
AROUND TWO DECADES AGO, I went to a meeting of the Dallas Bonehead Club (working on a column for The Big Paper Downtown) in what has become known as the Lorenzo Hotel overlooking I-30 on the southern edge of the heart of downtown Dallas. To my knowledge that may have been the last meeting of the Dallas Bonehead Club. It had been around for decades and decades -- it's 100th anniversary of a charter is in 2020. It was dedicated “to learning more and more about less and less.” For decades, the Dallas Bonehead Club would show up on opening day of the State Fair to conduct a ceremony closing the previous year’s fair. Why? “You can’t open something that’s never been closed,” one of the guys told me. For a long time in a less intense environment, the Boneheads had a public sense of humor -- something you can’t always say about the City of Dallas. So, today, I’m making yet another appeal to find some old Bonehead out there who knows what’s going on with the club today. I feel the need to write a story that says, “We have learned today that the last public sense of humor in Dallas has died, a victim of the times and the personalities and the fear that a good laugh will kill a profitable venture.” We do know, of course, that laughter won’t fill a pothole. Ask the boneheads at city hall. Oops, let a joke slip in.
SO HERE’S AN APPROPRIATE SONG to follow this appeal for knowledge about the Dallas Bonehead Club. Click HERE. https://youtu.be/PNnYS3SOn88 to hear Willie Nelson sing about “a beautiful lady with a Mona Lisa smile” and try not to think it’s satire as you “breeze down the LBJ.” Nobody breezes on LBJ -- not for decades. Might have when Dewey Groom of the Longhorn Ballroom and sax player Don Stovall wrote the song back in the 1960s. That photo is from 1978. Dallas had a sense of humor back then.
--- Offer an opinion or a solution by clicking on “comment” or emailing [email protected]. ---

THE CHALLENGES OF SHELTERS; DUMPED BABIES; A BIG TEX 'REVEAL' & iPod's ANNIVERSARY

EDITION OF WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 23-24, 2018 [PetPowellPress] Remember in school when you learned how to spell Wednesday? How about that glorious feeling when you could print it correctly! And then, hallelujah!, spell it correctly in cursive? Cursive! Ah, the glory of penmanship.
Said to be rebounding in the American education system. We’ll see. Is Pluto back to being a planet, yet? Can pigs fly? There are samplings of my ability to work with the word “Wednesday.” The short versions are reporter versions. More on that in a minute.
When I was in the 7th or 8th grade my class got to take a penmanship test that was sent off for judging “back east” and when the results came back, I got a “participation certificate” while everybody else was awarded a “Recognition of Triumph” or something like that. I did the test again and, again, got a certificate of participation. It was at that point, I began to feel sorry for all of my teachers who tried to read my “hen-scratching.”
But, less than 5 years later, I was a newspaper reporter and had trouble reading my own notes! Every time I hear a court demanding to see a reporter’s notes, I chuckle -- most reporter’s handwritten notes have a lifespan of about 12-hours. You can read ‘em while you’re writing the story, but the next morning it’s not time for reading, it’s time for deciphering. You see samples of my handwriting here and, also, two reporter shorthands for Wednesday. Shameful, right? My grocery shopping list is not much better.
That dog? That’s Bella (ID A0903696) and, clearly, she is an Earhound, but we think she may be the Wednesday Earhound, i.e., a dog whose magnificent ears appear to stretch from one end of the week to the other. She’s at Dallas Animal Services (A0903696) and she’s a spayed black and brown Miniature Pinscher who may be about 6. Been waiting for adoption, rescue or the sting of the needle since September 25. One day short of a whole month. She’s at the big shelter at I-30 and Westmoreland. Call 214-670-6800.

The first black and white cat is Creek (A0998346), just under two years old and in the shelter since September 26. He’s neutered and awaiting adoption at the PetSmart Everyday Adoption Center (972-381-1588, Ext. 5).
The second is Trey (A1026829), described as a “neutered male, tri-color Siamese mix.” He’s about 2 1/2 years old and the DAS page says he’s been at the shelter since April 13. April 13? That’s what they say. (Save his life by going to the shelter at I-30 and Westmoreland or by called 214-670-6800 to ask how to adopt or rescue.”
Trey has what we call a “Wednesday Face” -- for today’s purposes, of course. That is, his face represents what a guy says on Thursday when he shows up late for work and the boss asks, “What happened yesterday” and the guy replies, “Oh, man, the middle of the week was just a big muddle to me.”
Remember this: Through the end of this month -- that’s the 31st for those who can’t red their notes -- you can adopt any animals at DAS for $10 -- ten lousy bucks.
Go to dallasanimalservices.org to see the hundreds -- HUNDREDS -- of animals that have been dumped at the shelter or captured by DAS roaming the streets. [LARRY ASIDE: HUNDREDS OF ANIMALS ON THE CLOCK! Thank you, don’t-care people. Each of these animals at peril is on your head. Not that you have enough of a thought process to make it matter to the heart you would have had it developed to maturity. See the chart below? You forced someone to kill that many animals so there’d be a place in the shelter to handle the next batch dumped by people who don’t care if the animal lives or dies as long as it isn’t their problem. Help me off this soapbox before I hurt myself by crashing through the slats and terrifying the dog.]


ALL THE IDIOTS AREN’T IN TEXAS,
SOME ARE LIVING IN OKLAHOMA
Holy smoke. Just Monday we got a note from Terry Lynn Fisher about a litter she’d rescued in Burns Flat. On Tuesday we got this note. I’m enhancing the opening sentence. She wrote,
“WHAT THE HECK IS WRONG WITH PEOPLE! .... I have recently sent out a plea for help with a litter of 8 Pit babies...
This [Tuesday] morning, I received an email from a lady out in the country. As her husband was leaving for work at 4:30 this morning, he saw a box by the mailbox.
“Curiosity got the best of him and he looked... There they were -- these six itty bitties.

“I am surprised coyotes never got them.

“They are URGENT and need a safe place ASAP.”

The best way to help them ASAP is to get in touch with Terry Lynn in Burns Flat [email protected]. Call her at 580-330-1459.
Ask her about these six, yesterday’s eight or any of the dozen or so she’s trying to help survive bad conditions and worse humans.

THE CLOCK CLICKS QUICKER
AT THE LITTLE WILMER SHELTER
In Tuesday’s edition we featured several dogs needing an escape from the small but crowded, low-traffic adoption-impaired Wilmer Animal Shelter in the small (population around 4,200) town on the southern edge of Dallas on I-45.
Suddenly things have gotten tighter at the shelter. This report comes from the small-shelter mission folks Laura Macias and Leighann Hayden. On Tuesday, the warning of animals at peril included this telling passage, “This shelter is very rescue friendly and they typically do not do adoptions unless a rescue group is involved to help -- the shelter is very, very old.  They are currently working on plans for a  new shelter.”
 Yeah, well, those plans aren’t going to domino by the time the needle goes into the necks of some of these animals, so it’s up to humans to get in touch with Laura by calling or texting 214-949-2726 or emailing [email protected] to get the animals out of the shelter before tragedy can strike.

Some of the dogs in this shelter come from traditional dumping areas such as infamous Dowdy Ferry Road and Malloy Bridge.
See yesterday’s appeal by scrolling down and, in the meantime, we’re featuring the faces of these two shelter residents. 
That young girl is Annaliese whose family tree may include a Chihuahua. She’s described as a “precious little girl” who is “so baby sweet and cute and adorable.”

 We opened with Jaxon’s mugshot -- he’s a Mastiff/Bulldog mix whose life can be saved if a rescue group will find someone to foster. The report is he “adores other dogs --- is the sweetest, most friendly lovable guy ever. ... You just won’t meet a sweeter more loveable guy anywhere -- we are completely serious. He is just full of love.”
Nobody steps up to help him and he’ll no longer have that handsome vibrant face giving off his grin when he sees a human or wagging that powerful tail when he sees another dog who may be a playmate. [LARRY ASIDE: Yes, in my home with the limit, I am nearly tearing up over the potential loss of this good dog and that great face. To borrow from Terry Lynn Fisher in her Burns Flat note, “What the heck IS wrong with people?” And can it be fixed?]


CROWDING IN MESQUITE
Several animals were on the Code Red list for Tuesday at Mesquite Animal Services. Zena was not among them, but she’s a candidate for the next round if no one grabs her. 
Zena, at about 5 months old, came into the
shelter as a stray -- Already spayed! How’s that for a rare Metroplexian Miracle -- on October 15. As you can see, she has a skin condition -- she’s being treated. Her volunteer biographer, Judi Brown, tells us that 31-pound Zena “would literally scamper around the yard. She chased balls but did not retrieve them. She needs a devoted adopter to teach her to do that. ... She is very well-mannered and obedient. She sits for treats. She is so motivated by treats that she kept sitting in hopes of reward.” [LARRY ASIDE: I can relate to that last sentence!]
 To offer to help Zena (ID 39924470 beat the Grim Reaper into submission by adopting her or rescuing her, call the shelter at 972-216-6283 or email rescues@cityofmesquite. com. There are plenty more adoptable dogs and cats in the Mesquite shelter. See them at THIS SHELTER LINK. And, yes, one of the cats you can see is this 2-month-old kitten who has been in the shelter since the 2nd -- probably doesn’t remember a day outside of the shelter. [LARRY ASIDE: I’m with the clever shelter folks in thinking that a name from a high court will yield a positive, righteous result for this baby. Just an opinion.]

CONTEMPLATIONS


JERSEY TRANSIT, BIG TEX AND THE CALENDAR
We open our contemplations with a report from our Eastern Seaboard Bureau Chief Andrew Fisher, currently of the Indian Lake community at Denville, N.J., and a veteran commuter into New York City. He reports there’s news about a transit employee saving animals from the tracks. “Most of the news about New Jersey's mass transit system has been bad. Here's a wonderful exception!” he writes. Here’s THE LINK.
And we assume North Texas transit folks are working on avoiding animal mayhem on tracks. But, you know what assume does...
LOCAL BIG TEX NEWS we get from the State Fair of Texas PR VP Karissa Condoianis. You may recall that before the Fair began, the fairgrounds hosted a public viewing of the installation of Big Tex, the 55-foot-tall Midway Cowboy. Starting at 10 a.m. Wednesday, the Fair will help Big Tex step down from his vantage point at Big Tex Circle. This is event is also open to the public. But his exit is not happening immediately at 10 a.m. He has one more 2018 task before he can take off his boots and soak his giant feet. Karissa’s tip reads, “Before he goes, the famous mascot of the State Fair of Texas will be making an exciting announcement -- something you can look forward to for next year’s fair. You won’t want to miss it.” [LARRY ASIDE: Our guess? Deep-Fried Teslas? That’s about the only thing that hasn’t been tried.]
CALENDAR NOTES: Did you realize the iPod was introduced to the energetically iPod-purchasing public on Oct. 23, 2001? [LARRY ASIDE: I still have one. Has classic movies on it. I keep it next to the bed in case I have trouble sleeping and want to nod off watching It’s a Wonderful Life, John Sayle’s magnificent Texas film Lone Star, Bill Murray in Scrooged or Buster Crabbe in Flash Gordon’s Trip to Mars. All that aside, Holiday Insights, our online source for annual holidays, reports that October 24 is National United Nations Day and also National Bologna Day. Write your own punchlne depending on your political thoughts. I’m going back to my iPod.
--- Offer opinions or insights by clicking on ‘comment’ below or emailing [email protected]. ---

SAVED FACES, MERCY’S EYES, WILMER’S CROWD, & SOME STATE FAIR PHOTOS

EDITION OF TUESDAY, OCTOBER 23, 2018 [PetPowellPress] You can tell a lot by an animal’s face. Take for example this guy Jake, currently in the care of the SPCA of Texas. This might have been the look on his face as Brett Maher’s field goal attempt clanked off the goalpost against Washington on Sunday. Has anybody mentioned “Curse of the Blue Jerseys”? We’ll have more on Jake in a minute. We’ll also have young faces in Wilmer, a dog who’s face has changed a lot and our Contemplation reaching into the State Fair of Texas’ 2018 successful soggy run. Now, our report:

NOBODY WANTED THIS DOG?

PEOPLE -- AGAIN THEY DISAPPOINT!
Some face on this kid. His name is Blue. He’s currently in Burns Flat, Okla., but he can travel. All you have to do is email Terry Lynn Fisher at remembering_ [email protected] and volunteer to help him.
Terry Lynn emailed, “I was so shocked nobody came for this sweet boy... Look at that face.... He is so beautiful... And he is a great boy...I later learned his family moved away and just left him here... How does someone do that? I would rather see them turn them in to a pound than just leave them to fend for themselves.”
Blue needs to be fixed. He’s a Shepherd mix and he’s “very friendly and playful and loves kids,” Terry Lynn says. Then she adds, “He doesn't understand why he is in jail. When I leave, his cries haunt me. They are so deep. So sad. So heartbreaking.”

THE STORY ON JAKE,
THE GREAT SPCA FACE
We spotted Jake’s face on the SPCA’s adoptables list at www.spca.org. and then we found his autobiography, as ghost-written by “Ashlie, SPCA of Texas volunteer.” 
Here’s how it read: “Well hello there! My name is Jake and I am a year and a half old domestic shorthair mix. I'm a pretty bashful guy and can be pretty shy, hesitant, and quiet, as it takes me a minute to warm up. Once I do warm up though, I LOVE head scratches and attention, as long as it's on my terms. I like other cats as long as they aren't too crazy. I am not a huge fan of being picked up and really dislike belly rubs, but I do really, really love my head and face rubbed and scratched on. I also have an under bite, so I always look like I am smiling. My ideal home would be one that is adults only and quiet with low foot traffic. I would also love to have somewhere where I can be up high, so that I can look around.”
Nice job, Author Ashlie, particularly the smile sentence. To ask about adopting Jake (166862) go to the spca.org site. Jake’s in the SPCA’s Russell H. Perry Animal Care Center in McKinney. But, he’s willing to travel for loving home.

THE ANIMALS IN WILMER:

A GROWING POPULATION

The small Wilmer Animal Shelter, in the town just minutes south of Dallas on I-45, continues to draw animals but not enough people to keep things safely moving. So, Laura Macias, Leighann Hayden and their compadres soldier on, trying to find homes for otherwise doomed, dumped and discarded dogs. 
These are some of the animals that need help as you are reading this. [That's Emory on the right.] To offer to help, call or text 214-949-2726 or email Laura at [email protected].
Remember, many of the animals that come to the Wilmer Shelter are foundlings that have been dumped in the Dowdy Ferry Road area. Rescued from death to face death anew. [That's Preston left and Peyton.]
The shelter info:

EMORY, a “baby” Shepherd/Lab mix described as cute an “baby sweet” and brought in by the Dallas County officer, according to the report.
Then there are a pair of pups found together.
PRESTON is the boy Chihuahua/Hound mix and PEYTON is the girl. Naturally, at this age, they are “adorable and sweet and everything a puppy should be - they adore everyone and everything.  These babies were brought into the shelter just in time - they clearly were starving, poor little sweetie pies.”

MICHA is a female Lab, maybe a mix, who has “big, brown puppy dog eyes and white fur and she is precious.”
BRADEN, a boy Pittie mix, was “found in a known dumping location (Malloy Bridge) by the Dallas County animal control officer.  He seems to adore all people and really likes other dogs.


A DIFFERENT BREED WORKS
TO HELP MERCY SEE HER WORLD
A Different Breed Rescue has a different kind of fundraiser under way. It’s not just a general event, but a pinpoint event to help Mercy the Dog. a Schnauzer girl who was saved from death row.

On Thursday, the 25th, ADB will benefit from a fundraiser at the chili’s in McKinney. A portion of the proceeds from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. will go to the organization’s efforts to help Mercy see again. (Click on the poster to make it grow!) When you eat at Chili’s at 7576 S. Custer Road in McKinney, that day, ADB says, “be sure to mention Mercy at checkout.”
 There’s also a Gofundme site for the dog HERE. It is from that site that we learned the history of Mercy. According to ADB Rescue, Mercy was found “at a high kill city shelter in a cage shaking and trembling. The poor thing was just terrified! She had good reason to be. She was considered a ‘Senior’ at 5+ years old and blind. This sweet girl tugged at our heart immediately; how could we leave her behind when she was so, so scared.  She was pulled and brought back to our sanctuary.

“She has since been groomed and shaved down and her hair is growing back nicely. She has been spayed and updated on shots, and the vet thinks she is only 5-6 years old! Her eyes are cloudy from cataracts ,which can be corrected with surgery.” That’s about $2,500-$3000 per eye, the gofundme site says.

And, the dog that beat the Grim Reaper is described as having “a happy go lucky personality, always wanting to be held, petted and loved on.  She is a talker!! And even though she cannot see well, she is very active and running around with the other dogs.
Mercy has a lot of years left to live and we want them to be the amazing years she deserves! We are looking to raise enough money for surgery on at least one eye so she can see again.”

CONTEMPLATIONS


STATE FAIR CROWD, PHOTOS AND 2019
At Readlarrypowell.com we adore the State Fair of Texas -- counting my newspaper career, I must have written about 200,000 paragraphs about it. Not to bring up the Cowboys’ despair or the Texas Rangers’ traditionally long off-seasons, but the State Fair is that lone dependable highlight of autumn. How about that rain? We got a note from Karissa Condoianis, the PR Veep at the State Fair, that revealed “that, despite 11 rainy days, Big Tex welcomed more than 2 million folks to the 2018 State Fair of Texas.”  
In the meantime, Karissa also sent a link to a fabulous collection of 2018 State Fair photos by David Brown. I’m sharing that link with you so you can see the various events and attractions and even Big Tex’s fancy Lucchese cowboy boots. The link is HERE. I picked a couple of photos to highlight. One that enchanted me is the little girl on dad’s shoulders waving the American flag. The other is a bit of a traditional photo that is a celebration of Texas and has Big Tex in the background. And that brings us to the traditional State Fair question: When is next year’s fair? Glad you asked. Sept. 27-October 20. Sorry to set off those cravings this early.
That may have been a photo of the Twilight Parade one dry evening at the Fair. No doubt that it's a parade at the State Fair of Texas -- Big Tex is photobombing 'em in the background. Just like photogenic Jake of the SPCA slipped his mugshot into this closing paragraph as reminder that he's still waiting for a home.
--- Offer advice, opinion or your own contemplation by clicking on “comment” below or emailing [email protected]. ---