EDITION OF TUESDAY, JANUARY 29, 2019 [PetPowellPress] Now, ladies and gentlemen, THAT is a dog nose beggin’ to be kissed. We’re going to explore a mystery of life today: Why nobody’s taking up the offer to foster or adopt Roxy and Ginger, two great dogs. That’s Roxy with the big nose.
And, on the left, that’s Roxy and her pal Ginger on a
walk at White Rock Lake.
We’ll also address criminal charges related to “an alleged cockfighting operation in Southeast Dallas in August, 2017.”
And, we’ll consider assorted other animal challenges and Contemplations.
Right now we’re going to get into an ugly scene in Denton.
BEFORE WE GET INTO THE SAVING OF ANIMALS:
Did anyone else see the report on Channel 8 at 6 p.m. (or any of the other news stories in the area) about the North Texas State University student’s involvement in an incident during which a captive raccoon was set free so it could be fatally mauled by dogs? This is a bad thing. Bad. It shows disregard for life. It shows disrespect for animals. It
shows a willingness to do harm rather than help.
Who to contact to make a point that a prosecution is warranted? How about the Denton County District Attorney Paul Johnson HERE.
DA Johnson is apparently an animal fan — his office has been celebrating the arrival of a Goldendoodle therapy dog
named Brady who works with crime victims. Here’s the Plano Star story.
[LARRY ASIDE: Why get the Denton County DA involved? Because lawful behavior is too precious to leave punishment up to a university administration. This isn’t an administrative affront, it’s a criminal justice matter. This was a crime beyond a library fine or a campus parking violation by some nitwit kid. This was putting animals together so they could do harm to each other — for the entertainment of humans. Good grief. It’s just a dog? It’s just a raccoon? No. It’s animal cruelty — it may rise to a felony in Texas. Prosecute. This event killed a raccoon and damaged the dogs by inciting a blood thirst. So, so sad.]
STILL NEEDING FOSTERS OR A HOME,
THE BONDED ROXY AND GINGER
Yes, that’s Roxy with her face at the window. What is she doing? She’s “patiently waiting for her doggy treat in the drive-thru lane,” Kimberly Jones explained.
You may recall that Kimberly took over the care of the two dogs after a check
on them showed they needed some help. Kimberly had rescued and placed Ginger about 4 years ago and kept up with her. The adoptive family had also acquired Roxy and the two dogs bonded immediately and strongly. Then, the family broke up and they would have been back to the ol’ square one, except Kimberly stepped in to save them from the difficult experience of being
separated and place in a shelter or shelters.
On Sunday, they were guests dogs at a DFW’s Furgotten Friends adoption event where, Kimberly says, “They met some roly-poly puppie and some people. They were very well-behaved and had a good time.”
The bottom line is, Kimberly needs a foster to get them out of boarding (expense-not-needed!) until they find the right home. To help these two loveable dogs, get in touch with Kimberly at kimberlyaj4@gmail.com. And see them on their own Facebook page HERE.
Trust me, you may fall in love with two dogs. Make the right move and enjoy two new friends.
AN ARREST IS MADE IN A DALLAS
2017 COCKFIGHTING PROBE
The SPCA of Texas announced on Monday that authorities arrested Raul Torres-Martinez, 38, “on Wednesday, January 23, 2019, in connection with the case of 95 fighting roosters, 22 hens and seven chicks seized by the SPCA of Texas from an alleged cockfighting operation in Southeast Dallas in August, 2017.”
He was booked into the Kaufman County Justice Center and charged with two Class A misdemeanors, the SPCA reported and said the two charges are "owns or trains a cock with the intent that the cock be used in an exhibition of cockfighting" and "manufactures, buys, sells, barters, exchanges, possesses, advertises, or otherwise offers a gaff, slasher or other sharp implement designed for attachment to a cock with the intent that the implement be used in cockfighting." See photos from the scene of the seizure HERE.
You’ll see pictures of the slashing instruments.
[LARRY ASIDE: What would the bail be for two Class A Misdemeanors? $1,500, the SPCA reports. Misdemeanors? Come on. Having animals fight to the death surely is worthy of a felony. Get in touch with the Texas Humane Legislation Network and help THLN help the Texas Legislature make things tougher on people who abuse animals. Go to spca.org to see how to help the SPCA keep animals safe.]
Oh, and when the raid was conducted, the SPCA says that most of the birds were in individual pens, a few were tethered by their feet. And there was one rooster who was tethered and on the ground — that’s him — he had a broken leg and that is why he is not standing. Yep, misdemeanors. No idea what that sign means, but I think "Partido el Remolino" translates to, maybe, “The Whirlwind Party.” Perhaps someone can enlighten us.
The SPCA notes that cockfighting is a crime in all 50 states and in Texas cockfighting is a felony “punishable by up to two years in a state jail and/or up to a $10,000 fine.” Other affiliations with cockfighting — spectator, equipment possession, etc. — they’re just misdemeanors even though they inspire and abet felonious behavior. Money changes hands at the cockfights, you know.
BETTY LOU ‘CROSSES THE BRIDGE’
Our Prayers & Passages page (click on the link in the
upper right corner of this page) has a tribute to Betty Lou, member of the family of our dear friend Diane Combs. Betty Lou’s ravages of old age took her Monday. She’d lived a long and happy life, even toward the end when love and medications helped her endure. But it was time, Diane told us. And she remembered that back in 2005, Betty Lou had been the featured dog on one of SPCA President James Bias’ TV spots. Four people “checked her out” before Diane met her. She says she has no idea why they rejected Betty Lou, but the fourth person said she didn’t want a dog who weighed over 11 pounds. “Betty Lou weighed 12 pounds — not the least bit fat! Talk about picky!” Diane said. Yes, Betty Lou benefited from that one pound! Please, go to the Prayers & Passages page to read about Betty Lou's importance in a human life.
QUICKLY, WE CITE DOGS
IN WILMER, MESQUITE
Regarding Wilmer, the message from Laura Macias was simple: “If you see any sweet face below you can help, please call or text 214-949-2726 or email cat_girl_7@yahoo.com.
Ben, we’ve mentioned before. He’s regarded as “the BEST — and we mean the BEST bully ever” in messages Laura and fellow small shelter advocate
Leighann Hayden have been sending for weeks. He’s adorable. He was found in Wilmer, has passed the Operation Kindness temperament test and is simply waiting for the death needle or a rescue or adoption.
Same situation for Kimber, this adorabe Bully mix. She’s described as “SO CUDDLY, so SWEET, and just completely lovable. This is the sweetest little girl. Cute as can be. SO very huggable. She is a young dog — we are guessing a year old or so, and she has recently had pups, but none were found with her.” [LARRY ASIDE: Don’t get me started on the number of free-roaming idiots in North Texas. For crying out loud, spay and neuter.]
REGARDING MESQUITE, here are two not yet Code Red dogs but if no one helps them, it’s the needle.
Israel, 9 months old, is a brown and white Pittie mix who was adopted, then returned on January
14 with “no reason given,” says the Mesquite Shelter’s volunteer biographer Judi Brown. She writes, “The one word that best describes Israel is EXUBERANT! He leapt and bounded around the yard with joy. He found toys and happily entertained himself. He would chase balls and bring them back but wouldn’t give them to me.”
And that is the reason I included the photo of Israel with his tennis ball. He weighs 61 pounds and is a little lighter because he’s neutered.
(He’s 40411692 at the shelter.]
I’ve used two photos of 10-year-old-plus Chihuahua “Pudgy” because they show his ability to pose — note the cute paw lift in the second photo. Judi says he’s “an adorable little guy with an equally adorable personality.” (He’s
40411692 at the shelter.]
Pudgy is a stray who came in on January 22.
[LARRY ASIDE: He’d probably love to hear someone call him
by the name he’s known for a decade. I’m betting “stray” can be translated as “dumped” or “set free” in this case. Who would NOT take care of their happy ol’ Chihuahua?]
He’s perky, alert, tail-wags constantly, walks “very well” on a leash, is neutered and weighs just 16 pounds. He’s 40621079 at the shelter.
To ask about either animal in Mesquite, call 972–216–6283 or email rescues@cityofmesquite.com.
CONTEMPLATIONS
THE DENTON INCIDENT
First, I’m a former police reporter and former ambulance attendant who has seen humans do some really bad, intentionally ugly and stupid things — I’ve picked up bleeding people, moved bodies, walked into a murder scene where people shot it out at a filling station over noontime insult in their kids’ school cafeteria — and I’ve covered animal cruelty cases. Lots more mayhem is in my memories.
So, based on my experience with human behavior and human attitudes, the video of the clown letting the dogs attack a raccoon isn’t completely unexpected violence.
It is, however, a needless violence. And it makes me angry and wanting to make sure that there is a properly prosecuted legal case. Write to the Denton County DA on behalf of the animals, on behalf of society.
This behavior in the video isn’t something that should get the “second chance” approach. Anybody who treats animals in such a shabby fashion needs at least a day in court. Anybody who treats children or grown-ups in horrid ways needs at least a day in court. We need to rise above “minimum sentences” to make a point — at least to the guilty, if not to the potential offenders, though, of course, I have little hope for the really bad guys.
We have a system. Use it. Teach lessons on campus, but out in the real world, use courthouse convictions to emphasize that such behavior is criminal and unwanted in our society. My God, what sort of synapse was firing in that brain?
Dear Readers, I get upset periodically — maybe daily — at the way animals are treated by thugs and idiots. This incident has upset me more than anything in recent memory. It represents a Roman Coliseum attitude that is perfectly happy watching any living being fighting for its life.
Facing some heat from inadvertent publicity, the confessed bad guy in this case “issued an apology” to the university — let’s see him bring the raccoon back to life and apologize to it.
And then, if this sorry behavior were not enough to sicken a relatively sane human, there’s the horrible shootout in Houston. Suspects dead. Police officers are shot. Families are stunned and in despair. The term “law-abiding” suffers another blow in a state that struggles to maintain itself as a safe place to live. We’re more violent than the Old West.
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