ON A COLD DAY, WARM THOUGHTS ABOUT DOGS AND CATS...

EDITION OF FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 08, 2019 [PetPowellPress] Some people in my native Northeast Texas might say, “Boy, hidy, it sure didden fill lahk Texiz Thursdie mornin’” but they’d be wrong. It felt like the Texas we least expect but get every now and then except when we need it -- July and August. Unless you’re an outdoor worker, this weather can be kind of a nice surprise. If there’s sleet and freezing rain — then it’s just plain mean.
Here’s the one consistent thing about weather that turns lousy in Texas: People still need to be reminded that outdoor dogs and cats need protection from the weather and, apparently protection from the dimwits who think all dogs have the body style of sled dogs and all cats “will find some place warm and dry.”
Dallas Animal Services has a warm and dry facility — that big adoption center at Westmoreland and I-30 and it also has at least two dogs named Rocky. They have different ears, different expressions, but both are Earhounds, clearly, and both are available for just $10 each under the DAS Valentine’s adoption program. 
That happy Rocky is A1024387, described by DAS as a neutered brown and white Chow Chow mix. He’s about 9. Why a 9-year-old happy-faced dog is in a city shelter is beyond me. This is a dog who ought to be lounging on the couch and binge-watching something. He came into the shelter on February 5. Maybe he's an owner-surrender or somebody called his human who said, “Y’all keep him.”
The pretty Pitty Rocky, A1016066, may be just over a year-and-a-half old. He’s been at the shelter since January 29. And, of course, he’s neutered.
Geez, look at these Rocky faces. 
Include their numbers when you call DAS at 214-670-6800 to ask about them. Or just stop by the shelter for an introduction. You might want to meet Pepe (a104877), thought to be about TWELVE YEARS OLD and in the shelter since Saturday -- can't be a stray, surely. See many of the adorable adoptable cats and dogs at dallasanimalservices.org.
THE HANDSOME STAGHOUND
NEEDS SOME HELP AT GALT
The Greyhound Adoption League of Texas, which recently took in a bunch of its favorite dogs from Oklahoma, is also working with this guy -- also from Oklahoma. The GALT news letter reads, “Our big boy Harley needs a hand! When we say big, we’re not kidding — Harley is 100 pounds of fluffy Staghound (DNA results pending). Last year, animal control found him stray in Nowata, Oklahoma. We think he is about seven years old. At some point, Harley experienced serious trauma to both his rear legs, specifically the Achilles tendons, which we think are severed. Consequently, he will always walk with an abnormal gait." [LARRY FYI: A Staghound is a sight-hound used as a hunting dog — though, of course, we’d prefer Staghounds were used as companions and comforters. It’s much kinder.]
What was Harley doing in Oklahoma?
GALT says, “It is speculated that Harley is part of a population of an out of business coyote hunter.” [LARRY ASIDE: Doesn’t that just give you the creeps. A business? Sounds like an opportunity to do some killin' just for fun. Oh, for crying out loud.] You can read more about GALT’s efforts to help Greyhounds by going to galtx.org or reading this recent NEWSLETTER.
HUEY AND ELLIE ROSE
AND THE RESCUE

You see the photo. Here's why it's a touching photograph.
That’s Ellie Rose holding the little pup she rescued, Huey.

We got the story from the resilient rescuer of Burns Flat, Okla., Terry Lynn Fisher. [LARRY ASIDE: Terry Lynn appears to be passing along the “STA gene” — Save the Animal gene. Strong in this DNA, if that’s where genes go— when I studied biology, this wasn’t on the 10th grade test but we did know about Gregor Mendel and peas.]
Here’s the story from Terry Lynn: “Monday, I went to take food to the little pound south of my town. There was a basketball game going on and my granddaughter, Ellie Rose, saw a little dog run between the front and back tires of a moving car. 

“She was so freaked out we rushed over and got him. He was not injured so we called the police there and we were informed the dog belonged to a lady there who has been trying to get rid of him.
“I spoke with her and she said to take to the pound, she did not want him. The temps were with a wind chill in the teens and the pound there, like mine, is outdoors. I messaged a few people and a rescuer said to board him and she would take, so we did.
“I received an email this morning [Wednesday] that the rescuer is having a health issue and cannot take, so I not only have him in boarding and his shots, he has no place to go. So, he is in urgent need of a rescue. He is a little guy and so very sweet. If anyone has room, please let me know.”
Email Terry Lynn at remembering_oddball@yahoo.com and if someone beats you to Huey, ask Terry Lynn about the many, many other dogs she needs help with. She’s no slacker, but she hasn’t won a lottery lately, either.

CUPID, MITZI & THE GENERAL
MAKE MESQUITE LOOK GREAT
Look at those little teeth peeking out between the dog lips on that great Earhound’s face! That’s A Dog For This Season, Cupid, a 5-year-old Pittie mix (40692806) who strayed her way to the Mesquite Animal Shelter on February 1. Hard to believe that dog has been a stray — surely someone had a place for her in their home and hearts. Our Mesquite tipster, the volunteer biographer Judi Brown, says Cupid is “relatively low to the ground” and is made “unique” by her “permanent scowl.” She recently had puppies — oops, there goes the stray theory! Somebody said, “Dump the mom and sell the puppies.” 
She’s sweet, friendly, calm and gentle at 38 pounds, Judi says, and adds, “One of our kennel technicians told me that she seems to prefer women. She was very alert and in tune to everything that was going on around her. She walks well on a leash. … And I bet you could wipe that scowl off her face if you would make her your Valentine.”
The other Mesquite Earhound is Mitzi, also 38 pounds, a year-old Brindle Pittie (40697050) who arrived as a stray on February 2. Judi writes, “She is an adorable girl with quirky, stand up ears and a big grin on her face. She’s shy but not too shy to let you know that she wants to be your companion. She stays close and even pushes her body up against you for closeness. If you sit down she puts her head and paws on your lap. It was  difficult to take pictures of her because she stuck to me like Velcro.”
Just look at that sweet face! How could you not fall in love with her?
 To ask about any of these animals, call the shelter at 972-216-6283 or email rescues@cityofmesquite.com. That cat (40472413) is The General, a “Colourpoint Shorthair Mix” thought to be just over 5 years old. He’s been at the shelter since Tuesday. Nothing is known about him except that he’s neutered and has a “notched” ear to demonstrate it. See more animals in the Mesquite shelter by clicking HERE.
CONTEMPLATION
ON THE SUBJECT OF COLD
This is our first winter in about two decades without feral cats living on our front porch. It is odd to walk out into the bitter cold (understatement on Thursday) and not see a cat or two curled up on a heating pad in a camping chair in the sheltered corner of the roofed porch. Odd. But it brings back memories of cats and kittens through the years. Some who came and went, some who stayed, some who are with us yet by virtue of the fact that, when you’ve been rescuing animals for a while, it’s easy to run out of friends and acquaintances who need a cat or dog — that’s in Dallas, Texas, or many other points around the universe. If they ever open a colony on Mars, it’ll be full of people who left earth because we kept trying to give them a “fresh, new cat.” Anybody else get that feeling? …
—- Offer opinions or suggestions by clicking on ‘comment’ below or emailing dallrp@aol.com. —-