ReadLarryPowell.com

MONDAY MORNING COMFORT DOG?

Just an old dog? No. This is Angel.
One more attempt to write Angel into someone’s heart in honor of all the older dogs we’ve loved and all the older dogs rescuers have loved and all the older dogs who didn't find a way out of an animal shelter.

The needle may be next for Angel. 8- or 9-years-old. Stray (#41246824).

Came to Mesquite Animal Shelter on April 6.
Definite Earhound.
Weighs 63 “pudgy side” pounds.
“She’s got the biggest heart,” is the shelter assessment.
When checking out the yard, it appeared “she was looking for her owner.”
That person has never come for her.

She is on the “urgent/critical” list. Needle — could you put the needle in this dog? Could you?
Rescue or adoption saves her life. Send this on to anywhere your email/Facebook go -- someone needs this dog. Link people to www.readlarrypowell.com.
Call Mesquite Shelter at 972-216-6283, email rescues@cityofmesquite.com.

—- Older dogs are good for your soul. —-

A CONFLUENCE OF CELEBRATIONS; SAVING ANIMALS, HONORING THE QUEEN

EDITION OF MONDAY, APRIL 22, 2019 [PetPowellPress] Because of the 2019 calendar, Easter Sunday, a day that touches so many hearts and souls, is followed this year by Earth Day, commemorating, celebrating and, yes, encouraging careful use of our planet. The days seem to fit together. 
You may recognize this photograph — for generations after 1968, that’s Earthrise, taken Dec. 24, 1968, by Apollo 8 Astronaut Bill Anders while in lunar orbit. How much has Earth changed since then? When was the first Earth Day? April 22, 1970. More later.
A MOOSE REPORT
The down-to-earth animal report in this edition begins with the latest episode in The Story of Moose. You may recall seeing this photograph. It was

snapped when the dog had found his way into the yard and was hiding in this obscure spot at the home of Casey Voorhies Bonano and Will Bonano. He’d gone just about his last steps.
 And you may recall that Moose is afraid of going outside. This was discovered once he was inside. Go figure. Something happened to this guy somewhere along the way. Now people are working to help him live a good life.
Stephen Foster of DFW’s Furgotten Friends, wrote, “He was so fortunate to have found his last days’ shelter at their [the Bonano’s] yard. I honestly believe he laid there to die. They were a little afraid to walk in this 15-foot by 3-foot area to pick him up and take him to a vet. I say Kudos to them for what they've done for him.”

Casey sent Stephen a note that read, “We are so happy to help.” And he replied that “happy to help doesn’t even come close to what you guys are doing. You are not just helping him. You are the only reason he is alive today. That’s so much more than helping. Don’t be shy. Own it. You both deserve the praise from every dog rescuer out there.”

Where is Moose being fostered? Stephen posted a note over the weekend explaining, “I just got home from dropping Moose off at his foster home. The fosters are the same people who found him laying in a small alcove area at the front of their house. They're all in for saving this boy. Thank you Will Bonano and Casey Voorhies Bonano. I have no doubt if this boy was found by someone else he would have been sent to the shelter. In his emaciated shape with heart worms and his incredible fear of the outdoors, I know for sure he would have been put to sleep. Now he has a chance.
“Moose is now part of the DFW's FurGotten Friends family. He has a very long road ahead but he's alive to make that journey. If you want to help Moose you can donate at this site: http://www.dfwfgf.org/"
TWO TO SAVE:
BUNNY AND ANGEL

Here’s the thing about these two dogs. You don’t have to chase them down to save their lives. Someone else has already taken care of the “capture” portion of rescue. So, all you have to do is go to the Mesquite Animal Shelter and get the dogs. 
You’ve seen them before. But time has a way of moving dogs higher and higher on the List of Desperation. 
Our tipster, the volunteer biographer at Mesquite Animal Services, Judi Brown, visits the animals she writes about. 

You see young Bunny with the magnificent ears and the oddly bent ankle. Judi writes, “I can’t believe we’ve come to this point with this sweet dog. Bunny is on the urgent/critical list. Help! I took her out today and she’s just as happy as ever. She’s got an innovative way of getting around. She just hops along.
”
A rescue is preferred over adoption right now, Judi says, because Bunny has medical issues after being hit by a car on April 6, the day she arrived at the shelter. Mainly, 6-month-old Bunny may have suffered nerve damage to her left paw. She gets around OK, but not perfectly. And she gives “lots of kisses,” Judi says. 
At six-months old, she weighs 24 pounds. And is an active tail-wagger. She's #41243527.
Angel (41246824) “is on the urgent/critical list,” Judi says. “She’s getting passed by because she’s not the prettiest dog at the shelter. But if anybody would take her out and spend time with her they would see that she’s got the biggest heart."
Angel, around 9 years old, came in a a stray on the 6th. Judi describes her as “a pretty girl with beautiful dark brown eyes. She has one ear that flops over and one that stand straight up. This adds to her appeal! She’s also on the pudgy side weighing 63 pounds. Since she walks relatively well on a leash she would be willing to go with her new owner on a  walking exercise regiment. Angel was friendly and wagged her tail but was more intent on checking out the yard. It appeared to me that she was looking for her owner. When I sat down she did come to me to have her ears scratched. After she checked out the yard she wanted to be inside as it was rather warm outside. She went nose to nose with many of the dogs in the bay wagging her tail.”
[LARRY ASIDE: It grinds my heart anytime I see an older dog in a shelter — somebody quit loving that dog or decided Angel was “too much to bother with.”]
So, you’ve got two dogs with different challenges but with only two possible results in their future: saved or killed. All these dogs need right now is a loving human to stand up for them. Call the shelter at 972-216-6283 or email rescues@cityofmesquite.com.
 You can also save cats at the Mesquite Shelter — this larger fellow is FOUR-YEAR-OLD Harper. He’s #41162242 and described as “Large.” He came in on March 26.
See the Mesquite animals online HERE.
[LARRY ASIDE: I’ve consistently preached The Gospel of Black & White Cats — we’ve had two and they offer a curiously entertaining playfulness — maybe it’s a genetic thing, maybe it’s the fact that they are cats. Our other cats are also curiously entertaining and playful. But, on the whole, the black and white cats have demonstrated an “oddness” at times. They’re nearly human and you can’t get much odder than that. Amen.]
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED
TO HELP DOGS FLY
Tawana Crouch and the team at the Society For Companion Animals alway can use more help. As you know, SFCA take animals that are unwanted locally and delivers them by air to places where they can become beloved family pets. 
Takes some lifting now and then. Coming up on Tuesday and Wednesday, Tawana’s team needs “volunteers to load dogs on the bus.” The Loading of the Bus is from 1 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. at Boykin Kennels, 2705 Coombs Creek Dr, in Dallas.
And on the 24th and the 25th, the venue is DFW Airport and the time is 4:15 a.m. — you’ll beat the rush hour traffic! The volunteers unload dogs, weigh them and un-crate them, etc. To offer to help with these important tasks, contact Tawana at tawanacouch@mac.com. Read about the organization and its mission HERE.
A HAPPY NOTE
ABOUT MAE
It’s always good to know of the victories in the animal world. Our Denton tipster Amy Poskey who monitors the city’s shelter, sent this note, “I’m happy to report that our little Mae was adopted…Thank you so much to Pug Rescue of Austin for offering to save this love sponge!”

And, there you have it: A 2-to-5-year-old Chihuahua/Pug mix, 18-pounds of affection and facing heartworm treatment in her future, finds someone to love her.

[LARRY ASIDE: And that was the last animal available at Denton’s McNatt Animal Shelter — hang on. Let me check my facts. Here’s the LINK to the animals waiting in the shelter.
At the site you’ll see a photo of the remarkable face of Harper (81050), a young Catahoula girl. And you’ll see Alan, a young feline fellow who likes to lounge.]
CONTEMPLATIONS

CARDS, EARTHDAY & THE QUEEN
These cards are for sale for the benefit of a spay/neuter clinic. Call it artistic endorsement. The work is by Celene Terry, the award-winning artist and a friend of the Friends of the Animals at Cedar Creek Lake. Our tipster, the Friends’ guiding light Sydney Busch, reminded us that Celene has created “a package of 10 beautiful cat artworks note cards” to help raise money for the Friends Spay/Neuter Clinic, the world’s most successful spay/neuter clinic at Gun Barrel City, Texas. For $15, you get 10 Celene Terry cards — there are 5 different designs. Where can you get them? At the clinic on Tuesdays from 5 a.m. to 5 p.m. You might be able to work a deal to get cards delivered — email sydney@friendsoftheanimals.org. Read about the clinic HERE or on Facebook HERE … Learn more about the history of Earthday HERE. ... Whoa, Queen Elizabeth turned 93 on Sunday?!.
At this History Channel SITE, you can learn a lot about the queen including this tidbit: “The queen remains the only female member of the royal family to have entered the armed forces and is the only living head of state who served in World War II.” She drove a truck and worked as a mechanic for the Allies in The Big One. This Time Magazine photo shows Princess Elizabeth discussing her work with the beloved Queen, her mother. So, in closing, we do wish Queen Elizabeth the very best and we offer this song from four lads who rose to prominence during her reign and The British Invasion.
—- To offer advice or opinions, click on “comment” below or email dallrp@aol.com. —-

A SLEEPING DOG, A NAPPING CAT

"This is one of my favorite family photographs," typed Larry Powell, the dog and cat writer who found these two.
This is the perfect demonstration photo for this weekend’s edition of Let Sleeping Dogs Lie & Napping Cats Nap.

Yes, a sleeping dog and a napping cat.
Texas Earl the Cheeseman is the dog and the cat is Simon Mycroft Holmes.
They both have histories. But they both have also have this: They are adored.
I snapped the tandem photo last week. I had time to shoot — these boys weren’t interested in waking up to chase off the paparazzi.
That Rottie gentleman Texas Earl the Cheeseman was named after he was rescued from Kiest Park where he’d been dumped. No idea why I named him that — it just fell out of my head.
How’d I find Earl? I saw him in the shade of a tree on an arid day in the dry, waterless park. He was near the parking lot for a soccer practice area. Every time a car parked, this dog would jump up, trot to the driver’s side, look in the window and if he didn’t see the person he wanted, he’d go back to his spot and wait for the next car. I watched him do this for about a half-dozen cars and decided he could do better than the lout who’d dumped him. That rescue happened nine years ago.
And, of course, like all Big Dogs, Earl likes to go for a ride. Here he is lit by the sun. Then he’s about to nod off while riding shotgun. And, in the third photo, Earl has decided the console looks like a great place to rest his chin while napping.

 His partner in sleeping and napping is, now and then, our baby boy cat Simon. I rescued him when he was abandoned by his feral mom under the shrubbery in our front yard. I’ve rarely had to cross the property line to rescue cats in our neighborhood.
 Simon’s rescue was in the fall of 2017.
I’d been monitoring Mom and her 4 kittens — two grays, an orange and Simon — and one morning Mom and three kittens were gone. Simon, barely a month old, was sitting in “his place,” screaming at the top of his little lungs. Just to make sure that the kitten was abandoned and not just in a holding pattern, I carefully waited about 10 hours to see if Mom was coming back. She wasn’t.
You’d think he’d have been exhausted after a day of announcing he was ready to eat, but he wasn’t. We took him in and fed him.
 Convinced that this tiny kitten was a girl, we bestowed the name “Ivy Diane” — found in the ivy and named for our pal Diane Combs. Ivy Diane. It was a wonderful, meaningful combo.
 On Ivy Diane’s first visit to the vet, the wonderfully dear Dr. Vladi DeJong held the kitten up, looked at the indicators, smiled his big smile and said, “Congratulations, she’s a boy.” 
That photo of the kitten sitting outside the carrier shows a crestfallen Kitten Formerly Known As Ivy Diane about a minute after getting the gender news. We think he has now adjusted to the sudden change in his future. You can see how he’s grown through the past year and a half. The photo on the left shows that he's beginning to from kitten to "flamepoint" cat.
We’d been bottle-feeding the rascal — that’s Martha feeding in self-defense. He was an aggressive nurser — lots of claws and lots of biting on that rubber puppy nipple. The pet store was out of kitten nipples — true story — so I opted for puppy nipples, suspecting they’d work just fine. Simon had no problem getting plenty to eat. He has maintained the attitude ever since.
The other photos show Simon helping Martha read. And then you see him learning to edit by sitting on my shoulder and learning about Mr. Subject and Mr. Verb agreeing — and if I dangle a participle, he’s quick to slap it back into place. The final photo shows him in a favorite lounging area — on the desk behind my computer screen. Now and then he’ll reach under the screen and slap my fingers while I’m trying to type The Lesser American Novel. He’s a critic at heart.
But, as you can see, he has a top-notch role model for manners and sleeping — his buddy, Texas Earl the Sleeping Cheeseman.
These are two very beloved family members. Our recommendation is the each household should have at least one pair of matching sleepers like these. How well do they match? Neither of them snores and both of them enjoy the company of people who adore them. That’s a great match.

[DEAR READERS: I know YOU have wonderful photos of your sleeping dogs and napping cats, maybe a snoozing iguana or dozing duck. We’d love to spotlight them in our weekend edition of Let Sleeping Dogs Lie & Napping Cats Nap. Send photos and bios to dallrp@aol.com. There’s no charge and also no prize. It evens out. Remember, your photo may inspire someone to save a life at a shelter. We believe these slumber photos encourage members of the Global Insomniac Community to believe that they, too, can get some sleep if they can just find the right partner or figure out a way to curl up in the front seat of an American-made SUV.]
--- To praise these pals or offer sleeping tips, click on "comment" below or email dallrp@aol.com. ---

IT TAKES FAITH TO HANDLE THE CHALLENGES OF ANIMAL RESCUE AND WEARING A BEARD

EDITION OF FRIDAY, APRIL 19, 2019 [PetPowellPress] This is Good Friday leading to Easter Sunday. Passover begins Friday evening. In our family, as in many families, there are some who celebrate Passover and some who celebrate Easter. Same thing in our Dear Readership. From our heart, may God bless you and strengthen your faith. Believe that you can get good things done. 
Our report today will include hustling for Oklahoma dogs, the Moose story, Mario’s challenge, a State Fair “first” and other notes including beards and bunnies. Here goes.
THE MOOSE SITUATION
You may recall seeing this first photo of Moose — he’d apparently wandered up in a yard, given up and flopped down in a corner hoping not to be noticed. But he was at the home of animalfans Casey Voorhies Bonano and Bill Bonano and they got him into the care of DFW FurGotten Friends. President Stephen Foster posted an important Moose note on the rescue Facebook page. He wrote that “as the head of DFW Furgotten Friends we stopped asking for donations for every dog we take in but I have this special dog we really need help with. Moose has been at the vet for over a week and he's ready to go to a foster. He's so terrified of going outdoors it will break your heart.”
[LARRY ASIDE: 
I’ll let that soak in as we note that he’s coming up on a $600 bill for heartworm treatment, needs to gain weight and will need extra confidence-building behavioral treatment that’s expected to hit the $1,600 mark.]
Stephen says, “We’re trying to raise $2,500 for everything he needs including the food and supplies for him for the next three to four months before he'll be ready for adoption.” Go to this site and click on DONATE in the corner.
MARIO’S CHALLENGE
AFTER SURGERY
Oh, boy. Some story. We got the tip on it from veteran rescuer Kimberly Jones who sent us to the Facebook page of Angie’s Friends where we found a Thursday morning report that said Mario is “resting comfortably but is still tough and go” after having a mangled leg amputated. 
According to the Facebook page, Mario came into Angie’s Friends “after he majorly injured himself while escaping his yard. It appears he jumped a chain link fence and shredded his Achilles tendon.” Damage was so great that the folks at City Vet said he’d be better off without having the leg. [FYI: We’re trying to find someone who knows which leg is now missing.]
 Angie’s Friends hasn’t won the lottery lately, either, so you can help by donating to Mario’s bills at MedVet Dallas (972-994-9110), 11333 N. Central in Dallas. Or go to Angie’s Friends website HERE. 


THE BEAUTIFUL MAE
NEEDS A PLACE TO GO
Our traditional Denton tipster Amy Poskey writes, “This cutie patootie is Mae and she’s been waiting for love for way too long just because she is HW+. Poor baby, it’s not her fault."
Mae is somewhere between 2 and 5 years old, weighs 18 pounds and is heartworm positive. She’s described by the shelter as “sweet as pie and ready to go home with you today. Please note that Denton Animal Shelter Friends will provide a $200 voucher to go toward her heartworm treatment when adopted or rescued. Her ID is 81311.
 Call the shelter at 940-349-7594 or email gayla.nelsen@cityofdenton.com, Randi.Weinberg@cityofdenton.com, julien.peralta@cityofdenton.com, dentonshelterdogs@yahoo.com, and/or dentonanimalservices@yahoo.com.
THE CAMILLE CHALLENGES
This sick little kitten was tortured by just trying to live the life of a stray, mange- stricken, ignored and unwanted kitten in Houston.
 As Barbara Louis of Loving Arms Pet Placement wrote, “It breaks my heart to think what she endured," then added a truth that rescuers know all to well, "But, it is on to the next one. You know there are more out there.”

Our pal Alexandra Kelsey, who tipped us to this attempt to save the kitten’s life, wrote, “Her life ended with love and care, and that was a blessing for her.  But it is heartbreaking to have lost this brave kitty.”

In the end, Camille's assorted challenges led the medical professionals to believe that she would not improve. Barbara wrote, “The kindest thing was to let her go and we did. She is running free now.” See how to help with “the next one” by going to www.lovingarmspetplacement.com.

MEANWHILE, IN BURNS FLAT,
UNWANTED CAT, UNWANTED DOG
The resilient rescuer Terry Lynn Fisher continues to be challenged by the appearance of animals other people don’t want in and around Burns Flat, Okla., a town so far west it could pass for the Texas Panhandle. We’ll start with this cat. 
Terry Lynn writes, “This precious girl was left behind when her awful owners moved away. She is timid at first, then once she realizes you aren't going to hurt her, she is very sweet and loving. She is fine with dogs and other cats.” 
The challenge is Burns Flat doesn’t have a kennel for cats, so the cat, currently in a short-term foster, needs a place to go. Email Terry Lynn at remembering_oddball@yahoo.com. 

There’s also this old guy Otis. Terry Lynn told us, “A couple days ago, I was sent a picture of an old dog laying on a hard cold floor in a pound in Oklahoma City. If you know me, you know the elderly, whether it be animal or human, touch my heart and soul. This old guy looked so sad and depressed. He was blind and deaf — so lost and confused.
“I have so much going on... Pound is filling up. I still have one in the boarding facility and owe thousands there still from all winter. I have the Parvo Puppies at the vet, fighting for their lives, with the bills adding up daily. I have several here in town wanting to surrender their dogs... And I have the I-40 momma Pit (Momma Blue) with her 10 babies that survived.

“Taking on a dog like this is not something I could do alone.So I sent out an email asking about him. I have had several offer help.We even had some offer to take him.”
What’s Otis’ medical condition? “He has a heart murmur and has started medicine for that. He had three teeth left, in horrible condition, so we pulled them... The are some back issues, that may cause a little pain, so he will have meds for that.He is totally blind and almost totally deaf.
“BUT he has the will to live. He wants to be touched. He wants to be held. All he wants is to be loved.”
Terry Lynn is caring for this dog. “I will continue to get the things done he needs, then he is going to a friend's home to live whatever time God allows him left to live with love and kindness.

“I love this old guy... When I picked him up the other day, I cried the entire 2 hour trip to my vet. I just wanted to pull over and hold him.”

Terry Lynn can use some funds to help with Otis, the Left Behind Cat, Momma Blue and her puppies, another litter of puppies fighting parvo, assorted other dogs who have been abandoned by others and found their ways to Terry Lynn’s heart. To ask how to help her, email remembering_oddball@yahoo.com.
BUNNY IN MESQUITE
STILL NEEDS HELP
This dog with the tall ears and the floppy left forepaw is Bunny (41243637), the German Shepherd Mix who came into Mesquite Animal Shelter after she was hit by a car on April 6. Her biggest injury may be to the nerve that controls her paw. She’s about six months old, weighs 24 pounds and is, according to our tipster, the Mesquite volunteer biographer Judi Brown, “a sweet, friendly girl who doesn’t let her injury stop her from exploring her environment. She gives lots of kisses….” [LARRY ASIDE: Hit by a car and there’s not a rescue or a big heart who’ll take this dog in and help her? If no one does, she’ll get the needle.]
Tag Bunny by calling 972–216–6283 or emailing rescues@ cityofmesquite.com.
Also waiting for help or a home is this 2-year-old Alaskan Malamute, Sebastian — he’s deaf. Judi writes, “The owners were not willing or able to deal with this disability.” So, he was surrendered — a returned adoption on April 15. He’s got one brown eye, one blue eye and a “gentle, friendly, happy and very alert” demeanor. Fifty pounds “of love and cuddling,” Judi says. Good with kids, too.
This “Hershey-colored” Pittie mix Ethan, 67 pounds, came in as a stray on April 11. He’s “extremely sweet” and he’s sad, Judi says, “He doesn’t know why he’s at the shelter and not in a loving home. After all he’s a very good boy! Ethan is very gentle and doesn’t jump on you. He’s friendly and gives kisses. He stays close for extra attention….He’s got a very long tail!” [LARRY ASIDE: And it moves too quickly for the camera to catch, as you see in that photo.]
Then there’s 55-pound, year-and-a-half Buddy, a year-and-a-half-old Chocolate Lab Mix, surrendered on the 16th. Why? Judi says, “The reason given for surrendering him was that he plays too rough and sometimes play bites. The owner surrender form said he was mostly an outside dog. I, too, noticed this behavior; however, once he got out in the yard and played a bit he settled down. He does want to please. He knows the sit command. He is still very young and obviously intelligent. There’s no doubt that he would be transformed when given more attention and obedience training.”
To ask about any of these dogs, call the shelter at 972–216–6283 or email rescues@cityofmesquite.com. See other dogs and, also, the cats in the Mesquite Animal Shelter HERE.
CONTEMPLATIONS
STATE FAIR, EASTER EGGS AND BEARDS
The State Fair of Texas Board of Directors has its first first female chairperson, the veteran banker and civic leader Gina Armour Norris. The Fair was chartered in 1886. FYI, Mrs. Norris was raised on a dairy farm in Illinois — so, she may also be the first dairy farm kid to serve as chairperson of the Fair’s board. The 2019 State Fair of Texas runs September 27-October 20 in Fair Park with the theme “Celebrating Texas Creativity.” The new board leader’s news release quote reads, “I believe the State Fair is the heart and soul of Texas – a diverse kaleidoscope of Texas culture and a fun gathering for all of Texas.” She also notes that funds from the fair are “invested back into Fair Park, scholarships, and our neighboring communities.” …
As Southern Baptist kids, my brothers and I were big on Easter. So were the other kids in our neighborhood in Texarkana, Texas. Our neighbor, Mrs. Fisher annually hosted an Easter Egg hunt for her descendants and the kids who lived on either side of her home. Families would contribute colorful eggs to the event. And, annually, you could count on Mrs. Fisher’s two oldest grandsons, Walter and David, decorating raw eggs on the sly and hiding them so younger kids would have no trouble spotting them next to Mrs. Fisher’s chicken coop or in one of her magnificent flowerbeds. Walter and David have been gone for decades, but I can still hear their laughter as a younger cousin or playmate was talked into cracking an Easter egg on his own skull. That’s a photo from my days as a newspaper columnist — I was doing some kind of promotion for The Big Paper Downtown three decades ago. Clearly it didn’t work. But I didn't crack a raw egg on my head. … A lot is being made over a study that says men’s beards are dirtier than dogs. So what, I say. My dogs’ beards are immaculate. And I’ve had my beard since 1971, shampoo it daily and never had mange though I did once have (click here) a spell of lycanthropy.
— Offer grooming advice or lucky lotto numbers by clicking on ‘comment’ below or emailing dallrp@aol.com. Ah-wooooo. —-

BIG DOGS IN COWTOWN; BIG D GAME OF HOMES; CONTEMPLATIONS AND SLEEPERS

EDITION OF THURSDAY, APRIL 18, 2019 [PetPowellPress] So, in honor of the dire weather forecasts for the DFW Metrosprawl, we’re posting our Thursday edition early in case big winds, big hail, big rain and big electric outages cause big irritations. 
We already know of one meeting cancelation. This news arrived Tuesday, but we didn’t see it until we woke Wednesday morning. 
Fort Worth Animal Care & Control canceled its Partner Panel meeting, originally scheduled for 6 p.m. Wednesday at the Silcox Animal Care & Adoption Center. 
Ah, but you see here photographs of four dogs. Why is that?
Because the enlightened folks at FW AC&C thought to include this appeal on the meeting notice: “We are at capacity with our large dogs and we’re reaching out for your assistance….”
This is not a new situation — the “exceeding capacity” has been the status for the past few weeks, the note read. These four are some of the dogs who need a spot in rescue or a home. And the people to contact to ask about helping get these dogs to a good, safe place in rescue or a home are our ol’ pal the great Ginger Leach (email
ginger.leach@ fortworthtexas.gov) and her colleague in do-good shelter work Jessica Brown (email jessica.brown @fortworth texas.gov.)
And, yes, there are cats available in Cowtown. On Wednesday morning, as I scrolled the animals at Fort Worth AC&C, I found a Siamese-mix kitten with the improbable name: Pumpie Umpy Umpkin. Age and gender are unknown, but the kitten is small and feline. Everything else will have to be determined by people who adopt and love #41323358. You can bet that, if the Siamese part is dominant, you will have a cat that’ll talk to you.
AND IF YOU NEED SOMEONE
TO OCCUPY THE ANIMAL THRONE

[LARRY CONFESSION: I have never seen an episode of Game of Thrones. I saw about a 5-second clip that had dragons and my first thought was, “I hope they don’t start dumping ‘em in Kiest Park. I’ll never explain our singed backyard to the neighbors.”]
The SPCA of Texas has a promotional take on Game of Thrones and homes for animals. If you’ve watched the series, you’ll get the drift in this opening to the news release: 
“Winter is here and if you've been looking to adopt an animal from the SPCA of Texas to help you make it through the Long Night, you're in luck! The SPCA of Texas is having several Game of Homes adoption specials during the final season of Game of Thrones at its two Metroplex-area shelters, starting with a special discount on big dogs. From Monday, April 15 until Tuesday, April 30, anyone who adopts a dog weighing 40 pounds or more will receive 50% off adoption fees. To see all available dogs, visit www.spca.org/findapet.
“Come find the Prince (or Princess!) Who was Promised to bring happiness to your family. Whether you support House Bark, House Puggaryen, House Labbister or the White Hoppers, the SPCA of Texas is ready to help you find the pet of your dreams! Tune into the SPCA of Texas Facebook page for future Game of Homes adoption specials and adoption updates.”
The SPCA animals “on the Iron Throne” — Mama and Bambam, Little Girl the Chihuahua, the Kitten and others are viewable HERE.
Read more about the Game of Homes adoptions HERE.
CONTEMPLATIONS
A RESCUER'S CHALLENGE; PROTECTING ANIMALS IN WEATHER; CELEBRATING A SLEEPER'S PUPPIES
Challenges come in many ways. We’ve written for years about the rescue efforts of Dawna Carabajal, most recently with Friends of Rowlett Animals and as a member of the Rowlett Animal Shelter Advisory Board. But now she’s kind of in a tough fight with something called Occipital Neuralgia which she has described as feeling like “being hit in the back of the head with a brick.” There’s a treatment. And her sister has set up a gofundme site for her HERE. There's an explanation in the text. … Do we really have to remind people to properly shelter their animals in advance of the expected awful weather? Any of you SOBs — pardon my entirely appropriate French — who leave your dogs staked out even though you know a storm is coming, well, you’re going to have to answer to Somebody who is more influential than a dog and cat writer. … Our pitch for animals to feature in our weekend edition of Let Sleeping Dogs Lie & Napping Cats Nap will focus on an alumna — you may remember Momma Blue, the dog who survived a car crash when she was involved in a high-speed chase near Burns Flat, Okla. Turns out she was quite pregnant when taken in by a foster — 10 of her 12 puppies survived and this is a photo of Momma Blue being what rescuer Terry Lynn Fisher calls “such a great mom.” Homes are needed for these now-safe dogs. Email Terry Lynn at remembering_ oddball@yahoo. com. And, remember, your dog or cat doesn’t have to have experienced a single traumatic moment to be the featured slumberer in Let Sleeping Dogs Lie & Napping Cats Nap. Send the photo and info about your beloved snoozer to dallrp@aol.com. We love telling the story of animals that are loved. Thanks, Larry.
—-To offer advice or recipes, click on ‘comment’ below or email Larry Powell at dallrp@aol.com. He reads all email and chuckles knowingly at the political promises. —-

AT MIDWEEK: CELEBRATE PUPPIES, SAVE THE CATS AND DOGS, CELEBRATE & CONTEMPLATE

EDITION OF WEDNESDAY, APRIL 17, 2019 [PetPowellPress] You know we don’t really have a press, of course. We don’t even have a garlic press. Or a mimeograph machine. Our hearts live in a different time. Doesn’t matter. Here are the four days celebrated on April 17 according to our online source, Holiday Insights.
We’re going to show you this list and two kinds of bats — the 17th is National Bat Day -- it honors the flying mammals. The other bats? Well, sometimes their cousins provide excitement at Texas Rangers games. Celebrate them on more than one day -- we hope.
But now, we’re going to address the incredible delivery by Flora the Denton Dog.
FLORA AND HER PUPS;
HOW ABOUT THAT LITTER!

Much as we promote spaying and neutering, we still can’t help but fall in love with puppies and their mommy. We don’t even have to meet ‘em to fall for them.

We’ve been monitoring the attempts to find a good birthing place for Flora for the past several days, thanks to Amy Poskey, the veteran critter watcher at the Denton McNatt Animal Shelter.
The rush was to find Flora a place to live before she delivered. But Amy told us Tuesday around noon that “the shelter staff arrived to 11 puppies this morning — 3 males, 8 females!  Flora and her little angels have been moved to a clean and padded kennel but Flora and her babies still need rescue!”
 Amy writes that the shelter’s Gayla Nelson “reports that Flora is a sweet momma but she looks exhausted.”
 (That's a "pre-delivery mugshot.)
WEDNESDAY MORNING UPDATE: Amy, in an early AM email reports, "I am sooooo happy to report that Kelley with The Love Pit Rescue has tagged Flora and her 11 little angels." Keep up with the Love Pit Rescue and see how to donate to help Flora and her angels HERE. FYI: We're leaving the next paragraph in this story because you may be on the Denton website and see a shelter dog you'd like to adopt or help. That contact info is in the paragraph.]
To offer to give this Mommy and her babies a safe place for their early days as a family, call the shelter at 940-349-7594 or email
gayla.nelsen@cityofdenton.com, Randi.Weinberg@cityofdenton.com, julien.peralta@cityofdenton.com, dentonshelterdogs@yahoo.com, and/or dentonanimalservices@yahoo.com.
COOL CAT NEWS
FROM DALLAS ANIMAL SERVICES
We spotted this note about kittens and upon reading realized that it went deeper than saving the babies. 
The DAS text read, “These two cuties are Midnight (black) and Sunburst (black and white)! Our awesome rescue partner Coppell Humane Society rescued them from DAS when they were just 4 weeks old and fighting URI infections, poor little guys!
"Midnight & Sunburst are brothers that have been with their foster family since Thanksgiving and have been well socialized with children of all ages. They are both very playful and love to sunbathe together. Midnight is very curious and likes to explore all around the house. Sunburst is playful but a bit shyer. Both kittens will cuddle up next to you and purr.” And now they’re available. To audition to adopt Midnight and Sunburst, email moreinfo@coppellhumanesociety.com.
And, relax, there are still cats at Dallas Animal Services. You can see the online inventory at dallasanimalservices.org. While many, many of the DAS cats are quite young and many are kittens, there is this girl Zoe, a brown and white Tabby who is THIRTEEN YEARS OLD. As of this writing she’s at DAS’s PetSmart Everyday Adoption Center at 16821 N. Coit Road in Dallas. [LARRY ASIDE: I’m sure there’s a good reason she’s 13 and up for adoption — her human must have been kidnapped by space aliens and all the relatives were concentrating on building a pursuit space ship instead of taking care of Zoe properly.]

ANOTHER NOTE ABOUT
THE HELL HOUSE DOGS

This was on the Dallas DogRRR Facebook page — the video of the dog Seb freed from a stake-out chain. Remember, this was in Marion County, east of Tyler near the Marshall/Jefferson Piney Sprawl.
The DogRRR text reads, “As we were exploring the area to better understand the magnitude of 'Hell Property', we saw two chained dogs outside of a trailer.”
One was a guy named Nitro. The other was this dog Seb.
The video shows, “the moment Seb was freed from the chain and surrendered by his owner. The moment his life changed for the better. You see that black, bulging eye? According the our vet and even Seb's owner, he had that for a YEAR. A YEAR!!” See the video HERE
Not only will Seb have surgery to remove the eye, he also will be treated for heartworms. And he needs to be neutered and vaccinated. As the Dallas DogRRR text reads, “You can do the rough math, but bills continue to add up. PLEASE consider helping with Seb and the other 90 dogs from this area... it's been overwhelming.”

To volunteer to foster Seb, email foster@dallasdogrrr.org You can donate at www.dallasdogrrr.org.
One more note about the Hell House rescue. Dallas DogRRR President Patti Dawson told us that when the group showed up at the site, “We rescued 80 animals from the property. We started Friday night and rescued the rest Sunday. We have vetted all the dogs and more then half are heartworm positive. We had volunteers on the ground in Marion County and here in Dallas. The volunteers helped bath, transport to and from vet appointments. It was amazing how everyone came together. We are working to get the rest we still need a few more in foster care!”
CONTEMPLATIONS
AN ASSORTMENT: NOTRE DAME; WEATHER; MUSIC
This whole Notre Dame thing is depressing — until you see the response which appears to reveal that there are a lot of people with good hearts responding. People with a good sense of God in their souls. … Heard the Channel 5 weatherman urge viewers, “Be weather-aware.” Everybody from Texas knows this — twisters are the worst. Hail is next. Flooding ties with hail. Drought — well, heck, that’s just normal weather, y’all. Earthquakes? Not weather. Quakes are like a cold spell in the Dallas Cowboys schedule — a natural occurrence throughout the ages. …. We need some music today. Don’t anybody dare try to argue with this one: CLICK.
 Unless, of course it opens with a dadburned commercial, by cracky.
— Offer advice or stock tips by clicking on “comment” or by emailing dallrp@aol.com. —

THE ART OF RESCUE, A CAT YAWNS, BAILEY NEEDS A HOME, A KITTEN, PULITZERS

EDITION OF TUESDAY, APRIL 16, 2019 [PetPowellPress] The art of animal rescue is so personal. And it’s an art. It’s not a trade; it’s not a profession. OK, so maybe it’s a mission. But for today we’ll call it an art.
The online Oxford Dictionaries define “art” this way: “The expression or application of human creative skill and imagination, typically in a visual form such as painting or sculpture, producing works to be appreciated primarily for their beauty or emotional power.”
 As you may suspect, rescuing an animal needs an “application of human creative skill and imagination” and what results can be appreciated for “beauty or emotional power.” 
If you’re a rescuer, you still remember what it took to save that first dog, cat, litter, etc. It took an artful effort.
Speaking of art, that’s an action shot of my cat The Senator. He’d been reading some of my literary fiction and I caught him as he stopped to yawn. Work of art, he is. How’d I rescue him? I opened the front door and he walked in off the porch. Yep, work of art.

BAILEY — THE RESCUED DOG
WHO NEEDS A NEW HOME
Our longtime pal and rescue tipster Deborah Verner has had this dog Bailey available for adoption since July 2010 — yes.
We’ve written about Bailey many, many times as Deborah tried to find the ideal home for a “petite Staffordshire Terrier girl with high energy and the ability to scale tale fences with ease.
Bailey REALLY needs that new home now. Deborah’s health has become a challenge. She writes, “Due to my severe orthopedic problems, along with a newly diagnosed heart problem, it is imperative that I rehome her, preferably to a rescue.”
Bailey is about 10 1/2 — she was rescued in July 2010 from what Deborah describes as “a desolate back road outside Seagoville, at what's called the Tree Farm. She was dumped with her pregnant Mom, out in the middle of nowhere with no food, water, or shelter of any kind.” [LARRY NOTE: Mom had nine puppies and they wound up in the care of Dawna Carabajal until they were adopted.]

Bailey, in the mean time, has been Deborah’s personal project. FYI: Bailey’s clever, can give high fives with her right paw and climb over a six-foot fence. It’s time for Bailey to be in a new loving home, Deborah says.
You can email Deborah at DTrevino60@aol.com or contact her via Facebook HERE  where you can see other details about Bailey.
THE TINY KITTEN
RESCUED IN HOUSTON
We got the tip on this kitten from our pal Alexandra Kelsey who monitors animal issues in the Bayou City. She wrote, “It is hard to look at this photo of this tiny baby.  Loving Arms needs our help to save Camille, who has a wonderful team of vets trying to help this brave little girl.”

The original note, from Barbara Louis of Loving Arms Pet Placement, carried this subject line “The Harsh, Unforgiving Streets of Houston.” She refers to the photo and writes, “No, this is not a scary character from the latest science fiction movie. … Only 13 weeks old and near death. Loving Arms pulled her as quickly as possible from BARC [Houston’s Animal Services] and took her straight to the animal emergency clinic, VERGI. She is emaciated and struggling to live, but Dr. [Michael] Seeley and the amazing crew at the clinic went to work on her immediately and are doing everything they can to save her as this is being typed.  Camille is receiving the very best medical care possible.

“Her temperature was too low to register.  She weighs less than two pounds and has TERRIBLE Sarcoptic mange.  Camille deserves to live and know love.”

Two ways to donate: Directly through VERG at 713-932-9589 or at the Loving Arms website HERE. [LARRY ASIDE: Kittens in this shape face a tough challenge. Sometimes, with caring humans applying talent and love, they pull through.]
CONTEMPLATIONS

NEWSPAPERS, PRIZES AND DELIVERY
The Pulitzer Prizes were announced Monday. Because I spent so much time at The Big Paper Downtown, I may, now and again, know someone who is honored by the Pulitzers. This time our favorite Pulitzer Finalist is one of the coolest people on the planet, the great Melinda Henneberger who toiled as a top-notch reporter and writer at Dallas’ Big Paper Downtown when, in the profession, it was a "destination paper" for ambitious, dedicated journalists. She left to go to Washington, D.C., to cover politics and now is at the Kansas City Star.  Here’s a LINK to the Star’s handling of the Pulitzer story and you’ll notice a photograph of Melinda talking with a Kansas City Star editor, Colleen McCain Nelson who, yes, once was an editor at The Big Paper Downtown — as was Colleen's husband, Eric, one of my many former editors in my columnist days. FYI, The Big Paper Downtown did not win a Pulitzer this year — but as fans frequently say in Arlington in both Globe Life and AT&T stadiums, “Wait ’til next year — again.” … Every now and then I miss newsrooms. I loved The Fort Worth Press newsroom. I went to work there in December 1972 and it wasn’t until a hot spring day in 1973 that I discovered The Fort Worth Press was not air-conditioned. Yeah a reporter failed to ask a key question during the job interview: “Y’all got air-conditioning?” … Newspapers are important to democracy — they have to protect their own mission by sticking to ethics and honest reporting whether they arrive in print or on a screen. They sure do need to rebuild the trust, don’t they.

—- To offer advice or opinion, click on “comment” below or email me at dallrp@aol.com where we read all emails and scoff at very few. —-

ON MONDAY, DOGS, CATS, RABBITS, PEOPLE, MUSIC AND A 'FAVORITE BREED'

EDITION OF MONDAY, April 15, 2019 [PetPowellPress] Well, the world appears to be realigning itself — Tiger Woods has won the Masters and the sun is shining on Dallas. Now, while that’s all going on, some things are normal — the roads are under re-construction and dogs and cats still need heroic humans. We’re dressing up this opening with a photograph of Faith (A1039781), a year-old German Shepherd mix who came to Dallas Animal Services on April 5 and was on the weekend list for adoptions at the PetSmart Everyday Adoption Center at 16821 N. Coit Road in Dallas. She is clearly an Earhound. And combine those ears with eyes and the markings that look like musical notes, you’ve got a dog you can stare at for as long as she’ll stare at you and wag her tail.
 She may have been adopted. But she wasn't the last adoptable at DAS.
ALSO IN THE BIG SHELTER IN BIG D,
DOGS, CATS, GUINEA PIGS & RABBITS
As Tiger was still celebrating Sunday afternoon, the count at Dallas Animal Services was 269 dogs, 23 cats and 5 “other,” i.e., two guinea pigs and three rabbits. (Monday morning the count was 250 dogs, 26 cats, and the same 5 others.) The bunnies included this boy Luna (A1063872). He’s about 9 months old and arrived at the shelter on Friday.
Among the cats is Redd (1014580), about 2, a neutered fellow who is clearly a casual cat.
And that dangling dog is NINE-YEAR-OLD Scooter (A0921495), a Shih Tzu who has been in the shelter since March 27.
Most of the dogs at the big shelter at I-30 and Westmoreland are sizeable — you know, Pittie mixes.. Oh and Lab mixes, too, such as NINE-YEAR-OLD BONBON (A0934142), who arrived at the shelter on April 5.
To ask about any of these animals, call the shelter at 214-670-6800. And to see them, drive or Uber or bicycle or somehow get to the shelter at I-30 and Westmoreland. Also, go to dallasanimalservices.org to see the online list of adorable adoptables.
MEANWHILE IN THE DENTON SHELTER:
A STORY OF TWO DOGS PLUS FLORA
This girl is Patty. When you first read about her in an edition of readlarrypowell.com, she and a very similar dog, Midnight, were being described as urgent and rescue appropriate.
 Both were listed as 2- to 5-years old. Both were girls. Both had been in the shelter a while.
Midnight was heartworm positive and not suited for a multiple-dog household. Patty was “stressed at the shelter.”

So, over the weekend we got this note from our reliable Denton shelter-watcher Amy Poskey. “Once again, I’m in tears as I type this…  Precious Midnight was EU yesterday. Run free beautiful baby girl, we’ll see you at the Bridge.”
[LARRY NOTE: I posted Midnight’s photo because I think it is important for people to remember that these shelter statistics had faces and emotions and were not just trash blowing down the highway.]
Monday morning, we got this note from Amy: “Well, folks, I’m happy to report that Patty was adopted on Saturday!  I can only hope and pray it’s the PERFECT, FOREVER, LOVING HOME!  A very special thanks to Lorraine Sakli for her generous donation offer to save this beautiful girl AND a very special thanks to the Denton Animal Shelter for giving Patty lots of extra time to find her happy ending!” (Patty had been moved from rescue-only to adoptions, Amy reports.)

In the meantime, as Monday arrived, the extremely pregnant dog Flora had was still waiting for rescue so she can have her babies in a home environment. Call the Denton McNatt Animal Shelter at 940-349-7594.
CONTEMPLATIONS
DOGS, MUSIC, MUSING
Last week we saw this photograph on Joyce Conley’s Facebook page. She was using as part of her message, “Happy National Pet Day.” You may remember Rowdy (lower right) from 2017 when Joyce, of the Sadie Foundation, “extracted” the little bitty puppy from a difficult life in an RV in Terrell.
What was Joyce’s message with this photo? Lots of you will relate. “My 3 rescued dogs. Coco Puff, Tessie, Rowdy. Rescue is my favorite breed. Happy National Pet Day!!!”...
MUSIC THAT IS RELATIVE? Let’s see. How can I get into this music situation. OK, here goes: Hello. My name is Larry and I am the cousin of a right-reverend musical performer. 
Yes, it’s true. My cousin, the Rev. Mike, is a musician, performer and preacher. Hand him a guitar and he’ll play it. Hand him a microphone and he’ll perform. Hand him a plate and he’ll pass it around — he’s Baptist and that’s a habit, you know. Relax, he’s also got a sense of humor that people talk about — nicely.
So I spotted this on his Facebook page and thought I’d share it.
Mike, a veteran bluegrass performer and minister to out-of-tune humans, doesn’t know I’m doing this. But when I send him the invoice for the advertising, he’ll really think it’s funny and ignore it. When I send him the past due notice, he’ll think it’s a riot. Maybe.
He wrote on his post, “In less then 3 weeks I will be here in Central Louisiana with some mighty fine folks. The Nugent Family puts on a great family friendly GOD honoring event!” The event is in DeRidder, about 2 1/2 hours south of Shreveport on I-49. [LARRY ASIDE: I mention Shreveport in case Texans want to stop at the casinos to win enough money to pay for the gas for the trip. Probably won’t get an “Amen” for that last sentence]. …
We may be approaching postcard time in downtown Dallas — you can run out to the observation stands on the western levees and take photos of the Trinity River with Big D's Downtown in the background. Spring rains can make the Trinity seem like an actual levee-to-levee river running beneath those fancy bridges. It's an illusion -- the city has a genuine big-stream river just like it is home to a National Football League team that offices in Frisco and plays in Arlington.
—- To offer advice or agreement, click on “comment” below or email dallrp@aol.com. —-

HEIDI -- A FOSTERED SLEEPER

The spotlight of Let Sleeping Dogs Lie & Napping Cats Nap falls on a “mood piece,” a tranquil photograph of a beautiful dog named Heidi.
This peaceful mood photograph is of Heidi. She’s being fostered by Team Heidi for Greyhound Adoption League of Texas.
A member of Team Heidi, Abbie Lee Winfield-Seidel, who posted the photo on Facebook, says Heidi is “about 8 months old and becoming a wonderful girl.”
Abbie wrote, “This baby girl …. once abandoned at a shelter, saved by the folks at Greyhound Adoption League of Texas (GALT) and now our foster. She is growing up, she is learning to trust humans again and she is becoming an amazing Saluki girl.”
Great phrase: “Learning to trust humans again.” Credit Abbie and partner-in-fostering Lisa, the humans on Team Heidi -- it also includes the household’s canine advisors who tip the Saluki on how to act.
[LARRY PAUSE FOR A HINT: Abbie says Heidi has two sisters — same age — currently in boarding and in the care of GALT — and the girls need fosters. As you can learn at galtx.org, April is Adopt a Greyhound Month. And you can foster 12 months of the year whether Greyhounds, Salukis or whatever GALT pulls to safety— see how to foster for GALT by clicking HERE.]
Back to Heidi’s photo and her foster home: That trust is a wonderful thing for a dog whose been rescued and it explains why this beautiful dog is able to nod off and snooze as the human takes the picture. It's the "I'm safe here and I feel loved" sensation.
[REMINDER: Please send photos of your trusting snoozers — sleeping dogs, napping cats, dozing dromedaries, whatever you’ve got. We’ll post them in our long-running weekend feature, Let Sleeping Dogs Lie & Napping Cats Nap. Send those photos and bios to dallrp@aol.com. Thanks. Remember, you’ll be encouraging other people to give an animal a chance. And you'll be encouraging insomniacs to believe that they, too, can get some sleep if they can just find the right place to rest the chin while soothing light illuminates their good features.]
--- Make a wise comment by clicking below or by emailing dallrp@aol.com. ---

HELPING PEOPLE HELPING ANIMALS; ASSORTED ANIMAL NOTES & RADIO KING RON CHAPMAN

EDITION OF FRIDAY, APRIL 22, 2019 [PetPowellPress] Here we go with our Friday edition. The big question facing the nation these days: Will Tiger win the Masters? OK, with that out of the way let’s get into people and animals we can actually help on the course of their lives. And we’ll mention coming attractions, including a Vocal Majority tribute honoring Ron Chapman, the great Dallas radio broadcaster. (That's a photo of Kittie Leigh explaining to your writer/golfer how to draw a bead on a putt at The Masters. "You don't want to miss by even a catwhisker," she told me.]
THE NEEDS OF LUCY,
A BELOVED DOG
This is a human story about a dog. 
We got it from our Houston contact Alexandra Kelsey.
 She wrote, “A friend of mine has a niece who is having some surgery very shortly. The young woman’s health issues are such that she cannot keep her dog Lucy.

“Lucy is a Mastiff/Rottweiler mix and is two years old.  She weighs about 125 lbs. and is a very sweet girl who is good with other dogs.  Lucy’s mom is allergic to cats, so we don’t know how Lucy might be with cats.”


The quest, of course, is to find a good home for a great dog. Email Alexandra.Kelsey@ bracewell.com. She says, “I am sure we can find transport help, if needed.”

ONE HAPPY DENTON UPDATE;
ONE DENTON EXPECTATION

The 4-week-old Lab mix puppies we featured yesterday — Fee, Fi Fo, Fum and Sleepy — have left the Denton McNatt Animal Shelter thanks to Operation Kindness in Carrollton, reports our tipster Amy Poskey. See how to adopt them (when they’re ready) at operationkindness.org. Still waiting to hear about the “ready-to-pop” Pittie girl Flora at Denton. Needs a rescuer. Call the shelter at 940-349-7594 or email dentonanimalservices@yahoo.com.
FOUR SUBSTANTIAL DOGS:

THE MESQUITE CHALLENGE
Whoa, this time Judi Brown has presented four dogs that readlarrypowell.com would immediately adopt if we hadn’t already immediately adopted other dogs years ago. Know what I mean? Judi helps understand these dogs by visiting them personally.
She says the Mesquite Animal Shelter is looking for a rescue group to help with Bunny (41243527), a “6-month-old glossy black Shepherd mix who came to the shelter on April 6 after being hit by a car. She has some open wounds/scrapes but the main concern is that her left paw flips under. She has been seen by our vet, and we were told there was no fracture or dislocation but that there is possible nerve damage. She doesn’t seem to be in any pain. She manages amazingly well by hopping along putting a little weight on her ankle. However she will probably need support help on stairs and getting up and down. She is truly a good example of  being resilient!” 

THEN THERE’S JAYLYN (41225547), a maybe 2-year-old, 40-pound “sleek black Shepherd mix” who came in on the 4th as a stray. She has “a tail that is in constant wag,” Judi says, and adds, “When I saw down, she wanted to crawl onto my lap.”
ZELDA (41223196), A 2-YEAR-OLD, 53-pound Rottweiler came to the shelter as a stray on April 3. Judi writes, “In my work as a volunteer I work with many dogs and they all are special in their own way, but this one spoke to me. Due to her coloring and her glossy coat she is very handsome! But besides that, she has an outstanding personality. She’s gentle and very sweet and yet very playful. She sought out balls and would entertain herself with them. She didn’t tire of fetching and retrieving. She sits for treats. She has a strong pull on the leash. She went nose to nose wagging her tail with big and small dogs.”

THIS DOG CHAVO (40705272) was apparently an ill-conceived idea — he’s 2 and was surrendered to the shelter on April 4 “because he wasn’t happy living in the confines of an apartment,” Judi says. “That’s understandable as a 54-pound dog like Chavo needs plenty of space where he wouldn’t feel confined. Chavo  is an exceptionally handsome dog due to his beautiful coloring. He’s also very energetic and playful. He loves balls! He will chase them and most of the time brings them back to you. He is friendly and affectionate. His previous owners stated that he loves to cuddle. He has been raised with children. He has also been raised with small dogs. There is a need for further dog testing as the previous owners stated that he does not get along with big dogs.”
And the surrendering owner said the dog loves to be outside, but also loves to be with his people.

For all of these dogs and any animal in the Mesquite shelter, the contact points are 972–216–6283 or email rescues@cityofmesquite.- com. The shelter has many cats, also. Among them, this girl Mellow (41265781), ust over 5 years old, and gifted with a stunningly interesting face. She’s medium-sized and is a candidate for President of the United States — wait, I misread my notes. See Mellow and other dogs and cats online HERE.
THE EAST TEXAS HELL HOUSE
Here’s a link to a TV report on the “Hell House” rescue that Dallas DogRRR has been involved in for the past intense week. Click HERE to navigate to the story. Go to Dallas DogRRR on Facebook to see how to help. Originally, "Hell House" was described as being near Tyler, but it's actually northeast of Tyler and in a rural area of Marion County.

HOW ‘BOUT THEM GREYHOUNDS
Busy weekend for the folks with Greyhound Adoption League of Texas — and there are still tickets left to the 2019 Greyt Retired Athletes Athletes Benefit Dinner & Auction —- Dallas Cowboys fans will understand why the theme is “Hail Mary for the Hounds” — named in honor of the featured guest Drew Pearson who caught the fame “Hail Mary Pass” from Roger Staubach on Dec. 28, 1975, in the playoffs. Greyhounds throughout the world cheered. That’s my sentence directing you to this artwork. 
The website is GALTX.ORG.

MEANWHILE IN BURNS FLAT,
THE PUPPIES FIGHTING PARVO
Terry Lynn Fisher, the resilient rescuer in Burns Flat, Okla., has 8 puppies at her vet and they’re running up a parvo bill, but, she says, the medical people “feel it is very early and these little puppies have a great chance at recovering — BUT, it will be expensive.” Perhaps $700 to $800 per dog.
 Terry Lynn says, “I know many people will say do not waste the money on them when there are so many healthy ones in need, and I understand that is how you feel. That is fine.” Then, in her note, she basically says if that’s the way you feel, just forget about it “but I HAVE to try to save them. I placed them at the foster. I feel like It is my fault.” Here are places to donate: Elk Creek Clinic, 1301 Airport Industrial, Elk City, OK, 73644 (Call 580-225-4863) or call Terry Lynn at 580-330-1459 or email her at remembering_oddball@yahoo.com. On PayPal she’s bfvfd_109@yahoo.com. Write to her at P.O. Box 5798, Burns Flat, OK 73624.

How did this crisis develop? In March, a young couple contacted her about a litter. “They didn’t think their dog would get pregnant with no males around.  SURPRISE!!!!  … I searched and found rescue but it would be the middle of April before they could go…
“In the meantime, the lady was sitting near a bonfire and her leggings caught fire.  She ended up with third degree burns and in a burn center in Oklahoma City. I ended up taking the babies and placing in boarding. They were there nine days.  The lady transporting had a foster so she took them to boarding.”
Somewhere along the way, the pups encountered parvo. Since the diagnosis, Terry Lynn has been trying to make sure they have the best care.

CONTEMPLATIONS
MOVIE MONSTERS, COMING ATTRACTIONS & A RON CHAPMAN TRIBUTE
This week I heard a TCM spot describe King Kong as the “ultimate monster classic” Hmmm, maybe not “ultimate.” I’ve seen Invasion of the Saucermen, Attack of the Crab Monsters and I Was a Teenage Werewolf. Not to mention, The Brain From Planet Arous and the original Not of This Earth! I'm still getting chills from the 1950s -- King Kong's debut was 1933. … COMING ATTRACTION HERE? Yes, this weekend for Let Sleeping Dogs Lie & Napping Cats Nap, we’re featuring a mood photo of Heidi, a foster dog from Greyhound Adoption League of Texas. …Ron Chapman was the King Kong of radio broadcasters in Dallas, reigning famously at both KVIL and KLUV. And he also earned the devotion of Dallas’ celebrated men’s chorus, the Vocal Majority, because he played their recordings on his busy air. So for VM’s spring shows, there’s something special. The VM folks say Ron “made the Vocal Majority famous. As the chorus has enjoyed countless Gold Medal moments during its history, VM would like to celebrate and honor Ron by declaring this the Ron Chapman Gold Medal Weekend during our Spring Shows, April 13 and 14, 2019.” To buy tickets to the shows at the Eisemann Center, here’s THE LINK. And if you’d like to see the last 7 minutes of Ron’s last radio show, this is THE LINK. Tim Rogers of D Magazine did a nice thank-you to Ron in June, 2005. Read it HERE to get a proper perspective of Ron Chapman's significance when radio reigned. Uf you can, tell us how much radio has change since then! Quick, what song is leading the Top 40? Yeah, changes. Here’s a thought from Bob Dylan. "Who?" you ask. Hah. He's in the history books. Book? What's a book? Please, hand me a sedative.
— Offer opinions or answers by clicking on “comment” below or emailing dallrp@aol.com —