ReadLarryPowell.com

THE TABBINESS OF SWEET SLUMBER -- CAT COMPANIONS SHOW THE WAY

For the final day of February 2020 and the initial day of March 2020, our long-running weekend feature Let Sleeping Dogs Lie & Napping Cats Nap focuses on a couple of Tabby cats.
 One lives on the East Coast, the other on the Trinity Coast, er, near the Trinity River. 
That East Coast Cat is the famous Chloe who shares the household on Indian Lake in Denville, N.J.,  with our East Coast Bureau Chief Andy Fisher and family, including Maxie the Dog.

 That first photo shows Chloe at full snooze recently. Andy explains, “Chloe has been enjoying the morning sun and catching up on her sleep after a busy night of ghost-chasing.”
 The second photo shows Chloe “after she rolled ‘snake eyes’ on a lottery ticket,” Andy explains. He also explains that photo of Maxie and Chloe with this caption: “Breakfast makes our eyes light up, but we wish the old man would move a little faster preparing it.” 
Both of them are rescues.
Andy writes of the Tabby girl: “Chloe was born on the street, so she knows survival, and that probably sensitized her to human suffering. She was most supportive as I coped with my broken ankle. She seems to know when I wake up during the night feeling stressed, snuggling down under the covers next to me, purring soothingly. She's an essential part of the household!"

Andy’s ankle is healed now. Chloe has done her job.
The no-where near a coast but close to the Trinity River Tabby is our own Dallas-born girl, Deputy Chief Kittie Leigh Johnson, named in honor of the Kyra Sedgwick police detective on The Closer.
This week I caught Her Tabbiness sleeping while stretching on the back of the couch in front of the TV. The thing about Tabbies is they have so many patterns and distinct “things,” that you discover them over a period of years — about 10 years for Kittie Leigh. That’s why I was stunned to see that she has one white toe. Then, that other photo shows her posing with me after her vet healed an odd and unusual condition that developed overnight in her left eye. In this photo you can see that eye is a little bit “crossed” — she’s been that way since infancy. When she came through the burglar bar cage on our old front porch in Oak Cliff, that was the first thing I saw! Possibly the cutest kitten ever born in Dallas County.
 Yes, people who live with Tabby Cats have a magnificent an unimpeachable tendency toward hyperbole. See?
Now, what I did Friday, when I decided to praise two Tabbies in Let Sleeping Dogs Lie & Napping Cats Nap, was go online and pull photos of Tabbies from area shelters. 
This, I hope, will encourage people who don’t know the comfort of a purring, to adopt a Tabbilicious companion and learn that it is a good thing to make room in their homes and hearts for cats that are great around the house. If you can’t find a Tabby to adopt, adopt another kind of cat. Adopt a puppy, too, so the cat will have someone to train besides a human.
 [LARRY FYI: That is Simon the Bottle-fed Kitten overlooking the slumbering former Dallas street dog Porche Noel. Neither is a Tabby.]
Here are only a few of the MANY Tabbies I found online in a brief search around dusk on Friday the 28th.
First up is Lupita (A1086998), Tabby at Dallas Animal Services. She’s been in DAS care since Feb. 4 and is in a foster home. See her and other dogs and kittens and Wilbur (A10965990), a 6-month old tabby — wait, I’m sorry. Wilbur is a pig — a stray in Big D. He’s been at the shelter since Feb. 21. The link dallasanimalservices.org will take you to the adorable adoptables.
This 4 and1/2-year-old orange Tabby (note the M on the forehead) is Fuseli, #41488827 at the SPCA of Texas’s McKinney facility. His bio says he loves “to be brushed. Specifically with a toothbrush.” Yes, another interesting Tabby. FYI: Freddy Spaghetti, who we’ve featured before, is at the Dallas SPCA facility. I guess this is a tribute to the Pasta Family Tabbytree.
That handsome orange Tabby is a Cowtown Cat, Sim (41706002), a 9-month old who came into the Fort Worth Animal Care & Control’s system on Feb. 23. He looks very huggable. For FWACC, click HERE.
This girl with the hint of a red collar above her white blaze is Genesis, a knows-how-to-pose Tabby girl currently at Arlington Animal Services. On her bio page HERE under “Personality Traits” the key word is “Cuddly.”
And from the word’s most successful high school animal rescue program, Trinity GAP Rescue, we present Diana, described as “a lovely silver-/grey Tabby girl with big beautiful eyes.” The year-old is at the Euless Animal Shelter and on the Trinity GAP Rescue page. Adoption fee? $5,000 — wait, I’m sorry. My fingers went wild. You can actually adopt this girl for just $5. FIVE DOLLARS. She’s healthy, up-to-date on shots and house-trained. Ask about her by emailing latkinson@eulesstx.gov. We nearly got a napping photo of her, but I suspect the click on the camera woke her and she was wide awake before the sleeping image could get to the phone. Fast cat.
Many a cat has lived to take a catnap because of the GAP Rescue students. Here’s the official “about” line: “The Trinity GAP Club (Girls Awareness Program) is an all-girls club that functions through Trinity High School in Euless, TX.” We've been writing about this heroic mission for years. .
That’ s 9-month-old Axel from The Colony Animal Services. (He’s #43741630.) He came in on Groundhog Day — can’t remember if he saw his or anybody else’s shadow. Beautiful gray.
And we’ll close with Katy Purry (A168444) a 2-year-old who was surrendered by her owner. She “loves to play with hair ties and ping pong balls.” Katy Purry is in Plano’s McNatt Animal Services Shelter and Adoption Center. 
[LARRY REMINDER: As you’ve seen, the readlarrypowell.com examination of Napping Cats Chloe of New Jersey and Deputy Chief Kittie Leigh Johnson, now of Cowtown, turned into a celebration of Tabby cats all over. Send us photos of your napping cats (any type will do) and sleeping dogs (any breed or variety — email the photos and bios to dallrp@aol.com and we’ll post them in our weekend feature, Let Sleeping Dogs Lie & Napping Cat Nap. Since May 4, 2005, going on 15 years, we’ve been publishing weekend tributes to slumbering animals and their people. We like to think the stories help people decide to adopt an animal. And we’re almost certain insomniacs are inspired by cats balancing on the backs of couches — they’ve already tried out the seating part of the couch and it didn’t work.]
--- To offer Tabbythoughts or Slumbertips, click on 'comment' below or email dallrp@aol.com. ---

For the final day of February 2020 and the initial day of March 2020, our long-running weekend feature Let Sleeping Dogs Lie & Napping Cats Nap focuses on a couple of Tabby cats.
 One lives on the East Coast, the other on the Trinity Coast, er, near the Trinity River. 
That East Coast Cat is the famous Chloe who shares the household on Indian Lake in Denville, N.J.,  with our East Coast Bureau Chief Andy Fisher and family, including Maxie the Dog.

 That first photo shows Chloe at full snooze recently. Andy explains, “Chloe has been enjoying the morning sun and catching up on her sleep after a busy night of ghost-chasing.”
 The second photo shows Chloe “after she rolled ‘snake eyes’ on a lottery ticket,” Andy explains. He also explains that photo of Maxie and Chloe with this caption: “Breakfast makes our eyes light up, but we wish the old man would move a little faster preparing it.” 
Both of them are rescues.
Andy writes of the Tabby girl: “Chloe was born on the street, so she knows survival, and that probably sensitized her to human suffering. She was most supportive as I coped with my broken ankle. She seems to know when I wake up during the night feeling stressed, snuggling down under the covers next to me, purring soothingly. She's an essential part of the household!"

Andy’s ankle is healed now. Chloe has done her job.
The no-where near a coast but close to the Trinity River Tabby is our own Dallas-born girl, Deputy Chief Kittie Leigh Johnson, named in honor of the Kyra Sedgwick police detective on The Closer.
This week I caught Her Tabbiness sleeping while stretching on the back of the couch in front of the TV. The thing about Tabbies is they have so many patterns and distinct “things,” that you discover them over a period of years — about 10 years for Kittie Leigh. That’s why I was stunned to see that she has one white toe. Then, that other photo shows her posing with me after her vet healed an odd and unusual condition that developed overnight in her left eye. In this photo you can see that eye is a little bit “crossed” — she’s been that way since infancy. When she came through the burglar bar cage on our old front porch in Oak Cliff, that was the first thing I saw! Possibly the cutest kitten ever born in Dallas County.
 Yes, people who live with Tabby Cats have a magnificent an unimpeachable tendency toward hyperbole. See?
Now, what I did Friday, when I decided to praise two Tabbies in Let Sleeping Dogs Lie & Napping Cats Nap, was go online and pull photos of Tabbies from area shelters. 
This, I hope, will encourage people who don’t know the comfort of a purring, to adopt a Tabbilicious companion and learn that it is a good thing to make room in their homes and hearts for cats that are great around the house. If you can’t find a Tabby to adopt, adopt another kind of cat. Adopt a puppy, too, so the cat will have someone to train besides a human.
 [LARRY FYI: That is Simon the Bottle-fed Kitten overlooking the slumbering former Dallas street dog Porche Noel. Neither is a Tabby.]
Here are only a few of the MANY Tabbies I found online in a brief search around dusk on Friday the 28th.
First up is Lupita (A1086998), Tabby at Dallas Animal Services. She’s been in DAS care since Feb. 4 and is in a foster home. See her and other dogs and kittens and Wilbur (A10965990), a 6-month old tabby — wait, I’m sorry. Wilbur is a pig — a stray in Big D. He’s been at the shelter since Feb. 21. The link dallasanimalservices.org will take you to the adorable adoptables.
This 4 and1/2-year-old orange Tabby (note the M on the forehead) is Fuseli, #41488827 at the SPCA of Texas’s McKinney facility. His bio says he loves “to be brushed. Specifically with a toothbrush.” Yes, another interesting Tabby. FYI: Freddy Spaghetti, who we’ve featured before, is at the Dallas SPCA facility. I guess this is a tribute to the Pasta Family Tabbytree.
That handsome orange Tabby is a Cowtown Cat, Sim (41706002), a 9-month old who came into the Fort Worth Animal Care & Control’s system on Feb. 23. He looks very huggable. For FWACC, click HERE.
This girl with the hint of a red collar above her white blaze is Genesis, a knows-how-to-pose Tabby girl currently at Arlington Animal Services. On her bio page HERE under “Personality Traits” the key word is “Cuddly.”
And from the word’s most successful high school animal rescue program, Trinity GAP Rescue, we present Diana, described as “a lovely silver-/grey Tabby girl with big beautiful eyes.” The year-old is at the Euless Animal Shelter and on the Trinity GAP Rescue page. Adoption fee? $5,000 — wait, I’m sorry. My fingers went wild. You can actually adopt this girl for just $5. FIVE DOLLARS. She’s healthy, up-to-date on shots and house-trained. Ask about her by emailing latkinson@eulesstx.gov. We nearly got a napping photo of her, but I suspect the click on the camera woke her and she was wide awake before the sleeping image could get to the phone. Fast cat.
Many a cat has lived to take a catnap because of the GAP Rescue students. Here’s the official “about” line: “The Trinity GAP Club (Girls Awareness Program) is an all-girls club that functions through Trinity High School in Euless, TX.” We've been writing about this heroic mission for years. .
That’ s 9-month-old Axel from The Colony Animal Services. (He’s #43741630.) He came in on Groundhog Day — can’t remember if he saw his or anybody else’s shadow. Beautiful gray.
And we’ll close with Katy Purry (A168444) a 2-year-old who was surrendered by her owner. She “loves to play with hair ties and ping pong balls.” Katy Purry is in Plano’s McNatt Animal Services Shelter and Adoption Center. 
[LARRY REMINDER: As you’ve seen, the readlarrypowell.com examination of Napping Cats Chloe of New Jersey and Deputy Chief Kittie Leigh Johnson, now of Cowtown, turned into a celebration of Tabby cats all over. Send us photos of your napping cats (any type will do) and sleeping dogs (any breed or variety — email the photos and bios to dallrp@aol.com and we’ll post them in our weekend feature, Let Sleeping Dogs Lie & Napping Cat Nap. Since May 4, 2005, going on 15 years, we’ve been publishing weekend tributes to slumbering animals and their people. We like to think the stories help people decide to adopt an animal. And we’re almost certain insomniacs are inspired by cats balancing on the backs of couches — they’ve already tried out the seating part of the couch and it didn’t work.]
--- To offer Tabbythoughts or Slumbertips, click on 'comment' below or email dallrp@aol.com. ---

9 GROWN DOGS NEED A LOT OF RESCUING -- PLUS OTHER TALES OF DOGS, CATS & WORDS

EDITION OF FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2020 [PetPowellPress] In our continuing mission to make life better for someone somewhere on this planet, we’ll proceed with some notes about animals and people. Here goes:
THE GOAL OF THIS PROJECT?

A NINE-DOG RESCUE
Look at their photos. These aren’t puppies just birthed last week.
We got the story on “Joe’s Dogs” from Laura Macias and Leighann Hayden of the non-profit 4-Legged Helpers. 
It begins this way: “There is a special group of 9 dogs living out on some property in the Wilmer/Lancaster/Dallas County area that had been owned by a man named Joe.  Joe loved these dogs with all his heart.”
This project is going to take money to complete — NINE DOGS! Some needing spay and neuter surgeries. The address to donate to 4-Legged Helpers is this: helpingshelterbabies@ gmail.com. Laura says be sure to note that it’s for “Joe’s Dogs.”
To ask about adopting or rescuing any of the nine dogs here are the contact points: Carrie at 214-683-2159 or Laura at 214-949-2726. Carrie visits the dogs daily, so she knows their personalities. Email Laura at cat_girl_71@yahoo.com
The note says the rescuers met Joe “a few years ago when asked to help with some puppies. At that time we helped him get some dogs fixed but at the time Joe was very frail and ill, and he told us he did not believe he would live long, that his heart was very bad.  He was so concerned about what would happen to his dogs. Really heart- breaking.

Recently, and sadly, Joe passed away, leaving behind his 9 dogs, two daughters, and good friend Dave.”
Now, here’s the appeal from 4-Legged Helpers: “We would like to, and we hope you [anybody reading this or hearing about the dogs] will be interested in helping to come up with a plan to save the lives of these dogs in his memory.  They are very deserving.  We understand from Dave that these 9 dogs love other dogs and even cats (all are cat friendly) and there are at least 5 that are fixed and 4 that will need to be fixed.”
The daughters are selling the property, but they’re also trying to help save Joe’s Dogs.
And Laura’s note says, “They honestly have nowhere to turn.  Time is running out very soon, since by end of March these dogs must be off the property for the new owner. If they are not off by then they will most certainly be killed.
“
Joe’s friend, Dave, is willing to help with loading and transporting. And there’s a transporter who might help take dogs out of state.”

There’s also the possibility that dogs that aren’t adopted might go to Animal Angels of Texas, near Jacksboro, but that will take dedicating some money to care for each dog for a lifetime.

The dogs are, in order of presentation: Dusty (Male); Smiler (Neutered); Mr. Mutt (Neutered), Buster (Male); Gravy (Male); Micki (Listed as ‘not-fixed,’ but there are no new puppies so she may have been spayed.); Jeff (Neutered); Sweetie (Spayed) and Fluffy (Spayed).
[LARRY ASIDE: These are beautiful dogs who survive because a human heart protected them — it is only right to continue that mission.]
REMINDER
Over the past few days we’ve posted photos of dogs and cats from Wilmer and Lancaster — all under the watchful eyes of the 4-Legged Helpers. Scroll down to previous editions and read about Murphy (left) and Peaches and the others. And read about the beautiful cats: Nicki, Benji and Teddy (right).
To ask about any of them, call or text Laura at 214-949-2726 or email cat_girl_71@yahoo.com.
MEANWHILE IN MESQUITE
We’re going to try to summarize these three in a swift, clear fashion. All of these dogs are in the Mesquite Animal Services shelter. Use their ID numbers when you email rescues@cityofmesquite.com or call the shelter at 972-216-6283. 

TOBY, THE PLOTT HOUND (43864583) — A year old, this 55-pound boy came in as a stray on Feb. 20. Volunteer biographer Judi Brown says he’s “fairly well-mannered” and walks “relatively well on a leash.” Energetic. He’s still a puppy. He’s got a sign on his shelter window that says “he’s good with children and dogs.” Indeed he seemed to get along in a happy tail-wagging manner with small and large dogs. 

RAY, THE BORDER COLLIE (43875836): Judi uses the phasing “spunky, energetic and curious” to describe the 10-month-old, 56-pound dog who arrived as a stray on Feb. 21. She also says, “He’s friendly, welcoming, affection- ate, and a regular social butterfly.  A customer came up to the gate when he was in the yard and he immediately welcomed her and was rewarded by getting his ears scratched (that’s the photo of that moment) … He could use some manners training. As smart as he is I’m sure he would learn quickly [not to jump on people.] …
I can see him snuggled up on some blankets next to his new owners on the couch.”

BELLA, THE PITTIE MIX (43858332): Two years old, the 37-pound girl came in as a stray on Feb. 19. While she’s officially a “Pittie mix,” some of the staffers considered here “very slick and lean” body type and think she may have some Greyhound in the family tree. Judi writes, “Whatever she is she’s extremely striking with her beautiful coloring and penetrating gray eyes! She’s a true beauty! She’s very alert and spent a lot of time exploring the yard. She would get excited and come running to me leaping and bonding.  Although she is affectionate and wagged her tail a lot, I get the feeling she has not had a lot of socialization. That’s where you come in.”
SPCA, PETSMART CHARITIES TEAM
FOR NATIONAL ADOPTION WEEKEND
A news note from the SPCA of Texas announces that PetSmart Charities has presented a $3,000 grant to the SPCA to “bring adoptable pets to three Metroplex PetSmart locations in support of National Adoption Weekend [Feb. 28-March 1].” Look for those adoptable SPCA pets on this schedule: PetSmart, 5500 Greenville Ave. in Dallas (3 p.m.-6 -.m. Friday; Petsmart, 170 E. Stacy Road in Allen (noon to 4 p.m. Saturday’ and the Denton PetSmart, 1441 S. Loop 288 (noon to 4 p.m. Sunday) in Denton. 
[LARRY ASIDE: I don’t know if this guy Freddy Spaghetti (43676729) will be at one of those sites, but he is still on the adoptables list at the SPCA — we featured him in a recent edition. Something about that cocked head suggests a great personality for a housecat. Like the cat is saying, “I heard what you said, but I think you need to rephrase it so we’ll both understand the implications.” Cats are that smart. Go to spca.org to see even more cats and dogs].
CONTEMPLATIONS
BIG D AT DAS; A ROAD STORY; WORDS AND WHAT THEY MEAN
Dallas Animal Services has this special running now. And, at the same time, the DAS Facebook page posted a photo of this stray pig. He’s #A1096599 — no name, so I’d call the 30-pound pig “Big D”— and is available for ADOPTION. The DAS says he “is a little shy at first but loves scratches.” Email DASadopt@dallascityhall.com. Geezalou, I hope the ham-hungry creeps don’t get this pig.
Lately we’ve reported on porcine strays in Fort Worth. No doubt people in the suburbs keep pigs, too. We should be grateful, I guess, that none of us has happened upon a momma pig and a litter of a dozen or so hiding in the bushes next to a walking track in a city park. I have no doubt that, as certain that ugly virus makes its way to the U.S., piglets in the park are in our future, Dear Animal People. ….
I’m on a couple of neighborhood “pages” in the Metrosprawl and this report came from an area in eastern Fort Worth and it’s disturbing. It was headlined “BUDDY THE BLACK LAB” and it reads, “Whoever the owner is of Buddy the Black Lab who is always loose, he may have just been clipped by a car on the corner of Sandy and Beatty. I saw something run across the street in front of a car, the guy slammed on his brakes and left the car in the middle of the street and ran over to the grass at the gas station. I saw Black Lab standing there so fingers crossed he was just trying to catch him but just a matter of time unfortunately.” Someone responded with, “It's sad that you had to post this. … Pet owners should not allow their pets to be left to roam outdoors. Both cats and dogs roaming neighborhoods are often an unwanted, and in some cases, dangerous situation. Especially when toddlers and young children are present. I hope the dog was okay and it was the latter situation of an owner trying to catch a dog that got out in error.” [LARRY ASIDE: This sort of thing isn’t unusual and it’s often fatal. I don’t know how to get people to wise up about taking proper care of their critters. I’m pretty sure the Two-by-Four of Enlightenment is not strong enough to make a dent in the rockheaded stupidity.]

Words do have meanings and, sometimes, meanings ought to be respected. Here’s an example. This headline popped up in The Big Paper in Big D: “Slain rapper Nipsey Hussle visited this spot on his last trip to Dallas. Now, he’s there forever.” It’s that word “forever” that trips me up. The story is about an awesome mural painted on the side of a building in a Dallas neighborhood shopping center. Dallas isn’t known for letting artistic structures survive forever — though the Leaning Tower of Dallas had a pretty good shot at it for a while.
—- Offer calming advice or diet chocolate recipes by clicking on ‘comment’ below or by emailing dallrp@aol.com. —-

LUKE THE CAT; MONA THE MOM PLUS NINE; 4 TO GO IN EVERMAN & THE OATMEAL DOG

EDITION OF THURSDAY, FEB. 27, 2020 [PetPowellPress] Welcome to Thursday. I'm energized with a cup of coffee and a desire to help animals. Coffee -- it's what I have when I'm dodging milk chocolate. We're opening with a fantastic formerly stray cat who is in need of some special help.
We learned about him from Vanessa Johnson, the Senior Animal Care Specialist at Carrollton Animal Services. She's the heroic staffer who made the key appeals to help the dog Nala, in the "on-the-clock" photo below, beat the needle and find a spot with Marleigh's Friends Rescue. (See last weekend's Let Sleeping Dogs Lie & Napping Cats Nap.)
Now 5-month-old Luke is developing a reputation for -- well, Vanessa tells it best in this
passage: "He came in as a stray but has so much love to give!! He is a fearless guy who has no fears, even when it comes to his meds. The second you look at him he starts purring and looking for love!"

Here's why he needs to be in the care of an "approved 501c3 rescue organization" so he can, Vanessa note read, "get on the road to recovery."
What's he's needing to recover from? It is "suspected" that he has "herpes as well as ringworm."
Here's the bad part of the note: "Due to the highly infectious nature of feline herpes and ringworm, we will not be able to hold him past Tuesday, March 3, 2020, at 5 p.m."
 So, rescue groups, volunteer to save Luke's life by contacting Vanessa Johnson at 972-466-3420. Email vanessa.johnson@cityofcarrollton.com.
 And when you work out a deal to save Luke's life, let us know -- we love to post the success stories and the links to contribute to the organization that will spend money to save a life.
AND HERE IS A
SPAY/NEUTER LESSON...
Look, I've never met this dog, but I love her. You know, Dear Readers, what I mean. You probably feel the same way. I also love ALL NINE OF HER NEWBORNS. Holy smoke. 
Ginger Leach of Fort Worth Animal Care & Control provided the background on Mona (#43906553). Mona's a 2-year-old Shepherd/ Beagle mix and Ginger labels her as: IMMEDIATE RESCUE NEEDED.

"Mom is a little stressed right now since they just came in and she had to be darted," Ginger wrote Wednesday evening.
She added, "We need this family to go to a rescue or foster as soon as possible since we all know shelters are not the best place for them." 
To tag Mom and the kids, email fwacctag@fortworthtexas.gov. 
[LARRY ASIDE: Yes, anybody with a working soul loves Mona the Mom and her babies. We also know that they are all at peril in an era of unwanted dogs. You think Mona was wanted? Hardly -- why would she be out having babies on her own and then having to be darted to be caught? Some human let her down by not properly giving her a loving home. Let me know if your rescue saves her and the kids. I'll make an appeal for money to help you finance this good deed. Email me at dallrp@aol.com. And keeping telling people why spay/neuter is important in North Texas.]
4 DOGS OF EVERMAN
STILL WAITING IN SHELTER
We wrote about these dogs and post their photographs a few weeks back, thanks to Heather Harrison, the volunteer who monitors things in the town of Everman on the southern edge of Fort Worth.
She has reissued an appeal to help these four dogs. Get in touch with her at nickale7@yahoo.com.
Here are the mini-bios of the dogs no one apparently wants. Please feel free to copy this and send it across the nation -- somebody somewhere surely will fall in love with one of these dogs and maybe all of them will be adopted rather than euthanized. Here are Heather's descriptions:

"JJ -- 2yr old, male Rottweiler mix.  Large, handsome fella with lots of energy!  Loves toys & playing.  Fully vetted, Heartworm Negative.

"Dodge -- 2yr old, male Hound mix.  Sweet, docile guy that just wants to be loved.  Very submissive & loving.  Dog friendly. He was brought into the shelter after being hit by a car.  Has since recovered & is doing excellent. (REQUIRES A FOSTER HOME SETTING, NOT KENNEL)
"Teddy -- 3yr old, male German Shepherd mix.  Gorgeous guy that will steal your heart with his endless love.  Cautious of new people but warms up quickly. Fully Vetted, Heartworm Positive (undergoing treatment).
"Cleveland -- 2yr old, male Lab/Pointer mix.  He is a big, stout boy that loves to explore!  Always has his nose to the ground looking for something good.  Loves to get tummy rubs & scratches.  Fully vetted."

And Heather's appeal also reads, "These dogs have been at the shelter for months without any adoption interest due to minimal foot traffic.  The shelter is filling up again so they are all in need!!   They are all so deserving of a home to call their own!!." (Again, email NICKALE7@YAHOO.COM.)

CONTEMPLATIONS
THE OATMEAL DOG WITH A CIRCUS HISTORY
Sometimes when I'm sitting at the dining room table and typing on the laptop, our girl Wendy comes to visit me. Wednesday night, that's when I snapped this photo. It was after Modern Family and before I started watching Royal Wedding (1951) with Fred Astaire and Jane Powell (no kin) but right after watching the end of Swing Time (1936) with Mr. Astaire and the incredible Ginger Rogers. Anyway, I think Wendy is a possibly a showbiz dog. When I look at her, I can see some Boxer and some Birddog and maybe something else. But mostly I see this great face of a fantastic friend. And I suspect that when my rescuespouse Martha picked her up off a Dallas street, Wendy was between gigs as a circus clown dog. 
Don't tell me you don't imagine the true history of your adopted rescues.
 Look at the natural makeup on those great brown eyes. Those are the eyes of a star! You think I can concentrate on writing The Lesser American Novel when this dog walks up to say hello? Usually, each morning I have oatmeal for breakfast and so does this slim dog. I get a bite, she gets a bite. She doesn't like bananas. Last week I made a batch of oatmeal and offered her a spoonful and she looked at me, looked at the spoonful plopped on her "breakfast site" next to my chair and stared at me. Then she glared and said, "NO bananas!" I quickly gave her a bite with the fake sausage patty. She wagged her tail and the stars in her eyes lit up. I hugged her. Can't resist. 
Wendy was never a shelter dog. No dog ever should be. No cat, either. But, outside of Martha, I don't know how many people drive around with one eye on the road and the other on dogs needing a lift home. 
That last photo is of Wendy (full name Wednesday Louise Wagstaff Arden) demonstrating how she used to curl up so that she could fit in the circus clown car and suddenly jump out with 25 other clowns and a mini-horse. Sometimes Wendy's "history" can offer opportunities for fanciful imaginings.
--- Offer ways to make people smarter by clicking on 'comment' below or by emailing dallrp@aol.com. ---

LITTLE DOGS, LOVELY CATS, BIG DOGS, POLITICIANS WITHOUT HATS: 2020

EDITION OF WEDNESDAY, FEB. 27, 2020 [PetPowellPress] Holiday Insights, the online calendar, reports that February 26 is “Tell A Fairy Tale Day.” The origin is unknown, the site says, but readlarrypowell.com will suggest without shame that it was created during an election year. Now, let’s talk about some small critters who could cast spells. Once upon a time…Oh, wait, these aren’t fairy tales. And who needs the drama? It’s time for happy endings.

THREE LITTLE SLEEPERS
You’d think Readlarrypowell would have saved this for our weekend feature Let Sleeping Dogs Lie & Napping Cats Nap, but, nope. We’re using it as a hint that you should send photos of YOUR sleepers, nappers, snoozers and dozers to dallrp@aol.com. We’re proud to show off the love you have for your critters.
In the meantime, Stephen Foster and the folks with DFW’s FurGotten Friends have a trio of Chihuahua girls who need a home. Or homes. The Facebook post with the sleeping photo read, “Our three Chi-Dolls are searching for their forever home!” [LARRY ASIDE: They appear to be dreaming of the perfect homes. A dream we hope comes true before February can leap to a close!]
The pups are “around 4 and 6 months old” and they are named Denise, Reba and Marcie, as you can see from the photo of the girls wide awake. To audition to adopt them, fill out the application form online at https://dfwfgf.org/.
Oh, and don’t forget that among the dogs Mr. Foster and gang are trying to place is one we’ve already mentioned, the adorable almost 3-month-old Murphy, still just a puppy. Same contact point — your heart to DFW Furgotten Friends.

THE FRIGHTENED CHIHUAHUA

AND SHE’S MAKING PROGRESS

Debra Chisholm, one of our volunteer tipster at Mesquite Animal Services, sent us this touching story of a Chihuahua mix named Flo, one of the wandering little dogs we seem to have all over North Texas. Flo arrived as a stray on Feb. 17. She’s 3 years old, weighs 12 pounds and — what else! — NOT spayed. 
Debra writes, “She came in as a frightened girl and has struggled with adjusting to the shelter environment.  Her fear is manifested not in trembling or cowering, but in attempting to bit or nip at anyone who gets too close.  She has possibly been abused.

“Three volunteers have worked with her and though she is a work in progress, forward movement has definitely been made.  With Flo, trust needs to be established before she is comfortable with you.  She does not like to have a leash put on her, but will walk on a leash.

“One of our volunteers, Bill Duncan, has offered to help her further as he was the one who was able to ‘break the ice,’ and begin to build a relationship of trust.  Another volunteer is working daily with her and is helping her to become more trusting.  Flo has been kenneled with other dogs at the shelter and is fine with them.  

“She would not be good for a family with small children.  She also would most likely be more comfortable in a quiet and ordered home environment.  Flo has so much potential and will make someone a wonderful companion with some work and a generous dose of TLC.”
Her ID is 43839148. Email the shelter at rescues@cityofmesquite.com or call 972-216-6283.  

THREE CATS IN A CUDDLE
AND TWO DOGS WAITING
As we’ve reported, the folks with the non-profit, small shelter-focused 4-Legged Helpers moved animals out of the Lancaster Animal Shelter in order to give them a shot at a better life. The small shelter and the Helpers aren’t working together, but the rescue group has several Lancaster-origin animals on the adoptables list.
4-Legged Helpers President Laura Macias sent a note about these “3 babies” who are “about 6 months old and they were originally at Lancaster’s shelter. They are all just as sweet as can be. A foster has had them. They desperately need a rescue group or home — the foster can no longer continue to care for them…. All 3 love to be held and petted and are very friendly. They adore other cats and love dogs, too. They are the sweetest big cuddle kittens.” 
Call or text Laura at 214-949-2726 or email cat_girl_71@yahoo.com.

The male (top photo) with the adorable look and the “adorable fluffy mitten paws and long bushy tale” is Nicky.

 Benji is the white and tiger tabby boy who is “just so very sweet,” Laura’s note says. 
And the tuxedo fellow with the championship whiskers is Teddy. His eyes, Laura’s note says, “have an orange tint…He is a very sweet little Teddy bear.”
We’ve mentioned these two before. Murphy is that smiling dog who was saved from the Wilmer Shelter by 4-Legged Helpers. He was found “in a known dumping area by Malloy Bridge” on the southeast side of Dallas. Laura’s note reads that a friend of the finder “convinced her to that taking him to the Wilmer Shelter would be a good thing. Sig. Not sure how anyone can be more wrong.” The shelter doesn’t have regular visiting hours, so animals that go in, well, unless they get really lucky, well, you know…. 
 And Peaches, who “likes to play ball and fetch,” was rescued from the Lancaster Shelter. The note reads, “Peaches’ time was up at Lancaster and we had to get her out to save her but no one has shown any interests and she is such a good girl.” She was an owner-release.
Again, to ask about the 4-Legged Helpers’ animals, call or text Laura at 214-949-2726 or email cat_girl_71@yahoo.com.
CONTEMPLATIONS
ODD THOUGHTS AT THIS POINT IN TIME
Politicians in hats? Only on Texas TV commericials. Will anyone write a presidential nomination campaign book titled Jokes I Wish I Hadn’t Told? How about What I Wish I’d Said? Or, from the electorate, LearningTo Speak To My In-Laws Again. I mention these fake titles to remind people that we are only in the nominating process for every race. The real race comes after the conventions. I don’t vote in the primaries because I’m not a member of any organized political party. Is there an organized political party at this time?
Here’s a quote from the great Will Rogers. “When the votes are counted, let everybody, including the candidates, get into a good humor as quick as they got into a bad one.” …In case you wondered if a Boomer can have a favorite Richard Nixon quote, I have one regarding the TV Age, an American era that came between radio and tweeting. Nixon, who is said to have lost his historic TV debate with JFK because Nixon sweated on TV, later said, “In the television age the key distinction is between the candidate who can speak poetry and the one who can only speak prose.” Not so sure in 2020. ... A reason to not vote early? You never know what a candidate will try to pull at the last minute. I’m sure that’s negative thinking. But this isn’t my first election campaign.
—- Offer advice or reprimand by clicking on ‘comment’ below or emailing dallrp@aol.com. —-

A VARIETY PACK FOR TUESDAY, INCLUDING COYOTES, DOGS, DUFFERS & A CAT QUOTE

EDITION OF TUESDAY, FEB. 25, 2020 [PetPowellPress] We’ve had a coyote alert in our neighborhood in Eastern Cowtown. Coyotes and Cows. Never had a Cow alert. Matter of time. Our house backs up to a nature preserve — so do several other homes.
 The coyotes were here first, of course. That photo was posted by KERA-TV in April 2019 when there were several coyote-spottings in the Metrosprawl. My theory is this guy was trotting along in the proper lane and about to enter the Dallas North Tollway — he clearly has a pass and is focused on his steering, unlike many other DFW-area drivers.
By the way, we haven’t spotted any coyotes yet — our neighbor has. I figure all of the back gates on our street have a little mark that only coyotes can read. It’s Coyotean for this: “Fake being a happy dog and you’ll eat free the rest of your life.” (That’s Porche demonstrating her version of the "Happy Hungry Dog Why Don't You Feed Me Face"  on Monday afternoon.) 
More in Contemplations. And before you get there you’ll be able to read about dogs in need, including one in Wilmer and one in Lancaster.
HERE WE GO WITH SOME ASSORTED NOTES IN THE WORD OF ANIMALS:
THE WEARIN’ O’ THE GREEN
BY DOGS THAT ARE O’ THE GREY

I was reading an announcement about the Greyhound Adoption League of Texas participating in the North Texas Irish Festival in Dallas and ran across this phrase: “Because of the Greyhound’s Celtic connection.”
Time to ask Google. Look what I found en route to learning that the Greyhound was a favorite Celtic region hunter in England. Several references say the Greyhound is “the only dog mentioned by name” in the Holy Bible — Proverbs 30:29-31 in the King James Version. That’s Old Testament! Way before Westminster.

OK back to GALT at the Festival. It runs March 6-8, but hours for GALT are 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on March 7 and 8 at Fair Park in Dallas. And the notice from GALT says, “Because of the Greyhound's Celtic connection, GALT will be featured in our usual location in the cultural area of Centennial Hall and will be offering t-shirts, collars and shamrocks for sale. Come visit Clan Greyhound!”
 Read the latest GALT newsletter HERE . And read about the 38th annual North Texas Irish Festival HERE.


TEEING IT UP TO BENEFIT
THE FABULOUS SPANIELS
Golf — it’s just a game. Unless you’re playing for Cocker Spaniels and then it’s an important game. Last year’s DFW Cocker Spaniel Rescue Dogleg Classic raised $18,700 to help the organization help the dogs. And, according to the DFWCSR folks, in the past 7 years, the event has raised “nearly $90,000.” So, when they tee up the 8th Annual Dogleg Classic on Sunday, April 5, the goal is to raise “more than $19,000.”
 Volunteers have been signing up. People are buying advertising and promotional spots on tees, fairways, greens, flags — just about any place you can stick a sign. Lots of prizes have been donated. 
To volunteer to help with the tournament or to sign up to play, go to dfwcockerrescue.org.

Usually we’d post photos of Cocker Spaniels currently under the organization’s care. But there’s this special case we first heard about from Amy Poskey, the volunteer tipster at the Denton McNatt Animal Shelter.
Coco is a “senior female” Cocker who came into the shelter as a stray maybe more than a week ago and she may have been out on her own for a while. She weighs in at 25 pounds was found to be blind and deaf and suffering from an awful ear infection. She was just a mess.
But she still has some affection and life in her. And Amy reported over the weekend that Coco had been tagged by DFW Cocker Spaniel Rescue. And, Amy wrote, “If anyone would like to make a donation for Coco, please click on the link below.  No amount is too small and this precious girl will be needing lots of TLC.” Here’s the link: dfwcockerescue.org.
And, remember, you can help Coco and other Cockers with less dire physical problems by grabbing your clubs and hitting the links on April 5 and Fort Worth’s Rockwood Park Golf Course on on Jacksboro Highway just north of downtown Cowtown. Click HERE.
TWO DOGS ‘DESPERATE’
FOR THE HELP OF HUMANS

Laura Macias of 4-Legged Helpers sent out an appeal for some assistance with two dogs — Murphy from Wilmer and Peaches from Lancaster. 
Laura doesn’t speak well of either of the low- foot traffic shelters. Cites things that’ll curdle your hemoglobin. We’ll put those things aside to focus on the two dogs that were, basically, claimed and, Laura says, “put in boarding situations to save their lives.”

Murphy is the dog who came in with an injured “boy part” and has recovered but still needs a place to go — a home, a foster or a rescue group. Not a single inquiry for this handsome guy even though, Laura says, “he is extremely sweet, extremely lovable and sill very shy.” The photo of smiling Murphy was taken when he thought he was going to a home, Laura theorizes. He was going to boarding. 

As you may recall, 4-Legged Helpers hit the end of the line with Lancaster Animal Services and its new management after trying for nearly a year to make sure every animal in the small shelter was rescued.
“Peaches’ time was up at Lancaster and we had to get her out to save her but no one has shown any interest and she is such a good girl. Just as sweet as can be, just like her name.  Loves everyone.  Seems to get along well with dogs we observed her interacting with when we had her out. She is fully vetted and housetrained and loves children (and is great with them)  Super sweet. Look at that cute face.  She loves to play ball and fetch. Owner release by someone unable to care for her.”

To offer to adopt or somehow help these two, call or text Laura at 214-949-2726 or email cat-girl_71@yahoo.com.
THREE FROM MESQUITE
WAITING FOR GOOD SOULS
The volunteers Debra Chisholm and Judi Brown provided the info about these three dogs in the Mesquite Animal Services Shelter.

The German Shepherd mix is Harlow, about 2, 62 pounds and a stray who came in on Feb. 17. Not neutered and his bio reads, “He is one high-spirited youngster who leaps, bounds and races around the shelter yard.  He is a fun-loving, tail wagging bundle of energy who would be a great pet for an active person or family willing to walk or run with him or take him to the dog park for some exercise. His number is ID 43843259.
Coconut (43847623) is a year-old , 21-pound terrier mix who arrived as a stray on the 18th. Judi wrote, “The shelter had him down as a Chihuahua  but appears to be too stocky and heavy to be a Chi. My pet scanner said he’s part Jack Russell terrier and Lab mix. Because of his long body it looks like he may also be part Dachshund. Whatever he is he is adorable, cute, and sweet. He is low to the ground, has a long body, is very soft, and has one blue eye and one brown eye. In spite of the fact that he is very low to the ground he was easily able to jump up on a table in the volunteer room! He is timid at first but quickly warms up. He is calm and gentle. He’s receptive to affection and gives affection. He gives kisses.”
Koda (#43846631) is also a former stray. The year-old, 46-pound Pittie mix arrived on Feb. 18. Judi writes, “You would be sure to get lots of compliments on this good looking dog if you took him on walks. Besides being good looking, he’s also got a wonderful personality. He’s the right mix of being laid-back and spunky. He appears to be very happy as his tail wags constantly. He’s gentle. Sometimes he forgets and jumps on you because he wants some attention but even that is in a gentle manner. He’s not likely to knock you over.”

For any of these animals, call the shelter at 972-216-6283 or email rescues@cityofmesquite.com.
CONTEMPLATIONS
DEMOLITION, A SMILING DOG, COYOTES
After watching a little bit of the wrecking ball/Leaning Tower of Dallas confrontation, I began to wonder, “Is Dallas tearing down the toughest structure in town — the only one that could withstand a tornado or nuclear attack?” …

Leighann Hayden shared this on Facebook — the dog is Burreaux and he’s currently delivering that toothy grin with the Humane Society of Northwest Louisiana, based in Shreveport. Zip right down I-20 from the Metrosprawl and you can audition to adopt a dog who knows how smile even when he’s been watching the news on TV. You can reach the no-kill HSNWLA by goin to hsnwla.com. [LARRY FYI: I was a sportswriter at The Shreveport Times for a little over a year in the late ‘60s. Shreveport’s the big town in an area of hunters and fisherfolk and people who love animals. I like to think that the entertaining elements of Shreveport/Bossier City were created and built because of all the Texas money “donated” at the casinos and the horsetrack.] …
In the meantime, for those of you who have just moved to North Texas from the planet Mars or some place without an understanding of nature, coyotes are wild animals and must be respected. They are predators and will come after your unattended cat or dog. So, love your animal and keep him or her out of the reach of a fence-jumpin’ coyote. 
Canis latrans is the official name. Some people call coyotes “ghost dog.” 
Here’s something to remember: Humans are the invaders who have to terraform land to live on it — coyotes don’t have to do anything except be coyotes and avoid humans and they’ll get along just fine. [LARRY FYI: Not having a mugshot of a coyote, I decided to use this photo of me and Deputy Chief Kittie Leigh Johnson, our household peace officer givng her Clint Eastwood "squint." She enjoys quoting classic motion picture lines. In this case, she looked into the camera and, summoning The Treasure of the Sierra Madre, said, “Coyotes? Coyotes? We don’t need no stinkin’ coyotes.” Being a housecat for more than decade, she’s not really sure what a coyote is, but she prefers to stick to the safe side of things. So, like the Deputy Chief says, keep your critters ’n’ kids safe from coyotes.]

—- Offer opinions or advice by clicking on ‘comment’ below or by emailing dallrp@aol.com. —-

A BUILDING AND CAMELOT; A MODEL AND A PET ORPHANAGE; HISTORY FROM THE '60S

EDITION OF MONDAY, FEB. 24, 2020 [PetPowellPress] Ah, The Leaning Tower of Dallas. Reports are it’s going to finish coming down on Monday. Usually Dallas is a city that is able to demolish everything it designates on first try — ask the guy whose house was flattened last week. That’s a photo of the Leaning Tower -- I got it from KRLD-AM 1080’s site. It’s evocative of Pisa. 
And, when the tower falls, perhaps the rumbling sounds of the crash will evoke some words from the great Alan Jay Learner of Broadway musical fame.

“Never let it be forgot
That once there was a Dallas spot

with a piece left of a building
that amusingly leaned a lot.” 
 [LARRY ASIDE: See Contemplations for the real lyrics and other notes. But first, we have rescue stories and other notices, such as the appearance of international model and writer Anneliese Aeria on behalf of East Lake Pet Orphanage. She's a dog and cat fan and those are the mugshots of her little pals.]
THE ARRIVAL OF 50 DOGS
PRESSUES BUBBLES AND BENTLEY
As we moved toward the weekend, Bubbles and Bentley were in a bit of a fix on their own and then, suddenly, Denton Animal Services had to take in 50 more dogs from a hoarding situation. 
Bubbles (sitting alone on his bed) and Bentley were already working toward their own rescue situations when the new dogs put pressure on the shelter’s population.
We learned the details from Amy Poskey, the volunteer tipster who monitors Denton’s McNatt Animal Services.
The operative update as this is being typed Sunday is that Bubbles, Amy wrote, “is in dire need of a temp foster cuz  the Denton Animal Shelter took in 50 dogs from a hoarding situation, so I’m very worried about Bubbles now.  She has been at the shelter for almost a month and has medical needs, so I have no idea if or how long the shelter will be able to hold her. 
“The temp foster would just need to foster her until transport to Rocky Mountain Lab Rescue in Colorado and then get her to the transport site in the DFW area the day of transport.  There will also be some required vetting before she can cross into Colorado and Rocky Mountain Lab Rescue will cover that cost.”

 A note from the shelter reports that the staffers there are “working very diligently to be able to comfortably accommodate the needs of the animals in our care and the community.” Basically, if you’ve found a stray, try to hold onto it until Denton can create some space.
We’ve mentioned Bubbles before. She’s the Labby mix, a stray, who at under 6-months-old has suffered a lot of bone-breaking violence in her life. Bentley is the maybe 10-year-old Schnauzer mix, also a stray, who has arthritis in his hips and severe dental disease.
To offer to help Bubbles, contact the Denton shelter by emailing gayla.nelsen@cityofdenton.com, Randi.Weinberg@cityofdenton.com,  julien.peralta@cityofdenton.com or ethel.Strother@cityofdenton.com or by calling the shelter at 940-349-7594.

And what of Bentley? Amy reports, “Holly Dool with Camo Animal Rescue has tagged Bentley for rescue and they are in the process of making arrangements to pick Bentley up from the temp shelter foster!!!  THANK YOU HOLLY!!!   If anyone would like to make a donation for Bentley’s care, please click on the following link:  https://www.camorescue.com/."
ELPO GETS ATTENTION FROM
INTERNATIONAL MODEL/AUTHOR
We got this from the PR wizard Vicki Young of The Young Company — she’s our great tipster for extra-special events at East Lake Pet Orphanage. 
You may have noticed that great photo of the striking young woman and two friends. That, folks, is the international model and author Anneliese Aeria and, as Vicki wrote, “her own rescue pets, Felicity the pup and Giselle the kitty.”
And, FYI, that model/writer also happens to be familiar with ELPO in a maternal sort of way — her mom is Dr. Karen Fling, the legendary vet who founded the pet orphanage and honors rescuers and pro-animal people annually at Wine on the Roof.
On Tuesday, March 3, Anneliese will be at Lucky Dog Barkery, 8320 Preston Center Plaza, for the luxury publication AAPETPEOPLE Pop-Up & Book Signing. She’ll be signing copies of the “inaugural monograph” of AAPETPEOPLEM Magazine and pet-themed T-shirts that will be on sale. And, “a percentage of all proceeds will go to benefit the homeless pets of East Lake Pet Orphanage.” The event runs from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. and, according to the ELPO release, “People Sips and Nibbles will be offered.” It’s “free and open to the public.”
And, no doubt, animal fans will be able to strike up a conversation with the celebrity model/writer animal fan. Anneliese says, “Traveling internationally I find that I am never without friends when the topic comes up relative to the mutual affection for pets, and the plight of homeless animals.”

Readlarrypowell.com would be remiss if we didn’t mention some of the adoptables at East Lake Pet Orphanage. That beautiful dog is Charlie, a young lady whose bio declares "she should be a dog model..." And that cat is Otis, one of several siblings found living under a backyard deck — they’re waiting for adoption at ELPO.
FYI: AAPETPEOPLE is described as “a luxury publication and photographic essay showcasing the unique and tender relationships between people in arts and fashion and their pets. The first issue offers a glimpse into five influencers homes, along with their treasured companions for an inside view of their lives together.” Connect at this link: aapetpeople.com. 

CONTEMPLATIONS
CAMELOT AND SOME JFK QUOTES
We mentioned the musical Camelot in the opening and the gifted Alan Jay Lerner’s song from the 1960 Broadway production -- it ran 873 performances from Dec. 3, 1960, through Jan. 5, 1963, research shows. While we twisted the lyrics to meet the forced fall of a building in Dallas, the actual lyrics read this way:

"Don’t let it be forgot

That once there was a spot

For one brief shining moment

That was known as Camelot."
You can listen to the Camelot star Richard Burton singing (there may be commercials) by clicking on CAMELOT. 
Some history. President John F. Kennedy was said to have enjoyed singing the song in the White House. The Guardian newspaper, in 2017, wrote about the story behind the film Jackie, about First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy. And noted that after her husband’s assassination in Dallas on Nov. 22, 1963, Mrs. Kennedy was being interviewed 7 days later — Nov. 29, 1963 — by the Life magazine journalist Theodore White, author of The Making of the President 1960. Mrs. Kennedy said to him, “There will be great presidents again. But there will never be another Camelot.” ... Yep, “for one brief shining moment" JFK reigned over a "Camelot."… History matters, kids. Make sure you read up on your world. Here’s a JFK quote: ““The ignorance of one voter in a democracy impairs the security of all.” Kind of fits in with this one: “Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country.” I wonder if that has translated adequately from the 20th Century to the 21st.
—- Offer opinions or soothing words by clicking on ‘comment’ below or by emailing dallrp@aol.com. —-

NALA, NICK AND TONY -- LET SLEEPING DOGS LIE IN NEW LOVING HOMES...

We begin this February 22/23 edition of Let Sleeping Dogs Lie & Napping Cats Nap with a face you may have seen before.

That is Nala. She was very sincerely awaiting the needle at Carrollton Animal Services just before Valentine’s Day. But, the shelter’s Senior Animal Care Specialist Vanessa Johnson issued an appeal. Nala was scheduled for the needle at 5 p.m. on the 13th -- she beat the odds, thanks to human hearts.
Nala was an owner-surrender and, mercifully, the shelter people decided she needed another chance. 
People pledged hundreds of dollars to support her cause. And by Valentine’s Day, she was sprung, tagged by Marleigh’s Friends Rescue. What has happened since then? Here’s an indicator.


Yep, she’s out like a light! This was posted on Marleigh’s Friends Facebook page with the note, “Just look at this beautiful, sweet girl!!! Can you believe Nala was going to be euthanized for being ‘aggressive’ last week? She's sweet, smart and dog friendly! ❣❣”

Marleigh’s Friends Rescue reports on its Facebook page that Nala got support from “dog lover Sunny Chaparala, who is running as a Republican for election to the U.S. House to represent Texas' 24th Congressional District.” [LARRY NON-PARTISAN NOTE: Seven Democrats, Six Republicans, a Libertarian and two independents are in the race to replace retiring Congressman Kenny Marchant. We’re just talking Sleeping Dogs & Napping Cats at readlarrypowell.com. Plus, we’re committed to a campaign in support of our colleague with the Upper House hairline, The Senator.]
According to the post on Marleigh’s Friends, candidate Chaparala issued several pleas for help to her supporters and followers. Marleigh’s Friends also reported that with fosters for Nala and the candidate’s help with medical and training expenses, “Nala has a second chance!”
You can tell by the “relaxed photos” of Nala, that she is, as the rescue said after she'd begun her foster life, “adjusting rather well to life outside the shelter and receiving plenty of love and attention. She will be going in for a health evaluation soon and then assessed by a behavior specialist. She is a very smart and loving girl who will benefit greatly from training. She is NOT aggressive like she was recently labeled in the shelter. Nala is just a big, happy girl with a lot of energy. No one has ever shown her the appropriate way to direct her energy and she had no way of releasing it in the shelter.”
Marleigh’s Friends Rescue promises updates “on this beautiful girl" and declares, "Her transformation is going to be amazing and we have no doubts she will make the perfect addition to a wonderful family.”

While we were looking at Mar- leigh’s Friends post- ings, we hap-pened to run across two genu- ine sleep-ing ca- nines. These snoozers are Nick [on the 'top bunk'] and Tony. The rescue is hoping to “adopt them as a pair. They were rescued together in December but had only met briefly before going to their foster home. Since being rescued they have become the VERY BEST FRIENDS. Nick has helped Tony overcome his insecurities and these boys just love each other beyond words!! Surely someone has room for them both? They follow each other everywhere and refuse to be apart!!" Here’s the link to the adoption information: MarleighsFriends.org/adopt.

We chose, also, to use their holiday photos to show off their beautiful dog faces.
Kind of a good thing to know that dogs such as Nala, Nick and Tony are now on the “adopt” list rather than any other list — and I think you know what I mean.
[Remember, readlarrypowell.com happily posts photos of sleeping dogs and napping cats and any other snoozing critter — can be a family member, a rescued animal, a shelter animal, an animal that needs to be rescued.  Send photos and stories to dallrp@aol.com. These photos remind people that a sleeping pet is a tribute to a human — the animal trusts you enough to nod off while you’re in the room. We’ll post photos and stories in our long-running weekend feature Let Sleeping Dogs Lie & Napping Cats Nap. Your photos will also remind the world’s insomniacs that they, too can get some sleep if they’ll just figure out the right way to flop or to pair up. Dogs and cats make it look so darned easy.]
—- Offer upbeat responses or surefire Lotto Texas numbers by clicking on ‘comment’ below or by emailing dallrp@aol.com. We answer the mail, unless those Lotto numbers work and then we’ll pay someone to answer the mail. —-

EXTRA EDITION: REMINDERS OF DOGS AND CATS AND SHELTER PRESSURE...SAVE 'EM ALL

MID-MORNING EDITION OF FRIDAY, FEB. 21, 2020 [PetPowellPress] As the sun forces us to reacquaint ourselves with a cloud-free daylight this morning, we have some Extra Edition stories for Friday. That’s the readlarrypowell.com Office Cat William Powell, a fellow who is going to really be miffed when I finally unpack the moving boxes stacked around the facility. He has a lawyer and may get a “restrain unpacking” order. Here goes:

BENNY BOUNCED BACK;
SOCKS HAS THE FAB FACE!
[LARRY NOTE: Last week we did several reports on the bulging population at Mesquite Animal Services and how the facility’s euthanasia needle was becoming active. Mesquite isn't the only shelter that encounters this pressure in ultra-fertile North Texas. In hopes of helping the shelter safely reduce the current population, here are  more stories of Mesquite dogs who deserve to live out their lives in a home full of love. That’s a genuine emotion. Readlarrypowell.com believes in saving ‘em all. That's Porche, one of many we personally saved through the years -- Dallas girl. Wandered up a decade or so ago.]

The story on Benny was sent to us by Debra Chisholm, one of our reliable volunteer tipsters at Mesquite Animal Services. 
Benny’s a 4-year-old, 32-pound Pointer/Jack Russell mix who first arrived at the shelter on Feb. 10. He was adopted “shortly after his hold date was up,” Debra says, “but then returned a few days later on the 20th”
Why? Older gent who adopted him “quickly realized that Benny was too lively for him to handle.”
Debra’s bio of this boy reads, “He is up-to-date on his shots, is microchipped and neutered.  He walks well on a leash and is a spunky and active boy with an outgoing and confident personality.  He is friendly, playful and has a sweet nature.  He did potty in the shelter yard upon arrival for his photo session.  He knows the sit command.  This little live-wire needs a home with people who are active and will take him for walks, runs and who will give him the exercise he needs.”

Benny’s ID is 43794165. Use it when you email rescues@cityofmesquite.com or call the shelter at 972-216-6283.
Same contact points for asking about Socks (#37757338).

Socks may have one of the most fascinating mammalian
faces we’ve ever seen — that’s on humans, cats or dogs! 

Debra says Socks, a 3-year-old, fun-loving, high-spirited Pittie-mix girl was surrendered to Mesquite’s shelter on January 31. “She has spent some time in isolation due to kennel cough but is now out in a kennel in the general population area.  Former owner reported that Socks lived both indoors and outdoors and is OK with children, but not with cats or dogs. She walks well on a leash, but I noted when I led her through the bay that she was reactive to the dogs who barked at her.  Therefore, a face-to-face dog test is recommended.  She is a friendly and affectionate girl.  She takes treats gently.  Her former owner had her for most, if not all, of her life so it is sad that she is now in a city shelter.”
Socks is #37757338 — use that number when contacting the shelter by phoning 972-216-6283 or emailing rescues@cityofmesquite.com.

[LARRY FYI: After you’ve learned that Socks was dumped by her lifetime home, maybe you’ll also have a “teardrop moment” when you realize the guy hugging her in the photo is a Mesquite Animal Services shelter staffer who wanted her to know that even though she’s in a shelter, someone loves her enough to hug her. He can’t be the only person who’ll hug and love that dog.]
OK, one more. And I’ll be brief:
Pepper (43840673), a 2-year-old, 45-pound, already spayed Lab mix was surrendered on Feb. 17 after, her owner reported…[LARRY PAUSE: Oh for crying out loud!] that back in December Pepper “ate some mushrooms and became ill.” The owner said that after she recovered, her personality had changed and she became “unfriendly” toward the other family dogs.
Debra’s note reads, “She is very uncomfortable in the shelter environment and until yesterday [Thursday] was too uncomfortable to even move about much.  One of the volunteers got her on a leash and took her out to the yard.  Much of the time in the yard, she had her tail tucked and would shake. Former owner also reported the following:  Pepper is house-trained, lived indoors, knows the sit, lay down, go to sleep and play dead commands.”

Idiot. Play dead? Idiot. Ooops. Did I type that ‘idiot’ out loud? — sorry, but not real sorry, Larry.
And here’s the LINK to Mesquite’s shelter site. You can see more dogs and plenty of cats, too.
CONTEMPLATIONS
THE APOLLO EFFECT AND A CAT’S MEOW
For our previous edition we reported on the SPCA of Texas had joined with Hunt County authorities to seize 146 allegedly cruelly treated animals. That’s a sudden population bump at the non-profit SPCA — dogs and cats came to the SPCA’s facility in West Dallas and the horse and donkeys went to the SPCA’s McKinney facility.
This dog is Apollo — he was not a member of that rescue seizure this week. Nope, Apollo arrived at the SPCA on Feb. 7 because of ANOTHER CRUELTY CASE.
 Readlarrypowell.com decided to highlight Apollo, currently “very scared” and working on his adjustment to a new circumstance.
We looked at his photo and first saw an Earhound working on being “normal” and then we looked at the second photo and thought, “He’s told the photographer ‘Hey, take one of me upside down and grinnin’ — that might help charm a patient adoptor!” 
So, that photo produces The Apollo Effect — a guy in an office 30 miles away from Apollo is suddenly fascinated by a dog who understands marketing through an upside down pose. I’d go get him if we hadn't already bagged the limit on entertaining dogs at our house. I hope someone with a kind and patient heart will contact the SPCA at foster@spca.org — he’s not ready for adoption, but he sure might be ready for a “foster failure.” 
Oh, and one more thing. A meowing cat insists that we give felines more time today. Here’s her testimony:

—- See us this weekend for Let Sleeping Dogs Lie & Napping Cats Nap and feel free to click on ‘comment’ below and email dallrp@aol.com. Save ‘em all. —-

HUNT COUNTY SEIZURE; SWEET DOGS NEED HOMES, SPAY/NEUTER FIGURES & THEATRICAL CONTEMPLATIONS

EDITION OF FRIDAY, FEB. 21, 2019 [PetPowellPress] As we were about to hit the “go” button on this edition, we got a news release from the SPCA of Texas about a raid on a property in Hunt County, northeast on I-30 about an hour from Dallas. 
[LARRY NOTE: I’d hope to finish the week with an uplifting paragraph or two for the lead, but, darn it, humans failing animals got in the way. The good side is the SPCA stepped up.]

On Wednesday, the SPCA, the Hunt County Sheriff’s Office and the Hunt County Constable's office — following up on citizen tips and an SPCA investigator’s work — seized 128 animals from lousy conditions. They went back Thursday and got 18 more — 119 dogss, 19 puppies, six donkeys, a horse and a cat. 
SPCA medical personnel are evaluating the animals — dogs and cats at the Dealey Animal Rescue Center in Dallas and the donkeys and horse at the Perry Animal Care Center in McKinny. 
The custody hearing is scheduled for February 27 with Hunt County Precinct 1, Place Justice of the Peace Sheia Linden presiding in Greenville.
The SPCA says 40 dogs, 19 puppies and the cat were living inside a resident “on the property which was filled with feces and urine and debris up to two feet high in some areas.”
Most of the animals didn’t have access to food or water. And the amonia level was high enough to be dangerous to humans. 
Outside, there were 79 dogs in makeshift pens and enclosures. /the horse and donkeys roamed freey.
The SPCA reports, “The animals appear to be suffering from severa health issues, including scrapes and wouns, long nails, diarrhea and dirty and matted fur. 
See how to help the animals by going to spca.org. More photos are HERE.
MURPHY — A GIRL
WHO NEEDS A HOME

This is one of the dogs currently in the care of DFW’s FurGotten Friends, the non-profit rescue founded by Stephen Foster. Here’s the story of Murphy, based on the Facebook post:
 “Adorable Murphy is searching for her forever home! 

- Murphy is around 14 weeks old
- Her baby teeth are transitioning
- She easily crates overnight and when unsupervised
- She has mastered the doggie door and races to be the first one outside
- She gets along well with other dogs
- She loves her humans, playtime, and toys!
- Spayed and UTD on vetting
Murphy is available for adoption!! If you want to meet this adorable girl, please fill out our adoption application here."
[LARRY ASIDE: We included Murphy’s slumber photo to remind you, Dear Readers, to send photos of your snoozing dogs and cats to me at dallrp@aol.com and their stories. We’ll post them in our long-running weekend feature, “Let Sleeping Dogs Lie & Napping Cats Nap.” This weekend we’re featuring a dog who was a close call at a kill shelter. We like to feature the happy tales of animals who are loved.]
A READING TIP
ABOUT SPAY/NEUTER
The Big Paper Downtown in Dallas has an animal-loving columnist named Sharon Grigsby, longtime pal of mine, who has written an interesting assessment of Big D’s “Let’s Fix This” project. The goal has been to get spaying and neutering into the hearts and minds of people who have animals in Dallas. The project was inspired by attacks by free-roaming dogs on humans. Cats didn’t attack; they simply had more cats — you know how cats work.
As you read Sharon’s column HERE, consider the math cited in the project’s report: “approximately 82,000 surgeries over three years.”

Let’s liberally suggest that surgeries were done 5 days a week during 3 years. Five days times 52 weeks equals 260 workdays in a year times 3 years equals 780 days of surgeries. If there were, indeed, 82,000 surgeries, how many is that a day? Let’s try dividing 780 days into 82,000 surgeries. Am I right? Is that 105.1 spay/neuters a day? Are there enough vets around here to pull off 105 surgeries a day for 3 years of workweeks without needing some sort of therapy? Neuters might take 10 minutes, but spays are invasive surgery. That’s some pace, isn’t it?
And, yet, puppies and kittens continue to be born and dumped in the Dallas shelter.

Sharon makes a good point:  “It would be a terrible shame to see this unprecedented surge stop before the job is finished.”

They’re not all puppies in the care of Dallas Animal Services. If you go to dallasanimalservices.org you’ll see there’s this 13-year-old boy Luke (#A0476742), an already neutered “tan and black tips Airdale Terrier." He came in on Feb. 15. There are many other older dogs in the shelter’s care. And there are puppies, such as Lenny (A1091835), that 8-week-old German Shepherd mix who came in on December 18 and is in a foster home. (Lenny’s on page 12 of the more than 40 pages of dogs — 392 dogs and 38 cats listed during the noon hour Thursday. That little kitten is a no-name boy (#A1096464) who arrived on Feb. 20 at about 4 weeks of age proving, in the dead of winter, that kitten season is year-round in Dallas, Texas, the most fertile city in North America. Go to dallasanimalservices.org to see how to adopt.
WELL, IT’S A FAMILY AFFAIR
IN THE MESQUITE SHELTER
Oh, boy. This is kind of a really disturbing story of human failure.
 Our Mesquite Animal Shelter tipster, the volunteer biographer Judi Brown, says Moma (left) is a 5-year-old, 63-pound Pittie mix (#43822173) who came in as a stray on Feb. 13 with Harley and Domino (last photo). }
“Harley is probably her daughter as she has recently had a litter and Harley is about four months old,” Judi writes. “Moma has gorgeous gold and reddish  coloring. She is short and low to the ground. She also has sad eyes which seem to be imploring you to love her. She is timid but much friendlier and outgoing than Domino or Harley.” 

Harley (#43822207) is 4-months old and, though she’d been at the shelter several days, Judi says she was “still decompressing. The shelter environment is overwhelming to her. It was difficult to get her out of the kennel. I had to carry her part of the way. I was not able to introduce her to other dogs as she was too fearful. I left the leash on her out in the yard because she was skittish. She did make moves to come towards me but then she decided better of it and she would back off. She did allow me, when I held her leash and talked softly to her, to pet her. She sometimes flinched. She is a work in progress. There’s no doubt she has a lot of potential to be a friendly outgoing dog once trust is established. I have enlisted  the other volunteers to help socialize Harley. I will follow up with hopefully more positive reports in a few days.”

Domino( #43822085), a 5- to 6-year-old “smoky gray” Pittie mix, arrived with Mom and Harley and, Judi says, “Harley is probaby his daughter. The story that was related to me is that the three of them were wandering the neighborhood and an elderly lady started to feed them but was not able to keep them. When the original owners were contacted they said they did not want these dogs anymore. They surrendered them to the shelter. As with Harley, Domino is and will be a work in progress. At first, I am told, he would not even walk on a leash. Today he hesitantly walked out into the yard on the leash. However, when he got out the yard he just froze. He will need more time and TLC to decompress and build trust. The volunteers and staff will work with him to help him know what love is. Domino is very sweet and there’s no doubt that he’s longing for love and companionship.” 

To help this family — all together or one at a time —- call the shelter at 972-216-6283 or email rescues@cityofmesquite.com. Use their ID numbers.
CONTEMPLATIONS
THEATER, THEATRICS AND SCARY FILMS
Pegasus Theatre, famed for its Living Black & White stage productions, also does “thrilling RadioVision!” shows, i.e., staged readings as if the audience is actually watching a radio mystery from the ‘30s an ‘40s. The next one opens March 12 in the Dallas Public Library’s Lochwood Branch’s Black Box Theater — these shows are usually done at the Bath House Cultural Center but playwright Kurt Kleinmann says that facility is is undergoing “much-needed building renovations, so Pegasus will present A Critical Case of Murder! at the Lochwood Library. The schedule and tickets are at the Pegasus Theatre site HERE. The plot is this: “Someone is murdering the theater critics in town one by one.” Naturally, Harry Hunsacker, the “would-be actor turned would-be detective,” and Nigel Grouse, his “paid-by-the-hour friend and assistant,” arrive to investigate. Kleinmann has written a script that plays with equal hilarity and mystery on both the theatre stage and in the radio studio. Kind of amazing. [LARRY ASIDE: Do Dallas-area papers have theater critics any more?] … Speaking of theatrics: I was watching the Democrats’ debate and, now and then, the Trump appearance (a swift TV remote!) and it occurred to me that if a novelist had created some of the dialogue from either program, the book’s editor would have said, “You need rethink this approach. No reader is gonna buy this stuff as real.” … While watching the Wednesday afternoon news on NBC5, the weatherguy asked his co-casters, "What movie traumatized you as a kid?" and his answer was Jaws. I read it when it first was published, then saw the movie — so I was a loosely stable grownup for Jaws. But the movie that traumatized me was the 1957 Roger Corman-directed black-and-white sci-fi film Not of this Earth. The guy who was not of this earth (actor Paul Birch) looked like a 1950s door-to-door insurance salesman in sunglasses. When he took them off, he had no pupils and his terrifying eyes would burn out the brains of earthlings to get their blood and save his planet. A few weeks after I saw the film with my buddy Barry Birmingham, I was walking home from school and saw a man in a black suit, white shirt, black tie, businessman’s hat and sunglasses walking toward me. I crossed the street. He crossed the street. I crossed back. He crossed back. I turned right and might even have run the rest of the way home. Eerie. I’m still not sure that guy wasn’t from Mars and harvesting blood.
—- Offer insomnia cures and thoughts about scary movies by clicking on ‘comment’ below or email dallrp@aol.com — don’t wear Martian sunglasses. —-

DOGS, CAT, PIGS AND THE CONCEPT OF 'AGGRAVATED STUPIDITY'

EDITION OF THURSDAY, FEB. 20 (MAYBE ALSO FRIDAY FEB. 21) [PetPowellPress] All the rain and cold temps -- they've got to be good for us and our flowers, right? I'm still not quite to the point that I am looking forward to August. 
In the meantime, we're jumping right into a weird dog rescue story from Terry Lynn Fisher.
Yep, second edition in a row we've led off with Terry Lynn, but I think you'll see how she earned this mention. Oh, and there'll be some pig talk, too. And we'll highlight some cats at the SPCA of Texas, too. Tom Selleck is one of them.

CLEARLY, ANGELS ARE AT WORK
IN FAR WEST OKLAHOMA
Readlarrypowell.com has presented some odd rescue and adoption stories through the years thanks to Terry Lynn Fisher in Burns Flat, Oklahoma -- 50 miles east of the Texas Panhandle.

When you read this story, you may agree with the theory that the Angels of Oklahoma guided these dogs to the Guardian Angel of Burns Flat. 
Here's Terry Lynn's story. She writes:
"This story is a weird one...
"A couple weeks ago, I got the call that a tiny baby had been found, very sick...  I was afraid it was parvo, but it turned out she was half-frozen and dehydrated. We rushed her to the vet.  With care, she was fine in a couple days.
"Three days later, one of her littermates showed up at home of a lady who feeds ferals. He was eating the cat food.

"We took him in and he went to the same foster. They are about 8 weeks.
"
A week later, THREE more and the momma showed up eating cat food, too.

"Momma ran off, but the foster took the babies in. We searched for owners and watched for momma, with no luck. A rescue offered to take them all Monday, so I took to vet for shots and to board for the week..
"Rescue didn't get them Monday so I spoke with her today [Wednesday]. She had a parvo outbreak and cannot take the babies now.
"
I have three in boarding along with five adult dogs. I need a place for these five babies ASAP ... 
"PLEASE... if you have room, let me know. They are sassy and healthy and full of love.. one female and four males."

NOW, gird yourselves, animal fans, here's Terry Lynn's last paragraph and it is going to -- I really need to use some 'French' here, but I'll stick with the phrase "tick you off."
Terry Lynn writes, "For the record, the owner was found. They have three more and are keeping them. They are bat crap crazy and never even looked for the missing ones."

So, to help Terry Lynn help these puppies, email her at remembering_oddball@yahoo.com.

[LARRY ASIDE: To help the people who are "bat crap crazy," well, we're probably down to praying that the Angels of Oklahoma discreetly have some influence over them. Pretty certain we've never shipped a Readlarrypowell.com Two-by-Four of Enlightenment to a Western Oklahoma Outpost for Angels. And when I read about people with animals being "bat crap crazy," my first thought is always, "They must have fled Dallas after warrants were issued for suspicion of IAS -- Intentional Aggravated Stupidity.]
PEOPLE WHO ARE
PIGHEADED ABOUT
THE REALITY OF PIGS
Years and years ago I was interviewing Terry DeGaw, founder of Serenity Springs Animal Sanctuary at Forestburg, for a story about "little" pigs and "pocket pigs" that were being marketed. Terry, politely sighed and patiently said, "It's a pig! They grow!" 
Terry's gone now and so is Serenity Springs. But the pig problem persists. There is no "pocket pig." Need some mighty big pockets for a pig.

On Facebook this week, Ginger Leach of Fort Worth Animal Care and Control, added another sermon to the pig problem.
She wrote, "No such thing as a 'micro pig' or 'teacup pig'. They are starved pigs and it’s called cruelty!

"Just like 'teacup' dogs that are cruelly being bred to be that way just for your money. 
Yes they are cute but they have lots of medical issues & less life expectancy.
"Stop being gullible. Go to a rescue or if you have to have a purebred or specialty breed go to a reputable breeder. People doing the above [breeding just for money] are not reputable. Be smart and responsible."

So, on Wednesday, Ginger posted a photo of #43846458 and wrote, "Another piggy needs a home. We believe it is a male. And he is a big boy. I got to meet him for a brief moment and he seems like a nice boy. For pet only!"
Tag the pig by emailing fwacctag@fortworthtexas.gov. You can meet this formerly stray pig at the Fort Worth Animal Care & Adoption Center, 4900 Martin Street.
In a bit of coincidence, the porcine rescue My Pig Filled Life, had posted a Facebook message with photo of two pigs. [LARRY ASIDE: Reading this, I could swear I could the voice of Terry DeGaw seconding these emotions!]
My Pig Filled Life wrote: "Folks!! Listen up.....
"This is not a teacup pig, micro mini or whatever other dumbass breeders term is used to sell a mini pig aka potbelly pig. These are underfed, starved pigs — ages 3 and 6. If you’re believing the BS about a full-grown mini at 20 lbs this is what you’ll have. It’s inhumane, it’s cruel and it’s tragic. If you’re like so many that just didn’t know, that’s fine but here’s your chance to learn. We are happy to offer insight on proper nutrition anytime. Mini pigs should be 80-150 pounds full grown. They, like us, do vary in skeletal size...short or tall, long or stout, thinner and fatter based on diet, exercise and genetics BUT this is ABUSE! #teacuppigsdontexist #micropigsarefake #justfeedthem #animalcrulety #animalabuse #neglect #savethepigs."
Read about pig rescue on Facebook HERE.
LET'S TALK CATS

AT THE SPCA OF TEXAS
Always some interesting cats and interesting cat names among the "adorable adoptables" at the SPCA of Texas. 
We teased in the opening with Tom Selleck, named in honor of the enduring TV and film star. The story on this Tom is he's 2, a "black and white domestic shorthair" and -- get this -- a "super sweet guy who was previously adopted from the SPCA of Texas." 
Why is he back at the SPCA? Because he was "found abandoned in an apartment complex." [LARRY ASIDE: See Terry Lynn's post above and note the reference to the charge of Intentional Aggravated Stupidity.] FYI, Tom has been waiting at the Cedar Hill PetSmart in the SPCA's dedicated display area. SPCA Volunteer Linda is quote as saying, "He loves to sit in your lap and has a beautiful purr. He is very sweet and loving."

 Names of SPCA cats also led me to show off these three. Two are obviously Star Wars inspired -- Vader and Yoda.
The other has the hilarious cat name -- heck, it might have been a "family" name edited out of The Godfather: Freddy Spaghetti. [LARRY NOTE: Truth is, if we weren't already loaded with cats, I'd adopt Freddy just to watch him cock his head when I was talking to him. I get that look from dogs, cats and my patientspouse Martha all the time.]
CONTEMPLATIONS
ELLEN, RADIO, SCARY FILM
I'm probably late to this. I happily watch Kelly & Ryan in the morning and get really busy in the afternoon, usually missing The Ellen Degeneres Show. But, on Wednesday I tuned in at the right moment to see her promoting her pro-critter site: @PawsUp on Instagram. She's a fan of canines. ... Speaking of fans of canines, it is well-known that the Radio Voice of the Texas Rangers, Eric Nadel, adores dogs. (He was the guy who talked Dallas into creating its first dog park, then got the Hall of Fame Hurler Nolan Ryan to cut the ribbon at the official opening.) Anyway, I was driving along on a westbound highway Tuesday night and surfing the radio dial trying to find something interesting and it hit me that pretty soon we'll be able to listen to Mr. Nadel and Matt Hicks doing Texas Rangers play-by-play and color and Jared Sandler doing the pre- and post-game duties. In the Metrosprawl, you can catch games on FM105.3. First spring training game broadcast is at 2:05 p.m. Arlington time on Friday -- Rangers vs. Kansas City Royals in Surprise, Az. Baseball -- how nice to think of the pleasure of the game. ... Here are two truths about animals: If you open the door to the backyard during a steady rain, a dog on a regular schedule will look at you as if you are nuts and return to the couch in the living room. If you leave an open box on a floor or table, a cat will crawl into it. If you put an open box into the backyard during a rainstorm, the dog and cat will call their lawyer, then go back to sleep and wait for you to come to your senses.
--- Offer weather forecasts or lotto advice by clicking on 'comment' below or by emailing dallrp@aol.com. ---