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GOOD NEWS FOR ELPO; DALLAS DOG RESCUED; CATS ABOUND; SUMMER, STEVIE RAY AND DION

EDITION OF THURSDAY, MAY 21, 2020 [PetPowellPress] It is always a great relief to begin this daily publication with good news. And we have some: Two instances, one thanks to Dr. Karen Fling at East Lake Pet Orphanage and the other, across town from ELPO on Northwest Highway, to a rescue group that tagged a dog at Dallas Animal Services. First, ELPO.
IF YOU BUILD IT,
THEY WILL COME
TO EAST LAKE EVEN MORE…
You’ve probably already spotted the artist’s rendition of the “news.”
Here’s the basic opening of the news release from East Lake Pet Orphanage. We got the tip on this from Vicki Young, the PR veteran and animal advocate with The Young Company.
The release reads, “Karen Fling, DVM and president of East Lake Pet Orphanage (ELPO), a Dallas-based, no-kill animal shelter, has successfully completed the purchase of the approximately 3,200-square-foot building adjacent to the existing East Lake Veterinary Hospital and East Lake Cat Care Center buildings. The newly acquired building has been home to the local DAV (Disabled American Veterans) Big D Chapter 57.”
Needless to say, this is all going to cost a lot, and ELPO could use help in making this dream a reality. Donations will be a gigantic assistance. Go to ELPO’s DONATE PAGE HERE.
And look at the roof of that building. Yes, the annual, very popular East Lake Pet Orphanage Wine on the Roof gala will have a new home!
As fans of ELPO know, the facility has been blessed with volunteer fosters and space inside the Veterinary Hospital. Dr. Fling says, “It’s an exciting time at East Lake, this dream has been decades in the making. After our best year of adoptions ever, and thousands of homeless pets rescued, rehabilitated and re-homed since 2001, we are happy to announce that East Lake Pet Orphanage will have a new standalone facility designed specifically to meet our growing needs!”
And there you have it. Progress for animals. According to ELPO, the first floor of the building will continue to be the DAV meeting place. And, the news release reads, “The first floor will remain the DAV meeting place and Dr. Fling will be providing nonprofit veterinary care to disabled vets who have to go in for medical care themselves – they often put it off because they don’t have anyone to care for their pets. So it’s a win-win for the vets, their pets, and homeless animals of Dallas. It’s a dream decades in the making.
“Dr. Fling wants to add 5 floors: First floor will remain for DAV, then a cat floor, a dog floor, an inclusive exercise floor, a boarding floor, and a convalescent/intensive care floor will be added.”
All of this work — building a dream that helps animals that need homes — isn’t done without financial help. ELPO has issued a call “for donations of any size to make this dream a reality.”
You’ll be helping animals that follow in the pawsteps of such canines as Gumbeaux, that handsomely attired Staffie Mix, born 6-9-19. He’s in a foster home right now and arrangements can be made to meet him.
Cats? Oh, yes, ELPO has cats. For example, this is Claire with her kittens: Gabriel, Ian, Kathleen and Katherine. [LARRY ASIDE: In addition to being The Viral Dumping Era, this also continues to be puppy and kitten season. As you can see when you go the eastlakepetorphanage.com and look at the animals needing homes.
]
SOMETHING ELSE OF NOTE ABOUT ELPO is this from Vicki: “ELPO is getting 200 calls a day from people needing/wanting to surrender their pets due to the pandemic. It’s heartbreaking.” 
Many of the animal dumpers, we are told, are “people who are afraid of getting the virus from their animal and people who can’t afford to feed/care for their animals.”
Add this to the busy-ness at the Vet Hospital: “East Lake did 40 spay/neuter surgeries on Saturday to help get animals ready for adoption.”
You may also help by volunteering at the Orphanage — call 214-342-3100 or email gerad@welovepets.net.
“HIS FACE WILL
BREAK YOUR HEART”
That was the headline on Amy Poskey’s appeal for a dog named Cory who came into Dallas Animal Services on May 7.
As you can see in what we think is an “arrival day” photo, Amy’s assessment was right on the money. That is one neglected dog and a sensationally yucky eye -- only way to decribe it.
Amy made appeals for this dog and they traveled through the animal community and by Wednesday afternoon Amy wrote, “I am thrilled to report that Cory has been tagged by Missy Redding with Bull luv able Paws Rescue and will be picking him up today!!! WOOOOOHHHHHOOOOOO!!!  THANK YOU MISSY!!!”
Supporters raised $800 to help Cory with medical bills. You can get in touch with the rescue group by clicking on bullluvablepaws.org. 
www.bullluvablepaws.org
Late Friday afternoon, the Bull luv able Paws and Chi Wawas Rescue page on Facebook had posted a note that began, “Say hello to your new life, Cory!” And it added: “Cory’s new name: Cupcake.”
Donate to his care at www.bullluvablepaws.org/donate; on Venmo @bullluvablepaws; or via PayPal @DonateBPR@mail.com.


The posting ended “Hip hip Hooray for Cupcake!!! He’s freeeeeee.”
These are newer photos of Cupcake/Cory. Every now and then your run across a miracle rescue in Dallas. 

BACK TO DAS
 FOR CATS...So, what’s the count and the amount at Dallas Animal Services as of sundown Wednesday? That chart shows the numbers — 139 dogs and 93 cats at the shelter. 
In a posting on the DAS Facebook page, a note seeking foster homes read, “We couldn’t make it through kitten season without you. Right now we have close to 200 cats and kittens out in foster!
Join our kitten lifesaving pack by becoming a #D90foster at www.dallasanimalservices.org." 
That’s one of the many Dallas unwanted (as yet!) kittens under the care of DAS. See more at dallasanimalservices.org.
CONTEMPLATIONS

Summer's coming; Cat-training; Dion & radio
Notice how muggy it was Wednesday and how the temp was climbing into the 90s with both feet on Tuesday? Felt like summer? Hah. The season of Summer 2020 arrives at 4:44 p.m. Central Daylight Time just under one month from  today — June 20. By then we’ll all be social distancing because standing close makes us sweat like we’re trapped in an elevator during a Dallas Cowboys exhibition game. Anybody else remember how hot Texas Stadium could get in August? That hole in the roof wasn't an a/c vent. Yeah, I had free tickets. Exhibition games, you know. … That’s a photo of me gently stroking the noggin of the hardheaded cat Stevie Ray. He’s still a kitten — probably 8 months old and still learning how not to play rough with humans. That’s why I keep a box of BandAids handy. He’s just playing — thank the Lord he’s not a tiger. My approach to petting him has been to gently rub the top of his head as if I were standing in for his momma’s love. I’m not sure how he felt about his mother. I never met her. She may have parked him in the tree at our house and left him with a note but he chewed up the note. … Quick! Somebody tell me which radio station plays the top ten rock hits in America for May 20, 2020. Yeah, I don’t know, either. Somebody cue Dion and The Belmonts with Teenager In Love  or just Dion with The Wanderer. Ah, grand times at the sock hops. Stevie Ray has never been to a sock hop. Cats don't wear socks -- not for long, anyway.
—- Offer information or advice by clicking on ‘comments’ below or by emailing dallrp@aol.com, daddy-o. —

A FLOWER IDENTIFIED; CATS AND DOGS NEEDING HUMANS; CONTEMPLATING ZOOMIN'

EDITION OF WEDNESDAY, MAY 20, 2020 [PetPowellPress] Before we get to some animal business, let’s talk Texas flowers. Remember when the Blue Angels flew over Fort Worth and Dallas a couple of weeks ago? I stood in the middle of a field in East Fort Worth, got no ticks (perhaps rejected by ticks?) and watched the flyover. 
I also snapped a photo of a pretty flower. I had no idea what it was, but I posted the photo on readlarrypowell anyway.
Fortunately we have a very aware pal who lives out in Lubbock, Sarah Hays, who, right away reported that it is “an Indian Blanket — a prized Texas wildflower.” Yes, indeed.
Sarah included THIS LINK to a site “where you can get the seed to make more, if you'd like.” She says, “Those are good folks. I've been returning to them annually for Christmas presents for my daughter-in-law's parents, who have 80 acres of dry land near Benjamin. Flowers grow there now.”

She also tipped us to this LINK that has a dozen Texas Highways wildflower scenic drives. 
On a sweet personal note, she says, “There’s a photo on that page of pink primroses and bluebonnets, which were my wedding flowers 30 years ago this Memorial Day Saturday.” [LARRY ASIDE: Now, Dear Readers, isn’t that a wonderful memory of a flowerful time when people were not social distancing but gathering to celebrate! Sort of makes you look forward to the next wedding in your circle of acquaintances! To add to the floral content of this item, I posted a photo from our current front yard flowers this spring and, also, a photo of the rose blossoming on the bush I bought from a roadside stand in Tyler 30 years ago — can you get any more East Texan? I planted the young bush at our Dallas house when I was a bachelor. About a month ago, I carefully dug the old rose up and moved it to the front yard flowerbed of our Fort Worth home. I’m not sure it’s making the transition to the new dirt. One must be careful with roses. I must note, however, that I apparently have an inability to destroy the survival instinct of weeds.]
A BARN CAT, SOME SWEET KITTENS
AND TEDDY THE HANDSOME DOG
This report comes to us from Laura Macias and Leighann Hayden of 4-Legged helpers. The first part focuses on Lancaster and the second part focuses on a marketing decision for a dog. It’s a sweet story. Keep reading.
In all cases, including that possibly feral cat Kia, the contact is this: Call or text Laura at 214-949-2726 or email cat_girl_71@yahoo.com.

Kia is waiting at the Lancaster Animal Shelter. Her bio reads, “This absolutely beautiful girl, the shelter believes, may be a feral meow meow, :-)  Is anyone interested in a gorgeous barn cat?  If so, and you need help getting her fixed, please let us know.  This poor kitty stands NO chance at the shelter unless someone can help.”

These three kittens are, from left, Hershey, Snickers and Twix. All are said to be little boy cats, maybe 6 or 7 weeks old. The bio says they still have blue eyes. The note from 4-Legged Helpers reads, “These sweet little baby siblings just came in and desperately need someone to save them.  There are about zero chances for adoption in the Lancaster Shelter. … We apologize that the pics are not great, the lighting in the cat room is terrible (it is basically a converted storage closet), but it is so urgent for them to be out, that the ACOs took the pics immediately.”
This Bulldog mix is Teddy, about 2 years old, and he has “the saddest story,” the note from Laura says. “The ACO gave the owners a choice to either turn over the dog or face charges.  Was not being cared for.  The owners tried to say they had only had him two months but the ACO proved that they had him last June when a previous picture was taken.  Fortunately they made the decision to turn him over versus facing charges.  His toenails were even curling into his paw pads. He appears to have some seasonal allergies or skin type issues and looked like it was his happiest moment ever as he was being brushed.   Despite this, HE IS THE CUDDLIEST SWEETEST boy ever.  … He is the most precious lovable teddy bear of a dog.”
NOW WE COME TO THE DOG WHOSE NAME HAS CHANGED….
We’ve posted this guy twice before — using the name first given to him by 4-Legged Helpers, the non-profit rescue group. He was Mario for two editions. Then, on Tuesday evening, we got an update on animals being tended to by 4-Legged Helpers and suddenly his name was Marlowe. 
Whatever his name, his description remains the same. It reads, “You won't find a sweeter dog out there than Marlowe. This sweetie pie is extremely lovable.  Some dogs just know you are trying to help them.  That's Marlowe - we see it in his eyes.  Someday, we just know that someone will say this is the best dog they have ever had. He has the biggest sweetest eyes and lovable personality. … Rides great in the car.  Loves to give kisses.  Just as sweet and precious as can be.  Calm, very loving, easy going.  If you want to really help a dog, you will find this dog to be a dog that will always be so very grateful.”
We asked the hard-working Leighann Hayden about the name change. She writes the bios for 4-Legged Helpers and, as you may know, many animals come into a shelter and have no name. Leighann had been promoting this sweet boy as “Mario.” No responses. So, she says, “I thought maybe try a different name.  He has had zero luck with that Mario name.  He may need a fresh start... :-).” 
[LARRY ASIDE: We’re happy to help with the change in marketing! It works for actors and writers, maybe it’ll work for Marlowe.]
CONTEMPLATIONS
BACK TO FLOWERS, SUMMER, ZOOMIN’

HERE’S THE QUESTION: This has to do with this flower. Why would a native Texas boy such as myself not recognize an Indian Blanket? Here’s why: In Northeast Texas we paid attention to Bluebonnets (the State Flower) and to roses (Tyler’s the Rose Capital of Texas) and, as a Cub Scout, Boy Scout and Explorer Scout, we particularly paid attention to the other significant plant in Northeast Texas: Poison Ivy. You don’t have time to look for wildflowers if you’re trying to avoid Poison Ivy in a thicket — that’s my theory. … Have you Zoomed lately? Aretha Franklin might have been ahead of us all back in ‘85. Here’s the musical EVIDENCE. Sorry about the advert you’ll have to endure. Like weeds, you can’t beat ‘em.
—- Offer theories or certainties by clicking on ‘comments’ below or by emailing dallrp@aol.com. —-

NUMBERS RISE; ANIMALS ARE WAITING; LATENIGHT/EARLY AM TV WITH CATS....

EDITION OF TUESDAY, MAY 19, 2020 [PetPowellPress] Late out of the chute this AM. Call it the joy of accidentally sleeping until the alarm goes off. It wasn’t a complete night’s sleep. We’ll explain in CATEMPLATIONS. Here are some opportunities to contemplate…
Oh, and the numbers continue to rise at Dallas Animal Services. These were the stats before noon on Tuesday. And isn’t that the saddest dogface you’ve seen in a while? Pinot (1092934) is about 2, a neutered Pittie who has been in the shelter since May 10.
There are older dogs, and younger dogs waiting in Dallas for either a home, a rescue or a needle.
Cats? Population climbs during kitten season. But they aren’t all kittens: Ask Mittens. He's (A0725703) is one of the thousands of fabulous North Texas tabbies. The 8-year-old has been at DAS since May 11 and, right now, can only be claimed by a rescue group. Email DASRescue@cddallascityhall.com. Call the shelter at 214-670-6800. Go to dallasanimalservices.org to see how to adopt or rescue.
 Remember DAS is only doing “tele-adoptions” until the State of Texas (including Dallas County) really opens up.

A DOG NEEDING A SAFE PATHWAY; A KITTEN FOUND
We got the tip on this beautiful dog from Sydney Busch of Friends of the Animals at Cedar Creek Lake. She got the info in a note from Lajean Fenske who wrote, “Kelo has been handed down to so many wrong people, he desperately is looking for a family that will give that forever home. He is approx 7 years old, up to date [on vaccinations] and neutered.”

There is one challenge: “He is heartworm positive,” Lajean wrote, but added, “He is so sweet and laid back. He tolerates other dogs, cares not for cats. He is house-trained. Please help me.” Email lajeanbfenske@gmail.com.
Then there’s this kitten plea from Gun Barrel City, Texas. Sydney forwarded it and the note read, “Baby kitten found in Gun Barrel City behind Ruth Martin Insurance building. Very calm and friendly but too young to tell the gender. Needs a loving home.”
The email to ask about auditioning to adopt this baby is delores100@embarqmail.com.
TWO DOGS, DIFFERENT HISTORIES,
NEEDING A FUTURE IN HAPPINESS
Oh, boy, is there no end to the stories of dogs who need homes? I guess not. But, there’s also no end to the stories of humans who have homes for those dogs. [LARRY ASIDE: It’s important to remember that there are animal people working for them all. It’s the “So What/Don’t Care People” who are the big challenge to our moods and stability!]
Laura Macias and Leighann Hayden of 4-Legged Helpers are hustling to find homes for a couple of dogs who “desperately need a rescue group or adoptor,” today’s note from the non-profit declares. Both dogs are listed as “urgent” because of their “unwanted” status and the pressure on shelters.
 To ask about either dog call or text Laura at 214-949-2726 or email cat_girl_71@yahoo.com. 

That first girl is Tasha, currently at the Lancaster Animal Shelter in the city across I-20 from the southern side of Dallas. She’s described as an “AVAILABLE NOW” American Bulldog/Boxer mix. Her bio reads, “This adorable little girl was brought to the shelter by someone no longer able to care for her.  The ACO's adore her and said she has such a great personality.  Very lovable.  Extremely cute.  Only about 2 years old and just was sweet as can be. Look at that little face with those big eyes and even cute whiskers!  Adorable.”

We mentioned the next guy before, but he’s still needing some help with a home. Mario, a pleasant-enough backseat rider in a car, is a neutered Lab/Boxer mix who came from the Hutchins Animal Shelter. His recommendation reads, “You won't find a sweeter dog out there than Mario. This sweetie pie is extremely lovable.  He has the biggest sweetest eyes and lovable personality.  He just so very much wants to be loved.   Seems to do quite well with bigger dogs. ….  Rides great in the car.  Loves to give kisses.  Just as sweet and precious as can be.  Calm, very loving.  If you want to really help a dog, you will find this dog to be a dog that will always be so very grateful.  He was originally at Hutchins Shelter and was pulled to save him, but sadly an adopter was never found by the person trying to find him a home and he desperately needs his forever home.  He deserves his happy forever. Just so very much wants to be loved.  He is a WONDERFUL sweet dog.”
MORE PHOTOS
OF TIGGER
You may recall Tigger from our Monday edition. He’s an older dog in Katy, Texas, whose human is facing a cancer battle and she wants to find a good home for her beloved Tigger.

We learned of this situation from our Houston tipster Alexandra Kelsey. A number of people responded to her plea. She writes to all of you goodhearted animal fans, “Thanks to everyone for working so hard on this.  There is a possible foster for Houston’s Freedom Street Rescue, and a couple of people in the Dallas area are working hard on this and trying to figure out how they could help.

“I will keep everyone posted as things develop.  I know Tigger’s mom is very grateful.  I have also asked her if she needs help for herself, but at the moment she is OK. I asked her to keep me posted, though.” To offer to help Tigger’s mom find a place for her 10-year-old fella, email our pal at Alexandra.Kelsey@Bracewell.com.

CATEMPLATIONS
WHAT’S ON TV AT 3 IN THE MORNING?
In the opening, I mentioned the joy of sleeping until the alarm goes off. There are other alarms with which I am acquainted. Bioalarms.
 For example, Monday night I drifted off early, but at 3-something A.M. i got wake-up nudging from my two personal cats, i.e., my personal confidante, The Senator (right, below), and my curiously investigative cat, Deputy Chief Kittie Leigh Johnson (left). 
They said they wanted to see the 3 a.m. presentation of Hart to Hart and watch Jonathan Hart (Robert Wagner) guide kidnapped Jennifer Hart (Stephanie Powers) into safely piloting a plane to a smooth landing after the bad guy parachutes out.
He’s played by Gary Lockwood, in real life in 1983, Ms. Powers’ ex-husband — I do a lot of trivia-related biographical reading deep in the night sometimes. You never know when a marital factoid will come in handy during a conversation
Back to TV — if you’re watching TV at 3-something in the morning, you may not have high standards for dramatic reality. The cats thought they were watching private eye satire. But they enjoyed it and I found it fascinating that in nearly every Hart to Hart episode I’ve seen (count ‘em on the fingers of one hand), whenever there is a fistfight between Jonathan Hart and a villain, the boys rumble madly and Jennifer Hart moves to a corner of the room and appears to be aghast, but I cannot recall seeing one instance when she picks up a vase, a chair, a cane or anything else and bashes the villain in the head to help her husband triumph. 
Of course, I keep forgetting that reality isn’t always as enjoyable as fiction. After Hart To Hart we watched two episodes of Psych, one of my favorite excursions into TV’s wonderland of detectives. I went to sleep just before Monk came on. I’d have turned the TV off but The Senator had the remote. His favorite purr response is, “I always have the deciding vote.”
—- Offer opinions or objections by clicking on ‘comments’ below. —

RAINY DAYS, DOGS, CATS AND HISTORY -- ALL FOR A MONDAY

EDITION OF MONDAY, MAY 18, 2020 [PetPowellPress] Soggy Saturday — that description fit what happened at your place? Sneakers still squish when you walk? That’s our backyard yucca blooming in a spell between rainstorms — you’ve seen rain, but maybe you haven’t seen a bloomin’ yucca. Nefore we move on, here’s a quote from The Old Farmer’s Almanac online newsletter story that addresses boredom, such as the kind you might have experienced while rained in on Saturday or for the past however long it has been since a microscopic villain put us all in lockdown.
The Almanac story reads, “There’s lots of evidence to suggest that boredom—that universal experience of feeling restless with no distraction from our thoughts—can be good for us. Boredom can spark new ideas, boost creativity, and enhance problem-solving skills. Letting your mind run free, undistracted, can ultimately make you more productive and happier.” The headline was “Why Boredom Might Be Good For You.”
 The alternative view could be “Idle hands are the Devil’s workshop.”

My personal Tabby Deputy Chief Kittie Leigh Johnson is wide-eyed at the prospect of defeating boredom by growing magnificent whiskers. [LARRY ASIDE: I kept the beard I grew in 1971 — no boredom back then, just hair as a political statement.]
TIGGER THE DOG:
A STORY OF LOVE…
We got this from our pal in Houston, the literarily-inclined Alexandra Kelsey who tips us on animal opportunities in the area of the sprawling Bayou City. This has to do with this great dog, Tigger, currently of Katy, Texas.
 Alexandra writes, “Loving a dog feels the same at five years old as at 55 years old.  Dogs simply endure in our hearts. They don’t go out of fashion and they delight us at every stage of our lives.  The comfort they give is immense.

“Dogs enjoy the moment and they leave the big worries to humans to sort out.  Tigger, being a dog, goes about his days with his mom, being a happy companion, having bubble baths, listening to soothing music on YouTube if a storm comes up.  He’s busy being a family guy.
 “Cancer isn’t on Tigger’s radar.  He doesn’t know that his mom has cancer.  He doesn’t understand that her illness keeps her from being able to take care of him.  And he doesn’t know that his time with his mom is very short.  But, it is.

“Tigger’s mom has family coming to Houston to help her, and that support team will leave on Thursday. So, today, after weeks of trying to get help from the shelter in her area, Tigger’s mom put a plea out on email.  Tonight, I got that plea, and I am sending it on to you.

“It could be me.  Or you.  And any one of us would want the kindness of others, not for ourselves, but to create a safe plan for our beloved animal.
“Tigger is a darling dog.  He’s 10 years old, heartworm negative and current on vaccinations. Tigger is house-trained and he has no guarding or resource guarding habits.  He is good on a leash.  This precious boy been well cared for and he is great with other dogs and children.  He’s not met cats that we know of, so that area is uncertain. He will need to be neutered.
“Let’s make a safety net for Tigger.  If you or your rescue are interested, email me at Alexandra.Kelsey@Bracewell.com and I can connect you with Tigger’s mom.”
 [LARRY ASIDE: Touching words. May they touch the right heart to help Tigger and his mom.]
FOUR KITTENS
NEED A PLACE TO LAND
Imagine that — unwanted kittens in North Texas! Somebody isn’t listening to the Spay/Neuter lectures. We got the tip on these from animal advocate Tami Kukla who wrote, “These 4 cute kittens have been crashing with a Good Samaritan who just wanted to do the right thing. They are turning 6-weeks-old and need our help to get adopted. One of the great volunteers at Fort Worth Animal Shelter is trying to help him help these kitties. The good samaritan has been handling the kittens and has agreed to have the mom fixed. All help is appreciated so that these sweet babies can live a kitty life and not live a life outdoors. Questions or to help? Please pm Penelope Jones [ON FACEBOOK]." 

BEAUREGARD: CUTE DOG
NEEDING A REAL HOME
Now, here’s the deal. This guy, a growing Lab puppy at 8 months old, first came into the Mesquite Animal Shelter on March 7. Our tipster, Debra Chisholm writes, “He was adopted but in less than 2 months he was picked up as a stray and brought back to the shelter.  Owner was called and decided they did not wish to reclaim him.  Reason given was that Beau tried to bite his other dog as well as his mother.  There was no actual bite, so Beau was not placed in quarantine.
“The circumstances surrounding the attempted bites are not known.  Staff member says he is very friendly since he has been back at the shelter.  Please help this 8 month old youngster on the way to the forever home that will be the perfect fit for him.
”
Beauregard weighs in at about 25 pounds, is a high-spirited youngster with a lot of energy and, Debra’s assessment reads, “He does jump on you and obedience classes would certainly be in order.” He’s also a barker. But he’s also just a kid and he has potential.
Readlarrypowell.com picked two photos to use — anybody who’s ever had a dog can see that this is a guy looking for guidance and he’s also ready to wag his tail and play. 
His ID is 43977595. Use it when you email rescues@cityofmesquite.com or when you call the shelter at 972-216-6283.
[LARRY ASIDE: He doesn’t look like a biter to readlarrypowell.com, he looks like a puppy learning how to be a good dog. He’s in need of a loving, patient human and some time with a role model.]

CONTEMPLATIONS
History, Schoolrooms, Opportunity
Are you familiar with the term “glacial speed?” Think it ever occurs in the United States of America? On Sunday morning, I was reading Jeff Crilley’s Real News PR journalists’ tip sheet The Rundown and found that he’d cited something from May 17, 1954. It read: “In a major civil rights victory, the U.S. Supreme Court, in Brown vs. Board of Education of Topeka, Kan., ruled unanimously that racial segregation in public schools was unconstitutional.” That was in the spring of ’54. In the fall of ’54, at 5 years old, I started to school. It was an all-white public elementary school. I graduated from public high school in the spring of 1966, having spent all 12 years of public education in BLACK AND WHITE AND ANYBODY ELSE taxpayer supported schools. The only time I ever saw a black face in my entire public school experience was in the cafeteria or when the janitor came around. Texarkana, what was the delay??? When I started at Texarkana Junior College in the fall of 1966, I had some classes with a guy my age. I was working as a reporter at the Texarkana Gazette and he was a beginning reporter at TV Channel 6 in Texarkana. What we had in common, outside of that college classroom, was we were working for the same company and making the same lousy hourly pay ($1.25 minimum wage) for beginners in our fields. I forgot to say he was black — I was just remembering him as a fellow journalist like me hoping for a raise.

That brings me to me to one of my favorite quotes from Dr. Martin Luther King. He said, “We may have all come on different ships, but we’re in the same boat now.”
Virus, classroom, workplace — yep, we’re all in the same boat now. And it’s not taking 12 governmental years for us to realize we can help each other and depend on each other and love each other. I don’t know what your world was like. But I’m glad we have the opportunity to pull together and help the kids who’ll come along as the 21st century progresses. 
And I'm sorry the "grown-ups" made us all miss the opportunity to get to know each other for a dozen years. What were they thinking?
—- Offer opinions or answers by clicking on ‘comments’ below or by emailing dallrp@aol.com where we read everything because we went to Highland Park Elementary School in Texarkana, Texas, a campus that turns out geniuses and me, too. —-

THE MABANK SITUATION STIRS ADVOCATES

EXTRA EDITION, SATURDAY, MAY 16, 2020 [PetPowellPress] We awoke Saturday morning to the continuing rainstorm over the metroplex, clicked open the inbox and found an email with a bit of a surprising note regarding the City of Mabank on the eastern shore of Cedar Creek Lake.
The city announced a puppy giveaway on its Facebook page HERE. This is from the post on the page:
"*****Free****Come to City Hall and claim a sweet fur baby. Dogs have first round of shots and have been de-wormed."
[SUNDAY MORNING UPDATE: The puppy giveaway notice has been removed from the City of Mabank's Facebook page.]
We got our tip on this from a veteran of animal issues in the Mabank area, Sydney Busch of the Friends of the Animals at Cedar Creek Lake. She wrote, "Instead of having a contract with a local shelter to take animals they pick up,  they are doing this...ARE THEY HAVING POTENTIAL ADOPTERS FILL OUT INFO PAPERWORK? 
"ARE THEY REQUIRING (THEN FOLLOWING UP!!) TO MAKE SURE THE PUPPIES ARE SPAYED/NEUTERED?"
And Sydney also offered this opinion, an opinion that is shared by many in animal rescue who are experienced observers of the way animals can be treated. Sydney wrote, "we all know who takes FREE puppies/kittens: Dog fighters looking for free bait for their fighting dogs and snake-owners looking for free food for their snakes."

It is time, she closed, "for Mabank to take a little responsibility."

And when you go to the Mabank Facebook page, you'll see that there has been substantial backlash to this Mabank decision.
These photographs are from the Mabank Facebook page. Visit it, read the comments and you'll see that many veterans of animal advocacy are concerned.
---- Offer an opinion by clicking on "comments" below. ---

THERE WAS THIS CAT WATCHING ME PAINT...

This story could begin with “Once upon a time” except that when it comes to acquiring unwanted neighborhood cats, it’s been more than once upon a time.
In May we are celebrating the second anniversary of the acquisition of William Powell.
He is one of a zillion North Texas Tabbies, in particular one of many, many tabbies from our old neighborhood in Dallas’ southern Oak Cliff area. 
William is a handsome gentleman. He is named in honor of the great film star William Powell, no kin to either me or the feline William. But I think you can see the debonaire resemblance between the office cat and the movie star.
 My chum William is our focus for this edition of Let Sleeping Dogs Lie & Napping Cats Nap.
How did I manage to get this comfortable feline as an office cat?
You see there a nicely lit photo of young tabby sitting on bricks of a flowerbed on the front of our old house. That is William. Those are my jeans. I was painting copies of The Mona Lisa and The Scream... I'm kidding. I was painting the wooden part of the house — that part that hangs over — possibly known as the “eaves” to people who know what they are doing. Let me look that up. Yes, "eaves." Look "up" is the key to painting eaves. One color. Easy...wear goggles to keep drops out of your eyes and keep your mouth shut, too.
Anyway, I stopped so I could try to cure the muscle-tightening pain in my shoulders and neck. Suddenly, from the shrubbery, came this cat. He hopped up next to me. I recognized him as the young cat who’d been with other cats who’d been enjoying our free twice-daily front porch buffet. When I went back to painting, he sat and watched. When I’d stop, he would saunter over for PwP — Petting While Purring.
What happened to the kittens in that colony over 20 years was we’d pick ‘em up, get ‘em fixed and move ‘em into a shelter situation or place them. Got the moms and dads fixed, too. Some of them, we placed in our own house. William is one of those — he came at a time when all shelters and rescue groups were loaded — kitten season in the most fertile city in North America, Dallas.
William has an air about him that says, “I’m your pal. Pick me up and enjoy the cuddle.”
He’s a lot larger now — a bit of a pillow of a cat. But he loves being the center of my attention. And he has a pal in the office.
They are the office cats. You see here William demonstrating for the 2-years-younger Stevie Ray Treeboy, how to pose dramatically for his Hollywood publicity photographs. 
Stevie Ray Treeboy is so named because he was rescued in Oak Cliff, home of Stevie Ray Vaughn, out of a tree. I walked out one morning, heard plaintive mewing from about head-high and walked to the end of the front of the house where I found a frightened handful of kitten paralyzed on a flimsy mimosa tree limb. I never saw a momma cat, never saw any other kittens. So, Stevie Ray came on in and took up with William.
If you do not have an office cat, our theory is you do not have all the equipment you need for a home office. If you are a writer, then you are missing the inspirational ingredient: Staring at a cat and wondering just what in the heck he is thinking about when he glares at you.
Just another mystery in the relationship between humans and cats.
[LARRY NOTE: Send photos and bios of your rescued sleepers and nappers to dallrp@aol.com. We’re proud to show off your friends in Let Sleeping Dogs Lie & Napping Cats Nap, now in its 16th year. And we’re proud to remind insomniacs that they, too, can get some sleep if they can just figure out how to stretch out on top of a modest computer desk and not be annoyed by the typing and someone yelling, “By golly, this looks like a best-seller.”]
—- Offer wisdom or ideas not even a congressman would endorse by clicking on ‘comments’ below or emailing dallrp@aol.com. —-

AMID THE BARKS OF PROGRESS, WE TRY TO FOCUS A PRO-ANIMAL MIND!

EDITION OF FRIDAY, MAY 15, 2020 [PetPowellPress] I nearly took the day off to post a collection of opening lines to unsold novels instead because the dogs' relentless barking at workmen wore me down to a frazzle (old school expression). Shattered my brain is more like it.
Here’s an opening for an unsold novel called The Glare of the Spaniel:
 "The Cocker Spaniel had more curly hair than a Shirley Temple Lookalike Convention in the '30s." (That's my late Cocker Inky on the left. And, on the right, that's the child movie star who captured America's filmfan public and other parts of the world during the Great Depression. Why is that a big deal? No cell phones back then; maybe some wall phones in residences. No TV. No computers. No satellite radio. So, there you have it, the power of radios with tubes, motion pictures without CGI, magazines, newspapers and a kid’s personality.
 I hope you appreciate the majestic presence of my late pal Inky, the curly-coated critter who’d lifted me out of a Great Depression now and then.
PERSONAL NOTE: Let’s talk barking dogs. How’s that for a right turn on the highway through Sanity, Texas? This canine cascade -- cascade? Should I use that word? -- of barking...wait, it's not tsunami of barking. A "bevy of barkers" is too cute. Let me think about this a second. I'm a professional. I know words. An explosion of barking. A staccato of barking. A racket of personal expression. Yes, that’s it. All barks are differing, all timed differently, all barks allowing, indeed, a racket of personal expression.
You know, it’s like “give a speech day” in Congress or the Texas Legislature. A racket of personal expression. That mask may stop miniscule viruses, but when the dogs see that stranger in the hat, they have a tendency to bark more and laugh under their breaths. The cats leave the room.
BUT HOW ABOUT ZACH
AND FINDING HIM A HOME?
Moving along, we come to Zach, yet one more dog needing some help from 4-Legged Helpers, the small shelter supporters. We’ve featured several of the 4-Legged Helpers projects this week. 
The deal with Zach is he’s (aren’t they all!?) “super cute and a very sweet lovable boy,” reads the note from Laura Macias of 4-Legged Helpers. She also says he wears his big grin all the time, “clearly adores people and will pose for pictures.” Found as a stray. He gets along with other dogs, including Lauren, a Lancaster dog we featured earlier in the week. 
To offers to help Zach or Lauren or both of them, call or text Laura at 214-949-2726 or email cat_girl_71@yahoo.com. Same contact points for Lauren, 2-year-old “chunky bulldog mix,” her bio reads. Yes, she, too, is a “sweet girl.”
BACK TO THE HUMAN CHALLENGE…
We've had skilled workers in the house all week -- they've been repairing a bad valve on the master bathroom shower, then replacing the interior special wall board that was damaged by the spewing leak from the bad valve. Then, they had to tear out two-thirds of the tile in the room and replace it.
None of this can be done in silence. It's actual work. Work makes noise.
What happens when strangers make noise in a home where old dogs are accustomed to few visitors and less noise than the Texas Rangers' Globe Life Field on a game day in May 2020? ['That stretching it?' wondered the ol’ editor.]
Yes, all dogs went on alert. They barked at every sound. Even sounds the human ear could not hear. That sweet girl is Wendy — she’s the most persistent. The old Rottie Earl, the hefty Border Collie mix Dudley and the Lord-knows-what Porche would wear down. Wendy’s theory was she signed the contract to announce strangers and wasn’t going to lose it and the money because she’d nodded off. [That's Wendy after she wore herself out barking and flopped down into a full-on nap.]
She and the other dogs treated the hallway between the living room and back bedroom as if they were on guard duty on [Boomer Reference Alert!] the 38th Parallel between the two Koreas, North and South. Our dogs watch the news; they keep up. I don't know who they imagined was about to trundle down the hallway in an ill-fitting, tight at the collar presidential suit with the worst haircut in the history of dictators. The guy has been irregularly seen for weeks — maybe he’s subcontracting a tile job in Fort Worth -- I didn't meet everybody involved with the project. I don’t ask questions around actual skilled workers — I’m afraid someone will look at me and say, “Hey, you’ve never done honest work in your life. Here’s a grout trowel and some Band-Aids. Earn your keep.”
HOW ABOUT HELPING
TRINITY FIND A HOME?
As you know, Dear Readers, I admire people who voluntarily dive in to help save animals’ lives and to help humans have better lives by matching them up with those rescued animals. Among those heroic individuals in these viral times are Debra Chisholm and Judi Brown, volunteers at Mesquite Animal Services. For this edition we turn to Judi Brown for the report she put together on Trinity, a 2-year-old Belgian Shepherd/Lab Mix. The girl came in on May 11. She weighs 37 pounds. And she’s working her way toward being quite photogenic.
“Right now,” Judi’s note reads, “her hair is matted and she has hair loss on her belly and has been given Nexgard, but you can see from her pictures that she has a sweet face and has a potential of being a very handsome girl once she has a proper diet and has been groomed. She has been in quarantine because with her fear and uncertainty with the shelter situation she shows aggression when her kennel is approached. However, when she is outside of the kennel she shows a different side of her. 

“The employee that is working with her said she is really very sweet and loves belly rubs. However, she is still very fearful so when called she slinks to you on her belly and she’s unsure of accepting treats. Sudden movements frighten her. We would say she is a work in progress. For this reason she would do best in a home with older children or possibly adults only. She would love to be in a quiet laid-back household where she gain trust and develop her full loving potential! She has not been dog tested because she’s not ready yet. She also is unsure of the leash. If you are very patient and are willing to put the time into working with Trinity the rewards could be great.”
 
Use Trinity’s ID number 44271202 when you call the shelter at 972-216-6283 or email rescues@cityofmesquite.com. This virus era procedure is you have to set up an appointment to visit this pup. 
And, of course, there are many other Mesquite animals needing homes. Click HERE
 and, of course, you can see this fantastic-faced cat, the fabulous Marilyn Monroe.
CONTEMPLATIONS
ASSORTED THOUGHTS AND NOTIONS
Lately, in travels on I-30 and I-20 between Fort Worth and Dallas I’ve seen evidence of a lot of exploding tires — huge chunks and shards of tires scattered across the freeways. Of course, I also see more automobile bumpers and fenders discarded on roadsides than we ever did in the golden era of Detroit when the Chevy Vega rolled the roads. Vegas didn’t JUST leave parts on the road, they left the entire broken-down machines whimpering on the shoulder. … Reading my hometown paper Thursday, the Texarkana Gazette, I spotted an Associated Press story about a guy who was caught on camera choking his girlfriend’s dog. The dog survived. The guy was arrested, charged with animal cruelty. Happened in Slidell, La., across Lake Pontchartrain, north of New Orleans. Here’s a LINK to a story that quotes Slidell Police Chief Randy Fandal as saying,
“I had the opportunity to meet Rubyjean this afternoon, and she was as sweet and well-mannered as could be.” The girlfriend and the dog will testify against the “suspect.” The chief will be a character witness. How much time would a jury give the guy? And, before you ask, I do not know if the State of Louisiana has a law against being creepily violent. ...
Want some additional reading about Shirley Temple? The story is headlined "Shirley Temple and the Great Depression" here. You will NOT be tested later. Unless you’re trying to get a job with the crew On the Good Ship Lollipop. (Click HERE and, yeah, in the light of the 21st century, it’s one wacky video. She grew up to be an Ambassador, you know. Oh, you didn’t? Yeah, Boomer Trivia. And I apologize for all of this edition except the efforts by other people to help animals find homes! I’ve been driven nuts by barking dogs, bless their hearts.
— Offer sage advice or lucky lotto numbers by clicking on ‘comments’ below or by emailing dallrp@aol.com, NOT sailing on the Good Ship Lollipop. —-

CELEBRATING SLEEPING DOGS & NAPPING CATS FOR 15 YEARS; CANINES AND CATS AVAILABLE; WAITSTAFFER PATTER & A ROTATOR CUFF

EDITION OF THURSDAY, MAY 14, 2020 [PetPowellPress] Before we look forward today, we’re looking back.
We’re celebrating the 15th anniversary of the first publication of our weekend feature, Let Sleeping Dogs Lie & Napping Cats Nap. It’s a labor of love on behalf of love. 
Think about the dogs and cats and horses and other adorable animals you’ve had in your lifetime! Family — all were family. 
[LARRY HINT: Email photos of your sleeping dogs and napping cats to dallrp@aol.com. We’ll proudly publish these examples of love and trust in the modern household!]

Usually, readlarrypowell.com is focused on animals in a fix — or getting animals fixed. But our weekend edition is focused on love. People love their animals and their animals love them. 
That adorable Cavalier King Charles Spaniel is Oliver, the first Sleeping Dog in our long-running feature. He bunked with my brother Barry (right) and my sister-in-law Shelley in the far north, i.e. suburban Chicago near the lake.
The late Barry, always an overachiever with a legendary wit, sent the photo and, with a sly smile, advised, “Make sure you refer to him as a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. He is particularly sensitive about his breeding -- he's not just some run-of-the-mill Cocker Spaniel. He was bred for royalty.”

Barry knew of my adoration for our Cocker boy Inky, the Cocker Laureate of the State of Texas. And if Barry were with us today and if Inky were still with us, I’d note that the photo of Inky sleeping on the couch shows exactly what part of Inky that Barry could buss. I think they’re both chortling at that in the Hereafter. 
On the left, that is Inky giving us his impression of a hungry Texan standing outside a favorite Tex-Mex place that hasn't been open in forever!
Along the way in this special weekend edition, we’ve featured a lot of cats, too. Some had loving homes; some were looking for one. That sweet girl Adora, with her paws crossed, was caught napping in her Dog ’n’ Kitty City display in October, 2017, at the PetSmart on Inwood just north of Forest Lane. Dog ’n’ Kitty City is the no-kill shelter in Dallas run by the venerable Humane Society of Dallas County, founded in 1975. No idea where Adora is today, but our bet is she’s somebody’s darlin’ cat.
Across the top of our daily page you see a photo of me driving a momma dog we’d rescued. That dog is Calamity, a heeler/Aussie mix — only reason we caught her all those years ago was she had puppies. We rescued her pups, ergo we were able to capture her. In that photo she was en route to Dog Day Afternoon to meet my little brother Garry who, as it turned out, fell for her immediately. Calamity became the household point of adoration for Garry and my sis-in-law Brenita. I cannot recall ever seeing a photo of Calamity asleep. This one will have to do. She and Garry are both gone now. But they've both left an impression on the family. [LARRY ASIDE: I like to think that my brothers and their dogs are enjoying each other's company in the Hereafter and that Mom and Pop stop by to see them. It's a family thing -- loving those dogs and cats!]
We’ve posted photos of Lord knows how many families’ adorable slumbering animals in the past 15 years. Send us more! (dallrp@aol.com)

One of the families is that of our Eastern Seaboard Bureau Chief Andy Fisher and our Eastern Seaboard Bureau Chief In Charge of Canine and Feline Acquisition and Adorational Education, Annie Fisher. She is an influential veteran of rescues and that is how the Bureau came to have the big dog Maxie and the big cat presence Chloe. You see Andy and Annie with Maxie on the home lawn, but you also see Maxie relaxing on the balcony of the Indian Lake estate at Denville, N.J. That is one of my all-time favorite dog photos — an an insomniac I yearn to replicate Maxie’s ability to snooze. 
 And, of course, veteran journalist Andy knows how to properly file things — that is Chloe, taking it easy in the drawer marked “Feline, Household Treasure.”
Readlarrypowell.com will continue to joyfully post sleeping dogs and napping cats and any other slumbering critters — the family aspect makes us happy. Oh, heck, catch a politician sleeping. We’ll even post that photo if you can explain how often you have to feed ‘em and walk ‘em.

We’ll close this with a photo sent to us in 2006 by Kristin Riebel, then of the Frisco Humane Society.
This, we declared, was the perfect use of the living room couch. It’s a place where fostered dogs can nod off while waiting for their human to show up and adopt them. 

Everybody: Foster more, adopt more, rescue more and, for crying out loud, somebody win Lotto Texas and fund more!
MARLIN, A SHELTER PUPPY,
RETURNS 3 YEARS LATER
This guy is Marlin, a dog in need of a human. Laura Macias of 4-Legged Helpers says the Lab boy "was originally adopted from the Lancaster Shelter at 6 weeks of age.  Today he is 3 years old. Marlin is needing a new home due to being an extremely intelligent dog with perhaps just not the owner that he needs.  This sweet boy likes other dogs and lives with a Shepherd girl.  His owner has some beliefs that dogs should be outside in the day and the dogs have their own room in the house. Marlin's name should probably be Merlin or maybe even Houdini because she said he can do amazing things like opening doors, gates, and even knows how to get out a storm screen window (when window was partially open - knew how to push out the screen).  He has learned how to dig out under the chain link fence and the neighbor is threatening to shoot him next time he comes into their yard.  Yes, this is a rural Texas city at it's finest, sigh."
Laura and the non-profit are trying to find an adoptor for a dog who "needs a job." The Lancaster ACO reached out to 4-Legged Helpers "asking if we could help the owner find him a great home or rescue group."
He's fixed, has his vaccinations and is on heartworm preventative. Bottom line, Laura says, "This boy needs attention."
See more Lancaster animals by scrolling to yesterday's edition -- look for the big orange cat Sam Walton.
To offer to help Marlin, call or text Laura at 214-949-2726 or email cat_girl_71@yahoo.com.
IN THE BIG SHELTER
IN THE CITY OF BIG D
We keep checking the population count at Dallas Animal Services (you can, too, at dallasanimalservices.org). And what we see is that, like the price of gasoline, the population keeps inching up. 
Among the canines waiting in the shelter are these two older dogs -- Stella and Bubbles. [LARRY ASIDE: Older dogs make wonderful companions. They make a human feel needed.]



And, still waiting in DAS’ foster home system is this older cat Craw’Dad (A1099691). He’s getting over his eye surgery. The DAS listing says the shelter staff thinks he’s about 10 years old. He arrived at the shelter on May 9 and has, lately, been in a foster home.
Older cats? They are able to kindly teach a human to be their loyal servants — that’s been the experience here at readlarrypowell.com. 
Go to the DAS website and see how to adopt or how to become a foster. You’ll be saving lives.
CONTEMPLATIONS
NO PARTICULAR FOCUS
Among the many phrases I never expected to see in my life is this one from the folks at Scardello’s in Dallas regarding classes the store is presenting this month: “Virtual Cheese Classes.” … When restaurants are fully open again will waitstaffers have new patter and abandon “That sounds like a plan” and “Not a problem.” … Ever slept with someone who is convinced he or she is suffering from a torn rotator cuff? Yep, my farfromathleticspouse Martha. I think her pain is a carpal tunnel situation from the way she sits at a sewing machine making anti-virus masks. But I’m not a doctor, I’ve only played one on stage, earned a Boy Scout First Aid Merit Badge and spent some time in the mid-60s as an ambulance driver/attendant. I’m almost certain nobody heard of “carpal tunnel” or “rotator cuff” back then. Martha, bless her heart, no longer plays pitcher. I tried to teach her to throw a softball before we married, and after our first day of tossing the ball around on a school playground, she had to have surgery to remove a bone chip from her throwing elbow. I’m not making that up. Big league arm injury in someone who’d never toed the rubber in a big league game. She never pitched again — even though there were years the Texas Rangers could have used her wicked curve.

—- List a restaurant you want to open NOW by clicking on ‘comments’ below or by emailing dallrp@aol.com. We’re trying to help save as many as we can —it’s too late to bring Good Eats back to life in Dallas. —-

FOR WEDNESDAY, AN ASSORTMENT THAT BEGINS WITH HOUSEHOLD NOISE....

EDITION OF WEDNESDAY, MAY 13, 2020 [PetPowellPress] It’s a variety pack today.
FYI, this is being ty ped as wor kers take hammmmmmmerzzzz to bathWHAMBARK BARKBARKroom tile down the hall frommmmm the offfffffffff ice. Household repair. Yes, our guard dogs are barrrr rrrkkkkking…They remind me of the term used by music producer Phil Spector: “wall of sound,” though at times it’s more like the 1963 Suzanne Pleshette horse-racing movie Wall of Noise. OK, movBANGing along… (Yes, I’ve exaggerated the hammering. Not the barking — a guard dog is a guard dog, even if she’s a roly-poly representation of indefinite parentage. That’s Porche reminding people who love their animals to send photos of sleeping dogs and napping cats to dallrp@aol.com so we can spotlight them in Let Sleeping Dogs Lie & Napping Cats Nap. We’re proud to show off your slumbering friends.

LET’S TALK CINDER:
STILL NEEDING A HOME
We featured Cinder in a recent edition and she’s still looking for a home, says her dedicated rescuer Kimberly Jones. 
So, what’s this photo? Kimberly writes, “The look you get when you're holding up her favorite ball but won't throw it because you are taking pictures of her. … She is a BABY DOLL 💖 She loves you with every ounce of her pudgy little self. She is extremely loyal and trusting and always wants to please you. She is very sensitive when she thinks she has upset you... So, there is never a need to raise your voice to her. She is a happy go-lucky girl. Her tail is always wagging. She adores toys and will joyfully play by herself but her favorite thing is for you to throw a ball for her.” 
Cinder can’t go to a home with cats, but she can go to any other home that’ll love her. Get in touch with Kimberly Jones on Facebook to arrange to audition to be Cinder’s beloved human. You’ll recall, perhaps, that Cinder had been adopted years ago, but was neglected and Kimberly reclaimed her. Now she’s healthy again and ready for a lifetime home.
THE CHALLENGES THAT SHOW UP
IN THE DAILY EMAIL INBOX….
This batch came from 4-Legged Helpers, the organization that usually focuses on small shelters in the southern area of Dallas County. But just as a stray dog doesn’t pay attention to jurisdictions, animal rescuers have no limits, either.
First up we see a black and white momma dog, Ashlyn, a Border Collie, who is the mother of the siblings, the brown dog Aria and the black dog Alia. Laura Macias of 4-Legged Helpers says they are in Ellis County and they “need a place to call home.” Some people have been feeding them but it is time to get them out of the “wander-up/stray” category and into the “that’s my dog” situation.
“These people feeding them are nice,” Laura says, then adds, “but not everyone is out there. … In the county some people shoot dogs for fun and sport. So I am worried about them!”
We’ve mentioned this incredibly handsome man before — that is Sam Walton, a neutered fellow who is also called “Sammy” and “Sam-Sam.” He’s had all his shots. Why is he named for the famous Arkansas businessman? Because he was “rescued from a Wal-Mart parking lot.” Founder Sam might be proud to have inspired a cool cat’s name. 

Also waiting for a home is Mario, a neutered Lab/Boxer/Bulldog mix (best guess!) who used to be on death row in the Wilmer Animal Shelter. He’s out now, but needs a home. “Rides great in the car. Loves to give kisses. Just as sweet as can be,” Laura’s note reads. “If you want to really help a dog, you will find this dog to be a dog that will always be so grateful.” 
(And don’t forget Lauren — we featured that Lancaster dog in Tuesday’s edition.)
To help any of these animals, call or text Laura at 214-949-2726 or email cat_girl_71@yahoo.com.
COCO — A MESQUITE DOG
SURVIVING BUT NEEDS HOME
We get the story on mixed-breed girl Coco from Debra Chisholm. She says Coco came into the shelter on FEBRUARY 27 — here we are in the big middle of May! Why was the 3-year-old, 42-pound, spayed girl surrendered? “Because the owner had too many animals,” the report reads. Coco “lived outdoors with other dogs and got along well with them. However, she doesn't like cats.  Coco had a cherry eye issue when surrendered.  A generous donor paid for Coco to have the cherry eye operated on.  Her eye has healed much better after the staff was able to take off her cone.  They report that she is easy to medicate and they have been consistent with her medications.  The staff member who evaluated Coco shared the following:  Coco's personality can be described as ‘goofy.’ Once she gets comfortable in the shelter yard and has done her business, she gets “zoomies" …) and loves to be chased and played with.  She would do great with a family willing to spend time interacting with her.  She can be cute and cuddly but also loves laying on her back for playtime and hopping like a bunny!  She loves butt scratches and giving kisses.  She takes treats nicely but will slobber all over you.  Two staffers gave her a bath a week ago and she did ok but she's not keen on bathtime.”

They’re so human, eh? Just like a pre-school kid! 

When you contact the shelter use her ID #42988374. Email rescues@cityofmesquitecom or call 972-216-6283.
You can see more Mesquite adoptables HERE.
Among the availables is this 9-month-old tabby girl — perhaps the first cat in the history of catkind who has been named after an Alfred Hitchcock 1958 movie with Kim Novak, Vertigo (#44271328). Of course, Kim Novak does have a film cat connection — she co-starred as a witch in Bell, Book and Candle, also in 1958, with Jimmy Stewart, Jack Lemmon and the “cat familiar” Pyewacket (shown with his co-star). One of the funniest romantic films of the 20th Century. Adopt Vertigo and watch either film with her — it’s a bonding experience.
CONTEMPLATIONS
COUNTRY SONGS AND LOSING THE MENUS
Two really sad (but great) country songs and one that’s unbelievable on a number of levels: George Jones’ He Stopped Loving Her Today and the Brad Paisley/Allison Krause duet Whiskey Lullaby. (THIS LINKS THE OFFICIAL VIDEO
but you can probably find just the song somewhere, surely. The unbelievable on a number of levels song: Porter Waggoner sings in psychedelic: The Rubber Room.  ...
Dallas loses the Highland Park Cafeteria and, the announcement is made, that Fort Worth’s Hoffbrau is closing. All this makes me miss Good Eats in Oaklawn and The Dixie House in Lakewood — two places that closed long before a virus got to the pocketbooks. Of course, the place I really miss is the Italian Inn — the downstairs restaurant in Fort Worth’s Ridglea area. My funspouse Martha and I got engaged there — not sure what the singing waitstaffer might have been singing. She said “yes” and I went deaf to everything else. Ask her. She’ll tell you, “He never listens.”
—- Offer favorite deserts or favorite desserts by clicking on ‘comment’ or by emailing dallrp@aol.com. —-

TRANQUILITY, A NUGGET OF SUCCESS, LAUREN WAITS & OTHER TALES OF THE MODERN ERA

EDITION OF TUESDAY, MAY 12, 2020 [PetPowellPress] For this edition of readlarrypowell.com, we open with a tranquil photograph of Texas Earl The Cheeseman and a Rooster. Call this photo “Earl the Rottie in His Sculpture Garden.” It’s one artfully painted cement chicken and one formerly dumped dog posing but not in an actual garden. Earl makes me happy. I’m iffy on the chicken.
WHAT’S UP WITH NUGGET,
THE FORMERLY DEATH ROW DOG?
We first wrote about this 7-year-old guy Nugget back in mid-March. He was on the brink of euthanasia at Fort Worth Animal Care & Control. At about the last minute, he was tagged and moved into boarding. Still, he needed a home.
 As his supporter Tami Kukla reported Sunday, “On a happy note. Nugget finally got adopted. In Minnesota. Thanks to your help [lots of people] networking, the Wadena Humane Society agreed to find him an adopter and tag him. He went on transport Saturday and got adopted today [Sunday]. From last call March 23rd to adopted May 10th. …Thank you to everyone who made it possible. Lots of wonderful dogs are getting new homes thanks to the Wadena Humane Society. “
Nugget was always described as “the perfect gentleman.” So out of the photos of him in his new home, we decided to use the one of him with his new little boy while the fellows were looking out the window! 
Two pals enjoying some time together. Know what we call such a photo at readlarrypowell.com? We call it “Evidence of a miracle.”
LAUREN IN LANCASTER;
AVAILABLE WEDNESDAY
We don’t know how Lauren came to be in the Lancaster, Texas, Animal Shelter but we know there is a way to get her out. Appeal to a human heart.
We learned of her in an overnight note from the non-profit 4-Legged Helpers, the organization that focuses on small shelters.
The note from the organization’s prez, Laura Macias, says Lauren will be available on Wednesday. The note reads, “Lauren is the sweetest little girl ever.  Just adorable.  Loves everyone and everything.  Seems to really like other dogs too.  Only about 2 years old at most.  Look at those big sweet brown eyes and cute little floppy ears.”

And the note ends with “Please help save her!” That “save her” is a serious request. You never know when an influx of dumped animals will cause a shelter to say, “Better create some room. Kill whoever’s been here longest.”

You can take a step toward saving Lauren’s life by calling or texting Laura at 214-949-2726 or emailing cat_girl_71@yahoo.com.
A FAVORITE
SPAY/NEUTER CAMPAIGN
Only someone who’d rescued a cat about 30 minutes before she went into “heat” would appreciate this ad campaign for the Spay Neuter Network. Yep, readlarrypowell.com once brought in a little street girl — friendly, not feral — and about a half-hour after showing her that she had her own food and water dishes and litter box, she began to yowl and pace as if her goal in life was to keep insomniacs awake for a world record of day-in-a-row. So, based on that experience — and the experiences of bottle-feeding momma-less kittens and raising litters of feral kittens into well-mannered felines, etc. — readlarrypowell.come endorses this “Beat the Heat” campaign. It’s for “free feral and community cat fixes for City of Dallas residents living in any of these ZIP codes: 75211, 75212, 75217, 75216, 75208, 75224, 75228, 75227, 75220.” Here’s a link that tells you how to sign up. It also notes that if you live outside those ZIP Codes, you can get your feline fixed for $30. Still a bargain. And it’ll help keep kittens from being born just to be killed.
CONTEMPLATIONS
PICTURE PERFECT; JERRY STILLER; LOCKED OUT…
D The Magazine of Dallas is running its cutest pets contest again. The official note says, “That’s right: This isn’t just for the puppies and the kitties. We want to see them all! Contest entries are free and only the first 1,000 entries will be eligible, so get a moo-ve on and submit now!” There are prizes. And for more info, you can click HERE.
WHEN IT COMES TO LOSSES: Mary Pratt has died at 101 and she is “believed to be the last surviving member of the original 1943 Rockford Peaches of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League” — surely you’ve seen A League of Their Own. The reason I cite this description from the story by Scott Stump of NBC’s Today Show, is to show you the lead — the opening sentence — on his story. It echoes actor Tom Hanks’ line in the film. Stump wrote in honor of pitcher Pratt, “Crying in baseball was allowed this weekend.”
We’re also reeling from the death of Jerry Stiller, the great comic/actor — first time I remember seeing him was with his wife Ann Meara as they performed on black-and-white TV on The Ed Sullivan Show. That’s right, kids, before he was George Costanza’s Dad, Frank, on Seinfeld or Kevin James' father-in-law on The King of Queens, he was a solid comic on TVs across America.  I will now quote from Mr. Costanza: “SERENITY NOW!”  There's more. Keep reading. …
Here was a surprise in the neighborhood Monday morning: The plumber was at our house and replacing some pipes and a valve. He’d turned the water off. I, being a gent of late middle-age (generous description)  felt the nearly urgent need to visit the facility. It wasn't available. So I jumped into the car and jetted to the nearest filling station (ironic description).  This was when I learned how much the virus has changed America. To my horror I discovered that, because of the virus, the station had put its public restrooms on lockdown. Drama? I solved this challenge without violating any laws or soiling anybody's decorum. To borrow from Frank Costanza, this year I'm thinking of planning a particularly faithful-to-the-holiday Festivus and inviting filling station management.
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