IT'S UP TO HUMANS TO HELP THE ANIMALS AND PRESERVE LITERACY, TOO

EDITION OF MONDAY, JUNE 29, 2020 [PetPowellPress] Alright, everybody, keep your mask at hand and the virus at arm's length. 
On a high foul ball back of home plate, how many masks will the catcher be allowed to throw aside? Just another big league question. Now, let's move on with a dog in a bit of a fix.
TUCKER -- COULD HAVE
BEEN A HEAT STROKE
Last week we wrote about Tucker, this "Collie-looking" boy, and the Boxer Jax, a fellow with what may be a cyst disturbing the classic look of his lower jaw. 
As the week was ending, Tucker was spirited from Lancaster Animal Services' shelter to a vet. The note from Laura Macias of 4-Legged Helpers, reported that the "shelter says Shepherd or Collie boy needs a rescue group ASAP -- NOW. Please we are going to lose him." His breathing was labored-- it was possible that he'd been struck by a car before arriving at the shelter.
On Sunday, Laura told us that Jax had a been taken in by a rescue, but Tucker was still walking a tightrope. She wrote, "Tucker did get to the vet but goes back to the shelter Monday If no rescue. ... He has arthritis and is older they believe he was having a heat stroke."
To offer to help Tucker, call or text Laura at 214-949-2726 or email cat_girl_71@yahoo.com.
[LARRY ASIDE: Too handsome a dog to not be adored and loved. We have no room or that dog would be enjoying a really-good air-conditioner and all the cool water and proper food a good dog needs. Surely there's someone who can step up for Tucker on a Monday during a pandemic.]
BOOTSIE, THE EARHOUND
Oh, my look at those great ears on Bootsie. Great ears, lousy story. We got it from animal advocate Amy Poskey. She reports that "a good Samaritan found this beautiful girl in a Petco/Wal-Mart parking lot on 6/22/20 and, after exhausting all efforts to find her family, Bootsie needs our help cuz the finder cannot keep her.  Bootsie is very smart, knows commands, and does great with other dogs."
 She adds that the contact point is renowned animal advocate Debra Myers who got involved to help the people who helped Bootsie. Call Debra at 940-367-4627 or email dkmyersone@yahoo.com. And there's a longer explanation of the dog's rescue available by clicking HERE.
TEENA AND RUSTY:
TWO WAITING IN MESQUITE

We got word of these two from our Mesquite volunteer contacts, Debra Chisholm and Judi Brown. 
Teena's listed as a Pittie/Staffie mix who came into the shelter n June 20. As you can see in the photo, this is a dog blessed with, shall we say, "Elan?" 
Debra's bio of the year-old, 49-pound dog says, "This youngster has an outgoing, confident and fun-loving personality.  She is high-energy with lots of enthusiasm and a friendly spirit.  She seems to have been well-cared for and it is a mystery to me why her owner has not come looking for her." She's #449007895 at the shelter. Email rescues@cityofmesquite.com or call the shelter at 972-216-6283. "She was playful in the shelter yard during the photo shoot, chasing balls but not retrieving them.  Guess no one taught her that sweet skill," Debra wrote, then added, "She is an affectionate pup, a lap dog wannabe." 
Judi sent us the info about 2-year-old Rusty, described as a "Shiloh Shepherd...with a reddish golden coat and expressive brown eyes. He's a very handsome dog." 
Judi says, "He welcomed me in his kennel with enthusiasm. He’s definitely friendly, affectionate, energetic, playful, and fun loving. He  jumped on me for attention but when I told him to get down he did immediately. He wants to please. He sits for treats. He sat for a long time while I scratched his ears. He has a strong pull on the leash. ... Rusty weighs 56 pounds. Later on when I went by his kennel he was jumping up high on the kennel wall. He was quite athletic and I would suggest that his adopter have a high fence. He’s an active, exuberant, alert dog that would probably love to go for runs or at least long walks." Rusty is #44916051. Same contact points as Teena so call the shelter at 972-216-6283 or email rescues@cityofmesquite.com
Follow this LINK to the Mesquite Animal Shelter's residents. Among the dogs and cats is this 3-month-old kitten Janey (4448032), a domestic shorthair with a great face -- and, as you can see, she's very happily sitting in the lap of a properly-masked shelter staffer who appears to be snapping a selfie with this sweet kitten.
WITH OPTIMISM, COCKER RESCUE
PLANS ON TEEING IT UP SEPT. 13
Yep, after experiencing a delay at the tee box because of an unpleasant pandemic, the 2020 Dogleg Classic -- the 8th annual Dallas/Fort Worth Cocker Spaniel Rescue Dogleg Classic -- has been scheduled for September 13 at Rockwood Park Golf Course at 1851 Jacksboro Highway in Fort Worth. 
You can buy advertising on the tee boxes, on the flags at the hole -- lots of places. And what you'll be doing by advertising is helping DFW Cocker Spaniel Rescue save the lives of a great breed of companions. (Put together a team for $400 or play as an individual for $100. See all the details by clicking HERE.
And if you go to dfwcockerrescue.org, you can see Cockers who are available for adoption, including this guy Spirit, a 7-year-old, 28-pound, blind and deaf fellow who "was found wandering, matted and hungry when he was rescued. He is blind and deaf, but that does not stop him from being a sweetheart. He rides easily in a car, likes people and gets along well with other dogs." [LARRY ASIDE: My little guy Inky, who was my constant companion for about 15 or 16 years, is a prime example of how a Cocker Spaniel can guide a human being toward happiness every single day. Just something to consider when you think about signing up to be a Cocker Spaniel's friend and provider of treats. On the right, that's Inky, the Cocker Laureate of Texas and our staff impersonator giving us his impression of a charitable golfer rushing into the Dogleg tournament's duffer lounge and spotting a big steaming platter of Par For The Course Meatloaf.]

CONTEMPLATIONS
TREATS, TIMING AND A QUOTE FROM AN AUTHOR
Here's a great appeal for animal treat donations to an animal shelter. We got this courtesy of Ginger Leach at Fort Worth Animal Care & Control. As you can see, there's a dog who is familiar with the concept of "treats." Here's the donation LINK: https://a.co/7CUfCUs. Contemplate this: Treats make your dog and cat as happy as they make you. Our gang is nuts about treats. And so are we -- and, by typing that, I set off an alarm in my doctor's office and a note will be automatically generated that reads, "LARRY. LAY OFF THE CHOCOLATE." ...
What book are you reading for pleasure right now? Is it a book from this century? Consider this, please. Are writers as fantastically publicized as they were in the 20th Century when book stores had full displays of work by Norman Mailer, Truman Capote, Jacqueline Suzanne, James Michener, Leon Uris, Agatha Christie, Sydney Sheldon, Gore Vidal, Arthur Hailey. Beg pardon? What is a book store? Well, I'll get back to you on that. They may be evolving. ...
I've been packing a ton of books from my collection and moving them to storage places. You have to have a dolly and some muscles to lift and move boxes of books. While I love holding the books, I also love reading books on a hand-held device. As my son Bart said to me when I complained about trying to pick up a 100-pound box of books, "They're a lot lighter on a Kindle."
--- Offer sage advice or wisecracks by click on 'comments' below or by emailing dallrp@aol.com. ---