EDITION OF WEDNESDAY, JULY 29, 2020 [PetPowellPress] Welcome to the mid-week edition. We’ve got animal tales today and, of course, we’ll mention, once again, the countdown on the Lancaster dog JB (that’s his handsome mug). Less than two weeks between him and the needle. We have an update on his story. And we’ll mention a dog we thought we’d never write about again
because he’d been adopted and didn’t need any more “adopt me” publicity. Yes, people are at the core of this continuing story of Niall. Read on, please.
Oh, and this virus thing must be serious -- it just canceled the annual Texas High-Arkansas High more-than-a-century-old cross-state-line rivalry football game on Sept. 4 in Texarkana. Is NOTHING sacred? Back to animals.
‘SWEET NIALL’ RETURNS
TO THE SAGINAW SHELTER
Honestly, ladies and gents, when I saw this news from the animal rescuer/advocate Tami Kukla, it was very clear that this dog's world has been turned upside down. How’s that for linking a situation to a picture of a dog.
Yep, that is Niall in a happy moment. So, why
was he returned to the Saginaw Animal Shelter? Tami reports, “Because his adopters are moving after adopting him recently. This poor boy can't catch a break. He has such a personality and is 52 pounds of cuteness. Loves all dogs and even cats. Oh and is great at dog yoga. Niall needs us to help him. November is a long time to be waiting. Then he finally gets a home only to be told after a few weeks ‘we are moving to a place that doesn't allow dogs’.”
[LARRY ASIDE: How might one
react to such news if you’ve worked so hard to find a home for this dog? I’ll give you a hint. I can’t print the expression here.]
Oh, and get this: Tami reports, “The people didn't give him his heartworm medication, either, so he can't start his injections. Livid. But we will be okay.”
You may recall that Niall’s former human had left him outside and unprotected from Texas parasites, so he wound up needing heartworm treatment.
Then, someone adopted him and it looked like everything was all set up. Ah, humans — the authors of illusions of love sometimes.
So, now, he’s back at Saginaw. [LARRY NOTE: We should be grateful he was returned to Saginaw and not dumped on a lonely road in the heat or rain.]
The dog with the expressive faces — and you can see his damp pawprints on the shelter cement! — is available to someone who’ll love him forever. Here’s the Saginaw LINK. Email [email protected] or call 817-230-0460.
FIVE KITTENS
READY TO GO
We got this tip from Amy Poskey, the reliable advocate for animals who need a hand. Five kittens — five will need hands, the voice of experience confirms.
This feline quintet is currently being cared for at a home in Carrollton.
The original appeal from Ute Sander reads, “These kittens need homes or foster or adopters/rescues. They where found dying but we can’t find any help and where they’re at, they can’t stay — the family is out of work and had no response from possible new owners.
“So, if we can’t get help, they will get euthanized." To get “them, or any of them,” Ute wrote, email [email protected] or call 972-330-3328.
CINNAMON WAITS, SHAKES
IN HER DENTON KENNEL
Amy also tipped us to the story of this girl in Denton’s McNatt Animal Shelter and Adoption Center.
The note reads, “This beautiful, sweet girl is Cinnamon! Bless her heart, she is terrified in the shelter and just sits in her kennel and shakes. She has never shown any aggression at all, she is just scared. She probably hasn’t had a lot of socialization with people cuz she was in a home with 18 other dogs when her owner passed away. She does very well with other dogs and would probably adjust better in a home with a pooch pal or two. All she needs is a little time, patience, and understanding from a loving human. Please give Cinnamon a chance to blossom and trust!”
She’s 2- to 5-years old, possibly an English Pointer/“Mutt Dawg Mix,” Amy writes. And the 35.4-pound dog is healthy, heartworm negative and dog friendly. She's #88466 at the shelter.
Call the shelter at 940-349-7594 or email these shelter heroes: [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected].
THE UPDATE ON JB,
THE UNEASY DOG
We’ve told the story of JB several times — likes only one person, but needs to find a home or within two weeks this handsome boy will be euthanized at the Lancaster Animal Shelter.
Why? Because a previous human made him uneasy around other humans. He’s been betrayed by a human being and now, outside of one kennel staffer he loves, JB has nobody he can trust. That’s an ugly fix, thanks to a don’t-care human being.
The good news is, 4-Legged Helpers, the non-profit that focuses on small shelters, has scored something on JB’s behalf. A note from the organization’s president, Laura Macias, reads, “ We need funds ASAP to save JB’s life. We found a trainer willing to work with JB (also known as Tyler at the shelter). Four weeks of training will run $1K. He will stay and board where this trainer works. One of the animal control staff, KB, that we have mentioned that this dog loves, will help care for him. Ideally we would like to raise enough money for him to stay 8 weeks.”
Laura also writes, “You may wonder why we are trying so very hard - it is because he is so very deserving. These dogs are like little children that never had a chance - that have seen the worst of humanity. He deserves someone to care. PLEASE, this is his ONLY chance! PLEASE - text or call Laura at 214-949-2726. NO donation too small - contact Laura for more information or our snail mail address.”
Those are some photos of the handsome JB. Be a crime against the world to let circumstances lead to the needle, wouldn’t it.
CONTEMPLATIONS
POLITICS, DEFENSIVE FOOTBALL & WILD WEST BORDER TOWN TEXARKANA
You know, I spent part of my long newspaper career writing about politics — when you write about anImals, you can see hope. Politics is iffy. ….
Earlier this week I saw a TV commercial for the “Official personal injury attorney of the Dallas Cowboys.” Kind of makes you wonder, doesn’t it? Not sure anybody advertises as the “Official Criminal Law Attorney of the Dallas Cowboys.”
Here’s my favorite headline from a recent edition of The Texarkana Gazette: “Murder and Mayhem Walking Tour gives spectators a taste of history” — yep, my hometown, the Twice as Nice Twin Cities, Texarkana, Texas/Arkansas, not really known as "Murder and Mayhem," but I may write that novel, now that I think about it. I’m from the Texas side, born in a former asylum two blocks inside the state line. That headline was on a Gazette story inspired by an authenticated historical incident tour of the city led by Texarkana Museums System Curator Jamie Simmons. And, to top off, it turns out that the score in the September 4, cross-the-state line-football rivalry between Texas High and Arkansas High will be this: Covid 19- Tigers & Razorbacks 0. Wait ’til next year. Yep, this game has been played annually for more than a century but it can’t beat the virus.
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