ReadLarryPowell.com

SOME CHALLENGES TO THE PEACE, THE PUPS AND THE CATS ON THE PLANET

EDITION OF TUESDAY, SEPT. 2, 2020 [PetPowellPress] The year 2020 has trotted right along at a odd clip, hasn’t it! And here we are on the first of September — we’ve had disarray, weather challenges and other difficulties since so early in the year I can’t remember.

Perhaps it would be great if we started the month with peace and love and finished the year and began 2021 with it, too. Surely humanity is capable of that. Surely. 
Vanish the virus and defeat the pox of violence, hate and disrespect that we let grip the brains of so many of the rest of us. If I can use the word “pox,” it makes me feel like William Shakespeare.
We could use some pax populi, i.e., Latin for “the peoples’ peace.” That's a peaceful scene with my girl Porche Noel and my little boy Stevie Ray enjoying some musing time on the Throwback Sixties Meditation Rug and setting an example of how to get along when you don't even belong to the same species. Call it "Pax Pup'n'cat".
CONSIDERING THE WAY THINGS
WORKED OUT AT TWO SHELTERS
FIRST WE TURN TO LANCASTER and get this report from 4-Legged Helpers, the non-profit that has “adopted” Lancaster Animal Shelter as a small-shelter focus project. The note sent by Laura Macias began: 
"Lancaster Shelter had a CLEAR THE SHELTERS DAY on Saturday and only had one adoption. That’s right,. Just one.”
These are two of the dogs that were ignored. Laura’s note says, “This city has 40,000-plus people and a tiny old shelter. Only 5 people even came by apparently. Only one adoption. This completely breaks our hearts.” And, she says, that one adoption is the same count as on the "Clear" day in 2019.
Beth, the American Bulldog/Mix is one of the unwanted dogs. “Beautiful girl — just as sweet as can be,” the bio reads. Why is she in the shelter? “A resident unable to care for her brought her in, in hopes someone might adopt her.” 
Look at Beth — she’s got to be dumbfounded by the disappearance of what she thought was people who loved her.
[LARRY ASIDE: Do people think a dog has no heart?]
And that brings us to Honey, a dog with a chip but nobody responding to calls. Might have been dumped. As the 4-Legged Helpers note reads, “Honey is named Honey for a reason — just the sweetest girl you could meet.” 

To help these two dogs — or other Lancaster animals — get to safety away from the ticking clock, call or text Laura at 214-949-2726 or email [email protected].
MEANWHILE, THERE’S THIS WEATHERFORD/PARKER COUNTY SHELTER note from our pal Becky Dodge. She reported about that facility’s Clear the Shelter efforts Aug. 24-Aug. 29.
“They had a pretty good week for the middle of the pandemic - 100 adoptions, 7 animals returned to owners, 21 rescued. They also provided assistance to a family that need help with care for a pet that they could not provide. They also took in 89 new animals (53 dogs and 36 cats).”

That’s Max. He was the focus of a Facebook post by Deborah Haller just as the Clear the Shelter event was coming to a close at Weatherford. Here’s what she wrote: “Close up of Max! Just want you to see what you’re missing. One the longest residents at the shelter! He’s amazing! Gets along with the dogs on the trail walks, couldn’t be sweeter or more attentive trying to please. He says he will be your best friend and listening companion, walking companion, meal companion and protector of the home! If you can’t adopt but can foster, please click on Deborah Haller. She’s the “Volunteer and Dog Rescue Coordinator” at the shelter. Rescue tag for Max can be sent to [email protected].
THE CHALLENGE TERRY LYNN
FACES IN BURNS FLAT
It’s no secret that readlarrypowell.com loves cats and thinks people who mistreat them need to be seen to by a mental health care professional. Here’s an example in a story we got from the rescue angel of Burns Flat, Okla., Terry Lynn Fisher. 
She wrote, “Oh my gosh!!! An elderly lady here in town has been feeding this cat and it’s litter mate for months now.  This one disappeared for a few days.   He came back [Sunday] and had something wrong with his mouth.  One of the neighbor little kids came up and told her they saw a boy kick its face three days ago.

“I’m pretty  sure the jaw is broken.  He is in a lot of pain. Please. If anyone can help with this poor creature let me know.  He needs to see a vet and a safe place to go afterwards. Please. I’m sick over this.” Email Terry Lynn at [email protected].
[LARRY FYI: Terry Lynn has built a following at her hometown in far western Oklahoma. In an appeal for veterinary funding last month she wrote a thank-you note to those supporters: “I am very grateful to all of you for making it possible to stay NO KILL for our FOUR small towns in Western Oklahoma.” Oughta start a fund to get medical professional help for mean-ass kids.]

REMINDER FOR
SPCA PHOTO CONTEST
There’s the big promotional block of illustration and you know to go to spca.org to vote for your favorite critter’s picture — ends at midnight if you’re reading this Monday and it ended at midnight if you’re not getting around to this until Tuesday!
Whenever you read this, you may also go to spca.org to see what dogs and cats and other animals are available for adoption. Note the Earhounds such as January and, of course Sister, and, without a doubt, Betty.
Betty? Wait, let me check the reference books. Yep, Goatus Earus Houndus. Pretty sure that’s an authentic Latin translation.  January is in this collection of mugshots! You'll spot her ears right away.
CONTEMPLATIONS
PEACE AND JOY AND MUSINGS
Back to the opening where I cited Pax Populi, the people’s peace. How did I become so dynamically facile with the Latin language when, astoundingly, I grew up in Texarkana, Texas, a long way from the Roman Empire? Ah, I paid attention in class — remember when people did that? — and I own a computer. I was a lousy Latin student. The Latin II class I was in, first class after the lunch hour, was full of alert, sharp and energetic students so I was largely unnoticed until I had to translate out loud. “Ouchus! Wrongus!” as a stunned and insulted Roman might have said. These days, with the help of a computer search, I am able to make sure I’ve used my Latin learnin’ to pluck a key phrase out of the air, or, as it might have been said in Latin, “vellunt clavem sententia ex aere.” Anyway, when I am able to cite Latin, it makes me feel like maybe I was better than an unsteady C student in Mrs. Marguerite Hamilton’s Latin II class at Texas High in 1963-64. That was, as you history students may recall, right after the fall of Rome (395 AD) and just before the 1971 birth of my twins Romulus and Remus. (Old Roman joke at which some of you may smile. My sons Bretus and Bartus may notus smilus.) …. I’m going to close with a quote from the Rev. Martin Luther King that seems to be a particularly important reminder in the current era. He said, “Peace cannot be kept by force; it can only be achieved by understanding.” Yes, we all need more understanding. … I thought back in the ‘60s and ‘70s that my generation would bring peace and love to the planet — bigger challenge than expected. Underestimated the size of human stupidity. We can’t even keep things calm in our own Zip Codes. Failures? Maybe not. Some peace-proponents are still percolatin’. Peace now.
—- Offer wisdom or advice by clicking on ‘comments’ below or by emailing [email protected]. —-

MONDAY'S QUIET ARRIVAL ... SOME DOGS, CATS, STAR TREK & A TUNE WITH A THRILL?

EDITION OF MONDAY, AUG. 31, 2020 [PetPowellPress] Relax. It’s not Labor Day. That’s next Monday. 
But, to get you out of August looking forward into September, we’ll note that September (bless Holiday Insights for its calendar) is both National Blueberry Popsicle Month and National Piano Month - which, I suspect represents two declarations that will NOT be celebrated together. No pop- sicles at piano lessons, right? 
We wondered if there might be a cat somewhere named Piano or Popsicle but a quick look didn’t find one. However, at the Humane Society of North Texas in Fort Worth, we did find a listing for a 3-year-old tomcat named Mickey Mouse — got to be some irony in that — and this “too tall for the carrier” fellow named — hold on Dear Trekkers, — Worf. More Worfian musing in Contemplations.
GAP’S SEARCHING
FOR A MISSING PUP
Our pal Karen Lee, the Trinity GAP Rescue supporter and founder of barkleyworld.com, tipped us to this missing young dog. You see the details in that poster. 
Chisholm Park is in Hurst — it’s the city’s largest park at 50 acres, plus a lake, on Norwood just south of Highway 26.

As you may recall this rescue group evolved from the Euless Trinity High School Girls’ Awareness Program several years ago and became a devoted partner in rescue with the Euless Animal Shelter.
Now it is not only a rescuing group but also an adoptions group.
Sometimes, as we all know, dogs are too clever for their own good. So, that’s why this pup is missing. He’s only about 6 months old — and he’s microchipped and was wearing 3 tags when last seen.
We’ve included an earlier photo of him — with a big ol’ Pittie faced grin. You see the contact number on the missing poster: 817-629-1941. Or email GAP Rescue at [email protected]. [LARRY ASIDE: There’s a reward. But a good heart will be happy just because you got the pup to safety in an uncertain world.]
A PHOTOGRAPH
THAT ENCHANTS
How’s that for a kissing dog photograph? We got it off the Dallas Animal Services and Adoption Center Facebook page. Is that a happy dog? Sure looks like it. Here’s what the DAS caption said: “Grateful kisses from some of our #HurricaneLaura evacuated pets who are now on their way back to be reunited with their owners! We are glad that we were able to provide these pets with care and support during their stay with us and are so grateful that both these owners and pets are safe. Learn more about the DAS #HurricaneLauraResponse and what you can do to help at https://bit.ly/3loNyZo. Human Animal Support Services #TheHASSLife #AnimalShelteringReimagined #BeDallas90."

We repeated all this because, frankly, you just never know whether there’ll be more post-storm dogs and cats making their ways to the greater Metrosprawl. 
[LARRY ASIDE: At our house Sunday, we were blessed with a pre-dawn rain that would have put a sane person back to sleep for another two hours — naturally, I was able to alertly watch 3 episodes of Matlock before I turned in to Willie Geist on NBC and then CBS Sunday Morning. Even the dogs went back to sleep before the rain stopped. The cats demanded breakfast. So I fed ‘em and THEY went back to sleep.]
CONTEMPLATIONS
WORF, PICARD/RIKER 2020 & IS CAPT. KIRK’S THRILL GONE?
Yes, that is the Fort Worth cat Worf, his name just like that of the beloved Klingon who debuted in the first episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation in 1987, a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away — wait. I’ve time quoted Star Wars in a Star Trek note. Trust me, I’m kidding and I know the difference. … You see here the current version of the Picard/Riker campaign bumper sticker. The Next Generation debuted in 1987, just before the 1988 election, when I was still writing a daily column for The Big Paper Downtown and I think, if memory serves, a Dallas PR executive brought me some Pickard/Riker 1988 or 1992 stickers with Picard’s traditional message, “Make it so.” (I have a couple in a storage box somewhere.) All these years later, I’m still thinking that might just be the way to go. Who among us doesn’t wake up some days, catch the morning news of all sides of the political spectrum and go back in time while yelling, “Beam me up, Scotty! Beam me up.” For you non-Trekkers, that’s a reference to the 1960s original Star Trek. … Oh, and speaking of Star Trek “originals,” nobody’s more original than William Shatner, the original Captain Kirk. Here’s one of his latest recordings from his new album The Blues. If you are a B.B. King fan, you’ll really find this version of his signature hit, perhaps, interesting. Click HERE. That's Captain Kirk in the '60s and that's the great B.B. King with his guitar Enterprise -- I'm kidding; she's Lucille. Live long and prosper.
—- Offer wisdom or unfounded complaints by clicking on ‘comments’ below or by emailing [email protected]. —-

WHEN DOGS AND CATS RULE YOUR WORLD...

Once upon a time, Dallas, Texas, had free-roaming dogs and cats.

I know you "cain't hardly b'lieve 'at," Dear Readers.

But, allow me to present some evidence. I'm going to feature one former free-roamer of each species in this edition of Let Sleeping Dogs Lie and Napping Cats Nap.

As you see in this opening photo, we have captured via cellphone camera a couple of tranquil and beloved members of our family. 
The dog is Porche Noel; the cat is The Senator. I caught 'em snoozing in the living room couch.
But each night they have their places in the king-size bed. Porche is between the humans and The Senator is between me and the edge of the bed -- he's up and down several times a night and likes to meow to wake me when he returns from his nocturnal adventures. He also will nibble -- OK, he'll BITE -- my bare arms if they aren't where he wants them. Porche is out like a light -- it's like trying to move a bag of cement that got wet and solidified.

I've told their stories before. The Senator had wandered up in 2008, dining with the front porch ferals, but sticking around after they'd leave to go nap or hunt or whatever they did. The Senator invited himself into the house and everybody got along -- he got his name because his hairline looked like he'd gone to Washington and gotten hairplugs.
 He's my editing consultant, as you can see in that photo of him glaring at what I've written. His beautiful pink nose is just out of the frame. 

At Christmas in 2009, Porche Noel crawled through the burglar bars on our front porch and filled up on the feral cat buffet -- three or four were watching her. By the time she finished all the bowls, her abdomen had widened so much that, when I went onto the front porch to check on the odd noises, she could NOT get back out the way she came in! So, we kept her. Of course.

As you can see, her appearance has changed a bit since that day I put her in my pickup and drove her to the vet's office. She was starving. She rasped when she barked (she'd arrived with a too-small collar) and she limped when she walked due to "some kind of trauma" to her left hip. Still shows up now and then. But she can bark with the best of 'em nowadays.
Her heritage? Here's what I wrote after her vet visit all those years ago. "What kind of dog is she? Lots of guesses: Part Corgi. Part French Bulldog.  Maybe even some kind of miniature pit. But the real answer to what kind of dog she is is this: Nice."

The penultimate photo shows her on the back of one of our couches -- the dogs' favored red one -- while Martha naps and one of those front porch feral kittens (from 2011) scopes out a place to snooze with the gang. That's Deputy Chief Kittie Leigh Johnson, as sweet a little girl as you'll find on your front porch. She's far from feral. Sleeps in my arms if she catches me watching TV or reading or trying to type on a laptop. Yeah, she's the anti-insomnia cat.
Our dog Porche and my cats The Senator and Kittie Leigh -- and, oh, yeah, my funspouse Martha -- let 'em all sleep and nap and enjoy happy dreams. Sometimes you can even see Martha's foot shaking when she dreams she's chasing a cat or dog through an Oak Cliff park! It's so cute.
[LARRY APPEAL: Send us photos of your sleeping dogs, napping cats, snoozing reptiles, snoring mammals (can be human relatives!), etc. Include the bios of the photo subjects when you email the info to [email protected]. This pays no money, so don't fret an IRS windfall profit inquiry. You'll be encouraging people to open their hearts and homes to animals. And you'll be helping insomniacs believe they, too, can get some sleep if they can just get the right red couch.]
--- Offer opinions or facts by clicking on 'comments' below or by emailing [email protected]. ---

DOGS, CATS, TREATS, ADOPTIONS, AVAILABLES, AN OLD PHOTO AND A BUFFALO HERD

EDITION OF FRIDAY, AUGUST 28, 2020 [PetPowellPress] What a week. Whoa. Last weekend of August is arriving and we’re not quite completely healed from the muscle strains endured during this wrenchingly impossible week of wretched news, politics and empty stadiums, fields and courts! At least it’s not sleeting outside. There I go being upbeat for a moment.
FIRST UP: TREATS IN FORT WORTH
AND STORM DOG IN BIG D
Now and then it’s the face of the dog that catches out attention. And that’s why that photo of King is today’s introductory photo. Yeah, that’s a dog enjoying the treat. And the info from Fort Worth Animal Care and Control tells us that King is “part of our behavior program at the shelter.” Volunteers and staffers uses treats to “train and enrich our dogs while they are in our care,” the FWACC Facebook post read. So, why bring this up? The shelter is running low on treats. King is the face and big ol’ tongue of the treat appeal. FWACC says it needs “meaty soft treats and non-rawhide chews.” You can drop ‘em off at the shelter, 4900 Martin St. in southeast Fort Worth. Or send ‘em via the Amazon wishlist: https://a.co/7CUfCUs.
So we found another photo of King and then, just to be sure all Kings are recognized in the realm, that’s King James, also in the FWACC shelter.
You want a cat? That’s young Calypso the Kitten. And the big guy is #45216108, a Maine Coon mix who came in on Aug. 3 — He’s 6 years old and his name is (get this!) Meowth. 
Meowth.
WE’RE GOING FROM MEOWTH TO MEOW MEOW. READ ON.
We move the focus east on I-30 to Dallas Animal Services, exiting at Westmoreland and turning north toward the big DAS Shelter & Adoption Center where this cat lives. We posted Meow Meow before. But this time he turns up as the featured cat on the DAS Facebook Page. Meow Meow (#A1106206) is a large older cat and, according to his listing, “This winking kitty is available for online adoption at Dallas Animal Services.
Here’s the online adoption link: bit.ly/daspets. Remember, its Clear the Shelters time and the adoptions are free.
One of the availables at DAS is this guy Jeep (#A1106417) — he’s 7, loves to romp and splash in pools. And, DAS notes, he is “one of 17 unowned dogs that were transferred from the SPCA of Brazoria County, a shelter near the coast, so that they could have more space to take in pets that had been separated from their owners due to the hurricane.”

Go to dallasanimalservices.org or the DAS Facebook page for more info on how to adopt and how to help.

CHECKING IN ON JB,
THE DOG IN TRAINING
You may recall that a couple of months ago we began telling the story of JB, a Lancaster Animal Shelter death row dog. The people with 4-Legged Helpers saw a dog who needed saving. Why? Because he had been wrecked by the person who “owned” him and made him frightened of people. The non-profit didn’t think he deserved to die because some jerk had made him afraid of humans. As it turns out, the dog “adopted” a shelter staffer -- a human he didn't fear -- and the staffer stepped up to help JB and now calls him “Red” and is helping 4-Legged Helpers help Red. 
That's the happy pup riding away from the shelter toward the training facility several weeks ago He has been in training since leaving the shelter’s death row. (That cage photo is of JB when he was "on the list.") We asked 4-Legged Helpers President Laura Macias about Red/JB’s progress. She reminded me that if the organization “had not helped him, he would have been killed about 3 weeks ago. He is now nearing the end of his 4 weeks training and working on the next 4 weeks. He is doing better, I was told, and is learning boundaries. We are praying he will get tons better.” [Red still needs help financing his training. Laura gave us this donation link: [email protected].]
Lancaster still has dogs that need homes — scroll down to our Thursday edition and you can see the 4 newest arrivals. Email [email protected] and ask Laura to send you photos and info about the other dogs in the shelter. Help ‘em out and save some lives.
CONTEMPLATIONS
A PHOTO, A GAME, A SONG ABOUT HAPPINESS
Stephen Foster, the voice and founding spirit of DFW’s Furgotten Friends, posted an interesting non-dog/non-cat story on his Face- book page. It has to do with an old photo- graph acciden- tally found in a vintage frame. There’s a search on to identify the people in this photograph. Here’s the LINK  and here’s what Stephen wrote to explain the challenge: “This might be a weird thing to do but Shawn wanted nice old frame for a picture of her Aunt Gigi. We stopped at a thrift store and found the perfect antique frame. When we opened it we found this old picture stuck to the back of the cardboard backing. We think whomever donated it didn't realize there was a picture there so we thought we would put it out on social media just in case someone recognizes this picture and would want it back.” That’s a challenge, but it also may be a great adventure, too. … Sincere thanks to the Oakland Athletics for calling off last night’s Texas Rangers game — at least our home team didn’t lose another one. … We’ll close today’s report and head into the final weekend of August 2020 with a song by the late Fort Worth native son and lyrical genius Roger Miller. He explains happiness HERE. He won 11 Grammys and a Tony for Big River.

—- Offer praise of Roger Miller’s career or lotto advice by clicking on ‘comments’ below or by emailing [email protected]. —-

PHOTOS OF FAME, UPSIDE DOWN, 4 NEW DOGS; SALLY GETS A RIDE & CONTEMPLATIONS

EDITION OF THURSDAY, AUG. 27, 2020 [PetPowellPress] The online calendar Holiday Insights, pegs August 27 as “Global Forgiveness Day.” I’ve been watching the world a while — probably need more than one day to get that job done. Oh, and in the category of admirable things to do: We’re heading toward the August 31 deadline for voting in the SPCA of Texas 2021 Pet Photo Contest. FYI: There are 208 entries and every one of them looks like a modeling contract or Hollywood movie roles might be in the future. Go to spca.org to cast a vote.
And rather than post a photo of a contestant, we’ll post photos of adoptable SPCA animals who might be entries in the 2022 contest. We’ve posted this dog before — he's got a history in an animal cruelty case and he’s working hard on always being a good dog — that upside-down boy is Apollo (41469749), a 3-year-old who is around 44 pounds of entertaining mixed-breed canine. And that upside-down, medium fluffy cat doing her Apollo impression is Amber (43675640), about 2 years old, small and, her foster says, “She is just the cutest floof you’ll ever see. She likes to lay in sunbeams and be a big ball of fur.” [LARRY ASIDE: The SPCA has animals available who are right-side up, in case you wondered.]
FOUR NEW ARRIVALS
ADD TO THE RESIDENTS
We’re about to cite some Earhounds. And we’ll just go ahead and stipulate that regular readers know Lancaster Animal Services Shelter is not a giant facility, that it can stay pretty full of critters and that 4-Legged Helpers has adopted it as one of the small shelters the non-profit monitors and tries to help. So, what’s new? Four new dogs. Here they are (and remember, scroll down to see earlier notes we've posted about dogs and cats in the Lancaster shelter.) The person to contact about these for rescue or adoption info is Laura Macias, the 4-Legged Helpers president, at 214-949-2726 or email [email protected]. Also, 501c3 groups can be aided with transport plans. 

That first dog is the sometimes lop-eared, sometimes pointy-eared, but always eyes of two colors Aussie Cattledog Mix Blake. “Gives hugs. Just as sweet as can be, “ his bio says. 
This second Earhound is Stacy, a formerly stray female “Terrier/Bulldog Mix,” who “has absolutely adorable ears that flop in different ways based on what she is thinking or feeling,” the bio reads.
And look at the sweet face on this baby Beth, listed as as “American Bulldog or Mix.” Her bio reads, “She is calm and gentle and a really sweet girl who just wants to be loved…A resident unable to care for her brought her in, in hopes someone might adopt her.”
The fourth girl is Honey. So named for a reason, the bio reads. “Just the sweetest girl you could meet.” And there’s this: “She may be spayed since she is microchipped.   The shelter staff has been unable to reach the owner, after reaching out to the chip company, etc., so it appears she may have been lost for some time or perhaps even dumped, which is the saddest thing.” 
[LARRY ASIDE: All animals in all shelters have individual stories and their own personalities. They’re like humans only most animal personalities are sweet and forgiving, even when it’s not Global Forgiveness Day.]
SALLY — A DOG WHO INSPIRED
SOME GENUINE CELEBRATING
This is the first photo we posted of Sally, a “Pittie/Labby” mix also known as "Hershey"
who wound up in the Denton McNatt Animal Shelter and Adoption Center.
She was sheltered, but she wasn’t adopted. But something good happened, we learned from our reliable Denton tipster Amy Poskey.
 Sally, with a lot of skin issues, came into the shelter as a stray and stayed for 30-something days — her issues were handled and she got better and better. Senior dog, you know, somewhere between 8 and 10 years old and a friendly 54.6-pound dog. Amy’s first note read, “She’s perfect, and how can you resist that face begging for love.” 
Denton’s patience paid off. Amy sent a note in traditional caps and lower cases, no exclamation points. But, then, after weeks and weeks of nothing, something happened and it inspired the traditional Amy Poskey reaction! [LARRY ASIDE: These reactions are genuinely from the heart of a critter fan and readlarrypowell.com appreciates them because they celebrate when celebrating is important!] 

The first note Amy sent came in this style: “My heart is singing right now cuz Beverly Antaeus with BRIDGING THE WORLDS ANIMAL RESCUE AND SANCTUARY in NM has tagged Sally!!!  YEEEEEEEEEE- HHHHHHHHHAAAAAAAAW- WWWWWW and WOOOOOOOOOHHH- HHHHOOOOOOOO!!!  THANK YOU, BEVERLY!!!  We will be working on transport next …”

Then, on the 21st, Amy sent this note: “SALLY HAS LEFT THE BUILDING!!!  YEEEEEEEEEEEHHHHHHHHHHHHAAAAAAAAAAWWWWWWWW!!!  Yep, thanks to the hard work of SO MANY people, this precious girl is outta jail and on her way to a happy life!!!  THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO HELPED MAKE THIS HAPPEN FOR SWEET SALLY!!!  As always, it takes a village…Amy.”

And you see there the photo of trusting Sally and her driver, Page Butler — I think Page might be proud to be regarded as “Sally’s Driver.” Amy shared the “precious freedom picture of precious Sally with one of the transport angels, Page Butler! Page and Sheila Butler pulled Sally from the shelter…and took her for a lovely Spa Day, and they reported that Sally is a big love bug, soooo sweet, and her tail wags no matter what! You can see the sweetness all over that loveable face and in her soulful eyes.!” 

The next day, Page and Sheila and Sally hit the road and met another transporter in Wichita Falls. Sally then took the second leg of her trip, eventually arriving in Santa Fe.

Amy wrote, “Thank you again and again to EVERYONE who helped make this happen for this beautiful, frosted face, fur angel!  Your HUGE hearts and never-ending devotion to helping pooches is very humbling and I’m just so grateful for ALL of you! HAPPY LIFE, SALLY, WE LOVE YOU!!!  J Amy.”
[LARRY ASIDE: I posted this combination of notes for two reasons (1) To give faith to people in rescue that they can, with patience, find that right place for every animal and (2) to celebrate the hearts of people who help animals and help people. As a guy who has written about people and animals for decades, and seen joyful episodes and horrifying behavior, it is so wonderful to be able to repeat these “happy teamwork” stories. To quote Amy Poskey, “WOOOOOHOOOOOO!” I don’t quite have the celebratory panache of Amy Poskey, but I do love to see her WOOOOHOOOO emails!]
CONTEMPLATIONS
SALLY’S RIDE; AUTUMN GEAR, DOG HUGS
There’s probably nothing about Sally the Dog’s life that I envy except winding up in Santa Fe — oh, and on her itinerary, it shows she stopped at Cline’s Corners on I-45 (old Route 66) at 285. I hope she got to go into the Cline’s Corners Gift Shop — an ol’ dog might have seen a lot of stuff in her life, but Cline’s Corners will dazzle anybody! … Personal note: I know my neighbor probably think I’m nuts. Here’s one more reason: I walked out of the front door Thursday morning to fetch the empty trash bin and I was wearing my jeans, a shirt and my gray hoodie. The outside temp was in the rising 80s, but inside I live with someone who keeps the atmosphere akin to arctic climate level. Icebergs can form in the bathtub, penguins come to our house for vacation. Not complaining. Just explaining why a guy in Texas is wearing autumn gear on Aug. 27….The Texas Rangers have lost 10 of their last 11 — but the pitching looked good for a while last night. Not sure how that works into Global Forgiveness Day. Hang on a second….Just had to take a time out and do some huggin’ and pettin’ of the Drop By Dogs — Porche (left, in her natural sleeping mutt state) and Dudley (Border Collie/Chocolate Lab). Sometimes they just need to be petted and, as a needy human, I need to hug ‘em like they were bringing me a bag of money they found digging in the back yard. OK, my funspouse Martha’s back from a morning errand and they’ve gone off to be with their official human. I’ve run out of treats and they are smart dogs.
—- Leave sage advice or smarmy remarks at ‘comments’ below or by emailing [email protected]. —-

RESCUES IN A STORM; SHELTER CRITTERS; PSYCHEDELIC POSE ON NATIONAL DOG DAY

EDITION OF WEDNESDAY, AUG. 26, 2020 [PetPowellPress] In honor of National Dog Day,
readlarrypowell.com proudly presents this photograph of Porche Noel as she takes one of her multidirectional trips on her new psychedelic rug while listening to her favorite mellow-inducing song by Steppenwolf. Porche meditates along with Magic Carpet Ride, as can you if you click HERE.
NOW, BACK TO THE REALITY
OF HELPING GULF COAST ANIMALS
It occurs to us this peaceful morning in the Metrosprawl that the words “landfall” and “Hurricane Laura” by the time you read this — are combining with “Pandemic” and “California fires” to move 2020 to the top of the list for “worst years for natural disasters in the U.S.” since the lid blew off Mt. St. Helens in 1980.
The SPCA of Texas gets credit for these photos of rescuers at work and cats and kittens benefiting from the ride! Read on!
Among the many organizations helping to get Gulf Coast animals to safety are three of Texas' most notable — Dallas Animal Services, the SPCA of Texas and Operation Kindness.
We got an explanation from Operation Kindness’ Marketing./Communications Director Natalie Buxton:  “"As we have done in the past with other hurricanes, we will offer support to our rescue partners to help with transfers, making space for displaced animals, as we are able to help.”
OK is a partner with DAS and prepared to help when animals arrive — also, the Operation Kindness Pet Food Pantry has been called into service to help DAS “provide food for those in hotels with pets.”
There probably are more rescues and shelters helping the hurricane areas. Let us know by emailing [email protected]. They can all use financial support to help feed and give vet care to the incoming rescued animals. And they can use places to let animals stay until they’re adopted or returned.
[LARRY ASIDE: Is this irony? This storm-fleeing animals are arriving as NBC5 and others conduct the annual Clear the Shelters Event — Aug. 24-29. Timing. The key to everything, right? New animals to “clear” and they’ll have stories to tell.]
On its Facebook page, Dallas Animal Services posted notice that it is “taking in 20 dogs currently available for adoption at the SPCA of Brazoria County in Lake Jackson to help them make room for loose and owned pets displaced by the storm.”
And DAS says that won’t “push DAS past its capacity” but notes that
there’s already pressure on the staff because of the new routines (teleadoptions, etc.) brought on by the pandemic. Friends of Dallas Animal Services has a fund set up to help with the expenses of the incoming storm animals. Here’s THE LINK.
The SPCA of Texas reports that it has already been transferring animals from Gulfport, Miss., and Houston. And, of course, the SPCA is prepared to take in more as the — horrible term — “evacuation efforts” continue.
Working with the Humane Society of North Texas on Tuesday afternoon, the SPCA took in 24 cats and kittens that arrived via a Wings of Rescue flight from Houston SPCA. These felines went to the SPCA’s Perry Animal Care Center in McKinney. Later Tuesday evening, the SPCA’s Jan Rees-Jones Animal Care Center west of downtown Dallas took in 21 cats and kittens from the Humane Society of South Mississippi.
These animals, the SPCA of Texas says, are all shelter animals that had yet to be adopted - by moving them out of the storm areas, that makes room in those local shelters for animals in the path.
The SPCA of Texas is prepped to help other areas in the path of the foul weather. And it’ll need donations — www.spca.org/hurricane.
The photos in this report are all courtesy of the SPCA of Texas. And what they show is a Momma cat and her kittens, the lineup of cats in carriers, a particularly handsome solo traveling cat and the masked-relay line for loading the van before the trip and during a pandemic!
[AN IMPROMPTU RESCUER PRAYER: Bless all those workers and keep ‘em healthy — let them have wonderful stories to tell about the time they helped save all those lives. Make sure the cats and kittens, dogs and puppies, and the people, too,  all find wonderful homes and never again have to be transported across state lines in an emergency situation!]

A FOLLOW-UP ON TWO DOGS:
OH, FOR CRYING OUT LOUD….
We posted photos of Rose and Bo earlier in the week, a couple of the dogs waiting for help at the Lancaster Animal Shelter. We learned about them through the life-saving efforts of the small-shelter-focused folks at 4-Legged Helpers. 
So, this morning, we get this note from 4-Legged Helpers. Here’s the way the 4-Legged Helpers' story goes: “We found out Rose has a microchip from DAS so one of the Lancaster ACO’s reached out to DAS  last week since they have not received any calls back on the phone number provided through the chip. This girl was brought in by the same family that owned Bo, and told shelter staff she showed up as a stray.  DAS said they would attempt to contact the person on the chip also through mail.  Lancaster ACO also emailed the person. No responses.  Yet.   Dumped perhaps?   Rose is just precious.  She is an adorable sweet SMALL girl … She is darling and lovable.  The person that brought her in (with Bo) apparently said when she originally showed up as a stray that she was so very sweet  and got along so great with their own dog Bo that they kept her thinking they would get her vetted and keep her but sadly, circumstances changed and are now no longer able to care for either dog and brought both in together in hopes they would be rescued or adopted. Heartbreaking.”

And then, there’s Bo who is “already fixed! Can anyone say goofy lovable goober? He is cute and sweet and charming and everything a dog should be."
To help Rose and/or Bo, call or text Laura Macias at 2214-949-2726 or email [email protected].
CONTEMPLATIONS
GAME CATS; STORMS; ANOTHER DOG DAY PHOTO
We clicked open the DAS Facebook page Wednesday morning and spotted this pairing of photographs — that black and white cat with the championship whiskers is Mr. Monopoly, whose shelter picture we posted last week. This combo came with this explanation written by some clever person at DAS: “Who remembers Mr. Monopoly? This cute little kitten with the handlebar mustache just went off to a new home! Game night will be even more fun for his new adopter who not only adopted Monopoly but also adopted one of his siblings, Scrabble! Congrats to this happy family!” I checked at dallasanimalsservices.org to see if any other “game” cats were available, but no dice, so to speak. I did however, spot this great senior cat named Meow Meow and a baby tomkitten named Sunny (probably not kin to Meow Meow, but this is Dallas, so you never know for sure). … A kid who grew up in the ol’ neighborhood with my little boys in Grand Prairie, is now Chaplain and Deputy Sheriff Ken Spivey at the Ascension Parish Sheriff’s Office in Gonzales, La., southeast of Baton Rouge, i.e., NOT out of the expected path of Laura’s weather wrath. I used to play basketball with all the kids (I was much taller in those days and they still out-shot me). Now “young Kenneth” is an all grown up family guy/Man of God/peace officer. This reminds me that the badge isn’t a target, it’s a shield. Prayers for everybody and every beast in the path of the storm. …We’ll close with another National Dog Day photograph. This is one of our foundlings — Wendy, official name Wednesday Louise Wagstaff Arden. This is her on her favorite couch. And, of course, Porche got up and left the office about 20 minutes ago because I was typing instead of paying attention to her, so Wendy came in and flopped down on the psychedelic rug and decided to enter a tranquil state of mind while I typed these last few sentences. Wendy, who is a dog of assorted heritages, is evidence that an unwanted dog can become the most adorable, loving, devoted and downright dear soul on the planet. Credit goes to my rescuespouse Martha who fell for her the moment she saw her running free on a Dallas street and pulled over to give her a ride to a happy future. Happy National Dog Day.
—- Offer advice or recipes by clicking on ‘comments’ below or email [email protected]. —-

STORMY WEATHER, GIVING DAY, ANIMALS IN A FIX, THE BIG PARADE AND MUSIC: A POTPOURRI

EDITION OF TUESDAY, AUGUST 25, 2020 [PetPowellPress] Extra rain may be coming to North Texas — bless you folks on the Gulf Coast and keep you healthy and dry and upbeat! 

Moving along, we must ask who hasn’t seen this logo or a similar bit of artwork recently? It’s the annual “heads-up” we get for North Texas Giving Day. The reality of life is this: Ain’t no pandemic gonna shut down the charitable hearts in Texiz! [LARRY NOTE: I wrote that in the piney woods/river bottoms ’n’ bayous patois of my charitable, native Northeast Texas.] Yep, North Texas Giving Day — go to northtexasgivingday.org. If you don’t have a favorite non-profit, there’s a list of eligibles on the website. 
[LARRY BASEBALL ASIDE: FYI: the Texas Rangers are not registered as a non-profit, so you cannot donate to the franchise on North Texas Giving Day and expect a fireballing lefty to appear magically on the mound. Of course, after this season of no crowds and no concessions/parking profits, the team might qualify! ]Let’s move along.
TAZ AND ZEUS: TWO TO GO
FROM MESQUITE’S LIST
The list is long for dogs and cats — all of ‘em needing a home.
Our reliable tipster Debra Chisholm, the volunteer biographer at Mesquite Animal Services, gave us the heads up on this guy Taz, a German Shepherd/ Malinois mix surrendered to the shelter on June 18. The selling points are he’s a “high-spirited youngster and just needs some direction and training and someone who can handle his energy level.”
The back story is this: Taz’s human “abandoned the dog and a friend took care of Taz for 3 months” but finally surrendered the year-old, 77-pound neutered, primarily outdoor dog to the shelter. The surrendering human said Tax was “not friendly to other dogs.”
That may change; it may not change. Doesn’t mean Taz wouldn’t be your beloved dog. He’s #44890881. Use that shelter ID when you call the shelter at 972-216-6283 and or when you email [email protected].
That number and email addy work for Zeus the Kitten, too. He has his own number — 45266045 — almost longer than he is. Zeus is around 28 days old, a boy with expressive eyes and he is among MANY kittens available (with some grownup cats) at the Mesquite Animal Shelter. [LARRY ASIDE: Once again we note that no matter how hot, no matter how cold, North Texas is blessed with a year-round kitten season. Why? Because Dallas is the most fertile city in North America and a “mammal in the mood” pays no attention to city limits signs. That’s also why humans build freeways, as I’ve been led to believe.]
See more dogs and cats in the Mesquite Animal Shelter by clicking HERE. 
ALL THOSE DOGS:
NOT A SINGLE QUERY
Our 4-Legged Helpers tipster Laura Macias papers the metrosprawl with emails asking for help for animals in the small shelters on the southern side of Dallas and elsewhere. 
Yet, the dogs from Lancaster that she focused on Monday didn’t get any attention at all from adoptors or rescuers. So, she noted that in her Tuesday email which, by the way, focused on animals in other facilities. (To see the Lancaster dogs — Benji’s particularly heartbreaking), scroll down to our Monday report.
For Tuesday, we’ll cite Jasmine, this “absolute sweetheart” picked up in Ferris after “hanging out at the local Dairy Queen for several months now, apparently begging patrons for food.” She may be a Catahoula/Aussie Shepherd mix or something else. She simply needs a home that will feed her and love her without needing a roller-skating carhop. Laura’s note reads, “She is very loving and wanted nothing more than to be hugged or roll upside down to have her tummy petted.” [LARRY ASIDE: She’s so human, don’t you think, my fellow affectionate people?]
And this guy is Wiggles, a Wirehaired Terrier Mix, about 8 months old, originally adopted from the Sherman Animal Shelter, Laura’s note reads. She adds, “The people that adopted apparently had trouble keeping him in their fence (rural area) and a neighbor helped them get the fence fixed. They have apparently now decided they are moving and gave this precious guy to the neighbor, asking if she can find a home for him. A friend of the neighbor reached out to us.” So, 4-Legged Helpers, which focuses on getting animals into safe rescue groups and homes, is representing Wiggles in his journey to a loving home. 
For these dogs or the Lancaster dogs such as Benji, call or text Laura at 214-949-2726 or email [email protected].

ABOUT THE HEAT
AND THE KIDS
AND CRITTERS

David Perle, the Media Division Manager for PETA, distributed a note that reminds people who need reminding that you shouldn’t leave children or animals in your car in the summer.
You would think nobody needs a reminder of that, wouldn’t you. 

The opening paragraph reads, “As temperatures remain high across the country and amid reports from Duncanville that a police officer had to break a window to rescue a 1-year-old baby from a hot car, PETA is taking action with an ad campaign, 'Too Hot for Spot and Tot,'
warning people never to leave dogs or children in parked cars on hot days.
“Even a 'quick' errand can turn fatal, as forgetfulness—being distracted by running into a friend, taking a phone call, or otherwise being delayed—can take a vulnerable life.”
That’s the gist, but there’s one more note: “This year, 19 children and at least 26 dogs and cats have died from heat-related causes.”
Remember, call the cops, maybe break a window, but for crying out loud save the lives.
CONTEMPLATIONS
A PARADE; NEWS PHILOSOPHY & STORM PREPARATIONS
Having come to grips with the fact that the 2020 State Fair of Texas is not happening, my fretting has moved on NOT to the NFL season or the election or the World Series, but to the fate of my long-running tradition of watching the TV presentation of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. Many news stories say there'll be a "Macy's Day Parade," as the locals say, but it won't be like the usual parade. Go to this Macy's link -- https://www.macys.com/social/parade/ -- and you'll see the store's latest announcement and a link to seeing visuals of past parades. No idea, yet, how NBC will get its team onto the parade route or how all those balloon handlers will be spending the day. Maybe there'll be positive news between ow and then. That's a Doxie balloon from the 1950 parade -- I missed that one: We didn't have a TV. ... If news agencies only told you good news, how would you know who needs help and why they need it? (That’s a closed circuit message to all those people who think it’s cute when elementary school kids get national air time with cutesy good-news sites on the internet.) You might recall how news got out about people and animals needing help when Katrina savaged Louisiana. OK, there I go taking life too seriously, right? … On Monday I got an email from a sporting goods store that asked this question in the subject line: “Are You Storm Ready? Get your essentials now….” If the full muscle of a Gulf storm makes it to Dallas/Fort Worth, there’s probably nothing in a sporting goods store that’s going to be helpful with a prairie tsunami. The fish won’t be bitin’ and the waves will  swamp your trampoline. Storm essentials? Not sure sporting good stores have battery-operated freezers to preserve several gallons of my favorite Blue Bell ice cream, Katrina and the Waves of Taste. I made that up. But here’s the appropriate link for a non-stormy day. Walk on back 35 years.
—- Offer favorite songs or winning lotto numbers by clicking on ‘comments’ below or by emailing [email protected]. —-

SOMETIMES THE ANIMALS' STORIES ARE ... HEARTBREAKING? BUT THERE'S HOPE!

EDITION OF MONDAY, AUG. 24, 2020 [PetPowellPress] Welcome to Monday. Never mind what happened over the weekend. I wore masks; I socially distanced; I ignored yardwork. I might have read some. Here’s our first workday of the week report. I'm drinking coffee. Please read on. You'll be uplifted by this dog's good fortune.
A WHOLE NEW CROP
OF DOGS AT LANCASTER
Naturally, we want to remind people to continue supporting efforts to help JB/Red the Dog triumph over his lousy upbringing by a cruel human. So, remember to contact 4-Legged Helpers President Laura Macias to learn how to help this guy — call or text 214-949-2726 or email [email protected]. [LARRY ASIDE: The dog distrusts humans, but his current training is moving him away from that attitude. It’s a mission.]
Now, keep Laura’s contact points handy because you may need them when you see these dogs. The first one is an “adorable little baby guy” known as Baxter, about 3 months old, a Hound mix and “as sweet as can be.” And his bio reads, “He looks very thin to be such a little baby.”
Then there are these two — bonded. Owner-release. Couldn’t care for them. The mom is Lily (the speckled Pointer mix) and the daughter is Daisy (dad was a Yellow Lab, the bio says). Lily is very watchful over Daisy. The note from 4-Legged Helpers read, “Being in the shelter means it is highly unlikely they would be adopted together, but we wanted to put them out here together in case someone can help. Such beautiful dogs.” [LARRY ASIDE: That mother/daughter bond is strong and now and then it grinds my heart to think about the separation of such dogs. Maybe you know someone who help these two stay together. That’s my hope.]
Now, standing alone — REALLY ALONE, NOW — is this Golden Retriever mix Benji. His bio reads, “Really sad story” for this “beautiful, sweet boy.” Here’s the tough part: “His owner is dying from cancer and the family brought Benji in hoping someone will adopt. Sadly we do not have his actual name from the family.” [LARRY ASIDE: That’s a horsebleep thing to do to a dog — he NEEDS to be comforted by that name. It was his name. His heart recognizes it. If anyone knows this dog, let me know and we’ll figure out how to help in this tiny, tiny area of life. Maybe someone you know needs him. Do I need to do an online lecture about how animals have personalities, that they aren’t just objects? Sheesh.]

And one more lousy story. Rose (who looks like a Boston Terrier mix, and Bo, who doesn’t, were brought in by the same person who was “no longer able to care for them.” 
As you can see from the Rose photo, she’s a short girl — “darling and loveable,” the bio says
.
Bo’s bio has this description: “a goofy, lovable goober.” Also, this former stray is “very fun and lovable.” 
For these animals, call or text 214-949-2726 or email [email protected].
A BIT OF HAPPY NEWS

FOR A LITTLE GRIZZLY
This appeal circulated late last week. We got a copy from Amy Poskey who’d spotted the appeal from Cindy Uber, the Lake Dallas Animal Services Manager.
Amy writes that Oak Hill Animal Rescue and Cindy teamed to get the cute little guy delivered to a foster mom over the weekend.

This is a 3- to 5-year-old Spaniel/Long-Haired Dachshund mix — weighs a whopping 14 pounds and has been, lately timid with people.
And why is that?
 Here’s the bio Cindy sent that Amy forwarded to us — and that will tell you how important the Oak Hill foster is to Grizzly’s future. 
It reads, “Grizzly originally came to the shelter as a stray/quarantine dog after biting a stranger who took him home and was trying to place a diaper on him.  I’m assuming they thought he would have some accidents without it.   He is housebroken but if you do not let him outside when he goes to the door, there will be a puddle.  He was extremely fearful of everybody during his quarantine but slowly became an extremely affectionate pup to the staff.  Unfortunately, he is slow at trusting people but within a few visits or days he becomes a loving lap dog.”
 Cindy’s bio read, “We know with a little time, he will be the perfect dog for an individual.  He loves to hang out in my office in his bed and follows me everywhere.  Does great in the car and knows how to sit and beg for treats.  Every morning he loves to run around the yard in figure eights before he does his business.  Bless his heart, he just needs a little time, patience, and love from an understanding human.” [LARRY EXPLANATION: Grizzly was moved from the shelter to Oak Hill before we had a chance to write about him. So, we decided to include this information to make it easier for Oak Hill to find a good, solid human being to give a loving home to one of the cutest dogs ever to be photographed since the invention of the camera. Yeah, I’m smitten by all dogs and cats. And some humans, but not during a political year.]
CONTEMPLATIONS
A CON JOB; A REWARD; BASEBALL
That's a photo of me and Deputy Chief Kittie Leigh Johnson working together -- I'm a human so I wear a mask and she's a cat so she wears an attitude. [LARRY FYI: This is my promotional effort today to convince people who need patient companionship to get a Tabby Cat and enjoy the partnership.] Kittie Leigh is traditionally upset with lousy grammar. You'll see what set her off in this first item. When you read this subject line, tell me how you can tell it’s not a real reward? “*’...Today:You’areChoosed-ToGetRewarded!” Yeah, it’s a standards thing — con artists need to brush up on their American English grammar. If I were a con artists, I would choosed to rewarded mice self by improvabettering my dis guys. Probably too busy working on a political campaign somewhere. … I sometimes buy jewelry gifts online from a fairly well-known outlet and I got an email with this subject line: “Last call for $50: You deserve it.” I deserve more than 50 bucks as a reward for all the sparkly stuff I’ve bought to make up with my patientspouse Martha. … Sports over the weekend? It’s good to hear the Baseball Hall of Fame Voice of the Texas Rangers Eric Nadel back on the air (105.3 when they’re playing). Remember when the Rangers used to get into the playoffs and the glorious times when went to the World Series in 2010 and 2011? As of this morning, the Rangers had lost their last 8 games. Might be Pandemic-related — pitchers can’t throw a ball that is socially distancing from a swinging bat.

— Offer pitching tips or praise somebody not in politics by clicking on ‘comments’ below or by emailing [email protected]. —-

IN OKLAHOMA, AXEL AND ANABELLE -- SAVED TO BECOME BELOVED CATNAPPERS

We’re going international for this weekend’s edition of Let Sleeping Dogs Lie & Napping Cats Nap — yep, we’re crossing the Red River and visiting Oklahoma.
Oh, I’m kidding our featured human in this edition, the veteran journalist Mary Carter of Tecumseh, Okla., or OK if you’re with the post office. [LARRY ASIDE: We know Oklahoma became a state in 1907—we read about it in our Texas History classes.]
 Formerly a beloved editor with The Big Paper in Downtown Dallas, Mary also toiled for nationally known news agencies CNN and Web M.D.
So, you may wonder, how did that cat wind up in a box at Mary’s house? It all started under the —- well, wait a second. Let’s not get ahead in the story.
Mary has two cats — Axel and Anabelle and they are the spotlight felines in this edition of Let Sleeping Dogs Lie & Napping Cats Nap. Yeah, that's them snuggling on the bed -- they may have escalated those naps into full-on "slumbers."
The Axel-in-a-Box photo is the illustration that caught our attention last week. If you are a cat-cohabitor, you will recognize the good-natured tone in this explanation Mary published with the photo: “In this room there are two cat trees, five separate kitty beds, an ottoman and a king-size human bed. And THIS is where he piles up!”
WHERE DID AXEL COME FROM? Mary says she was “awakened at 4:30 a.m. on first day of vacation by loud meowing. Follow the sound. It appears to be coming from my driveway. Odd because in four years in this neighborhood I haven't seen one stray. Meowing stops. Put out a bowl of cat food and go back to bed. Re-awakened at 6:30. Meowing a little more insistent; sounds like a kitten. Now I can tell where it's coming from: my car. Opened hood and saw this.”
Mary says that she tried to extract him but he “crawled deeper" into the engine compartment and “my prodding from underneath the carriage only made it worse.” The local vet had no ideas and a friend came over to help, but the cat was still elusively in charge. Mary made a key move: “I called our Fairy Dog Mother (that's the world's greatest dog sitter, Kris Moss), who said, ‘I'm on my way.’ She got here, leaned into the engine well and meowed a few times. He answered. After about 30 minutes (and a little tuna) she pulled him out of my front bumper. (God bless Kris).”
As Mary posted that day, “So I guess I have a cat. Which is good. No name yet.”
Move ahead in time and she describes him this way: “He's my love bug. He's spunky and bossy and I'm still crazy about him. It will be 10 years this September 11. He has 6 toes on three of his paws, and 7 on the other one.”

Has this Extra-Toed Cat had any influence on the editor/writer in his life? 
“When he was about a year old,” Mary says, “I was feeling bad about his being locked in my home office all day (because I had a dog door). And frankly he was starting to be destructive. So I got him a kitten. 

“My friend Michelle's neighbor had rescued a feral mama and her five kittens from their office parking lot in Peachtree City (in the southern metro area of Atlanta). 
“There was a solid black one, and she and three of her siblings were being fostered - kept in the stone basement of a house in East Atlanta, which was the site of the Battle of Atlanta in the Civil War - I've often wondered if that basement dated that far back. I took the little black girl.
“She is named for one of my dearest great aunts. I told my cousin Ann that I had named the kitty after her grandma, and she told me that her grandma had had to leave a kitten behind when she was a little girl and she and her family moved from Indiana to Oklahoma by train - it was before statehood. And that her grandma never wanted another cat because it hurt too much to lose that one.
“So Ann thought Auntie Anabelle would have approved of having a kitty named after her.”

There was a hitch with Anabelle. Mary says, “Despite my best efforts, Anabelle has never liked to see human hands coming toward her — my theory is she was traumatized by her ‘rescue.’  She lived in my house literally for eight years before she let me pet her. She has always used the litter box and she ADORES Axel. But she avoided my touch.

“Then, one day she was eating (on my formal dining table) and I gently started petting her back. She stopped, looked over her shoulder at me and then kind of went, ‘Oh if you MUST’ and went back to eating. I felt like Rocky on the steps of the museum!

“She sleeps on my bed, often next to my feet. She adores the dogs - walks up to them sideways, purring, her tail perfectly curved, mewing. The dogs are very wary of this. ‘Feels like a trick, Mom.’ But they have learned that it's OK.
“
And that's the history of my feline babies.”
The photos are pretty self-explanatory — in one of them you can see Axel stretching out an above-toe-regulation front paw as he sleeps. And you can see the cat friends sacked out together.
And there’s Axel at the computer. Mary titled that one “More editing help” and wrote his dialogue in newsroom terms: “Can we talk about this lede?” It is likely, of course, that nobody wrote this dialogue for Axel -- he ad-libbed it based on his conversations with Mary The Editor. As editors and writers in newsrooms, Mary and I have both heard editors terrify young reporters by asking, “Can we talk about this lede?” Lede is the first paragraph in a story. Cats know such things as that.
[DEAR READERS, send us photos and bios of your slumbering animals and we’ll proudly spotlight them in our weekend feature Let Sleeping Dogs Lie & Napping Cats Nap. Send to [email protected]. You’ll be inspiring people to add animals to their households and their hearts. And, as is the case this week, your cat may be inspiring insomniacs to believe that they, too, can gets some sleep if they can just find the right-sized box and discover how to squeeze into it and inspire upbeat conversations at dinner parties if we’re ever allowed to have parties again.]
—- Offer opinions and observations by clicking on ‘comments’ below or by emailing [email protected] and using the subject line ‘World’s Most Beautiful Slumbercritters.’ —

FREE DALLAS ANIMALS; FREEING HAVOC; THREE 'B' DOGS & 1 B CAT; AMUSING PARKS

EDITION OF FRIDAY, AUGUST 21, 2020 [PetPowellPress] Ah, Friday. Is it Clear the Shelter time? Approaching it. NBC5 says it’s Aug. 24-29, but Dallas Animal Services has been offering free dogs and cats for a while now. 
We decided to pick two to demonstrate the availablity of ultra cute dogs and cats at the big shelter at I-30 and Westmoreland  -- it's west of Downtown Dallas by a few minutes if there’s no jam on the big freeway.
The dog is Keith, definitely an Earhound, though he’s officially listed as Pit Bull Terrier. His bio says he likes to keep moving and “do things on his own” and at the shelter he’s known as “Mister Independent.” However, “his favorite talent is sniffing around for treats” which may indicate he’s trainable with a handful of tasty morsels. And, as you know, during the Viral Era, DAS is doing appointments “for tele-adoptions” to learn more about Keith, AKA A1105275.

Now, where there are dogs, there also are cats. Out of the crowd of older, younger and baby cats, we picked this guy Simon (A1104898) — if you are a cat lover, those droopy ears, that gummy eye and the markings on his forehead will have you linking up pretty quickly to save him and give him a home where he’ll learn the meaning of “my personal cat” and “loved by a human.” [LARRY ASIDE: Readlarrypowell.com endorses living with dogs and cats. If you can live with a human, you can live with dogs and cats. But if you can live with dogs and cats, you may not be able to live with a human. Humans are more difficult to train.]
THREE B DOGS &
BUTTERCUP THE CAT
Volunteer dog biographer Debra Chisholm presented us with three dogs starting with “B” who are available at the Mesquite Animal Services Shelter. One of them is RESCUE ONLY because of a seizure problem. Keep reading. 

Bach gets the first listing because he’s clearly an Earhound — note the left-side flop in that “mugshot” photo. But who is Bach, really? He is a possible Rhodesian Ridgeback/Vizsla mix who came in as a stray with his sibling on Aug. 11. The brother has been adopted, but 2 year-old Bach is a bit “fearful and uneasy at the shelter.” A volunteer has worked with him and he’s a little better, the bio says. Bach walks nicely on a leash and takes treats gently. He’s #45270016.
This second dog is Bryson, a Plott Hound mix who — stop me if you’ve heard this story before — “was surrendered to the Mesquite Animal Shelter on 8/17 due to the landlord not allowing dogs.” 
He’s 5 month’s old and intact — he “walks OK on a leash but pulls” and he knows sit, paw and down. His coat also is all lit up in the sun!
Debra’s bio says the former human says Bryson “lived indoors, is OK with dogs, cats and children.  She stated that he is a ‘very good dog’." 
His bio says, “He has plenty of puppy spunk and energy. He does jump on you, so obedience classes would help make him more adoptable. Bryson has an outgoing personality and just has a real zest for living!” He’s #4531525.
And our last “B” is Buddy, described as “possibly a Canaan dog/Carolina Dog. The 5-year-old intact fellow was surrendered to the shelter on Aug. 12. He’s good on a leash and with doing his business. Here’s the rub: “He has a calm and mellow personality.  He is a bit standoffish but is not unfriendly.  Buddy is rescue only because he has a frontal lobe tumor and suffers with seizures.  When coming out of the seizures, he shows aggression.  He has been on Phenobarbital which is used to prevent or treat seizures.” He’s #45029609. [FYI FROM LARRY: Our Cocker Spaniel Inky had seizures, but medicine controlled them and he lived well into his teenage years. Handsome Buddy may not be doomed by his problem — a vet can help with his diagnosis and needs.. He may just need a pill a day and a human to love. But you rescue groups already know that.]
CLICK HERE to see more Mesquite shelter animals. Not just dogs, but there are cats, too. 
One of those cats is Buttercup (#45175593), just over a year old and a healthy Tabby girl blessed with not an M for Mesquite but with a set of cat-ear outlines between her eyebrows! Is that not a fabulous cat face? She’s currently in foster car, but is adoptable. She arrived at the shelter on July 28, so she’s ready for a comfy home and cable TV or satellite.
A SPECIAL OPPORTUNITY
AT FRIENDS OF THE ANIMALS

When you operate the world’s greatest spay/neuter clinic in Gun Barrel City, Texas, there’s a constant need for volunteers and sometimes there’s a special need. 
Our Friends of the Animals at Cedar Creek Lake tipster Sydney Busch says the clinic needs “a reliable person to work the front door from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. Tuesday mornings.” That’s when the Friends of the Animals Spay/Neuter Clinic gets busy with its mission of helping the humans hold down the population explosion of puppies and kittens. 
Sydney writes of the position: “This person will take temps (We have rectal thermometersfor abusive clients!), keep a list of arrivals, limit the number of people in the front room…”
 [LARRY NOTE: Thermometer hoto explanation below.]
Your goal in this job is to keep everybody safe from that darned virus.
It’s an opportunity to literally get your foot in the door for volunteering at the Friends of the Animals Spay/Neuter Clinic. Email [email protected] or call 903-451-4701 or 214-808-4701.
[LARRY ASIDE: Sydney’s just kidding about the thermometers. Those are for the animals. I’m almost sure. And don’t be alarmed by that photo — that’s from an advertisement for Cole-Parmer Soil Thermometers. Whew, eh?]
HAVOC'S STORY: NOT QUITE OVER;
HAPPY ENDING IS POSSIBLE
Facebook is changing things but I still managed to navigate through the “pay-attention-now” notice covering up my screen to get to the story of “Free Havoc,” a dog accused of biting a guy who claims he wasn’t chatting up the dog’s sitter who’d told him not to try to pet Havoc. It’s a long story and you can find it at this link:
https://www.facebook.com/hashtag/freehavoc
That’s where that photo of Havoc’s tail-waggin, face-kissin' reunion with his human Matthew Gentry can be seen. 
[LARRY NOTE: This is going to involve a legal event, so any lawyer who can protect a dog from unreasonable opinions should get in touch with Havoc’s human by going to that #freehavoc site.]
The other thing you’ll find on that site is a reason to rehabilitate the reputation of the Pittie pups — some of the most devoted and loving dogs you’ll find.
[LARRY ASIDE: Surely nobody in Dallas wants to see this dog killed because it bit a guy who didn’t listen. But this is Dallas and, well, the airport is named Love but sometimes you gotta wonder about the rest of the town. The sad Pittie cases with tragic circumstances nearly always involve humans who have no sense of responsibility when it comes to adequately, properly loving their dogs. Somebody help me off this soapbox before a slat snaps, I fall to the floor and my dogs jump on me to lick me back to a state of consciousness. I'm not filing charges! I love the happy and sometimes puzzled by a human dogs.]
CONTEMPLATIONS
COOKIES, AMUSING PARKS & A THRILL RIDE
Thanks to veteran newsman Jeff Crilley's tip sheet from Real News PR, I have learned that the Girl Scouts of America have a new cookie for 2021 — the French toast-inspired Toast-Yay!. As that stack of 3 shows, the Toast-Yay! has white icing on one side and, on the other, the slice-of-bread-shaped cookie carries the Girl Scout emblem. No chocolate. NO CHOCOLATE???!!! I’m reserving judgement until I taste a box of them. It’ll take a box of them for me to declare if the lack of chocolate ON Toast-Yay! means Toast-Nay!. But I could be wrong. …. Anybody else read the Curious Texas feature on Dallas/Fort Worth amusement parks in The Dallas Morning News? It inspired some memories of local attractions. Here’s the link. Among those memories was the scary moment in the early 1970s when we took the barely toddler twins Bret and Bart to Six Flags and figured the log ride, El Aserradero, was safe enough for two boys who'd spent their first 3 or 4 years demonstrating that they could bounce off anything and laugh about it. (They've almost grown out of that.) It was nighttime and we were gliding through the flume when, with a jolt, we were on the up-route to the top of the last “splashdown” and as we reached the peak, the ride came to a jarring halt. We were sitting there, motionless and a bit nervous about getting the boys to safety from high atop the wooden frame. Suddenly, Bart uttered the words that would terrify any grownup in that situation: “I gotta go to the bathroom.” Terror on El Aserradero! [Still writing that novel.] Fortunately, it soon re-started and all of us were able to splash down in a deluge of flumewater, then enthusiastically get in line with both boys to visit the park’s “facilities.” We haven't ridden it together since then, as I recall. FYI: I wrote a "Life's Little Dramas" column about the incident for my paper, The Fort Worth Press, in 1974, if you still have a copy of that edition of the tabloid waiting to be used in a bird cage. Fit perfectly. I do miss it, though. … Be nice if I could afford to go to Six Flags again.  Maybe I'll make the kids take me this year. They've got jobs. These days when I drive past the park on the newly rebuilt I-30, the place looks as empty as a Wednesday in February. … Frankly, the 2020 political campaigns at any level are not adequate replacements for a day at Six Flags Over Texas.
—-Offer Amusement Park Tips for Toddlers (45 years too late) by clicking on ‘comments’ below or by emailing [email protected] —-