SAVING DOGS & CATS -- A HUMAN EFFORT; A TEENAGE WEREWOLF & WHAT ABOUT ANTS?

EDITION OF MAY 5-MAY 6, 2021 [PetPowellPress] We’re spreading the missions in this edition over two days — plenty of “situations” that need some help. Rescuing animals -- it's a constant hustle in the Metrosprawl. 
LET'S LOOK AT LANCASTER,
WHERE DOGS AND CATS WAIT…
We’ve been writing about Lancaster Animal Shelter’s available adorables for more than a decade. The tipsters vary now and then but 4-Legged Helpers is the current “reliable source” when it comes to helping animals in that small city and other spots on the southern side of Dallas.
 The Wednesday note from the 4-Legged Helpers — Laura Macias and Leighann Hayden — began with this: “CAN YOU SAVE A LIFE???  Rescue groups and adopters desperately needed.”
And the contact point is Laura — call or text her at 214-949-2726 or email [email protected].
These two cats, Kit on the right and Kat, are “barn kitties” at Lancaster and 4-Legged Helpers is trying to round up donations that’ll get them “fixed, vaccinated and combo-tested” so they can go to a good home that appreciates working cats. How to donate is on the 4-Legged Helpers’ Facebook page and you may PayPal [email protected]. Getting this work done, the Helpers say, “is probably the only chance to save them.”
This young girl Everly is described as a Catahoula — she’s not at the shelter, but is in the care of a foster. [LARRY ASIDE: Her ears look like they might have come from a family tree with Labrador Retrievers in the mix!] The Helpers note says “a good Samaritan found this wonderful girl and she is an absolute sweetheart…Just as precious and as sweet as can be…loves people, other dogs, etc.” Use Laura’s contact points to ask about Everly.
Risa is a Smooth Collie Mix who is “available now” in the Lancaster Shelter. “Found out and about on her own,” is the report. She is microchipped and became “an owner-surrender from someone who could no longer care for her. Hoping and waiting for a home…” The dog is “absolutely the sweetest girl,” her bio reads.

This Boxer mix Brady became available at the Lancaster Shelter on Cinco de Mayo — the report is he’s a “very cute, very sweet, incredibly loving boy. …He adores being held.”
Landon, a young American Bulldog mix, is also at Lancaster and has been described as a “precious little sweetie pie” who “loves other dogs. Just full of love for everyone and everything.”

This guy Cash, the Bulldog mix with the “Hey, dude, what’s up” look on his face, is in Lancaster and “adores people.” He also is “one of the longest residents of the shelter” and that puts him on the clock. The back story is “he was an owner-release from someone no longer able to care for him — you can see he has been cared for — breaks our hearts,” the bio reads.
And that brings us to Trinia, a Red Heeler who has ears she can really control. [LARRY ASIDE: I picked two photos to show that she has control of those ears — flop ‘em down or stand ‘em up — and, therefore, she is not just a Red Heeler, but clearly a very adoptable Earhound.] She’s described as “very sweet” and also “super smart” and, the bio reads, “Perfect dog for someone just wanting one dog.”
For any of these animals, as we mentioned earlier, the contact point is Laura — call or text her at 214-949-2726 or email [email protected].
[LARRY NOTE: The 4-legged Helpers appeal included this passage to rescuers and rescue groups about the places the Helpers work with. It reads: “No more deserving dogs or cats anywhere than from Lancaster and cities close to Lancaster (Hutchins, Wilmer, Ferris, Dowdy Ferry, Dallas County, etc. THESE ARE AREAS WHERE PETS STAND ZERO CHANCE.  We are so hoping you are on board with trying to help save these sweet faces."] 
One more 4-Legged Helpers note: These two dogs we’ve mentioned before. They’re on the Helpers’ radar because they’re in a facility that has no human traffic and no adoption program. So the helpers, via Laura’s contact points, are trying to find places for the handsome Heeler Branson, 8 months old and healthy, and the beautiful American Bulldog Mix Calissa (spayed and healthy at 2 or 3) to go so they can find good homes.
MESQUITE HAS SEVERAL
NEEDING RESCUE NOW!
This guy Lincoln has quite a story. We get it from the Mesquite Shelter’s volunteer dog biographer Debra Chisholm. She says Lincoln (#47548918) cane in on April 15 “to serve time in quarantine due to an incident with his owner.” At some point the owner had turned away from Lincoln and the handsome guy “jumped on her back and as he came down, scratch marks were left….” The 3-year-old weighs about 70 pounds. He’s OK on leash and he loves to play. He knows some minor commands but he may have “dominance issues” that can be solved by behavior training and neutering. He’s also dog-aggressive. Just needs the right owner with patience and understanding. 

The story of A.K. (#47651419) we get from volunteer Mesquite dog biographer Judi Brown who says this 5-year-old, 60-pound Gray/Brindle “low-rider Terrier Pit” was surrendered on April 29 due to the dog’s health. The owner also couldn’t afford treatment for some problems the girl was having — possibly an inflamed bladder and associated problems resulting in issuing blood from private areas. The dog is on pain medication. And, while “it is difficult for her to get around,” Judi says, “Her tail wags constantly.” She’s recently had a litter. [LARRY ASIDE: Who does that surprise?] She’s a “pleaser” was raised with kids and other dogs and needs someone to help her recover and live out a good life.
Gordo (#47663103) is a 7-year-old, 88-pound, un-fixed Pittie/Staffie mix who was surrendered on April 1 because “the landlord would not allow his owner to keep him.” He’s a mannerly, confident dog who is accustomed to being loved and cared-for by a devoted human.
We close with the Plott Hound mix Luna, about 10 months old and 51 pounds. She’s #47639804 and in the shelter for an odd reason. Debra’s report says that the “reason for surrender was that she would run out every time the door was opened. What is a bit confusing about this surrender reason is that the owner said Luna lived outdoors.” At the shelter she demonstrated her “high energy” and “outgoing personality” and needs some “socialization” to help her get along in a home. 

To ask about any of these Mesquite animals, use their ID numbers you call the shelter at 972-216-6283 or email [email protected].
CONTEMPLATIONS
ANIMALS, PEOPLE AND ANTS
Do you agree? The common denominator in shelter animal situations is people? Human behavior can put ‘em in shelters and human behavior gets ‘em out. Big fan of good human behavior. The other humans are the reason I first designed the “Readlarrypowell.com 2-by-4 of Enlightenment.” We’re still considering its effectiveness. … 
My adored personal cat The Senator has been a domesticated companion for a long, long time. In the middle of the night, he enjoys walking down the hall and giving off a yowl that you’d expect to hear in the 1957 horror movie, i.e., I Was a Teenage Werewolf, pitched as “The most amazing motion picture of our time!” Two years later the Werewolf in the title role, Michael Landon, would be Little Joe Cartwright on Bonanza (for you youngsters, that was a long-running, beloved Western on NBC. …Speaking of horrors, I have an ant mound in my front yard — discovered it while mowing on Tuesday. I’m reluctant to kill anything — including spiders, wasps and ants. I figure they all have a place in nature. Anybody got any ideas for persuading ants to move on before they become as big a threat as the ants who were exposed to atomic testing and became giant man-eating ants in the 1954 sci-fi film Them!? What is another word for “ants” — easy now, ants is the only 4-letter word I can use in a family publication.
—- Offer advice or anti-ant ploys by clicking on ‘comment’ below or by emailing [email protected]. —-