EDITION OF TUESDAY/WEDNESDAY, NOV. 30-DEC. 1, 2021 [PetPowellPress] If you could write an opening sentence that would persuade people to read the rest of the presentation, what words would you use? One of my dear colleagues in journalism in the 1960s said the perfect gripping lead paragraph for a shooting story was “Pow! Mud! BLEEP! And handcuffs!” Then you’d write the facts.
For our purposes today we’re going to edit that lead into a more mannerly expression. We’re going to try, “Wiggle! Yap! Lick ’n' Cuddle! PUPPIES!” Read on.
For our purposes today we’re going to edit that lead into a more mannerly expression. We’re going to try, “Wiggle! Yap! Lick ’n' Cuddle! PUPPIES!” Read on.
THE TWO LITTERS THAT
CHALLENGED WEATHERFORD
Our first note about this situation came from our longtime pal Karen Lee, the driving force behind barkleyworld.com, the non-profit animal-helper inspired by Dennis and Karen’s late dog Barkley. They help people get help. Sometimes the helpers help other helpers.
She explains that the “first and most urgent plea came from a fellow rescuer, Michelle with iRescue out of Weatherford, TX. My husband Dennis actually
Karen also wrote, “iRescue is the real hero here--we just stepped up to help at the end. But they rescued all these puppies and then dealt with all the parvo. So please make them the center of your story.”
[LARRY NOTE: That first step of “We’ll take ‘em” is the big, courageous step in rescuing animals.]
By now, Dear Readers, you’ve spotted the photos of the puppies. With Karen’s help we got in touch with Michelle Witkowski, president and spokesperson for iRescueHomelessPets.
Here’s how all of these puppies wound up getting attention. Michelle tells us, “A shelter volunteer at the Weatherford shelter, Deborah Haller, reached out to us. She had two sets of puppies that needed out ASAP. The shelter is no place for babies.
“One set of 7 had a mom with them and the other set was dumped without their mom. She had fosters that would take, so I agreed. Funding and fosters are the biggest need in rescue, as you can imagine.
“Within a day the litter with 7 started getting sick. The next day the other litter started getting sick. They had been next to each other at the shelter.
“Of course, it was the day before Thanksgiving so the local vets couldn't help us with taking them in because of staff leaving for the holidays. We decided to take
in the 3 that were the sickest to the emergency vet. A local vet clinic provided us with the meds to try to treat the others at home. So we muddled through the best we could. In the end we lost 5 out of 7 of the one litter.
“Within a day the litter with 7 started getting sick. The next day the other litter started getting sick. They had been next to each other at the shelter.
“Of course, it was the day before Thanksgiving so the local vets couldn't help us with taking them in because of staff leaving for the holidays. We decided to take
“WE have been very blessed with extreme Donations from Karen Lee and Patty Williams. Without them hospitalization would not have been possible and more would have died.
“In spite of all the generosity, our account has been decimated by this. It's very disheartening…”
The puppies, she says, ‘will eventually be available for adoption. They will be listed on our page.” [LARRY ASIDE: The photos we’ve used are some of the survivors of these stricken litters, Michelle tells us. If we hadn’t already adopted the household quota at readlarrypowell.com, there might be a couple we’d take! And that is always the case in these animal stories.]
The puppies, she says, ‘will eventually be available for adoption. They will be listed on our page.” [LARRY ASIDE: The photos we’ve used are some of the survivors of these stricken litters, Michelle tells us. If we hadn’t already adopted the household quota at readlarrypowell.com, there might be a couple we’d take! And that is always the case in these animal stories.]
TO DONATE TO iRescue and Barkleyworld to help not just these animals, but many more, we have the links: The iRescue links are HOMEPAGE HERE and FACEBOOK HERE. And if you’d like to write a check, sent it to iRescue, PO Box 32, Weatherford TX 76085. The PayPal donation link is rescue@irescuehomelesspets.org.
And you can donate to barkleyworld.org at that website. You can also see the accomplishments of the enduring non-profit at that link.
And you can donate to barkleyworld.org at that website. You can also see the accomplishments of the enduring non-profit at that link.
HONEY’S SWEET BUT ‘COWERS
WHEN YOU GO TO PET HER’;
AND THERE’S BINGO & MITZI
There’s a descriptive headline for you. We learned of this dog from Mesquite Volunteer Dog
Biographer Judi Brown who asks of potential adoptors, “Do you have enough love, time, and patience to bring a beautiful dog with a lot of potential out of her shell?”
The year-old, 50-pound mixed breed girl Honey came in on Nov 22 as a stray and “will need to learn to trust,” Judi says. She also writes, “Although she is very sweet, loving and gives kisses, her immediate reaction is to retreat. She wants to make friends and when she does approach when called she comes to you in a somewhat crouched position. She also cowers when you go to pet her. She is a work in progress and hopefully with the staff and volunteers working with her she will start to relax. She’s already a beautiful dog but I know she has a beautiful personality ready to come out.”
Honey is #49124107 at the shelter — use that ID when you call 972-216-6283 or email rescues@cityofmesquite to ask about Honey.
AND THERE’S BINGO & MITZI
There’s a descriptive headline for you. We learned of this dog from Mesquite Volunteer Dog
The year-old, 50-pound mixed breed girl Honey came in on Nov 22 as a stray and “will need to learn to trust,” Judi says. She also writes, “Although she is very sweet, loving and gives kisses, her immediate reaction is to retreat. She wants to make friends and when she does approach when called she comes to you in a somewhat crouched position. She also cowers when you go to pet her. She is a work in progress and hopefully with the staff and volunteers working with her she will start to relax. She’s already a beautiful dog but I know she has a beautiful personality ready to come out.”
Honey is #49124107 at the shelter — use that ID when you call 972-216-6283 or email rescues@cityofmesquite to ask about Honey.
Judi also has made acquaintance with Bingo, a year-old, small-frame (38 pounds), sweet, smoky gray/blue “terrier Pit” who arrived as a stray on the 24th.
He’s “friendly, happy, fun-loving and affectionate,” Judi says, adding that, “His soft gray coloring makes him stand out! Then, add to that ears that fold over and you have a good looking boy! Bingo is not lacking in enthusiasm and energy. Sometimes he gets so excited that he jumps on you but will get down with correction. He sits for treats and takes them gently. He chases balls but does not retrieve them. Several customers came up to talk to him when he was in the yard and he greeted them with tail wags and kisses.”
Bingo is #49138881 — info you need when you call the shelter at 972-216-6283 or email rescues@cityofmesquite.com.
That brings us to Mitzi, also a dog who caught Judi’s attention. Check out Mitzi’s eyes — yep, one blue, one not. Judi writes that the year-
old Pittie/Bulldog mix came into the shelter on November 3 as a stray. She’s now in the general population and Judi says she expects that “customers will see how adorable she is” and she’ll be adopted soon. “When she first came in she was put in quarantine as she needed time to decompress. She was having a hard time adjusting to the shelter environment. When I went into her kennel today I spent a good deal of time talking to her and getting her comfortable with me. She is very 
timid! You could tell she wanted to make friends but was having trouble trusting. Once I spent more time with her in the shelter yard she began to relax and even had a little spring in her step as she walked! She would come to me and put her head on my lap or snuggle up next to me.” To ask about this “gentle and calm” and “very loving” girl, use her ID #490097390 when you contact the shelter at 972-216-6283 or email rescues@cityofmesquite.com.
She’s gentle and calm and very sweet! She’s also very loving. She is well mannered and likes treats. She did not understand the sit command. She did her business as soon as she got out into the yard. We walked back-and-forth in the shelter yard and she walked very well on the leash. She ignored all the dogs in the bay. However, we always suggest if you have other dogs to have further dog testing done. Because of her laid-back, timid nature I think Mitzi would do better in a quiet, laid-back household. Mitzi weighs 53 pounds. She is mostly white with some freckling, stand up ears and one blue eye and one brown eye. She is not fixed.
Bingo is #49138881 — info you need when you call the shelter at 972-216-6283 or email rescues@cityofmesquite.com.
That brings us to Mitzi, also a dog who caught Judi’s attention. Check out Mitzi’s eyes — yep, one blue, one not. Judi writes that the year-
She’s gentle and calm and very sweet! She’s also very loving. She is well mannered and likes treats. She did not understand the sit command. She did her business as soon as she got out into the yard. We walked back-and-forth in the shelter yard and she walked very well on the leash. She ignored all the dogs in the bay. However, we always suggest if you have other dogs to have further dog testing done. Because of her laid-back, timid nature I think Mitzi would do better in a quiet, laid-back household. Mitzi weighs 53 pounds. She is mostly white with some freckling, stand up ears and one blue eye and one brown eye. She is not fixed.
Email rescues@cityofmesquite.com to tag Mitzi. Type tag in the subject line along with ID 49009730 to ensure proper tagging. If additional information is needed please call 972-216-6283 or email at rescues@cityofmesquite.com. Thank you.
See more Mesquite adorable adoptables by going to the Mesquite Animal Services site called Animals in the Shelter HERE.
THE HUSTLE CONTINUES
FOR 4-LEGGED FRIENDS
Robby, in the care of a contract animal control outfit in Denton County, has a pledge of $125 He’s 10 months old, “happy and adorable” and “loves to cuddle.” Neutered, vaccinated and heartworm negative. Great with other dogs and kids. The Helpers outline his life in a positive fashion. The negative part is he’s on the clock. Somebody needs to save him. Call or text the Helpers at 214-949-2726 or email cat_girl_71@yahoo.com.
And go to the 4-Legged Helpers Inc. Facebook page to keep up with the donations and the rescues on the list with Robby.
CONTEMPLATIONS
ZHIVAGO, A CAT, PITCHING
ZHIVAGO, A CAT, PITCHING
While watching the great 1965 motion picture Dr. Zhivago on Turner Classic Movies, I heard one of the Russian 
characters say, “Things will be different after the revolution.” Always late to the intellectual party, it occurred to me that “different” is not a synonym for “better.” We oughta remember that before weighing every vote we cast. FYI: I first saw the film in 1968 or ’69 at the State Theater in Atlanta, Texas. As I recall, big films came to Northeast Texas not quite as quickly as they got to the big cities. After the technical revolution (streaming movies) that was different.…
That’s my revolutionary cat, Stevie Ray, taking it easy on a stack of boxes I’ve been meaning to unpack for two years. He’s patient and he does not remember the Russian Revolution, though he did nod off while I was watching Dr. Zhivago and suggests that I should, once again, try to read the novel by Boris Pasternak. Yeah, maybe…
As we segue from wonderful November into glorious December, we’ll try to remember the “peace on earth” message and hope it takes over every segment of global society. Yep, longer odds than winning Lotto Texas with the same numbers I’ve been playing for decades. Speaking of odds, the Texas Rangers have bought a new shortstop. Now, if only the pitchers can get the opposing batters to hit the ball on the ground between second and third instead of sending the hardball flying into the outfield stands. What? Pitching matters?
—- Offer thoughts or ambitions by clicking on ‘comment’ below or by emailing dallrp@aol.com and put CALM DOWN in the subject line. —-
—- Offer thoughts or ambitions by clicking on ‘comment’ below or by emailing dallrp@aol.com and put CALM DOWN in the subject line. —-
