EDITION OF FRIDAY, APRIL 29, 2022 [PetPowellPress] As I write this passage, my office cat William has abandoned his usual post to sleep on the back of the living room couch. Ah, but loyal dog Porche Noel, who snores nightly in the bed, is now snoring on her stylish 1960s Rug of Transcendental Dreamification just behind my chair.
She is not pointed toward me, but pointed toward the door so that she can jump up and race down the hall when she hears someone in the kitchen. She practices economy of movement. Without having to rise and turn 180 degrees, she’s much quicker to the treats.
I’ve more than a year’s worth of photos of Porche snoozing in this exact spot.
Kind of comforting to know your dog doesn’t mind spending time with you — even if she is out like a light and knows you don’t keep dog treats in your desk.
GABRIELA'S NOTE, PLUS
HER EFFORTS FOR ANGIE!
Ah, we got a note from our longtime pal Gabriela Patero, rescuer and animal advocate, and it reached across the years to cite another longtime pal, Angie Manriquez.
Gabriela wrote, “As you may know, I became involved in dog and cat rescue in 2014 and hundreds of critters later I'm finally hanging up the leash, donating crates and cat traps…Some of my rescue work was with Angie's Friends Rescue, a small group led by its founder, soon-to-be 81 years active, Angie Manriquez.”
[LARRY ASIDE: Dallas always needs more rescuers -- call this a hint! I first wrote about Angie way back when I was still a columnist at The Big Paper Downtown and she was on a virtually solitary rescue mission in West Dallas, facing tough situations and tough people on behalf of animals. You could tell she was a relentless rescuer. Here’s the Angie’s Friends FACEBOOK link. Or click on angiesfriends.org.]
Gabriela is planning on “hanging up the leash” while making an impact for Angie’s Friends. She wrote, “I am hoping the last dog, surrendered to me, will soon have a forever home. In an effort to raise funds for Delaney's boarding and training fees I am hosting an event called Sweets and Treats for Angie, a Bake Sale booth at The White Rock Lake Bath House & Cultural Center's annual music festival called Lake-A-Palooza, held this Saturday, April 30 from 12-8. The event will honor Angie's 81st birthday of April 29, too.”
CLICK HERE to see a Delaney video. And click HERE to reach Angie's Friends' Facebook page. Plus, if you CLICK ON THIS LINK you can see a video of Delaney working hard at behaving as a gate is opened.
Delaney’s bio reads that she is a “joy and a jewel of a pup. 20 months, 45 lbs of innocent love and curiosity after living from 8 weeks to February of this year in an apartment with a lonely human; she was loved but not exposed to the big word and originally confused, scared, and needed her doggie confidence built.” The photo on the right is Delaney after training; on the left you see Delaney in her early stages of being an "I'm-playing-with-this-toy" dog.
After rescue, she “graduated from full-day, 6-week training school and just loves the outdoors and comfy indoor life.”
Gabriela says, “The Angie's Table will have all sorts of activities and ways you can support this endeavor. We will be on the beach level of The Bath House. Bring your pooch and I truly hope to see you there.
“If you can't make it know you can donate any amount you wish in honor of Delaney & Angie online at AngiesFriends.org. Please note ‘Delaney’ if you can in the Memo area. I would also appreciate knowing if you donate. I will hold a drawing for all who donate and the winner can have a choice of cake made just for them."
[LARRY ASIDE:
This next passage may be one of readlarrypowell.com's favorites of all time. And that dog is the one mentioned in this note — she was found on a cold, wet November day in a few years ago.]
Gabriela wrote, “It is heartwarming to see my rescues throughout our neighborhood and the photos their humans post online. There's even a little dog with whom I have correspondence. Her name is Totzie and Totzie writes letters of her adventures :) And then, of course, there are the ones I never hear about but I know they are in good and great hands enjoying their lives. It's been a very rewarding experience. Who knew that Cafe Lago's, the first restaurant in the city of Dallas to have a Puppy (Dog) Patio Permit (#001), would eventually lead me to these adventures.”
MEANWHILE, ‘MANY NEW DOGS’
WAIT IN THE SMALL SHELTERS
That’s the word from 4-Legged Helpers, the non-profit that focuses on the low-human-traffic shelters and rescue organizations in the Metrosprawl.
The dogs may be from Ferris, Glen Heights, Wilmer, nearby counties — what they have in common is they all need a home. That’s all. Just a good home. Oughta be a snap, right?
To help out, we’ll list those contact points right now: email Laura Macias at cat_girl_71@ya hoo.com or call or text the Helpers at 214-949-2726. FYI:Transport is avaialbe for 501c3s taking a dog or two, etc.
That first dog is Tasha — a Lab/Aussie Shepherd mix waiting in the Ferris shelter. Her bio reads that she is “as cuddly as her name.” [LARRY ASIDE: Not sure how cuddly a “Tasha” is — might be a reference to a cartoon character who makes a lot of movie money.] Continuing: Tasha is listed as a “Very sweet baby found out and about on her own in Ferris. She is very loving and as sweet as can be.”
Waiting in Glenn Heights’ shelter is Lady, a spayed German Shepherd mix — she was photographed with an anonymous child but you get the point. As her bio reads, the awesome Lady “loves other dogs, all kids, all people. Loves to ride in the care and is such a sweetie pie.” No idea why she’s in a shelter — clearly doesn’t need
to be. If photo time stamp is right, she came in on April 15.
This lovely girl is Delilah, said to be a Red Heeler. Yep, a Red Heeler in Red Oak on I-35 on the southern side of DeSoto and Lancaster on the southern side of Dallas. She’s about a year old and is house-trained. The bio reads, “Has lived with 3 kitty cats and likes them as well as other dogs. She is a wonderful girl.”
Now, back to Ferris: This is Bowie, an Anatolian Shepherd fellow. His bio reads, “This big, beautiful boy is only 1-2 years old and loves absolutely everyone. Sweetest thing ever. 70 pounds. … Cute and loveable as can be.”
And when you go to the 4-Legged Helpers’ Facebook page HERE, you can see previously mentioned animals including these three: Austin with the great black and white coat; Cece who is alert and happy; and Precious, whose ears can be really up or respectfully down.
GOOD NEWS AND GOOD NEWS
WAITING IN MESQUITE
Our two delightful contacts with the Mesquite Animal Shelter are the volunteer dog biographers Debra Chisholm and Judi Brown. Anybody who hustles for animals oughta envy them — they get to meet the dogs they write about, dogs that get the spotlight and find homes or rescue groups that’ll find them homes.
In the Thursday edition we reported on 2-year-old, 106-pound Great Pyr mix Lulu who’d been surrendered to the shelter because the young woman who adopted her just as she was starting college, had brought the girl back to her parents and then the parents brought the girl back to the Mesquite Animal Shelter.
The complicating factor, in addition to being rejected, is that Lulu apparently has a hearing impairment.
So, Debra told us Thursday evening, “You will be happy to know that Lulu has been tagged by a super rescue who will be picking her up tomorrow. She will be much better off in the long run with a person or family who will carefully chosen by the rescue. It really saddened me when I was interacting with Lulu that she did not seem too interested in human companionship. Don't know how much Lulu was socialized. Being nearly (or completely) deaf really requires that she be with someone who understands and will work with this dog's lack of hearing issue.”
We’ll follow up that good rescue news with this potentially good news story from Judi Brown’s encounter with this fellow Victor, about 6, a 64-pound, not-yet-neutered guy who came in as a stray on the 19th.
Judi wrote, “Victor is stunning with his soft cream colored coat, fluffy tail and sparkling brown eyes! … The shelter has him listed as a German Shepherd but my dog scanner said he’s 75% Canaan and 9% Carolina dog.
Whatever he is, he sure is handsome! He’s got a lot of fine attributes. He’s friendly, loving, gentle, sweet, and well-mannered. He didn’t seem to know what I was asking him to do when I asked him to sit. Since he’s highly motivated by treats that is something you could easily teach him. He was interested in balls and would chase them. However, before he got back to me he would lose interest and drop it. It may be
that there were so many interesting smells in the yard to distract him. … He’s very soft so I can imagine that he would be a great cuddle partner. He would love to snuggle with you in his own bed or close to you on the couch while you’re watching TV.”
Victor is #50002153 — use his ID when you contact the shelter about him by calling 972-216-6283 or email rescues@cityofmesquite.com.
CONTEMPLATIONS
BUMPER STICKER? A QUOTE & ZIPPERS
When we got the Thursday note from 4-Legged Helpers, the first words we read were “SO MANY NEW DOGS - HELP -HELP- HELP! CRITICALLY URGENT.” You could slap that sticker on the door of just about every animal shelter in the known universe these days. Or maybe edit it to SO MAN DOGS! HELP! HELP! HELP! and turn it into a fund-raising bumper sticker! …
Sometimes I’ll open the inbox and discover a half-dozen dogs and cats — probably more — that I’d adopt on the spot if only we had a ranch. Now and then I learn about a donkey I’d adopt but, as my funspouse Martha might say, “No thanks. I already live with a jackass.” Hard to argue against that assessment. ...
Here we are on the final Friday of April 2022. The next day will be the final Saturday of the month. And the day after that will be May Day. April went so swiftly you’d think we’d nod off Saturday night and wake up next month. Oh, wait! That is what’ll happen! FYI: Holiday Insights notes that on April 29, 1851, Elias Howe applied for a U.lS. patent for the “Continuous Clothing Closure,” i.e., what became known as the “zipper” and this is Zipper Day, though only Holiday Insights has ever proclaimed it. It’s been declared by neither Congress nor a President. Maybe the Velcro Lobby is sticking to its opposition. [LARRY NOTE: My cat William read that passage and declared, "Zipper? Zipper? I don't need no stinkin' zipper." He likes to re-shape movie quotes. Says that one came from The Zipper of Sierra Madre. It's a treasure of a movie.]
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