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FOR 4TH OF JULY WEEKEND, WE HAVE DOGS, CATS, PEOPLE AND PREDICAMENTS....

EDITION OF FRIDAY, JULY 1, 2022 [PetPowellPress] Big weekend coming. Protect your animals from fireworks and free-roaming nitwits.
Ah, the challenges of living in a nation that ought to be celebrated but has some scofflaws with matches and firecrackers and enough energy to stay up past midnight all weekend or as long as the liquor holds out. Ah, that’s a word picture of America The Beautiful, isn’t it! I do like the red, white and blue of my two favorite flags! 

That’s my patriotic dog, Porche Noel, in her 21st century Ben Franklin Bifocals. She’s renowned in the canine community for tracking (part of her scent-hound heritage) her family tree back to Lightnin’, Franklin’s English Spaniel. 
We’re not sure how much of that Porche story has been certified as factual by the ASARHR — American Society of Aging Relatives’ Historical Recollections. [LARRY ASIDE: I think I’ll copyright that title and open it up for business online. You know, in honor of my family tracing our heritage back to Paul Revere’s horse’s backside. Yes, I love American History.]
WE’RE NOT SURE ABOUT THE DOG,
BUT JUST IN CASE, HERE’S THE TALE

This dog, Ydira, may still need a rescue or adoption (they’re free right now) at Dallas Animal Services.
We learned about her from Tami Kukla, the animal advocate. 
The note we got reads, “YDIRA recently endured an act of cruelty before she was found running scared and in pain - someone cut her ears off. How awful!!!!

“She needs someone to come adopt or foster or rescue her ASAP. She is URGENT and could be EUTHANIZED FOR SPACE at any point.”
She’s a 4- or 5-year-old spayed female who weighs in at 83 pounds. Ydira also is heartworm positive, but, her bio reads, “shelter will treat.” 
She’s described as “Very sweet and affectionate, bored and circling in her tiny kennel. Extremely desperate for attention and affection. Her ears have been cut off! Looks very recent, not healed yet! Let's get this girl a loving home that she deserves.”

When you contact Dallas Animal Services, her ID is #1150041. Here are the contact points: dasadopt@dallascityhall.com;
dasfoster@dallascityhall.com; dasrescue@dallascityhall.com.
[LARRY ASIDE: When I searched for Ydira on the DAS website, I could not find her in the giant list of dogs, so I fed her ID number into the search and it listed her as being in Kennel # AD 031. And here is the Dallas Animal Services website link:
https://www.bedallas90.org]
YOU’VE HEARD OF FERAL CATS;
THESE ARE FERRIS CATS
Twinkle is the top tabby and Sparkle is that solid baby — we learned of them from the 4-Legged Helpers who discovered that they have arrived at the Ferris Animal Shelter at a very tender age.
These babies are, indeed, babies — about 5, maybe 6, weeks old.
The Helpers report: “Two tiny babies needing immediate help.  PLEASE, this shelter is just not equipped for baby kittens or truly any kitties and these are so baby sweet and so small.  They were found out and about together.”
To ask about helping them, call or text the Helpers at 214-949-2726 or email cat_girl_71@yahoo.com.

While you’re contemplating kittens, you may also want to think about saving some dogs — Cain the Husky is in the Ferris shelter. Patrick the Boxer/Whippet mix is waiting in an Irving home — he was abandoned along a busy Irving street and a woman found him and saved his life. There are others that the Helpers are trying to help. Just email cat_girl_71@yahoo.com and ask. And go to the 4-Legged Helpers Inc. Facebook page HERE.
REALITY? FUNDING IS HARDER
TO FIND THAN THE ANIMALS!
We got a note Thursday from Tawana Couch, the rescuer, advocate, travel-arranger and founder of the Society for Companion Animals, 
Those are the organization's logos and they tell the story of how Tawana and her cohorts work together to get animals at peril in Texas into safe places in other states. Just put ‘em on a plane and fly ‘em to safety.
Takes money, you know. But sometimes there’s a hitch-in-the-gitalong, as some Texans say.

The headline on the email from Tawana read, “Society for Companion Animals has lost major donors!” 
And the story read, “Two of our major donors from large companies have retired and their annual donations are now STOPPED. This means a loss of $21,200 each year, money we used to do our work. Without these major donations, we are not going to be able to do the work that needs to be done to save dogs. Please donate if you can and help us by letting everyone know we need monetary donations!”
See how to help at societyforcompanionanimals.org. [LARRY IDEA: THERE’S A NOTE IN CONTEMPLATIONS about Tawana and her rescue determination — might make a movie.]
JOSIE REBOUNDS WHILE
HAUXWELL IS WAITING
Two dogs in Mesquite Animal Services took different paths to get to the “waiting stage.”

We’ll start with Josie, a Pittie mix who was adopted at the Mesquite Animal Shelter several months go but, then, in some wacky fashion, returned on June 20 as a stray. The note from Mesquite Volunteer Dog Biographer Debra Chisholm explained, “Her people have been contacted and apparently have opted not to reclaim.  She does appear to have been well-cared for.  Josie weighs 47 pounds, is approximately 2 years old and is spayed.  She walks OK on a leash.  She pottied outside. Josie had a blast in the yard, racing around and stretching her legs.  She has a real zest for living.  She is a spunky, lively on-the-go kind of girl with lots of energy.  She has a confident outgoing personality. … She is a friendly and fun-loving girl.” She is #45627854. Use that ID when you call the shelter at 972-216-6283 or email rescues@cityofmesquite.com.

Same contact points for these next two animals.

How about the eyes on this handsome mixed breed boy! His name is Hauxwell — the first dog we’ve ever encountered with that name. He came in on June 23 as a stray. At less than 2 years of age, he weighs 53 pounds, isn’t neutered, but has, Debra writes, “a mellow personality, is well-mannered, calm and gentle.  He appears to have been well cared for and yet his owner has not shown up to reclaim. Though he is a bit cautious and uneasy, he is a friendly fellow who responds to loving attention.  He knows the sit and paw commands.  He walks beautifully on a leash and I did not detect any aggressiveness toward the other dogs. … He did not seem interested in toys, balls, or treats but that may have been due to his nervousness in the shelter environment.  It didn't take spending more than a few minutes to grow fond of him.” He’s #49251764.
Use that ID when you call the shelter at 972-216-6283 or email rescues@cityofmesquite.com.

See more Mesquite animals by clicking on this LINK.
Based on a quick look, there must be a big city’s worth of kittens waiting at the Mesquite shelter — they include Raspberry — can’t remember if we’ve ever had a Raspberry the Kitten before. But she’s #50207252, just over 2 months old and small. Her vivid black coat is accented by what appears in this photo to be tan and white. She is small — she arrived at the shelter on May 17 and she has worked her way up from entry level to a position in the shelter’s Conference Room. [LARRY ASIDE: This special note is directed to residents of Mesquite, Texas, who may not understand the way cats work. There are places to inexpensively get your cats spayed and neutered. You’ve got a computer — use it and find ‘em. Our cats are all fixed and the sleep through the night year round. I know because I’m an insomniac. Read into that what you wish.]
CONTEMPLATIONS
UNEASY MOMENTS; GROWLS?; 1976
Earlier in this edition we wrote about the Society For Companion Animals and founder Tawana Couch’s mission of using the non-profit to save all the animals she encounters. This is one of the dogs. Her name is Brandy. The news note from the organization read, “SFCA rescued Brandy this month (June); she was successfully trapped. Someone shot her; she has a bullet below her abdomen. SFCA goes to some dangerous areas of Dallas and risks human lives to being shot, robbed, etc. … Tawana herself has been held at gunpoint twice.” Donations and volunteering can help on the rescue side; some kind manners on the “bad guy side” will help save the animals, too. …
When a person lives with dogs and cats and writes about dogs and cats and spent around a half-century in touchy newsrooms, you expect to hear some growling. So I opened up my email and read a subject line that said, “Growling carrots; prep for the 4th of July.” When I re-read it, “growling” had become “growing.” Never heard a carrot growl? Orange you glad of that. [LARRY ASIDE: That’s a two-line poem, or a 4-line poem for which i’ve yet to write the last two lines.]  ...
My favorite Fourth of July? 1976. Why? The Bicentennial of the American Revolution. The nation dressed up for that one — some people costumed, fireplugs were painted red white and blue, tall ships sailed through harbors. Much, much more. It was a joy to see and celebrate. And, here we are well beyond the 200-year mark. Still practicing democracy.
Happy 4th of July!
—- Salute the USA by clicking on ‘comment’ below right or by emailing dallrp@aol.com and put PAY YOUR TAXES PROMPTLY -- DC NEEDS THE MONEY in the subject line. ——

SOMETIMES THINGS ARE JUST TOUGH TO FIGURE IN THE ANIMAL WORLD....

EDITION OF THURSDAY/FRIDAY JUNE 30/JULY 1, 2022 [PetPowellPress -- LAY OFF THE FIREWORKS] Oops --- typed that mind-the-fireworks and make your animals safe message early. But, remember, it's never to early to be smart.
OK, so you think you’ve had an interesting week? Consider the case of Kai. Keep reading. Talk about a round-trip! 

THE STORY OF KAI, OR,
‘HOW LONG IS A CHANCE?’
You’ve heard the phrase “Give ‘em a chance.” How long is a chance? Must depend on the humans, I guess. Here’s an example of a “brief chance.” You’ve already spotted the fantastic face on this dog Kai, described by his Mesquite Animal Services bio as a year-old “handsome black/white Alaskan Husky MiX with blue eyes.”
That oughta buy a fellow some extra time, right?

“Welp,” as we kids used to say in Northeast Texas, “No dice.”

One of our Mesquite dog tipsters, Debra Chisholm, sent an update on Kai Tuesday evening and it read, “Kai was adopted at the end of the day Monday and is now a returned adoption.  
“Apparently the family saw a handsome face/handsome dog and didn’t take into account the outgoing nature of a Husky. They didn’t even give him 24 hours to adjust. I’m begging for someone to give him another chance to prove himself as an active loving family member,” Debra wrote.
 Kai is # 50487820 at the shelter. To ask about giving Kai a longer chance, call the shelter at 972-216-6283 or email at rescues@cityofmesquite.com.
Our pal Judi Brown, also a volunteer Mesquite dog biographer, met Kai and wrote about him before his first adoption. Her bio of the handsome rascal “with penetrating blue eyes” says the year-old, 53-pound dog was first surrendered to the shelter on June 20. Why? “Because of the family’s schedule,” she wrote, then added, “I interpret that to mean they did not have time for him and Huskies can be time-consuming. Could you make time in your schedule for a dog that would be your forever, loyal, loving companion? If so please come and meet Kai.”
When Judi met him, Kai enjoyed exploring the shelter’s exercise yard. She also says that due to the reputation of Huskies as “escape artists,’” any adopters would need a “tall, secure fence” and a dedication to monitoring Kai. 
His original humans, on their surrender form, said he was an “indoor dog and lived with a 5-year-old.”
Of her “meet ’n’ greet” time with Kai, Judi wrote, “After he was done exploring the yard he did come to me when I sat down. He appeared to enjoy having his ears scratched. I get the impression that he has not had a lot of socialization but would be very receptive to being loved on. At the end of the photo session he even gave me a few kisses! It was hot out and he spent time by the door indicating that he would like to be mostly an inside dog and not be out in the heat!”
See more Mesquite animals and read their biographies by going to the shelter’s website HERE.
Lots of dogs and cats waiting. And while there are scores of cats who state their age in “months,” there are some who use the term “years,” i.e., this cat named Frito. Seems to be a color match, doesn’t it, chip-wise? Frito (#50328430) is just over 3 years old, a Domestic Shorthair mix fellow who is currently in the Cat Room at the shelter. He came in on June 1.
[LARRY ASIDE: Holy catnip, Batman! A month in a shelter — he needs a chance — a longer chance than Kai got. Right, my fellow Catfanians? I can’t take him but I sure hope someone reading this can make room for Frito.]

AND ANOTHER HUSKY
PLUS A GOOD OL’ DAWG

This Husky is Cain, neutered and vaccinated and microchipped and waiting in the Ferris Animal Shelter.
Why is this dog in the shelter? Our pals at the 4-Legged Helpers report, “Someone that could no longer care for him brought him into the shelter.” [LARRY ASIDE: They’d apparently given him longer than Kai’s “overnight stay” in Mesquite!]

Cain is “the sweetest Husky you could meet. So friendly and incredibly sweet. Gentle...calm. Well-behaved.”
Waiting at a situation in Irving, is this guy Patrick, listed as a “Boxer/Whippet mix.”
His bio reads, “This cutie was found on an incredibly busy street in Irving on Memorial Day. He was sitting under a tree just waiting on someone that never came back.  The incredibly sweet person that found him had him checked for a microchip and has gotten him fixed and fully vaccinated.  He is housetrained and completely adores every dog and every person he meets including all children.  Only about a year old. Extremely cute!! SWEET!!!! Just a complete love. ... He has a very slender nose and build similar to a Whippet or Greyhound so one of these breeds must be in his background somewhere. Please, won't you help?  The girl that found him cannot keep him and she has done everything right trying to find someone for him but no success.  Please.  Help save this fantastic young dog.”

To help these dogs or any of the other dogs on the 4-Legged Helpers Inc. Facebook page, call or text 214-949-2726 or email cat_girl_71@yahoo.com.

MEANWHILE AT THE SPCA,
THAT TIME-OUT CONTINUES….
You may recall that earlier in June the SPCA of Texas suspended intakes and adoptions because of that awful distemper outbreak. The suspension is still in place and may last through mid-July, according to a news release on the SPCA website HERE. “Suspending intakes” doesn’t mean that animals that need rescuing don’t get rescued. 
And I’m simply going to cite the SPCA’s June 10 team-up with the Van Zandt County Sheriff’s Office to use a “search-and-seizure” warrant to acquire 14 animals that were in a fix on a rural property in the county that is east of the metrosprawl on U.S 80. Canton is the county seat. 

The SPCA’s press release said the authorities took in “14 animals from the property. The animals included 5 dogs, 5 koi fish, two cats, one macaw and one deceased cockatoo.” The cockatoo was wrapped in a freezer. 
This is a photo of one of the cats who was waiting in a “Cage of Filth” on the property. Kind of got an “I've been waitin’ on y’all” look on his face.

The news release is on the SPCA site HERE and you can also click HERE and see photos of the animals.
And, in case you wondered, it is donations from good-hearted people that helps the SPCA feed and get veterinary care and house these rescued animals. Go to spca.org to see how to help — you might even want to volunteer to foster.”

CONTEMPLATIONS
NO PARTICULAR DIRECTION
OK, in these times does anyone’s thought process really move in any particular direction? “Who can afford enough gasoline to drive to a bar?” typed a guy who has priorities but would rather take a nap. …

Did the spring heat make June go faster? What of Autumn? Arrives in sunny Texas at 8:03 p.m or 8:04 p.m. (I've found conflicting reports) Lone Star time on Thursday, Sept. 22. …

I was going to close with a gag about the City of Dallas and it’s freeway designs downtown, but i missed my exit, a fate that is costly at the pump. Maybe the city owns stock in a gasoline company.

—- Offer advice or freeway design protests by clicking on ‘comment’ below or by emailing dallrp@aol.com and put HELP ME, I MISSED MY EXIT in your subject line. ——

ADORABLE SKY; PEACHES THE KITTEN: A WATERMELON DOG; AND THE EXQUISITE VALUE OF DEPENDABILITY...

EDITION OF WEDNESDAY, JUNE 29, 2022 [PetPowelPress] Here we are writing for an edition that will stretch from Tuesday into Wednesday which is, ALREADY!, the penultimate day of the month. Time out! I’ve got to check two Lotto Texas tickets. Back in a moment. (Clock ticks; time passes.) OK. Oh!-for-two tickets. Yep, burned off the price of two gallons of gas and some change with those tickets. That face? Belongs to the dog Martha rescued near busy Polk Street at Love Freeway in Dallas in 2009. I read the numbers aloud and Wendy checked them. At the end she looked up and said, “Take my photo. I’ll demonstrate ‘crestfallen’.” This also is her version of “adoring you because you have a treat in your hand.”
SKYE: THE ADORABLE POM
WHO NEEDS A NEW HOME
We’ve long been writing admiringly about the foster efforts of our pal Patty Sprong. And that is why we’re featuring this dog Skye, a former “breeding machine.” Patty KNOWS fostering dogs. About Skye she says that "once she trusts you, she is SO happy to see you that she just spins in circles when you come home. She also uses a doggy door and will let herself out to potty.”

And the rest of Skye’s report from Patty reads, “I am babysitting Skye this week. She was my foster for Emma's Wish Senior Dog Rescue, and then when I went on vacation, she went to another foster who decided to keep fostering her. I can't believe she hasn't been adopted yet, so I was hoping you could feature her. Adoptions are so slow right now, but when a young, gorgeous, dog-and-cat friendly Pom doesn't get adopted, you know it's bad.

“Skye will be six years old in October. She was released by a breeder, so she was very freaked out at first and totally unfamiliar with being a pet and not a breeding machine. She's come a long way, but will probably always be a little nervous, especially when she first meets someone. She is extra fearful of men, so an all-female home would be ideal for her.
“She loves other dogs and would benefit from having another dog in the house. She enjoys the companionship and it makes her feel safe. She doesn't even bother the cat!”

To ask about Skye, contact Emma’s Wish Senior Dog Rescue at emmaswishsdr.org. The adoption application link is on that page. 
And Patty suggests another click. “If you can, maybe mention that there are other dogs available through Emma's Wish that have been in the program forever [USE THIS LINK: https://emmaswishsdr.org/adoptable-dogs.]. It's sad because some of the big old black dogs have been in the program a year.”
MEANWHILE, 2 SMALL DOGS
AVAILABLE IN EAST TEXAS;

ONE LIKES WATERMELON
These are not the only dogs in East Texas, but they are the two that I heard about from Sydney Busch, longtime guiding light of Friends of the Animals at Cedar Creek Lake, the non-profit that operates, so to speak, the World’s Most Successful Spay/Neuter Clinic in Gun Barrel City, Texas.
The info on this photogenic pup came to Sydney via Sharon Coker. 
The note reads, “This little guy was found on the side of the road in the 100-degree temperature.
“The finder is hoping to find him a forever home
“He’s about 10-12 lbs and will getting his vaccines and be neutered soon.
“Loves everyone and is in a house with a Shih Tzu and Great Dane/Mastiff now. He actually sleeps in the crate with the Great Dane.” 
To ask about helping this pup, email sa_coker@yahoo.com.

This dog’s information came to Sydney from Amber York.
She reports the little boy Chihuahua mix was born on April 21, 2022.
 Her note reads, “Needs loving home. Very playful and loveable. Good with other dogs and cats. … I am asking a $50 rehoming fee and having him fixed is a must. He also loves to eat watermelon and cucumbers. He will pull himself up into your lap if you just cup the back of his head and neck with your hand. Something my grandmother always taught her dogs because she couldn't pick them up. He is partially puppy pad-trained as well. He does love to go outside too, supervised only.” To ask about this dog, call 903-203-8804 or email carlamber4@gmail.com.
MEANWHILE IN FERRIS,
THERE’S THIS KID PEACHES
[LARRY NOTE: My rescue’n’funspouse Martha, when I asked her, told me Monday night that I absolutely cannot get another cat — I’m a fellow who likes a Clowder around the house. … But if I could, this might just be the one! However, I am gracefully stepping aside to allow someone else to adopt this shelter kitten who needs a home and someone who understands “raising a kitten” is a noble mission. The details:]
We got this note from Laura Macias of 4-Legged Helpers. She writes, “Please help Peaches!   Please. New baby girl kitten at the Ferris Animal Shelter. This shelter is just not  equipped for babies.  FUZZY.   Baby sweet. 6-8 weeks old. Just as lovable as can be.” 
To help Peaches, call or text 214-949-2726 or email cat_girl_71@yahoo.com. (If you’re a 501c3 rescue wanting to help Peaches, the Helpers have a transport possibility for your group.)
BESS, ISABEL & OTHER MESQUITE
ANIMALS WAITING FOR A HOME
Thanks to the volunteers and staffers at Mesquite Animal Services, we have the stories on several animals in one of the area’s shelters dealing with an overload of dogs and cats. 

Debra Chisholm provided the info about “this very sweet and beautiful girl Bess.  She was brought to the shelter on 6/20 along with 3 pups with the claim that they were strays.  Bess is a mixed-breed girl (English Pointer in the mix).” The 54-pound, 2-year-old, not-yet-spayed pup “has a mellow personality, is well-mannered, calm and gentle.  Bess is a bit on the nervous side and is somewhat timid and shy at this time.  She has warmed up, though, since she arrived.  She walks nicely on a leash and did not react aggressively toward other dogs. She is friendly, likes to receive attention and has such a pleasant nature.  You wouldn't have to spend much time with her to grow fond of her.”
And there’s this sign that she hasn’t had much human contact: “Bess doesn't seem to know any commands and wasn't interested in toys, balls or treats,” and, Debra adds, “I imagine she is bewildered as to why she is in this place and what has happened to her family.” Bess is #50484432. Use that ID when you call the shelter at 972-216-6283 or email rescues@cityofmesquite.com.

That brings us to another Debra-bio’d dog, Isabel, described as a “cutesy skin-and-bones girl.” She’s a Pittie mix who came in on the 23rd as a stray. The shelter thinks she’s about 4 years old. She weighs 33 pounds, isn’t spayed and, Debra writes, “has the appearance of a dog who has possibly lived her life outside.  She is being fed small amounts of food throughout the day in order to safely help her gain much-needed weight in order to get healthy.  Isabel walks nicely on a leash. … She was very interested in exploring the yard and had her nose to the ground much of the time and just seemed to happy to be out of her kennel and stretching her legs.  Isabel is well-mannered and calm and yet active and alert.  She obviously loves treats and I gave her a few so as not to interfere with her feeding schedule.  Isabel is friendly and liked receiving attention from me.  She did not seem to know any commands.  She was a bit skittish and exhibited some nervous energy while in the yard. … [She needs] people who would stay committed to her, allow her to live inside and give her the TLC she deserves.” 
To help Isabel, use her ID#50510774 when you call the shelter at 972-216-6283 or email rescue@cityofmesquite.com."
Remember, the Mesquite Animal Services folks have been under pressure from surrenders and strays. And, Debra’s note included this passage: “Our shelter is critically overcrowded with animals coming in daily as strays and surrenders.  The staff has had to be creative in finding places for all our precious dogs and cats but they need homes.”
You can see more of Mesquite’s adorable adoptables by clicking on the shelter link HERE. The contact points are those listed above. 
Among the animals you’ll see are these dogs: 
Zorro (#50466331) is a 43-pound, 11-month old, Pittie Mix who came in on June 17th and is described as “a live wire of a pup.” He’s waiting in Bay 2. And, the shelter bio says, “He has came in on June 17….He has tons of tail-wagging puppy energy."

And there’s this cat, Kittie Monroe — no idea who she is named in honor of but we suspect it’s the street she was found on, or maybe she's named in honor of the 5th U..S. president, James Monroe, who served from 1817 to 1825. [LARRY ASIDE: Monroe was a member of, no kidding, the "Democratic-Republican Party." That ain't gonna happen again anytime soon!] She’s #50225461, is around 3 months old, came in on May 19 and is in the Conference Room.
There’s also a genuine Earhound named Robbie (#50281855), a 13-month-old Terrier mix who is mostly black and white with a little tan. Though he has a championship set of ears, Robbie’s body size is listed as “medium.”
Oh, and where is Robbie waiting to meet his next human? As mentioned earlier, the Mesquite shelter is overloaded with dogs and cats. That’ll explain why Robbie isn’t in a traditional shelter location. — he is currently located in the shelter “Hallway.” Somebody get him and give him a real home. He came in on May 26.
[LARRY ASIDE The clock’s been ticking for more than a month on Robbie. It may stop ticking for Robbie and move on to ticking for the next dog who came in because euthanasia opened up a place in a bay, a conference room or a hallway. Reality of life — not the shelter’s fault — it’s the fault of people who don’t have a fully-developed sense of responsibility for the lives of other beings. Sheesh. Save ‘em all!]
CONTEMPLATIONS
WHAT IT TAKES TO BE A LEGEND
We posted a couple of notes about the loss of Mark Verma, the president of Paws In The City. (That’s him happily transporting a dog — a happily transported and "coned" dog!) 
When we wrote about him at readlarrypowell.com, we were looking at the loss from our vantage point of reporting and enjoying his company. There are people who have lived confidently with the knowledge that in the day-to-day grind of rescue, a foster and a rescuer could depend on Mark to help save the animals.
 Our pal Stacey McCool wrote something that explains the loss — written with the heart and based on personal experience. Here’s how Stacey explains “The Importance of Mark.” She wrote:

“Who are we going to call in the middle of the night, on Christmas Day or Thanksgiving to go pick up a dog in distress? Who are we going to call to help us get dogs to Florida, Canada, Colorado or New York? 
“Who are we going to call to drive down to a hurricane disaster wasteland to go get as many dogs as we can possibly handle?

“Who are we going to call to charm a boarding facility to ‘take just one more dog’? Who are we going to call to set traps, crawl down a drainage ditch, a creek-bed, drive around a Sonic 67 times looking for the little brown dog licking a mustard wrapper? 
“And most importantly, who are we going to call when we simply want to give up or we are crying because we couldn't save ‘that one’? I don't know. We don't know. The lost dogs, the injured dogs, the dogs in a disaster, the abandoned dogs and the Dallas rescue community have lost a friend, a leader, a hero and a champion. We loved you, Mark”

That is something to contemplate no matter what rescue you’re working with — all of you dependable people are so very important. Bless your hearts and your energy.

—- Offer rescue praise and ideas by clicking on ‘comment’ below or by emailing dallrp@aol.com and put “WORK OF THE ANGELS” in the subject line. —-

A DOG IN A FIX IN FW; CATS AND DOGS WAITING; A CONTEMPLATION OF SLEEP

EDITION OF TUESDAY/WEDNESDAY JUNE 28-29 [PetPowellPress] Toward the end of the night long before dawn on Monday, a cat walked up to my shoulders and flopped down with her whiskers tickling my nose while she purred.
And that is the Deputy Chief Kittie Leigh Johnson Morning Alarm System. Not available in stores, but variations can be found in shelters and rescue groups across America. That’s Kittie Leigh and her whiskers enjoying a tranquil afternoon moment on her bed. I should know better than to try to claim part of it under the cover of darkness. 

THE CLOCK IN FORT WORTH?
LOTS OF ANIMALS ON IT.
May this dog Snow be happily saved by the time you read this. 
[NOON-HOUR UPDATE: This girl Snow  has been tagged for rescue by "Bull Luvable Paws Rescue" which we believe is shorthand for "Bull luv able Paws and Chi Wawas Rescue" on Facebook HERE. It's also online HERE. Snow's story of a challenging life is still worth reading so, after these key links to Fort Worth Animal Care & Control, it's still there. And thanks to all who read these stories and all the  shelter people and rescuers who send notes about animals  needing help. -- larry]

There is a link to the Fort Worth Animal Care & Control site —
https://www.fortworthtexas.gov/departments/code-compliance/animals.
But there is one link closer to the countdown-to-death clock. It’s the Code Red link:
https://www.fortworthtexas.gov/departments/code-compliance/animals/codered
On Monday morning around 9 a.m. we were forwarded an email about this dog Snow. She’s #42272003. The email subject line read: “EMERGENCY HELP THIS SWEET DOG LIVE SPENT WHOLE LIFE ON A CHAIN LOOK AT HER BLEEDING FOOT SHE IS FORT WORTH TEXAS. AND THEY WILL KILL HER TOMORROW WTH?' 
Yeah, we got the email on Monday morning. The note says, “She is scheduled to be euthanized tomorrow 6/27 at 12 PM! She needs a rescue tag now! Email fwacctag@fortworthtexas.gov.”
 Yes, noon MONDAY.  As you can see on the FW shelter website here,
 on Monday the two city facilities open at noon and close at 6 p.m.
The forwarded note reads that Snow “lived her entire life on a chain in a backyard and the minute she got into the kennel last night at the shelter, she fell asleep. It was probably the best rest she’s ever gotten. Dtaff says. ‘This girl is something special!’.”
Snow is 4 years old, weighs 50 pounds is spayed and, get this, “heartworm positive along with Ehrlichia, and Anaplasma. Shelter staff says she is extremely sweet and loving.”
To tag her for rescue email fwacctag@fortworthtexas.gov. 
Readlarrypowell.com posted this just in case there’s still a chance to save her life.
And, also, to remind people to check the shelter sites for adorable animals with life and heart. Fort Worth isn’t the only city with a dramatically crowded shelter system.
SOME MORE CHALLENGES
IN SMALLER SHELTERS
The devoted folks at 4-Legged Helpers keep working to save the animals that find their ways into smaller shelters and “private animal control.”
 We’ll start with Jasmine the Cat — we’ve mentioned her before. She’s the beautiful girl who wound up in the Ferris Animal Shelter because “someone lefter at the shelter gate” in the heat., Fortunately a responsible individual spotted her waiting at the gate and saved her. She’s described as “very loving and extremely sweet.”

In the meantime, these two dogs are in the care of a “private animal control” that operates north of Dallas. 
Our 4-Legged Helpers tipsters report that Taco, with the unmatched ears, is a 7-month-old, 43-pound Aussie Shepherd/Border Collie mix who knows how to sit for treats. And he “loves everyone and everything including kids, other dogs and even kitty cats.” 
The dog with matching ears is Mel, an Aussie shepherd/Husky mix boy who is 3-years-old and weighs 55 pounds. He, too, is “full of love for everyone” — excepting cats. His bio says the neutered boy is “very smart and just as lovable as can be. He does some really adorable things — he can catch treats mid-air and he also has a very gentle mouth when politely taking a treat from your hand.”
To help the Helpers with these animals, call or text 214-949-2726 or email cat_girl_71@yahoo.com.
CONTEMPLATION
RESPONSIBILITY AND OTHER NOTES

Regarding Kittie Leigh’s sleeping habits in the lead paragraph. Our modern bed tells me I got 5 hours, 41 minutes of “restful sleep” before leaving just before 6 a.m. to feed the household animals and marvel at the drop in temperature outside. After breakfast, Kittie Leigh went back to sleep on her favorite new perch, the folded blanket on the seat of Martha’s recumbent exercise bike. I did not go back to sleep. I won’t until late, late in the night. But our cats and dogs are well-rested, well-fed and beloved. I can give up a little sleep to make sure that happens. …
I have not checked the numbers on my last two Lotto Texas tickets. Trust me, if either one of those is the big winner, you’ll know it. …
I’m closing with a “thank you’ today: Thank you from my heart to all of you who are rescuers, fosters, shelter volunteers, adoption-site volunteers, vets who care for these animals, shelter staffers who work to save ‘em all. And, I’m wondering if it’s possible that each council district representative could somehow influence its district’s residents to be responsible with their animals. Form a council coalition and drive the point home -- be kind to the animals. And "responsible" doesn’t mean dump ‘em at the shelters to have ‘em killed. It means spaying and neutering, properly housing them and never, never allowing them to run free — that’s dogs and cats. Well, so much for daydreaming about unlikely occurrences.
—- Offer save-em-all ideas by clicking on ‘comment’ below or by emailing dallrp@aol.com. —-

MARK VERMA'S MISSION; ANIMALS THAT NEED SOMEONE TO SAVE THEM

EDITION OF MONDAY, JUNE 27, 2022 [PetPowellPress] This photograph is easily understood by people who knew and worked with Mark Verma, president of Paws in The City.





That is Mark, hard at work with his camera, down on hands and knees, trying to get the right angle to help a dog find a new home. He did a lot for animals in his tenure with Paws In The City. And, he died on Saturday, suffering from an all-too-common villain: prostate cancer. [LARRY NOTE: I’m one of the guys whose prostate cancer was discovered early. If you’re a guy or you know some fellows who don't know the score yet, urge them to get tested AND examined. It's a sneaky ailment. I’m pretty sure Mark felt this same way: Get tested; get examined! We’ll have more about Mark in Contemplations. He’s beloved. And, first, we’ll do something else he’d endorse: Tell you about animals who need help and homes.]
TWO DAS DOGS DRAW ATTENTION
AS CLOCK IS TICKING DOWN…
The note I got about Dice began by mentioning one of our regular animal rescue and advocacy tipsters. It read, “Tami Kukla is looking for a miracle with Ollie B Burgin and 11 others at Dallas Animal Services and Adoption Center..."
"Dice is begging for a miracle,” began the opening. “Big dog who at 8 years old just wants a loving loving human and to not lose his life due to space at Dallas Animal Services. Code Red. 

“He just wants to snuggle and share a (hug) and go for a stroll. Oh, and he loves him some sports and music.” Your adoption request should be sent to dasadopt@dallascityhall.com or to dasrescue@dallascityhall.com and if you want to foster to save his life, email dasfoster@dallascityhall.com.

We also got a note from Tami about another DAS resident. It was headlined ‘LAST CALL MOOYAH.”
The story reads, “Meet Mooyah. This guy is just overwhelmed at the shelter. If he could, he would like to melt under his bed. Is he sweet? Yes. Does he just want to sit by you with a blanket and take a nap? Yes. Treats make him feel OK. He just wants a human to love him.”
Then there’s this chilling sentence: “Mooyah is EU Risk for space. Which means he could be killed with no notice.”

Then the note reads, “Another 5-year-old-pup adopted from DAS as a young puppy and now 5 years later unwanted. Help us find Mooyah a live outcome in Dallas.”
T he contact points, once again, are dasadopt@dallascityhall.com; dasfoster@dallascityhall.com;
dasrescue@dallascityhall.com.
And you can see more Dallas dogs and cats ON THE CLOCK by clicking HERE and going to the DAS website.
A QUARTET OF KITTENS
NEEDING SOME HELP
I’m hoping this situation has been resolved by the time you read this. We got notice of the situation via our longtime pal Karen Lee of the non-profit barkleyworld.com. She’s been helping animals a long time. And now comes these four kittens from the Anna/Westminster area of Collin County. 
“These 4 kittens are in need of networking,” read the note networked by Karen thanks to its author, our pal Leighann Hayden of 4-Legged Helpers. 
The story is these kittens “were found after the mommies disappeared from a feeding staton. ...Two kittens have a little fur loss. (From the heat?)” the author asked. Then she explained, “The all-black fluffy one is female and the rest are male.” Then Leighann added, “I know it’s 4 miracles! Please try!” The contacts are Lauran at lauranbby@ gmail.com or, if she isn’t reachable, contact Michelle at 281-217-9889.
Lauran Stevenson reported that “the all-black fuzzy kitten and the grey and white one are from one litter; the orange one and the one with the possibly injured eye are from a separate litter, and each of their moms went missing one week apart from a feeding station. They are about 6-9 weeks old and some missing fur.  The little baby one with the injured eye appears to be swollen and it looks painful.  Just heartbreaking. All super sweet and SO loving.”
CONTEMPLATIONS
MARK VERMA AND HIS MISSION
Years ago when I met Mark Verma, before he was president of Paws In The City, he was busy hustling homes for animals that had been rescued and were waiting for that goal to be met, the goal of a happy home. In his honor we’re going to cite two Paws In The City adorable adoptables before we further contemplate Mark. 
That first girl is Roxy. Beautiful in her Teresa Berg photograph. Roxy is 2 years and 5 months old. She’s a medium sized Chinese Shar-Pei/Terrier mix who “is in urgent need of a foster or adopter.”
The bio reads, “Roxy has recently graduated from a training program with one of our partner organizations who will provide transition training sessions for the foster or adopter at no charge to you. Now that Roxy has completed her training, she is ready for a foster or adopter. She is smart and a quick learner, good with children over the age of 10. Roxy is affectionate once she has time to settle in and warm up, good-natured, polite and quiet but shy.

“She makes a great ‘home office buddy’ and will curl up on her bed nearby. Of course, she can also wait patiently at home and greet you with lots of kisses when you get home. If you are in search of a loyal and well trained dog, please apply to foster or adopt Roxy.”
And that brings us to this girl Annie. She is 12 years and 8-months old and is a Pittie/Staffie mix. But she has a history with Paws In The City. She was “adopted in 2009. She returned to our program in 2019 and has been waiting for her furever family since that time. 
“Annie would do best with kids 10+ and as an only dog. She spends most of her days curled up on the couch, but does enjoy a good walk.” 
Her bio on pawsinthecity.org refers to her as “our resident senior gal” and reports, “She has short spurts of energy where she will chase and play with her foster brother for a few minutes, but more often than not she is curled up on the couch.
She has a great smile and adorable ears that perk right up. Not only does she have good looks and the perfect personality, but she has smarts too! She is potty-trained, knows ‘sit’ and ‘come’ and makes for the perfect companion. She’d be happy to be your one and only! She will need a slow intro if joining a home with another dog. Kids should be 10+. Do you have a spot on your couch for Annie?”

These are just two of the hundreds of dogs and cats that Paws In The City helped during Mark’s years as president of the non-profit.
His tenure followed that of readlarrypowell.com's rescuespouse Martha Powell. She is the author of this tribute to Mark that appears on Paws In The City sites and in Paws’ emails.
And you see photos of Mark with, in one case, a dog he was transporting and in the other photo, Martha says, Mark is with his longtime pal, Buddy.
Here’s Martha's commentary for Paws In The city regarding the loss of her friend Mark:
"
On June 25, our President Mark Verma lost his valiant battle with cancer. Mark leaves behind thousands of friends - from his birthplace of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, to the LSU campus where he worked his way through college, across the southwestern U.S. in his technology sales career, in bars and clubs where he enjoyed his love of heavy metal music and managed bands, on the airwaves where his voice was known to the listeners of KEGL on the Russ Martin Show, and at Paws in the City where his abundant heart was known to hundreds of dogs he worked to rehome. 

If you met Mark once, you gained a lifelong friend. If you went anywhere with Mark, you realized that he was known everywhere because his capacity to form and sustain friendships was boundless. He was energetic, joyful, funny, compassionate, sensitive, mannerly, gentle and kind. As any of the many people and dogs who met him will tell you, “He was the nicest guy.”


Mark began volunteering for PITC in 2008, joined the board 2012 and became president in 2014. Mark would give any amount of time, go anywhere and do anything to change the fate of an abandoned pet. With the help of his beloved dog Buddy, who preceded him in death in 2020, Mark also fostered and trained many Paws’ rescue dogs. For many years, not a week went by when Mark was not on the road somewhere in DFW with a dog in his car, on the way to a radio appearance, a play date or an adoption event. 


"Mark leaves behind a loving family in Louisiana and thousands of friends who will never forget his beaming face, his heroic heart and how he enriched our lives.”

[LARRY ASIDE: Save ‘em all. Help by rescuing, fostering and donating. It’s a matter of love at a dire time in the history of our area's shelters and neighborhoods.]
— Offer ideas by clicking on ‘comment’ below or by emailing dallrp@aol.com. —-

AT ANIMAL ANGELS SANCTUARY, THE SLEEPING DOGS CAN SAFELY LIE... LAY?

Ultra-cute Porche and I wanted to start this edition of Let Sleeping Dogs Lie & Napping Cats Nap with an upbeat announcement that we’re focusing on legendary Animal Angels Sanctuary. 
But it wasn’t a sleeping dog that got our attention first. It was a traveling dog.

See that pup casually riding in the back seat? The folks with Animal Angels, the sanctuary near Jacksboro northwest of the Metrosprawl, posted her photo on Facebook. They included this story on June 22: 
“Today we picked up Winks, from the vet after some unknown Jackwagon (nicest language I can use) threw her from a moving vehicle, causing one of her rear legs to be so badly damaged it needed to be amputated. Her poor nose was badly road-rashed (it’s much better now) and she had a bad eye infection. 

“All that is in the past for Winks as she is on the road to recovery and is in great spirits and is a spitfire...Anyone wanting to help with Winks’ medical bills and recovery, please call our President Beth Kelley 469-386-1020, or visit our website animalangelstexas.org and click on the donate button… Thank you, for your compassion and mercy for this sweet ol’ girl.”
[LARRY FYI: I've included other Animal Angels photos in this report, for example Coco on the left. Read on, please. Captions are below.]
So I called President Beth to ask about Winks and learned that the girl is probably somewhere between 11 and 13 and is coming along nicely with healing.  [LARRY NOTE: Wink’s had to have a lot of medical work and medicine, so if you want to help replenish the Animal Angels' medical funds, go to animalangels.org. As veteran rescuers know, the animals don’t always arrive at the peak of great health!]
Yes, if you are a really responsible person with a thorough understand of and unrelenting affection for an older dog, it’s possible you may pass the test to adopt Winks. [LARRY NOTE: No slacker creeps need apply. That's my phrasing, not President Beth's. She's nicer.]
Now, that “throw the dog out of the truck” is a pretty traditional story in some areas of Texas — even my beloved East Texas has animal tossers, as do the more metropolitan areas of the Lone Star State. Why is that? It’s because we have more than our fair share of Free-Roaming Village Idiots. 

Back to the point: I never see a mention of Animal Animals that I don’t think of its founder Carole Sanders and the wonderful animal mission she accomplished every darned day! Her spirit has worked beyond that day in 2018 when she fell victim to a brain aneurysm. People who loved and admired her picked up the torch. Animal Angels Sanctuary continues with the honorable mission.
So, I went to the Animal Angels Facebook page to see what I could find and we have some sleeping dogs, a calf and some redbirds. Here we go, thanks to President Beth and the Animal Angels.
PHOTO 2: From April 26, this post: “Meet Coco. She is today’s new addition to the sanctuary. This beautiful blonde couldn’t move with her owner. Her feisty demeanor will fit right in…” Clearly, she is a sleeping dog who enjoys being allowed to lie!
PHOTO 3: From April 14, this post (and this is no sleeping dog!): “Meet Flash Gordon, our newest bottle calf rescue…. Please consider donating, he drinks a lot of formula… Thanks Moooocho.”

PHOTO 4: Remember all that “winter” that hit North Texas in early February? This photo is from Feb. 4 and it may actually show — in keeping with our theme — a snoozing bird, a North Texas cardinal fluffed up and napping on a limb! The caption in the Feb. 4 post read, “Cardinals out pickin up dog food, not sure exactly who we are feeding here… LoL. Challenge…. How many Cardinals do you see(pic on right)?" [LARRY PROBABLY NEEDLESS NOTE: Click on the picture to make it grow like a well-fed puppy.]

PHOTO 5: As you can see in this January 31 post, there was sunshine before that winter weather rolled through within a few days. The post reads, “Meet Miss Sally Mae, laying atop one of many picnic tables at the sanctuary soaking up the sun…”

There you have it. All of these dogs, a few cats who have official cat duties at the sanctuaries, Longhorns, calves, goats and … well, the Animal Angels try to help whoever needs help. And if you’re a breed rescue group, now and then they find a purebred that needs help and under- standing! Get in touch. And may you rescuers always have room. [LARRY PERSONAL CONFESSION: That's a prayerful sentence in this awful time of crowding and euthanasia.]
Dear Readers, you can see the Animal Angels’ through the camera lenses by going to the sanctuary’s Facebook page HERE.
It’ll also lead you to the website with the donation connections HERE.

Haven’t won Lotto Texas yet? Volunteer to help. You never know what project is underway.
When humans are working hard to save animal lives, we know that it is much easier in America to “Let Sleeping Dogs Lie & Napping Cats Nap.”
PHOTO 6? My office cat William Powell was absent as this was being typed, so Porche Noel and Dudley The Angel (the Border Collie/Lab mix) took over Porche’s Psychedelic Rug of Transcendental Slumber while Wendy Louise Wagstaff Arden walked in and nodded off. Wendy likes to sleep near the Notre Dame trash can I bought when I took my kids to South Bend in hopes of encouraging them to attend the university. The trash can proved to not be a lure for the Texas teens. Wendy likes to nod off near the Leprechaun picture on the can because it helps her recall her days of playing wide-receiver for the Fighting Irish. That’s what I’m told, anyway. In a helmet and shoulder pads on old coaching film, all the receivers look alike. That's her lounging awake -- she's a beaut', ain't she! Free dog, you know. My bigheartspouse Martha rescued her.
[DEAR READERS, Please send photos of your slumbering critters and a note explaining how you got them and why they mean so much to you to dallrp@aol.com. We’ll feature them in Let Sleeping Dogs Lie & Napping Cats Nap and you may just be helping someone decide to open their home to a rescued animal. Also, you may be helping an insomniac have faith that sleep is possible if you can just find the right table in the right amount of sun on a day with the perfect temperature for restful sleep. Insomniacs are picky — blame lack of sleep.]
—- Offer sleeping tips or waking tips by clicking on ‘comment’ below or by emailing dallrp@aol.com and put “COWBOYS SIGN WENDY!” in the subject line. —-

SKIP TRIMBLE: A VOICE FOR THE ANIMALS AND THEIR ADVOCATES

EDITION OF FRIDAY, JUNE 24, 2022 [PetPowellPress] I hardly know how to begin this all-too-brief item about a heroic man. Diving right in, I’ll just tell you that Skip Trimble died Saturday at 82. 
Word had been making its way around the animal advocacy community all week.
I got the news from my longtime pal, the animal advocate and rescuer Beverly Fyfe. She was stunned and saddened, too. I suspect that’s a common reaction to the loss of Skip. He earned lots of stars as a role model for animal advocacy and just plain being a critter fan and a fine human being.
Anybody who’s been around animal issues in Texas and in Dallas for the past umpteen years knows of Skip Trimble.
After word of the loss came to me from Beverly, I found a Dallas CultureMap story about a Texas Humane Legislation Network event honoring Skip in September of 2017. The writer was my ol’ pal and newspaper colleague Teresa Gubbins. Her opening wonderfully explained why so many people loved this guy. She wrote, “Animal advocates from across Texas and beyond came together in a reverential yet fun ‘Tribute to Skip Trimble.’ Dubbed the ‘Godfather of Animal Law,’ Trimble is nationally known as the force behind many of the animal-friendly legislative initiatives that have been passed in Texas in the past decade.”

What a nice guy. And a lawyer and a devoted animal advocate. He didn’t just work with the law, Skip worked with the animals and the people who were trying to save them. 
I’m convinced that he is among the leading reasons Dallas has an actual grown-up animal shelter instead of continuing to move listlessly along with small, old mid-20th century brick structures that were nothing more than storage facilities for animals awaiting the needle.
He helped change a lot of things about the way animals are treated in Dallas and in Texas and, probably, lots of other places. It’s the theory of “See what Dallas did? Let’s do it, too.” It’s a version of the “save ‘em all” philosophy. And keep in mind, it wasn’t like City Hall didn’t need to be primed to comprehend the mission of decency. The animals needed a firm advocate.
I remember walking into meetings and animal events and having someone whisper to me in awe, “Skip Trimble is here!” And there he would be, the really nice guy with a determined soul.
 Maybe at one earthly point on Saturday, there was a sudden gathering at the Heavenly Rainbow Bridge and lots of animals that had gotten to live blessed lives in Dallas and beyond, gathered and whispered with honor and gratitude and love, “Skip Trimble is Here!”

[LARRY ASIDE: Here’s the link to Teresa’s 2017 CultureMap celebration story — it helps paint the vast picture of this role model Skip Trimble’s life. And, now, these years later, here is the link to Teresa’s CultureMap obituary of this great guiding light for animal advocacy.]
-- Please leave thoughts and appreciations about this great animal advocate by clicking on 'comment' below. ---

A THURSDAY REPORT: CELEBRATING A BLOODHOUND, WORKING FOR OTHER DOGS

EDITION OF THURSDAY/FRIDAY June 24-25, 2022 [PetPowellPress] Can we be THIS CLOSE to the Fourth of July? It’s just week after next! It’s summertime and I haven’t even been out of sight of the darned metrosprawl. But, why bring up gasoline prices?  Let's talk something enjoyable: dogs and cats, for example.

Trumpet the Bloodhound will be a great champion, according to Porche Noel, who watched him win Best of Show at Westminster with me. (That’s a Frank Franklin AP Photo of the new champ. Envy the wrinkles, my fellow Baby Boomers?)

Pretty sure Porche has Bloodhound in her family tree — there are a lot of dogs breeds up that tree — might have a pesky squirrel at the top! Porche does love to walk in the backyard with her nose to the ground. Porche failed to qualify in the “Working Dog” category. You can guess why. Would be a shoo-in for “Sleeping/Snoring Dog” category. More in Contemplations. First, we need to help some other dogs and cats find homes.
[LARRY TIME-OUT: I keep getting awful notes about the number of animals being euthanized in area shelters. While Porche and her pals and Trumpet and his pals have homes and enjoy life, municipal shelters in North Texas are so overcrowded that they buy euthanasia juice by the barrel and kill more dogs and cats than a bad breeder or a dog-fighting gang. People who betray their animals are to blame -- not shelter staffers. It's people who don't care. Don’t you care? Is the general public unaware? Or unable to be aware. Too dim to give a hoot? Geez, it’s depressing that in an area with a population of nearly 8 million people, animals are killed for lack of a home.There’s a moral problem with this situation.]
EVER HEARD OF A ‘CHONKY’ CAT?
AND THERE’S A NOT-CHONKY DOG!
These two animals are examples of what sort of critters show up in small shelters. But, honest, I’ve not run into a “Chonky” cat before. She is beautiful, however. 
We got the tip on Stephanie the Torbie from 4-Legged Helpers because this cat is in Hutchins — not yet in a shelter but in a home — on the southern side of Dallas. 
Stephanie is spayed and declawed. And the Helpers’ bio reads, “OMG!!!  Can anyone say CHONKY??? LOOK AT THIS BIG HUNK OF PURRING LOVE.  Looks like at least 20-25 pounds. CHECK OUT THE BIG CUTE PAWS.  Complete sweetie pie!!!  Just wants to be loved!! ...She looks a lot like Stepan, an internationally famous kitty from Ukraine (now living in France. if you want to see what we mean, check out LoveYouStepan on Instagram. You too could have a super famous kitty that does great things.)  Please help!!  Needs rescue quickly or she will end up in the shelter.” [LARRY FYI: In case you don’t do Instagram, just Google “Stepan the cat” you’ll get a lot of images of this famous feline.]
Meanwhile, the 4-Legged Helpers are also trying to help this young Aussie Cattle Dog named Olivia (nicknamed Ollie and NOT ‘Chonky’). She’s actually in a shelter. One of several animals waiting in the Ferris Animal Shelter, also south of Dallas.
Her bio reads: “CRITICALLY URGENT, FERRIS SHELTER. Sadly this incredibly awesome girl was surrendered to the shelter by someone that had to move in with family or friends.  She is just over a year old and a complete sweetie pie. Fully vaccinated.  Loves everyone and everything.  Used to live with two Chihuahuas so we know she does great with other dogs.”

To help these animals or any animal on the 4-Legged Helpers’ radar, call or text 214-949-2726 or email cat_girl_71@yahoo.com. And keep up with the Helpers’ animal efforts by following them on Facebook HERE.

MEANWHILE, MESQUITE ALSO
HAS AN AUSSIE CATTLE DOG
Judi Brown is the volunteer shelter dog biographer that got to spent time with Blaze at the Mesquite Animal Shelter. And Judi has experience with meeting dogs and understanding them.
She writes, “Blaze is an awesome dog with an outstanding personality! He is a 2-year-old Australian Cattle Dog that arrived at the Mesquite Animal Shelter on 6/6 as a stray. He weighs approximately 35 to 40 pounds and is not fixed. 
“He not only is handsome, but he’s also smart, perky, fun-loving, friendly, affectionate, and energetic with an outgoing personality. He’s well mannered and he wants to please. He sits for treats and takes them gently. He absolutely loves toys and seeks them out on his own. He can entertain himself with toys or if you prefer he will bring them to you and entice you to play with him. He chases balls and most of the time retrieves them.”

That’s his recreational side. Here's his soft side: “When you sit down he comes to you and puts his head on your lap and appears to love having his ears scratched,” Judi wrote. 
He’s an active boy who needs a loving family. Use his ID#50366001 when you call the shelter at 972-216-6283 or email rescues@cityofmesquite.com.
Same contact points for this guy Toby, And same biographer, too. Judi says, “Look at Toby’s sweet, smiling face and gentle eyes and you can tell that he’s a good boy! He’s a true Southern gentleman!”
 Toby’s a 49-pound, 7-year-old retriever mix who came into the shelter as a stray on the 14th. And, she exclaims, “If you come looking for him you may have to ask the front desk for him because he’s back in quarantine due to lack of space.” [LARRY ASIDE: We’ve noted recently that Mesquite has really be pressed for space. When that happens and the adoptions can’t keep up with the dumped or the strayed or the new puppies and kittens, something ugly has to happen to make room for the next load of unwanted animals. But, here’s the opportunity to help save animals.]

Toby is, Judi write, “very sweet, gentle, friendly and loving. He’s a little overweight but would be very willing to go for walks to walk it off. He does very well on the leash! He’s got some hair loss on his hind quarters and his tail most likely due to a flea infestation. He’s been given Nexgard and a flea bath. He was very cooperative when given a bath. He didn’t chase balls but then perhaps it was just too hot. He also was not interested in treats. He didn’t appear to know the sit command. He got overheated so quickly when he was outside that I finished up the picture taking inside. However many of the pictures show his mouth open because he was still panting. This indicates to me that although he would benefit from a yard where he could stretch his legs, he would need to be kept inside especially in this hot weather. … Because of his age and his mild easy-going manner he would probably do best with a laid-back family.” H’s #28289478 — use that ID when you call the shelter at 972-216-6283 or email rescues@cityofmesquite.com.

See more -- MANY MORE -- adorable adoptables (dogs and cats!) by clicking on the Mesquite Animal Servies website HERE.
CONTEMPLATIONS
ON A HOT DAY, MENTAL WANDERING
I love posting photos of Porche Noel. She is MY dog. Yeah, my funspouse Martha’s, too. I love Porche because of the fact that she has gone from a starving, limping, scared-of-humans, nipping, growling, convinced-she-going-to-be-attacked dog to a happy mutt who sleeps next to me and wags her impaired/hard-to-wag tail, smiles and rasps out her wonderful barks when I come home. That, folks, is “Best of Show.” Adopt a rescued dog and save a life. Or, get out and find your own Porche running scared and starving on a street in your neighborhood. Heck, yeah it happens in Texas. OK, get me off this soapbox before a slat snaps and Porche is startled awake when I hit the hardwood floor backside-first — I don’t have a thick wallet cushioned with cash to land on.….
And there’s this before we move on: I’d like to say I was bitterly disappointed again that no version of a Cocker Spaniel — there are several variations on the breed — won the big trophy at Westminster. My personal Cocker Inky and I watched it for years without successfully wishing a Cocker into the winner’s spotlight. Inky could have been a show Cocker if the jerk who docked his tail hadn’t been too aggressive. And when he dumped mange-beleaguered Inky naked (save for his left ear) in Kiest Park, he didn’t leave his “papers” with him. ….
I really liked the “pause” taken by Best-of-Show judge Dr. Don Sturz just before he announced the winner. He thanked the people who put on the dog show and the breeders who protect the integrity of the breeds and then he thanked all the dogs — not just those at the show, but ALL the dogs, basically, “who are watching” — for giving “comfort, joy and love” to their humans. That’s a guy who understands dogs. i’ve been trying to find a video or an actual quote of that moment, but no dice yet. I would have taken notes during the “moment” but Porche was working a crossword with my pen. She does that. 
And, of course, we recommend the 2000 film by Lord Haden-Guest, Best In Show, in which the writer/director/husband of Baroness Haden-Guest (Jamie Lynn Curtis), portrays Harland Pepper who shows his Bloodhound at the Mayflower Dog Show. The Bloodhound Hubert is portrayed by Ch. Quiet Creek’s Stand by Me. And Lord Haden-Guest uses his American name, Christopher Guest.
Back to television: Did you realize this Westminster show has been going on since 1877 and — get this — has been televised since 1948. I missed the first 7 or 8 years of the televised show because we didn’t have a TV. In those days, households could actually survive without a TV set. Honest.
Offer advice or objections by clicking on ‘comment’ below or by emailing dallrp@aol.com and put “SAVE ‘EM ALL” in the subject line. —-

ON A SUMMER DAY, DOGS, CATS, GASOLINE AND WESTMINSTER...

EDITION OF WEDNESDAY, JUNE 22, 2022 [PetPowellPress] In keeping up with the world, I’ll click onto Holiday Insights to see what’s what. June 22 is National Chocolate Eclair Day, National Onion Ring Day and World Rainforest Day. 
I’ve enjoyed two out of three. Almost never got the splinters out of my teeth.
Did you know “éclair” is French for “flash of lightning”? And an “Onion Ring” has yet to be developed for a cell phone. 
Personally, this could be your “I Adopted a Dog Day” —- that guy is “School,” according to the Dallas Animal Services website. He’s free. Ask about #A1141973. Now, you can’t see School in the shelter because he’s being fostered. Want some statistics? He’s 11, a Chihuahua and he weighs just 9 pounds. The report is he’s a “great listener” who wags his tail a lot and happily gives kisses. He also loves to sit with a human and watch a movie on TV.
Oh, wait! This could also be your “I Adopted a Cat Day.” We spotted this one for you — a 10-pound, 2-year-old beautifully-coated cat who is #A1139030 in the shelter and is named “Gypsy.” What’s that? Gender? Ah, “Unknown,” the cat’s “Additional Details” list reads on the shelter website. [LARRY ASIDE: Our experience with fostering felines is that in foster care the gender mystery is generally solved. Careful look, you know, to see whether, while dining out with you, the cat heads toward the Men’s room while mewing “That danged beer goes right through me.” Kidding. Cats are more sophisticated.]
One more idea: This could be your “I Adopted Two Female Guinea Pigs Day.” You see Oreo and Bolt here. They’re both 2 years old and weigh 2 pounds and this is the 22nd in ’22. There’s your sign to take action. 
See these and more adoptables by clicking on the DAS website HERE. 
SPCA’S JOB FAIR SATURDAY
AT MARY SPENCER CLINIC
The SPCA of Texas is looking for reliable employees and will host a job fair from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday at the organization’s Mary Spencer Spay/Neuter and Veterinary Care Clinic at 4830 Village Fair Drive. That’s at I-35E and Ledbetter, about 10 minutes south of downtown Dallas. 
What’s needed? “Employees for multiple open positions at multiple SPCA locations,” the SPCA news release says. You don’t need to make an appointment, but you should bring a resume and “be prepared for an interview the same day.” Too many applicants for Saturday’s event and the SPCA will schedule an interview at at later time. 

The SPCA’s news release says the organization “offers a wide array of employment benefits, including a comprehensive health insurance plan following 60 days of employment, including dental insurance, vision insurance and other coverage options; paid-time off for employees after six months of employment; discounts on veterinary care for the pets of employees; a discounted pet food program for employee pets; a free pet adoption for employees following six months of employment; life insurance; paid short-term and long-term disability; and a welcoming, tight-knit group of fellow animal-loving colleagues.” (See the complete news release HERE.)
[LARRY ASIDE: The SPCA has been enduring a “distemper pause” in adopting to cope with an outbreak. Ah, but there are still animals you can see online. Among them, the first photo is of Bella Boop (#41469767), a 6-years&8-months- old Dogue de Bordeaux Mix. (LARRY NOTE: That's the breed of Tom Hanks canine side kick Hooch in the 1989 film Turner & Hooch.) The 66-pound girl’s adoption fee is $25. And that guy Apollo (#41469749), with the sign, is nearly 5; we’ve been mentioning since he was nearly 4 and, even though he can pose upside-down, he’s had no takers. Astonishingly. He’s in foster care now and at this LINK you can see Apollo romping, but also see him watching TV and “owning” a bed by happy dog flopping.
See the SPCA pets HERE. And if you click HERE you’ll find the SPCA’s adoptable cats, including these 5.
Some are young, some are adult and that girl named “Kitty Cat” is 14-years, 2-months old and, clearly, a veteran feline who can live up to her description as a “sweet old lady.” Only weighs 6 pounds — Domestic Longhair Mix.]
THEY NEARLY HAD ME
AT ‘ADOPT BRONCO’
Of course, the beds, couches and recliners at readlarrypowell.com are already spoken for, so someone else will have to take advantage of Straydog Inc.’s “Dog Days of Summer” special and adopt Bronco for “50% Off Adoption Fees.” Usually Bronco’s adoption fee would be $175. 
The legendary East Texas critter sanctuary Straydog Inc. says Bronco is a “beautiful, energetic boy who loves attention.  He gets along well with other dogs and loves to go to the park and play ball.  Bronco was rescued by Straydog when one of our employees notified us that their neighbor had moved and left him behind.”
 That’s bad enough, but then there’s this. “His life was being threatened by other neighbors who wanted to shoot him,” his bio reads. “In spite of what he has been through, he is a sweet, loving boy who wants a family to love him.  We think Bronco is a perfect dog.  Come out to the shelter to meet our boy Bronco.”
He’s around 2 years old and has a “moderate energy level.” He weighs 700 pounds — I’m kidding. His weight isn’t listed, but he looks like a weight-appropriate loving family dog. Ask about directions and Bronco and his weight by emailing straydogshelter@gmail.com. And go to straydog.org to see more adoptable adorables if someone beats you to adopting Bronco.
‘NO GREY TURNED AWAY!’
BIG AUCTION CONTINUES
As you may know, we have no Greyhounds on the roster at readlarrypowell.com, but we do have Greyhounds in our hearts. Elegant dogs. Sometimes in a spot of trouble. And beloved by people who work hard to save them. 
Thus, we’re reminding our Dear Readers that the bidding is open in the 2022 “No Grey Turned Away” Auction. (I’ll give you the link in just a moment.)

“No Grey Turned Away?” Sometimes there’s a philosophy of “Not A Grey? Not Turned Away!” That’s the case of Nick and Nora, the pair of Oklahoma rescues that were initially thought to be Greyhound puppies — but, then, they began to grow and it’s clear they’re not, so GALT is taking care of them and looking for a home. There also is that guy
Benji, about 2 1/2-years-old and a fawn Staghound. GALT reports, “He was found in need of medical attention as a stray near Inola, Oklahoma. A good samaritan took him and got him the veterinarian care that he needed.” Why did he need veterinary care? His quote reads, “I got all my boo-boos fixed after getting roughed up by a coyote.” Not “cat tolerant,” GALT reports that he “has the cutest eyebrows” and that his “perfectly tousled locks are the envy of every surfer wannabe.”

But GALT does have many actual Greyhounds — we cite Memory, registered as “Dancin’ Memories.” She’s a 3-year-old and her dad was Dancin’ Dakota and her mom as Hi Noon Absolute. But Memory was not a racer. She does, however, have a dental disease that “requires daily teeth brushing and at least twice-a-year dental cleanings.”
Her bio reads that “Memory, affectionately called Emry or Em is sweet, good-natured, listens, and is intelligent! She’s a little shy at first, and her personality is blooming which is the most exciting and interesting part of owning a Greyhound! … She’s got a fine princess prance on a leash so she’ll make you proud and regal when you walk together.”

BACK TO THE AUCTION. The funds will go to help heal and maintain rescued animals — Greyhounds and their kin. You can see them at galtx.org. And you can see the NO GREY TURNED AWAY auction items at THIS LINK .
GALT says the auction “includes a greyt variety of art, accessories, jewelry, and gift card packages. And if you don’t need more things, you can also donate t o one of the featured fan clubs to help the hounds!”
 Bidding ends at 9 p.m. on Sunday June 26. 
That first "item" photo is of a Houndstooth Greyhound Handbag and oin Purse designed by Cathy Skinner of Oscars Creations. And the second is of a Hammered Pewter item titled “The Greyhound Goblet” — a limited edition piece of art by K. Dopita Studio of Annapolis, Md.
Remember, when a non-profit has a goal of saving ‘em all, it takes money and the kindest hearts.
CONTEMPLATIONS
WILD THOUGHTS
Oh, not so wild. Maybe. I’d sign a document to drive half the miles I drove last year if the gasoline providers would agree to drop price-per-gallon to what i was paying the year Martha lost her mind and married me. That gasoline price in 1991 was $1.14 a gallon which, according to dollartimes.com https://www.dollartimes.com/inflation/items/price-of-a-gallon-of-gas-in-1991 is $2.38 a gallon in 2022 dollars. Geez, my personal 2022 dollars aren’t faring that well. Do I have any American gripes that don’t involved a governmental body? I’ll have to get back to you on that. … 

It might have been the heat I walked out into yesterday, but the minute I stepped outside I was reminded of great days in my pre-teen years when I’d hop on my 26-inch J.C. Higgins bike and ride a couple of miles from our house to the Texarkana Public Library and check out books to read. Yeah, I’d sit at the reading tables for a while and enjoy the AC before I hopped back on the bike with books safely tucked in my Army surplus backpack and pedal home. I no longer own a bike. But I own a lot of books. Married into a bunch of ‘em, too. …

And darn that Covid — the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show was moved from February to June and the Best of Show broadcast is tonight — check your local listings. No idea how the Cocker Spaniels are doing, but if one doesn’t win this year, I’m demanding a recount. Wait. I don’t think I can do that. Relax. It’s just a joke. The cat made me type that. That’s my late pal Inky, the Cocker Laureate of the State of Texas and our staff impersonator, giving us his impression of what he’d look like racing to the Westminster Best of Show Cup filled with a vanilla milkshake from the Madison Square Garden Dairy Queen. Oh, wait, the show is in Tarrytown again! Can’t things just be normal?
—- Offer ideas or doubts by clicking on ‘comment’ below or by emailing dallrp@aol.com and put “DROP THE PRICES, RAISE THE WAGES, ‘60s RULE ROCK” in the subject line. —-

A DOG AT THE DOOR; ICE AND CHILLING; A STARVING GERMAN SHEPHERD AND AN A/C MEMORY WHEN GAS WAS 30-CENTS

EDITION OF TUESDAY, JUNE 21, 2022 [PetPowellPress] Is Monday the worst when it comes on a Tuesday? 
We’ve got a summer greeting and, from Houston, a dog left tied to a doorknob.
More later, but first there’s "Summer and Ice.”
So, summer arrived at 4:14 a.m. our time this morning and I slept right through the ‘Welcome to Texas” ceremony and parade by about 20 minutes. “Spring told us it gets really hot in Texas,” the spokesman for Summer 2022 told an impromptu media gathering. He added with a warm smirk, “We’ll see if Spring knows what ‘hot’ really is, won’t we.”

That is my year-round dog Porche Noel on her “Summertime Contemplation Rug” at 8 a.m. — she’s contemplating summer just as she contemplated spring, winter and autumn. “I’ll sleep on it,’ she says. Porche, based on what she describes as “common knowledge in the dog world,” believes air-conditioning was invented by Willis Carrier in 1902 because he was trying to make sure his dog Chilly was comfortable in the insufferable heat in Buffalo, N.Y. As this is being written, the temp is a searing 69 degrees in Buffalo. [LARRY ASIDE: We have no evidence the support the theory of an inspirational dog named Chilly.]
That dog sitting with the Texas summer tongue is not Chilly. Nope, that is a dog named Ice, #A1145670 at Dallas Animal Services. The written bio says Chilly is “male, but “additional details” list the pup as “female.” I could not tell from the photos, but the dog is listed as a 4-year-old, 61-pound Pittie. Here’s the LINK to Ice. The written bio says Ice likes “belly rubs.” That’s when you can determine for sure whether Ice is a boy or a girl. Easier to gender id than a cat, most of the time, maybe.
LOTS OF US COME HOME TO
A DOG WAITING AT THE DOOR, BUT…
Already some of you may be enchanted by the look of this dog. Darned cute, ain’t he! 
There’s more to him. We get it from our longtime Houston tipster Alexandra Kelsey for whom he was a “first.” He’s “Buddy Dog” and AK’s subject line on the email about him read , “DOOR-HANDLE DECOR: LAB MIX BOY TIED TO MY FRONT DOOR.”
Never had that happen before, she told me. And the bio of Buddy Dog reads, “This Lab mix boy is so sweet. It’s clear that he didn’t have the best life before he was tied to my front door last week, because he has a lot of calluses and his skin was irritated. 

 “But, he is a gem.  His personality is wonderful.  He is sweet, great with taking treats and food, not noisy or destructive, rides great in the car and he was fine with a very snarky large female dog (not my dog!).  And he loves people.

 “This boy had a vet visit Saturday, and he is heartworm negative!!  He was dewormed and vaccinated, and he had his ears packed to deal with a minor issue.  He’s on Cephalexin for his skin, and after a bath, his skin and coat already look much better.”

Here is the key part: “I like this dog very much, and I want him to have a great outcome.  If anyone has interest, please let me know! He is very sweet. I have to say, it was a first to come home to a dog tied to the door.”

To audition to give Buddy Dog the best possible home, email alexandra@dtlawyers.com.
THE FIRST DOG WE’VE SEEN
WITH THIS GREAT NAME…
Maybe you’ve heard of the early 1860s song by American songwriter Stephen Foster. Beautiful Dreamer. Here’s a dog who got that name courtesy of the sensitive folks who volunteer and work hard at the Mesquite Animal Shelter.
The subject line on the email from Mesquite volunteer dog biographer Debra Chisholm read, “RESCUE ONLY—BEAUTIFUL DREAMER, MESQUITE TX, ID 50474594.” 
The story reads, “This adorable skin-and-bones German Shepherd mix was brought to the Mesquite Animal Shelter on 6/18 as a stray.  We have named her Beautiful Dreamer.  She weighs 37 pounds, is 1-2 years old and is not spayed.  She does not have a microchip or ID tag.  She is badly emaciated and therefore is rescue only.  

“Though she is not technically available until 6/22, the shelter will allow her to leave with a rescue before then in order to get her to a place where she can be fed properly to put on some pounds and increase her weight to a healthy level.
“She walks very nicely on a leash, is somewhat timid and shy, is well-mannered, calm and gentle.  Beautiful Dreamer does not jump on you.  She seeks out and happily receives attention and allows herself to be interacted with willingly by staff and volunteers.  She has the softest and silkiest fur and the most gorgeous soulful brown eyes.  With the food deprivation she has experienced for who knows how long, she remains sweet-natured and friendly.”

Use her ID #50474594 when you call the sheltr at 972-216-6283 or email rescues@cityofmesquite.com. 
You can see more Mesquite dogs and cats by clicking HERE.
The shelter has many dogs and many cats. We picked one kitten of many, many kittens. This is #49954220, a little fella described as “cream and white who came in on April 12 and he’s just over two months old. He’s in the “Conference Room” at the shelter. Conferring, no doubt — or maybe conpurring.
CONTEMPLATIONS

WILL’S QUOTE, A SONG & A/C
I’m on the mailing list for a comedy site call Think & Laugh Daily. The Tuesday quote came from Washington Post columnist George Will: “The future has a way of arriving unannounced.” Might be true in some cases. Saw it coming in that Putin fellow — he telegraphed his punches, don’t you think? …
Here’s a couple of lines from Stephen Foster’s Beautiful Dreamer:
“Sounds of the rude world, heard in the day,
Lull'd by the moonlight have all passed away!”

He may have lived near a Dallas/Fort Worth freeway. …
Back to air-conditioning. I have read before that Willis Carrier invented air-conditioning in 1902. I grew up in a 2-bedroom, 1-bath, 2 adult, 3 boys, “wood frame home” that had no air-conditioning. (Through the years we had Frisky the Collie and Queenie the Border Collie and Pepper the Cat — they wanted air-conditioning, too.) 
My schools weren’t air-conditioned but my church was and, when I got a job at the Texarkana Gazette in 1965 I realized it was air-conditioned, too. So I spent a lot of summertime at church and at work. Then in 1968, I got a job as a sportswriter at The Shreveport Times and boxed my few belongings (packed it all in the backseat of a second-hand Ford Mustang) and motored down Highway 71 south to Shreveport. I was barely out of sight when the air-conditioning installation people rolled up at my childhood home and began to install a system that made my parents beam with pride. My little brothers finished out school doing their homework in “controlled climate comfort.” My parents deserved air-conditioning — invented in 1902 and arrived on our Hazel Street lot in 1968. Pop did buy an air-conditioned car in the mid-‘60s — 1957 Plymouth with push-button transmission. Yeah, everybody liked sitting in the car with the a/c on. Gasoline was only about 30 cents a gallon — doesn’t that make you miss the ‘60s! At least at the gas pump? Minimum wage in 1965 was $1.25 an hour — it worked out to even less if you were a kid reporter working extra hours just to enjoy the office air-conditioning. Ah, the good ol’ days. If you read this a/c memory, bless your heart and may you find a gas station featuring “throw-back prices-per-gallon.” That cat in the window? That is William Powell, my office cat, snoozing in the cool air at his window retreat Tuesday as this is being written. He lived outside for about 3 months, then decided he'd move in with the air-conditioned humans. He's been a happy cat ever since.
—- Offer ideas or blank spots by clicking on ‘comment’ below or by emailing dallrp@aol.com. —-