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. —-