A PEPPER UPDATE; CITING SOME OPPORTUNITIES; CONTEMPLATING THE WAY THINGS GO

EDITION OF MONDAY, SEPT. 26, 2022 {PetPowellPress] Pepper’s out of the Mesquite Animal Shelter. More on that monumental event in a moment. 

Here are some key Calendar notes: 
Checking on the calendar with Holiday Insights, I learned that Sept. 6 was Read a Book Day — anybody still working on that? The 26th is Johnny Appleseed Day — learn about that by reading a book. (That’s the cover of the 1949 Disney Golden Book, just fyi. Easy to read, I’ve heard.) 
And September 27 is “Crush A Can Day.” Yep, just crush an empty can. Ah, but the 28th is “Ask a Stupid Question Day.” I’ve celebrated that for years — and never restricted it to September 28. For example, here’s a stupid question on the 26th: “Will chocolate-chip cookies with an inch of vanilla ice cream pressed between them ruin my diet?” OK, let’s try to help some animals.
THE PEPPER SITUATION
GETS TO A HAPPY SPOT!
Last week we wrote about this guy Pepper, a long-time resident of the Mesquite Animal Shelter.
“Long-time” is an understatement.
As the weekend arrived, we got a celebratory note from our Mesquite tipster, the volunteer dog biographer Debra Chisholm.
 She wrote, “Pepper left today with his foster! We would love to give a shout out to Dallas Pets Alive for rescuing our sweet boy. 

“He was at the shelter for 337 days, the longest stay ever for a dog at the Mesquite Animal Shelter.
“He managed to stay sweet, patient and loving that entire time! Would love it if you could post this update in your next edition."
And we’re doing just that with this item. Debra added, “We couldn’t be happier for precious Pepper!!!! This is Pepper with his foster. We are certainly hoping for a foster fail!”
Yep, two fellows who are meant for each other -- time will quickly tell. Looks good so far.
[WE HAVE MORE MESQUITE ANIMALS IN A MOMENT]
A NOTE FROM OUT AT THE LAKE
ABOUT DUCHESS THE CAT
Pretty and regal simultaneously, isn’t she! 
The email we got from Sydney Busch of Friends of the Animals at Cedar Creek Lake had this headline “Duchess the cat ready for her new family!”
As you probably know, the Friends operate (so to speak) the World’s Most Successful Spay/Neuter Clinic at Gun Barrel City, Texas. 

The note about this glorious cat reads, “Duchess has been fixed and microchipped and is ready for her new home.”
The email contact is j_and_dwick@yahoo.com.
 Or, you can get in touch with Kaufman-based Furry Friendzy Animal Rescue and Wildlife Rehab by clicking HERE.  There’s a clickspot for the adoption application.
MEANWHILE BACK
AT MESQUITE’S SHELTER
Our pal Judi Brown, volunteer dog biographer at Mesquite Animal Services, sent us a couple of dog notes — one is about Shelby, the other about Tess.

Regarding Shelby, Judi writes, “If the shelter was passing out happy pills I would’ve thought Shelby had taken one. It’s a case for the tail wags the dog. She’s so happy to see you that her joy is infectious. She is a 1-!/2-year-old striking  tricolored Pittie that arrived at the Mesquite Shelter on 9/16 is a stray. She weighs 42 pounds. She is not spayed.

“I feel like if you could ask her what she wants more than anything, I think her answer would be to be loved. She didn’t even explore the yard as she stayed close wiggling all the time and looking up at me with adoring eyes. She would occasionally jump on me but immediately got down when told to do so. … She wants to please. She sits for treats and is highly motivated by them. This being the case she should be easily trainable. She is alert and curious. She chased balls and toys but didn’t seem to know what to do with them. She would just look at them and then come right back to me. When I sat down she came to me to have her ears scratched and gave me lots of kisses. Of course her tail was wagging the whole time!  … She would love to snuggle up with you on the couch at night. She even told me she’d watch the Cowboys games with you if you wanted.”

Shelby is #51133494 at the shelter — use that # when you call 972-216-6283 or email rescues@cityofmesquite.com. 
Same system for any animal in the Mesquite shelter, including this other acquaintance of Judi’s, a “bundle of joy” named Tess [#51150022].

Tess is a year-old, weighs 41 pounds and is a “brindle terrier mix” who was surrendered on Sept. 19 because of “her owner’s allergies.”
As Judi writes, “So, through no fault of her own she finds herself at the Mesquite Animal Shelter waiting for you. Her brindle coloring, her small stature and her standup ears make her adorable! Cute as she is, it was difficult to get pictures of her because when she got out in the yard she had a lot of nervous energy. Then, too, she stayed so close to me I was going around in circles trying to get pictures of her. She is definitely friendly, outgoing, sociable, happy and very loving. Her tail wagged constantly. She sits for treats and takes them gently. She was not interested in playing with toys and balls. She wanted to spend the whole time with me. … Because she is highly motivated by treats, and because she wants to please it should be easy to teach her not to [jump on a human in excitement]… Not only is she a cutie pie, she’s also really sweet.”
As you know, Mesquite has lots of dogs and cats available for adoption and rescue. You can see them at THIS LINK.

Among the cats is this nearly 6-months-old fellow Albert who we’ve featured before. Why is it important to to keep mentioning how to see the animals in the Mesquite Shelter?
The answer is in this paragraph Judi included in one of her dog biographies. It reads:

“Our shelter is overflowing now so if you cannot tag or adopt please network this cute girl. Also please send friends and family members to the Mesquite Animal Shelter to find a lifelong friend! Please tell friends, neighbors and relatives that we are bursting at the seams and have many loving companions waiting for them.”
CONTEMPLATIONS
ASSORTED MONDAY NOTES…..
Why does readlarrypowell.com usually close with some Contemplations? Because sometimes a person just grows weary of the sadness of dogs and cats waiting for rescue from a shelter, a yard, a situation, a challenge or criminal involvement. I have to find something else to think about and I don’t mean I spend time thinking about a way to turn off the “mayhem meter” ticking in the brain of any strong-arming Russian leader. Geezalou, that is such a disturbing situation. I stupidly thought that by 2000 mankind would have stopped dreaming up new excuses for going to war…
My girl Porche Noel can sometimes be found on her Dream Pad atop her Transcendental Rug of Contemplation and Anticipation — always expecting a treat. So, when I hit a rough spot in the process, I’ll turn and look at her. If she’s looking back at me, I know she either wants a treat or a song. And I’ll sing…I’m kidding. If I were to sing, she’d call her lawyer. …

The challenge of a daily website about dogs and cats is not that there are so many in a bad spot to write about, it’s that you worry that the message isn’t getting to enough people with great hearts and places to keep another dog or cat or dog and cat. Sometimes you have to be willing to proudly wear the label “ANIMAL NUT” in order to save the lives of deserving animals. And all animals deserve a human trying to help them live out a long and good life.
The kindness of humans is the only thing standing between this planet and the demise of decency and love for other good and decent souls — humans or animals. So, let’s put the nukes back in their rental storage units in Chernobyl and get busy loving one another in spite of tiny, insignificant political issues. Talk smart, don’t shoot. How’s that for an international bumper sticker?
—- Offer peaceful notions by clicking on ‘comment’ below or by emailing dallrp@aol.com and put HEY, ANIMAL NUT/PEACENIK! in the subject line. —-