FOR MID-WEEK, A MONTH OR MORE OF OPPORTUNIES AND CONTEMPLATIN'

EDITION OF WEDNESDAY PM/THURSDAY SEPT. 28-29, 2022 [PetPowellPress] I looked out our kitchen window about 9:30 a.m. Wednesday and there was a dragonfly, illuminated by the morning sun, circling and darting about in the airspace between the previous owner’s Bald Cypress tree and the mailbox. No idea who’d send U.S. mail to a dragonfly at our address probably a catalog he’s awaiting. Also, I thought dragonflies were all hip to computer communication — who can fly like that these days without a chip in their system? No. I did not get a photo of the Anisopteran creature. Too quick the bug; too slow the goofball with a keyboard. While I do not have a photo of the dragonfly, I was discussing this later with my private feline confidant Stevie Ray, who I plucked from a flimsy mimosa branch when he was about 5 weeks old. As I spoke on the joy of watching a dragonfly, Stevie Ray said, “Watch this. I can leap and land and nod off with all the skill of a dragonfly lighting on a lilypad in a farm pond. Wake me Oh, and remind the Dear Readers to send bios and photos of their slumbering critters to dallrp@aol.com so you’ll stop whining about using Porche’s photo too often in Let Sleeping Dogs Lie & Napping Cats Nap.” He’s a such a smart fellow. Oh, yes,. that’s Porche.
OK, here we go with today’s report — Thanks to hardworking volunteers with big hearts, we’ll look into shelters and into rescue projects.
A QUICK LOOK
IN DALLAS’ SHELTER
One of the most overly-populated animal shelters in the known universe, Dallas Animal Services and Adoption Center is constantly in need of fosters and adopters. Why? To keep from having to use the needle on so many animals betrayed by humans.
 For example, this cat is Luna (A1140588), currently in foster carr. She’s a 6-pound, year-old Domestic Short Hair with a face made for photography. To ask about her, call the shelter at 214-670-6800 or email dasadopt@dallascityhall.com. 
The shelter is at Westmoreland and I-30 on the western side of downtown Dallas. 
No adoption fee for Luna. 

And that brings us to Hula (#A1154608) —- this 8-month-old, 25-pound spayed pup needs a foster home. Her bio reads that she came into DAS as a “stray with crusty scabs and hair loss.”
DAS reports that a medical exam revealed that Hula has Demodex mange (“responding to treatment); “has an oblique fracture of the left femur” and needs “Crate rest 6 weeks; leash walks only. re-Radiograph in 5-6 weeks to assess healing.”
Why a foster home? Her bio reads, “Hula is taking longer to recover than expected and could really use a place to recover and get better. She loves being petted and is so cute .”
See more DAS animals on Facebook HERE and on BeDallas90.org which is also where you can apply to be the foster that babies Hula back to full and happy health.
MEANWHILE, IN SHELTERS
THAT QUALIFY AS ‘SMALL’
Yeah, they’re small, alright. But the population is always on the rise in the small, virtually unnoticed shelters on the outskirts of big ol’ Dallas. Those shelters and their animals are also the focus of 4-Legged Helpers.
We’ve mentioned Luna and Copper and Patch and Piper before, thanks to the hard work of Laura Macias and the Helpers.

The bio of Ace reads, “This sweetheart was found as a stray. The couple that found him liked him so much that they came back to play with him. They had brought him to the shelter in hopes his owner would reclaim him, but their hearts are breaking that such a sweet loving pup has no one desperately looking for him. Our hearts are breaking, too. Just look into those soulful eyes. Who will say yes to this boy…? 
And Fancy is Boston Terrier mix who is under a year old. Why is Fancy in the shelter? Her bio reads, “Fancy's owners simply didn't want her anymore, so they loaded her up in the car and brought her to the shelter. No one will ever know the exact reasons why they gave her up. She tried to be the best little dog she could be, but it just somehow wasn't enough. Now she is sitting at the shelter alone, so scared, and wondering how her life took this tragic turn. We know that someone out there will think she's enough. Cute enough, sweet enough, good enough. She will make someone the perfect companion someday. We will learn and share more about her as she settles in, realizes she's safe, and begins to reveal her personality. More to come about this cutie.”
To ask about helping the 4-Legged Helpers with these animals, call or text 214-949-2726 or email cat_girl_71@yahoo.com. And the 4-LEGGED HELPERS INC. Facebook LINK TO MORE PHOTOS AND ADORABLE ADOPTABLES IS HERE.

MEANWHILE IN MESQUITE
THERE ARE THESE ADORABLES
Readlarrypowell.com is so fortunate to have two great Mesquite Animal Shelter volunteer contacts, the dog biographers Judi Brown and Debra Chisholm. That’s how we learn of the many, many animals waiting for adoption at the shelter. 

We picked this one to lead the item with because of (1) the opening sentence and (2) our all-grown-up granddaughter’s name. Judi opened the bio with, “Another name for Hannah could be Sugar as she’s that sweet!” [LARRY ASIDE: Our Hannah is also a sweetie — with a wicket sense of humor. Some say she got it from her father, Bart. No idea where he got it, of course.]
 Back to Hannah the Adorable Adoptable: Judi writes, “As soon as you meet her you know that she is very special. She is a 2-year-old, 40-pound brown and white Pittie that arrived at the Mesquite Animal Shelter on 9/21 as a stray. She is not spayed. She’s so calm and gentle you could take her fishing with you and she wouldn’t disturb the fish. She’s friendly, cheerful, loving, well mannered, obedient, and a people pleaser. She doesn’t know the sit command but you can tell by the way she looks at you that she wants to do whatever you’re asking her to do. … She is a diamond in the rough. I see her as a real cuddlebug as she’s such a sweetheart!”
Hannah is #51164482 at the shelter — as is the system for all animal inquiries, use the ID number to help when you call the shelter at 972-216-6283 or email rescues@cityofmesquite.com.
The dog on the left is Pearl and her sibling is Phoebe, the pup with whom she’s bonded. They came in on the 21st as strays with their mom (already adopted). Phoebe is #51168206; Pearl is #51168191. Phoebe is described by Debra as a “little live wire” who is, according to the Dog Scanner app, a pup with Terrier and Boxer “in the mix.” Phoebe is about a year-old, not spayed and weighs 28 pounds. 
Debra describes Pearl as a 2-year-old, 36-pound “adorable chunky little girl.” These pups have a lot of fun playing together and, Debra writes, “would certainly keep an adopter entertained.” 
Both are friendly, tail-wagging charmers. 
The report from the volunteer biographers included reports on Blue Heeler Shiloh (#511153018), Lab-mix Honey (#49985966, Boxer-mix Buster (#52276680) and Gulliver (#52276664), a Malinois mix. 
You can read their biographies by going to the Mesquite Animals-in-the-Shelter LINK HERE.
And at that site, you can also see lots other dogs and cats available for adoption including Aspen (we needed an autumn-sounding name) who is #50970230. She’s a year old, medium-sized cat who came into the shelter on Aug. 24 and is waiting for the right human in — where else — the Cat Room.
CONTEMPLATIONS
IS THERE A THOUGHT TODAY?
Have you adjusted to waking up chilly yet? Yes, there has been a big difference in the morning temps in North Texas. Rather have a gentle temp drop than a blizzard. Didn’t have to do a lot of thinkin’ to come up with that sentence. …
Best summer vacation I ever had as a kid? Easy. Railroad passenger train ride to El Paso from Texarkana (you loaded through a passenger car door in Arkansas and walked to your seat in Texas. The once-glamorous and well-protected Union Station was built so that the state line runs right through it. Nowadays nothing runs through it. Maybe some freight trains, Amtrak now and then and, perhaps, a vagrant trying to hoof it from one state to the other to avoid prosecution for dawdling. (Not sure dawdling is still a crime in either state.) …
We need a good song for this particular day. Here’s something from the Liverpudlian fellows from the 20th Century — in honor of a particular fan of dogs and cats I happen to know.
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