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ANIMALS PUT AT RISK BY HUMAN BEHAVIOR; LONGSHOT AND HIS RED COLLAR ANGELS

EDITION OF FRIDAY, DEC. 2, 2022 [PetPowellPress] Here we go with a variety pack of tales of good people rising above bad actions to save animals.

DUMPED IN A CRATE;
WAITS IN SMALL SHELTER
The ways animals can wind up in a city shelter must be uncountable —- that a word?
We learned of this guy Jack from the folks at 4-Legged Helpers. He’s in the Ferris Animal Shelter on the southern side of Dallas. How’d the Lab/Hound mix get into that small facility?

Jack’s report reads, “This super sweet approximately 10-month-old boy was found in Hutchins. Dumped in a crate in the cold inside the gate of a wildlife sanctuary!!!! Poor sweet baby!”
[LARRY ASIDE: Before we jump to conclusions about the human who dumped Jack like that, it is possible that the alternative was setting him free next to a highway or on a grocery store parking lot. Giving this human the benefit of the doubt, perhaps the “dumper” decided a place called “wildlife sanctuary” might better Jack’s odds of living through the experience.]

The bio also reads, “He is friendly and lovable. So incredibly deserving. Seems to really like other dogs too.  Please, help save him.” 
To help Jack, contact 4-Legged Helpers by calling 214-949-2726 or emailing cat_girl_71@yahoo.com. Follow the 4-Legged Helpers on Facebook HERE. Many more animals are on the Helpers’ list of animals who “need a way into a good home or rescue group and out of a tiny shelter.”
MEANWHILE, LOLA AND
PEACHES IN MESQUITE
[LARRY OUTBURST: I swear, more strays in Mesquite! I’m betting that’s indicative of human behavior in other cities in this Metrosprawl, too, even the city that named it's airport and a freeway "Love." Anybody want to dispute that? Email me at dallrp@aol.com. FYI, I live with former Dallas strays.]
These two reports came to us from our pal Judi Brown, one of our great sources (Debra Chisholm is our other dog-writing volunteer contact) at the Mesquite Animal Shelter. (Bless those volunteers and staffers for hustling to protect animals.)
This girl is Lola who, Judi writes, “is very striking with her blue eyes, fluffy tail, and statuesque physique! She is a 3-year-old, 31-pound Siberian Husky that came to Mesquite Animal Shelter on 11/23 as a stray. A staff member that brought her to me told me, ‘She’s a good girl!’ And indeed she is!  She is gentle, calm, and well mannered. She doesn’t try to jump on you. When I tried to get her to sit she didn’t understand what I wanted her to do but you could tell that she wanted to please. And she did take the treat that I offered gently. She’s also friendly, sweet, and very loving. She stayed close to me most the time. She was alert and did explore the yard. She chased balls but soon lost interest. She did not retrieve them. She walked well on a leash. She didn’t appear to be interested in most of the dogs. She did sniff one or two of them and barked at one. I feel like it was a friendly bark. However, we always suggest if you have another dog that you ask the shelter to do a dog test. She knows what she wants and doesn’t mind telling you! She can be vocal. At the very end of my time with her she started to be more playful and tried to entice me into a chase game. She’s a delightful, easy-going girl that would make a wonderful pet for a family. …As with all Huskies, a tall secure fence is necessary as they tend to be escape artists.”

Lola is #51588077 and that’s the ID number you should use when you contact the shelter at 972-216-6283 or email rescues@cityofmesquite.com to ask about her. Same system for Peaches and for this upcoming kitten, too. Read on:
Peaches (#51589489), Judi writes, “is a handsome girl with beautiful markings! She is a one-year-old, 47-pound Brittany/Welsh Corgi/Australian Shepherd mix that arrived at the Mesquite Animal Shelter on 11/24. She was dropped off by the police. She is not spayed. Besides being a very attractive dog with hazel eyes and beautiful markings, she’s got a fun-loving personality.”
While she was being photographed, Judi says Peaches “seemed to be smiling. I imagine that is because she really is a happy girl that feels the world is her oyster. One characteristic of the Brittany breed is that they are known to love people and this certainly is true with Peaches.  She’s lively, energetic, agile, and curious. She explored the entire shelter yard. She didn’t appear to know the sit command but in attempting to get the treat I was offering, she continued to leap up to the point of flipping over. She is highly motivated by treats and takes them gently. She occasionally jumps on you when she gets over excited. She could use some manners training … However you can’t help but smile at her enthusiasm. It is contagious!”
 Again use her ID #51589489) when you contact the shelter.
And, as Judi added in the bio, “Our shelter is overcrowded, so if you cannot adopt or tag, please network Peaches.”

And, of course, when you click on this link to adorable adoptables at Mesquite you’ll see many dogs and cats of assorted ages and colors and breeds. And we spotted a cat with a seasonal name and it is quite possible that he needs to be out of the shelter an into a certain home quite soon. This is #5156666, also known as Kringle. He’s said to be a small, 3-month-old gray Domestic Shorthair mix. He came in on Nov. 26 — two day after his appearance in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade (unless my theory is way off base). Anyway, he’s in the shelter’s nursery until someone takes him in and gives him a right jolly ol’ home.
CONTEMPLATIONS
A LONG NOTE ABOUT A LONGSHOT
Every now and then it’s good to contemplate the successes in animal rescue. Might just be inspirational no matter where you live. Thanks to Red Collar Rescue in Houston we can see that a dog named Longshot is just one happy step away from a — dare we call it? — “a happy ending.” (FYI: That's a photo of the boy sleeping after his scalp was stitched back on -- one of many medical procedures that saved his life.) I discovered his story as I was reading Red Collar’s widely distributed thank-you note to supporters who’d contributed “$15,000 to help with urgent critical cases” on Giving Tuesday. 
If there ever was an “urgent critical case” it was this guy Longshot eight months ago. What was the challenge — how about “were the challenges”? He’d been hit and dragged by a car, was the theory. And the initial report about getting help for him read, “Longshot is in critical care, his life hanging by a thread.”
 The story includes this: “Someone wrapped his bloody, injured body in tape and dumped him in front of a boarding kennel. Red Collar Rescue received a frantic call for help! We picked him up, and after seeing the severity of his injuries, headed straight to the ER at Texas A&M Small Animal Hospital.”

He may have been suffering without care for a week when Red Collar got the call. (Keep up with Red Collar at its website HERE or on Facebook HERE.

When the tape was removed by the Docs and Staff, Red Collar reported, “No one was prepared for what lay beneath! His head is literally ‘scalped’ down to his skull. His front 2 legs have large areas of skin and tissue ripped from the bone, and the remaining areas are gangrened requiring total debridement from shoulder to foot. Even worse, the tendons on both of his front wrists are severed, making it impossible for him to stand or walk.”

Why try to help this year-old, 15-pound “puppy” get through all this suffering?
There was this note from Red Collar: “Despite his condition, the look in his eyes tells us he is not ready to give up! He literally melts your heart! We want to give him a chance, but we need your help!”
 People helped. He became a dog with a team of all sorts of angels looking after him. And in a note distributed to supporters of Longshot and other animals on Thursday, Red Collar Rescue’s appreciation read, “After 8 long months, Longshot is finally healed and ready to be a normal pup! Scalped head, degloved and gangrened legs, severed wrists, and more, are a thing of the past! Longshot's will to live and YOUR support made this a happy ending!”
That’s something to contemplate but so is THIS VIDEO. CLICK HERE.
Contemplate Longshot’s lively play with that toy. And don’t forget to contemplate the saving nature of animal rescuers and, of course, the skillful mission of the veterinary personnel who helped Longshot be able to romp and have a good time with a toy. All that is worth the contemplation of the people who donated to help. There are, as we noted, many angels helping save this dog and others and cats and many other animals in need. The world has good people doing good things. Don’t forget that. Watch Longshot’s video again for confirmation.
—- Offer gratitude for heroes clicking on ‘comment’ below or emailing dallrp@aol.com and put “THANKS TO THE RESCUERS” in the subject line. Maybe donate to your favorite animal organization. —-

QUICK RESPONSES NEEDED FOR DOGS IN LONGVIEW, DOGS IN THE METROSPRAWL

EXTRA EDITION OF THURSDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2022 [PetPowellPress]

[HERE'S A NOON HOUR UPDATE: Kim Brooks of the Longview Animal Care & Adoption Center reports that a rescue has tagged Delores and the Pups.... Read on to see how Delores may have become a "mom." And there are other animals -- mommies and pups, too -- waiting in Longview....]

We’ve got a “Momma dog” — there’s a story behind that — and four puppies who came in a box, plus more animals, all at risk in Longview in East Texas. 
And right here in the Metrosprawl, we’ve got a case of an “emergency need” for volunteers who are ready to save lives with key work for a rescue. 
DELORES AND THE BABIES
AND THEIR QUICK NEEDS! 

We’re starting with the Delores and her 4-week-old puppies.
The “emergency alert” note on this little family came to us via our pal, the legendary foster mom Patty Sprong. It came originally from Kimberly Brooks, the veteran Foster/ Rescue Coordinator for the Longview Animal Care and Adoption Center in Longview, about a 2 1/2 hour drive east (at legal speeds) on I-20.
The shelter hopes to get these dogs helped by 3 p.m. today when they come off “hold.” And the description provided by Kimberly read “Delores is the sweetest girl and is a great GREAT mama! She is 2.5 years old and weighs 48 pounds. She is so good and patient with the babies. … Due to eye discharge and no way to keep this family isolated from the other dogs, they need out of the shelter … as soon as they are off hold at 3 p.m.”
This morning we checked with Kimberly —- I’m always hopeful that someone has rescued animals before I can write about them. But Kimberly’s note read, “No tag yet, but I am hopeful! This is the sweetest little family!  Delores is so sweet and is a great mama to the babies!  The puppies were found in a box in someone's front yard.  They said that Delores walked up and started pawing at the box and then was licking on the babies.  The babies don't look anything like her, but she says they are hers, so we believe her. 
This has been puppy week for sure!  Besides Delores and her 4 babies, we had a litter of 4  Akita-x puppies and a single white Terrier-x puppy all brought in Tuesday afternoon.   Thank you for networking them and I hope we will find a rescue for them quickly.”
Here’s the contact info: Call Kimberly at the shelter at 903-297-7387 or at her desk 903-291-5255. Email kbrooks@longviewtexas.gov. [LARRY ASIDE: And bless that mama dog Delores. May she find a home that loves her forever! Like her pups will do.]
IMMEDIATE NEED AT SFCA
TO HELP SAVE SOME DOGS
We’ve been writing about Tawana Couch and the Society for Companion Animals and the rescue efforts for years and years. And today the appeal is for volunteers.
Tawana sent out an appeal that reads, “Dogs are in an emergency state and will not be rescued unless we get volunteers and find a boarding place that will give us a discount TODAY.”
She asked that this note be passed “on to your family and friends — it is an emergency.” Tawana organized the needs in a list:
“
1. If you know of a boarding place that will give a rescue discount please email me we need this ASAP, Please call the place and confirm so when i call them they know dates needed tomorrow through Dec 15. Let me know their rates for boarding all sizes of dogs for rescue.” Her email is tawanacouch@me.com. 
“2. We must get volunteers for taking dogs to vet on Dec 9 and Dec 12. Pick up dogs at Boykin Kennel at 9:45 take to vet for 10:45 appt and return dogs to Boykin Kennel about 2 hr volunteer time. WE MUST BOOK THIS TODAY. Call Carol at Boykin Kennel to volunteer 214-330-1500.

“3. Need dogs picked up at a boarding place December 15 to take to Boykin Kennel. Place will be determined Let me know email me so I can set you up.
“4. Unloading and loading dogs- Saturday December 10 afternoon around 2-3 p.m.
Unload dozen dogs coming from the Rio Grande Valley at Boykin Kennel. Loading dogs December 14 and 15 afternoon around 3 p.m. Call Carol at 214-330-1500 to volunteer."
She closes with:  
“WE MUST GET VOLUNTEERS OR WE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO CANCEL SOME DOGS THAT MUST GET SAVED. THEIR FATE IS IN OUR HANDS PLEASE HELP.”
Again, email tawanacouch@me.com.
CONTEMPLATIONS

THE WORK IT TAKES
Saving animals isn’t always just picking up a stray off the street or your front porch and adopting it. Sometimes you help a dog or cat you’ll only see for a handful of minutes before you can place it with a rescue group near you or in a neighboring city, or, in the case of the Society for Companion Animals, somewhere on the East Coast or another geographic area where Texas animals are beloved. …
Kimberly Brooks at the Longview shelter has been working for years to help get animals out and safe. Doing that sort of stuff hands-on at a city shelter takes a certain kind of loving, fully-realized heart of gold. Bless the shelter workers and keep them beneficially enthusiastic in tough times.
Now, why are animals roaming or listed as “stray” in shelters? There’s a breakdown of the human heart-to-brain system — people stop paying attention to how they once loved their dogs and cats. Ol’ Fido can just wander off without apparent notice. And somehow Kitty, who loves to sleep on the couch, goes out at night and never comes back in the land of free-roaming coyotes, bobcats, jerks with weapons and cars. These are not animal failings. These are human failings. They really tick me off and I cleaned up the language because I’m a gentleman. I am sick of seeing stupid and don’t care/so what people putting animals at risk. And, for crying out loud, spay and neuter. I’m talking dogs and cats. Maybe. (I hope you smiled at that “maybe.”) I wish nothing ill on anyone — though I do still daydream about mass-marketing the 2022 readlarrypowell.com Two-by-Four of Enlightenment.
— Offer smart tips by clicking on ‘comment’ below or by emailing dallrp@aol.com —-