EDITION OF WEDNESDAY/THURSDAY DEC. 28-29, 2022 [PetPowellPress] Pay no attention to my typing 
today. There’s no telling where my Covid-afflicted flingers, er, fingers, will take me.
What did we get for Christmas? A washing machine and Covid — no known connection. We’re on doctor-prescribed pills, making “rest” our lifestyle and enjoying parts of movies and TV shows because we nod off in the middle.
See that photo? Yes, that is one benefit to being in a chair and not typing. That is our wonderful boy Dudley the Angel who, as I was coughing, got up from his bed and came over to put his head on the arm of my chair. He’s a wonderful fellow.
RILEY, CHARLEY & KAI —
THREE DOGS IN NEED
Wouldn’t it be some kind of great if these three dogs had a home in which to welcome the new year -- for many years to come?
Here are their stories, courtesy of 4-Legged Helpers, the non-profit that focuses on tough-luck dogs and cats in small shelters or rough situations in life. To ask about any of these dogs, call or text 221-949-2726 or email cat_girl_71@yahoo.com.
This earhound — posing in both the up an down positions— is Riley, also known as Duke. He’s in the Wilmer Animal Shelter on the southern edge of Dallas. A Border Collie/Lab mix, the’s been “at the shelter for several weeks,” The Helpers report, and The Helpers add, “This is the worst shelter we as rescuers have ever seen and that is 
the honest truth. It looks like an old rusted metal shed. This sweetie pie deserves SO MUCH better. Please, please. No one adopts from this place because it is typically not open to the public. Note that they are trying now to post dogs on a Facebook page called Wilmer Animal Services AND THE GOOD NEWS IS, now doing adoptions. Please, please. Won't you help save him? He is available to rescue. He is running out of time. HELP!!! They have already waived adoption fees about a week ago and he is available immediately to rescue. HELP DESPERATELY NEEDED! Please help save him. PLEASE. Help save his life.”
Charley is a Lab/Boxer or “possibly Black Mouth Cur Mix”. And, the bio reads, 
“This is such a great boy! He truly loves ALL other dogs and is very, very, sweet. He was found out and about in Hutchins and is headed to the shelter [in Ferris] soon if no one can be found …Please help!! This guy is such a sweetie. He just adores everyone and everything. Check out those big beautiful chocolate brown eyes. Please, help save him!!!!! Please? He is so deserving!”
Kai, who has a $175 donation waiting for the 501c3 rescue that takes him, is in Irving. He’s the fellow who was happily living with Great Dane Mai and their human when, almost a year ago, the human died. Mai has been adopted. Sweet Kai is waiting for that home that’ll love him. He’s an adult bulldog mix.
His 4-Legged Helpers bio reads, “This is the most amazingly sweet, cute, funny, lovable guy you can imagine. He is just adorable. Please, won't you help save him? … He loves and we mean loves other dogs, kids, all people. …This guy is an absolute love! Did we mention housetrained, too? Very well behaved boy. Look at that adorable face smiling with the little teethies!”
Again, to read 4-Legged Helpers call or text 221-949-2726 or email cat_girl_71@yahoo.com,
SO, THERE’S AN EX-DAS FOSTER DOG
NAMED REX WAITING FOR A HOME
We got the tip on this handsome guy Rex from Tami Kukla, the animal advocate.
Rex was “originally a Dallas Animal Services foster…” and now he’s in the care of the Dallas-area rescue group Paws of Love Animal Rescue.
Handsome fellow — 90-pound adult Shepherd mix. He’s been in foster care for six months. At the same adoring foster home.
But, now, the note we got from Tami reports, “Yes, he has an AMAZING foster home. Truly AMAZING. It just still isn't a forever home which he 
deserves and his foster wants for him. We are going to make Wisdom Wednesday his day. Can you help make that possible? Rex truly checks all the boxes...happy, sweet, smart, cuddly, goofy, easy going, loves to smell the roses, and a true BFF. Join our challenge to get Rex Adopted today.” [LARRY FYI: If he makes it through Wednesday without being adopted, he’s still going to be available. After all, any day you can give a loving home to Rex will be a Day of Wisdom for a 
good-hearted human.]
Here’s the link to the Facebook Rex post.
You can link to Rex via the Paws of Love Rescue page HERE.
And on the Petfinder link HEREyou can read the rest of Rex’s story. It begins, “Rex is a 2 year old Shepherd mix. He was tagged for foster on the day of his shelter deadline and he is continually showing his gratefulness to be out of the shelter. He is extremely human focused and very affectionate, I mean all of the kisses and hugs a big dog can give!”
ALRIGHT, LET’S PUT THE FOCUS
ON THE CRITTERS IN MESQUITE
One of the reasons I like to present the Mesquite Animal Shelter appeals is the are so personal — the people send us the bios have taken the time to get to know thee dogs that are awaiting adoption or rescue or whatever is next. Generally, those dog-loving folks are two of Mesquites Volunteer Dog-writers, Debra Chisholm and Judi Brown. This is when you put your heart into an animals future.
Here’s a paragraph that demonstrates the pressure: “We are critically overfull, housing dogs in creative ways in order to make room but these kenneling situations are subpar. There are so many wonderful dogs (and cats) at the shelter who would make such wonderful pets.”
Q-TIP, THE STORY, is our first pup — [LARRY NOTE: Why the first? Because he’s 12 and I’ve lived with 
12-year-old dogs and there’s a lot of love and life left in them.]
But Judi has actually met and worked with Q-Tip [#51757861]. Here’s her report: “Q-Tip needs you and you need him if you’ve got a laid-back household and are looking for someone to snuggle with. He needs a hero! Q-Tip is a 12-year-old white with some brown Chiweenie mix that arrived at the Mesquite Animal Shelter on 12/23 as a stray. He's a little bit of a guy that could go anywhere with you as he only weighs 8 pounds. He is not fixed. He is blind in his left eye but has some vision in his right eye. He is a real 
sweetheart that loves to snuggle and settle on your lap. But he also is feisty and has quite a bit of energy for an old guy! When on the ground he chooses to explore. If he’s on a concrete surface he walks quite well. When he’s on ground that is uneven he tends to wobble. He doesn’t seem to know the sit command but takes treats gently. … My guess is that he is housebroken. He walks fairly well on a leash but tends to be cautious. That is probably due to the loss of vision in his left eye. He didn’t have any reaction when meeting other dogs. He is friendly, affectionate, sweet, gentle, calm, and a real snuggle bug!”
To ask about Q-Tip or any of these animals, use their ID numbers when you call the shelter at 972-221-6283 or email rescues@cityofmesquite.com.
Debra’s bio of Ozzie (#51708572) says he’s a 71-pound, 2-year-old, neutered 
American Bulldog who came in on December 14. “Other than being somewhat overweight, he seems to have been well cared for. He is fearful and nervous in the shelter. Ozzie needs some TLC and patience and time spent helping him to overcome his lack of trust and confidence. He does nicely on a leash and showed no reaction 
toward the dogs who were barking at him when he was walked through the hallways. He knows the sit command. He wasn't interested in treats, toys or balls. He warmed up to a male staff member and was happy to stand alongside him to receive loving attention. This handsome fellow needs out of the shelter and into a loving and warm home that is structured and quiet.”
KIWI, with the fantastic coloring is a 2-year-old, 45-pound, spayed stray who came in on December 17. She is #51724615 
at the shelter. Use that ID when you call the shelter at 972-216-6283 or email rescues@ cityofmesquite.com.
Debra’s bio of Kiwi says the “terrier mix” is a “tail-wagging sweetheart who has a moderate activity level and will jump on you in her excitement. Of course, the jumping issue will need to be addressed. She was mildly interested in treats. Kiwi chased the balls I threw but did not bring them back to me. She does know the sit command. She is friendly and tried climbing on my lap in order to give me some kisses. She was happy to receive pets and hugs from me.
Lena’s face? “Look into those eyes. Don’t you think she’s pleading with you to take her home with you?” begins Judi’s bio of Lena [#51753520], the 6-month-old, 35-pound “blue and white terrier pit that came to Mesquite Animal Shelter on 12/22 as a stray. She is not spayed. She is cautiously friendly and at first kept her ears peeled back. With time, TLC and some treats for bribes she decided I was OK. At this point she put her feet on my lap and washed my face with kisses. She wasn’t interested balls or toys. She didn’t appear to know the sit command but wanted to do what I was asking of her. That shows that she wants to please and would be easy to train. … She walks OK on a leash and appears to like to go to for walks. She is alert, cautiously friendly, sweet, affectionate, and very gentle. She would most likely do well with a young family with children. She could grow up with your children. She would like nothing better than to be adopted into a loving home that will let her snuggle up with you on a pile of blankets at your feet.”
ALL ABOUT EVE? Judi writes, “Give Eve [51747874] some TLC and she will be your best friend forever! Eve is a one year old, 39-pound brindle terrier pit that arrived at the Mesquite Animal Shelter on 12/21 as a stray. She is not spayed. She’s got a sweet face that immediately gives you a clue to her personality. She’s got cute fold-over ears. When I first met her she was somewhat cautious and had her tail tucked. But it took about five minutes for her to decide that I was someone she wanted to hang out with. Then she stayed real close. She seemed to really like going for a walk, but she would get tangled under my feet. … She occasionally jumps on you but she does so gently wanting to give you a loving hug. … She chases balls and most of the time brings them back. … She’s a good girl that would do well with a young family. She could grow up with your young children! Please come meet her. We are more than overcrowded so if you can not tag or adopt please network her. She wants to be an integral part of a loving family.”
That brings us to Zeke [#51694613]. Judi began the bio with “How could you not love this face? Zeke is a one year old, 85 pound Mastiff mix that arrived at the Mesquite Animal Shelter on 12/13 as a stray. He is not fixed. The story I am told is that he was found behind the church next to a dumpster in a crate and had been for days. And don’t ask me why someone hadn’t done something if he’d been there for days. I didn’t get an answer to that question. I do know that the result is that he’s very standoffish and not trusting. He did take treats from me when he was in his kennel. However once 
I got him out into the yard all he wanted to do was to run and gallop back-and-forth. I’m sure he had a lot of energy to expend. But it was also obvious that he was very nervous as he was drooling. When I called him he would run to me but then quickly ran away. He kept checking the perimeter of the shelter yard. It didn’t appear that he was trying to escape. The sad thing is I really think he was looking for his owners. Yes, the ones that dumped him! He had a strong pull on a leash understandable, considering his size. …. He’s a work in progress but I wanted to get this beautiful boy out there. If anyone wants to come and work with him that would be a real blessing.”
AGAIN, TO ASK ABOUT any of these animals, use their ID numbers when you call the shelter at 
972-216-6283 or email rescues@cityof mesquite.com.
See more Mesquite Animals by clicking on the SHELTER LINK HERE.
Among the many cats and kittens in the facility is this guy, a smallish Domestic Shorthair mix named Egg (if I’ve interpreted the label atop his photo correctly). Egg is an 8 1/2 months old fellow. He’s #51684395 and I have no idea how he came to be a Barn Cat, but I suspect it’s a personality situation. Like he might just be a little bit not quite domesticated. He’s certainly got a character actor look on his face. He came into the shelter on Dec. 11 and he’s currently in the shelter’s Conference Room. …
CONTEMPLATIONS
Assorted musings
Covid is not worth the effort. I know it’s really tough on some people — so far it has been really annoying to me and that makes me regard it as a curse of a disease. Healing appears to be coming for the both of us at readlarrypowell.com's Texas newsroom. Our docs quickly got us the healing pills and we've kept good attitudes handy. … My brain is so baffled by today’s covic unfocussed mind challenges that I haven’t read the morning papers yet and it’s mid-afternoon. Never happens. … My brain has hit the end of the road for today. How can I tell? I’m listening to light-rock songs from the ‘70s. I know better than that — someone’s gonna revoke my “I lived through the ‘60s card.”
Talk about being shamed....
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