DOGS AND CATS WAITING IN SHELTERS AND A SNAKE WAITS FOR THE LIGHT TO CHANGE...

EDITION OF WEDNESDAY/THURSDAY JAN. 11/12, 2023 [PetPowellPress] Let’s see what’s in the ol’ mailbox today. Hang on. If you’ve got a heart — and I’m not saying there are people in the Metrosprawl who don’t have one … but — anyway, if you’ve got a heart, you’ll want to give it to a senior Rottie dog named Brewsky in Mesquite. Keep reading. 

Also, I do have a snake story in Contemplations. Yep. Not made up. 
That photo? The felines are veteran Office Cat William Powell (near) and Office Cat Apprentice Stevie Ray on the look-out in my office window for the Wednesday trash truck. If it were not for meals and treats, the trash truck’s rumbling arrival would be the high point of their day.
AND THEN ONE DAY A DOG
SHOWED UP IN THE BACK YARD…
That’s not an uncommon thing in this area of Texas. People have no problem unloading an unwanted dog by slipping it into someone else’s back yard. 
Here’s the story on Meadow from the folks at 4-Legged Helpers.
Meadow is a Labrador Retriever mix, a puppy. The bio reads that she’s in the Ferris Animal Shelter. “Meadow is the sweetest most lovable young girl puppy that ADORES everyone and everything!  Loves other dogs. All people!  Only 30 pounds and about 6-7 months old.   She is such a cuddly sweetie pie so hoping for a home.  She was found in a resident’s back yard but she did not belong to the resident!  So cute.”
To ask about adopting or rescuing Meadow or these other two dogs, Kian and Thomas (AKA Tom), call or text 4-Legged Helpers at 214-949-2726 or email cat_girl_71@yahoo.com. The Helpers, by the way, report that the Ferris Shelter also takes in animals from Hutchins. Smaller shelters frequently have infrequent visitors, so the Helpers are working to draw attention to animals in low-traffic shelters.

Kian, for example, is in the Ferris Shelter. He’s a neutered Staffordshire Terrier who “was brought to the shelter by someone no longer able to care for him. He is only 2 years old and loves other dogs (per release paperwork) and adores all people.  Already housetrained!!  He is extremely friendly and very sweet.  Please, help save him!!!!!  So lovable!  He is such a cute size, too.”
And that brings us to the handsome boy Thomas, also called “Tom.” He’s another of those dogs brought to the Ferris shelter “by someone no longer able to care for him.” The story on Thomas/Tom is he “is the most friendly, playful lovable Shepherd.  Loves girls dogs! Tom is probably short for ‘tomfoolery’ since this cutie loves to play and have fun.  He is such a fun sweetie pie. He is a gorgeous dog who absolutely adores people.”
You can follow 4-Legged Helpers on Facebook HERE
[LARRY ASIDE: Now and then they’ll work on rescuing a cat or two or a litter. You know how spay/neuter isn’t quite scoring 100 percent on the “Support Meter” in North Texas. Pass it on: Spay & Neuter saves lives. Keeps boy dogs/cats from wandering and girl dogs/cats from attracting the Romantics of The Species and delivering litters and litters of puppies and kittens born just to be unwanted and euthanized or bagged and dropped into East Texas creeks. I’m not kidding.]
TWO VANS OF ANIMALS
HEADED FROM TEXAS LAKE
TO SAFETY IN MICHIGAN
Yep, the headline captures the story. We got the tip on it from Sydney Busch of Friends of the Animals at Cedar Creek Lake -- you know this enduring group — it operates the world’s most successful spay/neuter clinic at Gun Barrel City, Texas. 
Now, Sydney forwarded this appeal on behalf of the Humane Society of Cedar Creek Lake. And here’s the need, according to the note Sydney sent:
 “On January 17, there will be 2 vans filled with animals going to Michigan (where people actually spay/neuter their pets so there is a shortage of adoptables!!!!) from Humane Society of CCL
“They are in need of a driver/helper to do this - you will help drive the van, spend the night in Michigan, then drive back...YOU CAN MAKE THE DIFFERENCE FOR THESE ANIMALS NOW!!!”
To help or to get more info, email Monika Allen at mmohacsi1@gmail.com. 
Oh, and what about the photos readlarrypowell.com picked to post with this appeal? They are symbols of the need at the shelter run by Humane Society of Cedar Creek Lake.
The appeal for a driver included this p.s.: The shelter “also needs fosters for puppy overload here. Can you spare 2 weeks to temporarily house some puppies?  ANOTHER CHANCE TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE!” Yep, email Monicka at mmohacsi1@gemail.com.
Those dogs? Available according to the shelter website. That beautiful black dog is Marlo, a large male Lab demonstrating how to tilt your head curiously. And that little guy is King, an adult Poodle/Chihuahua mix.
The cat? Why that’s Paprika! He's 3 year old and described as a “kitten trapped in an adult cat’s body! He loves his toys that crinkle and are shiny.
"He also must have been a contortionist in a past life because he's got some funky sleeping positions! He's got a fantastic purr!"
See how to adopt these and many other animals by visiting the HSCCL website HERE or call 903-432-3422.
[LARRY NOTE: ABOUT THAT JAN. 17 TRIP…I envy the person who gets to take those animals to new opportunities to have homes where they are loved and respected. These life-saving missions, from walking into a field to save a litter to jumping behind the wheel on a car or in a plane to get them to safety — that, folks, is the work of genuine Angels.]
SNOW AND THE SAD FACE,
PLUS OTHER ANIMALS
WAITING IN MESQUITE
Now and then the fact that I have a soft heart tends to float to the surface of my opaque existence in journalism. All it took today was the photo of Snow looking out of the fence at Mesquite Animal Services.
We got the story from volunteer dog bio-writer Judi Brown. “If Snow appears to be sad in the pictures it probably is because he is. He doesn’t understand why he’s at the shelter. He doesn’t know where his family is. He wandered around the yard and spent most the time exploring. After a while he began hanging around with me.

“One time when I sat down he came to me and put his head on my lap but most the time he just stayed close. I don’t think he’s had much socialization but the fact that he was staying close is indicating he wants to make friends. Do you have the time to teach this sweet boy what love is? He would blossom in a loving home. Snow weighs 53 pounds, is approx 2 years old and is not neutered. He’s calm and gentle! He did his business when he got out into the yard. He had a relatively strong pull on the leash. He sniffed the dogs that were friendly and ignored the ones that were not. Snow is very deserving. I can picture him curled up in his doggy bed at your feet while you’re watching reruns.”

Snow is #51803482 — use that ID when you call the shelter at 972-216-6283 or email rescues@cityofmesquite.com. Same system for the rest of these Mesquite animals.
THEN THERE’S BRIGHT-EYED COCO, a 2-year-old, “stocky” 63-pound Choclate Lab mix who came in as a stray on January 4. Judi writes that the “happy, enthusiastic, energetic girl …wants to be part of your family.” And, “She has a beautiful shiny coat and captivating hazel eyes. She has a very striking appearance! She’s very friendly and outgoing. She doesn’t appear to meet a stranger. Customers came to the gate and she gave them a warm welcome. She seems to be very happy and enjoyed frolicking in the yard. She occasionally jumps on you but gets down with a sharp retort. She was not interested in treats. She didn’t know the sit command but wanted to do what I was asking her to do. That indicates to me she wants to please. She was not interested in chasing balls or toys. She walked OK on a leash. She appeared to be intimidated by other dogs. With her energy level she would do well with an active family with a good-sized yard.|” Coco is #51811443.
THIS GUY IS FINN and Judi describes him as a “stunning 2-year-old Australian Shepherd mix that arrived at the Mesquite Animal Shelter on 1/4 as a stray. He is bi-eyed, very soft, and weighs 42 pounds. He is not fixed. He’s on the timid side. He was cautiously friendly and nervously paced the yard for the first 10 minutes or so. With some TLC, time, and treats he warmed up to me. He then began to relax. At one point when I sat down he came up to me and put his head on my lap. He was not interested in toys or balls. He does sit for treats and takes them gently. He did his business when he got out into the yard. He walks well on a leash. He made friends with the dogs that were friendly with him and avoided the ones that were barking.” And after spending some time with Finn, Judi wrote, “I do believe he’s a happy, contented dog and will be much more so when he finds a loving home. He is sweet, gentle, and well mannered. If I were looking for a medium sized dog right now I would choose Finn. He would probably do really well with children as he is very loving.”
Finn is #51812741 at the shelter.
Dog-bio writer Debra Chisholm provided the info on Brewsky (#19734876), a “precious senior Rottweiler mix” — surrendered to the shelter on Jan. 9. Why? Debra writes, “Reason for the surrender is that the son of the owner is moving out of state and that the owner is elderly and not able to provide proper care for Brewsky. 
“The backstory is a sad one.  Brewsky was adopted from the shelter in 2013 as a pup, owned for 9 years and now is back at the shelter as a surrender.  He weighs 60 pounds, is approx 10 years old and is neutered.  Shelter staff plans to send Brewsky to the vet for a senior panel eval and an update will be sent out with the info.  
“Former owner stated the following about Brewsky--he lived both indoors and outdoors, lived with and was okay with other dogs (smaller ones), is fine with children and that he likes to take walks.  I noted that he walks well on a leash, was very interested in exploring the yard, is well-mannered, calm and gentle, sweet and sweet-natured.  He was not interested in treats, toys or balls.  He was more than happy to receive loving attention.  He spent some time at the shelter yard gate as though looking for his owner to return.”
 Use his ID number (#19734876) when you call the shelter at 972-216-6283 or email rescues@cityofmesquite.com.

ONE MORE HARD-LUCK STORY in Mesquite involves this girl, Nova, a Terrier mix who, Debra writes, “was abandoned by her owner and arrived at the Mesquite Animal Shelter on 1/2 as a stray.  Nova weighs 52 pounds, is approx 4 years old and is not spayed.  Her ribs are showing and she would undoubtedly be healthier with gaining a few more pounds.  Other than that, she appears to have been well-cared for.  
“Nova knows the sit and paw commands.  She is crazy about treats, will sit for them and takes them gently.  She has a low-key manner, is well-behaved, calm and gentle.  She was not interested in toys or balls.  Nova is a friendly girl and more than happy to receive ear rubs and petting.  She walks quite nicely on a leash and did not return the barking aimed at her by the other dogs when I led her past kennels.  Won't you please assist Nova so that her stay at the shelter will be a short one?  We are critically overcrowded and have been for some time.  Adoptions and rescues would be most welcome. We have lots of wonderful dogs--and cats!” 
Nova is #51795772 — use that ID when you call the shelter at 972-216-6283 or email rescues@cityofmesquite.com.

 See more Mesquite Shelter animals — help save ‘em all and empty the cages by clicking on the Mesquite Shelter link HERE. And this guy Duncan (#51688916) is still waiting in the shelter. He came in on December 12 — the orange-and-white Domestic Shorthair Mix with the vibrant cat coat is a smallish boy . You can find him in the Conference Room at the Mesquite Shelter. Looks like he knows how to use a gavel and is a patient listener during “conferences.”
CONTEMPLATIONS
WHAT I SAW AT A RED LIGHT
I have several really lousy photos of this event — none vivid enough to try to reproduce. For that I apologize. 
I’d pulled up to a red light near 820 and I-30 on the east side of Fort Worth. At first glance I thought a guy was throwing some trash out of the driver’s window of the SUV in the lane to my right. But, then, I realized what artfully scaled green and black object had been shoved partially out the window and was trying to go back in. This was NOT TRASH. 
The guy was dangling a yard-long (at least) boa constrictor halfway out the window, letting it flop against the door while trying to either escape or get back into the vehicle with the nitwit at the wheel. The light changed and the guy drove off, slowly pulling the snake almost back into the cab. The poor reptile, dangling and bouncing on the outside of the door, was simply the victim of foolish human behavior. 
I didn’t get a license number. I was too busy shooting six lousy photographs and wondering what the heck was wrong with that guy. I suspect the snake was wondering the same thing.
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