FOR A WEDNESDAY EDITION, WE LOOK AT DOGS, CATS AND FOG FEET....

EDITION OF WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 11, 2023 [PetPowellPress] Holy smokin’ hickory nuts! Can we already be rolling wide-open on the highway of double-digit days in January 2023?
Of course, I watched that TCU/Georgia game — that thing slowed down the pace of time in our house — seemed to last an agonizing day and a half. Still, it wasn’t as awful as that last Dallas Cowboys game against Washington. OK, move along and we’ll get to politics in Contemplations.
FAITH, HOPE AND CHARITY
STILL WAITING FOR HELP
We checked in with our East Texas connection Gail Whelan of the Companion Animal Network and she reports that these three dogs — Faith (top right), Hope (left)  and Charity — are still waiting for rescue or adoption in Wood County, Texas.
They are, according to the note we posted back at the end of the year, “sitting in an outside pen at the Sheriff’s Office in wood County. There is no shelter here…..”
And the contact to offer to help these dogs is Barbara Wax at bjandk15@gmail.com. And in the words of Gail: “Still trying.”
No idea how they got into this fix, but we do know that humans are the solution to getting out of it!
THIS DOG BRADY
IS A WAITING SYMBOL
(AND SO IS MAX)
Yeah, he’s waiting to be adopted and he’s a symbol of dogs that wind up in small shelters that have very little foot traffic. He could be anybody's, but anybody will have to know that he's available -- and if there's no foot-traffic or nobody clicking on a website, well, the dog sits and waits and, suddenly, one day, it's curtains.
We learned about Brady (and other dogs and cats) from 4-Legged Helpers, the non-profit that focuses on small shelters with more animals than visitors.
 And the photo of this guy Brady is so darned cute that I just couldn’t resist posting it again as I remind rescuers and adoptors that you can see him and many other animals and how to help them by clicking on THIS LINK TO 4-LEGGED HELPERS’ FACEBOOK PAGE.
You probably already knew that but in case you want to ask about Max, the smiling dog who was found roaming around and has had nobody contact the shelter in Ferris to get him back, here's the info: To ask about any animal 4-Legged Helpers is trying to save, call or text 214-949-2726 or email cat_girl_71@yahoo.com
[LARRY ASIDE: One of these might be the right dog you’ll need to make your days and nights extraordinarily happy. That’s the way dogs work, you know.]
AND, THEN, MESQUITE HAS
A ‘PRECIOUS GIRL ‘GINGER’
BUT THAT'S NOT ALL, EH?
These bios came to us from Mesquite Volunteer Dog Profiler Debra Chisholm. Remember, use the animals’ numbers to help ID them when you call the shelter at 972-216-6283 or email rescues@cityofmesquite.com.

First up is #51795169 and Debra writes, “I have named this delightfully precious girl Ginger.  She is a mixed breed who arrived on 1/2 at the Mesquite Animal Shelter as a stray.  Ginger weighs 37 pounds, is approx 2 years old and is not spayed.  She walks nicely on a leash and did not react to the dogs who barked at her as she walked by.  She knows the sit command, is mild-mannered, well-behaved, calm and gentle.  She loves and takes treats gently.  Ginger is friendly, has a sweet nature and is more than willing to receive loving attention.  She does not appear interested in toys or balls.  Her focus seemed mostly to be on receiving treats and staying close by a human friend.  She will look at you with her beautiful brown soulful eyes and you will know you are in love!” [LARRY ASIDE: Thought oughta be enough of a recommendation.]  Back to the bio: “Ginger does a fair amount of barking in her crate, but when she is out she is content and happy.  Please help Ginger out of the shelter by networking or tagging at rescues@cityofmesquite.com." Remember to type in the ID #51795169 in the subject line. Call the shelter at 972-216-6283.
Debra also tells us about Candy, this “Terrier mix pup that was picked up as a stray by a police officer and taken to the Mesquite Animal Shelter on 1/5.  Candy weighs 33 pounds, is approx 10 months old and is not spayed.  She has tons of bright-eyed personality, is charming and playful.  She is a frisky and spunky pup who doesn't jump on you.  She is friendly and especially affectionate. She tried to climb into my lap in order to get closer to her new friend.  She loved leaning against my leg and enjoying ear rubs, pets and cuddles.  She walks quite nicely on a leash and was not unfriendly toward other dogs--even those barking at her.  She knows the sit command.  Candy is crazy about treats, will sit for them and takes them gently.  She would seem the perfect dog for an active person or family who would commit to give her daily enrichment, playtime, walks and the training every puppy needs in order to fit into his or her household nicely.” Remember, use her ID #51814434 when you contact the shelter.
And Gulliver is “a Malinois youngster that was abandoned and brought to the Mesquite Animal Shelter as a stray on 10/12.”
[LARRY TIME-OUT: Imagine that! In the shelter since October 12. That’s a quarter of the year for a very social dog. How is that good for him? Aside from the fact that Mesquite’s personnel work to help the dogs feel loved.]
Debra writes that Gulliver is about a year-and-a-half old, weighs 59 pounds and is neutered. Also, he “is good on a leash and when led past kennel after kennel of barking dogs, he didn't blink an eye!  He knows the sit command.  Gulliver has an outgoing and confident personality.  Nothing timid, shy, fearful or nervous about Gulliver!  He is athletic and climbed on our yard play equipment.  He will jump on you.  That would be one of the first things to work on with Gulliver.  He is high-spirited and will need a person or family who will be committed to training, play time, exercise and of course allow him to be an inside dog. He is lively, active, playful and likes toys and balls.  He chases and will return tennis balls...sometimes.  He is friendly and is more than delighted to receive loving attention.”
 He’s #51176664. Use that ID when you call the shelter at 972-216-6283 or email rescues@cityofmesquite.com.
 You can review these biographies and see many more when you click on the Mesquite Shelter link HERE.
Dogs, cats, puppies & kittens. Among the many animals is #51804267, a 2-month-and-4 days old Domestic Shorthair mix. She’s gray with black highlights and is small right now. She came into the shelter on January 3. [LARRY ASIDE: Based on my experience with cats, this one has everything a human needs to enjoy a warm and loving relationship with a feline whose eyes look right into your soul!] Where is she? At the shelter, she’s in the nursery. Ask for her by number, #51804267.
CONTEMPLATIONS
MODERN CHALLENGES
“Had to change the battery on my fob.” There’s yet another sentence I thought I’d never read or write. Like, “I am wearing a mask as I type this” — I had a decades-long career writing columns for newspapers — it’s not the first time I thought I oughta wear a mask and protect the people. I’ll post this mugshot of Porche Noel, instead. She’s more adorable.
…God bless the TCU Horned Frogs for demonstrating how sportsmanship can survive an awful experience. Politicians could learn from that game. If Political Referees existed in the U.S., the air in our cities would be thick with yellow flags. Every now and then some campaign manager would throw in a red protest flag and demand a review. …
So, yeah, I tested positive again for Covid Tuesday morning — that’s after more than a week without testing positive for the microscopic 21st Century curse. My theory: Let my doctor handle the philosophy and treatment and I’ll concentrate on getting in shape for the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics. My event is Pole Vaulting, so I’ll need to lose some weight. Always embarrassing when the pole snaps and the crowd applauds. Wait, I may be having fever — I’ve never once considered Pole Vaulting as a sport that matched my athletic talents. In fact, I’m not sure there is a sport that’ll match my athletic talents -- of which, I am not sure I have. The uniforms are always too tight. Musical ribbons maybe — if they’ll let me wear fluffy pajamas and my typing mask. No photos exist of my rehearsal sessions but that is my Ribbon Dance Coach William Powell telling me to be more cat-like with my dance steps. "You don't creep in on little cat  feet," he yowled at me and added, "You know, like poet Carl Sandburg wrote in Fog around 1916." Of course, that was just after I was born and I couldn't read yet. Wait. I need to check that date -- where'd I pack my birth certificate? Is it still on Mars? Some fever, eh? Symptoms annoy me. Make my dance ribbons slimy when I sneeze.
—- Offer tips or doubts by clicking on ‘comment’ below or by emailing dallrp@aol.com and put LAY OFF THE CHOCOLATE, RIBBONDANCER in the subject line. —-