THE ENERGY CHALLENGE IN ANIMAL RESCUE -- A WEARY HEART THING; SPCA'S STRUT YOUR MUTT EVENTS AND SPCA ANIMALS

EDITION OF THURSDAY, JAN. 26, 2022 [PetPowellPress] One of the great challenges of certain scientific fields has been inventing a “perpetual motion machine.” readlarrypowell.com has a suggestion: Model it after the hearts of animal rescuers and advocates. Those people keep on goin’.
And we've got some "re-runs" to help make the "constant pressure point."

It’s not always easy on the heart. The challenges are many and so are the animals that are dumped, surrendered, ignored, abused, unloved, bark-too-much, don’t-fit-the-apartment, are just for breeding, etc .

So many of these ill-treated animals wind up in taxpayer-supported shelters and that means they’re always on the clock and the needle’s ready. It’s the ol’ Texas animal control philosophy: “Got a problem? Let’s kill it.” 

No city or county government should ever see these dogs and cats as “a problem.” The problem is the people who mistreat them and also expect the city to “git rid uh her. She just keeps having litters.” See? People. That’s the challenge. “He won’t quit barkin’ — ah thank he wants tuh come into the house.” Yeah, that happens, too.
 Small towns rarely put enough money into a shelter budget for a marketing campaign that’ll get animals adopted. Easier to just euthanize them. [God bless the larger towns with strong volunteer programs!]
Volunteer animal rescuers/fosters/transporters, etc. That’s the backbone of these life-saving, animal-protecting organizations.
Ah, yes, I’m preachin’ to the choir again. You worn-to-a-frazzle rescuers and frustrated advocates know this sermon. Pass it on to people who don’t. Remind an elected official to get into the save-the-animals movement.
You see here photos we’ve published recently. These dogs are in the Ferris Animal Shelter, a small facility with a small staff. The 4-Legged Helpers work with it to help animals that get virtually no visits from potential adoptors or even people looking for their lost animals.
Ferris also takes in animals from other small cities — that extends the lifetime of some animals coming from quick-needle cities. 
The challenge is creating enough good human energy to outlast the so-what/don’t care energy of the humans who can only be described as embarrassingly heartless.

The 4Legged Helpers can use some help. Ask about these dogs by calling or texting 214-949-2726 or emailing [email protected]. You can also ask about helping the Helpers by fostering, transporting, etc. Help the Helpers = Helping the Animals. Jayson is that dog with the great eye makeup and Waylon is the other dog. Go to the 4-legged Helpers FACEBOOK page HERE to read about them and other dogs on the clock and needing a human to help them.
COINCIDENTALLY:
ABOUT
 BARKING DOGS

As I was scrolling Facebook Wednesday, looking for something I’d lost, I ran across this post by Jill Vander Velde Fuller. It highlighted a dog from Mesquite Animal Services.
The first few lines got right to me: “Owner Surrender / euthanized request. Reason: too noisy. Urgent rescue help is needed.” I’m hoping that’s already been worked out. The info is Aris is #A0051933727, a 3-year-old male Shepherd/Husky mix who “is up to date on Rabies and has been neutered. His owner surrendered him to a Full Capacity Shelter because he made ‘too much noise.’ Aris will not thrive in the shelter. Aris seems to have little manners, and it is clear that he has yet to be trained. Who will rescue this boy and allow him to grow and thrive as he deserves? Email [email protected]." 

This is not an unusual situation in animal shelters. People adopt an animal when they shouldn't have and the animal winds up on death row when patience runs thin. People mistake. Or, sometimes the philosophy, "It's only a dog. I'll get another one."
SPCA’S STRUT YOUR MUTT
APRIL 15 IN FAIR PARK, PLUS
MAY 13 IN WAXAHACHIE
Keep reading. We’ll explain.
But, first, that Dallas date rings a bell, but my brain is so taxed these days…. Moving along, we’re very happy to report that The SPCA of Texas has put its 18th Annual Strut Your Mutt, The Race To End Animal Cruelty, on the calendar for Saturday, April 15, at Fair Park in Dallas.
Registration on Strutday begins at 7 a.m. at Big Tex Circle in Fair Park — there’s a 3K fun walk, a 4K timed race — the 4K begins at 8 a.m., the fun walk at 8:15 a.m. Race registration is $40, the walk is $35, kids 11 and under are free. There’s this, too: “Participants can register individually or as a team at gostrut.org, and will receive a goody bag filled with a Strut T-shirt, pet bandana, dog toy and dog treats. An Early Bird Special—$5 off registration—runs Jan. 23 – 26, 2023.  
BUT WAIT! THERE’S EVEN MORE!!! HELLO, ELLIS COUNTY! The SPCA also announced the 1st Annual Strut Your Mutt… 3K fun walk in Ellis County (where there’s an SPCA facility) will be May 13 at Getzendaner Memorial Park in Waxahachie — registration at 8 a.m., walk at 9 a.m.
At spca.org, you can learn more about these events and, if you don’t have a mutt to strut, you can find a new best friend or an amewsing conversationalist for your home.
The pose-and-roll-in-the-grass dog Apollo is still on the adoptables list at SPCA.
And, we’ve spotted a dog with fascinating eyes who is also available. That is Aster, a nearly year-and-a-half-old Catahoula Leopard Dog mix who weighs in at 54 pounds. He’s said to be “sweet but shy” and needs “a little bit of time to get to know you” but once he does, his bio reads, “I will be your best friend.”
You can also find friends of the feline variety at the SPCA and perhaps there is no better-dressed cat in Dallas County than this guy Oscar, a 6-pound, 2-years & 1 month-old Domestic Shorthair mix currently in SPCA foster care. Clearly, he knows how to dress. And, he sort of has a look that says, “I’m not a Mutt Strutter, I’m a lap-sitter or, if it pleases, a lay-about wearing a bowtie as if I host a retro 1950s TV quiz show called I’ve Got a Cat Secret.” Remember see more animals and more details on Strut Your Mutt at spca.org.
CONTEMPLATIONS

Nothing in particular
As I was typing this I was able to look out the office window on Tuesday and see cold rain falling, My first thought was not “That’ll make me have to get my mower tuned up” but “I’ll never get these layabout dogs to go out today.” I don’t know what people did to get their indoor dogs out in bad weather before the invention of the weather radar! Timing — it’s the key to everything. …
Regarding our opening today: Does any rescuer/advocate/activist have a method of revitalizing when the batteries start wearing down? Serious question. I’ve been writing about animals for a long time and have talked to a lot of animal people who seem to always have “fresh batteries.” But, sometimes the mission can get downright overwhelming and consuming of your lifeforce. …
My dog Porche is out like a light next to my chair. Wendy and Dudley are dog-napping in the living room. What is significant about this? Our letter carrier came to our porch twice today and they didn’t bark their usual “intruder” alarms. He may be wearing the famed USPS Wintertime Sneaky Sneakers.
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