EDITION OF FEB. 21-22, ’23 [PetPowellPress] One reason I love this dog (among many, many reasons)? Her early life left her 
unable to work her back legs like a normal dog and she cannot scratch behind her ears with her hind paws.
Therefore — control your envy! — I am Porche’s Scratching Boy and that is just about one of the greatest honors a little ol’ rescue dog can bestow on a human who never met a dog he didn’t love.
More on Life With Porche in Contemplations.. First, let’s try to help place unwanted dogs and cats in good homes. Yes, it’s true, Porche was not the last unwanted animal in the Greater North Texas Metrounconcernedoplex.
CALL THIS GIRL ‘MOXIE’
AND GIVE HER A HOME:
SNOW’S TOUGH CASE
You’ll be stirred to say some BLEEEPS…well, you may use entirely appropriate words when you read Snow’s story, so we’ll ease toward Snow's story by reporting Moxie’s tale first, then we’ll … well, you’ll see.
We got the note about Moxie, the Pittie mix, from Debra Chisholm, dog biographer for the Mesquite Animal Shelter’s vigorous volunteer program.
Moxie was straying when she was picked up by a shelter officer on Feb. 11 — weighs 42 pounds, is about a year old and, during her stay at the shelter, has been spayed. Debra says she is a fun-loving, playful youngster who “walks nicely on a leash” and is “fun-loving” and “playful.”
She is, Debra wrote, “full of energy and has a confident and trusting nature. She has a moderate activity level, but does jump on you. Obedience training would be a good idea for Moxie (as with all puppies) in order to fit in best with her new people in her forever home. She doesn't have a bit of shyness or fear but instead is friendly and is more than happy to receive petting and loving attention. She does not seem to know any commands. 
Moxie appears to have been well cared for and yet sadly her owners have not come looking for her. Therefore she is in need of a person or family who will stay committed to her to invite into their hearts and home.” Moxie’s shelter ID is #52049102. To ask about Moxie call the shelter at 972-216-6283 or email [email protected]. Debra’s note adds, “Our shelter has become very full and we need to find adopters and rescues for our precious pooches, so please help if you can.”
[LARRY ASIDE: Snow’s story has elements that will BLEEEEEEP you off. I’m censoring myself…you may feel the same emotions.]
Our tipster Judi Brown, also a volunteer dog biographer, tells the story of Snow this way: “Snow doesn’t understand why he’s 
back at the shelter. Truthfully I don’t either! Snow is a 2-year-old, 53-pound darling cutie pie that first arrived at the Mesquite Animal Shelter on 1/3. Shortly after that he was adopted. Then the shelter received a call about surrendering him. The owners did not come in but on 2/21 Snow was brought in as a stray. Draw your own conclusions…”
[LARRY ASIDE: And there you have it — rescuing Snow will be a noble action.]
Judi continues, “It appears he was just let go to fend for himself. Look into his imploring eyes and you can tell he’s just pleading with someone to give him a furever home. He is so so deserving! He is a total 
sweetheart! In spite of what just happened to him he wags his tail and appears to be happy. He’s well-behaved, gentle, wants attention, is very loving, is sweet, curious, and easy-going. When I sat down he came to me and put his head on my lap. He sits for treats and takes them gently. He’s highly motivated by treats meaning he would be easy to train. … He was not interested in meeting other dogs but also did not show any aggression. He walks OK on a a leash. To top it off he’s already 
neutered and he’s cute! You would get lots of compliments when you took him for a walk. You would also get lots of love because he has so much to give!”
Snow is #51803482 in the shelter records. Use that reference when you call the shelter at 972-216-6283 or email [email protected]. He would most likely do well with a family with children. He would like nothing better then to be an integral part of your family! Email [email protected] to tag Snow. Type tag in the subject line along with ID 51803482 to ensure proper tagging. If further info is required please call 972-216-6283 or email at [email protected]."
To see other animals in the Mesquite Animal Shelter, visit this LINK.
You’ll see Snow and Moxie and lots of other adorably adoptable dogs and fetchingly fantastic cats, including this magnificently-coated feline.
Boy or girl? Don’t know, the gender is listed as “Unknown.”
The cat is #52096558, a “Domestic Longhair Mix” who came in on February 20. On the website, his picture is labeled “Mr. 300 Long Canyon Dr.” — he or she is currently in the shelter’s Feral Room and listed as “available.” [LARRY ASIDE: Sometimes a cat with “feral behavior” is just a frightened domesticated cat. May that be the case of this feline. If not, maybe someone is looking for the world’s most gorgeous Barn Cat.]
IS IT THE FACES, THE SITUATION
OR THE HUMAN HEART?
Could be a combo of things. What motivates someone to adopt animals that are in a bit of a fix in a low-to-no-visitors shelter? Maybe it’s the determined drive of rescuers who work to get those animals in the spotlight, i.e., in this case, the efforts of the 
4-Legged Helpers.
Look at JJ, the Great Pyrenees in Waxahachie, it may be the hairstyle that gets an adoptor’s attention. According to the Helpers bio, this boy JJ is an “absolute sweetheart” who “was found out and about on his own. He has been fully vaccinated. Note that these pics were taken prior to grooming. LOOK AT THAT PRECIOUS FACE!!! He seems to really like other dogs. Adores children!”
This girl Sugar is in the Ferris shelter. The Friends bio asks, “Have you ever wanted a cute, 42- pound, medium-sized dog that will always look like a puppy? That is Sugar! She has teddy bear ears and is just beautiful and sweet and loving as can be. Only about 1.5 to 2 years old. Found as a stray but people that found her could no longer care for her.”
Trevor is also in the Ferris shelter and “everyone that has met Trevor absolutely adores him.” He’s a young male Boxer mix who, the Helpers report, “was found out playing with children. … Sweetest baby ever. He apparently got away from someone a while back. He was wearing a harness and lead and the lead attached had been torn. Poor guy was starving. Thank goodness he stopped to play with kids. But now he needs your help to save him!!! He has the 
sweetest face ever with beautiful markings.”
To ask about rescuing, adopting or fostering any of these animals call or text the 4-Legged Helpers at 214-949-2726 or email [email protected].
See many more animals in the 4-Legged Helpers’ spotlight by going to the non-profit’s Facebook page HERE.
CONTEMPLATIONS
THE EARLY DAYS OF PORCHE
As you may recall, we opened today’s report with a loving mention of my personal dog Porche Noel. Found on the porch at Christmas.
I feel like writing about her right now. She’s currently on her bed in the office and snoring like a tipsy favorite uncle 
who’d dozed off in a lawn chair after filling up on barbecue and tater salad at a family picnic. Wipe that image out of your mind and contemplate Porche.
When we got her she was already losing the flexibility dogs usually have in their hindquarters. She’d been mistreated in her former home and, near as we can tell, escaped by either digging under or climbing over a fence. Or maybe she was just thrown out of a car in our ol’ Dallas neighborhood. She was walking with a limp, rasping when she intended to bark, flinching when a hand went near her and scrambling to beat any other dog to ALL the food.
But, now, she’s a household fixture— can actually bark. Loves to be petted and scratched. Has no feeling in her back paws. And she doesn’t fight anybody for food — only took a few years to calm her down at dinnertime. She follows her “stairways” onto her couch in the living room and to the middle of her bed in the humans’ bedroom.
Yep, I love writing about her. She’s an example of how a human can benefit from living with an unwanted dog and/or cat. I like to share the Gospel of Taking In the Unwanted Animal And Receiving Blessings. Not sure if that’s in the Bible, but I don’t know 
where else I’d have gotten it — too long for a fortune cookie and I’ve never seen it on a drugstore greeting card. And, after all, I went to church a lot as a schoolboy.
FYI ABOUT THAT THIN DOG RIDING IN A PICKUP. That’s starving, insecure, rasping, excited Porche on her way to her first vet visit in 2009. We never found anyone to adopt her — didn’t look, either. She was home the moment she came through the front door.
More people should open their doors and hearts to animals who are bewildered and terrified by the way things have gone in their lives. [LARRY ASIDE: Not to end this segment on a sweet note, but if I ever encounter the person who mistreated my Porche, there’ll be a stern lecture…at the very least.] Kind of makes me teary-eyed to think about the shape she was in when she squeezed through the “burglar bar gate” on our front porch, ate all the cat food from the daily feral cat food buffet and was immediately no longer thin enough to squeeze out and flee the strange new humans. She’s a doll.
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