ReadLarryPowell.com

A GOLF TOURNAMENT IN THE DARK? ASSORTED ANIMALS IN NEED! 'MEWSING' ABOUT ’91?

EDITION OF WEDNESDAY JAN. 31/THURSDAY FEB. 1, 2024 [PetPowellPress] How about these past two beautiful Texas days! Pour me another cup of coffee and don’t get between me and the keyboard —- sorry, that last instruction was aimed at a cat.
We’ve had a lot of cats in our marriage and last night, out of the blue, I suddenly announced to my funspouse Martha, “It occurs to me that we’ve never had a cat named Hazard.” “That’s right,” she said and went back to reading without glaring at me for my needless philosophical interruption. FYI: Slumbering in his Office Scratching Chair is Junior Office Cat Stevie Ray, out like a light but not tap-dancing on my keyboard. Not a hazard. He’s never hit the delete button. Though maybe he should have.
TEEING UP FOR ANIMALS?
HINT? GET A FLASHLIGHT!
I opened the email from Straydog Inc. this morning and saw the note about the open house celebrating building construction on the non-profit legendary shelter’s property.
And then I scrolled down and saw this:
“Save the Date for Straydog's 
Eclipse Golf Tournament.”
Sure enough, on Monday, April 8, when the Eclipse darkens the Lone Star State, you can tee off on behalf of Straydog at the Gentle Creek Golf Club in Prosper. The invitation reads, “Enjoy a round of golf while supporting Straydog's mission AND experience the total solar eclipse! Mark your calendars for an event you won't want to miss.”
[LARRY ASIDE: I’ve never played golf during an eclipse, but I have hit a lot of shots that looked like I was playing while wearing a blindfold and playing by ear!]
Long before the eclipse, you can go to Straydog at 8741 FM 1861 in Eustace at noon on Saturday, March 2, for the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new buildings on the property. The note in the Straydog Pupdate newsletter read, “We are thrilled to announce our buildings are scheduled to officially open in March 2024.  Our Care Team is already slowly moving our rescues into the new space. We couldn’t be more excited!”
Go to straydog.org to see the ribbon cutting info, the eclipse golf info and the info about a bunch of wonderful dogs who are getting a chance at finding good, new homes for the rest of their lifetimes. You’ll need to RSVP for the events. And at straydog.org you can see the animals who need a home.
FYI, the “Pups of the Week” on the Pupdate are these two rascals.
Chip’s story reads that “my caregivers sometimes like to call me ‘Panda’ because of my eyes.” Here’s the tough part of his story: He was a stray who, his bio reads, “got my leg stuck in someone’s barbed-wire fence. Thankfully, Straydog was able to save me and take care of my needs.” Because that rear leg became infected, it had to be amputated. He’s quoted as saying, :I don’t act any differently from other dogs. I am a happy, sweet boy who loves to cuddle and play with other dogs.”
Atticus “was found by a nice man who reached out to Straydog” to save the emaciated dog. He is beginning to gain weight, enjoys romping in the Straydog exercise yard and, his bio says, “I am a happy little puppy and would love to have family to call my own.”
MEANWHILE, IN MESQUITE
SUN SHINES ON ADORABLES
Oh, Dear Readers, look at the face on this dog! Why doesn’t he have a Hollywood agent? This is Jagger, and we get his story from Mesquite Animal Services volunteer dog-writer Debra Chisholm. He was picked up as a stray on January 23. She writes, “Jagger weighs 54 pounds and is approx 4 years old.  He is a friendly and sweet boy that seems affectionate.  He likes treats and will sit for them.  He also knows the paw command.  Jagger walks nicely on a leash.  He pottied in the shelter yard.  He has a moderate activity level and is fairly well-behaved.  He enjoyed climbing on the play equipment in the yard.
“His tail doesn't stop wagging much. He was just so thrilled to be out of his kennel and running around and exploring the yard.  Can you help Jagger out of the shelter and on the way to his forever home?”
To help Jagger, use his shelter ID #55150691 when you call the shelter at 972-216-6283 or email [email protected].”
HERE’S A SPECIAL NOTE FROM DEBRA: “Our shelter is critically overcrowded with quite a lot of our dogs being housed in wire kennels in the hallways due to lack of space.  Please help if you can.”
Now, here’s a “RESCUE ONLY” situation: This is Anita (#55173364] and she is expecting. Came in as a stray on the 27th. She’s about 2, weighs 50-to-60 pounds and, Debra writes, “ It is obvious that she is very pregnant and by the looks of her it won’t be long now!.” [LARRY ASIDE: By the time you see this, she may already have delivered.]
Debra says that “Anita was very uneasy and fearful when she arrived at the shelter, and was showing some aggression. However, with interaction from one of our volunteers and some staff members, she has begun to relax, and seems more trusting and comfortable. When she warms up to a new friend, she shows affection and is good with receiving loving attention. She loves treats! Can someone please help this sweet girl out of the shelter, and on the way to a foster who will provide for her a safe, quiet and peaceful place to have her puppies?”
Debra reports, also, “We have named this delightful fellow Pony Boy.” And she says the “Dog scanner app suggests he has Bulldog and some Mastiff mixes in his breed.”  He came in as a stray on January 22.
Here’s the heartbreaking part of this story. Debra writes, “ He was found along the side of a road sitting next to a sibling, family pet or traveling companion that was dead. Unknown how long he had stayed next to the deceased dog, but it seems to show a sense of loyalty. 
“Pony Boy weighs 64 pounds (appears under weight with ribs showing), and is approx two years old. He thoroughly enjoyed his time in the yard during the photo shoot. He is quite playful and very good at fetching. Pony Boy loves treats, and seems both treat and food motivated, and therefore might be quite easy to teach some commands as he doesn’t seem to know any. He’s a friendly boy who is happy to receive petting from a human companion.”
Pony Boy is #55090790 at the shelter. Use that ID when you call at 972-216-6283 or email [email protected]. [LARRY ASIDE: The thought of this guy waiting by the body of another dog really touches my heart. It is so sad to think that an uncaring human might have been involved in this situation. Humans have to get better at treasuring the lives on this planet.]
“OH MY GOODNESS!,” SOFTHEARTED LARRY EXCLAIMED WHEN HE SAW THE PHOTOS OF RAMSEY!
Yep, I did exclaim something like, “What a beautiful fellow!”
And Debra introduced his story by writing, “This very handsome boy is Ramsey, a Great Pyrenees youngster picked up by one of our officers as a stray and brought to the Mesquite Animal Shelter on 1/26. Sweet boy weighs 92 pounds and is approx one year old. He arrived at the shelter filthy and covered in mud due to being out wandering during a week of rain in our area.  (Note his picture before he was cleaned up!)
“One of our wonderful volunteers, Jamie, took the time to clean him up. He looked so good afterwards, and doubtless felt better! Jamie stated that he was so cooperative the entire time she spent washing him up and then when she had him towel-dried he came over and leaned into her, wanting to be close! He’s such a loving boy.
“Ramsey is well-mannered, calm and gentle, a friendly boy, who is affectionate, and a-OK with receiving loving attention. He walks beautifully on a leash. … Possibly Ramsey has been an indoor dog, because he seems to have been well cared for with no mats in his coat. He was so thrilled to be out of his kennel and in the shelter yard roaming about, and spent much of his time with his nose to the ground exploring.”
Ramsey is #55170914. You know the system: Use his ID when you call the shelter at 972-216-6283 or email [email protected].
Same contact system when you spot an animal you adore on the Mesquite “Animals in the Shelter” pages HERE.
[DEAR READERS: I’m going to close this Mesquite section with a cat I’ve never met but, based on my experience with cards, I’m going to declare this to be one of the more interesting feline faces in the known universe, and we know that cats are all over the universe, right? Great whiskers, great coloring and cute paws. She’s small, pushing 5 months old and came into the shelter on December 12. She’s in the Conference Room at Mesquite Animal Services. Ask about #54939766. We’re all booked up with cats at readlarrypowell.com but that doesn’t mean I can’t try to type enough love into a human heart to find a great home for a girl named Katness. Can I get an ‘amen,”  my fellow catfans?]
CONTEMPLATIONS
IS ‘MEWSING’ A HUMAN TRAIT?
Oh, I’m kidding. I know it’s “musing.” From the verb “muse” which, by the way was my thoughtfulspouse Martha’s maiden name — I’ve always thought it would be a great pseudonym for a mystery writer: Why The Happy Dog Played The Saturday Lottery by Martha Muse. …
Our pal Jeff Crilley’s Real News PR tip sheet The Rundown not only gave professional journalists smart story ideas Wednesday, but also included a note from history: On Jan. 31, 1990, the first McDonald’s in the Soviet Union opened in Moscow. Moscow’s still there. But McDonald’s and the Soviet Union are both gone. McDonald’s left in 2022.
The Soviet Union dissolved in December, 1991 — coincidentally, along about the same time Martha and I married (Dec. 15) in the Gingerbread House in Cedar Hill, Texas. I’m almost certain our uniting had nothing to do with the Soviet dividing. Almost certain.
—- Offer global government tips or surefire Lotto Texas numbers by clicking on “comment” below or by emailing [email protected]. —

ATARI, WINSTON & TEDDY BEAR -- STORIES OF DOGS HELPED ALONG BY HUMANS....

EDITION OF WEDNESDAY, JAN. 31, 2023 [PetPowellPress] Spring may have arrived about 10:47 a.m. Tuesday. Hang on. I’ll clear this up in Contemplations. First, some animal stories.
CATCHING UP WITH ATARI,
THE DOG WHO BEAT SOME ODDS
The caption that accompanied this photo read, “Can someone please come hug this dog, please?”
And that’s a simple need compared to the medical challenges the dog has faced and survived in recent weeks. People rallied to help her.
Perhaps you recall the first story of Atari, a dog who was expecting a big litter but, after being rescued, suffered a ruptured uterus, lost all the puppies, and, then, experienced some awful medical problems probably generating from a lifetime of poor care by her human/humans.
We first met Atari’s story when she was known as “Rose” in the Rockwall Animals Shelter. Rescuers worked to save her and a team of supporters took up her cause, anticipating a safe delivery of her babies. Didn’t work out that way, but the dog now named Atari survived the arduous maternal challenge.
We get the update from her foster, Shiloh Holland, the founder and trainer at Come Sit Stay Dog Training. That’s Shiloh in the photo and that’s her caption, "Can someone please come hug this dog, please?”
The second photo is her "pregnant and waiting" picture before all of this rough stuff for a sweet dog.
Shiloh writes, “Atari had a really bad bout with mastitis following her surgery and her mammary glands ruptured. She got excellent care again at Veterinary Medical Center of Athens. We were advised that healing could take several months. Atari has been the most loving, kind-hearted dog through all of these trials. Amazingly, and much to her vets' satisfaction, she's almost completely healed already and we are actively looking for a home for her.
“She would be happiest in a home without other dogs for now (unless someone wants to also adopt the boyfriend that came to the shelter with her), but she loves children and cats. We're working on introductions with dogs. She's not aggressive, just very scared. Atari is no older than 3 and is crate-trained, house-trained when supervised, and comes with behavior support from Come Sit Stay Dog Training. Any interested adopters can email, call, or text me directly.” To reach Shiloh, call or text 903-802-8317.
HERE’S AN EXAMPLE
OF A NEGLECTED DOG
We spotted this post by Patty Turner who was our original contact in the case of Rose/Atari. This time Patty is trying to find help for Winston.
Here’s the story that goes with these pictures. Patty writes, “This is Winston. He was adopted 14 years ago and he hasn't been taken care of that greatly in some time!!”
[LARRY ASIDE: Patty got right to the point — not taken care of like he was the day he was adopted. People have their reasons. One of the reasons is a combo: “don’t care/so what if he’ll die a painful unloved death in a shelter, on a busy street or in a backyard he called home.” Jerks. Gimme a minute to dab my eyes….thanks, Larry.]
Patty’s note continues, ““He is super sweet!! He came in with 2 larger dogs and does fine with them. He is neutered (previously), has a microchip and has received DHPPV and bordatella vaccine…He does have some cloudiness in his eyes!! His eye hair was trimmed … to help him see some. He does have cloudy eyes and may have an ulcer on his right eye. Currently, we do not have HW status. He will definitely need to be groomed!! If you can rescue him, please email [email protected].” [LARRY ASIDE: If you can adopt him, email that site and maybe even volunteer to pay for his medical care. Somebody needs to love him with heart and money, don’t you think?”]
THE TEDDY BEAR STORY
IN NW FORT WORTH….
We ran across this dog’s story completely by accident when we clicked on veteran rescuer Monica Ailey-Welborn’s Facebook page over the weekend.
The story of Teddy Bear is typical in North Texas, but the story of Terry Bear’s rescue may become legendary.
The first happy note (a Christy Howard Facebook post) we saw Tuesday read, “Teddy Bear is SAFE! 4 months after being dumped with 5 other dogs. He was the last one and the hardest to trap. Way to go Monica Ailey-Welborn and crew!
“We will be celebrating with Honeybun tonight, the last of her friends is safe!”
And going to Monica’s site HERE we found other elements of this happy capture.
One rescuer’s post — [LARRY QUERY: Can anyone ID this rescuer? Email [email protected].] read, “Teddy Bear was patiently captured tonight and urgently needs a long term TX foster in case his microchip is a dead end. (chip is being researched) Amazingly kind people to capture with, thanks Monica Ailey-Welborn and team!!
 "Shout out to my lucky bait supplier, Pollo Regio!! Very expensive meat to use strictly for dog trapping but is always worth the amazing scent waft it offers! The trap had been set for a couple of hours with other smelly meats so I only refreshed with half of a piping hot Pollo Regio chicken that I deboned onsite and the target dog walked inside the trap within 15 mins or so after!!
“Massive luck on our side!! Coyotes were howling in the background at that moment but it wasn’t audible from my trapping cam!
"He totally froze shortly after being trapped, immediately allowed pets and was absolutely terrified but clearly is a super gentle soul that hasn’t had any human touch in 5 or more months. His gorgeous light fluffy fur feels *exactly* like Hairy Gary’s and his demeanor/reaction to trapping was the same. He may need a DNA test to see if they’re related!
“He will no doubt soon make an amazing companion to a lucky person after some rehab time with a loving foster!!”
Monica posted, “Teddy Bear will be warm and safe tonight! He needs a foster home ASAP if his microchip is a dead end! Thank you to Phoebe Fosters for being an excellent chef and for helping me check and feed everyday! Thank you Mike Welborn for all the yummy smelling meats and tallo you cooked up! Thank you Alby for helping me ever day you could!! Thank you Jean-Paul Bonnelly for bringing out your 'Kick A' camera and drone! Thank you mom/Rosemary Alcala Vaughan for letting this project take over our weekend and helping! And THANK YOU Kelly Tyler for your missy trap and expertise!!!
“Now we need to secure a foster home for Teddy Bear ASAP bc he sure would not do well in the shelter.”
Monica says that to help Teddy Bear and the assorted needs, email her at this address: [email protected].
[LARRY ASIDE: You see the isolated situation that dog was in after all of her companions were rescued. ]
We did get this explanation from Monica: “My non-profit (that doesn’t do trapping - we do large scale disaster response- I’m just doing it bc the original dog, Honey Bun, I saw crossing the road 'suckered' me into it.” She was smiling when she said 'suckered' into it! [LARRY ASIDE: Many of us have been “suckered” into a rescue — and we wear a smile and laugh about the joy of success just like Monica.] Her group is Animal Investigation & Response.
She reports, “The group that is covering the leg surgery for Honey Bun is called The Duke & Oliver Foundation. The group she’ll be avail for adoption through is Allie’s Haven Animal Rescue.
"The group that is fostering and covering expenses for the shepherd (Meatloaf) is called Humane Tomorrow.
“Don’t have anyone lined up for Teddy Bear … Still needing a foster home/Rescue group to take him.”
And, as you by now have figured out Dear Readers, there’s more — photos, videos, reactions and appreciations — on Monica’s Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/mo.ailey.
[LARRY ASIDE: We have no idea who dumped these dogs or why they thought it was a good idea. But such behavior is against the law in the State of Texas and if anyone knows someone who suddenly “disappeared” their dogs several months ago, the statute of limitations has not expired on this crime. Punch those cellphone numbers and tell a certified peace officer where to find the perp. Please.]
CONTEMPLATIONS
SPRING AND OTHER THOUGHTS
In the opening today, I mentioned springtime. Am I nuts? Well, that has nothing to do with this Tuesday event. While getting another cup of coffee, I let the dogs Porche Noel and Dudley the Angel out for their morning backyard walk — Wendy preferred to nap on the couch. As they sauntered off down the slope of the yard, three or four squirrels dashed up tree trunks and across limbs. And, suddenly, from across the backyard fence came a pair of loudly chirping — that the right word? — cardinals: one bright red, one grayish with highlights. Romance was in the air, I suspect. I didn’t have a camera with me — I had not expected a spring scene in what, last week, was the dead of winter, as the old phrase goes.
Can this be Spring? Surely the sun and the temp and drying yards with elevated levels of grass tell us that Spring is here.
TIME OUT! I’ve quickly researched and discovered (again) that Spring arrives in Texas at 10:06 p.m. on March 19. We still have to experience the joy of that annual winter spectacle, Macy’s Groundhog Day Parade! Oh, wait. I’ve slipped into a parallel universe. There is no Macy’s Groundhog Day Parade, is there?
That’s right! This is an election year — there’s a law against politicians and groundhogs being in the same parade. Has to do with public conflicts of positive and negative declarations of weather and expenses and hiding from the light of day.
—- Offer advice or objection by clicking on ‘comment’ below or by emailing [email protected] and put ‘EXERCISE WHILE YOU HAVE A CHANCE’ in the subject line. —-

A DOG GETS A BREAK, ANOTHER NEEDS A BREAK, A CAT HAS A 'LOOK' & TIPS ON CAR REPAIR 'N' COLLEGE

EDITION OF TUESDAY, JAN. 30, 2024 [PetPowellPress] Now and then something happens that helps people -- even us animal nuts -- keep the faith. I’ve heard of these instances. Didn’t happen with my Saturday night Lotto Texas ticket, but what do I need with snack money when I’m trying to diet?
A DOBIE DOG DODGES
A REALLY FULL SHELTER….
This is one of those “good news” stories that pops up every now and then because animal people are hustlers. They keep after things. They work hard to find a solution….Know what I mean?
This nameless-for-now dog went to a rescue group Sunday rather than being surrendered at a big city animal shelter with little room for a pardon.
Several editions ago we posted the story of this young Doberman who’d been rescued out of a lousy, potentially deadly situation.
Our tipster, the determined animal advocate Kimberly Jones, opened the story this way: “Very young Doberman needing rescue group ASAP 🙏🏻 He was found during freeze. No microchip. Searching for owner and he is listed everywhere including Pawboost as found but no luck... This dog is very dog friendly and very young. Maybe 1 yr old. Male. Has his tail still. Natural ears. No aggression or anxiety whatsoever. Good with small and big dogs. Honestly loves everyone. He has not been around cats. He is just very happy and bouncy. He is good on a leash. He is good in a car. Needs rescue asap.”
On Monday morning we opened this Sunday note from KJ: “This Dobie boy went to Doberman Rescue of North Texas today!!! He is SAFE!!! ❤️”
You can read more about this boy and other dogs in the care of DRNT by going to THIS dobermanrescue.org WEBSITE
[LARRY NOTE: The threat the dog had dodged was being surrendered to Dallas Animal Services, the taxpayer-supported facility known most of the time as “over capacity.” And, Dear Readers, you know what happens to “over capacity” dogs and cats if nobody shows up to help them. It’s the old, traditional Texas theory of animal control: “Got an animal problem? Let’s kill it.”]
RAVEN’S THE NAME,
FINDING A HOME’S THE AIM
This story of a dog in need came via our tipster Sydney Busch, the longtime guiding light of the Friends of the Animals at Cedar Creek Lake, the non-profit that operates (so to speak) the world’s most successful spay/neuter clinic at Gun Barrel City, Texas.
This dog is named Raven.
And the bio from Sydney reads “This adorable 7-month- old Australian cattle dog is in need of a new home - long story…Raven is his name — he’s neutered, up-to-date on his vacs and on heartworm prevention. Very well cared for…Great with kids and other dogs
“This is a wonderful, very smart breed - but HIGH ENERGY...needs a lot of exercise….”
To ask about giving Raven that new home, contact Eli at 254-315-7060.
FYI: Read about the Friends of the Animals at friendsoftheanimals.org.
ELSA THE ADOPTABLE
‘DILUTE TABICO’
We got the tip on Elsa, the cat with the movie star look, from noted Dallas cat fan, rescuer, animal advocate and pretty swell person Andrea Allen. The cat is Elsa whose bio, provided by Collin County Adoptable Pets in McKinney, describes her as “ a 3-year-old Dilute Tabico with a heart full of sweetness” before handing the keyboard to her so she can write in first cat person, “I'm hopeful for a second chance at having a loving family. I come with endless affection and the promise of making your home a brighter, warmer place. Could you be the one to give me the loving family I've been dreaming of? Let's start a new chapter together.”
At the Collin County Animal Shelter site HERE you can see that Elsa has two numbers on her bio — #15803fr and 1084205. [LARRY ASIDE: We have no idea why a shelter cat would have two numbers. But maybe it’s important to the bookkeeper.]
The Collin County Adoptable Pets organization explains, “Our goal is to network the adoptable animals at Collin County Animal Services. This page is managed by volunteers, and is not affiliated with the Shelter.”
To reach the actual shelter in McKinney, call 972-547-7292. The shelter’s address is 4750 Community Ave., McKinney,TX 75071.
[LARRY ASIDE: McKinney is right up U.S. 75 from Dallas — depending on the motoring challenges, a trip could take you 30 minutes or 3 days to get there. I’m typing that as a veteran driver whose seen a jam or two on North Central Expressway in his lifetime as a journalistic observer of Dallas traffic who has never once seen a day when there wasn’t a construction project underway in the city. That’s why you need a calming cat such as Elsa — after a drive, you need a friend whose purr is calming and can help you through the jittery parts of your travel by sitting in your lap while aiming your remote at the TV and wondering “:What’s on the next channel?”].
CONTEMPLATIONS
LOOKING FORWARD AND OTHER STUFF
Here we are on the brink of the end of January and the Super Bowl opponents have been determined and to show that the Dallas Cowboys are ahead of most of their opponents, they’ve already been “waitin’ ’til next year.” I know. Cheap shot. …
Speaking of good things that happen to good people… Didn’t happen with my Saturday night Lotto Texas ticket, but what do I need with money when I’ve got dogs, cats, grown-up twins sons and a wife  way smarter than I am. Well, I would like to have enough money to play golf regularly. Wonder if I’m too old to qualify for a golf scholarship at a major university. I could earn a degree in “Moneymaking, Taxation and Course Management.” That sounds like a degree that would pay enough to cover the greens fees and cart rental. …
Speaking of college loans, way back in 1966, I managed to go to junior college for around a hundred bucks a 16-hour semester — that was about 3 week’s pay as a beginning reporter. I also bought a car on a loan from my credit union — a $900 second-hand black 1963 Volkswagen Bug without a radio or an air-conditioner. The transmission connection under the floor of the back seat broke once and I wired the gearshift back together with a paperclip from my desk at the office. (Swapped that car for a used 1966 white Mustang with red interior (with AM radio) in 1968; paperclip was still holding firm in the VW.) Journalism — you learn things and, now and then, other people learn things from what you report. Never had to get the federal government to forgive my education bills. Maybe it shows that I didn’t get one of those six-figure degrees. Sic friat crustulum, eh?
—- Offer Latin translations or English tips by clicking on ‘comment’ below or by emailing [email protected] and put ‘Learning matters, lunkhead’ in the subject line if you believe it. —

A QUICK MONTH, SAVING ANIMALS, WONDERING ABOUT PEOPLE, CONTEMPLATING TELEVISION....

EDITION OF MONDAY, JAN. 29, 2024 [PetPowellPress] The only way I can explain how we've reached the 29th of January so swiftly is this: We were all frozen in Texas and time-traveled quickly toward the end of the month. Or, alternative question: How can a Texas August last so much longer than a Texas January?
 Kids, check with some Baby Boomers. They'll tell you that no months moved this quickly prior to man landing on the moon. If we ever set foot on Mars, no telling how fast a month will move. [LARRY NOTE: My Senior Office Cat William Powell takes a moment to check my temp with his nose-to-nose thermometer system. No charge, he says.]
By the way, call this edition a "Jumble" of situations. Why? Because it just seems as if there's not a shelter in the area that's not crowded, there's not a roadside field that doesn't have stray dogs or dumped dogs, there's not a village idiot in the State of Texas that isn't fully employed and active in our animal-dumping communities. Perhaps I am too harsh. Read on..
OVER THE WEEKEND
AN URGENT 'TIGER'
While bouncing through the assorted internet and Facebook sites within my computer's reach, I ran across this note on the Urgent Pets Of Dallas Animal Services page.
This dog joined the line of animals that have, for my entire life, won my heart with a glance.
That is Tiger (#A1202210), according to the Urgent Pets page. As of this writing (Sunday evening) we have no idea what her status is at DAS, but we do have the latest report we found.
Tiger is a 2-year-old, 46-pound, heartworm negative girl off the mean streets of Dallas. 
She was found, the note says, in the 2800 block of Metropolitan Avenue in Dallas. On the 27th, the note says, she was being treated for vaginal prolapse. [LARRY ASIDE: I don't know about this condition, but I do wonder if she'd been used as a breeding momma. Anybody give us the facts? Email [email protected].]
 The Urgent Pets posting says the shelter observation is that she is "friendly, walks on leash, allowed to pet." 
Connections: To adopt Tiger, email [email protected] and go to the shelter at 1818 N. Westmoreland. To foster, email [email protected]. To rescue: email [email protected].
The post included this line:
 DEADLINE MONDAY, 1/29 at 11 AM,

 MEANWHILE IN MESQUITE
SOME BIOS AND ADORABLES
We've got a few animals from the Mesquite volunteer dog-writers and their hard work should be rewarded by animals being adopted into wonderful homes. Every now and then, readlarrypowell.com leans toward expecting daily miracles in animal shelters throughout the metrosprawl. We know how hard the volunteers and staffers work in Mesquite. 

We begin with Zoey, a 4-year-old, 76-pound Doberman Pinscher girl who in as an owner surrender -- her humans were moving, according to the bio sent to us by Jamie Dotson. Zoey is #55163495. Use that ID when you call the shelter at 972-216-6283 or email [email protected].
Jamie writes, "Tho she is unsure why she was left at the shelter, she realizes that we are going to help her find her a loving family. She is very calm, kind, and an affectionate girl. She walks well on a leash and takes treats gently. ... She has had a few litters of puppies and has a few calluses on her legs as it appears she has been laying on concrete. ...When sitting on the bench she will put her paws in my lap and lean in so I can rub her ears, and give her a kiss on her head. As the other dogs were barking, she did not show any interest in them... She deserves to have a secured backyard to play in, but must be an indoor dog."
Candy (#55116842) is a 2-year-old, 42-pound spayed Boxer/Pittie mix who arrived as a stray on Jan. 17. "She is a cute little girl but does not understand why she is at the shelter," Jamie writes, then adds, "She is a bit shy at first but does warm up. Candy loves to sit close, cuddle and get tummy rubs. It appears she may have lived inside and been house-trained. And she has told me having a loving happy home where she lives inside, having her own fluffy dog bed, and receiving lots of petting, is exactly what she dreams of."
Volunteer dog-writer Debra Chisholm provided with the bio of Cowboy (#55132274). She says he's "a cutesy mixed breed boy picked up as a stray by one of our officers and brought to the Mesquite Animal Shelter on 1/19.  Cowboy is approx 4 months old and weighs 20 pounds.  Does he ever have lots of personality!  He is a tail-wagging, high energy puppy with a real zest for life!  He is playful, knows the sit command and will do so for treats.  In fact, that was his primary focus during our photo session.  He is friendly, affectionate, tried to climb on my lap and will give kisses.  He likes to be petted and loved on.  There is not a bit of fear or nervousness about him.  He has adjusted ok to the shelter environment.  However, that does not mean he wouldn't dearly love to find his own special person or family that will give him all the TLC he deserves."
Debra also provided us with this "mother and her babies" biography. 
"Meet the cutest, sweetest, spunkiest bunch of pups ever!" Debra wrote, adding, "Their mama is Angela and here is their story: Apparently Angela wandered into a Mesquite citizen's yard on 11/26 and proceeded to have her pups right there. Citizen called the Mesquite Animal Shelter, and the 6 pups and mama were brought to the shelter and have been there since. Pups are now weaned and being fed puppy food and are independent of their mother. However, they are only two months old and not available to be adopted until February 27 when they will be three months old. These puppies need to get out of the shelter ASAP. They have already contracted coccidia. They were given meds and are OK now but their immune system is undeveloped and they could easily pick up some other illness. They are rescue only due to their age. Angela is in a general population kennel and is available for adoption. In a perfect world we do not like to separate moms and their pups, but due to the overcrowded shelter, and the possibility of the pups getting sick again, the pups can be rescued without mama. Of course, the shelter staff would love for the puppies and mom to go together if possible."
And the puppies --"lively and fun-loving" -- are: 1) Jan (right) ID 54847091, 2) Pam ID 54847054, 3) Stanley ID 54847032, 4) Kelly ID 54847075, 5) Jim ID 54847043, 6) Dwight ID 54847019 and mama Angela is the grown-up girl." 
For more info, call the shelter staff at 972-216-6283 or email [email protected]."
See more Mesquite animals at the city shelter's website HERE.
Among the many cats in the shelter is this guy Royal (#54739934), a 6-months-old orange fellow who came into the shelter on November 7.
He's available for adoption.
You'll find him in the Cat Room at the shelter. And what kind of cat is the little guy? He's that rarity of rarities, a Domestic Shorthair Mix. Readlarrypowell.com is looking into that "rare" rating for Domestic Shorthair Mixes. You could be the first in your block to have a Domestic Shorthair Mix with a "Royal" name.
CONTEMPLATIONS

ASSORTED THOUGHTS FOR NO REASON
While watching the NFC and AFC championship games Sunday, it occurred to me that I have lost interest in TV commercials. Might be that I simply miss the commercials from TV prior to the invention of the Super Bowl. Any Cheerio Kid fans out there? How about Ipana? Ever get fed up with those constant Winston Tastes Good Like A Cigarette Should jingles?
Was Federal Communications Commission Chairman Newton Minow right in 1961 when he said "Television is a vast wasteland"? Or was he more accurate with "When television is good.... nothing is better. When it's bad, nothing is worse." He said all that long before anybody got to see Seinfeld, Murphy Brown, The Sopranos, Midsomer Murders or, of course, The Bachelor or Congressional Hearings. ... 

OK, enough of that. I'm going to go read a book. Or try to write one. I think I'll call it "I Don't Let My Dogs Watch TV on Weekends" and I'll work on a sequel, "My Cats Pay For Cable & ENJOY TOTAL ACCESS." Perhaps 'enjoy' is the wrong word.
--- Offer some kind of advice on something by clicking on 'comment' below or by emailing [email protected] and put BABY BOOMER CHILD OF BLACK AND WHITE TV in the subject line. ---

SO, ONE CALM AFTERNOON, THE CAMERA CAUGHT AN ODD SCENE ON A DOG'S HEAD

I was nodding off during a recent National Football League game when I suddenly saw a tiny Cocker Spaniel sitting atop our sweet dog Wendy's head. 
Dear Readers. that’s a sentence you may never have read before. It’s also an actual photograph you’ve never before seen.
In fact, I’m willing to bet that no one on the planet in the history of humanity has previously written that sentence and combined it with a photo, i.e., evidence of a strange event.
Now, I’ll confess that the opening sentence is not entirely accurate but it gets the point across, as you’ll see.
OUR THEORY is “accuracy” may not always be a necessary component for paranormal or political visions. Cue the spooky music or a laugh track — your choice. This is, after all, a political year.
We’ll use that opening sentence to launch this Jan. 27-28, 2024 edition of Let Sleeping Dogs Lie & Napping Cats Nap.
But, of course, that opening sentence it not entirely accurate. I didn’t see that Cocker Spaniel when I was taking the photo from my sleepy pillow position and distracted by the football game.
I only spotted the eerie illusion when I was reviewing photos I’d taken on that recent late January afternoon.
THE REALITY? We do not have a tiny Cocker Spaniel in our house. Additionally, if we did, not one of our dogs or cats would let the specter sit on their heads.
Furthermore, I’ll swear the following in open court, church, any respectable bar ’n’ grill (I’ll have the house salad) or the U.S. Congress if it’s having a good day:
“I herewith swear that we do not have a miniature Cocker Spaniel who loves to balance on the head Wendy, our big 15-year-old girl of mixed breeds!”
Wendy, who was rescued by my toughfunspouse Martha off the mean streets of Dallas, may have a family tree that includes Bird Dog, Boxer and — we’re not real certain — the not-so-rare Sixth Street Hallucinating Austinhund. [LARRY NOTE: I might have made up that last breed just to get a smile from people who go to Austin for fun to help keep it weird.]
Here’s a fact: I did not spot the silhouette of the Cocker Spaniel until last weekend when I was reviewing the dog and cat photographs I’d taken recently.
I snapped these photos of Wendy sitting on the bed as I watched the last few minutes of a weekend football game. I rarely nap, so conditions must have been right to capture that image. Only during the review of snapshots did I see the silhouette of the tiny Cocker.
(Cue some spooky music.)
SHOULD THE CATS GET CREDIT
FOR THIS ILLUSION?
Could our ambitious dog Wendy be working with the cats to bolster her ability to transmit influential thoughts to humans?
I believe she calls this “the practice of a scenic suggestion.”
This “spell” she cast, for example, suggests that the household needs a Cocker Spaniel. Wendy knew our late pal Inky, the Cocker Laureate of the State of Texas, and frolicked with him when they were in playful moods.
I’ve been pondering the joy of Cocker Spaniels lately, inexplicably. And I’m starting to wonder if it’s because Wendy, under the coaching of psychic cats, is projecting the positive Cocker image into my life.
THAT CAT — IS HE INVOLVED?
That cat is our youngest, Hastings Streetboy, the latest to come into our home. A 2021rescue from Hastings Street in Duncanville — I picked him up while I was buying drugs.
Relax. Legal drugs to control my blood pressure. I got out of the car on the drug store parking lot and there he was, standing motionless in the middle of Hastings Street. Blinded by big gobby orbs on both his eyes. Starving. Yowling. It was love at first sight.
I think Hastings may, after I’ve shut down the office for the day, go online to study the legendary spell-casters textbook, The Mental Art of Feline Existence & Influence on Aimless Humans.
I snapped that photo of Hastings on the floor and asked what he was doing. He replied, “I'm blocking the dorm room door and sending out good vibes for an afternoon snack.” That's one of his baby photos on the left -- vivid blue eyes and a determination to run the show -- the dogs stepped back and let him.
WENDY’S HISTORY?
She came into the family about 15 years ago with an already powerful mind. She can walk into a room, look at me and I'll immediately enter a trance that influences me to rise and walk to the back door and open it so she can tend to business. Or, with a slightly refocused glance, she mentally instructs me to walk to the pantry and pull out a can of cat food for her. You might think I meant to type that she told me to get a can of dog food. Nope. Her mental message was on target. She loves cat food. Wendy sends me a different signal for dog food. The cat food directive comes with a dramatic mental purr that, under the spell, I interpret as being an enforced command from the dog.
I'm sure you all have encountered these mystic ways of communication in your dogs and cats.
RELAXING DOG WITHOUT A TINY COCKER?
That's Wendy, on our bed, looking up at me and, with eyes closed, instructing, "Fetch me a blanket."
In the photo with one eye open, she was projecting, “You're such a dear fellow, Larry. Perhaps you could bring me a martini, shaken not stirred, and give me the TV remote so I can watch the James Bond movie." 
She has human needs and superhuman communication skills. Her agent is working on a movie deal. That's what I heard from Hastings the Hollywood Gossipcat. He’s under contract. Has a tough agent. We’re getting filthy rich. His agent swears he can get me a contract for my book, Sleepers, Nappers & Spells: Making Money With Claws & Paws. Look for it in the fiction section.
[DEAR READERS! Please send photos of your slumbering critters to [email protected] and we’ll spotlight them in our long-running feature Let Sleeping Dogs Lie & Napping Cats Nap. We’ve posted photos of slumbering dogs, cats, birds, one turtle, one iguana, etc. beginning with the premier edition on May 14, 2005. Nearly 19 years of slumbering, beloved animals. This edition is our first reference to the psychic power of a dog as guided by a community of spell-casting adorable cats.]

ADORABLE ADOPTABLES WAIT, A MOON NOTE, BIG TEX SCHOLARS DOLLARS TIP & 2 MOVIES

EDITION OF JANUARY 25-26, 2024 [PetPowellPress] Here we go with an edition that ranges from local dogs and cats to some moon-inspired recollections. As we move along, I confess that I’ve been coping with an updated typing program and sometimes it won’t let me end a sentence without a punctuation mark of its own choosing. A guy like me has enough challenges at the keyboard. But, here goes anyway, right on through Contemplations at the finality.
A NOTE FROM PEOPLE
WHO COPE WITH CHALLENGES
IN SMALL SHELTERS
Once again this week we get a note from the folks who work to get animals out of the crowded and rarely visited by humans small shelters on the southern side of Dallas. To offer to help such animals as this guy Joey, a 56-pound, perhaps 2 or 3-years-old Hound mix, call or text 214-949-2726 or email: [email protected]. Ask to get put on the mailing list so you can keep up with how to help these good-hearted souls and the animals.
Joey started out in the Glenn Heights Shelter but when a euthanasia date drew close, he was moved to safety, according to our tipster’s note.
In the world of animal shelters, “safety”can sometimes be a very brief temporary situation at best.
MEANWHILE IN EVERMAN
MIDNIGHT WAITS FOR A HOME
This handsome pup Midnight caught the attention of our Everman Animal Shelter tipster Heather Harrison.
His story reads: “Midnight will soon lose his life because his kennel is needed. No fault of his own.
“He is a 10-12-month old, male Lab mix. Very sweet. Loves to cuddle into your lap. Dog social. Vaccinated.”
“He's desperate for a home or rescue so he can stay alive!” Heather wrote.
To ask about adopting or rescuing his guy, call the Everman Shelter at 817-561-5495.
WAITING IN MESQUITE,
ADORABLE ADOPTABLES
[LARRY EXCLAMATION: Seriously, folks,, how can one shelter in a major metropolitan area corner the market on absolutely cute young dogs? How does that happen? Does the beautiful soul of the volunteer program at Mesquite Animal Services attract the beautiful animals. Good theory, don’t you think? Here we go with some adoptables.]
Our tipster is Debra Chisholm, one of the volunteer dog-writers at the Mesquite Shelter.
We start with her report on a dog named Andy. She writes that he’s a “cutesy youngster…a mixed-breed boy picked up on 1/18.” Andy’s about 5 months old and weighs 37 pounds.
Debra writes, “He has a tail-wagging, fun-loving personality and it is entertaining to watch his antics.  He thoroughly enjoys playing with toys, especially those colorful, fuzzy squeaky ones.  Andy walks well on a leash. He also loves treats and gobbled up the yummy Pupperoni treats though he doesn't know to sit for them.  He is exuberant and full of life and puppy energy.  Andy is a friendly fellow and doesn't mind a bit being petted and loved on.  In his excitement he will jump on you (as many puppies naturally will) so will need that all-important obedience training.  Raising and training a puppy can be a challenging endeavor but is so worth the investment when an adopter stays committed and invests the time and effort. …d
"He is being kenneled in a wire crate in one of the hallways as a number of our dogs are and this is necessary because we are so critically overfull and there simply isn't room to house every dog in a regular kennel due to the number of dogs that come through our doors.”
Andy is #55122942. Use that ID when you call the shelter at 972-216-5283 or email [email protected].
Same system for this next pup, this girl, Josey (aka #55126393). Debra writes, “I have named this adorable little dumplin' Josey.  She is listed as a Retriever/Lab mix, was picked up by one of our officers as a stray on 1/18 … Josey weighs 22 pounds and is approx 5 months old.  She has plenty of puppy spunk and behavior.  You ask, ‘Is she timid, shy, fearful or nervous?’  Not at all!!  She is confident and trusting.  Josey is playful, loves toys and balls and is quite fond of our delicious treats!  … Josey is amiable and pleased to receive loving attention.  If you are able, will you please help this youngster's stay at the shelter to be a brief one?  She needs a person or family willing to invest in helping her through the oftentimes frustrating puppy behavior and staying committed to her.  She will make someone a wonderful and devoted companion.”
And that bring us to this guy. Debra writes, “This big fella is Barney (#55084903), a Pit Bull Terrier mix that arrived as a stray on 1/10. …  Barney weighs 63 pounds, is about 2 years old and has been neutered during his residency at the shelter.  He was quite high-strung and high energy and jumped on me during his photo shoot, but some of that is doubtless due to his confinement at the shelter and not getting out of his kennel much.  He's crazy about toys, especially the soft fuzzy squeaky ones.  He also loves treats and will sit for them.  In fact he is so treat-motivated that he might be fairly easy to teach some commands and manners which he very much needs in order to be more adoptable.  Barney is friendly and once he slows down is ok with being petted.  When one of our male staff members came to return him to his kennel Barney was so excited and acted as though he was a long-lost friend and gave him plenty of kisses.  He would seem best suited for a person or family that would spend daily time exercising him, playing with him and giving him lots of enrichment.  He did show some dog reactivity when led past other dogs so if interested in Barney please ask the staff for a dog test."
SEE MORE MESQUITE ANIMALS online at THIS LIINK.
Still waiting among the cats is #54939766, the 4-month-old girl named KATNESS. She’s small, brown and white, a very rare — LARRY NOTE: we’re checking on that “rare” label we’ve assigned to her — Domestic Shorthair Mix and she’s available right now in the Conference Room at Mesquite Animal Services. She came in on Dec. 12. That’s a great cat face and a championship set of whiskers. All hail Her Royal Katness.
CONTEMPLATIONS
BIG TEX’S SCHOLARSHIP & OTHER NOTES
As you may suspect, readlarrypowell.com is a big fan of the State Fair of Texas and recognizes appreciatively that the Fair not only reward cooks and bakers and artists and photographers with ribbons, but it also awards Big Tex Scholarship Program money to smart students! The deadline for applying for Big Tex Scholars help is on Feb. 1, we’re told in a news release from Big Tex himself — or one of his pals in the front office at the Fair. Here’s the LINK to the news release that has the info for applying and succeeding. Since 1992, the release says, “the State Fair has awarded more than $17.4 million to “more than 3,000 scholars.” One of the “perks” for being a Big Tex Scholar is “a State Fair season pass for life.”
When is the State Fair this year? Ah, at bigtex.com you see that the 2024 State Fair of Texas runs from September 27 through October 20. Cookie, cake and pie bakers are probably already at work on their 2024 surefire Blue Ribbon-winning recipes! Based on decades of observation, here is a genuine Big Tex Truth: The Creative Arts Department never sleeps at the State Fair of Texas! And that’s a snapshot I took of a winning jelly at the 2023 State Fair of Texas — I’ve never tasted cactus jelly, but I am a vegetarian and it is tempting! If you know about the blue ribbon prize-winning flavor of a cactus jelly, email me at [email protected] and fill me in. Is it good on a hot biscuit? As you may suspect, the hot biscuit is my favorite vegetable.
SPEAKING OF NEVER SLEEPING WHILE THE MOON IS FULL! The Old Farmer’s Almanac email says the big bright moon Thursday night/Friday morning — at its peak as midnight approaches Texas time — is known as the Full Wolf Moon. Our research found that’s because of the active wolves on cold nights in some parts of the planet. It’s also known as the Ice Moon and the Cold Moon. But let's move along to something about the moon that's important:
Best werewolf movie? Most adorable for film fans might be the 1941 Universal Pictures The Wolf Man with Lon Chaney Jr. in the title role. It opens, as I recall, with this: "Even a man who is pure at heart/And says his prayers by night/May become a wolf when the wolf-bane blooms/And the moon is full and bright." Of course, for the late era in the 20th century, you may adore the 1994 film Wolf, directed by the legendary Mike Nichols and starring Jack Nicholson as the wolf man, Michelle Pfeiffer as his inadvertent love interest and the much-appreciated James Spader as the evil ambitious co-worker who also becomes a werewolf. Ah, I know it’s not Halloween, but there’s a full moon and I’ve been writing about the autumnal wonder, the State Fair of Texas. I found that, suddenly, I was in the mood for a moon/wolf man/romantic tale on film. Call it a “howwwl from powlllllll.”
—- Offer advice or plot ideas by clicking on ‘comment’ below or by emailing [email protected] and include “LAST GOOD MOVIE I SAW” in the note. —-

CALL IT A RECORD-EFFORT BY A BUNCH OF ANIMAL-LOVIN' CAT FANS 'OUT AT THE LAKE'

EDITION OF THURSDAY, JAN. 25, 2024 [PetPowellPress] Warm salutations and purrs, Dear Readers. I am William Powell, the charming Senior Office Cat at readlarrypowell.com.
Pardon my somber countenance today, but I am addressing you in sincere celebration of a wonderful triumph in a localized serious topic: Feline overproduction.
Our sources tell us that 105 cats were spayed or neutered (depending on the need!) in a carefully planned special project at Friends of the Animals of Cedar Creek Lake’s Spay/Neuter Clinic. The Friends, as you probably know, operate the world’’s most successful spay/neuter clinic at Gun Barrel City.
The question is: Where in the world would anybody get 105 potentially fertile cats? Devoted volunteers with Adopt A Barn Cat and All About Fixin’ It. Please read on. Sincerely, Your Senior Office Cat, William Powell. P.S. See you in Contemplations shortly.]
Here’s the journalistic way to explain this event. And we get this info from Sydney Busch and a well-written report by animal advocate Leslie Wadlow Kelly.
(Who) Friends of the Animals at Cedar Creek Lake with Dr. Glen Campbell and a big flock of volunteers joined with the feline support forces, Adopt A Barn Cat and Fixin’ It to
(What) create a massive spay/neuter event
(Where) at the Friends Spay/Neuter Clinic in Gun Barrel City.
(When) on Saturday the 20th

(Why?) to keep unwanted cats from having unwanted kittens because people can be idiots about animals without much effort. [Editorial comment regarding people/idiots from veteran observers with readlarrypowell.com]
BACK TO THE MAIN POINT:
When I discovered that the project had spayed/neutered 105 cats in a day, I asked Sydney, “Was that a record?” And she replied, “absolutely a record,” Sydney told us when I asked, “Is that a record?”
And she explains that the Clinic “could never do that many animals though and include dogs - the surgery takes too long on them… We were all just dropping in our tracks - a very long day - Dr. Campbell did great, had great attitude the whole day!
“There were two groups who are regulars in the TNR biz:: Adopt A Barn Cat and All About Fixin' It...they have regular trappers and they coordinated the whole thing...We just showed up with blades and sutures!”
Sydney suggests that the most comprehensive expiation of the success of the day appears in a post written by animal advocate Leslie Wadlow Kelly on her Facebook page HERE.
Here’s part of what Leslie posted after witnessing the successful event:   “Today in our Lake Community about 25 people (estimated) came together to make a HUGE DIFFERENCE we all can appreciate.
“There were 105 feral cats trapped (from different colonies) and spayed or neutered and now they will be returned to their colonies. It’s called Trap Neuter Release and it’s the only way to manage a growing cat colony.
“This was a H U G E endeavor to accomplish!
“It started with each volunteer in their neighborhood recognizing a problem and finding a solution….TNR. When the need far outweighed the solution Directors from these groups got together and planned a Saturday Surgery Day at Friends of the Animals at Cedar Creek Lake just for the TNR programs.
“The plan was….to trap 100 cats, spay/neuter each one, in one day. That was today!
“It was a success! We did it!!! We actually had 105 cats and I am truly impressed, inspired and in AWE!
“This couldn’t happen without donations and volunteers.
But most importantly not without our phenomenal Dr. Glen Campbell. We even had doc’s wife Sherry Perchalla-Campbell there to help. Our incredible Vet Tech Holly Regina Press who leads our surgery team fearlessly.
Also Sydney Busch for seeing the possibility of YES we can do this.
A huge shout out to those volunteers who trapped all those cats. Wow! I can’t even imagine how many people were involved in that. Truly blows my mind.”
You can read Leslie’s entire report HERE.
 Learn about Adopt a Barn Cat HERE.
 Learn about All About Fixin’ HERE.
Get in touch with Friends of the Animals HERE  or call 903-451-4701 or  214-808-4701.

CONTEMPLATIONS
A POSTSCRIPT FROM WILLIAM POWELL
I’d like to speak personally regarding the spay/neuter situation. I am the oldest formerly intact male cat on the staff of Readlarrypowell.com.
Look at my face. Do you see any anxiety. Any strain. Any plotting of a gutsy attempt to dart through an open door and run through the neighborhood spreading joy, so to speak, to any unfixed girl cat I can find?
No. I am at ease with the world. I am a lap cat with a loving attitude. I have a job in the literary community because I have a mind that can focus on more than one thing each day. I am, for many years now, a cat driven by passion, not by mindless lust. Thus, on behalf of all of us fellows and ladies who can wake each day without hormone-driven anxiety, I say “thank you” for setting me free of uncontrollable nature. I also don’t make enough money to pay the post break-up kitten child support. And remember this; All the kittens who are born don’t wind up in homes. They sometimes go to shelters to get the needle. They are thrown out in neighborhoods where they’ll become a meal for a coyote or a hawk or they’ll be run down by a driver who tried to dodge or a driver who saw them and gleefully didn’t try to dodge them. It’s a tough world for an unwanted cat. If I hadn’t wandered up to help Larry paint the wood trim on the house, I don’t know where I’d be today. I sure as heck wouldn’t be Senior Office Cat. Bless all the people who help cats and dogs whether it’s with paperwork, kennel work, adoption work or just wading into a tough area to bail a box of puppies out of a creek.
Sincerely,
William Powell,
Senior Office Cat, readlarrypowell.com.
—- Offer advice or support by clicking on ‘comment’ below or by emailing [email protected] and tell those volunteers out at the lake, “Thank you!” —-

THIS EDITION DEALS WITH ANIMALS NEEDING HELP & HOMES; PLUS A 'YETI' QUESTION....

EDITION OF WEDNESDAY, JAN. 24, 2024 [PetPowellPress] I was standing outside watching the sunrise. Relax. That's a
sentence of total personal fiction. I’d have had to have been in orbit above the clouds to see a sunrise Tuesday morning. Let’s get back to earth.
That photo? Shot it last week when I looked out the kitchen window as Martha was leaving for work. Her path to work was slowed a charming bit by a couple of cowpokes on horseback.
Yep, you’ve heard of “Stock Show Weather” — the cold and wet onslaught that traditionally accompanies the arrival of the Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo. This is “StockShow Traffic.”
The quietly-walking horses were beautiful.
I have no idea where they were going or where they came from.
But at least they weren’t being left in the neighborhood like discarded dogs and cats. Can I get an “Amen! Giddyup!”?
A LITTLE TIME IS BOUGHT &
A DOBERMAN WAITS
That could be a sign that someone reading this is the person for whom this Doberman boy is waiting. Yep, you could just be the match for a dog that, so far this year, has been (a) threatened by freezing weather and (b) threatened by being surrendered to the overloaded City of Dallas Animal Services & Adoption Center.
Getting surrendered in Dallas is risky business for dogs and cats.
In our Monday edition we were able, with the help of veteran advocate/rescuer Kimberly Jones, to alert people to the status of an “adolescent Purebred Doberman” who was, at the time, headed towards an unpleasant end at overloaded Dallas Animal Services.
But there’s been a break. KJ reports that the family who rescued the dog has given him more time to find a rescue or a good home before he gets handed over to the city’s shelter.
How’d he wind up with this family? (And that’s the dog walking in the hallway and waiting for a treat — politely waiting for a treat.)
The story, KJ reports, is this: “He was just out alone during the freeze. The people who found him were walking their little dogs and the Dobie followed them home. They walked with the dog around the neighborhood looking for his owners, asking people if they recognized him and they made posts on Pawboost etc... the dog doesn't have a microchip. He is really friendly and they have had him around both big and small dogs and he is super friendly with all the dogs.” And there’s this: “He is good on a leash. He is good in a car. Needs rescue asap.”
To ask about helping this friendly, good dog — you can name him — call or text 214-527-7783.
Here’s a link to the Dobie’s video.
[LARRY ASIDE: That “Dobie” reminds me: As a viewer of 1950s television, I’m tempted to suggest a good name for him would be “Gillis.” As in “Dobie Gillis.” He could be “Gillis Dobie.” I’d hug him, too.]
MEANWHILE IN MESQUITE,
BIOS HIGHLIGHT ADOPTABLES
As is our system for highlighting animals in the adoption-friendly Mesquite Animal Services Shelter, we turn to the world of one of the volunteer dog-writers, Debra Chisholm.
“I have named this cutie-pie pup Monty,” she writes. His shelter ID is #55100176.
Monte came in as a stray on Jan. 13 and Debra reporters her Dog Scanner “suggests American Bulldog and American Pit Bull Terrier in the mix.  He has such an interesting-looking coat and brindle coloring. Monty weighs 25 pounds, and is approx 10 months old.  He has a low-key, laid-back personality and is somewhat uneasy and intimidated by the noise of the other dogs.  He walked well on a leash when I led him around the shelter.  In the room in which I took his pics he was quite enamored by following his nose and checking out the fascinating smells.  He is well-mannered and and calm. … Monty liked the yummy treats I offered him.  He wasn't especially interested in toys or balls.  Monty is a friendly pup and has such an adorable demeanor.  He would make some person or family a wonderful pet. 
Monty does not want to live as an outside dog but rather as a loved and cherished family member allowed to live inside with his peeps.”
Use.his ID #55100176 when you call the shelter at 972-216-6283 or email [email protected].
And there’s THIS KEY PASSAGE: “We are very overfull at the shelter and need some good adoptions or rescues.  A number of our wonderful dogs (like Monty) are having to be housed in wire crates in the hallways.  This is far from ideal. Please help Monty!”
Debra describes this girl as a “stunningly attractive youngster.” She’s called “EB” which is “short for Ellie Boo,” Debra writes. The girl came in as a stray on Jan. 12. She’s spayed, about a year old and weighs 41 pounds. And, Debra writes, “She has the softest coat with the most unusual coloring and has one blue and one brown eye. … She has a playful and spunky personality.  She tried to entice me to play with her by playfully crouching in a down position.  She loves treats and though she doesn't know to sit for them she takes them easily.  EB walks nicely on a leash.  … EB is amiable and a-ok with being petted.  She appears to have been well-cared for and yet here she is in a city shelter with no one coming to reclaim.” EB is #55096842 when you call the shelter at 972-216-6283 or email [email protected].
This guy with the wonderful facial expressions is Ranger (#55122801). Debra says he’s “a mixed breed boy with perhaps some American Akita in the mix.” Came in as a stray on the 18th. He’s about 6 years old and weighs 60 pounds.
She writes, “This precious boy has such sad eyes.  He has very probably lived an outside life.  His coat is scruffy, especially on his hind quarters.  He seems timid and a bit uneasy in his kennel but then he's only been at the shelter for 5 days.  He walked very nicely on the leash.  He has a chill demeanor and a calm personality and yet he is alert.  He is well-behaved.  He doesn't seem to know any commands and wasn't interested in toys, balls or treats.  He mainly seemed  interested in playing Sherlock Holmes and investigating in the room in which I did his evaluation.  He is a friendly fellow and had no issue with my petting him.  He kept his kennel clean and pottied outside his kennel.  I coaxed a smile out of him in the last picture so it is my favorite!!  Ranger seems baffled as to where he is and how he ended up here.”
Use his ID #55122801 when you call the shelter at 972-216-6283 or email [email protected].
See more Mesquite Dogs and available Mesquite Cats by going to the shelter’s website HERE.
You can see many adorable adoptable cats at that link including this year-old cat of “Unknown” gender. The feline is #55091584 and arrived on Jan. 11. An “available cat,” he or she is just over a year old and is a “large. Orange/White” cat waiting in the “Cat Room.” [LARRY ASIDE: What kind of cat? What else? The extraordinarily rare “Domestic Medium Hair Mix.” Available for adoption. Now. We're still checking on that "rare" label. But, did you a Domestic Medium Hair Mix today?]
CONTEMPLATIONS
SUNRISE, SUNSET, YETI & ME
By the time of the official Metrocloud-dimmed sunrise at 7:27 a.m. Tuesday, I'd already fed and walked the dogs and enjoyed the morning greetings of the cats. It’s a generally peaceful way to begin a day.
If you ever hear that I’m outside at sunrise, the truth probably will be that I’ve had a dream that I left the car running overnight, I’ve stumbled outside to check it and locked myself out of the house. The dogs won't bark Martha awake to let me in because they know it's me— NOT an intruder — and they're very protective of their need for sleep and Martha’s too. Yep, good dogs. ….
In my email Tuesday, I saw a subject line that read “Yeti Department” -- had to do with brand-name coolers -- but suddenly I felt as if I were back in the 1965 newsroom at The Texarkana Gazette and getting a phone-in tip. Someone was telling me that some teens on a date in the swampy woods about 15 miles southeast of Texarkana had spotted the elusive “Fouke Monster” — that possibly mythological creature (akin to other backwoods myths) is the local version of a “Yeti.” At some point in your life you may have encountered the Fouke Monster in Director Charles B. Pierce’s 1972 film The Legend of Boggy Creek. The legend has been around for decades. It was the dream of a young reporter to get an interview with the Fouke Monster. Never been caught, you know. Still haunts, I'm led to believe, the young dating couples who dare to park among the pines without believing there’s a monster who walks the woods and taps on the car windows at precisely the most embarrassing moment in the comfy quarters of a 21st century car or pickup. At least it's not a team of church deacons on a "Repented Sinner Quest" for Sunday's services. Ah, the tales of teenagers in the Arkansas woods. 
— Offer advice for catching the Fouke Monster by clicking on ‘comment’ below or by emailing [email protected] and put ‘ANOTHER FAKE STORY FROM THE MEDIA’ in the subject line. Truthfully yours, larry, the ol’ newshound. —-

A NEED FOR FOSTERING; A CLINIC NEEDS SOME SUPPLIES; A COCKER FOUND IN A CITY PARK....

EDITION OF TUESDAY JAN. 23, 2023 [PetPowellPress] This is a maybe two-decades old photograph of my late best friend Inky the Cocker Spaniel taking it easy on the back of his couch in the picture window at our old house in Dallas.
I found Inky in Kiest Park when he was a naked-from-mange puppy. Been dumped there and landed in my heart. And that, Ladies and Gents, is why I admire the work of DFW Cocker Spaniel Rescue and any other rescue group that takes in dogs and cats and gives them good lives with good people. [More on Inky in Contemplations. First we offer a word of encouragement to some humans.]
RESCUE GROUP IN NEED
OF DEDICATED FOSTER FOLKS
Fostering animals is primarily a rewarding effort — it rewards the animals with a future and it rewards the humans with the joy of helping an animal triumph against lousy odds.
The explanation on the DFW Cocker Spaniel Rescue website reads, “We are Rescue and we don’t give up.” And that note also says that during the past 20 years, DFW Cocker Spaniel Rescue “has rescued and rehomed more than 1l000 dogs across North Texas.”
The latest appeal from the organization reports that DFW CSR “has been asked several times recently why we do not have any dogs available for adoption listed on our website or social media.” The note then explains, “We are in critical need of volunteer fosters. Without volunteers to foster dogs after they have finished vetting, we cannot continue to accept dogs into the program. Time spent in foster care allows us to assess a dog’s personality and needs. This helps  ensure the dog will go to a home that is the right fit for both dog and family.
“Please consider helping a rescue dog find a permanent home by being a foster. All medical expenses are covered by the rescue until the dog is adopted.”
To learn how you can become a DFWCSR foster, email dfwcsr.adoptions.gmail.com.
At the website you can find photos of Cocker Spaniel needing homes. That first fellow is Jack Sparrow, “AKA Praline,” his bio reads. He’s 5-year-old, 40-pound fellow who was rescued from a shelter after he was found as a stray. “Very sweet and affectionate, though active, curious and ready to play.” He’s also known as a happy lap dog.
That other little Cocker is 10-year-old Sky, a “gentle and sweet” girl who is “patiently waiting for her forever home.” Well-mannered, never jumps onto a couch, doesn’t growl “when you take her food” and doesn’t “bark at visitors.”
Those two are listed as available.
[LARRY NOTE: When I went to the DFW CSR website and clicked on “fosters,” I found before and after photos of several Cockers who’d been helped by the organization.
My favorite was this photo combo of Misty. It dramatically shows what the rescue group encountered and the result these “Cocker Spaniel People” should be proud of achieving.]
WHAT DOES THE FRIENDS’ CLINIC NEED
BESIDES VOLUNTEERS & CRITTERS?
We’ve posted such notices previously through the years, but the truth of “operations needs” persists.
By “operations” I’m not just talking about the primary purpose of the Friends of the Animals Low-Cost Spay/Neuter Clinic, the world’s most successful spay/neuter clinic in Gun Barrel City, Texas.
We’ve gotten the periodic appeal from our longtime reliable source Sydney Busch, guiding light of the Friends.
Here’s what’s needed: Donations of “Distilled water — gallon bottles”; “Bleach — always and forever!” Isopropyl Alcohol — 70% strength”; “Cases of water AND soft drinks for our thirsty, hard-working volunteers.”
You can drop such donations off at the clinic in GBS from 6 a.m. to 4 ‘p.m.ish’ on Tuesdays or from 9:30 a.m. to noon on the Second Saturday of each month.
To ask how else you can help the Friends and the Clinic, call Sydney at 903-451-4701 or 214-808-4701. The Friends can always use dedicated volunteers.
CONTEMPLATIONS
WHAT YOU CAN SEE IN THE WORLD…
This one popped up on a Fort Worth neighborhood bulletin board Monday. Photo came with it. And the text read, “Report number #2400040042 If you see this man call animal control. Making this dog pull a tire for several blocks thru neighborhood between Meadowbrook and Norma, Morris and Queen. Pulling and jerking if the dog stops. He needs to be stopped.” The first response to the note urged that a Fort Worth cruelty investigator be emailed at “[email protected] with FWPD.” And the the third note read, “What!!! Is he out there now? I’ll drive down there and go off on him.” …
It’s always strange when our part of Texas has several unpleasantly cold or soggy days in a row. But, unpleasant in Texas is still better than any other state, right?
THAT PORTRAIT? That is Inky, the snoozing dog in our opening photo today. This portrait hangs in our dining room — might have been Inky’s favorite room since dining was among his favored activities. My giftedanimalnutspouse Martha painted this portrait of our lad Inky. He was among the many rescued dogs we’d hands-on rescued through the years. When I got him out of Kiest Park, he had virtually no hair — he’d been dumped by someone who didn’t want to be bothered by paying to get him fully re-coated. He was my dear friend and he continues to be an inspiration in our efforts to help animals have wonderful lives with loving humans. Inky taught me how wonderful a free Cocker Spaniel can be. The not-free Cockers are pretty good pups, too. Since Inky came into our lives I've never met a Cocker Spaniel I didn’t immediately love. Kind of like to hug him right now. I’ll just pick up a handy office cat. Porche the Dog is snoring. Her snores are much louder than purrs.
— Offer advice or surefire lotto numbers by clicking on ‘comment’ below or by emailing [email protected]. —

MONDAY'S EDITION CITES ANIMALS IN NEED AND HUMAN CONTEMPLATIONS

EDITION OF MONDAY, JAN. 22, 2024 [PetPowellPress] Already this far into 2024? "When do we spring forward?" you may ask. After all, this is a leap year and we'll get an extra day of standard time. Daylight Saving Time begins at 2 a.m. local time on Sunday, March 10, our research reveals. And you though a presidential political year only had one thing that would affect your sleep. OK, let's move along.

HOW DOES A DOG LIKE THIS
WIND UP THREATENED?
We got the story on this "adolescent Purebred Doberman" from our pal, the veteran animal advocate Kimberly Jones. 
The story begins, "Adolescent PB Doberman found in freeze has until Monday to find rescue - good with all dogs."
There's hint of his goodness in that photo of the handsome guy looking up at a human! 
Kimberly's note reads, "He was found during freeze. No microchip. Searching for owner and he is listed everywhere including Pawboost as found but no luck...  
"This dog is very dog friendly and very young. Maybe 1 yr old. Male. Has his tail still. Natural ears. No aggression or anxiety whatsoever. Good with small and big dogs. Honestly loves everyone. He has not been around cats. He is just very happy and bouncy. He is good on a leash. He is good in a car. Needs rescue asap."

To offer to help save this guy, i.e., to keep him from going to overloaded/needle-ready Dallas Animal Services, call or text 214-527-7783.
THE DOG IS ARCHER;
THE MISSION: FIND A HOME
This bright-eyed guy has quite the family background.
He's Archer, #55071581, at the Mesquite Animal Shelter. 
Volunteer dog-writer Jamie Dotson describes him as a 2-year-old, neutered, 52-pound "Australian shepherd/Siberian Husky/Kelpie Mix." Quite the family tree.
He arrived on the 8th as a stray.
And Jamie writes, "Archer is a very handsome boy with sparkling, clear-blue eyes, and the softest fur. Pictures do not do him justice so you will have to come meet him to see for yourself. I know he was someone's pup due to how clean his fur is, and the loving personality and manners he has.
"
As I was sitting on the bench he jumped right up next to me, put his paws in my lap and cuddled close. He enjoys being petted and loved on. We went on a walk outside where he also appears to be house-trained." And she adds, "Archer would make a very kind and loving family companion. One that can provide him a secured backyard to play in, but to go back to living inside, having his own dog bed or even cuddling on the couch with his family."
 Use his ID #55071581 when you call the shelter at 972-216-6283 or email [email protected].

MEANWHILE, FROM
OUT AT THE LAKE,
THIS GIRL GEORGIA
Some face, eh?
Here's the story: We got the tip on this pup from Sydney Busch, the longtime guiding light of Friends of the Animals at Cedar Creek Lake. She got the note about Georgia from veteran animal rescuer/advocate Stephanie Muzney. Stephanie's opening paragraph may make you want to get the readlarrypowell.com Two-By-four Of Enlightenment and visit someone so you can deliver a stern lecture. 
Stephanie's opening paragraph in the Georgia appeal reads, "Miss Georgia is the last of 6 puppies rescued with their Mama from a hole in the ground covered with a piece of plywood, when she was only 4 weeks old. Now this beautiful baby is in search of a family to call her own!"

Georgia's Mom is a Doberman and Dad "could be a Hound, Lab or possibly Dane," Stephanie wrote -- offering a pretty good explanation why this 14-week-old puppy is already at the 22-pound mark on the scales. 
Georgia has had her puppy shots, will get the routine vet shots and spaying soon. The note from Stephanie reads, "Cost has been covered by sponsors."
And there's this key note: "Rides well in a car." Good Dog Georgia also sits for treats, and has been an exemplary indoor and outdoor dog at the foster's home. She "can use a doggy door" and is working on potty-training and crate-training. She's just a kid, you know. 
And Stephanie reports that Georgia "does OK on leash, will need more experience. Loves toys, loves to play, loves to cuddle, pretty much loves everybody! Super smart, easily trainable and minds well. All she needs now is a loving home! ... Georgia will make a fabulous addition to a family..." 
To ask about George, call or text 214-232-3644." 
CONTEMPLATIONS

THINGS TO CONSIDER ON MONDAY

 The folks at the online calendar Holiday Insights report that Sunday, Jan. 21, was National Hugging Day and also Squirrel Appreciation Day. If ever two holidays would succeed if united...Yep. National Hug An Appreciative Squirrel Day sounds like a marketable event. T-shirts. hoodies, international conferences featuring intellectuals and artists. Ah, there I go dreaming again. ...

That's me being counseled by my Office Cat William Powell who, in his pre-adoption months, spent some time competing for neighborhood leadership with a flock of local squirrels. Not sure what you call a bunch of squirrels. "Flock" may not be the right word. A bevy of squirrels? A cascade of squirrels? A drama of squirrels! Yes, that's it. Maybe. ...
Kind of relaxing to spend a Sunday without worrying about the Dallas Cowboys winning their next game this season. Relax, wisecracking is how you can successfully wait 'till next year. Year after year after year.....
--- Offer ideas or doubts by clicking on 'comment' below or by emailing [email protected] and put SAVE 'EM ALL in the subject line. ---