ReadLarryPowell.com

THE VALUE OF A DOG, SAVING A FAMILY IN A SHELTER, CONTEMPLATING THE SITUATIONS...

EDITION OF LEAP DAY THURSDAY 2024/Friday 3-01-24 [PetPowellPress] We’ll have a question for the people who love animals in Contemplations. But, first, we need to cite some animals that need places to live.
This is my Office Dog Porche Noel — she has an official place to live. And she also has responsibilities — among them, help the Office Doofus focus when he’s trying to write. She was a free Dallas dog, you know. A wander-up when she was a sick, abused, rasping-not-barking, neglected girl almost aged out of the puppy stage. What is she worth? Somewhere about $8 to $10 million on a sunny day— even more on a cold and cloudy day. What makes her so valuable? Essence of wisdom; purity of tranquility. She’s a “No BS Dog.
Her first rule of coping? Take a nap. So, I’ll be back in a few minutes. …. I’m kidding. She naps on my behalf. I am that creature beyond her comprehension: an insomniac. When she waks, she lectures me about turning the TV up so loud. Good dog, Porche. Wise dog, Porche. Working on a book of poetry: “NOTHING RHYMES WITH PORCHE.” She pronouncs it "Pour-shah."  Pour-shah The Rhymeless Dog.
LATEST REPORT ON MOONEY: (See previous editions or got to his gofund.me site HERE to catch up on Mooney's story.  This came Thursday afternoon from Kimberly Jones, the best friend little dog Mooney ever had. She writes, "I spoke to the neurologist at MedVet and Mooney does NOT have a liver shunt!!! This is great news!!! He also tested negative for distemper (they wanted to rule it out). He will be needing the MRI now as soon as he has been off of the steroids for a full week (some time after March 7). I am SO RELIEVED that he does not have a liver shunt... I am upping the goal on the GoFundMe since I was  'misquoted [on the price] for the MRI. I will continue to update daily. Small wins for baby Mooney!!!" That gofund.me site is https://gofund.me/b5dbcce6d. 
ASSORTED PUPS/PERSONALITIES
AWAIT LANDING IN A GOOD HOME
That headline could fit on any city animal shelter in The Greater Metrosprawl.
It just so happens that these young dogs are in the Mesquite Animal Shelter and we learned of them because that shelter has a vigorous team of volunteers making efforts to put the spotlight on the adorable adoptables in the city shelter.
Some stories are similar — like the tales a veteran animal rescuer might hear a dozen times a week. And others stand alone — something you may never have heard before.

We’ll start with this beautiful dog Boomer, His story was sent to us by Mesquite volunteer dog-writer Jamie Dodson. Boomer’s a year-old, neutered, 52-pound Aussie Shepherd mix who arrived as a stray on November 8. Then, on December 30, he was adopted. And THEN, on January 8, he was returned. Why? His bio by Jamie reads, “Reason for return was too much energy for them, and not familiar with breed character traits. Boomer is still a puppy and does have puppy energy."
OK, SO THAT’S ONE DOG THAT HAS LANDED IN FOUR PLACES.
NOW. THANKS TO OUR PAL, THE VOLUNTEER. DOG-WRITER DEBRA CHISHOLM, WE HAVE FOUR DOGS WHO HAVE LANDED IN ONE PLACE. SO FAR. …
We begin with this fantastically adorned Corey — that some coat, some set of ears and some great eyes, don’t you think? He’s ID #55381688.
Debra calls him a “precious boy” and says he and his three siblings came in as “stray” on Feb. 19. They’re designated as Aussie Cattle Dogs. Corey is about 5 months old and weighs 25 pounds.
[LARRY TIMEOUT: You may note that there his a theme to the pups’ names: Ginger, Spice, Cinnamon and … wait. Corey? The first pup is Corey? Ah, our tipster Debra says Corey is “short for Coriander.” FYI: Cilantro and Coriander are the same thing — “Cilan” is just not as good for a dog’s name.” Let’s get out of the kitchen and move on. Thanks — larrylantro.]
Debra writes. “Corey is kenneled with one of his siblings and they get along great. He is so handsome with his beautiful coat and stunning blue eyes! Corey walks quite nicely on a leash. He enjoyed scouting out the shelter yard and running up and down on the play equipment. He loves treats and takes them politely. Cory is friendly and was happy for me to pet him and show him loving attention. He seemed to want to stay quite close after he explored the yard.
“All four of these precious pups: Ginger, Spice, Cinnamon and Corey (short for Coriander) have the sweetest personalities and are well-behaved. Will you please help Corey out of the shelter by networking (esp if you know of rescues specializing in Aussie Cattle Dogs) or tagging at rescues @cityofmesquite.com,.
Ginger (#53381684) weighs in at 18 pounds (right) — yes, Corey’s little sister. Debra writes, “She has the most beautiful soulful brown eyes and the sweetest disposition and nature imaginable. She is a well–behaved girl, with a mellow personality. She loves treats and takes them gently. Ginger is an amiable girl, and very happily allowed me to pet and love on her. …”
And check out the eyes on Sister Spice. She weighs 25 pounds — as much as her big brother Corey. Debra writes that Spice (#55381681) “has the most stunning eyes—one blue and one brown.  She is a well-mannered, calm and gentle girl, and is a bit reserved. However, she is friendly and was more than willing for me to pet and love on her. She does not jump on you. She loves treats, and appears to be treat motivated, so should be easy to teach some commands. …This would be a wonderful pet for a person or family willing to invest time and effort in helping her navigate the puppy stage of life. She would do best living inside with her people, and being an important part of the family circle.”
And that brings us to the final of the four siblings. This girl is Cinnamon (#55381692), a 22-pound sister in the quarter. Debra writes that Cinnamon “walks quite nicely on a leash and has a calm personality, and yet is spunky and frisky. She is a playful and friendly girl who is pleased to be loved on. She is quite happy to receive treats, and would seem to be treat-motivated, making training somewhat easy. She showed off her athleticism by climbing up on the play equipment in the yard. Though she is a lively youngster, she does not jump on you. Cinnamon is kenneled with one of her siblings and they get along fine. This is one delightful pup who would make a wonderful family pet and would benefit from receiving daily playtime, exercise and enrichment.”
So, as you may recall, the system needs you to cite the animal’s shelter ID number when you call the facility at 972-216-6283 or email [email protected].
You can see these pups and their siblings and dogs they aren’t even kind to by going to the shelter website here:
https://www.cityofmesquite.com. Once you’ve clicked to that point you may also see cats who may be cousins of these dogs — well, probably not, but there are cats in the shelter.
That cat’s expression looks as if someone just asked him, “Is that dog your cousin?” He’s #55212692 — no name yet — and he came into the shelter on Feb. 2 — he’s available to adopt and he’s in the Cat Room at the shelter. [LARRY ASIDE: What kind of cat is this neutered fellow? The very fair Domestic Shorthair Mix With the Reverse Question Mark Tail. Not sure that’s a registered breed.]
WAIT: One more Mesquite dog — this one from our pal, volunteer dog-writer Judi Brown.
This is Tony (#5538684), “an active, lively pup” who came in as a stray on Feb. 20. He’s a “10-month-old, 29-pound gray and white Pittie.” Judi writes, “He’s very athletic and likes to climb. He was not interested in playing with toys, but very interested in checking out his surroundings. Also, he seeks attention. In doing so he frequently jumps on you. Keep in mind he’s just a puppy, but would benefit from some manners training. After all, he’s a fun-loving, happy, lively puppy. He’s very alert and curious. He didn’t appear to know the sit command. However, he is highly motivated by treats so would probably be a fast learner. … After a romp in the yard or a long walk, Tony would like to be included in your family time. A pile of blankets or his own bed at your feet would suit him just fine!”
CONTEMPLATIONS
THE SITUATIONS WITH ANIMALS …
A question of the veteran rescuers and animal adoption groups and shelter workers and others: Have you ever seen such a dismal time for animals in Dallas, Texas, and the surrounding area?
Tell us in one paragraph by emailing [email protected]. Some of you are wordy — I know you. You may have more paragraphs.
Is there some way to call a time-out, reboot the “animal welfare system” while, perhaps, rebooting the brains of the people who don’t give a hoot about the animals they dump or ignore? Sorry. Some days people fail to live up to the abilities their hearts possess
The “don’t care” and “so what” and “I can’t be bothered” people: What is wrong with those people?
OK…that’s enough brain-grinding over animals being killed to make room for more animals to wait in line to be killed.
Humans — sheesh.
—- OFFER GOOD IDEAS BY CLICKING ON ‘COMMENT’ BELOW OR BY EMAILING [email protected] AND PUT ‘DEAR VACUUM OF THE UNIVERSE’ IN THE SALUTATION. —-

SOME MORNINGS NOT DOWN ON THE FARM IS THE PLACE TO BE: HELPIN' CRITTERS...

EDITION OF WED/THUR FEB 28-29, 2024 [PetPowellPress] You’ll get enough of that Leap Day reporting on the 29th, so we’ll just focus on other topics except the weather, professional sports and the bodily-function theme prevailing in today’s television medical advertising.
AND HERE ARE
SOME PUPPIES…
OK, they’re not all puppies. One’s a Mommy — and she’s got a home.
But those babies? Well, yeah, we’re spotlighting some puppies. Five of 'em. And the connection for someone who can help these puppies.
This tale of puppies comes from our longtime contributor of East Texas and Near East Texas dogs-in-need stories, the enduring Gail Whelan of Companion Animal Network.
These pups are waiting in Mineola, an hour-and-a-half-or so east of Dallas on US 80 or, if you’re traveling on I-20 east, about a half-hour north of Tyler. All the roads are paved.
And, yes, if you’re interested in helping a puppy or all of ‘em Gail can transport them to responsible places.
The bottom line is these are “five puppies needing homes, or maybe rescue,” Gail writes. “They have a foster for the moment." 
“These puppies are 5 weeks old. Four girls and one boy,” Gail says. She’s the contact for helping these dogs. Call 903-967-3226 or email [email protected].
You can tell which one is Momma Dog — she’s the one who looks like she needs some much deserved sleep and is belly-down in the pose just to get a break from the vibrant, beautiful puppies.
In order of the photos, the puppies are Bongo, Button, Cedar, Pearl and Tipsy.
Here’s the link to Gail and the Companion Animal Network:
www.ca-n.petfinder.com.
Email [email protected] or call 903-967-3226.
FYI: At that Companion Animal Network link you can also see more dogs C-AN is working to place in good homes. Yes, there are more homeless dogs of all ages and varieties available in our beloved East Texas.

AN EXTRAORDINARY APPEAL
FROM STRAYDOG FOR SMOKEY
[LARRY NOTE: Oh, my, Dear Readers! You know how we have speedometers so we can tell how fast we’re going. I’m thinking we need a ‘mad-o-meter’ on our computers so we can tell how mad we’re getting when we read some of these animal stories. On this one, my foot has the pedal all the
way to the red-hot metal. This is a vivid example of how humans can wreck a dog. Fasten your seatbelts on the Madder’n BLEEP Highway and read on.]
I’ve cropped the photo of Smokey the Dog in two ways, one without a human, one with a human (a friend of Smokey’s at Straydog Inc., the legendary shelter and sanctuary in East Texas).
The story we got in this morning’s email tells us that Straydog rescued this 13-year-old dog after he was “severely neglected by his owner.” Note Smokey’s eyes in these images.
The story continues, “When Smokey's owner brought him to the vet to be euthanized, the vet immediately recognized that this sweet pup could be rehabilitated despite his poor condition. Because his owner was not interested in seeing Smokey through his necessary treatment, he was surrendered into Straydog's care."

The story also reads, “Smokey was seriously malnourished and suffered from a terrible skin condition. He was in excruciating pain from the infection that caused his eyes to rupture. 
“Surgery was necessary to remove Smokey's eyes, and medicinal baths were required to soothe his skin condition. His age slowed his recovery. After spending weeks in the hospital, Smokey could move fully into Straydog's care. 
“Our caregivers LOVE Smokey. He's a sweet boy who enjoys playing with his Straydog friends. Despite being blind, Smokey still trusts people. He gets around well and uses his other senses to help him ‘see.’"

Of course, helping a dog with this many difficult medical challenges isn’t cheap, so Straydog is trying to replenish Smoke’s medical fund — in the words of Straydog, his treatments have “strained our modest budget.”
Smokey is “now available for adoption to a special family that wants to give him a forever home,” the Straydog note reads. To schedule a visit with Smokey, email straydogshelter@ gmail.com.
See Smokey’s link on the Straydog site HERE.
What kind of dog is Smokey? He’s a small male who is said to be a “Shih Tzu/Maltese mix” who is “very loving” and adores cuddling. His caregivers at Straydog are among his devoted, adoring fans!
Goi to straydog.org and you can navigate to the adoption application and to the donation button.
[LARRY ASIDE: While you can donate to helping animals that need help, you can’t actually walk into a courtroom and donate to prosecuting someone for animal abuse and neglect. And, we don’t have the evidence in this case — could be someone who had no funds and was in a tough spot personally. It happens. Bless us all that it doesn’t happen to us. I’m taking my right sneaker off the mad-o-meter pedal — this time. I reserve the right to be, politely, steamed at human behavior when it comes to animals and kids.]

CONTEMPLATIONS
GOATS, CAREERS AND STUFF….
This morning, as I was maladjusting to the temp drop, I looked out the kitchen window and saw our lovely neighborhood with paved roads and no large fields with tractor ruts. Thankfully, I did not become a farmer and neither did my cityfunspouser Martha! Two people not cut out for a life in agriculture. Our moods don’t fit the hours. ….
Also in the early morning Wednesday, I herd, er, heard the WBAP Morning News version of the story of the gang of goats who’d escaped their work area in Arlington on Tuesday and I thought, “Another reason not to be a farmer. I’m pretty sure I can neither out-climb nor out-smart a goat.”
THE CLOSEST THING  we have to livestock is a big ol’ Border Collie/Something Else mix named Dudley the Angel. Well, we do have a cat — Stevie Ray Treeboy who acts like a barncat sometimes — dashing down the hall and jumping up onto the wall as if he’s about to snare varmint lookin’ for a meal on Stevie Rays' Personal Cat Turf. He makes such racket and is happy to do it.
MY GRANDPA HAD GOATS when I was a kid and he lived out in the country in southeast Arkansas. I loved petting the horned-head of Billy who’d come to the fence to greet me.I thought Billy and the three or four other goats were pets. Then one Sunday visit, no Billy. Turns out they weren't pets. That may have contributed to my vegetarianism. Can I get an “Amen” for the ”pet goats” of the 1950s! Nowadays, if I were to meet up with Ol’ Billy, I’d invite him to dinner and fix him a great big spinach salad and we’d talk about old times up to a point. I did love Grandpa’s ol’ 3-legged “yeller dawg,” Red. He WAS a working farm dog -- that's how he lost a leg. Thank heavens I learned to type. No telling how long my fingers would have lasted on a farm…
—Offer any kind of wit you’ve got by clicking on ‘comment’ below or email [email protected] and put ‘MY MOST ENTERTAINING GOAT” in the subject line. —-

SAVING ANIMALS, HUMAN INVOLVEMENT; TRASH AND HUMAN INVOLVEMENT, 'MANSPLAINING'?

EDITION OF WEDNESDAY, FEB. 28, 2024 [PetPowellPress] True or false: There is a certain joy in having a cat as a friend. We’ll get back to that later. I have cats in management positions who insist that I move on with this edition.
MEANWHILE, IN DALLAS
DOGS, PEOPLE LINE UP
I’m not even sure how I found this other than an Instagram note wound up in my in-box and I clicked on it and found this photo and explanation, both from Dallas Animal Services.
[LARRY ASIDE: This should inform people who know nothing of the animal rescue world that every stray dog/cat event  -- THIS ONE IS DIFFERENT! -- doesn’t mean a happy guy with a big net shows up and gleefully swoops up a happy dog or cat and takes ‘em to a city shelter where they’re immediately adopted by waiting humans. Humans don’t wait all that much at a shelter. So, based on the Instagram notes, here’s the tale of these two dogs. Not sure, but that looks a bit like my ol’ neighborhood in southern Oak Cliff. Fast food and roaming dogs — two big clues.]
A note credited to Dallas :Animal Services says the dogs placed this order: “2 kids meals please, don't forget the toy!"
The dogs are, from left, listed as “Big Mac A1204479 and McFlurry A1204477.” If the note is accurate.
And it adds, “Meet the dynamic duo on a mission for the perfect fry! 🍟🐾 This adorable pair has been spotted multiple times at the McDonald's drive-thru line. Neighbors have been trying to get them to safety for weeks without luck, but these pups were on a McMission! Finally, a compassionate Dallas resident managed to corral them into their yard and promptly called Dallas Animal Services for assistance. The pups are currently here on stray hold until Saturday, 2/24, but you can pre-adopt them today!”
The next note is from a guy named Jake who writes, “Just adopted both of them🙌❤5d112 likesReply.”
The next note, from “foodalldaywong," read, “They are bonded and I hope they can stay together. They spent the day in my yard before headed to DAS - they were both so gentle with my little dog.5d56 likesReply.
JAKE THEN REPLIED, “Currently sitting at the shelter in line to pre adopt both. Want to keep them together.”
Then, just to remind us how life really is in the City of Dallas, an Instagram poster signed Peaches wrote, “There’s a dog on Manila rd 75212 by the train tracks appear to be pregnant or just given birth cannot get in touch with anyone by phone.”
[LARRY IRRITATED ASIDE: And there you have it — a quick glance at Instagram reveals one heroic rescue of two dogs and one situation with an apparent momma dog delivering more babies to a city already loaded with puppies and kittens that apparently surprised people who have yet to study the “Handbook of Birds & Bees for Dogs & Cats & And People Who Think a Stern Lecture Stalls The Mood to Make ANY Species of Babies!.” That’s a long title — LARRY FYI? readlarrypowell.com isn’t against puppies and kittens, we’re just against irresponsible people who pay no attention to the rules and results of reproduction.]
SHAKESPEARE
AND SOPHIA.
Not really a knockoff of Romeo and Juliet, but it is a headline that introduces some available adorables in the care of the City off Arlington Animal Shelter…The tip from noted animal advocate Andy Allen focused on this guy Shakespeare.
She reports the dog is in the City of Arlington AnimalShelter and her caption under Shakespeare’s photo read, “The face you make when another day passes without finding a family.”
Arlington’s online post read, “Shakespeare is begging for someone to love him… Adopt this VIP and our current Pet of the Week for just $10."
That’s right, this is a ten dollar dog with, in that second photo, a million dollar look. Shakespeare’s basic info can be clicked “HERE" but when you meet him, you can fill in the blanks. Shakespeare is #34602854 — he’s listed as an “8 years-6 months-17 days”-old Boxer/Retriever mix. Medium size. Tan and white. Neutered. He’s in the “Dog Adoption” area of the city shelter. Came in on Jan. 25.
And, yes, there are cats in the Arlington Shelter, i.e., Sophia, who knows how to relax in a city shelter. She’s #55405826, a year-and-10-days old, the shelter reports. She came in on Feb. 22nd and is a “PetSmart Cat,” one of several available at the off-site adoption area. Yes, she is absolutely available for adoption — unless someone beats you to her. [LARRY NOTE: My readlarrypowell.com photo insert system has failed just as I was about to post Sophia's photo. We'll keep working on it....]
Go to the Arlington Animal Services online site HERE services to see available animals and other note regarding the shelter’s operations.
The shelter is at 101 W. Abram St. Call 817-459-6777 to ask about animals and their locations and if they qualify for the inexpensive VIP adoptions.
CONTEMPLATIONS
MANSPLAINING, NOTES AND TRASHY TALK
One of my favorite pieces of reading material is The Rundown, the media tip sheet (that’s my too-lazy description) that the former Broadcast Journalist and Now Top-Notch Public Relations Executive Jeff Crilley produced for professionals in reporting, editing, marketing and other communications positions. The Monday edition carried a link to this headline “Survey: The average woman gets ‘mansplained’ six times per week at work.” Having been a guy at work for decades, I confess …but I had a lot of female editors and I got some ‘splaining’ from them through the years or I’d never had been a reporter, editor, columnist for as long as.I was! Still, I do abide with a woman who will hush me when I’m overly explanatory — fortunately Martha is not an average woman so I’m prone to following the great 4-letter advice: “HUSH.” Sometimes that’s expressed as, “Holy smoke, Larry, don’t you ever shut up?”
Here’s the LINK TO THAT STUDY FINDS…MANSPLAINING STORY.
https://studyfinds.org/survey-average-woman-mansplained-six-times-per-week-at-work/
And I’d explain, of course, that Jeff always deserves a big “thank you.”
TRASH ON THE HIGHWAY; GARBAGE IN THE YARD: Sometimes when driving in the entire metrosprawl I am given to thinking that there are a lot of people who enjoy driving down a freeway with a bag of household trash and seeing how far they can slide it on the asphalt at 85 miles an hour…Ah, but what we have here is a neighborhood bulletin board note from someone in Arlington. It gets a bit personal, as you’ll see by reading it.
The salutation: “To the person who threw their (redacted)) fast-food trash over my fence.” [LARRY NOTE: No sense naming the fast-foot spot — it’s not responsible for the behavior of its belching, gurgling, puking, shameless cheap diners…. Please read on.]
The Arlington writer continues:
“I let my boys out for a pee today and I turned around for a moment, and when I went to look outside my dog was eating from the bag you threw over my fence. I took it away from him as fast as I could, but he is now vomiting everywhere and I just want you to know if you see this (which I admittedly know is unlikely) that you are a really terrible person. Why would you do this? Throw it in the trash not over someone’s fence. What the hell is wrong with you? (Yes, I am taking him to the vet!”
So, there you have it, Dear Readers: the age-old question on Planet Earth: “WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU?”
—- Offer advice or retort by clicking on ‘comment’ below or by emailing [email protected] and make the subject line read, “PICK UP AFTER YOURSELF, YOU IDIOT! THIS IS TEXAS. DON’T MESS UP TEXAS.” — OOPS, TOO POLITICAL? —-

MOONEY'S ROAD HAS A BUMP; A 'JERK' DUMPS A LITTER IN WILLS POINT; ASSORTED OPPORTUNITIES TO HELP ANIMALS

EDITION OF TUESDAY, FEB. 27, 2023 [PetPowellPress] We’ve had really pretty moons the past few nights. Then, suddenly, as February wanes, summer shows up like it owns the place.
And, FYI, the efforts to help Mooney the Frenchie cope with medical challenges continue. His foster/advocate Kimberly Jones has a Monday report on the gofundme page here: https://gofund.me/3d5d6785.
That is Mooney, possibly among the cutest little guys in the known universe of rescued pups, Mooney is waiting for some more medical treatment. You can learn about it on that gofundme page..
‘SOME JERK’ DUMPS
PUPS IN WILLS POINT
Wills Point is a little more than an hour east of Dallas if you take U.S. 80 in that direction. It’s nudging the 4,000 population mark and either they have one certifiable jerk or some jerk drove from the Metrosprawl to dump a litter of pups. [LARRY ASIDE: Coulda come from somewhere else, I guess. Not that, now and then, you don't think each of the 254 Texas counties has been issued more than its fair share of chowderheaded heartless ratbrains — no offense to Texas rats.]
We got the heads-up on this incident from our longtime reliable tipster Sydney Busch, guiding light and co-founder of Friends of the Animals at Cedar Creek Lake.
These are the “puppies.” Looking a little older than “puppies,” but they’re still youngsters.
The note Sydney got on Sunday from Traci Peterson reads, “Two days ago, some jerk dumped 4 mixed-breed puppies near our house. They appear to be a Lab mix and are very sweet, but a little skittish right now. We don’t have the money to get vet care/food for them. We have no problem fostering them and working with them if you could help out and find them homes. …There are 2 boys and 2 girls.”
To offer to help these puppies, email [email protected] or [email protected].
[LARRY ASIDE: Seriously, does a litter of big dogs dumped in a largely rural county have a better chance of survival than a litter of big dogs dumped in a major metropolitan area’s overloaded animal shelters? Something to consider, I guess — if you’re prone to caring about animals. Otherwise just drive ‘em to a road near a pasture and roll ‘em out onto the asphalt or the gravel and drive away. Jerk.]UPDATING FROM MESQUITE;
1 RESCUED; 1 ADOPTED;
2 ARE AMONG THE WAITING
Our reliable volunteer dog-writing tipster Debra Chisholm of Mesquite Animal Services has some news for us.
“Happy to report,” she begins, “that precious senior Alfie(left), who was probably hit by a car, has been rescued and Penny [the Border Collie mix] has been adopted.
The other two Mesquite pups we mentioned in our Feb. 26 edition, Apollo (left) the 2-year-old Siberian Husky [#55190995] and Harmony [#55396212], the Black Mouth Cur/Boxer Mix) are :”still at the shelter.”
[CITE THEIR ID NUMBERS when you call the shelter at 972-216-6283 or email [email protected].]
And Debra adds, “Hoping they will soon find their forever homes, too.
"Thank you for giving Mesquite Shelter dogs space in your publication. It is much appreciated.” [LARRY ASIDE: Readlarrypowell.com is proud to give these shelter pups some needed spotlight — after all, these shelter volunteers and staffers have been working so hard to save their lives via rescue and adoption. The shelter takes positive steps with its animals to make sure they’re healthy as can be and a good fit for a family or person who is going to give ‘em that “forever home”.]
MEANWHILE, IN THE SHELTERS
OPERATING IN SMALL TOWNS
We may have posted this girl Bailey before (recently, perhaps—I’m lost in space now and thend). She arrived in the inbox from the 4-Legged Helpers. But when we first posted her, we didn’t have access to this photo and if there ever was a picture that said, “This dog looks like she belongs in a loving human’s home,” it is this photograph.
The Helpers say, “Bailey knows obedience and several commands. Even trained her to open a sliding dog (quite interesting - shows how incredibly smart this dog is). House-trained, kennel- trained. Doggy door trained too.  She is absolutely adorable.  Great with kids.  Great with all other dogs.  Really sweet.  Such an adorable girl.  The person that found her travels on her job and is going through a divorce so ... we helped find a temp foster but Bailey needs a rescue or forever home." And the 4LHelpers report, “A very kind person rescued her and has done a wonderful job training her."
To ask about adopting Bailey, a mature Anatolian Shepherd mix found straying in Waxahachie, call or text 214-949-2726 or 972-897-4926 or email [email protected].
And, as we noted in an earlier post, Cruise (AKA Maverick) is in the Ferris/Hutchins Shelter and his bio describes him as “honestly the sweetest most wonderful dog that adores all people, all other dogs; he is cute as can be. Loves to play….”
And there’s Bren, the Fort Worth stray that caught the 4-Legged Helpers eye. She’s “super cute” and already fixed, house-trained and crate-trained. Just needs someone to love,” the Helpers’ bio reads.
And there’s still Joey, currently being fostered by someone who plucked him from a shelter. As you can tell from the photo, Joey, the Maile Boxer mix, likes being adored.
Again, to ask about any of the animals on the 4-Legged Helpers’ radar,
call or text 214-949-2726 or 972-897-4926 or email [email protected].
CONTEMPLATIONS
ASSORTED NOTES IN THE UNIVERSE
The Major League All-Star game is scheduled for July 16 at the Texas Rangers’ field in Arlington, but wouldn’t it be kind of fun to have it re-scheduled for about 1 p.m. on April 8 with the roof open? Be hard to hit a curve ball in those ecliptic conditions. …
ONE MORE ATHLETIC NOTE: This was posted on neighborhood bulletin board site by a fellow from Arlington Heights in Fort Worth. Remember, the famed Cowtown Marathon was on Sunday. The posting read, “I watched today (Sunday) as a fast moving wolf pack of tow truck drivers removed over a dozen cars parked at CVS (Montgomery and Camp Bowie) while drivers participated in the Cowtown Marathon. Sure it's marked no parking but you'd think someone from CVS or the race would be out there to shoo drivers away. Oh yeah, the cost from the tow ferry runs about $400. One young woman in tears told me she had no way to work or school for her kids this week as she couldn't pay that.” [LARRY ASIDE: Seems like that parking situation could have been worked out in advance, doesn’t it.]
SOME MAY SEE THAT NOTE AS A WORD OF CAUTION ABOUT PARKING for a marathon. Not me. I see it as one more good reason not to try to run a marathon! I hold to that vow. If I’m ever seen running 26 miles it’s because I’m chasing a tow truck that’s trying to haul my 1999 Ford 150 to the Museum of 20th Century Emotions in Heartbeat, Texas — that’s in Romance County. I”ll need to check my facts, of course.
—- Offer hope or solutions by clicking on ‘comment’ below or by emailing [email protected] and put “PLEASE SEEK SOME HELP” in the subject line. —-

IT'S MOONEY'S MONDAY; COULD BE THE BIG DAY, TOO, FOR OREO & OTHER DOGS & CATS

EDITION OF MONDAY, FEB. 26, 2024 [PetPowellPress] Welcome to Monday. Altogether now: Everybody focus. We’ve got animals in need of homes and people in need of winning Lotto Texas tickets. I’d like too start with me, but the odds appear to be awful. OK, let’s stick to the mission of helping people help dogs and cats.
LITTLE DOG, BIG SHADOW,
BIG CHALLENGE, BIG BILLS

Yeah, we’ve posted this guy before, but his story is one of a massive challenge and how humans are responding. This little Frenchie guy is Mooney — the parvo victim rescued from a “free dog” note on a Dallas neighborhood bulletin board. What are the odds that a little dog’s situation would be spotted by a veteran rescuers who’s acquired the savvy it takes to put together advocates and medical professionals to save the life of a dog in a tough spot? So far, Mooney keeps beating the odds.
On Monday, Mooney has an appointment for an MRI that’ll tell his medical team what he may need to help him have a long and happy life.
The most recent Mooney report from Kimberly reads, “Mooney is doing well! He eats like a little piggy and he is motoring around the yard still.
"Tomorrow (Monday) is his neurologist appointment... I'm still needing donations to meet the lower end of the MRI (I'm just praying it's the lower end and not any more)….I appreciate everyone so much! I definitely will update tomorrow with everything that happens!!”
You can donate to the funding of Mooney’s MRI and medical care by going to his gofund.me page HERE https://gofund.me/3d5d6785.
And, as you watch this great video of this puppy romping in the yard, just remember that a couple of weeks ago, he couldn’t stand, couldn’t run, couldn’t see… What has emerged from the storm of medical challenges is a little Frenchie guy with an ability to romp and enjoy being alive.
Just CLICK HERE and marvel at Mooney!!!

AND THIS GUY OREO
NEEDS A NEW HOME
We got the Sunday tip on this quite handsome fellow from renowned foster mom Patty Sprong who spotted Oreo online and pointed people toward Emma’s Wish Senior Dog Rescue where Oreo is an adorable dog-in-waiting.
His story reads, “Thirteen-year-old Oreo has the happiest smile! He's good with dogs and cats, can use a doggy door, loves walks and snuggles. Let's find this handsome guy his forever home!”
So, you can fill out the Emma’s Wish adoption application form HERE.
And you can see more adorable adoptables at https://emmaswishsdr.org/.
Then, you can also read about the dog that inspired and inspires Emma’s Wish and her human.
MEANWHILE, IN MESQUITE,
ANIMALS KEEP ARRIVING
($14 DOGS IN FEBRUARY)
We’ve learned of these Mesquite Animal Shelter dogs from our three tipsters, the volunteer dog biography writers (in order today) Judi Brown, Debra Chisholm and Jamie Dotson. Here we go:
Judi tells us about Alfie and it stars with a sad explanation. She writes, “Alfie’s whole world has turned upside down. He has lost his owners and now is in a shelter not feeling well. He’s an 8-year-old, 12-pound Chihuahua that was brought into the Mesquite Shelter as a stray.”
But here, Dear Readers, is the TOUGH PART. Judi writes, “It’s apparent he’s been hit by a car and has muscular skeletal system injuries. He’s got non-weight lifting lameness in both his right and left legs and also his right pelvis. He is on pain medication to try to make him more comfortable but would do much better outside of the shelter. At first he wasn’t eating, but now is eating and therefore peeing and having bowel movements. We are relieved about that!! He can also be picked up if you’re very careful. He’s got a sweet disposition and does not bite. He was trembling when I first interacted with him, but took comfort in being stroked and loved on. There’s no doubt he would be a wonderful lapdog in a laid-back household once he’s received the necessary medical attention.” Alfie is #55379600. Cite that when you email [email protected] or call the shelter at 972-216-6283. If you want to see his medical records or x-rays, email [email protected].
Debra Chisholm provided the tale of “adorable, cutesy puppy” Penny. She’s a 25-pound, 4-close-to-5-months-old Border Collie mix. And she’s been “spayed since arriving in the shelter.” She was picked up as a stray on the 16th. Debra writes, “She’s pretty amazing for a four-month old puppy! She walks quite nicely on a leash and she knows the sit command. She is not timid, shy, or fearful. She has lots of puppy energy and enthusiasm. She is one confident and trusting youngster with an exuberant personality. She is playful and loves toys and balls. She’s a friendly girl with a very sweet nature. She will keep you entertained with her antics and playing with toys.”

Penny will “need daily playtime, exercise, enrichment, and manners training would be great as well.”
Penny is #55367913 - cite that ID when you call the shelter at 972-216-6283 or email [email protected].
Jamie provided the bio for Apollo, this 2-year-old “male Siberian Husky who weighs 50 pounds.” He came into the shelter as a stray on January 30. And Jamie describes him thusly: “This sweet boy is stunning with crystal blue eyes and such soft fluffy fur. He has a very loving and gentle personality. He enjoys standing next to his human companion receiving petting and will lean into you with a big grin on his face.”
And, she notes that he needs to go to people — perhaps a family — that understand living with Huskies and the need for a “secure fence in the backyard.” She adds, “He would make a great family companion, and is such a big lovebug! Come meet this great boy as you will be smitten with him too!”
Jamie also provided the info for Harmony (#55396212), a year-old female “Black Mouth Cur/Boxer mix” who weighs 45 pounds. She came into the shelter on Feb. 21 when her human surrendered her with her sibling, Jamie says adding that the “reason for surrender was the owners lost their housing. Her sibling was rescued and sweet Harmony is waiting for her loving family to find her. She is a beauty! She has been very well cared for, clean soft fur and stunning golden eyes. She doesn't understand why she is at the shelter and can be a bit timid at first. I promised her we would help her know how loved she is, until the time her family takes her to a happy home.
“Harmony walks well on a leash, takes treats gently and appears to be house-trained. Walking past the other dogs barking at her, she didn't show any interest in them, but the loud noise made her uncomfortable. … She loves to be petted, and have her ears rubbed. She deserves to have a loving family where she has a secured backyard to play in, but live inside where she has her own dog bed or cuddling close on the couch to her human companion.” Cite her ID #55396212 when you email [email protected] or call 972.216.6283.

Mesquite has many dogs — adopt for $14 but, of course, they're worth more. And you can see them by going to this MESQUITE SHELTER LINK. There also are cats that need homes. This one is #55381695 — TPU 1200 Rancho Dr, in shelter code. As you can see this is beautiful cat. Age? Unknown. Gender? Unknown. Size? Medium. Came in on Feb. 19. His or her “stage”? “Available,” the shelter says. And where is this cat currently bunking” In the shelter’s Conference Room. [LARRY NOTE: Yep, a very, very rare Domestic Medium Hair Mix — rare in that when you look around, he’s not your house — yet. Got some great paws and beautiful cat face. Yes, some of us humans are envious — though I’ve seen cats try to type under pressure and I’m not sure that’s a good fit. They’re more likely to thrive in management positions.]
CONTEMPLATIONS
ASSORTED NOTES ON STUFF
That’s a pretty intellectual sub-head isn’t it. Well, call it a shortcut to a brief contemplation.
We're inching toward one of the most confusing mornings in America. The presidential election? No. We spring forward on Sunday March 10, when suddenly, at 2 a.m. it becomes 3 a.m. and nobody gets any sleep in Texas.
Be kinda funny if Congress decided to move the time-change to April 8th. Time chance and an eclipse — oh, my, how would we humans thrive under the challenges. I’ve got a pillow and a flashlight with new batteries and some books to read. I’m OK for now. ….
Our Saturday evening meal was an outdoor dining experience and the weather was perfect and we got to watch a moonrise and because were not eating a home, but on a raised platform in the front of the restaurant, we ate without a single dog sitting next to the chair and staring up at us. Truth? I missed ‘em. They’ve got me trained. I kept tossing pieces of chips and  enchilada to people at the next table and saying, "Good catch, good catch!" I'm kidding, but I'm pretty sure our dogs would behave in a restaurant. Up to a point. We'd tip big.
—- Offer tips on anything in any century by clicking on ‘comment’ below or by emailing [email protected] and put this in the subject line: “YOU DOGS DON’T LIKE SPINACH, ANYWAY, VEGGIEHEAD.” —-

ONCE UPON A TIME, A FOSTER NAMED LOLA LEARNS TO CURL UP AND NOD OFF...

Can home look like this? Relaxed pup curled up in a round bed?
 Sure might. Depends on the heart of the human, right? 
Shape of the bed may not matter, but it might. Some dogs are picky! 
For this edition of readlarrypowell. com we take a look at a rescuer's foster who clearly knows how to curl up and snooze -- after a get-acquainted spell.
That's Lola. 
And we're spotlighting her in our long-running weekend feature, "Let Sleeping Dogs Lie & Napping Cats Nap" because, well, she absolutely qualifies. 
Lola is a DFW Furgotten Friends rescue currently in the care of veteran rescuer/foster/advocate and all-round swell person Maeleska Fletes.  
[LARRY ASIDE: My animalnutspouse Martha and I have fostered a few dogs and cats though the years -- OK, more than few. Anyway, one of the great moments is when the dog or cat realizes it's in a safe place and relaxes. The once-wary animal nods off in a loving blanket of trust and affection. Might be on a couch or a lap. It's a matter of trust. That's what you see when you look at Lola curled up and snoozing. She has a story.]

Maeleska says that Lola "is about 5 months old. She is a happy, playful girl that needs a home. She’s working on housebreaking and loves to snuggle under the covers at night. I would call her a perfect Heinz 57. Look at those long legs!"

 What of Lola's past? Maeleska explained, "Lola was one of eight puppies that a family had. It started with one dog and in two years they had 13 dogs. That’s what happens when you don’t Spay/Neuter. We took all the puppies because the adults were behavior problems. We got everybody spayed, and neutered!. Lola is up for adoption through DFW Furgotten Friends. She is high energy, happy, sweet and has fun with my pack."
Now, Dear Readers, Maeleska ended her note about Lola with one very foster-family-oriented sentence. It was brief but powerful when Maeleska closed that note about Lola:

"She loved Tommy."
It's important. "She loved Tommy."
 That is Tommy.
Maeleska, who also loved this dear dog Tommy, posted Tommy's photo in mid-February when the handsome fellow went over that "Rainbow Bridge." 

She wrote, "Well, he's gone at 14 years young. He was such a wonderful Pitopotomus!! It's been 12 years. JP Bonnelly (noted rescuer/photographer) caught him on February 12, 2012. He was a mess but became a happy fellow. He is back with his hero, Charlie Brown, his girlfriend Trixie and his pack Holly, Stella and Sadie. Only two left of my original pack."

In her heartwarming  farewell to Tommy, soft-hearted Maeleska signed off with a very clear "BLEEP cancer." 
Bless Tommy. And bless Lola, too. And may the bright minds of our planet quickly triumph in the many worlds of life-saving research. 
Bless the hearts of fosters and rescuers and the animals they're helping and, yes, keep 'em all strong. 
To ask about auditioning to adopt Lola, call DFW's Furgotten Friends at 214-970-2247 or email [email protected]. The non-profit has been saving animals since 2012.
[DEAR READERS: Tell us about your slumbering animals send their stories and their photos to [email protected]. We'll celebrate the dogs and cats and other animals and the humans, too. in Let Sleepng Dogs Lie & Napping Cats Nap. Readlarrypowell.com understands the love humans can have for animals and that animals can -- against great odds -- have for humans. But, you know, bless all the dogs and cats and most of the humans we encounter. Oh, Dear Readers, I'm sure you have an "iffy" list, too. when it comes to our species.]

FOR THIS EDITION: COPING (A RESCUE CHALLENGE); ANIMALS AWAIT HOMES; A GREAT SET OF WHISKERS (ON A LITTLE CAT?)

EDITION OF THUR/FRI FEB. 22-23, 2024 [PetPowellPress] Among the first things I heard in my morning fog this delightful morning was that there were “widespread outages” of the cellphone system. Mine was working.
Immediately I knew what was going on: Martians. H.G. Wells pegged it in the 1890s.
OK. I could be wrong and I may have nodded off last insomnionight while watching a vintage Twilight Zone episode.
That is my cat, Stevie Ray Treeboy — I got him out of a tree when he was a tiny, tiny, loud kitten.
What was I doing in a tree?
I can’t discuss that. And beyond that I am not clear regarding Stevie Ray’s origin. The fact that he is next to what appears to be a Cocker Spaniel and is appearing right side up above a sign that suggests otherwise…well, I just don’t know how much the phone company can be blamed for in this 21st Century World. Cue the spooky music — if your phone will let you click to it…
P.S. Stevie Ray is not from Mars. He is like my funspouse Martha — from Oak Cliff. Nowhere near Mars at this point in time.
A DARLING UPBEAT QUOTE
ABOUT THE DOG MOONEY
We’ve been keeping up with the little pup Mooney ever since Kimberley Jones rescued him from a “free dog” offer on a neighborhood bulletin board and discovered that he was in hellish fix health-wise. Fortunately for Mooney, Kimberly has experience in navigating the medical route for animals.
The little guy has post-parvo problems — neurological and otherwise — that appear to affect the way he walks, what he can see and how he is living life.
On Monday he’s scheduled to undergo an MRI — the cost could range from $3,500 to $5,500, Kimberly says. The "close look" at Mooney may  clear up what sort of treatments he’ll need to live a good life with a loving human being.
Donations by good-hearted people to his go-fund-me page took care of his early treatments. That page is here:
https://gofund.me/8cce6087
That route is being taken to help doctor’s nail down the next approach to helping Mooney. You can keep up with him and see the connections to donate to his cause by going to this link:
Kimberly says, “I know he can get better or at least much improved for sure. I want him to have a normal and happy life.”
But what is the latest upbeat note about this little guy who has already improved beyond what you’d normally expect of a puppy with such challenges.
Earlier in the week we posted a link to a video of little guy Mooney “motoring around” as best he could -- and he's a lot better than he was.
But this one sentence from Kimberly may sum up Mooney's attitude perfectly.
She wrote, “He wagged his tail at me yesterday --  for the first time ever 🥹.”
A NIGHTMARE SITUATION
FOR A CAT RESCUER
Laura Macias, our original contact with 4-Legged Helpers, has encountered a challenge involving a cat from Red Oak who is now in McKinney.
Perhaps someone in that city north of Dallas can help Laura and this cat Chatty Cathy.
Laura explains that she does “TNR in my neighborhood in Red Oak….I had a cat that was TNR’ed before I realized how sweet she is. …
“She is super sweet and loves belly rubs and she is good with other cats. She was a cat at my house for over one year. I worked with her and she let me pick her up and she wanted in my house. I couldn't let her in because one of my 8 dogs is super cat aggressive … I couldn't get the dog to get better with cats. So I worked with her and then found her I thought a great home. Lady in McKinney who loves cats and has had cats and just thought she was great.
"I told her how to introduce her and asked her to not let her on her catio as she could get out … She did not listen to that part of what I said and let her on it and while she was out about 2 wks ago Cathy got out and was only seen that night and the lady tried to grab her and she tore off her collar with a tracker on it. She was traveling in the storm drains. 
“I have gone out there and tried to find her and put traps out but she is trap-savvy. And I told the woman to set up on feeding station but I am unsure if she has done that.  I was hoping someone  has someone out there who feeds cats out there and could be on the look out for her. If she is found I will take her back and come at any time! She lives 60 miles from me. She is fully vetted and chipped.”
To offer to help Chatty Cathy return to a safe environment, call or text 214-949-2726.
LOOKING AT THE FACES
IN THE CARROLLTON SHELTER
We’ve got a longtime tipster who monitors the animals in the Carrollton Animal Shelter and, now and then, she anonymously tips us to some of the animals that need a human to step up and get them into a good home.
One of those notes arrived Thursday afternoon. The subject was “SAD FACES” and our pal “Baccula” wrote,
“There are some faces haunting me on Carrollton Animal Services.  Could you please put them in your newsletter?"
So, ladies and gents, here are those animals and their faces. We opened with Mcgriddle in the first paragraph. Try not to tear up when you see the look on Gracey's face.
“Long timer McGriddle, 54558960, Bully mix, Male, Neutered, 3 years.  Laid back. 
“Floopster, 55024055, Shep mix?, Male, Neutered, 7 months.  I think you would like his looks.
“Fudge, 551733300, Chocolate Lab mix, Male, neutered, 6 months.
“The very sad, scared face belongs to Gracey, 55173678, Female, Spayed, 2 years old.”
How can you help these animals? Get in touch with the Carrollton Animal Services online at this LINK. The shelter is at 2247 Sandy Lake Road in Carrollton. The phone number is 972-466-3420. Hours of operation are on the website.
And, yes, that is a “very sad, scared face: on sweetheart Gracey. Somebody give that girl a hug and a home.

MEANWHILE IN MESQUITE,
A MOM, HER PUPS AND OTHERS…
This dog is named October, she arrived in February, six puppies call her “Momma” and she’s ready for adoption in the Mesquite Animal Shelter.
We got the story on her from volunteer dog bio-writer Debra Chisholm who has a pretty good read on October’s personality.
Debra writes, “Her name was suggested by one of the volunteers who thought it was a pretty cool name. October came to the shelter on 2/8 and her (six) puppies were a week old at that time.” Octobers shelter ID is #55247209.  Cite that number when you call the shelter at 972-216-6283 or email [email protected].
Debra describes her as a “precious sweetheart,” who was picked up as a stray, came into the shelter with six babies —4 female, 2 males.
Debra’s dog scanner says mom is a “Whippet/Lab retriever mix.” October is about 2 and weighs around 40 pounds. And “she is a wonderful mama and takes good care of her…adorable puppies.”
She also “is perfectly OK with allowing staff and volunteers to handle her puppies. She walks nicely on a leash, is well-behaved, calm, gentle and has a chill personality. She likes treats, will sit for them and takes them gently. She is friendly and sweet, and seems to enjoy the loving attention given her. You can tell by her appearance that she has had a rough life. She is undernourished and badly underweight, and has lots of scars on her face, head and ears. And yet she is the sweetest, most lovable girl imaginable! October and her puppies need out of the shelter environment and in the loving home of a foster.”
You can see more photos of the mom and kids by going to this Mesquite shelter link. It’s the same site where you can find another of Debra’s biographed dogs, the “beautiful girl” Vivian who came in as a stray on Feb. 17. Vivian’s ID is #55372917. Vivian, according to the Dog Scanner, may be a mix of Australian Kelpie, Manchester Terrier, and Lapponian Herder. Debra's bio says Vivian is about 3 and weighs 52 pounds. "She is sweet, calm and gentle with a chill personality," Debrea wrote. "When brought into the room to have her eval done, she found the doggie bed and just wanted to relax in the soft comfiness of it and not wander about the room and explore. ... She did venture from the comfy doggy bed when I invited her to come and snuggle with me and she let me pet her and show her loving attention. This girl stole my heart! She would seem best suited for a quiet well-ordered home and needs to be an inside dog."And Debra cautions, “Our shelter is critically overfull as dogs continue to stream through our doors daily.  Through the month of February the shelter is running a special adoption rate of $14.”
And volunteer dog biographer Judi Brown has this report on another dog — this one came into the shelter LAST YEAR. Judi writes “Look into Cookie’s eyes. You can see she’s just pleading with you to adopt her. She wants you to know she’s a good girl! All she wants is to be loved! Cookie is an approximately two year-old, 47 pound tawny colored Terrier/Pit mix. She was brought in on 12/28 by one of our officers. Note that was two months ago. She wants you to know it’s not easy waiting day after day and watching potential adopters walking by her kennel. She’s been told she’s not only a sweet, precious girl, but that she’s also very attractive. She thinks maybe she’s being passed by because she’s timid and rather introverted. But she wants you to know that she’s making progress in building trust. And if you would spend just 10 minutes with her, loving on her, she will be your BFF! You can see she’s recently had a litter. She is now spayed. She loves treats and takes them gently, but is waiting for her new family to teach her the sit command. She wants to please and is highly motivated by treats, so should be very easy to train. She comes to you when you sit down for petting, ear scratches and cuddling. Oh, and she also puts her head on your lap. She is laid-back, gentle, kind, and cautiously friendly…When we accompanied each other out into the yard she walked very well on the leash. Sweet, sweet Cookie would do best with a laid-back family with older children. She would be a devoted, loving companion.”
Cookie is #55019316 when you call the shelter at 972-216-6283 or email [email protected].
OK, one more animal from Mesquite. Anybody needing a girl with a championship set of cat whiskers to brighten up things when you have visitors — you know, give people something to talk about when conversation wanes? That’s her. #55381014. Came into the Mesquite Animal Shelter on the 19th. Listed as “available.” She’s just over a year old. Small. Black and white. Want to guess the type of cat that has whiskers you could paint with? That is a “Domestic Shorthair Mix.” [LARRY ASIDE: Ask to see her in the Rembrandt Paint Brush Room. I’m kidding. That cat and her whiskers are in, where else, “The Cat Room.]
CONTEMPLATIONS
THE WORLD AS WE KNOW IT
Beautiful day in the Metrosprawl. And that concludes today’s editorial on weather….
As spring training takes over in the world of the Texas Rangers, it occurs to me that fans have a whole new set of anxieties for the 2024 season. Namely: Can the Texas Rangers repeat and can they, this time, win the division instead of having to watch Houston, formerly of the National League, win the American League West. And what about prices at the ballpark? More anxiety. Ah, the Big League problems! …
Best shows on TV? Feel free to nominate. We’re listing Monsieur Spade, starring the GREAT Clive Owen in the further adventure of Private Detective Sam Spade, Dashiell Hammett’s great character. And we're listing Slow Horses, a Brit series with the great Gary Oldman. How about that new series, The Campaign Trail and Other Annoyances? I might have made that one up — I’ll need to check my records. I'm a fan of political campaigns. No mute buttons in my democratic republic with the freedom of speecha and a responsible news media.
—- Offer anything smart by clicking on ‘comment’ or by emailing [email protected] and put ‘SAVE ‘EM ALL, DANGIT!’ In the subject line. —-

IN PRAISE OF HUMAN HEARTS WHO WORK FOR ANIMALS; AND SOME OF THOSE TO ADOPT

EDITION OF WEDNESDAY/THURSDAY FEB. 21-22-'24 [PetPowellPress] Before we move on, let’s just take a moment to thank the people who spend their life-force trying to save lives in the big and small shelters around here.
Any of you remember the era before the arrival of the internet and the ubiquitous desktop computers? Phone calls from shelter-walkers and luck and maybe a quirky photo in a daily newspaper — that’s how people learned about animals needing rescue.
Ever since the invention of animal shelters and rescue groups, the strong hearts have been the saviors of the animals. Even here in 2024 — where publicity is king — there are good hearts working first-hand against bad odds and trying to save innocent animals.
You tough shelter volunteers — it must be awful to pet, hug and talk to a dog or cat on Monday and walk in the next day to see a different animal in the cage — a different animal waiting for the same ol’ needle-prick that “eliminated” that animal you’d worked to comfort.
[LARRY ASIDE: It's that ol' Texas Theory of Animal Control: Got an animal problem? Let's kill it. It's applied from Coyote to cuddly cats, kittens, dogs & puppies.]
Bless all of you who invest your hearts daily to save these dogs and cats who have been discarded by people who didn’t care about them after all.
That first dog in this item? That is Tank, whose caption on the Dallas Urgent Shelter Dogs page HERE read “Last call for Tank! Dallas Animal Services. A1202506.” [LARRY ASIDE: How can he not be loved in a home with people who have working hearts?]
That napping cat in the second photo? That is Blizzard [A1202728] — clearly born to lounge. But he’s not lounging in a home; he's lounging on the clock. Blizzard is a 3-year-old resident of Dallas Animal Services and he’s doing the shelter feline version of waitin’ on death row. His bio on the DAS website reads, “Well, I’m just a happy cat trying to live my best life and match up with a new family. DAS is helping me search, isn’t that cool?”
[LARRY ASIDE: That’s an optimistic sentence, but … well, long odds, right? DAS is helping LOTS of other animals, too.]
See more animals in Dallas Danger by going to the Dallas Animal Services website HERE: https://bedallas90.org/ .
[LARRY ASIDE: Tell people you know who don’t watch or read the news that there’s a way they can make life better for animals currently on the clock in shelters. Maybe they need to give their kindest love to a dog or cat and they just don’t know it yet.]
Oh, one more thing: The third and fourth photos are of my Office Cat William Powell. This morning I snapped him looking out the front window -- it's trash pickup day and his hobby is monitoring the trucks, I guess. He’s lived nearly his entire life with rescued dogs and cats and rescuers. He’s one of the reasons we endorse “Save ‘em all.” Shelters are full of animals that deserve good, long lives. So are rescue groups and, yes, your neighborhood may have a few — roaming cats, “stray dogs” — they all need a good break and being sent to a shelter is not always a good break. Pass the message of saving animals on to people who have yet to comprehend it. Help enlighten their hearts.]
THEY’RE NOT ALL
IN THE BIG SHELTERS
As the 4-Legged Helpers non-profit organization has been telling us for several years now, it’s not just the big shelters that have animals at risk.
For example, this morning Laura Macias and the veteran animal advocates at 4-Legged Helpers cited some animals in the Ferris/Hutchins Shelter and the Wilmer Shelter — both on the southern side of Dallas. These are small shelters with small budgets thus small staffs and large needs.
The Wednesday note from the Helpers read, “Ferris/Hutchins Shelter and Wilmer Shelter are begging for your help in finding rescue groups and/or adopters for these sweet dogs. 
“Note that Ferris/Hutchins will even allow a foster-to-adopt type situation so anyone has time to ensure the dog is a match with their family. No fees to rescue or adopt.”
And there’s this from the experienced hearts of the Helpers: “Any dog or cat at a very small rural shelter like this has very little chance of adoption due to never being seen unless it is an emailing like this or a Facebook posting.  Ferris and Hutchins and Wilmer are all small rural communities and they get some of the sweetest and cutest pets anywhere.  Hutchins pets go to the Ferris Shelter along with any pets picked up in Ferris.  Wilmer is another tiny shelter very close by.”
To ask about these animals — or to ask if you can become a Helper — call or test 214-949-2726 or email [email protected].
That first dog with the great “mask” is Bailey, a young heeler-type who is waiting in the Wilmer Shelter. His bio reads, “This cutie was found out and about on his own in Wilmer. He is absolutely adorable.  Really sweet dog. We think he may know Spanish, too.”
The next dog — playful romper — is in the Ferris/Hutchins Shelter and he’s known both as “Cruise” and “Maverick.” He’s described as a “young…neutered Boxer mix.” And he “loves to play and absolutely adores everyone and everything. Already fixed,” and the bio adds, “SO, incredibly sweet and lovable.”
This beautiful face belongs to Sabrina, a “Bulldog or mix” currently in the Wilmer Shelter.” Her bio reads, “Loves other boy dogs — super cute. Really loves the ACO. Can initially be bashful, but warms up so very quickly. SO precious and so incredibly cute.”
And the Helpers also keep an eye on other shelters. The midweek message from 4-Legged Helpers looked into the Fort Worth Animal Care & Control’s residents as well as spotlighting a pup we’ve seen before in Glenn Heights.
The Fort Worth dog is Brenn, this young spayed Aussie/Bulldog mix. The Helpers’s note reads, “This little sweetie was found out and about in Fort Worth. She loves other dogs and all cats — she is SUPER cute. Already fixed, house-trained and crate-trained. Just needs someone duo love!”
We close with Joey, the male Boxer mix who was formerly in the Glenn Heights Shelter. His Helpers bio reads, “This is THE most adorable sweetheart of a dog.  He is awesome. Joey has literally been waiting for months for a home or a rescue.  It is the saddest thing how overlooked this fantastic dog is.    He is a calm, cutie pie that just wants so very much to be loved. Very, very sweet boy.”
To help any of these animals, call or text 214-949-2726 or email: [email protected].
CONTEMPLATIONS
CONSIDERING THE WEATHER
Welcome to summer? Hot enough for ya? I’m just practicing in case these great temps in Texas blow right through the rest of winter and tick it up a notch for springtime (arrives in Texas at 10:06 p.m. March 19). Yes, just about a month away. Yep, plenty of time for a lot of snow between now and spring. …
We’re in the 80s in February? It happens. My dog Porche Noel, devoted to a couch near an air-conditioning ceiling vent, smiled blissfully in the afternoon Tuesday when the AC kicked on and did it’s job. [That's a photo of Porche on her first trip to a vet after she showed up at our house at Christmas in 2009. Skinny kid, wasn't she. I think the actual phrasing should be "Starving, wasn't this abused and neglected dog whose collar was so tight she could only rasp when she tried to bark.]
This photo demonstrates Porche's current mission: Teaching cats how to sleep on her Couch without having to cuddle up with her.  She's the Lone Sleeper (on the couch; on the bed, she's a nocturnal cudder).  Her favorite student appears to be oon his end of Porche's Couch.
By the way, while Porche nodded off Tuesday, I was in the garage organizing things to throw away. I could sweat out there. And I did. Broke a fingernail on my right ringfinger, too.Ripped it nearly off the finger.  Manfully I went on with the chrore. I'm one tough monkey, though my finger screams each time I type an "l" or a "." or either one of these: ( or ).".
Sometimes Porche walks to the back door of our home, stares outside into the summertime heat, shakes her head and says, “Alright, might as well open the door. I need to be out for a minute or two.” I hop right up and open that door. Good dog, Porche. Free dog, too. Just showed up one day in 2009 when I was in need of a canine blessing. Save ‘em all, you know?
—- Offer advice by clicking on ‘comment’ below or by emailing [email protected] and put ‘FREE DOGS OWN HEARTS’ in the subject line. —-

A PET DAY, REPORTS ON ANIMALS, SHELTERS, A SATELLITE AND A RHINO NOTE....

EDITION OF TUESDAY-WEDNESDAY, FEB 20-31, 2024 [PetPowellPress] The online calendar Holiday Insights lists February 20 as Love Your Pet Day. We celebrate it every day, of course.
[LARRY ASIDE: These dogs were snapped as I was typing this on Tuesday morning. The big lug of a dog is Dudley the Angel, a consistently happy fellow — he’s an executive administrator in our household. The other dog you may recognize as my Office Dog Porche Noel. Sometimes when she sleeps almost on her office bed she appears to dream that she is a stingray — inexplicable, I think. I can’t recall her ever having seen a stingray, but she has her own TV, of course.]
And while the Holiday Insights folks say the “day" has existed since “the middle 2010s” on “internet websites,” they also say there’s no “congressional records or presidential proclamation” creating such a national day. So, readlarrypowell.com will simply declare Intergalactic Love Your Office Dog/Office Cat Day. I can’t imagine an intelligent planet anywhere in the universe without dogs or cats. I can, based on experience, imagine intelligent planets without human beings — every now and then I think Earth comes close to qualifying. Read this next tip on a news story:
CONSIDER THIS STORY
IN USA TODAY - TODAY
The story by USA Today writer Mark Ramirez reads, “Nearly a million more pets are crowding the nation’s animal shelters and facilities compared to three years ago, with more dogs than cats being euthanized last year for the first time since one major animal advocacy organization began tracking those figures in 2016.” Here’s the LINK (it was working when I posted it) TO USA TODAY ANIMAL SHELTERS/ANIMALS IN CRISIS story.
AN UPDATE ON MOONEY
THAT’LL MAKE YOU SMILE
OK, Dear Readers, you may remember when we first started writing about the little dog Mooney and veteran rescuer/advocate Kimberly Jones’ efforts to bail him out of a manmade jam. It was earlier in February.
Someone on a neighborhood bulletin board was trying to give this sick-as-a-dog (for lack of a better term) puppy. Kimberly knew that was certain doom for the dog and she didn’t want the dog to go to someone who didn’t know how to try to help him or would just let him die from untreated ailments— of which there were and are several.
He was starving, suffering from effects of parvo and possibly blind — plus he was having “neurologic issues” and … well, the list goes on. That’s a photo of Mooney from early in his treatments.
How’d he do over the long weekend?
Kimberly reports, “Mooney is doing well. He has a huge appetite and is always hungry. He gets to exercise and run around each time I take him outside to potty.”
As you may suspect, Mooney’s medical care is continuing. And Kimberly writes to Mooney’s fans, “I don't want to keep emailing everyone every day and filling up your emails when we are just waiting to see the neurologist on Monday... But I'm adding an update daily to the GoFundMe if you want to keep up with him until then. Thank you all for your support. I may have to add to my goal on the GoFundMe depending on what they say/do at the neurologist and how much the MRI costs (hopefully not $3000 like I've heard 😣).”
Here is that gofundme link: https://gofund.me/8cce6087
And if you click on THIS LINK you can click on the movie and see a happy boy “motoring around,” as Kimberly describes it. It’s worth the click! Heck, maybe worth10 or 15 clicks!
[LARRY NOTE: Yes, you see the formerly nearly inert little guy Mooney making a vigorous walk and all of you folks familiar with happy dogs can guess easily what event he is happily walking toward. Good boy, Mooney!]

ELARA — SWEET BUT TIMID
AND WAITING IN MESQUITE
Is this not a beautiful dog? We got her story from volunteer dog-writer Debra Chisholm at Mesquite Animal Services. She writes, “Elara is a sweet, but timid and attractive girl that arrived as a stray at the Mesquite Animal Shelter on 2/13.  Elara weighs 45 pounds and is about 2 years of age. 
“This attractive girl has the soft fur and beautiful blue eyes of the Siberian Husky breed.  She is truly a sweetheart but has not as yet acclimated to the shelter environment. 
“She is nervous and uneasy.  She is not unfriendly but is cautiously friendly.  She walks nicely on a leash.  Elara seems to have been well-cared for and yet, sadly, her people have not come looking for her.  She is active and alert and was restless in the shelter yard during her photo shoot.  We will be working with her to help her feel more confident and trusting.  She likes treats and yet doesn't know to sit for them.”
Cite her ID #55271965 when you call the shelter at 972-216-6283 or email rescues@
cityofmesquite.com.
There are not only plenty of adorable/adoptable dogs but also adoptable/adorable cats at the Mesquite Shelter. And if you click on this LINK you’ll see many available dogs and cats.
This cat probably has a name — in the community of cats, you know — might be “Fluffy” to the other ferals. But for now he or she is #55283935, one of the occupants of the Feral Room at Mesquite Animal Services. The stats for this cat are largely unknown, i.e., nobody’s gotten close enough to check out what’s hidden by that magnificent coat of cat fur in the “boy/girl area of determination. So, we’ll just tell you what we know from the shelter bio: Came in on Feb. 15, species is “cat,” color is “yellow” and the magnificent coat is “Domestic Medium Hair Mix.” [LARRY ASIDE: We’ve had cats through the years that started out as “feral” and wound up as “couch potatoes” and “adorable cuddlers” and experts at buying profit-making stocks. I made that last part up. Nobody in our family is good at picking hot stocks.]
CONTEMPLATIONS
RHINOS, SPACE AND OTHER NOTES
Sometimes I accidentally find out about things in the news. Like Tuesday morning when I caught a glimpse of a CBS News story on my computer screen. The headline read “Satellite To Crash Through Earth’s Atmosphere This Week.” [LARRY ASIDE: Not sure you can "crash through" air -- you might plunge through it, sail through it, fall through it...but crash?] The report addresses the return to earth of a satellite — without fuel or power or anything working. It’ll be making an “uncontrolled return through the Earth’s atmosphere.” The expert’s say it’s unlikely the satellite will hit anybody on Earth. So, here’s the reason I bring this up:
I hope you read our weekend edition of Let Sleeping Dogs Die and Napping Cats Nap. Neither species was our focus. How big is this satellite? “Weighs as much as an adult male rhinoceros,” the experts say. And our topic over the weekend was a slumbering Rhinoceros — the “babygirl” Rhino Masiki, the darling of the Wildlife World Zoo, Aquarium & Safari Park in suburban Phoenix. That’s a photo off Masiki and her mom — thanks to our source, Jolene Westerling, Director of Social Media and Events at the park (and cousin to our Eastern Seaboard Bureau Chief Andy Fisher who, with wife Annie, lives with famed cat Chloe). … Jolene also included this photo of Masiki trotting away from the camera -- might have been after a news release focusing on "What's it like to be one of the rarest animals ever to be born in the State of Arizona?"
IF ANY READER CATCHES A DESCENDING RHINO-SIZED SATELLITE on Wednesday, please let us know. Not sure satellites are cleared for landing in the Greater Metrosprawl, though depending on the angle, our backyard is big enough. We’ll print some “Media Admission” tags if any reporters show up to check out the landing zone. Oh, man, that would be a madhouse! Our dogs would bark! Our cats would call their lawyers.
—- Offer Umbrella Advice for Satellite Shields by clicking on ‘comment’ below or by emailing [email protected] and put “DEAR DOOFUS: DUCK AND COVER” in the subject line. —-

SAVING DOGS AND CATS? (DALLAS QUESTION!): LOBBYING THE AUSTIN BUNCH IN '25 (THLN STRATEGY); WHY THE OPENING IN A CHAIR?

EDITION OF MONDAY, FEB. 19, 2023 [PetPowellPress] At first I thought I’d tell you that my Office Cat William Powell and I were celebrating President’s Day, but the reality is I snapped that photo when we were both trying to find something to watch on TV Sunday after the rain and weather wiped out broadcasts of PGA Golf and the Daytona 500 which, for the first time ever, was allowing golf carts to enter the competition.
I’m kidding. As some of you knew (and those who didn’t snap to that gag  just don’t watch sports, do you?) William likes sports. He played hockey for three seasons with the Seattle Krackencats, who later shortened their team name. I’ll need to check that fact — William likes to kid me since I don’t skate. In retrospect, my nose, if you squint, looks like a thumb next to my two fingers behind Will's noggin.
WHERE CAN YOU FIND
UNWANTED DOGS IN DALLAS
This is not a well-kept secret. And nobody helped me write this note. I did it myself —I’ve long been familiar with the challenges in Dallas and surrounding North Texas. Before we get to the Texas Human Legislation Network’s efforts to to enlighten hearts and legislators about animal challenges, I decided to take a quick look at Dallas.
Yep, clicked my way to the Dallas Animal Services website,
https://bedallas90.org/ , and discovered that the unwanted dog population in the taxpayer-financed shelter is at the 123 percent mark. That is, according to the online figures, “368 dogs in 300 kennels.”
Congratulations Dallas residents. You think they’re all going to get on a luxury bus and ride to their news homes at K-9 Kingdom Ranch? Sheesh.
You see here a dozen of those 368 dogs waiting for either a home or a needle. Click on the artwork to make it grow and take a look at the face on Blue, the last one on the left. Holy smoke -- how can that dog not have a home???? Sheesh.
And I also cut and pasted (in the old terms of computing) a half-dozen of the 58 cats in the shelter — that’s 62% of the cat capacity,
These dogs and cats didn’t get to the notoriously euthanasia-prone shelter because the animals arranged a ride from home through a neighbor or a transit service. Nope, somewhere a human failed them all. Now, surprise, surprise, it’s up to humans to save them all.
But so many good-hearted humans already have scored the city limits on rescued animals.
[LARRY ASIDE: Get a more personalized look at animals in the /dallas shelter by clicking on this LINK TO DALLAS URGENT SHELTER DOGS. Have some tissues handy.
A NOTE ABOUT ADVOCACY
FROM THE FOLKS AT THLN
We got this note from the great folks at the Texas Humane Legislation Network this morning. (It was a relief to see it among the many “purchasing opportunities” I get from grocery stores, pillow factories, automobile dealers, etc. The THLN note made more sense in my world.)
THLN has scheduled Texas Animal Advocacy Day and the organizations “latest advocacy training” seminar on April 13, in Waco.
And, as you see in the big letters, it’s free.
Seating’s limited and you need to reserve a spot. Do that by clicking on this THLN ADVOCACY DAY SITE.
The deadline for registering to attend is April 5. (The event is at the Baylor University School of Law. Details are on the “reserve a spot” site.)
I’m sure many of you Texas animal people got a copy of this announcement , but just in case you missed it, I’ll repeat it. It begins “The Texas Legislature meets every two years, and while the lege is in session, the THLN hosts a Humane Lobby Day where animal advocates from across the state meet at the Texas capitol to lobby their elected officials on important animal welfare bills. The Texas Animal Advocacy Day is an event sponsored by THLN during the interim year where citizen animal advocates…gather to learn and practice lobbying for animal protection laws at the state level.”
So, you’ll get to “experience a lobbying workshop” and receive an “overview of relevant bills that THLN plans to support in the 2025. Legislative Session.”
And, the note reported, “Our presenters and the agenda were carefully crafted to meet the unique lobbying needs in Texas as we plan to share important information regarding THLN’s work to increase awareness of important animal welfare, safety and health issues.”
And the explanation closes with, “It doesn’t matter if you are a seasoned, grassroots lobbyist or attending for the first time. When we come together and learn, the animals win!” Keep up with animals issues and proposed laws at thln.org.
CONTEMPLATIONS
THE REASON FOR THIS CHAIR
This is not a pretty chair. It is a pretty cat
The chair is the Office Scratching Chair. Free among the leftovers at a nearby garage sale one day a few years ago. The hard plastic covering was intact at the time. The cat, Stevie Ray Treeboy, fell in love with it and immediately claimed it as his Office Scratching Chair. He has worked it over.
But in doing so he has provided an answer to the question “Why is there an opening between the bottom of the back of the chair and the top of the seat of the chair?"
And in this photo, you see the answer. It is so the cat will have a place to shove his backside and dangle his legs.
“Comfort is important to a cat,” Stevie Ray told me. “I am a comfortable cat.” He is also comfortable when being cuddled. Celebrate cats for leading humans in the pursuit of comfort. I’ve tried the chair, but it is at least two sizes too small for me to dangle my legs and shove my big mammal backside toward the goal of Office Scratching Chair comfort.
—- Offer seating advice by clicking on ‘comment’ below or by emailing [email protected] and put ‘YOU NEED A LARGER CHAIR, CHUBSTER’ in the subject line. —-