EDITION OF MONDAY, FEB. 14, 2025 [PetPowellPress] As I begin to type this edition, I have an afternoon window view that looks nothing at all like the past two weeks or however long that arctic misery had a grip our beloved MetroRink.
William and I spent part of the weekend sorting notes, photos and philosophical intrusions into the life we like to call "normal." Just because you call it "normal," that doesn't make it so. We do have some great animals needing great homes for a great long time of mutual adoration for the critters and the humans.
Seems like that would be an easy achievement. And I'm starting this edition with a dog who is regarded as "Easy To Love." Read on about a dog named Velcro -- he may be a match for you.
VELCRO -- A YOUNGSTER WHO
HAS ENCOUNTEED AN ADVENTURE
This may be my favorite "Dog Needs A Home" photograph so far this year. It is reminiscent of the style of painting by famed American artist Norman Rockwell.
The reason I got the photo and you're seeing it is we have a family connection to Lauren Duininck who, in a great rescue event, brought this baby Velcro to Texas.
That photograph simply represents the idea that Velcros knows the way into a heart is through
the door where that heart lives.
And that hug photo demonstrates how a little dog can win a heart.
There's just one complication and a human will -- again -- be the solution that gives Velcro that great home.
Lauren's story of this dog begins with her intro of Velcro and segues into how Velcro wound up in a challenging situation. Lauren opened with, "I'm so excited to tell you about Velcro. He's sincerely the sweetest dog I've ever met, and I'm so disappointed that I'm this allergic to him."
And there's the "rub," so to speak. Lauren is sincerely and carefully looking for a great home for her dog Velcro.
She explains his story in this passage: "A couple weeks ago someone ditched him outside the gate of my uncle's ranch in Oklahoma. He was either there for a couple days, or they had already been starving him. The vet told me he's around 10-12 weeks old last week and he weighs 20 lbs! I'm waiting on the results from the DNA swab I sent in, but I'm almost positive he's mostly Pyrenees. He has the extra claws and just wants to be around a human constantly.
"He loves his crate and he's sleeping through the night! He's absolutely obsessed with other dogs and he's very submissive. Great with kids! My 2 year old nephew grabbed his cheeks and Velcro just licked his nose and walked away. He's a big fan of walks and doesn't pull on his leash."
Here's the challenging part from Lauren. She writes, "I don't want to just send him to another foster or shelter. I really want to find a perfect home for him! In my mind, his perfect home is a family that he can be a nanny dog for or someone that wants a constant companion.'
To ask about helping place Velcro, email [email protected].
[LARRY NOTE: We frequently see challenges such as this in the animal world. It is always uplifting to see people making a sincere effort when an unexpected challenge changes the way thing were supposed to work out.]
SOMETIMES A DOG'S NAME
IS JUST RIGHT FOR THE MOMENT
This may be the first dog named "Kokobean" that we've encountered in the realm of rescue Out tipster is veteran Mesquite volunteer dog biographer Debra Chisholm.
She says "precious pup" Kokobean is a "Terrier mix brought in as a stray to the Mesquite Animal Shelter on 2/14. She weighs 48 pounds, is about 10 months old and has just been spayed. She will walk on a leash but when I led her through the bay past dog after dog barking at her she was intimidated and resisted walking.
"She seemed so contented in the meet-and-greet room in which I did her evaluation, away from the noise of the other dogs and the confinement of her kennel. She has a beautiful brindle coat and the warmest brown eyes. 'Kokobean knows the sit command and will do so for treats which she takes nicely She is timid and nervous at this point and who can blame her? I fully expect she will acclimate to the shelter environment and get more comfortable. She is well-mannered, calm and gentle as well as amiable and perfectly fine with petting, especially belly rubs." Kokobean's shelter ID is #5785509 -- cite it when you call the shelter at 972-216-6283 or email [email protected].
That brings us to a couple of pups who were found out and about and are now awaiting shelter for a place to call "home." Their bios were sent by Debra.
Starla is described as "an American Pit Bull/Staffordshire Bull Terrier mix" picked up as a stray by one of our officers and brought to the Mesquite Animal Shelter on 2/15. Starla weighs 60 pounds, is about 3 years old and has just been spayed.
"I think she is still recovering from the spay and will open up and feel more comfortable soon. She walks well on a leash. She knows the sit command and will do so for treats which she takes politely. I discovered that she is quite partial to belly rubs and hopes that her future family will indulge her with belly rubs." Starla is #57857456. Debra says, "She met me at her kennel door with tail wags and that tail was wagging most of our time together. ..."
Questions? Please call 972-216-6283 or email at [email protected].
Same system to asking about Sparky (#57864937). His bio says he's about 6 months old, was picked up by an officer on Feb. 17 and brought to the shelter. Debra says the 30-pound pup was picked up by "one of our officers and brought to the Mesquite Animal Shelter on 2/17. Sparky weighs 30 pounds. Debra's Dog Scanner app suggests Sparky's breed mix include Lab/Retriever and Dogo Argentino."
Debra says he's "well-behaved and calm. He's a tail-wagging pup that is frisky, perky and active, although not overly so. He would not walk on a leash and I wonder if he has ever had one on. I had to carry him to the room in which I did his photo shoot. We will work with him on that. He was not interested in toys, balls or even treats. He did sit but not on command. What he was most interested in was giving kisses, snuggling, climbing into a lap and being very affectionate."
You can see Starla and Sparky's extended bios and the stories of other dogs and cats by clicking on the Mesquite Shelter's website HERE.
[LARRY ASIDE: Cats include these two. And, as is tradition in a North Texas shelter, "many more." Might even find one actually named "Mini Moore."]
ASSESSING THE FUTURE:
7 PUPPIES AFTER RESCUE
Over the weekend we got a little bit of an update from Terry Lynn Fisher about the litter of puppies she rescued from a Coyote-inhabited area outside of Terry Lynn's hometown. Burns Flat, Okla is where Terry Lynn has become a pro-animal rescuer/advocate -- busy all the time.
Here latest note reads, "The last thing I needed was seven puppies. But what do you do? I couldn’t just leave them out there to die. So yes, my son and I loved them up and here they came home with me.
"I have found a foster for two of them, but I need places for the other five. The foster home it’s only short term, but it’s really too much on me at this time to have seven puppies around.
"We had a little bit of money sent for some puppy food, but it looks like I’m gonna have them for a while, so I will be needing puppy food. I need to get their shots to them. I would like to get some kind of [fence] for the backyard to put them in, I have a huge backyard and it’s just really too big to turn them loose in.
"Of course, if you’re a Rescue that has room, please please please let me know. I really need them safe somewhere, because as I stated earlier, it’s a bit much for me to deal with right now.
"I only have a medium crate, and there’s just too many of them in there, so right now they’re just loose in one of the bedrooms.
"If anyone can help with these babies, please let me know. They are beautiful, but I really need help with them. Thank you all!]
Get in touch with Terry Lynn by emailing [email protected].
CONTEMPLATIONS
A THOUGHT OR TWO?
OK, perhaps this is not quite strong enough to be considered to be a "thought." I'm comfortable with that. I do still have a thought that I hope the deep inner strength of Dallas will somehow save and preserve Neiman Marcus Downtown. ...
Speaking of preserving things that are tough to save: Anybody seen a 1971 ugly green Chevrolet Vega rolling out on a highway lately?...
I need time off. It might be warm enough to mow the lawn. See you in the next edition. Save 'em all.
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