EDITION OF TUESDAY, APRIL 15, 2025 [PetNewsPress] Once upon a time city shelters were empty.
I don't remember that particular "once upon a time" but I've only been around since somewhere around the middle of the 20th century. Maybe some of you older than I am can remember when a dog or a cat in a city animal shelter would have been lonelier than a Dallas Cowboys fan at a Philadelphia Eagles rally.
Moving along and we'll have a safe Contemplation today.....
MEANWHILE IN THE DALLAS SHELTER
WE CITE A FEW DOGS AND CATS....
I'm not sure how far back the "Once upon a time, the shelter was empty" description existed in Dallas. But think DAS's
shelter at I-30 and Westmoreland filled up before I could drive off the parking lot back on the day of the grand opening.
Naturally I'm not saying Dallas citizens dump dogs and ignore spaying & neutering, but, well, gees -- the dogs and cats aren't all arriving because they're flying in from outer space.
Here are some of the dogs waiting at DAS and some of the cats waiting there also. Click on the photos to make 'em grow big enough to examine.
Also, anybody can see the photos (and get a look at the DAS Statistics by going to this website
https://bedallas90.org/home/pets/
You just have to sit at a computer and do a little on-line navigation.
That's how and where I got these photos of dogs and cats that are available for adoption in Big D.
DALLAS ISN'T ALONE IN THIS;
TAKE A LOOK AT FORT WORTH
So I clicked into the Fort Worth Animal Shelter to look at the animals -- available dogs and cats waiting there.
There is a category there called "Urgent Placement Pets. " [LARRY NOTE: I'm not quite certain, but I think FW used to label those waiting on the brink of a needle as "CODE RED ANIMALS"]
What ever the history, the FW Shelter website here now reads:
"Urgent Placement Pets are those identified as needing immediate placement, such as adoption, foster care, or rescue.
"Fort Worth Animal Care & Control is an open-intake city facility, meaning we cannot refuse any animals, regardless of their condition, species, or health status. This includes injured, sick, nursing, or behaviorally challenged animals, which presents unique challenges in terms of space, resources, and care.
"FWACC collaborates closely with rescue groups, foster homes, and adoption programs to manage the volume and ensure animals have the best chance for rehabilitation and adoption. In some cases, they may be given more time to find a home, while others may sadly need to be humanely euthanized to prevent further suffering."
And the site also has this: "The Urgent Placement Pets listed below urgently need help and are at the highest risk of being euthanized. Their situation is reassessed daily to determine the best course of action."
MEANWHILE BACK
IN THE FAR EAST
OK, I mean the "far northeast of Texas." Yes, this is a visit via computer to the Texarkana Animal League -- it's on the Texas side of the Twin Cities. [LARRY NOTE: The city's animal shelter is on the Arkansas side of town --you can Google it. This is a note about animals in an organization of do-good citizens!] And I read the hometown paper, my former employer back in the 20th century, The Texarkana Gazette. I saw a tip in the Tuesday edition -- the Gazette publishes the Texarkana Animal League's "Pet of the Week" and sometimes the "Pets of the Week." This time the feature offered a couple of brothers. So I went to the Texarkana Animal League's Facebook site HERE.
And there I found the message and photos;
"***PETS OF THE WEEK PLEASE SHARE***
"Archie and Charlie are Chihuahua/Terrier mix brothers who are about 3 years old. They have been at TAL for a long time and would love to find their furever homes. They are active boys who need a yard to play. We would love to see them adopted together as they are a bonded pair If you are interested in adopting these sweet boys please complete an application via the link HERE.
CONTEMPLATIONS
ASSORTED MIND EXPEDITIONS
While being in a crowd of cars as I tried to drive through Dallas at 5-something in the early morning, I wondered: How long is morning rush hour between Fielder in West Arlington through Dallas on I-30? How 'bout that evening rush hour on the same route? Think either will affect World Cup traffic like the clogging affects a rational driver's sanity? Just wondering. ...
Dogs are wonderful companions. So are cats. So are kids. In the last few days I've spent time with our dogs, our cats and our twins -- all appear to be very well-behaved. And two of them can drive nicely. What? Yeah, the twins. Dogs and cats have chauffeurs. Everybody knows that. ....
By now you've noticed this picture. It is similar to (and may actually be) the billboard on west-bound I-30 as you drive through Sulphur Springs, Texas. When I read the words "BOMB SHELTER" I was immediately taken back to elementary school and the duck-and-cover drills during the red-hot cold war. Ah, the good ol' days.
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