ReadLarryPowell.com

A MID-WEEK ASSORTMENT: CATS, DOGS, FASTFOOD & COLD FRONT PREPARATION

EDITION OF AUGUST 14, 2019 [PetPowellPress] Once upon a time there was a very hot city. … Hang on. This isn’t a fairy tale — it’s been hot around here more than once upon a time. OK, enough whining about the weather, let’s move into the land of dogs and cats and the occasional human.
STILL LOOKING FOR HELP
WITH A CAT COLONY IN DALLAS
A week ago we reported on Marta Slobodián’s need for help managing a cat colony a couple of miles east of downtown.
 These are some of the cats being fed.

“I have been feeding homeless kitties since July 2018. I saw them one day by chance at the 7-Eleven and around the corner of the 7-Eleven in Dallas, on 111 N. Carroll Avenue to be precise.  A friend who used to rescue kitties helped me in rescuing a few. We took them to the vet; the little ones found foster homes and eventually were adopted. The bigger ones were trap/neuter/returned. I feed them every morning before I go to work. There are about 5-7 new kittens that should be rescued and the rest should be TNR if they are not tame-able and adoptable.  I travel quite a bit and can't feed them all the time. I need assistance. They are so unprotected, always hungry and run to me when I arrive.  Any sugges- tions/help would be greatly appreciated.”

So, there’s the situation: Marta needs a bit of relief in keeping this cat colony fed and monitored. Not every day. But maybe everyday if you’re enthusiastic about helping with a cat colony.
When we mentioned this last week, Marta got absolutely no response. So, having some faith in catfans, we’re listing Marta’s email: mslobodian@aol.com. Offer to help her or offer encouragement or help with the breakfast bill.
You may also email dallrp@aol.com and reach readlarrypowell.com, the Dallas-based website that gives a hoot about cats in every Zip Code in Texas.
ANOTHER HEADS-UP FOR
CLEAR THE SHELTERS
This one came early Tuesday afternoon from Tami Kukla and it’s about her ambitions for Clear The Shelters Day Saturday at Fort Worth Animal Care and Control. 
She wrote to people on her mailing list, "This Saturday is Clear The Shelter and we need your help to find every pet at Fort Worth Animal Care and Control a loving home. I will be there all day and really hope each of you and your friends will join me as a volunteer and commit to help get at least two pets adopted. My personal goal is 25.” 

Then, later in the afternoon, on her Facebook page, Tami made an appeal for a Fort Worth shelter resident, Vinny (#42418066), about 6, a 45-pound Border Collie/Aussie mix who is neutered but, yes, as is the case for so many North Texas dogs, he is “heartworm positive and likely has demodex mange,” Tami wrote, adding, “He makes me sad.”
Tag Vinny by emailing fwacctag@fortworthtexas.gov — don’t call the shelter. Fort Worth rules.

MEANWHILE IN LANCASTER
The small shelter advocates Laura Macias and Leighann Hayden sent a note about helping the Lancaster shelter population get some attention from humans — there’s little foot traffic.
Laura’s note read that these dogs (Honey the smiling American Bulldog mix; Sophie, the Heeler/Boxer mix with the long-as-a-whip tail) have been in the shelter “the longest. So very sad — very full shelter and we only have pictures of those there the longest at the highest risk. We have asked the shelter for more pics but this is still pending.”

Yep, the political disagreement in Lancaster may be affecting the lifespan of perfectly healthy dogs and cats.

To help the Lancaster shelter help the animals it is holding, call or text Laura at 214-949-2726 or email cat_girl_71@yahoo.com.
CONTEMPLATIONS:

MAC ’N’ CHEESE, IMPOSSIBLE & COLD FRONT
So, the announcements have been made: Chick-fil-A is introducing Mac ’n’ Cheese to the menu—oh, my. I don’t go to Chick-fil-A (not a real vegetarian hang-out). Online the nutrition list says the dish has 440 calories and 1200 mg of sodium. As my mac ’n’ cheese fanspouse Martha says wistfully, “All the good stuff has a lot of sodium.” ... Burger King is serving the Impossible Whopper. According to Prevention Magazine (prevention.com) the Impossible  patty — vegetarian friendly — is 240 calories with 370 mg of sodium. But when you dress that patty up like a Whopper, the calories are 630 and the sodium is 1,080. Yep, these are two dishes any teenager can eat and anybody else should consume in moderation and realize they cannot relive their teenage dining years. On a more impossible note: If I ever backslide on being a vegetarian, you’ll find me enjoying a double-meat and cheese What-a-burger with fries and a jalapeño and, of course, a Diet Coke to even things out. … Nobody knows how to be prepared for the weather like people in Texas. TV weather forecasters said Tuesday night that we were getting another cold front. You can blister your fingers putting snowchains on your tires during a cold front in August.
—- Offer opinions or advice by clicking on ‘comment’ below or emailing dallrp@aol.com and telling it like it may be. —-

A CHIP WORKS FOR FRILLY; PLUS, OTHER ANIMALS, GOOD FORTUNE & THE FAIR

EDITION OF TUESDAY, AUGUST 13, 2019 [PetPowellPress] Two decisions made years apart and made miles apart made the difference in a dog’s life and the lives of two people who love dogs. We’ll tell that story of Frilly’s perfect timing in Contemplations. 
Read on — perhaps you’ll find your opportunity to help animals and people.
PURLOINED PUPS 

BACK HOME IN TEXAS
We’re quoting the great animal advocate Beverly Fyfe because she touched the bases in this case. 
She wrote, “Great news to start the week: Thanks to a bunch of good people (including the SPCA's Courtney Gustafson and Jason Burns…, Davi and Pepper are back home. May the ‘rescuers’ that ‘allegedly’ stole them and took them to Wisconsin to sell for profit -- pay serious consequences.”
And she also writes, “I am told the Van Zandt County DA (Tonda Curry) was instrumental and determined to bring this to a successful resolution. After a couple of decades of hearing about serious cruelty issues being ignored by ‘the authorities’ in many North Texas counties, this is encouraging news. Planning to send a big thank you to the Van Zandt County DA and Constable Jesse Ison.”
Click HERE to go to Beverly’s Facebook page and also Courtney’s “Weekend Mission Recap.”
ZIPPY’S IN THE CARE
OF A FELINE RESCUE

Thanks to Patty Turner’s note about Zippy in Rockwall Animal Services, we were able to write about her situation. She’s the cat who had two broken hips and “needs some weeks of crate-rest so her pelvis can stabilize.” 
Tuesday we got a note from Brigitte Barnard of North Texas Cat Rescue: “She will be with us for a while. I am am sure we will find her a great family.” (See how to help by going to northtexascatresccue.com or visit the North Texas Cat Rescue Facebook page HERE.)
TWO THINGS
(1) The story of the young woman putting the dog in the dryer (for a matter of seconds has exploded on the internet. And, according to news stories, the dog is OK. [LARRY ASIDE: Matter of definition, I think. No dog is OK after such a lousy trick.] And the idiot event didn’t occur in Dallas; it was in Lewisville and the police there are investigating, according to news stories. The alleged perp is a juvenile. Geez, how about some counseling? … (2) The cats under the Dallas church? One saved; three may still be under the East Dallas church. This is a photo of one of the cats scooting through an opening and hiding out. Don’t know that anyone has invited the SPCA of Texas’ cruelty unit to get involved in this ugly situation. Read more on on the DFW Purebred and Domestic Cat Rescue Inc. Facebook page HERE. You’ll have to scroll to Jennifer Styers’ postings.
SCRAPPY GETS A BREAK
In Monday’s edition, we mentioned the little Chihuahua girl Scrappy who was terrified in the Denton Shelter even though those big-hearted people were trying to help her understand they were on her side! You can imagine how it feels to be a little 2- to 5-year-old dog in a very different situation with strangers.
 Our reliable Denton tipster Amy Poskey has the announcement: “I’m very happy to report that Roberta Womack with Lucy’s Lost Loved Ones Rescue in Fort Worth pulled this little angel [Monday] morning!!!  Happy tails, Scrappy!!!  THANK YOU ROBERTA!!!”
Then Amy importantly adds, “If anyone would like to make a donation for Scrappy’s care, please click on the link below.  No amount is too small.”

Here’s that ‘LINK BELOW’:
https://www.lucyslostlovedones.org/
AN IMPORTANT NOTE ABOUT
THE STATE FAIR OF TEXAS
Oh, my, Wednesday morning there’ll be excitement at Fair Park — has to do with the 15th Annual Big Tex Choice Awards. Can it be 15? Time flies when it’s deep-fried.
The Fair’s Senior Veep for PR Karissa Condoianis tells us that the 10 finalists for the assorted titles in the 2019 Big Tex Choice Awards will “compete for the respected titles of ‘Best Taste—Sweet,’ ‘Best Taste-Savory’ and ‘Most Creative.’” [LARRY ASIDE: Just thinking about the Fair and the treats set off cravings, didn’t it!? Hold on — the Fair opens Sept. 27 and runs through Oct. 20. I new you’d want to know.]

FYI, it’s important for the competitors to triumph. But there’s an even larger triumph, we figure. The news release notes, “All proceeds from the Big Tex Choice Awards ceremony will be donated to the Big Tex Scholarship Program. In 2019, the Fair awarded nearly $1.25 million in new college scholarships to 196 graduating high school seniors throughout the Lone Star State and seven Seasonal Employee Scholarship recipients.” 
Kind of a nice to now that knowledge is a byproduct of the contests.
CONTEMPLATIONS
HOW THINGS CAN WORK OUT
We teased this story in the opening paragraph. Sometimes things have to line up to get a dog back to where he belongs.
The dog is Frilly and he’s the dear companion of Michelle Vaughn. The rescuing human is our pal Diane Combs, longtime animal advocate and an alumni of the SPCA’s volunteer system. This happened on Saturday, Aug. 3, in Dallas. Diane wrote:
“I was coming home from lunch around 12:15 and took a shortcut that I sometimes take to avoid a light where there's no turn on red.  I was going down that street when, lo and behold, I saw this cute little dog (looked to be a small terrier mix) with a collar but no tags just wandering by a school.  Oh dear.  It was starting to get hot outside - oh dear again.
“I stopped and called her ‘Come here Sweetie.’  She came right up to me wagging her tail - VERY sweet dog.
“About that time a girl pulled up in a car and asked me about the dog.   Her name was Rebecca.  She said the dog looked familiar but didn't know where she lived; however, she thought she MIGHT belong to this lady a few streets away that has rescues & fosters.  She said, ‘If you want to follow me, I'll show you where her house is.’   So I did - but the lady didn't answer the door.
“I then took the dog to City Vet close by. I would have taken her to [my vet’s office] but they close at noon on Saturdays.  I wanted to see if she had a microchip.”
[LARRY ASIDE: We’ve noted Diane’s decision to take a “different” route to avoid a red light. Now we reach the other key decision in this rescue.]
Diane continues: “City Vet scanned her and she DID have a chip BUT it was a Waco address - about an hour and 1/2 drive from here.  The City Vet gal called the number but just got a voice mail and left a message with their number on it — but they close at 2 p.m. They thought she was a terrier mixed possibly with Dachshund mainly because she had a long body and short legs, but she definitely was more terrier looking. 

“However, still, I couldn't help but start to think about keeping her IF I couldn't find the owner.  I even started thinking of names.  I came up with ‘Becca’ - short for Rebecca, the nice gal who originally helped me when I first found her.”

Diane has a dear relative she visits frequently. She explains, “I was planning on seeing Lane today, so I went ahead and went over there with ‘Becca.’  Of course Lane loved her, and 'Becca' was VERY good with Lane.  
 “Then I took her home and she met my clan.  They all got along great.
 “I then tried calling the same number that the City Vet gal had called (a Waco number) and a girl answered.   
 “I said, ‘You don't know me at all, and I'm in Dallas, but are you by any chance missing a dog?’  

“She got all excited and said ‘YES!!  I'm in Dallas visiting my parents with my dog. They are having some work done on their fence and my dog got out this morning.  I've been searching for her.  Do you have her?’ 
"She sounded very worried and seemed like a good person who loved her dog, so I said yes. Turns out her parents live just a few blocks away and all her siblings went to the same high school as my sister and I.  She went to a private school.
“Anyway, I told her where I lived and she came right over to get ‘Frilly.’ She told me they rescued her when she and her husband lived out in the country and the dog was dumped along with her puppies.  She's about 5 years old.  
“She said she has another collar with all her ID tags but somehow that slipped off and it was lost. … She really did seem to love Frilly and Frilly was so excited to see her - so I felt real good about the reunion.”

The pictures we’ve used show Frilly — and the name matches Frilly’s entertaining hairstyle — it’s really “frilly” in that first photo. The second photo shows Frilly with two of Diane’s dogs, Rita and Maxine. The third picture is Frilly with Rita and Myrtle.
FYI: The first pup to greet Frilly at Diane’s was her famous Dachshund Larry, known to all who meet him as “The Public Relations King.” He can charm an entire dog park just by happily walking in. Yes, he’s named for a certain local writer who loves dogs and cats.

But, Larry aside, the point is this is a story of a dog rescue and it occurred for two reasons: (1) An animal fan who’ll stop to help an animal in distress took a different route on the day she needed to and (2), years ago, a little dog got a life-saving chip. 
Our lessons? Be kind to animals and turn loose of the money and get the animal chipped! You might keep a critter off death row at a shelter and you might save yourself some anguish and misery while wondering where your dear friend has gone.
Oh, and this: If you’re going to get lost, always try to do it in Diane’s neighborhood.

[LARRY FYI: That’s a photo of Larry and Diane when they met for the first time in November of 2013. It's a great photo with a suggestion of mutual devotion to come.]

—- Offer opinions or suggestion by clicking on ‘comment’ below or by emailing dallrp@aol.com. —-

FOR WORLD ELEPHANT DAY, SOME OPPORTUNITIES FOR ANIMALS

EDITION OF MONDAY, AUG. 12, 2019 [PetPowellPress] This is World Elephant Day. Readlarrypowell.com endorses protection of these animals whether they are in the wild or on display in a zoo or carnival or roadside attraction. We also urge a ban of trophy hunting of these magnificent creatures. There’s more in Contemplations today. [LARRY ASIDE: I swear, I would not be surprised some day to get out of my car at Kiest Park for a healthy walk and about 10 minutes into my sweaty stagger discover, right in front of me, an elephant that had been dumped there overnight — probably tethered to a “dogs must be leashed” ordinance sign and with a bag of dog food and a bucket of water slightly out of reach. Dallas is that kind of town. Somebody has an elephant in a backyard pen or the garage? Waiting to cut a deal with a “collector.” You think I’m too harsh? Heck, I’m probably underestimating the tendencies of some Dallas brainiacs.]
HERE COMES
CLEAR THE SHELTERS
Readlarrypowell not only endorses saving the wildlife, but saving the animals in shelters, too, and in backyards and in lousy situations. [LARRY ASIDE: Don’t get me started on farm-to-market animals. Save the animals, eat the vegetables, you know?]
 Back to good opportunities for humans and animals. As you probably know, the annual Clear the Shelters event is coming up on Saturday the 17th. Free adoptions. Free. [LARRY ASIDE: Anybody reading this have a dog or cat they got during a Clear the Shelters event? Send us a photo [address is dallrp@aol.com] and tell us how much that baby has added to your lives. We know there are success stories and we love to tell them. We don’t have a Clear the Shelters animal— we got ours off the streets and out of parks and from the front yard where they wound up after being dumped because the street looked “nice.”]
Back to Clear the Shelters: Dallas Animal Services is participating and there’s a note on the dallasanimalservices.org official website that seeks volunteers at both the big shelter (I-30 at Westmoreland and the PetSmart Everyday Adoption center (16821 N. Coit R.).
The appeal urges, “Be a part of the largest lifesaving event of the year: Clear the Shelters! We need lots of volunteers to help us make sure we find great homes for the more than 350 pets we have available to go home that day.”

 Hmmm, 350? OK, so I went to the dallasanimalservices.org site and found that there (around noon Sunday) are more than 350 animals in the shelter — then I went to the DAS listing on Pet Harbor and found a LOT MORE than 350 adoptables listed. That's the DAS website listing in black and white and the Pet Harbor listing in color. There's a number difference, too.
Of course, almost any adoption is a good adoption — depends on the quality of human who adopts the animal.
Probably no impulse-shoppers are going to want a 10-year-old dog named Daisy (A0706644), so you can get a jump on giving her a good home — she’s barely past middle-aged if she’s in a loving home! She’s a Lab mix who has been at the shelter since July 31. (Call DAS at 214-670-6800 or stop by the big shelter.)
 That ol’ boy Rottie mix is King (A0783271), believed to be about 9 years old — he’s been in the shelter since June 12. Somebody must be watching over him.”

 Sookie (A1038776) is a 13-year-old black cat who has been in the care of DAS since Aug. 3 — he’s currently at the adoption center on Coit Road.
Call 972-381- 1588, ext. 5, or stop by the center. 
And the little guy, small enough to be held in one hand for his “shelter shot,” is Opossum (A1069708) — shelter spelling for O’Possum.)… He’s about 4 months old and has been in a foster home since August 1. Email dasadopt@dallascityhall.com.
HELPING ZIPPY
AT A TOUGH TIME
Oh, man, what a fix for a kittycat! 
We learned about Zippy through Patty Turner at Rockwall Animal Services. 
She writes, “Zippy really needs rescue!!! She has two broken hips and is really sweet!!! Per our vet she needs some weeks of crate rest so her pelvis can stabilize....Can anyone help her??? Please email info@rockwalladoptions.com if you can help!” 
Time out! We just got a note from Patty that Zippy’s been tagged by rescue.
[LARRY ASIDE: As I was typing this, my personal cat and editorial advisor, The Senator, had flopped own on half of my mousepad. I think my days have been better ever since this old cat wandered up on our front porch and accepted the invitation to “come on in.” Zippy needs such an invitation and, no doubt, would enhance the human existence.]
IN LIEU OF SCRAPPY (THOUGH

SHE MAY BE AVAILABLE)
As the weekend came through at 101 MPH — WAIT! I meant 101 degrees. Anyway, during the weekend, we got a note from Amy Poskey about a Chihuahua named Scrappy who needed an adoption at the Denton Animal Services McNatt Shelter. We checked Sunday and Scrappy may be on her way out of the shelter — possibly a rescue but nothing’s done until it’s done in the rescue world. 
She came in with a hair loss and she has a cataract in one eye. She’s between 2 and 5 years old and, Amy’s note read “very scared and shy at the shelter, but does great when she is out of her kennel. In fact, you might say she is an absolute ham.”
But as long as we were at the website, we decided to browse the list of dogs and cats.
That Pittie boy (#83747) with the magnificently distinct face and (probably) amateurish ear trimming is Tank. He’s a year or two old. Adoption fee is $60.
And that cat is Raja (83720), maybe 8 to 10 years old. Beautiful cat. 

For all these animals, call the shelter at 940-349-7594.
So, if you adopt Tank or Raja, your thanks should be directed to Amy Poskey and Scrappy!
MEANWHILE IN MESQUITE:

THE PRESSURE ON BOSS
This is Boss (424-12065), a 60-pound, 9-month old Pittie mix, who ha a “beautiful Hershey coloring” and is “affectionate and sweet — neutered.”
Why is he in the Mesquite Animal Shelter? Our tipster, the volunteer shelter biographer Judi Brown writes, that he “was surrendered to the Mesquite Animal Shelter on 8/6 because of landlord issues. His owners hated to have to surrender him as they had only good things to say about him. They raved about how friendly and affectionate he is ....also saying he’s a really good dog! Boss is very striking with his Hershey coloring and hazel eyes! He stands by his window watching everyone that goes by. He was somewhat timid and a little nervous when I interacted with him but definitely wanted affection. He enjoyed being petted. He is very gentle. … His previous owners said he was an indoor/ outdoor dog. They also said he knows the sit, down, and ‘no’ commands.”
Call the shelter at 972–216–6283 or email rescues@cityofmesquite.com.
 [LARRY ASIDE: As you’ve probably guessed, Boss is an Earhound. Note how his right ear droops — when I saw that I realized he is very special category of Earhound — the Veronica Lake Earhound, named after the movie star of the ‘40s who was nicknamed “The Girl with the Peak-a-boo Hairstyle.] 
Oh, and there are other animals at the Mesquite Shelter, see the dogs and cats HERE .
Among the cats is this fellow we’ve spotlighted before, the very handsome Lord Byron (42302377). He’s just over a year old, has been in the shelter since July 24 and is in The Cat Room. [LARRY FYI: Few shelters have a Romantic Poet Room.]
CONTEMPLATIONS
WEATHER; OAK CLIFF CATS & ELEPHANTS
If it’s too hot to plow, it’s too hot to write . I’m kidding. I’ve seen those big tractors tilling the soil with farmers in air-conditioned comfort at the wheel and talking to their brokers on their cell phones, listening to the radio or watching Netflix on the screen in the cab. I kid the farmers — I’m a vegetarian; I want you to be as comfortable and money savvy as is possible! … You might note this cat photo and wonder what it has to do with Interabang Books in Dallas. Two words: Stevie Ray. Here’s the deal: Alan Paul and Andy Aledort are scheduled to be at Interabang (10720 Preston Road) at 6 p.m. Friday to discuss their book Texas Flood: The Inside Story of Stevie Ray Vaughan. The cat fits in because he's another cool Oak Cliff cat so his name is Stevie Ray Treeboy — I pulled him out of a mimosa tree about a month ago — he weighed 2.5 pounds and now is pushing 5 pounds. Adorable. … Back to World Elephant Day. You can read about the Humane Society of the United States’ efforts to ban trophy hunting HERE, read about World Elephant Day efforts HERE , and see some magnificent elephant photos in this feature from The Atlantic magazine HERE. Power to the pachyderms. All categories of ‘em.
—- Offer advice or share consternation by clicking on ‘comment’ below or emailing dallrp@aol.com. —-

IT'S THE HEAT -- THE HEAT AND THE PICCOLO...

About 4:30 p.m. Friday, the guy on TV said the Dallas temp was 101.
I was at my desk; Martha was at her desk in the adjacent room.
 She doesn’t like the heat. She does love cats, however.

So, I crept cat-like into her room and quietly asked, “Sweetheart, what’s the most important thing about cats.”

“Their ability to play the piccolo,” she replied confidently
And, suddenly, I had the answer to several questions, ranging from “Hot enough or ya?” and “Is it time for me to leave the room?” to “Does Martha exist in a separate universe?” 
All that aside, I’ve picked these two cats for the spotlight of “Let Sleeping Dogs Lie & Napping Cats Nap.” (In the first photo they are so close you cant tell which one the tail belongs to -- The Senator enjoys sleeping face-down...)
They’ve lived together for years and years and never enjoyed a collegial relationship. In fact, they’ve been downright unpleasant to each other. 
Thus, imagine my surprise to be able to capture the tabby, Deputy Chief Kittie Leigh Johnson, and the older gentleman, The Senator, snoozing together as if they’d met up at happy hour at a state political convention. Not that such a thing would happen, of course.
I've been cleaning out my office and stacking stuff until I can get to it, and Kittie Leigh and The Senator decided thee two piles were good places to camp.

Their stories are similar — both showed up on our front porch. Kittie Leigh was a feral kitten; The Senator stopped by for the breakfast buffet during a campaign swing and stayed.

At times through the years, they both have taken up editing positions as I’ve been attempting to write. Not together, you understand. Different cats at different times — I’ve worked in newsrooms that, now and then, would resemble a catfight. These two are rank amateurs compared to newsrooms when newspapers were vibrant elements of the information generation.

Back to the cats: They’ll sit on my lap or on my leg and lean on my arm while watching the light-speed typing I do on the screen. Neither is happy with my sloppy typing and periodically will slap my hands with a claws-out paw just to remind me to pay attention to what I’m typing. 

As you may suspect, neither of these cats is a pedigreed feline. We know that Kittie Leigh came from an unfixed momma in the neighborhood years ago. The Senator (named for the plug pattern at his hairline) is a bit of a miracle cat: He arrived without tomcat testicles. Such a thing may never have happened before in our part of Oak Cliff. 


May I call your attention to the penultimate photograph? What is that huge growth emerging from the white stripe on The Senator’s back? It is not a bulbous growth. He fell sleep in front of the bowling pin my kids and grandkids presented to me after one particularly relaxing afternoon of kegling.
 (Click on the photo to make it grow.)
Back to the importance of cats So, “Their ability to play the piccolo”? Perhaps it is the most important thing about cats. But, as a veteran catfan, I lean toward the quiet companionship of grown-up cats. To me, it’s a compliment when you pick up a cat and he or she responds with a wonderful purr.
However, in doing research on Martha’s response, I did find a video of a guy and his cat putting a piccolo through its paces. Click HERE . If you listen all the way to the end, it may be the longest time you’ve ever knowingly listened to a piccolo entertaining a cat.
[SEND US PHOTOS of your sleeping dogs and napping cats and we’ll post their stories and their photos in our long-running weekend feature, Let Sleeping Dogs Lie & Napping Cats Nap. That’s my dog Porche Noel, a sleeping dog who has no concept of a piccolo. Send your photos and stories to dallrp@aol.com. You’ll inspire others to adopt animals to make their houses real homes. And you’ll inspire insomniacs to believe that they, too, can get some rest if they can just find the right bowling pin to induce sleep. Oh, don’t apply the pin! That would be wrong — there’s a difference between “unconscious” and “asleep.” I’m blaming this entire edition on the heat.]
— Offer sleeping advice or piccolo tips by clicking on ‘comment’ below or by emailing dallrp@aol.com. —-

IN THE HEAT OF THE DAY, SOME HOT TOPICS WITH ANIMALS

EXTRA EDITION FOR FRIDAY, AUGUST 9, 2019 [PetPowellPress] Don’t tell me animal people don’t have their limits. I got this note from A Different Breed Animal Rescue Friday morning. 
It was sent in red text — perhaps to emphasize the subject: 
“Due to temperatures reaching the 100-degree mark and above, there will not be an adoption drive this Saturday.” 
Then the announcement adds hope: “We should be having one next weekend and you will all get the email with the details. Thank you all for your great volunteer work.”
 So, since the dogs won’t be won’t be subjected to the lovely Texas temps, we’ll remind you to go to adifferentbreed.org and click on adopt-a-dog. And, to influence your decision to click on that site, we’re offering up the photo of Adidas (2019-343), one of several Lab/Border Collie puppies available. [LARRY ASIDE: We live with a Lab/Border Collie named Dudley the Angel — he loves to herd, but he’s very polite when he does it — great mix of two breeds.]
And, they’re not all puppies at ADB. This guy is Issac (2019-338), a 7-year-old Maltese fellow who tips the scale at 10 pounds. Why does ADB have him? ADB says, “We received him from a breeder release program, and will have him cleaned up and neutered, vetted etc. He came in very matted and had to be shaved down and start over. Don’t know too much more about him just yet!” [LARRY ASIDE: We “fostered” a Maltese for more than a decade, Glinda — darling, darling, darling and a joy to the household!]
 Now, everybody stay cool.
LANCASTER ANIMALS:
NEWS IS SPREADING
That’s the face of Jenna, one of many dogs waiting at the Lancaster Animal Shelter. And we got a Friday reminder from Laura Macias, the small shelter advocate. She reminds us all that there are animals on the clock in the shelter, including this girl Jenna, a Lab Boxer mix who is “incredibly urgent” and has magnificent eyes, the kind that are designed to look right into the heart of the human she loves. Get a list of more animal and learn how to help by calling or texting Laura at 214-949-2726 or email cat_girl_71@yahoo.com.

[LARRY ASIDE: Note to Lancaster…Word of the Lancaster Shelter’s abundance of kittens has made its way to Houston. We got a copy of an appeal that had been sent to our Houston tipster Alexandra Kelsey. People are reaching out to other areas of the state and maybe the country to help the situation in Lancaster. The cats on the email include Sasha, the Pastel Tortie, whose photo we’ve run recently, and Tallie, the Tortie, in a “be still and pose grip.” Call or text 214-949-2726 or email cat_girl_71@yahoo.com.]
AGAIN, IT’S THE FACES
ON THE SHELTER DOGS
This guy is Chester and we learned about #42407354 from Judi Brown, the volunteer biographer at Mesquite Animal Services. Judi says he “has a worried look” and that appears to be an accurate assessment.
Chester is 5 and weighs 76 pounds and is pretty confused because he was “surrendered’ to the shelter on August 6 — his humans were moving and he wasn’t going with them. Instead, he’s on the clock in a city shelter.
Judi says, “He’s a really good guy! He’s friendly. He does not try to jump on you. After exploring the yard, he stayed close seeking attention. He’s just needing some assurance right now that everything will be all right and that he will get a loving home. He would like a home where he can be inside most the time with his family. I had him out in the yard on a hot day and all he wanted do is go back inside.” 
[LARRY ASIDE: That is the behavior of a really smart Texas dog. He knows his place is on the couch in the cool, napping while you watch TV. Dang-it, if we weren’t at the limit, he’d have a home right now.]
MEANWHILE, SPEAKING OF
TEMPERATURES AT THE LAKE
We got this appeal for help with a transport project — it came from Sydney Bush of Friends of the Animals at Cedar Creek Lake on behalf of the Humane Society of Cedar Creek Lake Shelter in Tool. 
The subject line read “Want to help save some lives?” and then the note got quickly to the, as Sydney wrote, “good part” of this 25-dog event. She explained that each dog has to have a health check and “Here’s the good part: You can help with this! Each dog will need his temp taken as part of the health check. NEED VOLUNTEERS TO TAKE TEMPS.”
[LARRY ASIDE: The hard part is getting to dogs to hold the thermometer under their tongues…what? Oh, sorry. Not that kind of thermometer.]
 This event starts at 10 a.m. on Monday, August 26. To volunteer, email Wendy Rapp at wendy.rapp@embarqmail.com.
 Keep up with the work of Friends of the Animals on Facebook HERE.
THE HANDSOME DUKE
NEEDS A BREAK IN DENTON
Yep, Basset/Beagle mix, just like you thought when you saw those front paws.
Our tipster Amy Poskey is trying to help Duke find a new home — Duke is close to 8 years old, healthy, house-trained and weighs 57.8 pounds. Amy explains, “Bless his heart, through NO fault of his own he just can’t catch a break.  Duke was surrendered to the Denton, TX Animal Shelter last year with four other dogs and he was adopted by a very sweet girl; however, she has recently moved in with family and the resident dogs are picking on Duke and instigating fights with him.  Poor baby got along just fine in his first home with four other dogs and he got along just fine with his adopter’s dog, but the resident dogs in his new home apparently don’t want him there.  Duke has done nothing wrong and now he’s looking for a new home again.” 
One of our occasional tipsters, Debra Myers, is the go-between for Duke and his human. Contact her at 940-367-4627 or email dkmyersone@yahoo.com.
AND THEN, ON JACKSBORO HIGHWAY…
Yep, over in Fort Worth, there’s a dog who is the target of a rescue. Tracie Rives says the dog roams in the area of Jacksboro Highway and Long Avenue and has been the target of some unpleasant behavior by children in the area. “She has a big skinned area, that is healing, Thank the Lord, on her shoulder…I’m not sure how that happened”
The dog needs to be spayed, but needs a safe place to go first!
Tracie’s early note read, “I have been feeding her for a couple of weeks now, hoping her owner would claim her. That is not happening.”
 The skinned place on her shoulder may have come from being hit by a car. No proof.
And Tracie says, “She is super sweet. Not a mean bone in her body. Even the cats that I feed are not afraid of her; they eat next to each other.”
To help Tracie and the dog, email tracie.rives@gmail.com or call 817-454-2623.
CONTEMPLATIONS
MUSING DURING A FRIDAY NOON HOUR
Last week I wrote about a couch that had been sitting on the side of U.S. 67 South at I-20 for several weeks. It’s gone now. Replaced by a line of orange barrels as someone gets ready to reconstruct the freeway. Which would I rather have: A couch on the side of a Dallas road or more road construction in the Metrosprawl? Yeah, line up the couches. … I’ve been walking in Kiest Park in the cool early spells this week. I have seen a runner or two hustling Chihuahuas and other small dogs along the walking track and other runners leading panting big dogs along the path. I’d like to go on record as saying that no dog in Texas should be forced to “tag along” on a Texas running/walking/biking path from about April 16 through October 15. Humans, well, we’ve got the ability to say, “No, do you think I’m stupid?” Dogs just do their best under all that fur. … That’s the tri-level water fountain outside the rec center at Kiest Park. You may think that some dog has stopped by to drink, based on the water splashes, but it could have been where the out-of-shape dog-and-cat writer flopped over and shoved his face into the basin just to try to cool down his forehead, cheeks, eyeballs, bearded chin and big ol’ nose. Or, maybe a Chihuahua stopped by and took a stip. I can’t remember who I shoved out of the way. I’m kidding.
—- Offer opinion or agitations by clicking on ‘comment’ below or by emailing dallrp@aol.com. —-

RILEY'S LEG, NOAH'S RIDE, HEIDI & JAN; PLUS A CONTEMPLATION ABOUT WAR

EDITION OF FRIDAY, AUGUST 9, 2019 [PetPowellPress]Here’s our Friday report as we try to remember what a gentle, cooling summer rain looked like.
THE UPDATE ON RILEY
When last we wrote about Riley, the Lancaster stray who’d been hit by a car, he was suffering from a broken leg and was bleeding from an open wound. 
There’s an update, as you may guess from looking at that photo of a dog with a big thick leg bandage. 
Year-old (maybe) Riley, until he was taken by Purr & Bark Rescue of North Texas, was in a shelter kennel where, the report was, he “just sits there quietly whimpering! Not mean at all or anything just so sweet and calm and loving!”
 But things have changed for Riley. First, his medical care is going to cost more than about $2,200, according to small shelter advocate Laura Macias, who explains that’s for the repair surgery on the leg and the “few hundred” spent just getting him into shape for diagnosis and treatment. You can go to purrandbark.org and click on the donate button.
But that’s not all the news. Laura reports, “And the woman fostering is fostering to adopt! So he may have his home already…”
 This was posted by Beth Tyler-Rindahl on her Facebook page: “Yesterday I saw a post for this pup needing to be saved from a certain death sentence due to the shelter he was in and the fact he had been hit by a car and suffered a bad break on his rear leg. I begged for someone to help this sweet puppy and my sister stepped up and said she wanted this dog. I didn't mean for that to happen because I knew she couldn't afford high medical/surgical bills but she insisted. While I was trying to get more info, this wonderful rescue stepped up. Some might ask why this is important. A rescue is responsible for all medical treatments until an animal is adopted and these rescues aren't run by big corporations....they are run by individuals with huge hearts for animals but mostly small pocketbooks so they ask for your help with donations. This little guy's surgery, etc., will be at least $1,900!! Please please consider any size donation to help this baby...and this rescue!! They are the saviors here!! Please consider donating to his rescue!” 
Again, go to https://purrandbark.org.
[LARRY ASIDE: After a spell of bleak news, I thought it would feel pretty good to end the week with a dog-is-saved story and a way for people to get involved with making his life better.]
ONE MORE NOTE FROM LAURA:
IT’S ABOUT MOVING A DOG
This big, adorable, happy guy is Noah.
As Laura writes, “Help!! Can anyone give a dog a ride?” She’s been trying for two weeks to get this dog transported. Why does he need a ride? “Sweet shelter boy Noah needs a ride to get neutered and such!” 
I’m not sure what “and such” may be, but I do know what "neutered" means. Noah's in Fort Worth and needs to “get only 10 miles down the road on Tuesday the 13th. His foster has no car and can’t drive. Can anyone help? I can pay the gas money!” 
Offer to help neuter a dog and such through transportation by calling or texting
214-949-2726 or EMAIL cat_girl_71@yahoo.com.
TWO WAITING IN MESQUITE
Judi Brown, the volunteer biographer at Mesquite Animal Services, tipped us to this “very stunning” dog, Heidi (42367106), described as a 55-pound, 8-month old “Belgian Shepherd Malinois.” She is also an Earhound Magnifique.
She arrived August 1 as a stray and, Judi writes, “It’s amazing that her owner did not come for her. She not only is very stunning, but she has so much else going for her. She was very interested, as is typical of her breed, in exploring everything with her nose. She’s very alert and was in tune to everything going on in her surroundings. After she got done exploring she came around to me wagging her tail and wanting some attention.”

[LARRY ASIDE: Now, Dear Readers, before you read about this girl, let me just warn you animal nuts (and I am one) that part of this story is going to p**s you off. It represents a bit of cruel behavior, I think. But, that’s just me. I tend to think of dogs as kindred souls on a planet that needs devotion and peaceful moments.] 

Judi says “Jan” (42411509) is a 50-pound 7-month-old terrier who was “surrendered to the Mesquite Animal Shelter on 8/6 because her previous owners were moving and couldn’t take her with them. The owner surrender form did not have her name listed. When I asked the front desk what her name was they told me that the owners had known  they were not going to keep her, even though they had her since birth, and so they NEVER  GAVE HER A NAME ! She was born in January hence we gave her the name Jan.”

[LARRY ASIDE: Now if that name thing isn’t enough, see if you can spot signs of neglect in her previous home in this next passage.] 
Judi writes, “She’s a pretty dog with a very sweet face. Right now she appears bewildered. She was not used to a leash so she had to be carried out into the yard. Once she was out in the yard she started to venture out some. She would tentatively come to me wagging her tail indicating she did want to make friends. She’s definitely very gentle and sweet and thrives on TLC. However, she does crouch down when you reached to pet her. She would thrive in a safe secure environment surrounded by people that love her, and she’s easy to love!!”
 There you go. Two of many Mesquite dogs to help. Call the shelter at 972-216-6283 or email rescues@cityofmesquite.com.
Go to this LINK to see other dogs and cats in the shelter. This very dignified fellow is Paul — he is SIX YEARS OLD and ought to be in a home where a “large domestic shorthair mix” can get some adoration and companionship. He came into the shelter on June 30 — so he’s ready to leave. Look for him in the shelter’s Executive Suite.
CONTEMPLATION
I've got to confess: Tears filled my eyes as I watched a TV story of the plane arriving at Love Field with the remains of a Texas pilot killed in Laos during the Vietnam War. That happened in 1974. His remains had finally been identified and Canadian Journalist Jackson Proskow had been covering the El Paso horror and was headed back home when he encountered this scene at Love Field in Dallas. Read his story HERE. 
And here is the opening paragraph on USA Today’s story by Doug Stanglin: “When Air Force Maj. Roy Knight, Jr., left Dallas for Vietnam 52 years ago, his 5-year-old son, Bryan, came to Dallas Love Field to see him off. On Thursday, Bryan, now a captain for Southwest Airlines, brought back his father's remains aboard a flight to the same Dallas airport.” 
What a story. What a touching story in the aftermath of a tragedy echoing from so long ago.
—- Offer opinions by clicking on “comment” below or by emailing dallrp@aol.com. —-

FOR THURSDAY, A CAT COLONY, SHELTERS WITH ANIMALS AND CONTEMPLATIONS

EDITION OF THURSDAY, AUGUST 8, 2019 [PetPowellPress] Welcome to Thursday’s edition. Please proceed and react appropriately, kindly. I have yet to check Wednesday’s Lotto Texas numbers, so I’ll be typing as if I am not suddenly wealthy.
LET’S TALK FERAL CATS
THAT NEED SOME HELP
We got this report from Marta Slobodián, Cat Colony Caretaker. That’s not an official title, but that is what has happened. 
 She needs some help with a Dallas colony — it’s at the 7-Eleven at 111 N. Carroll Avenue, where Columbia Ave. becomes Main St., a couple of miles east of downtown Dallas. You see here photographs of several of the cats being fed. They appear to be grateful for the grub. Probably, there’s no other place for them to eat.
 As you may expect in the nation’s most fertile city, Dallas, Texas, the usual colony care places are all full up right now. So, Marta is looking for help. 
“I have been feeding homeless kitties since July 2018. I saw them one day by chance at the 7-Eleven and around the corner of the 7-Eleven in Dallas, on 111 N. Carroll Avenue to be precise.  A friend who used to rescue kitties helped me in rescuing a few.we took them to the vet; the little ones found foster homes and eventually were adopted. The bigger ones were trap/neuter/returned.

“I feed them every morning before I go to work. There are about 5-7 new kittens that should be rescued and the rest should be TNR if they are not tame-able and adoptable.  I travel quite a bit and can't feed them all the time. I need assistance. They are so unprotected, always hungry and run to me when I arrive.  Any suggestions/help would be greatly appreciated.”

Please send suggestions to Marta at mslobodian@aol.com and to readlarrypowell.com at dallrp@aol.com.

RILEY AFTER RESCUE,
A SUDDEN CHALLENGE
We got an afternoon note about Riley, the dog struck by a car in Lancaster and rescued from the city’s shelter Wednesday morning by Purr and Bark Rescue of North Texas.

We’re awaiting updates. You may recall seeing the x-ray of Riley’s broken leg. We posted it in our special edition Wednesday morning. 
The report in the afternoon, from small shelter advocate Laura Macias, who arranged the rescue, was that Riley was being taken to an emergency room. “He is bleeding, and we don’t know where,” she reported.
So, ladies and gents, you see what rescues can be up against and why donations fuel the treatment of unexpected injuries and conditions. The Purr and Bark Rescue website is purrandbark.org.

BALCH SPRINGS FOLLOW-UP
Earlier this week we mentioned the joint seizure of 176 animals being kept at a particularly aromatic (that odor led to the initial investigation) property in Balch Springs. The SPCA of Texas, Balch Springs Police, Balch Springs Animal control and Balch Springs Code Enforcement teamed to get the animals to safety.
On Wednesday, the property owner agreed to give the SPCA custody of the animals: 111 hens, 31 roosters, 10 chicks, nine puppies, seven pheasants, six dogs, a peacock and a kitten. The SPCA’s news release read, “Criminal charges are expected to be filed.” 
Go to spca.org to see how to financially support the SPCA’s cruelty investigations and, also, how to help the animals.
See the seized anmals' photos HERE And I picked that cat’s photo because he or she appears to be puzzled at the entire situation. Then I picked that photo of that box because it was found on the property with all those hens and roosters. No idea what it suggests.
LET’S GO TO THE MESQUITE REPORT
Our tipster, Judi Brown, the volunteer biographer at Mesquite Animal Services, cites FOUR dogs that are on the “urgent” list because, indeed, the place is crowded. So these dogs need either adoption or tagging for rescue.
Oreo is the 5-year-old Black Lab mix surrendered to the Mesquite Animal Shelter on June 28. Why? “Landlord issues.” After a year. Oreo is 43 pounds, 
“long and lean” and adorable and adoring. She’s #42076517.

Hudson (40644798) is a “real sweetheart and does not deserve this (none of them do),” Judi writes. He’s also on the urgent list because of the crowd at the shelter. He’s a year-old “American terrier, Pit/Dalmatian mix” who came in on July 2 — yep, “landlord/apartment issues.” He’s a year old and had been in the apartment for just 2 months. Hudson weighs 63 pounds. He fetches and retrieves.
Pepsi (42178870) is a 2-year-old, 46-pound, already-fixed Lab/Pittie mix who came to the shelter as a stray on July 14. Judi writes, “He is stunning with his glossy black coat and shiny brown eyes! He is affectionate and playful. He actually entertained himself by leaping and bounding back-and-forth in the yard. He also chased toys and would play with them but would not bring them to me. Because of his need to run, he would do well with someone that is looking for a running partner. He would also need a large yard and an active family.”
And that brings us to Bella (42161672), an already-spayed 48-pound, 4 year-old Pittie Mix who is in the shelter because, the family says, the son couldn’t take care of the dog. She’s beautiful — with a happy face,
now, but not so happy in that early photograph in her shelter experience. She’s a “work in progress,” Judi says, a dog who needs some time and some patience on the part of a loving human. Great face — and clearly an Earhound.
For any of these dogs, call the shelter at 972–2 16–6283 or email rescues@cityofmesquite.com. See more animals — dogs and cats — by clicking on this LINK https://www.cityofmesquite.com/1239/Animals-in-the-Shelter. That cat is 4-month-old Halsey (42397714), a small girl who is a Gray/Orange combination currently awaiting her first real family in the Mesquite Cat Room. [LARRY ASIDE: “Mesquite Cat Room” sounds like a jazz club.]
CONTEMPLATIONS
ATTEMPTING ONE LINERS, FAILING
The Texas Rangers managed to lose two more games in one day Wednesday and that may eliminate the “team of destiny” hopefulness, though destiny doesn’t always turn out so swell — I cite the Dallas Cowboys of the 21st Century. … Hot enough for you? Please. Yes. I have no good response for “Hot enough for you?” Other than to quote my funspouse Martha who announced, “I don’t want to live in a world without freon.” Honest, if Texas banned freon, I’d be typing this in one of those places that brags about a “midnight sun” — as an insomniac, I could use a midnight sun now and then. … Just for the sake of hoping this will influence someone around here, “Spay and neuter. Spay and neuter. Spay and neuter.” After all, Dallas continues to demonstrate that it is the most fertile city in the Western Hemisphere. Dogs, cats, freeroaming nitwits… Any arguments to that point?
—- Offer opinions or objections by clicking on “comment” below or emailing dallrp@aol.com. ——

DOG STRUCK BY CAR WAITS IN LANCASTER

[NOON HOUR UPDATE: Laura Macias, the small shelter advocate, reports that Purr and Bark Rescue of North Texas is taking Riley! Reach Purr and Bark at purrandbark.org.]
MORNING EXTRA WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 7, 2019 [PetPowellPress] In the overnight mail, we got this from Leighann Hayden of the small shelter advocates. This is part of a list of several dogs waiting in the Lancaster Animal Shelter.
But this one is different. As Leighann wrote, “Pictures of injured dog Riley - please help - EMERGENCY - Has broken leg - needs rescue!!!  There is a $500 donation and a foster that wants to help.  He has to have a rescue group to get out and be helped - please, please, won't you help?”

To get involved with saving this dog’s life and helping him heal, call or text 214-949-2726 or email cat_girl_71@yahoo.com.

Riley was hit by a car. Now he’s waiting for the next turn in his life. 

To get on the mailing list for these Lancaster appeals, email cat_girl_71@yahoo.com or lhayden4652@gmail.com. 
There is no Facebook page, no website because, the advocates report, there is no one working with them who can set up such mechanisms. So, they rely on a mailout. Maybe someone with free time can help these advocates set up a simple page on behalf of animals in the Lancaster Animal Shelter.
Some Lancaster animals are listed on PetFinder HERE. The dogs, not the cats.
—- Offer opinion or advice by clicking on ‘comment’ below or emailing dallrp@aol.com. —-

CHECKING THE TEMP & HELPING ANIMALS, PLUS A TREE GROWS HIGH IN TEXARKANA

EDITION OF WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 7, 2019 [PetPowellPress] We arrive at midweek in a state of disorganization. For the duration of this edition, we will attempt to be organized. 
I’ve been cleaning out my home office and discovering everything from magazines I saved for six or seven years, some 12-year-old utility bill receipts and a collection of pen and ink drawings of Inky, the late Cocker Laureate of the State of Texas and our staff impersonator. 
Here’s one of the drawings that was committed to computer years ago. It shows Inky participating in the Olympic Ice Fishing competition at the 2014 Winter Games in Sochi, Russia.
 (It's signed by Ivana -- that was my artistic nom de pencil in 2014.)
That year Sochi experienced the warmest Winter Olympics ever with temps for the winter sports events ranging between 33 degrees and 68 degrees. This may have affected the fishing on that part of the continent and account for Inky's failure to win the gold -- noboy else won the gold fishing medal, either. And, of course, I’ve chosen to highlight Inky at the Olympics because maybe it’ll help you feel cool when the local temp nudges or passes 100 on Wednesday.
The 2022 Winter Olympics are scheduled for Beijing and, no doubt, all those trade hot spots will be worked out by then. Beijing is usually colder than Sochi in February. Well, let’s, uh, ski on.

WAITING IN LANCASTER
Here are a couple of the many dogs (and a by-now familiar cat photo) from the Lancaster Animal Shelter. 
You know why the Lancaster Shelter is like the Moon? Very few human footprints these days. The shelter and the moon don’t get a lot of visitors and, according to the small shelter advocate Laura Macias, that puts the animals at peril. No traffic means no adoptions, no rescue groups working to help the animals. It’s an odd situation for this era of the 21st century. 
That Husky is Kylan, describe in the appeal as “incredibly urgent. This is such an amazing dog — stunningly beautiful with the pretties blue eyes and very, very sweet and loving.”

Then there’s this expressive girl Jenna, a Lab/Boxer Mix.
And that cat is Sasha, the Pastel Tortie who has been waiting for a while now in the Lancaster shelter which also has 11 kittens that nobody’s looking at except the small shelter advocate team. 
Ask about any animal in Lancaster’s shelter by calling or texting Laura at 214-949-2726 or email her at cat_girl_71@yahoo.com.

MEANWHILE, ANGIE’S FRIENDS
HUSTLE TO HELP SOME KITTENS
We learned about this thanks to the longtime rescuer and Angie’s Friends advocate Beverly Fyfe.
The story on the Angie’s Friends Facebook page reads,
“URGENT cat rescue or foster needed. This little baby just came out of one of the feral colonies Angie feeds. Maybe only 3 weeks old and in need of experienced kitten foster or rescue. Please contact us ASAP if you can help. This kitten is in Dallas, TX."
The Angie’s Friends link is HERE.

[LARRY ASIDE: When I first wrote about Angie Manriquez and her efforts years and years ago, the people who admired her referred to her as the “Fairy Dogmother of West Dallas.” 
Her reach and the reach of Angie’s Friends go beyond the West Dallas now. She is an inspiration to so many who find themselves facing insurmountable odds in rescue. Angie would convince drug dealers to turn over their tethered guard dogs to her. She’s rescued a lot of dogs and a lot of cats and influenced other people to do the same. Dallas never runs out of the need for heroes like Angie.]
CONTEMPLATIONS
CHANGES, A TREE AND SPOTS

I spent most of Tuesday taking care of some business in Texarkana, Texas, my hometown, just across the line from Texarkana, Ark. As is my tradition with a visit to the Twin Cities, I took a spin through downtown to see if it's gaining momentum in its recovery from several difficult years. As happens in many small towns, downtown commerce moves out to the interstate, in this case, I-30. Some of Texarkana’s formerly empty storefronts have new businesses. Maybe things will change; maybe downtown will be revitalized, fueled by people determined to honor a downtown that was once the foundation for the economy of the Four States Area, the Ark-La-Tex, the Bi-State Area or whatever other marketing tag it has used through generations. 
I was snapping photos on my downtown tour and I happened to look up and spotted a tree near the top of a building on Broad Street, about a block inside Texas. You can see, I hope, from the photos that the little tree is growing not from the roof, but from a seam between bricks near the roof. Yep, that’s a wacky place for a tree. On my way out of town, I spotted — so to speak — this house on College Drive — I thought, “Holy smoke, they must really love Dalmatians — or
maybe a firefighter and a firehouse dog live there.” Probably that’s just prep work for a paint job. Probably. But, we live with hope that whimsy can survive this decade.
—- To offer opinions, solutions or lucky lotto numbers, click on “comment” below or email Larry Powell at dallrp@aol.com. —-

OPPORTUNITIES TO HELP ANIMALS ABOUND ... PLUS, A CONTEMPLATION

EDITION OF TUESDAY, AUGUST 6, 2019 [PetPowellPress] —- Let’s get serious. The Holiday Insights calendar says that August 6 is “Wiggle Your Toes Day.” Bet you did it when you read that. I don’t know if there’s a Wiggle Your Ears Day, but local shelters are full of dogs who can help you celebrate. Call up shelters online and look for the Earhounds.

ABOUT TO POP! THEN, POPS
The opening line to a note from Amy Poskey began, “Britt, with newborns Brianna & Brandy, and Bree, who is about to pop, need our help!!!” These Chihuahuas were waiting in the Denton McNatt Animal Shelter. That was the 12:29 p.m. report Monday. 
They left the building. It was to take an eventful, not-all-that-ordinary trip. And here’s the announcement from Amy’s 4:29 email: “Thanks to Animal Allies of Texas, Britt, Brianna, Brandy, and Bree have left the building!!!  AND, while traveling to their foster Bree gave birth to one little healthy angel in the car and we’re waiting to hear if Bree had more babies!

“If anyone would like to donate to Animal Allies of Texas for both of these little families, please click on the link HERE. No amount is too small.”
The background is the father of all the pups is a small brown Chihuahua who was released to the shelter when the two moms were surrendered. The moms, according to a shelter note, are relatively young. Probably they have not been indoor dogs. The note read, “They were on a man’s property and had apparently been there for quite some time. He just wanted them to be removed.”
The opening photo is Britt, the second photo shows Britt tending to Brianna, the third photo is Brianna and sibling Brandy and the final photo shows “about to pop” Bree.
 [LARRY ASIDE: That first Momma looks so much like my now-gone Chihuahua girl Belle Starr Carmelita del Vera Cruz, i.e., Vera, that I had some emotional charliehorses looking at her — I’m just testifying that a Chihuahua is a great dog to have around the house. They are a comfort. So, someone needs to get in touch with Animal Allies of Texas and prepare to show the moms and the babies that there are properties where NOBODY just wants them to be removed.]
MEANWHILE IN LANCASTER

Well, ladies and gents, the subject line on Laura Macias' Monday note about post-weekend Lancaster Animal Services Shelter carried quite a depressing tone.
It read: “NOT A SINGE ONE SAVED — CRITICAL.”
Before we show some of the many dogs and cats that get NO attention except from the small-shelter do-gooders trying to beat the odds, the person to contact to see how you or your rescue group can help is Laura — call or text 214-949-2726 or email cat_girl_71@yahoo.com.
[LARRY ASIDE: I do not know if Lancaster will be participating in the annual Clear The Shelter Event. Maybe someone with a connection could give the shelter a hint.]
The exquisite canine beauty is Honey, described as “a young American Bulldog or mix….A complete lovebug— cuddly and cute, cute, cute.” 
Still waiting, also, the girl we’ve mentioned before —- Samantha, aka Sam, a Shepherd mix who “posed for the picture —- just as cute as can be.”
[LARRY ASIDE: They don’t store dogs and cats forever at a city shelter. That’s why they buy euthanasia juice in bulk. And, these days, perhaps, saving animal lives is not top priority in Lancaster. Municipal politics appears to be.]
 "
The 11 kittens and the young cat we mentioned in last week’s note about Lancaster? Still there. Why? Laura’s note reads, “This shelter has very few walk-ins and no one comes in for kittens or cats.” 
Got to be a rescue group somewhere with room — a rescue group Lancaster will work with, of course.

That tuxedo kitten is Tallie, not exactly being cuddled for her photo. The other cat is Sasha, a “Pastel Tortie” photographed in front of a sign that may not accurately express the emotions at the Lancaster shelter or city hall.
HERE’S ONE FROM MESQUITE
THAT REALLY TICKS OFF ANY FAN
OF BORDER COLLIES & KIN
Before we get to the story of D’Arby, you need to know that this appeal was sent by Judi Brown, the volunteer biographer at Mesquite Animal Services. She meets the animals she writes about. 
Here’s what her Monday note said, “I just received word that D’Arby (#42370737) is on an urgent list. This poor boy has not had much of a life, living most of it I’m assuming in a confined area in a backyard. He needs a break. Please someone be his hero. If you cannot tag or adopt please network this deserving dog. D’Arby is a 5-year-old Border Collie mix that was surrendered on 8/1. Because he was surrendered in the field I do not have an owner surrender form. I do know he was kept in a confined area. 

“The owners were told they would need to extend his living space (the city even offered to give them the money to make these accommodations) but they didn’t want to bother. So it seems that D’Arby has spent most of his life outside. 
“It also seems that he has not had much socialization. He is friendly, but just doesn’t seem to know how to accept love and affection. He was more interested in exploring the yard than spending time with me. He’s a sweet boy and deserves to be pampered and loved on. He did not show any aggression. He walked okay on a leash. He went nose to nose sniffing many dogs in the bay.”

To ask about adopting or rescuing this 65-pound handsome dog, call the shelter at 972-216-6283 or email rescues@ cityofmesquite.com.

At this LINK, you’ll see a number of dogs — adopting or rescuing one makes saves that life and makes room for another dog whose life buys some time. You’ll also see a number of cats — all ages from babies to “experienced cats,” such as this 7-year-old “large” baby Belinda (42376429). She’s in the Cat Room, but she oughta be in a living room or den enjoying a life with adoring companions.
CONTEMPLATIONS
IS THERE A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN 'BACK THEN' AND 'NOW'?
This is personal. It’s a little longer than usual. Maybe it’s therapeutic. I don’t know.

I get caught up in the updates on the latest shootings. Can’t help it. I’m feeling despair at not being able to “un-do” things that happened. Foolish thought, but it’s been that way since my first year as a newspaper reporter. I’d been hired by the great Texarkana Gazette editor J.Q. Mahaffey in late summer of 1965 and spent my entire senior year of high school working the 4 p.m.-1 a.m. shift 5 nights a week. Daytime in school, nighttime in a newsroom. It was a glorious time. I wrote a lot of obits, did some feature stories, police stories, learned newspapering and earned some trust from the old hands, most of them at the paper since the days of World War II.
In the relatively calm of the summer of 1966, I was 17 and excited about newspapers and about starting junior college. But on Monday, August 1, 1966, I learned something new.
I learned the importance and the difficulties of setting aside emotions to report a story with strong, accurate journalism.
That was the day Charles Whitman went to the top of the landmark tower on the campus of the University of Texas and began killing people. The first people he shot were from Texarkana — including two boys I knew from high school — the older brother was horribly injured but survived. His little brother was killed right next to him as Whitman ambushed the vacationing family in the observation deck stairwell. 
Whitman, had stabbed his mom and wife to death the night before, then killed 14 people ( -- victims including an unborn child and a person who died in 2001 as the result of wounds suffered that day). Thirty-one other people were wounded by the “sniper” shooting from the tower onto the UT campus -- I didn't remember the numbers. I had to look them up on Wikipedia.
Another thing: 
I didn’t understand that whole horrible incident. Some might say I was too young to understand it. But I don’t understand the two latest shootings. And I haven’t fathomed the incidents in between.

Later that winter, I was working the police beat when the desk sergeant got a call that there’d been a shooting at a home not far from the office. This was before 911 calls. You called the police like you were calling a cab. I jumped into my black 1963 VW Beetle and drove to the address, arriving before the police car. But the officer was quickly there and I got out to follow him into the house — things were looser in those days and, maybe, I didn’t have as much sense.
The officer yelled, “Police!” — maybe several times — and, pistol drawn on the dark front porch, he opened the door and stepped into the fully lit living room. 
He was ready to fire and I was right behind him, ready to take notes. 
The body of a woman was on the linoleum floor in a pool of blood in front of the living room couch. An older man in khakis pants and an undershirt was sitting in a slump against the back of the couch. He had a pistol in his lap. 
And he was repeatedly declaring “She’s dead, oh, she’s dead.” He looked up at the officer and, motioning toward a back door, says, “There’s another one. He went out there!” 
The officer looked at me, reached down and took the pistol off the man’s lap, hands it too me and says, “Hold this gun on him and if he moves, shoot him.” 
I’d never held a pistol in my life. The man must have sensed the danger of the moment — he didn’t move and he quit moaning “She’s dead, oh, she’s dead.”

The officer was soon back and said, “I didn’t see anybody else. I think we’ve got our man. Better let me have that.” 
He took the pistol as an ambulance arrived outside. I asked the guy for the woman’s name and he gave me a woman’s name. Might have been the victim’s.

And I went back to the office to try to beat the late deadline with four or five paragraphs about what I’d seen. 

All these years later, after a career that took me into more mayhem and city council and county commissioner arguments over funding law enforcement and more political jawing over ending “unnecessary violence” and a presidential assassination attempt, and writing obituaries of some of the Oklahoma City bombing victims, I still don’t understand why on one night in a small town in the corner of Northeast Texas, a guy felt the need to kill a woman right there in his living room.
One murder puzzles me as much as a mass murder. 
Basically, human behavior is the most dangerous thing on the planet. It can also be the sweetest, most understanding, most comforting behavior. I like to think there are more of us than there are of “them” — and that our human behavior can have a beneficial effect on the people who need to see goodness some morning when they have lost their way. Call me an “optimist in spite of the evidence.”
—- Offer opinions or solutions by clicking on ‘comment” below or by emailing Larry PowellPowell at dallrp@aol.com. —-