Dogs and heat do not mix.

I don’t want to preach but hoping someone may read this and it may even save one dog this summer. This week alone my department has responded to numerous calls over dogs suffering from heat exhaustion. Temperature is in the 100s and heat index of 107 where I am. Please, if you leave your animals outside please make sure they have shelter (shade) and water. And please don't leave your animals inside a parked car in this heat.If you see a dog out in severe weather please contact someone to get the animal water. I have already had to inform two people this week that their dogs have passed on. It is a terrible part of the job and in most cases it can be prevented.

I realize some people do not like the HSUS but they really do have some great tips in keeping pets safe.

Below Is some tips for dogs from HSUS this Holiday season.

To protect your pet on the Fourth of July, take these precautions: From THe Humane Society.

• Resist the urge to take your pet to fireworks displays.
• Do not leave your pet in the car. With only hot air to breathe inside a car, your pet can suffer serious health effects—even death—in a few short minutes. Partially opened windows do not provide sufficient air, but they do provide an opportunity for your pet to be stolen.
• Keep your pets indoors at home in a sheltered, quiet area. Some animals can become destructive when frightened, so be sure that you've removed any items that your pet could destroy or that would be harmful to your pet if chewed. Leave a television or radio playing at normal volume to keep him company while you're attending Fourth of July picnics, parades, and other celebrations.
• If you know that your pet is seriously distressed by loud noises like thunder, consult with your veterinarian before July 4th for ways to help alleviate the fear and anxiety he or she will experience during fireworks displays.
• Never leave pets outside unattended, even in a fenced yard or on a chain. In their fear, pets who normally wouldn't leave the yard may escape and become lost, or become entangled in their chain, risking injury or death.
• Make sure your pets are wearing identification tags so that if they do become lost, they can be returned promptly. Animals found running at-large should be taken to the local animal shelter, where they will have the best chance of being reunited with their owners.
• If you plan to go away for the holiday weekend, read our information onCaring for Pets When You Travel.

If you follow these simple precautions, you and your pet can have a safe and happy Fourth of July.

Farrah Fawcett

February 2, 1947 - June 25, 2009

Call it what you will, first love or first infatuation but at one time in American History, almost every young man had this poster. The Boys wanted her and the girls wanted to be like her. She is lost but she will never be forgotten.

Animal Shelter Closed

I would love to be a fly on the wall in Corsicana Texas City Hall this week. It appears Animal Control walked out or the Officers did something and they are not saying. I would guess the City offered them a package to keep all of them quite but that is just a guess.I know nothing about Corsicana, but I do know the mind set of Animal Control Officers. Just like any other job you have great Officers and you have bad Officers. I pray they did nothing to tarnish the great Officers who work daily to take care of animals and keep the public safe. Hopefully, they will get all the animals taken care of and use the closing as a chance to clean house with staff and shelter. It is a great chance to sanitize the shelter with no new animals coming in for a few weeks.

"Six resignations and one termination have forced the City of Corsicana to temporarily close its animal shelter operation.

Three of the shelter’s full-time employees resigned Monday, and three more on Tuesday, according to Connie Standridge, city manager. Standridge declined to comment on the reasons for the mass resignation, citing personnel issues.

Additionally, the city terminated Pam Weaver, an animal control officer, on Tuesday, according to Corsicana Police Chief Randy Bratton. Bratton cited “personnel” issues in connection with Weaver’s termination. Responsibility for the operation of the shelter and animal control falls under the Corsicana Police Department.

Bratton also said the department is looking into a report of “missing property” as one element of this week’s resignations and termination.

The employees who resigned this week were Shelter Director Pam Snyder, Animal Control Officer Julie Coker, and shelter employees Christina Bonner, Carolyn Bamburg, Joe Aguilar and Francesca Harris. Only one full-time employee remains at the shelter, Standridge said.

“We are in the process of getting a staff to care for the animals we have, but until we get a permanent shelter manager replaced, we will not be able to take in any animals,” Standridge said Tuesday.

The city animal shelter also serves Navarro County residents. The county pays the city an annual fee to help fund the operation of the shelter.

Standridge said the city will be advertising the open positions, and hoped to have the shelter re-opened “within two weeks.”

Bratton said they are considering a “free adoption” event in the near future in an effort to reduce the population at the animal shelter until it can be fully staffed again.

“The animal control issues we will continue to handle, either through the police department, or hopefully maybe the animal control officer with the county will help us out if we have any special circumstances such as a rabid animal,” Standridge said. Bratton added that police would be dispatched in the event of a vicious or endangered animal report is received.

Some of the animal currently at the city shelter could be transferred to other shelters, Standridge said, and the city is looking into that.

“My concern is making sure that the animals are taken care of, and we’re going to do that,” she added. “If there is anyone that would like to volunteer, we’ll have a coordinator to help with that. (Volunteers) would be welcomed.”

Citizens needing assistance with animal control can call the city police dispatch center at (903) 654-4902."

Bob Belcher, Daily Sun, 6/16/09

http://www.corsicanadailysun.com/loc...167170944.html

Grampa's Catfish House

STILL EATING HALE AND HEARTY

I made it to another local favorite tonight to try some farm-raised Arkansas Catfish at Grampa’s Catfish House. Fantastic. Pictured is a large order. If you can believe it they have an all you can eat for a few dollars more. I did not think anyone could eat more than was served to me, but tables all around me were ordering more. This was enough for me to split with someone, but I am proud to say I was able to eat all the fish and then roll myself out the door. The staff was extra nice with a home town feel, but I did get some looks when the food came to me and I took a picture. I think they thought I was some crazy guy and hey, they may be right

Whole Hog Cafe

Eating hale and hearty!

This week I am in Little Rock Arkansas. I am here for work and will not have the time to do the tourist thing, but I wanted to at least try one local favorite place to eat. Wow, all I can say is I am so glad I did. I ate at the Whole Hog Café for some Arkansas Awarding winning Barbeque.

Trophies, Ribbons, and Certificates cover the walls and window ledges.

Summer Calls

As the summer break starts, I cannot help but worry about all the bogus complaints that are going to start. I do not know if it is because of the heat or people do not pay attention to what they are looking at, but summer and Animal Control equals headache. The department I work for has a policy to run all calls received. When this complaint started, I was at this location almost everyday last summer. The thing is, nothing was wrong. The reporting party kept calling in saying the horses were starving and they never had any food. I guess the all you can eat haystack hovering above the horses is not enough to eat. They had a hay supply like this everyday.

Wonder Woman

If only this were true. With great comic movies such as Iron Man and Batman, Megan Fox could have added to the superhero movies. Well, we may never see her in this role, however one can't help but thank the photoshop work of www.wonder-who.com.

Dispute Between Neighbors

Some people who work for the City think they are above everyone else. This guy had an answer for the them. An old friend of mine sent me this and I just had to share it.

Dispute Between Neighbors

A city councilman in Utah, Mark Easton, had a beautiful view of the east mountains, until a new neighbor purchased the lot below his house and built a new home.

The new home was 18 inches higher than the ordinances would allow, so Mark Easton, mad about his lost view, went to the city to make sure they enforced the lower roof line ordinance.
The new neighbor had to drop the roof line, at great expense.

Recently, Mark Easton called the city, and informed them that his new neighbor had installed some vents on the side of his home...

Mark didn't like the look of these vents and asked the city to investigate.

When they went to Mark's home to see what the vents looked like, this is what they found...



Mr Council Man how do you like your view now?

Puppy For Sale

Many people I talked to do not understand why Animal Control gets upset with puppy mills. This is not really a mill, just a bad breeder.It can be frustrating when you see great dogs at the shelter not getting and home a see a guy selling a dog on the side of the road for hundreds of dollars.

This is a picture of what the dog looked like on an Internet advertisement.




Buyer Beware This is how the dog really lived.