A frantic call came to the shelter one afternoon in May of 2020: A two-month-old orange tabby had suffered life-threatening injuries after climbing into a car engine for a nap. When someone started the car, the fan belt seared the left side of her head. Tri-City shelter staff raced to the scene to extract the kitten from the motor. They also called Dr. Donna Fuller, DVM.

Vernon and Karen Taylor met in the 1960s, when Karen was living in Africa with her parents and Vernon was in the Air Force. They married and spent the next 25 years traveling the world, having a son and daughter along the way, before finally settling in Cedar Hill. In 2013, while they were planning their golden wedding anniversary, tragedy struck. Vernon passed away from cancer.

When Grand Prairie police broke up an illegal cock-fighting breeder operation on April 27, 2021, everyone involved had to come up with a plan: where to place 359 birds. Chicks and hens might have been easy, but roosters grotesquely prized for fighting were another matter. Grand Prairie Animal Services suspected dozens of them were on the property, and they would need to be evacuated immediately. They contacted the non-profit Animal Investigation and Response and the Tri-City Animal Shelter for help.

Tri-City Animal Shelter got a call about an unusual stray in early 2021: A tortoise the size of a prize-winning watermelon had been spotted wandering on Red Bud Drive in Desoto. Animal Services Officers scooped her up and identified her as a sulcata tortoise, native to the deserts of northern Africa. Sulcata tortoises are often sold as pets, which might seem like swell idea when they’re small and cute. But that adorable cuteness? It can grow into a 100-pound adult.

Chris Reno is a computer guy—a computer guy who is also a dog lover—so when he saw a job opening at Chewy.com three years ago, he leapt at the opportunity. The online pet retailer has tripled its business since 2018, and makes a point of hiring passionate pet owners. One employee perk: Every day is Take Your Dog to Work Day.

Veronica, a pre-K teacher from Duncanville, walked into the Tri-City Animal Shelter one day in July, 2018. She was looking for a dog. She went home with two kittens instead—an abrupt change of plan she now believes saved her life. That summer four years ago, Veronica’s truck had been broken into twice in just two weeks. Although she had never adopted a pet, she figured a dog might help with security—a bark to alert her to lurking strangers. Plus, she thought, it could be a good buddy for her 6-year-old son. But as she walked through the corridors of the shelter, none of the dogs felt right to her.

Introducing the Friends of Tri-City Animal Shelter's newest feature, Tri-City Tales! This feature will highlight stories of animals who have come in and out of the Tri-City Animal Shelter. Please read, enjoy and share freely!