DIXIE Saying farewell to Bob Barker

program for a no-kill shelter in the Dallas-Fort Worth area called “Pet Talk.” Not only were there expert guests and discussions about cats and dogs, but the program had several different types of creatures on it from Madagascar hissing cockroaches to African elephants in the studio. I visited locales and entered enclosures with wolves, big cats, apes, and rhinos. The show wasn’t even 100% animal rights. Experts gave advice about specific breeds, or how to keep pets safe and take care of them. It was a fairly well-rounded program.

the humane society the longest. The dogs here today are featured dogs,” Webster said.

Dixie is a collie and rottweiler mix. Godiva is a young greyhound mix.

“The adoption fee is $60, but Dogwood Grooming is gifting a $50 gift certificate to La Villa restaurant and a goody bag — a separate one for the adoption of Godiva and another for Dixie. You’re getting more back than the $60. You’re investing in a dog that will enrich your life.

Smith said part of getting back a return on your investment, “We’ve got some gift certificates for the dogs that have been at the shelter the longest. We’re trying to do a little incentive to hopefully find them a home today. Every dog gets a gift bag with all kinds of dog supplies in it and exclusive discount coupons to use here later if they want to come back and have a dog groomed.”

That investment also includes a value in surplus of $450. Webster explained, “Our animals are fully vaccinated, they’ve seen a vet, they’ve had a wellness check, and they have been spayed or neutered. They are also tested for heartworms. If they test positive, they are treated until they are heartworm negative and they are ready to go.”

A few volunteers from HSO and the Dogwood staff were on hand to answer questions. HSO’s Jennifer “JJ” Jones seemingly did the majority of showing the dogs to prospective owners. Duke, who couldn’t wait to get out, was ready to bowl her over and just lie in her lap… or any other lap he could get to. The Anatolian shepherd and shepherd mix was energetic but friendly as can be as he flopped on his back, wanting his belly rubbed while his tongue lolled about.

“I think I’m going to do it again,” Smith said. “I think I’d like to make it a regular thing. I think we could do our part to get exposure for the humane society. They give these animals a place of shelter. They’re a nokill place and we support that 100%.”

You can visit HSOMena.org to learn more about adopting, as well as to see images and information on the dogs and cats available for adoption, to donate or to volunteer. HSO is open 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday.

“All of them are precious and need homes,” Webster said.

Dixie was Saturday’s success story finding her fur-ever home.

By Ethan Nahté

As children and adults came to visit the Humane Society of the Ouachita dogs up for adoption at Dogwood Grooming and Boarding, a text lit up my phone. Everything about HSO discussing spaying and neutering to my screen lighting up seemed dichotomous with the news that icon Bob Barker had died. His light would no longer shine nor would his mantra, “Help control the pet population. Have your pets spayed or neutered,” be spoken again by the TV host.

Barker, who was a longtime animal rights activist, repeated those words at the end of most, if not each episode of “The Price is Right.” He hosted the game show 6,586 times over 35 years. Since his retirement in 2007 at the age of 88, his successor Drew Carey has followed in Barker’s footsteps, repeating those words. Barker only missed one taping, which consisted of four episodes. He even made guest appearances with Carey.

Barker was a strict vegetarian, spent the money to have 25 large cats airlifted from Bolivian circuses and donated large sums to stop whaling ships in Japan.

He went before Congress to discuss the cruelty used to train performing animals.

His production company donated $500,000 to Harvard Law School to support research and teaching on animal-rights laws.

He resigned as emcee of the Miss USA and Miss Universe pageants because contestants would model furs.

On a personal note, between 1992-1995, I produced/directed a live, weekly television

Early on, I sent a letter and a script for a :15-:30 public service announcement (PSA) to both Barker and another actor known for their animal rights stance. I asked if they would record a spay/neuter PSA on U-Matic (3/4”) tape. I’d supply the $20 tapes and pay the full shipping to and from.

The office of the unnamed actor’s manager sent a short refusal. I was a bit irked but I realized the actor probably never even saw my request. Odds are the PSA was nixed by someone at the actor’s production company.

Barker never informed me he’d do a PSA. He simply recorded a spay/neuter spot on “The Price is Right” stage specific to “Pet Talk” and mailed it with a thank you note.

During our next show, we used that PSA for the first of several times. I dubbed a copy for Barker, along with a thank-you card signed by the host and crew.

Again, receiving the message of his death as I was at a pet adoption seemed a strange paradox. Then again, it’s probably the right place in the universe I should’ve been when I read the news.

I won’t say Barker’s death is either sad or unexpected. The man was successful with a relatively happy life from all outward appearances.

He hosted radio, emceed on TV, guest starred in movies, won 18 Daytime Emmy Awards, including a Lifetime Achievement Award and made the Guinness World Book of Records twice. He probably helped save thousands of animals.

He had a couple of falls the past few years, and he was less than 4 months away from his 100th birthday on Dec. 12. He may have missed that milestone, but he accomplished so much more.

For me, Barker was the guy who took a couple of minutes of his time to do a favor for a young, unknown TV director whom he had never met… asking my audience to please spay or neuter their pets.

By Richie Lawry

The thin woman with short-cropped hair and sparkling eyes walks out on stage with a massive smile and says hi to the judges. When they answer, “Hello, how are you,” she replies, “I’m awesome. So happy to be here.”

“What are you going to be singing for us tonight?”

“I’m singing an original song called ‘It’s OK.’”

“What is ‘It’s OK’ about?”

“’It’s OK’ is about the last year of my life.”

The judges continue the interview, asking, “What do you do for a living?”

“I have not been working for quite a few years. I’ve been dealing with cancer.”

“Can I ask you a question? How are you now?”

“Last time I checked, I had some cancer in my lungs and my spine and the liver.”

“So, you’re not OK?

“Well, not in every way, no.”

“You’ve got a beautiful smile and a beautiful glow, and nobody would know.”

“Thank you. It’s important that everyone knows I’m so much more than the bad things that happen to me.”

Jane steps up to the microphone and nervously glances to the side as the audience sits silently, waiting for the performance to begin. When the first piano chord resonates through the concert hall, she smiles and sings, “I moved to California in the summertime. I changed my name, thinking that it would change my mind. I thought that all my problems they would stay behind. I was a stick of dynamite, and it was just a matter of time, yeah.”

By the time she reaches the chorus, singing, “It’s okay, it’s okay, it’s okay, it’s okay,” the judges and the au-dience are enchanted by her fantastic voice and the joy that beams from her face as she performs.

When the last note fades away, she steps back from the microphone, and the joy she showed throughout the