Pet of the Week

SPCA's Pretty Boy needs a healthy home to maintain his good looks

Pretty Boy is ready for adoption at the SPCA of Texas.

Photo courtesy of SPCA of Texas

From previous weeks, Paisley and Wyandotte are still waiting for homes. Let’s have your people call their people and get these precious pets adopted.

This week meet Pretty Boy, who came to the SPCA of Texas on December 23 when his owners moved and couldn’t take him with them.

Breed: Domestic shorthair mix

Age: 6 years

Weight: 15 pounds

Personality: He is a big, handsome guy with the most lovable personality. He is calm, and he loves to sleep in his big beds. Chin rubs are his favorite.

Vital stats: He has been neutered and microchipped, and he has been given all age-appropriate vaccinations. He is FIV positive, which means that his immune system is a little bit weaker than most kitties. SPCA of Texas adoption counselors will tell you more about how to take the best care of him, but it basically means he’ll need to be an indoor cat, either living as the only cat or with another FIV positive cat. His human will have to keep an eye on him throughout his life, to make sure he gets to the vet if he starts to feel under the weather. A couple of vet checkups throughout the year, just to make sure he’s staying healthy, will be nice too.

Come meet Pretty Boy today (#136611) at the SPCA of Texas’ Jan Rees-Jones Animal Care Center in Dallas at 2400 Lone Star Dr., near I-30 and Hampton Road. The center is open seven days a week, noon-6 pm.

Regular adoption fees are $95-$125 for puppies 0-6 months, $75-$95 for adult dogs 6 months or older, $50 for senior dogs 7 years or older, $50 for VIP dogs, $95 for kittens, $75 for adult cats, $50 for senior cats 7 years and older, and $50 for VIP cats.

The adoption fee includes spay/neuter surgery, age-appropriate vaccinations, heartworm test for dogs 6 months and older, initial heartworm preventative for dogs, feline leukemia test for cats 4 months and older, microchip, rabies tag, and free leash or cat carrier. Call 214-742-SPCA (7722) or visit the SPCA website for more information.

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Weed News

Texas Rep. Jessica González of Dallas files bill to legalize marijuana

Redheaded Blackbelt

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Texas Rep. Jessica González of Dallas has filed a bill to legalize recreational marijuana in Texas. House Bill 1208 would legalize the cultivation, manufacturing, transportation, and sale of cannabis.

The bill would allow adults 21 and older to use, possess, and transport up to 2.5 ounces of marijuana for personal use. Adults could also keep up to 10 ounces of cannabis in their residence, as long as it is stored in a secure location.

Smoking or consuming cannabis while in a public place or in a car on a public road would not be allowed.

Gonzalez filed the bill in mid-November, one in a suite of bills that also included expanding insurance coverage for in vitro fertilization for LGBTQ couples; and requiring landlords to disclose all fees before a rental lease is signed.

Her bill was filed prior to an initiative launched by Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick on December 4 to ban THC products in Texas entirely.

In addition to legalizing recreational use, the bill also makes provisions for its production and sale including requiring that the packaging be child-resistent and clearly labeled, so that it's not confused for candy.

Businesses looking to grow, transport, test, or sell cannabis would need to be licensed by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation. A 10 percent tax would be imposed on the sale of all cannabis and cannabis products. Some of the profits would go towards funding public schools.

If passed, the bill would take effect on September 1, 2025.

Medical cannabis is currently legal in Texas under the Texas Compassionate Use Program, which allows low-THC cannabis to be prescribed for conditions such as epilepsy, MS, autism, cancer, and post-traumatic stress disorder.

Some cities have also approved decriminalization for the possession of four ounces or less of marijuana, including Austin, Bastrop, Dallas, Denton, Elgin, Killeen, and Lockhart.

politics marijuana