Pet of the Week

Ester the spunky senior terrier is eager to find her new family

Former featured pets Tulsi, Bryan, Oscar and Wyoming are waiting for their forever homes. This week, meet Ester, a spunky, 14-years-young terrier mix.

Ester was surrendered to the SCPA on April 26 because, sadly, her previous owners moved to a place that does not allow pets. Although her life has taken quite a turn, she is excited to start this new adventure with you.

A perfect day for this 27-pound ball of energy is taking a brisk walk around the neighborhood, chasing tennis balls, and snuggling up for a delightful nap in your lap. Although she is a fantastic family pet and has previously lived with children, Ester would prefer to be in a home without other dogs or cats.

In addition to being a feisty love bug, Ester is also quite talented. She is the perfect lady on the leash, she knows how to sit on command, and she is housetrained. However, after living in the shelter, it might take her a couple of weeks to remember all of her housetraining in her new adoptive home.

Ester is also a VIP (very important pet) because she’s been waiting for her new, loving family for more than 30 days, so she has a special lower adoption price.

Come meet Ester (#114367) today 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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E-Cigarette News

Dallas City Council places restrictions on vaping in public

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Man vaping

Vaping will now be banned exactly like smoking, thanks to a new ordinance from the Dallas City Council.

At their December 11 meeting, the council passed an ordinance to ban vaping in all the same areas where smoking is not allowed. It'll go into effect on December 11, 2025 — giving everyone a year to get into compliance.

Proposed by City of Dallas Environmental Commission (EVC) and the Office of Environmental Quality and Sustainability (OEQS), the ordinance amends the definition of “smoking” in the Dallas City Code to include the use of vaping devices.

The ordinance does not ban vaping — it only bans where you can vape: no vaping in all indoor and enclosed spaces; within 15 feet of building entrances; and on park property. The ordinance also bans marijuana smoking in those same places.

In addition, the amendment requires restaurants, hotels, fitness centers and other businesses to update their signage to clearly state that both smoking and electronic smoking devices are prohibited.

The ordinance already earned widespread support from health organizations such as the Dallas County Health and Human Services, the American Lung Association, and the American Heart Association. These organizations, along with the World Health Organization, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the U.S. Surgeon General, have all raised concerns about the health risks of direct and second-hand exposure to vaping aerosols, particularly for vulnerable populations such as children and older adults.

Dallas is not the first city to impose such a ban: San Antonio enacted a similar ban in October. Theirs goes into effect on January 1, 2025.

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