This website will be unavailable from Friday, April 26, 2024 at 6:00 p.m. through Monday, April 29, 2024 at 7:00 a.m. due to data center maintenance.
H.C.R. No. 108
HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, The State of Texas has traditionally recognized a
variety of official state symbols as tangible representations of
the proud spirit and heritage of our state; and
WHEREAS, Like the Texas longhorn, the Blue Lacy is a Texas
original; the only dog breed to have originated in this state, Lacys
are named for brothers George, Ewin, Frank, and Harry Lacy, who
moved to Texas from Kentucky in 1858 and settled in the area of
Burnet County; and
WHEREAS, The Lacy family bred cattle and hogs, so it was
natural that they would also breed dogs to work them; the family is
said to have used greyhound, scenthound, and coyote stock in
creating the animal that took their name; and
WHEREAS, For a hundred years, Blue Lacys were a common
fixture on ranches in the Southwest, where it was said that one such
dog could do the work of five cowboys; intelligent, energetic,
fast, eager to work, and easy to train and handle, Lacys herded
cattle, hogs, and chickens, and also served as droving and hunting
dogs; and
WHEREAS, With the declining use of working dogs on ranches,
Lacys almost disappeared as a breed; since 1975, however, there has
been a dedicated effort to save them, and their numbers now total
more than a thousand; most registered Lacys are currently bred in
Texas and sold to residents of the state; and
WHEREAS, While these gentle, versatile dogs continue to be
used on ranches, they are also becoming highly prized again as
hunting dogs and are proving valuable, as well, in search and rescue
work, owing to their keen scent-trailing ability; in addition,
their easygoing way with children, their aptitude for jogging,
agility courses, and games of Frisbee, and their suitability as
watch dogs are all contributing to their growing popularity as
family pets; and
WHEREAS, A medium-sized dog with a short, smooth, sleek coat,
the Lacy stands from 18 to 25 inches tall when full-grown and weighs
approximately 30 to 50 pounds; all Lacys carry a rare blue-color
gene, even though they are divided into three color
classifications: blue, red, and tri-color; and
WHEREAS, Lacys are recognized and registered through the
National Kennel Club, Continental Kennel Club, Universal Kennel
International, Lacy Game Dog Registry, Texas Lacy Game Dog
Association, and American Pet Registry, Inc.; and
WHEREAS, Along with its place of origin and its ranching
pedigree, this companionable dog boasts yet another association
with the State of Texas: in the 1880s, the Lacys were one of three
families who donated granite from Granite Mountain for the building
of the new State Capitol; and
WHEREAS, The Blue Lacy is a Texas native, a working dog bred
to play an essential role in ranch operations, at a time when
ranches themselves became one of the iconic Texas symbols, and a dog
that has more than pulled its weight on many a Texas spread; this
proud heritage assuredly gives the Lacy a unique and powerful claim
of its own to represent the Lone Star State; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the 79th Legislature of the State of Texas
hereby designate the Blue Lacy as the official State Dog Breed of
Texas.
Castro
Strama
______________________________ ______________________________
President of the Senate Speaker of the House
I certify that H.C.R. No. 108 was adopted by the House on May
13, 2005, by a non-record vote.
______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House
I certify that H.C.R. No. 108 was adopted by the Senate on May
25, 2005, by a viva-voce vote.
______________________________
Secretary of the Senate
APPROVED: __________________
Date
__________________
Governor