79R6981 MMS-D


By:  Castro, Strama                                             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.