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Challenging a viral video legend: Houston has its own contender for world'ssmallest dog

"For such a little dog, you'd be amazed how tough she thinks she is," Patricia Sturion laughed as a 5-year-old Chihuahua named Lola stared up from her lap.

"We used to bring her to the dog park, but people asked us to leave after a while," Strurion said, wagging her finger at Lola. "She was always trying to start something with the other dogs. But you were just protecting your mama, weren't you, cosita?"

To be honest, the two-and-a-half pound dog didn't seem so tough when CultureMap visited her at LUCHO, a custom men's clothing outfitter in Uptown Park. Donning a pink leopard-pattered fleece coat, Lola looked downright precious . . . and maybe a little cold too.

Beyoncé managed to earn the designation of "world's tiniest puppy," but Lola has a case.

"Yeah, she has a hard time staying warm, so we always dress her up," Sturion said.

Sturion and business partner Hector Villareal reached out to CultureMap because the nation's fallen under the viral Internet video spell of Beyoncé, the miniature Pinscher-Dachshund-Chihuahua puppy that was saved by a northern California woman via mouth-to-mouth resuscitation and promptly named Beyoncé in the spirit of the Destiny's Child hit single "Survivor."

Not to belittle the heroic efforts to rescue the little California pup, but Lola's journey into the world was no cakewalk either.

"We seriously didn't think Lola was going to make it when she was born," Sturion explained, saying that Lola was dangerously underweight when her mother Chiby gave birth. The veterinarian monitored her for several days, unsure if the young puppy would survive.

While Beyoncé managed to earn the designation of "world's tiniest puppy," Lola's owners believed that their little puppy may have been even smaller at birth. Unfortunately, Lola's exact original birth weight has been lost to history.

Nevertheless, Sturion said she's glad to have such a unique and loving dog. "Lola's always been healthy and we're so happy she can come to the store with us every day."

Good vibrations

LUCHO has its fair share of celebrity guests since it opened 12 years ago, but Sturion never expected Sonya Fitzpatrick, noted Houston animal communicator and host of Animal Planet's The Pet Psychic, to step into the store.

Sturion never expected Sonya Fitzpatrick, noted Houston animal communicator and host of The Pet Psychic,to step into the store.

"We couldn't believe it," Sturion recalled. "Right away she picked up Lola and said 'She won't let me read her'." Apparently, the Chihuahua simply refused to share her thoughts with Fitzpatrick.

Lola's mom Chiby, on the other hand, was more than happy to communicate, telling the pet psychic all about the "orange sticks" she gets each morning.

"We were amazed — Chiby always gets a baby carrot with her breakfast . . . ," Sturion said. "It's a shame we didn't get to hear what was on Lola's mind."

Thanks, Queen Bey

Pop icon Beyoncé donates $100,000 to University of Houston Law School

Beyonce Super Bowl

Photo by Erza Shaw Getty Images

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Pop megastar Beyoncé Knowles-Carter has donated $100,000 to the University of Houston Law Center Criminal Justice Clinic through her BeyGOOD Foundation. The gift will allow the clinic to hire fill-time faculty to head it, benefiting the students who study there.

“I am delighted that the BeyGOOD Foundation has made this very generous gift to the UH Law Center,” said Leonard Baynes, dean of the UH Law Center. “Not only will this funding help establish a full-time criminal justice clinic that provides pro bono legal services in our community, but it will also supercharge our already excellent criminal law and justice programming.”

The clinic is one of nine at UHLC. It helps students learn to navigate the criminal justice system, especially on behalf of clients that are underserved by skilled attorneys. People of color are affected disproportionately by a lack of good, ethical representation.

Beyoncé, the most decorated artist in Grammy history and easily the biggest musical star native to Houston, has a long history of advocating for criminal justice reform. She was a staunch supporter of the police reform following the deaths of Alton Sterling and Philando Castile, asking law enforcement to “stop killing us” in a web post. In 2020, she penned an open letter to the Kentucky attorney general asking for justice in the death of Breonna Taylor.

Through her BeyGOOD Foundation, established in 2013, Beyoncé has focused mostly on expanding the prospects of Black-owned business and offering education opportunities to students. Forwarding the cause of legal representation in Texas while also helping out marginalized communities compliments her other philanthropic work.

“At UH Law, we envision a legal profession where ‘everyone has the opportunity to prosper,’ as BeyGOOD envisions, and we will achieve this vision by providing access to strong and effective legal representation in criminal proceedings,” Baynes said. “And together, through this gift, the BeyGOOD Foundation and UHLC will shepherd the next generation of criminal justice attorneys in the city of Houston, the state of Texas and the nation.”

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