Tail Talk | VIP Interview with Nevada Supreme Court Justice, Ron Parraguirre

TAIL TALK with Real Vegas Magazine in collaboration with But I Love My Pet

VIP TALKING ABOUT THEIR BELOVED PETS

SHARING THE ADVENTURES, THE CHALLENGES,

AND WHY THEIR PETS MEAN SO MUCH.

By Ronnie F. Lee

AN INTERVIEW WITH

NEVADA SUPREME COURT JUSTICE

RON PARRAGUIRRE

In this edition of Tail Talk, we sit down with a very special guest, Nevada Supreme Court Justice Ron Parraguirre, to discuss his work, his love for hunting dogs, and the unique bond he shares with his canine companion, Cricket.

Ronnie: Welcome to another edition of Tail Talk! We have a very important guest today. Sir, please introduce yourself.

Justice Ron Parraguirre: Thanks for having me. I’m Ron Parraguirre, a Nevada Supreme Court Justice.

Ronnie: You know, my wife happens to be one of your colleagues, and one of the funniest things I hear is, “Hey, you’re a Supreme Court Justice—can you help me with my traffic ticket?”

Justice Ron Parraguirre: Yeah… we’re good for nothing when it comes to that!

Ronnie: That’s what most of us common folks assume—that Supreme Court justices can pull strings on tickets. But honestly, a lot of people don’t even know what a Supreme Court Justice actually does.

Justice Ron Parraguirre: That’s true. It’s a bit different from what people expect.

Ronnie: How long have you been on the court?
Justice Ron Parraguirre: Oh geez… I’ve been on the Nevada Supreme Court for 20 years.

Ronnie: And how many of those years have you shared your chambers with a pet?

Justice Ron Parraguirre: That’s pretty recent, actually. I’ve always had hunting dogs, but this one—Cricket—just kind of bonded with me, and now she follows me everywhere.

Ronnie: Tell us a little about Cricket. What breed is she, and what makes her special?

Justice Ron Parraguirre: Cricket is a Shorthaired Pointer-Lab mix. I’ve always had Labs because they’re great for duck and waterfowl hunting, but I wanted a dog suited for upland game hunting too, and pointers are ideal for that. She’s a beautiful little pup.

Ronnie: I’ve seen her, and she definitely has her own space in your chambers.

Justice Ron Parraguirre: She does!

Ronnie: You look more like a rancher than a Supreme Court Ju- stice.

Justice Ron Parraguirre: Well, that’s because I own a ranch, and Cricket spends a lot of time up there with me. She’s got an incredible hunting instinct—always exploring, always sniffing around. She absolutely loves it.

Ronnie: Here’s a photo of Cricket in your chambers—those eyes!

Justice Ron Parraguirre: She’s a great little pup.

Ronnie: How has she influenced your life? Where does she fit into your daily routine?

Justice Ron Parraguirre: It’s funny—like I said, I’ve always had hunting dogs, but they were primarily outside dogs. Cricket ended up being an inside dog, and we just bonded. She’s become more of a companion than a working dog, and I’ve grown very protective of her.

Ronnie: Sounds like you became a bit parental.

Justice Ron Parraguirre: Very much so! A few years ago, she injured a toe, and it wasn’t healing. The vet took X-rays, then did a biopsy, and it turned out to be cancerous. We had to amputate the toe, and since then, I’ve been even more careful with her.

Ronnie: Wow, that must have been tough.

Justice Ron Parraguirre: It was. I’ve always treated my hunting dogs as utility dogs, but Cricket is different. My hunting buddies tease me because I’m so protective of her.

Ronnie: Do you have any memorable moments where Cricket was there for you?

Justice Ron Parraguirre: Well, my daughter thinks Cricket should be like Lassie—you know, if something happens to me at the ranch, she expects Cricket to run to the road and get help! I should probably teach her that… it would make my daughter happy.

Ronnie: I think pets are lifelines in ways we don’t always recognize. When we’re stressed, they’re there, even without saying a word. I know when I need a moment, I’ll sit down, and my dog just rests beside me. It’s almost like meditation.

Justice Ron Parraguirre: Absolutely. There’s something soothing about animals. They come up, roll over for a belly rub, and for that moment, whatever’s on your mind just fades away.

Ronnie: And sometimes, I think when they ask for belly rubs, it’s not just about them—it’s about us. Maybe they sense we need that distraction.

Justice Ron Parraguirre: If my hunting buddies heard this conversation, they’d be very disturbed!

Ronnie: I can imagine! But times have changed. You mentioned that most of your past dogs were purely working dogs. But Cricket is different.

Justice Ron Parraguirre: No question.

Ronnie: How did she get her name?

Justice Ron Parraguirre: Honestly? It just popped into my head when I saw her. No reason, it just fit.

Ronnie: So, she wasn’t named before?

Justice Ron Parraguirre: Nope. She was about eight weeks old, and she just looked like a Cricket.

Ronnie: I love that. Well, thank you so much for taking the time to chat with us. I really appreciate it.

Justice Ron Parraguirre: My pleasure.

Ronnie: And if I get a traffic ticket… can you help?

Justice Ron Parraguirre: Ask your wife!