Photos and video: Kinky Friedman attends Wine on the Roof 2010 at East Lake Pet Orphanage in Dallas

The gala fundraiser event included a pet fashion show emceed by Rebecca Miller.

Photo by John P. Meyer

Fill 'er up!

There was just TOO MUCH excitement in the air Saturday night on the rooftop of Dallas' East Lake Pet Orphanage (ELPO) -- which shares space with a veterinary hospital of the same name.

That's because a) it was the evening of Wine on the Roof 2010, a gala event benefitting the homeless pets of ELPO; and b) the weather cooperated fully, with the threat of thunderstorms held in abeyance until after midnight, as per local weatherpersons.

Kinky Friedman accepts the John LaBella Award

... for his work promoting responsible animal care.

Speaking of local weatherpersons, long-time (now-ex) Channel 5 NBC weatherperson Rebecca Miller -- currently reporting the local forecasts on 33 The CW -- played emcee for the evening's events, which included the presentation of the John LaBella Award to Kinky Friedman: singer, raconteur, writer, erstwhile gubernatorial candidate, and (most importantly) cigar maker extraordinaire.

Kinky and his chum Little Jewford set up a table in the ELPO lobby to peddle cigars and books (of which I purchased one of the first, while my lovely wife shelled out for one of the second).

The remainder of the table space at the event -- attended by what must have been hundreds of avid supporters of ELPO's pet placement efforts -- was given over to silent auction items, with all proceeds going to fund ELPO.

(Oh, and there were two tables set up to serve wine and hors d'oeuvres, with catering provided by Cafe Lago. This nibbler was particularly enchanted by the Cuban pork sliders and skewered chicken chimichurris. YUM!)

As you can see, a swell time was had by all, particularly once the real stars of the show -- the orphans of ELPO and their human assistants -- took to the stage for the fashion event.