Whom do you call when a T. rex has a dental emergency?

-WANDERING THROUGH LIFE-

My first thought was to post about the issue on social media. I’d share a few laughs with my friends and that would be it.

But then I pondered why not share it with a wider audience? Since I have access to a brand new website, why not share it and my wry sense of humor with others? Hopefully, lots of others.

Maybe then a dentist will make an emergency street call to help Fredosaurus Rex Friday XIII with a severely chipped canine tooth. Much more than chipped, at some point that tooth had been a razor sharp fang that was broken off and repaired, not restored. That pearly white now needs a crown much like the one worn by the “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood” puppet King Friday XIII.

Now a resident of the South Side, Fredosaurus moved there from his former hangout public broadcaster WQED Studios in Oakland where the educational children’s television show “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood” was filmed from 1968 to 2001. His current spot is outside the related Fred Rogers Productions, a nonprofit that creates “shows, games, and apps that encourage children’s curiosity, and make it fun for them to learn and grow.”

The dinosaur was designed by artist Karen Howell for a citywide art project in 2003, meaning the 8-foot-tall Tyrannosaurus rex has recently turned 21. I’m sure he’d much rather be downing a brewski at Brewskis on Carson than hanging out in the South Side Works Town Square hoping someone will respond to his dental crisis or work on mending his well-worn red cardigan.

Should we start a GoFundMe? Or create a donation drive for the nonprofit production company? Maybe we send out a plea for volunteer dentists?

Perhaps we don’t need crowd funding. Technically, by waving the Henrietta Pussycat and King Friday puppets while tolerating the Neighborhood Trolley driving up his tail, this makes Fredosaurus an employee or maybe a contractor for the children’s production company known best for the creation of “Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood.” They should offer dental insurance or at least workers comp coverage, right?

The folks at Fred Rogers Productions could turn this repair into an educational video about dentists and why you shouldn’t be afraid of regularly visiting one. The American Dental Association, Pennsylvania Dental Association, or the Dental Society of Western Pennsylvania could collaborate. Would his original creator – studio artist and ceramicist Howell – be willing to come out of retirement to do the dental repairs?

Since a bejeweled crown is in order, maybe we should pursue crowdsourcing by promoting neighborliness. Note, the children’s media production organization does accept donations through its website. If you decide to donate, leave a comment stating, “This money is earmarked for dinosaur fang repair, crown and associated videography as suggested by West Hills Gazette.”

One of about 100 prehistoric creations that once roamed the City of Pittsburgh, Fredosaurus came into being as part of a Carnegie Museum of Natural History fundraiser named DinoMite Days. The uniquely designed prehistoric creatures were displayed around town and ultimately auctioned or sold to benefit the Oakland museum’s Dinosaur Hall.

To our knowledge, none of these dinosaurs ever floated down the Ohio River or ventured up the Chartiers Creek to settle in any of the West Hills neighborhoods. We’ll have to be content with Carnegie’s “Carl the Snail” who visits businesses participating in the Carnegie Crawl held from 5 – 9 p.m. on second Fridays; May through October.

Can we get these two mascots together for a celebratory drink and social media shenanigans? If so, I’m in.