A 12-year-old Chihuahua named Wilbur — stage name “Bruiser” — is one of the stars of “Legally Blonde: The Musical,” which opened Friday night at Hillbarn Theatre in Foster City.
Wilbur/Bruiser is serving as an ambassador for 20 other Chihuahuas and Chihuahua mixes and a couple of dozen other dog breeds that are available for adoption at the Peninsula Humane Society & SPCA in Burlingame.
Maria Eguren, director of animal behavior and training at the shelter, explained on Friday that Wilbur arrived as a stray at the facility on June 29, and was put up for adoption at the beginning of July.
Eguren said the musical’s director, Dan Demers, called and asked for a Chihuahua that the theater company could keep in foster care for the run of the show.
“We did some internal casting,” said Eguren, “after we asked him what the dog would be doing. We looked for a dog that would be confident, and we watched to see how he did with group, with children, because we know there will be children in the audiences. We came up with two or three candidates, but Wilbur was No. 1.”
Wilbur also met with Courtney Hatcher, who stars as Elle Woods in the show, and who will spend the most time on stage with Wilbur/Bruiser.
Hillbarn and the Humane Society both launched “adopt Wilbur” campaigns, to help him find a permanent home, Eguren said, and it is likely that a family has already been found for him.
There are still those 20 other Chihuahuas and Chihuahua mixes that need homes, Eguren said, as well as “a few poodles, mini-poodles, a couple of German shepherds, a border collie, a few pit bulls, and some terriers.”
Small dogs have had increased popularity in recent years, said Eguren.
“There’s more housing with smaller spaces,” she said. “Small dogs seem the way to go for many families.”
There is also a population of stray Chihuahuas that have not been spayed or neutered, and they are breeding in the streets. Many are brought to shelters.
Also, Chihuahuas have been featured in a number of movies, including two “Legally Blonde” films, and the “Beverly Hills Chihuahua” series of films, which led to increased popularity for the breed.
But then, the parents are working, the kids are going to school, and people find they don’t have time for a dog, and surrender the dogs at shelters, Eguren said.
Adoptable pets are available at the Peninsula Humane Society & SPCA, Tom and Annette Lantos Center for Compassion, 1450 Rollins Road, Burlingame. The shelter is open for adoptions 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Mondays through Fridays, and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on weekends. For directions and information, call 650-340-7022 or visit www.phs-spca.org.
Email John Orr at jorr@bayareanewsgroup.com. Follow him at twitter.com/orr_dailynews.
