Paris Hilton is to Blame for California’s Abandoned Chihuahua Epidemic

California has a Chihuahua problem:

In what appears to be strictly a California phenomenon, Golden State animal shelters have been deluged with Chihuahuas. The trembling, pop-eyed canines have replaced pit bulls as the dogs most likely to turn up at the pound.

“A couple years ago if a little one came in it’d be adopted before it touched the ground,” said Kate O’Connor, director of the Berkeley shelter. “Now we have all sorts of Chihuahuas and various other furry little moppet things.”

What’s not to like about Chihuahuas? They’re “prone to health problems such as malformed kneecaps, which forces them to hop when walking, and dental infections resulting from undersized jaws. Heart murmurs and soft skulls are also common.” Possibly in owners as well as dogs.

Oakland has so many Chihuahuas that it’s taken to driving them by the truckload to Oregon, where they are presumably released to roam free in the forests, eat what they kill, and for once live with some self-respect.

Fortunately, blame for the whole situation can be assigned:

Shelter workers attribute the dogs’ sudden popularity to celebrities like Paris Hilton toting Chihuahuas as fashion accessories and a general shift toward urban living.

(Image supplied by WENN)

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