Rags to riches: stray dog from Harrogate stars in Legally Blonde musical

From the streets to the stage, Coco the Chihuahua went from wandering the streets of Harrogate as a stray to starring in Legally Blonde: The Musical.

In June 2019, Coco was found abandoned in Harrogate. She was handed into Dogs Trust Leeds and after just a week at the centre was adopted by husbands Andrew Fretwell and Andrew Ashley.

The pair said they “fell in love” with five-year-old Coco and she has lived with them ever since.

In April, Coco took on the role as Bruiser Woods in the hugely popular film turned musical, Legally Blonde. She was part of the cast performing at the Theatre Royal in Wakefield.

Bruiser Woods is the iconic handbag best friend of Elle Woods who after heartbreak goes from sorority sister to successful lawyer.

Dogs Trust was chosen as the charity beneficiary of the Legally Blonde production and £800 was raised.

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Andrew Fretwell said:

“In 2019 after losing our two Labradors my husband and I were heartbroken, so we decided to rescue a dog from Dogs Trust Leeds.

“When we arrived, we looked around and fell in love with this tiny little Chihuahua. We don’t know what life she led before, but we have made sure she lives like a queen now.”

The funds raised from the show will go towards helping other dogs find their ‘furry-tail’ endings.

Are you looking to adopt a furry friend? Take a look at our monthly Stray Pets Rescue Club showcasing animals up for adoption in and around the Harrogate district. 

Rescue dog Cheeky Pekey finds forever home in Harrogate

A Stray Ferret appeal to find a forever home for a rescue Chihuahua has ended in success.

Cheeky Pekey, 13, was brought over from Romania by Harrogate dog charity Miss Mollie’s Rescue.

Older dogs can be harder to re-home and with Cheeky also being blind in one eye, Miss Mollie’s had their work cut out to find the right person.

However, Jean Davison said Cheeky was “exactly what she was looking for” after losing her rescue Chihuahua Boo last year. Her previous experience with rescues and the amount of time she had to look after a dog meant she was perfect.

Ms Davison said she was looking for another dog to fill the hole Boo left behind and when she saw Cheeky she knew she would fit in.

Last week, Cheeky moved in with Jean and her new sister 10-year-old Chihuahua Pixie. She said:

“Boo had a life with me and I wanted to do that for another dog. Cheeky is absolutely fantastic and has fit in really well.

“The two of them will be great companions, Pixie has been a little jealous but she is always looking behind her to check on Cheeky when we’re out walking.”

Cheeky’s lack of vision means she follows Jean by the sound of her voice, but doing that has meant she’s walked into a few walls! But Jean expects this will become less frequent when Cheeky learns the layout of the house.

Jean said she is looking forward to introducing Cheeky to her friends and family and ensuring she is properly settled in her new home.

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The quirky new Harrogate café where customers can cuddle chihuahuas

A quirky café where you can grab a slice of cake and cuddle a chihuahua is set to open in Harrogate this month.

Billed as ‘England’s first interactive chihuahua experience’, The Chihuahua Lounge is aimed at boosting mental health with pet assisted therapy.

The venue, on Knaresborough Road, is expected to open on weekends from Saturday, May 14.

Customers will be able to book a 50-minute session at the café, on Knaresborough Road, and chill out with a coffee in the company of six cute long-haired chihuahuas.

Picnic and her puppies Badger, Lambie, Potter, Peony and Lucy, all bred and raised by café founder Caroline Leather, will roam free within the building.

Ms Leather said she wanted to share the benefits that she gains from her own affectionate pack of chihuahuas.

She explained that this is how the concept of a ‘home-from-home interactive chihuahua experience’ with lounge seating, coffee, cakes and cuddles was born.

Ms Leather said:

“The Chihuahua Lounge is a friendly, safe haven, away from the hustle and bustle of modern life.

“We are passionate about animal assisted therapy, which has shown that spending time with dogs not only reduces your heart rate and blood pressure, but is good for mental health.

“We offer an extensive menu of hot and cold drinks, freshly baked cakes and have cosy sofas, arm chairs and foot stools, so you can kick off your shoes and curl up for a cuddle.”

The experience costs £10 per person. This contributes towards the cost of the specific qualifications needed to exhibit the animals, as well as the strict animal welfare and licensing laws.

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For the safety of the dogs, only children over the age of six are permitted.

Ms Leather said:

“Our dogs love human attention and we have made sure that the café is a home-from-home for them.

“They also have their own private room where they are free to wander in and out as they please.

“We do not force our dogs to be in the lounge area with our guests. When the dogs are in the lounge space, they are there out of choice, and we intend to always keep it that way.

Ms Leather explained that the dogs also have weekly health checks and  behavioural studies are conducted on each animal regularly to ensure their behaviour in the café demonstrates that of a happy and relaxed dog.

She added:

“If it does not, we take them out of the café environment.

“We have a set of house rules to protect the dogs welfare that have to be adhered to by all customers.

“We also limit the capacity of our café to ensure the dogs are not overcrowded.”