Mr. Piffles, Beloved Chihuahua Star of Las Vegas Magic Show, Dies at 16
Mr. Piffles, the beloved Chihuahua companion of Las Vegas magician Piff the Magic Dragon, has passed away at age 16. The announcement came on Tuesday, which would have been the dog's 17th birthday.
For nearly a decade, Mr. Piffles served as the canine sidekick to Piff the Magic Dragon (John van der Put), performing nightly at the Flamingo Las Vegas. The duo gained national recognition after reaching the finals of "America's Got Talent" in 2015.
White dog in magician costume
The story of Mr. Piffles began in 2009 when van der Put was struggling with his act at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. After a publicist suggested adding a dog to the show, van der Put found his future partner through a Scottish classified ad.
Piff the Magic Dragon with chihuahua
"For over 15 years, I've had the privilege and the pleasure of being upstaged and outshone night after night by Mr. Piffles," van der Put said in a statement. "He came into my life when I had nothing, and set me on the path to a career I could only dream of."
The show will continue with Mr. Piffles 2.0, a clone of the original Mr. Piffles created last year. The Flamingo will honor the original Mr. Piffles' memory with a dedicated dog-friendly space called Mr. Piffles' Magical Playground.