Some might say it’s barking mad, but one pet owner is giving her pooch a taste of life in the fast lane.
Readers will remember that we shared a video of a woman riding down Blackett Street on a scooter with a poodle on Friday. At the time, her identity was a mystery but over the weekend, we got in touch with the scooter rider – and taking her pet Bella out for a ride is nothing new!
Jenny Santos, 21, who lives in Newcastle, loves animals and has three dogs, four cats and two birds. However, it’s three-year-old Bella who rides shotgun on her kick scooter.
Read more: See a woman ride down Blackett Street on a scooter with a poodle
Jenny said: “When I first put her on, she’d jump off quickly because she didn’t know what I was trying to do. She already knew how to stand up on her paws, so I taught her to lean on the handlebars.
“At the beginning, I’d have to pick her up and put her on and she’d stay there. But now, I just have to say get up and she’ll put her paws on the handlebars – she loves it!”
Jenny had always walked her dogs until she bought her kick scooter second-hand. The woman she bought it off rode the scooter with her Doberman on board – and this explanation gave Jenny her lightbulb moment.
Something which catches the eye even more is the outfits that Bella wears. Jenny has crocheted both purple and pink numbers herself for Bella, as well as jumpers for her cats – one of which sometimes joins the duo on the scooter in a see-through backpack.
Jenny continued: “The cat is the most chill cat ever, he just stays watching and I want to make it more comfortable for him with a cushion. I take him out on a harness and a lead too but he can get out of that.”
(Image: Jenny Santos)
Surprisingly, Jenny and Bella don’t get quite as much attention as you would expect, especially with Bella’s new pink hair-do. Jenny added: “People say I bet you get stopped a lot but I don’t.
“I think it’s because when people see us they don’t want to distract Bella from being on the scooter, but they do love it. And Bella loves the attention!
“When we go on the Metro or the bus she’ll sit on someone’s foot just for attention and I’ve taught her to ask for cuddles. She loves cuddles and doesn’t want them to stop!”
(Image: Newcastle Chronicle)
Jenny is keen to add that she doesn’t do it for attention, just to enjoy some quality time with her pet. She finished: “Before this went on the news, people would film because it’s an extraordinary thing you don’t usually see.
“I know some people might say I’m doing it for attention, but the reason I started it is there’s a big hill near where we live and it’s so fun to go down with her.
“I just love going down hills with Bella – not ones that are too steep that they’re dangerous though. If she didn’t like it, she’d jump off. It’s just so fun!”
Have you seen Jenny and Bella out and about? Let us know!
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