ESCONDIDO, Calif.—
A Chihuahua rescued from Hurricane Katrina is doing his part to help rescue other dogs.Billie Valentine weighs less than 10 lbs., but the small dog isn't hindered by size. He dons dresses, wigs, hats and holsters and poses for a yearly calendar that is sold to benefit San Diego Chihuahua Rescue.
Debbie Hendricks, Billie's owner, says her dog is a natural model.
"Billie really loves to pose. He loves to put on costumes. He loves the action," she said. "He's got some star attitude too and he knows it."
Hendricks said she began taking photos of her dog several years ago to make a calendar to give to loved ones.
"Before I knew it, I had friends and family asking for the next Billie scene, the next Billie picture and I thought, 'Hey, why not take it a step further?'" she said.
The charity calendar took off, and now it's in its third year. The Chihuahua rescue program is a cause close to Hendricks' heart. The calendar is partly about raising money and partly about raising awareness of animal adoption, she said.
"A lot of those little Chihuahuas would have to be put to sleep," Hendricks said. "There's just too many of them . People just can't take care of anymore."
To get your very own Billie Valentine calendar click here.
