May 31, 2026, 6:03 a.m. ET
A tiny chihuahua is living his best life, traveling “all over the world” in “any bag he can fit” into after being rescued in Los Angeles.
Luke Tailwagger, a 13-year-old chihuahua, was found wandering the streets of Los Angeles during a thunderstorm in 2015, according to his owner Niki Banchero.
“From the moment we left the shelter, it was obvious he was different,” Banchero told Storyful. “Before I could even open the car door properly, he jumped straight into my purse like he had already decided we were going somewhere together.”
Videos shared by his owner on social media show the elderly pooch seeing the world from purses to backpacks.
Little ‘pocket pup’
Banchero said Luke has become her little “pocket pup,” traveling “through cities, beaches, mountains, cruise ships, and countries all over the world.”
“It doesn’t matter if it’s a beach bag, backpack, tote bag, suitcase, or purse,” Banchero said. “If Luke sees an open bag, he launches himself into it because he knows it means one thing: we’re going somewhere new.”
Banchero told USA TODAY on May 29 that, “Luke is happiest whenever he’s in the car, on a plane, or even on a boat.”
“He has traveled on trains, subways, ferries, speedboats, and even the Ferris wheel in Santa Monica (LA),” Banchero said.
The best part is that good ol’ Luke shows no signs of slowing down even at 13 years and “still has the same excitement for life he had as a puppy,” according to Banchero.
“He loves people, new places, road trips, boat rides, cafes, sunsets, and making strangers smile everywhere he goes,” Banchero said, adding her pet’s story “is proof that rescue dogs are not broken.”
“Sometimes they’re just waiting for someone to hand them a passport and a little bit of love,” Banchero said.
Luke now lives in Italy, which Banchero says is “one of his favorite places because Italy is so dog friendly.”
“Even the airlines really treat them like kings and queens and it’s very sweet,” Banchero said.
Saman Shafiq is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at sshafiq@usatodayco.com and follow her on X and Instagram @saman_shafiq7.
