People searching for a bit of Christmas merriment in the Colombian capital may obtain it in an unexpected spot: the front seat of a taxi, in the type of a costumed canine co-pilot.
Taxi driver Nicolas Walteros and his beloved dog Colonel take passengers about the city with each other, dressed in matching green Santa tops and hats, aviator sunglasses and a fluffy fake beard resting on the pup’s blonde snout.
“We’re showing people a Christmas of hope where there’s not just material things but what’s in people’s hearts,” stated Walteros, 52, as he and the pooch cruised about crowded, higher-altitude Bogota two days ahead of Christmas, their car decked out in fake pine boughs. “That’s Christmas!”
Walteros identified Colonel, a mutt with shaggy fur and floppy ears, on the street six years ago and the dog has been riding shotgun everyday for 3, typically dressed in a police costume. The pair begin work at 4 a.m., attracting smiles and focus all through their shift.
“It’s unusual, but this year has been unusual and getting into a cab with a dog dressed as Santa Claus is fun!,” stated passenger Cesar Reina.
Walteros stated there is no finish to his enjoy for the hound.
“Colonel is a friend, a buddy. I can’t explain what I have in my heart for him,” Walteros stated, his voice cracking.