A UK superstar dog has tragically passed away - just days before he was due to become the first performer to share a stage with his very own clone . Mr Piffles - a Las Vegas show headliner, beloved canine conjuror and faithful companion to Piff the Magic Dragon - has died just shy of his 17th birthday. The news is even more heartbreaking given that globe trotting rescue Piffles, who died on Friday, was due to be officially retiring from his Flamingo Hotel and Casino show today.
That achievement was to be marked with the opening of The Mr Piffles Magical Playground pet relief area - even featuring a water feature of the four legged star cocking his leg. Instead the Flamingo will hold a special ceremony on today “celebrating the life and legacy of Mr Piffles with the opening of the Magical Playground. Owner and America’s Got Talent star Piff, real name John Van Der Put, and others will speak about his pet pal’s astonishing journey from a Dundee dog sanctuary to trekking the world as a magical companion on what would have been his 17th birthday.
Brokenhearted John said: “For over fifteen years I’ve had the privilege and the pleasure of being upstaged and outshone night after night by Mr Piffles. “He came into my life when I had nothing, and set me on the path to a career I could only dream of. In the beginning, I may have rescued him, but in the end, he rescued me.
“I was just crashing and burning because I was this kind of grumpy guy in a regular suit and it just .
