Dec 16 2008
The Pet Menage a Trois
Get your minds out of the gutter it’s not what you think. While originally from Colorado, Gregory Pike now lives in San Francisco. He is an animal behaviorist as he describes it and therefore studies and parades his own pets. He can be found on the streets of San Francisco at any given time with his dog, cat and rat show. He basically walks them around carrying a bucket which I’m assuming is used as a tip jar. Though, it may be a pooper scooper receptacle. I sincerely hope it’s not used for both.
Years ago before he decided to take his act on the road and make San Francisco his home, he was walking his pets down the street when someone chased after him with a camera and gave him $20.00 to take a photo. In that moment, the light went off in his head and he decided to create a show around his beloved pets.
My friend told me that she had seen this story on a local news channel. When she told me about it the first thing I thought was I have to blog about this and share it with my readers. Normally the first thought in anyone’s mind would be that of curiosity, a “how strange” reaction etc… However this is San Francisco so to us locals there is nothing that is strange. We see it all here. Now tourists find this act a phenomenon. They love it and that’s why he can usually be found around the cable car turnaround at Market and Powell streets where the above video was taken.
I have to admit I do find it amusing and even cute though the rat is a bit disturbing. Personally all I think he needs to complete his act is a bird on top of the rat.
There is another gentlemen, I don’t know his name who parades around the Fisherman’s wharf area with his lizard. The first time I saw him was years ago while working in Ghirardelli Square. His lizard was small at that time. Now he’s grown to about a foot and a half long. For me that is even more disturbing than the rat.
I will try and find video or at least a photo of him, unless of course I run into him in my travels around the wharf.
Enjoy!
