Photo: Taco Bell/Newscom

The “Yo quiero Taco Bell” pooch has gone to the great casa in the sky. Gidget, the bug-eyed, big-eared chihuahua who starred in a massively successful series of commercials in the late 90s for Mexican fast food chain Taco Bell, was 15.

Gidget began life in humble circumstances. She was “discovered” in a kennel after washing out as a show dog. Originally slated for only a one-shot commercial spot, she proved so popular that Taco Bell ended up extending the ad campaign over three years, finally ending it in 2000, at which point Gidget went into pampered retirement. The ads all revolved around Gidget proclaiming “Yo quiero Taco Bell” (I want Taco Bell) through the magic of special effects and a human voice-over.

Left unanswered was exactly why so many people would want to eat at Taco Bell just because a pint-sized dog said it wanted to…