This post was contributed by a community member. The views expressed here are the author's own.

Business & Tech

Santa Paws: Pets Visit St. Nick for a Cause

Profits from Santa photos help bring hope to abused and abandoned animals.

Curious canines and other pets converged on Pets Supplies Plus in Brighton with their owners to have their photos taken with Santa over the weekend in exchange for a $10 donation to Always Hope Animal Rescue, one of several local organizations involved in helping abused and abandoned pets.

Always Hope Animal Rescue and Pets Supplies Plus have put on the event for the past two years, said Brian Slater, manager of the Brighton store. "It's a great thing for us, and people love their pets."

Rescued strays were patiently waiting in a quiet corner for potential owners to adopt them.

Interested in local real estate?Subscribe to Patch's new newsletter to be the first to know about open houses, new listings and more.

"There are increased amounts of strays, especially when winter starts," said Ann Marie Spaulding-Hutchison, president of Always Hope Animal Rescue. "A lot of people are losing their homes, so they are putting their pets into shelters – or worse."

Cleo, an affectionate dog with a pronounced overbite, was found pregnant and abandoned  in a foreclosed home with no heat. Rescued by volunteers from Always Hope, she awaited alongside other strays for a good home with a caring family.

Interested in local real estate?Subscribe to Patch's new newsletter to be the first to know about open houses, new listings and more.

Back in the makeshift photo studio Terry Lawton, a volunteer from Howell, played Santa's helper as his wife, Fran, handled the camera.

"We just love animals. I enjoy taking pictures like this," Fran Lawton said.

Husband Terry added, "I get a satisfaction that people can get a picture of their pet that they can keep for the rest of their lives."

Shaina Needham of Brighton brought her son Cameron, 9, and their two cockerpoos Bailey and Bella to see Santa. "We do it every year."

As volunteer photo editor Mary Moyne continued to configure the Santa shots for the steady stream of  families, she reiterated: "We've all got animals that were rescued. We're all big animal lovers."

The Santa photo campaigns have been so popular that an Easter Bunny photo session has been added to the rescue's fund-raising itinerary, said Spaulding-Hutchison.

"They are a huge success," she added. "We have people that have followed us for years and come every year."



We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

The views expressed in this post are the author's own. Want to post on Patch?