The dogs and cats were to be expected, but would Santa ham it up with the ferret, hamster and hedgehog?
On Saturday, Dec. 7, animal lovers from around the Tri-Cities walked into a car dealership on St. John’s Street in Port Moody and found out — each snapping a photo with the jolliest of elves.
The day marked the final photo shoot in a fundraising drive for the BC SPCA. Over three days, the pet photos with Santa Claus raked in $4,975 for local animal shelters, according to event organizer and OpenRoad Auto Group manager Joanna Ho.
Ho says she was inspired by photo-with-Santa events at malls but worried it could be uncomfortable with all the crowds. With the holiday season a relatively slow time at car dealerships, she thought, “instead of taking dogs to the mall, why not come to a more quiet environment.”
The number of appointments and drop-ins soon exceeded Ho’s expectations.
Nina Bianco, who drove from Port Coquitlam to get photos of her 12-year-old golden retriever, said she was happy to give back.
“We used to volunteer with the SPCA,” she said. “It’s the least we could do.”