Critters with Claus for Christmas - this Sunday only!
By Kyra Hoggan
Kids and Santa are all well and good this time of year, but why not take it that extra-special step and get your pets photographed with Santa this holiday season? Or even get a new pet to add holiday delight to your household year-round.
And it’s not just for fluffy puppies – bring your iguana down, if you like. Your tarantula’s welcome! Got a boa constrictor who’s anxious to wrap himself around some Christmas spirit? Well, heck, bring him, too!
It’s all to support the Kootenay Animal Assistance Program (KAAP) as they rescue pets across the region – they only ask for a minimum $10 donation, according to organizer Laurel Mathew.
“Every single penny that’s donated goes to the animals,” she said, adding this is also true of the $175 adoption fee, which is 50 per cent off this weekend as well. “We pay for deworming, vaccination, vet check, spaying and neutering, all of which would cost you about $300 if you took them to the vet yourself. It’s a huge savings.
“And that’s where all the money goes, as well as to checking for health issues like heart murmurs and ear mites. Not a penny goes to wages or overhead or administration fees.”
She said they have more than 20 kittens waiting for forever homes right now, which means they’re all in loving, if temporary, environments.
“Our kittens are well-socialized – no cages or institutions for them – they’re happy, healthy, friendly and purr-fect for adoption.”
The Second Annual Photos with Santa event, along with the half-off adoption clinic, will be held at Total Pet at 2713 Columbia Ave. in Castlegar on Sunday from noon to 3 p.m., and there will be hot chocolate and coffee to keep you warm.
“It’s a fabulous way to support a local animal rescue, while getting into the holiday spirit,” Mathew said. “We’ll email you the photo so you can use it as a screen saver, email it to friends and family, post it on Facebook. Or you can get a hard-copy print for only $5 more.”
For more information about adoption or KAAP, call Daryl Torres at 250-551-1053 or head on down to Total Pet on Sunday.
