All pets to sit with Santa

Media release - December 6, 2007

Turtles, cats, goldfish and Great Danes …all pets to sit with Santa

Pet owners can have their animals sit on Santa’s knee from this weekend, have their photos taken and talk about what they will give their pets for Christmas.

Santas will sit in most of the Animates’ 14 stores nationwide until Christmas as a special treat for pet owners and pets.

Animates’ spokeswoman Kerin Hopkinson said they expected cats, dogs, goldfish, turtles and birds -- and all sorts of pets -- to visit their stores to see Santa from this Saturday through to Christmas.

``We have had more than 1500 pets come sit on Santa’s knee and have their photo taken from previous years.

``We’ve had turtles, Great Danes, goldfish, miniature ponies, and goats -- you name it. With our expansion, we are likely to get thousands of pets to be photographed with Santa this year.’’

``This started off as a quirky slightly odd thing to do, but now customers look forward to this every December, we have queues out our doors with owners primping and preening their pets.

To add to the season of goodwill, Animates will be donating $2 from every photograph to a pet charity.

The 11-year-old Animates pet supplies retailer has stores in Auckland (6), Christchurch (3), Wellington (2), Tauranga, Hamilton and Palmerston North and employs more than 200 people.

Animates merged with the Jansens stores earlier this year. The five Auckland Jansens stores will be rebranded to Animates before the end of March.

Ends

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