Laguna Coastline News - “Arf, Arf and Meow”

by Catharine Cooper

 

Hot on the trail of the holiday spirit, and desperate for an activity that did not involve shopping, I found myself strangely transported to Petsmart in Aliso Viejo. 

 

My friends Lynn and Skip Kuhn have been staunch supporters of R.U.F.F. (Rescue Unwanted Furry Friends) since “Reggie,” an abandoned seven-year-old mix of a dog came into their lives.  It was a Sunday, and what better did I have to do (with my husband, Stephen), than spend the day supporting an organization dedicated to the care of unwanted pets, and public education for pet responsibility.

 

I  happily stepped into my role as a volunteer elf with a Polaroid camera.  A long line of pets, eagerly (?)  waited up for their turn to be photographed with Santa “Skip.”  Cats came in carrying cages.  Dogs waltzed in on leash or harness.  All peeked suspiciously around the corner, eyeing the big man in the red suit.  “Reggie” and Lynn officially greeted everyone.

 

“Perfect,” a lovely grey cat, was one of the first visitors.  After several attempts to coax her out of her carrier, we turned it upside down and unceremoniously dumped her on the floor.  After adjusting faux antlers on her head, she was ready for her big moment. Perfect, however, didn’t think it was quite such a moment, and squirmed miserably, until Santa wrapped a firm hand around her belly and I snapped the winning image. 

 

It’s been said that it’s hard to photograph kids.  Well, this was the training ground for learning pet tricks.  How to get the dog to smile for the camera?  Or better yet, the cat?  “Fergie,” the Schnauzer (a female, regally named after the Duchess of York), simply would not keep her tongue in her mouth, totally frustrating her owner.  “Cocoa Puff” wouldn’t settle down, and so the photos reflect a happy dog in motion.   A family of four  Cock-a-poos, bounced off one another, stacked in Santa’s arms.  How to get all four to hold still and look at the camera?

 

We agreed on one option to settle excited pets - throw their owners in the picture. “Siam,” a sultry Siamese, only relaxed when her owner, an equally sultry woman, joined on him Santa’s lap.  “Canyon,” a gorgeous two-year-old blonde retriever and his buddy, “Tiger Shark,” a large orange cat, snuggled on Santa’s lap, surrounded by their two ‘kid’ owners, while their parents looked on proudly.  Of course Canyon and Tiger Shark were more interested in rough-housing than in having their photos taken, but several shots later, we got at least one good one.

 

Not everyone was thrilled with the photo op.  Some downright afraid, triggering the memory of my first photo shoot with Santa, recorded on film as a sobbing five year old trying desperately to get away from the big man with the beard.  “Tina,” a gorgeous (and shy) Rotweiller (read in  - LARGE dog), was not too keen on this photo stuff, nor did she want anything to do with happy Mr. Claus.  Every time we’d get her into the picture, she’d work her way loose and head toward the door.  Try to keep a Rotweiller in a picture she doesn’t want taken.

 

Stephen brought his mother and her Westie, “Panda,” out for the event.  Panda, of course, was perfect, smiling properly for the camera and never missing a blink to be the cutest and sweetest dog of the day.

 

My shift was coming to and end and Stephen looked sad.  He hadn’t brought our cats for their photos, and we don’t have a dog.  Undaunted, he scoured the store and returned with his photo companion – a sweetly stuffed canine that didn’t bark or squirm. 

 

(Caption:  Steve Kawaratani, Skip Kuhn and “Dog”)

 

The Petsmart “Santa Claws Holiday Photos” event continues next weekend, December 8 and 9^th.  The cost is $9.95 for two Polaroid photos – one in a holiday frame, the other in a plastic ornament for the tree.  $5.00 of the cost goes directly to R.U.F.F.  You get a fun set of photos of Santa and your pet – and the money goes to a great cause.

 

What better way to inspire the holiday spirit than by giving.

 

For more information about RUFF, call 949 485 7995, or visit their website:

http://www.microcat.com/ruff/