Gonzo the one-year-old rescue pup was among dozens of Illawarra animals who got dressed up for photos with Santa this weekend, as part of a fundraiser for the Unanderra RSPCA shelter.
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Decked out in his best red ribbon with a huge, slobbery smile, the bull mastiff cross ridgeback puppy no doubt whispered in Saint Nick’s ear that he’d like a family to adopt him this Christmas.
The RSPCA’s Alicia Smith said Gonzo loved other dogs and had asked Santa to find him an active family who’d relish his happy, boisterous nature.
The shelter has run pet Santa photographs for four years, with the program increasing in popularity.
“We often see ex-adoptees coming back with their new families, and they look really happy,” Ms Smith said. “It just shows that they’re a big part of people’s family at Christmas.”
All money raised from the program goes towards helping rescue animals in the Illawarra.
To book in for next weekend, or get more details about adopting an animal, call the shelter on 4271 3410.
Kate McIlwain
For more than a decade, I've helped the Illawarra Mercury set the news agenda across the region. Currently I'm the paper's health reporter - covering the stories of Illawarra workers and residents in the wake of a global pandemic and at a time where our health systems are stretched to the limit.
For more than a decade, I've helped the Illawarra Mercury set the news agenda across the region. Currently I'm the paper's health reporter - covering the stories of Illawarra workers and residents in the wake of a global pandemic and at a time where our health systems are stretched to the limit.
