Overview
Just because you haven't got an actual kid, doesn't mean you have to miss out on that time-honoured tradition of taking some festive shopping centre snaps with the jolly man himself. Westfield centres across Australia and New Zealand have teamed up with a crew of expert pup-arazzi to once again offer Christmas-themed pet photography shoots. Yes – your fur-baby can get a family paw-trait with Santa Claus.
Westfield's shopping centres — with the exception of some, such as Sydney CBD — are offering an extended festive photography series, with sensitive and pet-friendly options available. Unfortunately, not quite all creatures great and small are allowed — dogs, cats, rabbits and guinea pigs can book in at most centres, but you'll need to double check before bringing in something like an alpaca, snake, frog or goat.
Of course, with the pandemic, it's not quite business as usual at the Santa sessions. Instead of cuddling the big man in red, you'll be holding your pup or guinea pig in the seat next to him. A similar setup is on the cards for regular family photos, too, with kids and kidults located a safe distance away.
Westfield has three spots in SA, four in WA, six in Queensland, seven spots in Victoria and a whopping 15 in NSW. Over in NZ, there are four in Auckland and one in Christchurch.
Bookings are a must and can be made via your local Westfield's website, where you'll also find some guidelines for you and your four-legged mate. Most centres will have a dedicated Pooch Parking zone where you'll be met and escorted to the set, and your pet needs to be brought in on a lead or in a cage.
There's a range of photo packages to choose from, including The Vixen ($29.95) for one 6x8 photo, one 4x6 photo and four wallet snaps, while at the higher end you can splash out on Santa's Gift Pack ($49.95), which includes a hefty array of photos, gift tags, digital files, bookmarks and even a calendar.
Various sessions are available at Westfield centres across Australia and NZ from Saturday, November 7. Check your local's website for details.