3rd Annual Pets & People Photos with Santa!

Mark Your Calendars - Santa’s Coming!

Holidays are right around the corner and the Animal Shelter Inc. of Sterling is already planning for the 3rd Annual Pets & People Photos with Santa - great holiday presents and family photos! Struminsky Photography has a lifetime of love & respect for animals...and over 20 years of professional photographic experience specializing in animal portraiture!

Date:         Saturday November 21st 2009

Where:     Animal Shelter Inc of Sterling direction www.sterlingshelter.org/  – photography sitting will be in the main office building UPSTAIRS – we do NOT have handicapped accessibility.

Time:       10am – 3:30 pm. Slots will fill up quickly so make sure you get booked early!

Cost:        there will be multiple options for packages please contact Melissa

All dogs must be ON leash and cats/small animals must be in a cage! Thank you...

Sniffin’ for more info? Email Melissa  or call 978-422-8585 ext. 114

OKAY SO NOT EVERYONE believes in Santa so we’ve also made arrangements to have pictures WITHOUT Santa! Contact Melissa for booking info or call 978-422-8585 ext. 114 - We also welcome photos with two legged family members and multiple pets. Just speak with Melissa regarding all the details and let her know what your looking for.

We are THRILLED to have Professional Photographer Kris Struminsky from Struminsky Photography in Rhode Island as our OFFICIAL Photographer! Kris has a lifetime of love and respect for animals...and over 20 years of professional photographic experience specializing in animal portraiture! If you’ve ever been to Pet Rock Fest or the Whisker Walk – you’ve probably seen some of her beautiful work!

Frequently Asked Questions from Struminsky Photography:

My pet doesn’t sit still - can you really photograph him/her? Photographing animals is a very difficult art. We pride ourselves on our extensive experience in this specialty. Most pets we photograph are not obedience trained... nor do they just “sit & stay or pose”. It is most important that you remain calm and relaxed throughout the session. Don’t get frustrated! It just takes a little time, your cooperation, and lots of patience for great results!

What age should my pet be for a session? Is my pet too young/old? Any age is the right age... but please don’t delay! Young pets have adventure, whimsy & wonder, and “senior” pets have loyalty, character & a lifetime of unconditional love worthy of being treasured.

How much does it cost? We will have various packages available including prints and holiday cards! We will be accepting VISA / Mastercard / Discover or ATM payment as well as CASH. We do not accept checks or American Express.

Should I bring a helper with me? If your session involves more than one pet, we suggest you bring along a helper who is personally familiar with your animals. Make sure that person is patient and will not upset or make your pet (or you) nervous or tense. For the benefit of your pet’s well-being, and the successful outcome of the session, we reserve the right to ask disruptive, impatient, negative, or uncooperative people to wait outside the studio during the session time.

Does my pet need to be washed or groomed before the session? if your pet is regularly groomed, you can plan a visit to the groomer at least one or two days before the session. You pet’s well-being is our concern, therefore, we do not photograph a pet that has been to a groomer on the same day as their session. Often, signs of stress may not be obvious to you, but a visit to the groomer can be extremely stressful for most animals. If your pet does not require regular grooming, then a good brushing before the session is sufficient. Please bring your pet’s own brush or comb. You can also bring a bandanna, a different collar, or a favorite toy as nice accessories in some of the poses!


How long is the actual session? Very short! We are booking in 10 minutes slots depending on how many pets and/or people you wish to include – we will also need to know that when you book your appointment so we don’t over/under book other families.

Can I bring treats for my pet? We do not recommend using food during the session, with very rare exceptions (obedience trained pets). Treats and food usually overexcite most pets, making them far more difficult (or even impossible) to work with. When a pet becomes focused on food, a variety of expressions is nearly impossible to achieve. If your pet is stressed, they will usually reject food. We do suggest bringing your pet’s favorite treat(s) in a sealed bag or plastic container for a reward after the session is completed.

Do you photograph animals other than dogs & cats? Yes – we can also accommodate small pets such as rabbits, cats, ferrets.

100% of the proceeds from our Pictures with Santa
benefit our pets and programs!