‘Wag Your Tail' brings holiday season to the dogs
If Geoffrey Chaucer was annoyed at the indignities of wearing a Santa costume, he didn't show it Wednesday night
The year-old English bulldog instead pranced, preened and, after a while, collapsed on the Welcome Center's cold tile floor, splayed exhausted while his foster sister, Pinky the pit bull -reindeer, mugged for her audience.
The camera-friendly pooches were representing All Breeds Rescue Angels during the second “Wag Your Tail Wednesday,” and they played it up for their admirers.
Another ABRA pooch, a Spuds Mackenzie look-alike named Axl, donned the “Naughty” sweater as he climbed in visitors' laps.
The South Shore Convention and Visitors Authority hosts “Wag Your Tail” on Wednesdays during the holiday season so folks can get their pets' pictures with Santa as well as pay homage to the indomitable Bumpus hounds, SSCVA spokeswoman Erika Dahl said. The Bumpus hounds, if you remember, are the wily beasts who raid Ralphie's house in “A Christmas Story,” and they steal his family's Christmas turkey, forcing the family to have their Christmas repast at a Chinese restaurant.
“We've been doing this since we brought the ‘A Christmas Story' exhibit her nine years ago, because the Bumpus hounds were such an important part of the story,” Dahl said as her own pup, Mortecai, glared at the other animals from her arms. “We do it on Wednesdays since Wednesdays have less people than on the weekends, so it's easier for animals.”
Additionally, SSCVA donates part of its picture sales to a not-for-profit each week, Dahl said. Each session brings in 50 to 100 animals posing with the Jolly Fat Man at the top of the famous mountain from the movie.
Lisa Sanchez, of Hammond, and her daughter, Felicia Sanchez, 12, brought in Felicia's 5-month-old Rottweiler, Bruno, for his first photo-op. Bruno, however, seemed more interested in meeting all the people who came up and introduced themselves.
“It's a picture to have the memory,” Lisa Sanchez said. “We also try to socialize our dogs at things like this.”
Theresa King, of Chesterton, brought her dogs, Marvin and Sonya, for their closeup.
“It's fun, plus I got these two through ABRA, so I come out to support them,” King said. “Marvin and Sonya are like my kids.”
“Wag Your Tail” will offer two more opportunities, from 4 to 7 p.m. Dec. 14 and 21 — for well-behaved pets to have their picture taken with Santa atop Santa's Mountain. Cost is $6 per photo.
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