If you need a fun family portrait and want to include your fur kids, we’ve found all the pet-friendly stores that typically offer pet photos with Santa each year. Many options are 100% free — because it’s the store’s way to get you in the doors during the busy holiday shopping season.
Before we dig into the full list, you’ll want to make sure your pup is potty trained and comfortable around people. If your dog acts a bit shy in a group of strangers or aggressive around other dogs, it may be best to stay home and stage your own photoshoot in the backyard instead of taking pet pictures with Santa. Overall, just keep your pet’s temperament in mind when you plan your holiday photos with Santa. It’ll be less stressful for you and your pet. And bring along some dog treats (we’ve even got coupons for those).
If your cat or dog is ready for their close-up, get out their most festive holiday finery (and your own ugly sweater) and plan to cheese it up with Santa at any of the stores on this list — or maybe all of them!
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Here are all the places to get pet photos with Santa:
1. Expect Bass Pro and Cabela’s Santa photos to start the first weekend of November (and last until Dec. 24).
Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s are owned by the same company, so they offer the same photo experience during the holidays. Last year, the pet photo sessions with Santa were held Nov. 5 – Dec. 24, 2023. You could make a reservation online up to a week in advance.
Most Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s locations are pet-friendly, so this means you can take pet photos with Santa, too. But, you’ll still need to call and verify pet photos with Santa are definitely a thing at your location.
All participants typically get a free 4×6 print, but additional copies are available for purchase:
- Digital Download – $15
- Christmas Card Package – $20
- (8) 4×6 greeting cards
- Jingle Bell Package – $25
- Digital download
- Two 6×8 prints
- Two 5×7 prints
- Two 4×6 prints
- Four wallet prints
TIP: Each family (up to eight humans) is allowed one free Bass Pro photo with Santa.
2. PetSmart Santa photos will likely happen for one weekend only in mid-December.
Pet photos with Santa are free at PetSmart stores, but they were offered for only one weekend in December 2023. You could find out if your store participated in PetSmart Christmas pictures on their website.
You can take the photos using your cell phone or via the camera in-store. If you opt for the in-store camera, they’ll email the photos to you for free.
Reservations weren’t required, but they were suggested to secure your spot and earn bonus offers. If you were a Treats member, you could book your slot online in advance, which also qualified you for these bonus offers:
- Earn 3x Treats rewards points on any purchases you make on the day of your photo session (requires online check-in).
- Get a promo code good for one free 19-page 8.5″ × 8.5″ glossy hardcover photo book from Mixbook ($37.99 value). You just had to pay shipping and tax.
Remember — PetSmart’s in-store pet policy allows for all “traditional” pets in their store — including cats, dogs, non-venomous reptiles, and even pot-bellied pigs.
Related: Before your visit, study up on our tips on how to save money at PetSmart.
3. Petco Santa photos may pop up on two Saturdays in early December.
Surprisingly, they didn’t host a Petco Santa event at all in 2022, but we were happy to see that Petco Santa photos came back for 2023!
At first, they only planned to do Santa photos for one day only — Saturday, Dec. 2, 2023, from 1 – 3 p.m. — according to their Oct. 2 press release from 2023. But in an email sent to rewards members on Dec. 6 last year, they announced another Santa session would happen on Saturday, Dec. 9, 2023, from 1 – 3 p.m. at participating Petco locations.
TIP: Petco had a $28 Holiday Grooming add-on package available in December, with a festive bandana and sugar cookie spritz.
4. The Humane Society often has pet photos by donation in December.
Help other pets in need when you get your pet photos with Santa at your local Humane Society location. To fundraise during the holidays, many Humane Society locations offer holiday festivals, pop-ups, and photo ops throughout December.
Be sure to double-check with your local Humane Society to see if they are holding an event — and whether they limit the photos to just cats or dogs. You’ll also want to find out if they have capacity limits. For a small donation (we’ve seen them range from $5 – $20 for a photo), you can get a holiday keepsake and know you’re helping a good cause.
5. Look for pet photos with Santa at your local mall.
If you’re looking for a place that does free or cheap pet photos with Santa, make sure you check what’s happening at the mall near you. Many malls still do big events for holiday photos — and they include pets in the mix. Your mall’s Facebook page and Google are the best places to find updated information.
6. Some Woof Gang Bakery stores host photos with Santa Paws (for free, or up to $10).
If you have a Woof Gang Bakery & Grooming near you — they have over 200 locations in 18 states — stop in for pet photos with Santa. Availability and pricing will vary by location, but you should find what’s offered on your local store’s website or Facebook page.
At my local store in Florida, for example, they hosted free photos with Santa on Sunday, Dec. 10, 2023, from 10 a.m. – 1 p.m.
In years past, we’ve seen their holiday pet photos with Santa range from free to $10, but prices may vary per location. At some locations, your pup may also pose with Santa Paws, their dog version of Santa.
7. Earthwise Pet locations may have photos with Santa.
Earthwise Pet is another chain of locally owned pet stores with over 200 locations. Since Earthwise is part of a franchise, the availability and offerings for holiday dog photos may vary by location.
We suggest looking at the Facebook page for the local Earthwise Pet store near you for dates and times. Many stores will offer free Santa (or Grinch) pet photo pop-ups for patrons, or they may ask for a small donation to local pet rescues in exchange for the photo. Families have also been given a free goodie bag with samples.
Pop-up events for photos at Earthwise may be limited to one or two weekends in December, so plan ahead.
Related: Our Ultimate Pet Savings Guide is packed with tips and tricks for how to save on everything for your pet.
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