Pictures: Meet Santa Paws and bring your dog

Santa Paws will be at the Cork Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals’ (CSPCA) facility in Mahon next month for a weekend of “great fun” for all the family. 

The event allows families to bring their dog to meet Santa.

Last Friday, the Lord Mayor of Cork Kieran McCarthy launched Santa Paws, which will run from December 9-10 and families can tour the facility.

“Santa Paws means that you come to visit Santa, bringing your fur baby with you. It’s mainly for doggies,” volunteer with the CSPCA, Eimear Barrett, said. 

“The dog will get a little present; we’re encouraging people to dress up their dogs, dress up themselves with Christmas jumpers and stuff. 

“There’ll be tea and coffee, there’s going to be a raffle, there’ll be a few little market stalls. They’re doing a huge adoption drive as well.”

Ms Barrett said that every penny raised will go directly to the CSPCA. If anyone attending could bring along a bag of dog food or dog treats, it would be “very much appreciated”.

Ms Barrett paid tribute to Mary Crowley, founder of CSPCA’S ‘Funds to the Rescue’, which organises fundraising events throughout the year in aid of the animal charity. 

“There’s a lovely girl, her name is Mary Crowley, she founded CSPCA’S Funds to the Rescue — we raise funds all year for the CSPCA; we do raffles and auctions and collections and things like that — but Santa Paws, we did it last year, I suppose, just to open up the new part of the CSPCA and show it to people,” she said. 

“It was great fun last year; we had a great time.”

Ms Barrett said anyone attending Santa Paws, which will run from 12pm to 5pm both days, is welcome to tour the CSPCA’S facility. 

“We’re encouraging people, when they’ve done their photo with Santa or even while they’re waiting, to do a little tour to see the animals that are up for adoption, the animals that live there permanently and the work that’s done,” she said.

• See ‘Santa Paws at CSPCA’ on Facebook.