Pets Become Christmas Photo Essentials for Perth Families
As Perth residents prepare for the festive season, a heartwarming trend is transforming traditional family Christmas portraits. Across the city, households are ensuring their beloved pets are no longer left out of annual holiday photographs.
The movement toward inclusive family portraits has sparked significant demand for Santa Paws sessions at FurBaby doggy daycare, groom and pamper facility in Westminster. What began as a niche service has evolved into a booming business as pets secure their place as cherished family members.
From Backyard to Family Portrait
Shari Lovreta Fiorentino, owner of FurBaby, observes that this shift mirrors how deeply pets are integrated into modern family life. "Now pets are not just outside they live inside with us, they're on couches, they sleep on beds, they go to kids sporting events," she explains. "To have a family photo without them just doesn't feel right any more."
The sessions have welcomed an astonishing variety of animals beyond the expected dogs and cats. Families have brought ponies, birds, and this year, even an eagle is booked for a festive photoshoot, demonstrating the extraordinary lengths Perth pet owners will go to include every family member.
A Decade-Long Christmas Tradition
Among the most dedicated participants are the Puccio family, who have maintained their annual Santa Paws tradition with their husky Wolfie since 2015. For Shen Puccio, the ritual has become inseparable from Christmas itself.
"It's become our Christmas tradition. It wouldn't feel like Christmas without our annual photo here," she shares. "For us, Christmas photos without Wolfie would feel incomplete - she's been part of our family for so long now that it would be strange to have a family photo without her in it."
The Puccio family's photographic journey tells a story of growth and change. Their first Santa Paws portrait was captured just one week before Shen's youngest child, Marley, was born. "Looking back at that photo now, knowing he's in the next year's photo as a baby in my arms, and then older each year alongside Wolfie, is incredibly special," she reflects.
Now at 11.5 years old, Wolfie's aging process is documented through these annual photographs. "We've gone from her being a very lively pup, jumping up to Santas' chair to literally now having to lift her up carefully to sit next to Santa, as she is too old to jump up herself," Puccio notes, highlighting how these images preserve precious family memories.
Vibrant New Backdrop for 2025 Sessions
This year's Santa Paws experience features a freshly designed Christmas set that breaks from tradition. Instead of conventional red and green colours, FurBaby has opted for a vivid palette of pinks, purples and blues.
Ms Fiorentino explains the creative decision: "We've gone non-traditional this year for just something fun and different. It's all pink and purples and blues and really bright just to try and capture the fun festivity of it all. Coming to us is very non-traditional as it is so we wanted the backdrop to match that."
The growing popularity of pet-inclusive Christmas photography signals a broader cultural shift in how Australians view their animal companions. No longer merely pets, they're considered integral family members deserving of inclusion in cherished traditions and family memories.
