A chance to play pet dress-up in Kitchener is also benefiting a cat shelter in the city.
On Saturday, pet portrait day at Terrible Toby’s Pet Supply Depot included a more festive theme with the store holding its first ever Halloween costume contest as pets and their owners gear up for the spooky season.
“I really love Halloween so, I wanted to see a lot of animals in costume,” said Owen Fleming, owner of the pet shop. “I figured, to add this element to it and kind of add just that Halloween theme.”
Upwards of 70 pets are photographed on portrait day, free of charge with people instead encouraged to make a small contribution toward the Kitchener Stray Cat Rescue.
“We started Terrible Toby’s as a fundraiser and to this day, I still try to raise funds for different animal rescues,” said Fleming.
The winner of this year’s costume contest gets their paws on a prize pack filled with toys, treats and a $50 store gift card.
“It’s huge for a rescue and on top of that, you’re giving animals a second chance at finding a home,” added James Mutch, a local dog owner.
“They’re like kids. They’re part of the family. So, you treat them like kids. As they get older, a little more docile, they’ll wear those costumes. It’s just the fun in seeing other people smile,” said Mutch.
The costumed portraits will be posted to the Terrible Toby’s website over the next week. Anyone can vote on their favourite costume online with the winner being announced on Halloween Day.
