Santa in his red suit gets tails wagging when he delivers gifts of roast chicken at Spring Grove Kennels and Cattery on Christmas Day.
For Charlotte Botha and her husband ‘Grandad’, Christmas Day begins early to feed, clean and run up to 50 dogs of all shapes and sizes, from Great Danes to chihuahua, that are holidaying over the festive season.
But the dogs are like family, and many are now used to the annual sight of Grandad in his Santa suit, complete with beard, delivering their Christmas treat.
“The night before, we put roast chickens in the oven and on Christmas Day, Grandad stands there in his Santa suit and gives the dogs bits of chicken.
“He’s only ever had two dogs in 10 years that have been unsure of him.”
Photos show small groups of dogs, obediently sitting around Santa and waiting for their portion of roast chicken to celebrate the festive occasion.
“He gets pretty hot in his suit, beard and hat. Then we post photos (on Facebook) for parents – we call them parents and these are their kids.
“The kids all know us; they’re all repeat customers.”
The couple have owned the Spring Grove business for nearly a decade and celebrate Christmas with their grown children and grandchildren earlier, because the holiday season is the busiest time of year at the kennels and cattery.
Alongside about 50 dogs, they look after 15 cats in the cattery and so most of the day is about tending the animals and giving the dogs a play around the shallow swimming pool.
Their day begins about seven in the morning and apart from a break in the middle of the day, they’re still going until seven in the evening.
“They’ve got to be fed twice a day, watered and their poop picked up. It’s a lot of hard work but rewarding as well - it’s what makes us happy. If you don’t enjoy it, you wouldn’t last. I love it – I absolutely love it.
“I know every single dog and they’re just like our kids.
“When I let them out in the morning, I say: ‘let’s go kids, let’s go play’.
“They’re all special. Some are really old and some are really young.
“Some are diabetic or have seizures so need medication twice a day, but they lead normal, happy lives,” she adds.
As well as their boarding “kids”, Charlotte and Grandad have seven of their own dogs which are mostly rescue cases that join in with the other dogs during the day, plus their own cats.
Looking through the fence to watch the dogs at play are more rescue animals including a miniature pony – which always gets a kiss through the fence from one of the regular dogs staying at the kennels - a goat and sheep.
While the other paddock has two alpaca and a kunekune pig.
“Just about everything is rescued, but that’s what we are all about,” Charlotte concludes.
