December 9, 1998
Paws line up for Santa Claus
By Garret Leiva
Herald staff writer
Two-year-old T.J. Phillips stared ahead in wide-eye anxiety as he stood in line to sit on Santa's lap. The sight of a jolly ol' elf with a bushy snow-white beard and red-rosy cheeks stopped him in his tracks.
"He's a little shy to sit on his lap," said his neighbor Trudy McGinn of Traverse City, who brought T.J. to see St. Nick. "He was doing well until we got in to see Santa."
Of course miniature shelties can get a little intimidated, especially when they contend with Labradors, Retrievers, German Shepherds, spaniels and schnauzers for a chance to bend, if not lick, Santa's ear.
On Sunday, canines like T.J. and their human counterparts waited patiently in a line that wound around the hallways of the Cherryland Humane Society on LaFranier Road. The reason for all this good boy and good girl behavior: "Santa Paws."
Purebreds and mixed heritage mutts wagged their tails and panted in anticipation to take part in this annual holiday fund-raiser. For $5 they received a Polaroid picture of themselves with Santa (animal control officer Patrick Linderleaf), a lip-smacking snack and a holiday wish of a 12 ounce Porterhouse steak or their very own fire hydrant.
While "Santa Paws" is a fund-raiser for the Humane Society animal shelter, Executive Director Mike Cherry said the real purpose of the yearly event is simply to have fun. It also provides a chance to see some old four-legged friends.
"Many of the pets that come through here during Santa Paws are alumni and its kind of neat to see them come back again," said Cherry, who noted that the event featured tours of the facility, door prizes, Christmas card sales - even live accordion Christmas music provided by the shelter's supervisor Frank Migliore.
One of many alumni attending this year's event, Debbie Miner's three-year-old golden retriever Ginger was excited about the prospect of sitting with St. Nick. Despite a dislocated hip from being hit by a car when she was abandoned, Ginger insisted on having her picture taken on Santa's lap - and of course showing off her pearly whites.
"She always looks likes she's smiling. She's real happy," said Miner, whose family adopted Ginger 6 months ago from the animal shelter.
Equally happy to see Santa was Jacque Messina's German shorthaired pointer Jack. The Suttons Bay resident had little doubt about what her powerful pooch would ask for Christmas if he could indeed 'speak.'
"He'd say he would want to go bird hunting more often. He loves to hunt," Messina said of her three-year-old dog.
While Deb and Pierre Ingold's 6-year-old malamute Woolybear seemed a tad reluctant to meet Santa, his Peninsula Township parents knew exactly what would top his Christmas wish list.
"Probably to be allowed to chase all the cats in the neighborhood," said Deb Ingold, although she noted overall Woolybear had been a "good boy" and would get a present to go along with his custom-built dog house and personal fire hydrant.
Even though T.J. the small sheltie also seemed shy about seeing Kris Kringle, McGinn said her neighbor's dog would not be timid about making a request for his favorite food. "He would want venison snack treats," said McGinn, who noted that T.J. had been "an excellent boy" who would indubitably be on Santa's "best behavior list."
While Linderleaf had yet to make such a list - let alone check it twice- the first-year "Santa Paws" said most dogs were on their best behavior. He even laughed off the precocious golden retriever pup who tried to tug on his beard.
After all, he had a reason to be jolly - no one had left behind any little 'present' on Santa's red suit. Although that type of gift-giving wouldn't dampen Linderleaf's Christmas spirit.
"I'm an animal control officer, I'm used to dealing with that situation all the time," he said.