Santa "Claws" is coming to town.

Area cats and dogs are invited to get their photos taken with Santa at the McKamey Animal Care and Adoption Center on Nov. 21 and 22 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. No appointment is necessary. For $20, pet owners will receive a CD of the photos taken by local photographer Cameron Adams.

Money raised from the photos will benefit the work of the McKamey Center.

"The money helps the soon-to-be-pets at the center find homes and helps us care for them until they do," said McKamey board chairwoman Ann Ball.

"We didn't do pictures last year, but we love the idea and think people will like it, too," she said. "Cameron Adams is taking the shots so you know they're great and we thank Gary McDonough for helping us."

Mr. McDonough, who has an uncanny resemblance to Santa, is donating his time for the center.

For generous folks wanting to help out the McKamey Center for its ongoing good work, there's a wish list posted at mckameyanimalcenter.com.

To get her holiday season off to a good start, Ms. Ball took her dogs, Cocker spaniels Andruw Ball, Maddie Cotton-Ball and Maddie Ball to meet Mr. Claws. Ms. Ball said the dogs, all age 14, are her best friends.

"We have a house full of Cocker Spaniels. They run the joint," she said. "Andruw is the only male so he's the alpha but he lets the girls run all over him."