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Has Fido Been Naughty or Nice?

By Sandra M. Jones

RISMEDIA, Dec. 18, 2008-The Grinch may not be able to save Christmas, but maybe his little dog can.  Shopping centers are turning to an increasingly popular method for bringing consumers to the mall:  pet nights with Santa.

They’re setting aside time for pet lovers to have their pet’s photo taken with Santa Claus. Some malls have gone so far as to provide snowflake sweaters for Fluffy and reindeer ears for Mr. Fido, so they can look their best for their holiday moment.

Santa has been known to pose with a wide range of pets, from dogs and cats to ferrets and lizards.

Big-box pet stores have been offering photo opportunities with Santa for years, but malls have been slower to catch on.

“In the past there was hesitancy to have it because of restrictions in the shopping environment, but we know now pets are just as important for many people as their children,” said Wally Brewster, senior vice president of marketing and communications at Chicago-based General Growth Properties Inc. “Where people would dress up their child to get a picture with Santa, they’re now dressing up their pets.”

General Growth is hosting holiday pet nights at more than 150 malls nationwide, including at Northbrook Court in Northbrook and Spring Hill Mall in West Dundee. Yorktown Center in Lombard and Gurnee Mills in Gurnee also are hosting pet nights this month.

Malls also are making picture-taking more comfortable for Santa. The latest development: lap pads to guard against accidents.

Copyright © 2008, Chicago Tribune