UPDATED for 2023!
Have Fido and Fluffy been naughty this year, or nice?
Either way, you’re in luck, because PetSmart and Petco are BOTH offering FREE photos of your pet with Santa on two weekends in December.
Petco is hosting its event on Saturday, December 2, 2023.
Petsmart has events on Saturday and Sunday, Dec. 16th & 17th.
Details below, along with tips for putting your best paw forward at these photo shoots!
We are putting together a huge, day-by-day list of opportunities to get free pictures with Santa!
Philipp was our resident office cat here at Atlanta on the Cheap. We lost him a few years ago, but his spirit lives on.
Petco’s pet photo event
Petco is offering a FREE photo with Santa on two weekends:
♦ Saturday, Dec. 2, 2023 from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.
♦ Saturday, Dec. 9, 2023 from 1 to 3 p.m.
The family fun is available at select locations only.
You can put in your zip code here to find a participating store near you — we plugged in 30303 and found that Edgewood , Duluth, and Sandy Springs are hosting the event.
But we absolutely recommend CALLING your local store for details — like if you need a reservation or will just be waiting in line. The website is very low on detailed info.
Get more information here
In metro Atlanta, you’ll find Petco locations at:
- Edgewood
- Atlanta – Howell Mill
- Buckhead
- Vinings / Cumberland
- Sandy Springs
- Duluth
- Acworth
- Alpharetta
- Buford
- Cumming
- Dawsonville
- Decatur
- Kennesaw
- Lithonia
- Marietta
- Milton
- Peachtree City
- Smyrna
- Snellville
Petsmart’s Paws & Claus event
The free Santa visits at PetSmart locations will take place on these days in 2023:
- Saturday, Dec. 16th
- Sunday, Dec. 17th
When you register online, you’ll first choose your preferred location — then you’ll choose your day, then picka time slot between noon and 3 p.m.
You can either take the picture yourself with your own camera or mobile phone, or have the store take the photo (in which case the pictures will be delivered via email.)
Reservations are required and are open NOW!
More info and reservations
With about 40 Petsmart locations within a 40-mile radius of downtown Atlanta, there’s sure to be a location near you.
What kind of pets can visit with Santa?
Deposit Photos
Many types of pets are welcome, in accordance to PetSmart’s pet policy. Note that your pet must be secured (leash, carrier, etc.) and vaccinated.
The following pets are specifically mentioned on the PetSmart event page:
- Domestic dogs
- Domestic cats
- Birds
- Small animals sold at PetSmart (including, guinea pigs, hamsters, chinchillas, gerbils, mice, rats, etc.)
- Small reptiles sold at PetSmartcertain (including geckos, bearded dragons, specific types of snakes, specific types of frogs)
- Other non-venomous reptiles
- Ferrets
- Rabbits
- Sugar Gliders
- Pot-bellied pigs
You may also be interested in:
- Day-by-day list of free & cheap holiday events
- Best places to see holiday lights this year
- Holiday markets around metro Atlanta
- The 10 best Christmas tree farms near Atlanta
- Free photos with Santa for pets and people
- Where to get Christmas dinner to go
More FREE photo opps with Santa:
Or, check out our day-by-day list of FREE pics with Santa — it’s growing by the day, as we add more photo events.
