Melissa Morgan holds, Valerie the cat, while dressed as Santa Claus in Chatham, N.J., Thursday, Dec. 25, 2014. The St. Hubert's Animal Welfare Center delivers dogs and cats to families on Christmas day. (AP Photo/The Star-Ledger, Alex Remnick) TV OUT; MAGS OUT; INTERNET OUT; NO SALES; NO ARCHIVING
December 25, 2014 - 2:47 PM
MADISON, N.J. - Santa Claus is going to work for an animal shelter in northern New Jersey.
NJ.com reports (http://bit.ly/1zkOeii) Santa is delivering dogs and cats as Christmas presents for the St. Hubert's Animal Welfare Center in Madison.
Shelter staffer Melissa Morgan donned the costume Thursday to deliver the pets adopted this week by parents to doubly surprised children in the area.
Shelter CEO Heather Camissa says this is a time of "great warmth and family bonding" so "why not add this extra bit of special?"
The animal shelter says it permits adoptions only after one-on-one counselling with families to make sure they understand the responsibilities and can offer safe environments.
News from © The Associated Press, 2014