The Larner family poses with Santa at Seneca Hill Animal Hospital, Resort and Spa’s annual holiday event. From left, Jennifer Larner, Sydney, Santa, and Brian Larner, 12. Photos by Nikki Cheshire/The Connection
This past Saturday, Seneca Hill Animal Hospital, Resort and Spa kicked off the holiday season by hosting their annual Santa picture day for families and their dogs. Though the business is located in Great Falls, people came from all around to meet Santa and do a little holiday shopping. “We’ve been going here for years,” said Potomac Falls resident Jennifer Larner, who attended the event with her Australian Shepherd, Sydney. “Dr. [Janice] Homan and everybody here, they’re just awesome.”
In addition to visiting with Santa, there was the opportunity to give back as well. Seneca Hill sponsors a landmine detection dog named Madjesty through the Marshall Legacy Institute, for which they were collecting donations. According to John Homan, the COO of Seneca Hill Veterinary Company, the dogs are donated to several landmine-affected countries to detect mines for removal, and it costs approximately $20,000 to train and place a dog. “We have this open house to say thanks to our clients, but it’s also to raise awareness of this and collect donations,” said Homan. “This way, it helps everybody.”
— Nikki Cheshire