Paws & Claus 2025 Raises $10,300 for Paws of Honor

175 dogs. One cat. And, best of all: $10,300 raised for Paws of Honor.
That’s the final tally from the 12th annual Paws & Claus photo fundraiser I hosted with Woofie’s Ashburn–Leesburg this past Saturday.

Over the years, Woofie’s and I have partnered on 18 fundraisers, raising nearly $83,000 for animal-related and local nonprofits. This year’s event was our largest single fundraiser yet. It even exceeded the goal we’d set early on.

Paws of Honor is an incredible organization whose mission is to provide veterinary care and products at no cost to retired military and law enforcement K9s who served our country, both locally and globally. As Paws of Honor puts it, “These incredible animals gave everything in service to our safety. Now it’s our turn to give back.” Donations help cover veterinary expenses so K9s can enjoy a healthy, happy retirement.

Not only did attendees get their photos taken with Santa, but they also had the chance to meet and take photos with two of Paws of Honor’s K9s: Milo (on the left) and Junior. Both are retired Vapor Wake K9s — dogs trained to detect explosive scents on a moving person by following the “vapor wake” trail they leave behind.

Paws of Honor K9s with Santa at a photo fundraiser.

Below are all the photos from the day, including all the pups and our lone cat.

It Takes More Than a Guy in a Red Suit

A fundraiser of this size takes a lot of people, and almost all of them volunteered their time. Because of their help, the day ran smoothly from start to finish.

Our beautiful set was once again designed by A New View. Every year, I wonder how they’re going to make it as good as the previous year’s — and every year, they do!

Huge thanks to our two “elves”/dog handlers, Lydia and Jenna, who helped the dogs relax so they’d look like rock stars in their photos. And of course, thank you to Santa, who definitely had a great gig — holding cute dogs and getting the occasional kiss.

Additionally, we had ten volunteers from BeSpoke Technologies, Inc., who—along with the Woofie’s team—kept everything moving smoothly from start to finish.

Santa Didn’t Bring All the Gifts. They Did.

100% of the proceeds from the photos went to Paws of Honor. Additionally, we’re incredibly grateful to all of our sponsors:

Woofie’s Ashburn–Leesburg — not only hosted the event, but also organized volunteers; donated the proceeds from coffee/hot cocoa and mug sales; and sponsored the set design and multiple gift baskets.
Caring Hands Animal Hospital of Ashburn — sponsored four gift baskets and donated a $500 veterinary services gift certificate.
Chewy — donated a wide selection of products for the gift baskets.
LuvMyDog — donated a gift basket and a percentage of sales.
Lynn Foster — generously donated five gift baskets.
Café MG Road, Doody Calls, The Tashi Chronicles, Ultimutt Cakes, and The Wine Attic — each donated a gift basket.

Thank you to every sponsor, volunteer, attendee, dog, and our one brave cat. Your support helps retired K9s receive the care they need — and makes this annual fundraiser one I look forward to every year.

I’m Ellen Zangla, a professional pet photographer based in Loudoun County, Virginia, and I serve Northern Virginia—including Fairfax, Reston, Alexandria, Arlington, and Great Falls—as well as the entire DC metro area. I create natural, personality-filled photos of dogs, cats, and the people who love them. Whether your pet is a loyal senior, a spirited puppy or kitten, or somewhere in between, now is the perfect time to plan your photo session. Let’s capture the moments you’ll treasure forever—no matter your pet’s age or stage of life. Contact me and let’s talk about the photos you’ve been meaning to take.