Who will all be in your Christmas card pictures this year? 

For more families, children aren’t just a focus of holiday spending, but also pets. 

KELOLAND News introduces you to a Sioux Falls woman who is snapping up a business out of photographing furry friends.

Getting the perfect picture of your precious loved one isn’t always easy, especially when they have four legs. 

“They are my kids,” Michelle Skaff said.

Skaff has her three-year-old corgi, Waffles, in for a professional photo shoot. Earlier this year, she also had photographer Karen Galley get shots of all three of her furry friends. 

“I have a lot of friends my age without kids or friends who are married but still no kids,” Skaff said. 

Across the country, Americans are spending record amounts on their pets. That’s just one of the reasons why Galley decided to focus on animals. 

“I couldn’t find any willing people models to practice on. I have two dogs, and I practiced my lighting on them,” Galley said. 

While Animal Studio Photography may seem like an unusual business here, across the country you’ll find a growing number of pet photographers. 

“I think because they’re family. There have been so many different kennels (and) day cares that have gone up in Sioux Falls, and you don’t see any others go out of business,” Galley said. 

Businesses that are betting on the billion dollar pet industry. 

“You only have your dogs for 12 or 14 years, but you want something to capture the moment and how they are, and be able to keep it forever,” Skaff said.

A forever moment of a friend that’s left a paw print in your life. 

From Santa to snow shots, KELOLAND News wants to see holiday pictures of your furry friends. 

Send them to ushare@keloland dot com  

See a slideshow of Christmas decorations on our Home For The Holidays page.