Local pet store puts special needs into focus S.B. Photography Club visits Planet Pets to meet animals, take photos BY CHRIS MURINO Staff Writer SOUTH BRUNSWICK - The township Photography Club for people with special needs made a visit to Planet Pets andHobbyWorld in Franklin Park to snap some shots of critters of all kinds on Monday. Howard Satnick, the owner of Planet Pets, put on an hourlong show for the children and adults that were there. There was a gecko, a rabbit, a ferret and a chinchilla, as well as somemore exotic animals like a blue-tongued skink (the most diverse group of lizards), a savannah monitor (a large lizard) and even a gigantic Burmese python, at almost 25 feet long. The members of the club were all excited for the show and sat in a big circle around Satnick as he showed the animals. "Does that mean he smells bad?" Jared Foreman asked about the blue-tongued skink. "It does not mean he smells bad, that's just his name," Satnick replied. The python was a very popular animal with the kids, many of whom wanted to hold the gargantuan snake. Satnick warned everyone that the ferret may try to climb up their pants. PHOTOS BY CHRIS MURINO Top left: Liam Hennigan looks on as a gecko crawls around at Planet Pets and Hobby in Franklin Park. Above: Vera Schwartz, head of the South Brunswick Photography Club for people with special needs, grasps a Burmese python with the help of Howard Satnick, the store owner. "The ferret likes to do two things, Satnick said. "He likes to sleep, and he likes to play." Satnick said that ferrets often hide things as well, sneaky animals that they are.The chinchilla was also popular. After Satnick said it was one of the softest animals in the world, Foreman pet it and said, "Oh my God, it is one of the softest!" Throughout the event, everyone snapped shots of the animals with their cameras. Vera Schwartz, who runs the club, said the event was wonderful. "It's so incredible that there's a pet store that will look beyond the commercial and educate young people and adults," Schwartz said. The club meets once a month and they will also be going on a trip once a month to hone their photography skills. Thismonth's theme was animals. Next month's will be transportation and they will be visiting the Princeton Airport. Why does Schwartz think it's so important for the kids to learn about photography? "It's a lifetime skill," she said. "I got into it because it taught me to focus. I'm sort of all over the place." Satnick said he has worked with children with disabilities before and it is not much different. "You have to get down on their level," he said. "You have to be patient. They will ask insightful questions, but you have to pull it out a little more." Satnick uses animals that he knows well in his shows. He has had the Burmese python for seven years. "I know his temperament; I know when he's agitated," he said. Residents can register for the club at the South Brunswick Community Center at Woodlot Park on New Road, or can call (732) 329-4000, ext. 7671, for further information. There is a $10 registration fee.