For more than a year and a half, Max had bounced around from shelter to shelter, praying that a family would fall in love with him and adopt him, and his prayers have finally been answered.
The five-year-old Pit Bull Terrier mix was at the first shelter for four months, where he was often overlooked by potential adopters. He was then transferred to Susquehanna SPCA in Cooperstown, New York, where staff thought the adorable and sweet pup would get adopted quick because of how friendly he was, but unfortunately that wasn’t the case.
Max sat at the SPCA for more than 450 days as people kept choosing other dogs over him.
Executive director Stacie Haynes traded places with Max for a day to raise awareness of what life is like for a shelter dog. While she spent the day in his kennel, Max wore a tie and spent his day in Haynes’ office, sitting at her desk.
The story ended up grabbing the attention of people all over social media, including Ed Panus of Moravia, New York, who then visited the shelter and wanted to meet Max.
He felt an instant connection with Max, and it didn’t take long for him to end up adopting him!
Max is already loving life with his new dad. The two of them are always together, whether it’s snuggling on the couch or swimming in the lake.
“We can’t get over how it seems like he’s been this guy’s dog forever,” Haynes told WBNG.
The staff from Susquehanna SPCA checked on Max in his new life. He spends a lot of time bonding with Panus on their couch and also swimming in a lake.
“We visited with Max and his dad, Ed, yesterday and we were blown away at how happy and content he was after just a few days outside of his kennel,” staff wrote on Facebook on Thursday.
Ed and Max play by a lake, March 17, 2021. (Courtesy of Susquehanna SPCA)
So even though Max was very well cared for at the shelter, nothing compares to a life in a permanent home with a full-time human partner. And that was the message of the Haynes-Max swap, which drove home the importance of rehoming animals as quickly as possible.
“Max is full of life and we could not be happier for him,” Haynes said.
Max enjoys the lake, March 17, 2021. (Courtesy of Susquehanna SPCA)
What a happy boy! (Courtesy of Susquehanna SPCA)
Aww. (Courtesy of Susquehanna SPCA)
