A sweet, five-year-old pit bull mix named Max waited at the Susquehanna SPCA in New York for more than 440 days and had been the shelter’s longest resident. And so, the shelter director, Stacie Haynes thought of a clever plan to bring attention to the plight of Max.
One can only imagine how any dog must feel being confined to a shelter cage, and one can only imagine a dog being confined to a shelter cage for well over a year. And so, in early March as Max approached his 444th day at the shelter, it was decided to treat Max to a day of freedom and lots of attention while Stacie spent a day in Max’s kennel.
“On Wednesday, March 3rd this leading man has been at our shelter for 444 days. In acknowledgement of this day our Executive Director, Stacie Haynes, has decided to switch places with Max for 444 minutes (7 hours and 20 minutes). The goal of this swap is to raise awareness that he has had an extended stay and to find him a home, but it also serves an an eye opener for our staff. Max will have all of the luxuries of an ED, while Stacie will spend the day in the kennel without her phone, her computer, her coffee, etc. as a reflection of Max’s daily life. Tune in to our hourly Facebook Live check-ins with Max and Stacie on Wednesday.”
Susquehanna SPCA
The day arrived, and Max left his kennel cage wearing a business tie and seated himself at Stacie’s desk. Oh, the extra attention, the cheeseburger for lunch and the freedom to be himself delighted the five-year-old pooch. As for Stacie, well… it really wasn’t very comfortable, and it was quite boring just lying in bed all day watching the world go by. Besides staring and counting the tiles and the chain links in the door, what must a dog be thinking? The experience made Stacie even more determined to find Max a home.
No doubt, Stacie’s experience brought lots of attention to Max’s plight. The handsome pup is a super sweet, energetic boy who would do best in a family already with a dog, but please no cats or young children. The shelter will also include a behavior specialist to help Max become the best canine citizen possible.
And just days later, Max found a home! Yes, indeed – social media worked, and Max visited with his new dad Ed, and everything was perfect. The home, the lake to swim in and the love – Max was in heaven. Sadly, not all stories end with “happily ever after”.
On Wednesday, Max’s journey continued. The staff was extremely upset when Max was returned to the shelter. His owner loved him dearly and gave him the absolute best home possible, but sadly Ed became very ill and is no longer able to care for the dog. The rest of the family do love Max, but all have other animals.
“Today, we are focusing on continuing this handsome pup’s journey. We are determined to find another perfect home for Max. Max is still his playful, lovable self and would thoroughly enjoy a home where his humans share his love for adventuring and also snuggling up on the couch. One of Max’s favorite things to do in his home was to play fetch with his best friend. At night, Max made himself at home on his owner’s bed making sure he was snuggled close. Max was also the perfect companion to take on care rides.”
Susquehanna SPCA
Interested in meeting adorable Max? Contact the Susquehanna SPCA by clicking here.
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