Max (British dog)
{{Short description|Order of Merit award winning dog}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2021}}
{{Use British English|date=February 2021}}
{{Infobox animal
| species = Canine
| breed = English Springer Spaniel
| gender = Male
| name = Max
| image =
| image_size =
| caption = Typical English Springer Spaniel
| birth_date = {{birth date|2007|08|12|df=y}}
| birth_place =
| death_date ={{death date and age|2022|04|06|2007|08|12|df=y}}
| death_place =Manesty Woods, Cumbria
| nationality = England
| occupation = Therapy dog
| awards = PDSA Order of Merit
| resting_place =
| resting_place_coordinates =
| successor =
| owner = Kerry Irving
}}
Max (12 August 2007 – 6 April 2022) was{{Cite web |title=Max Out in the Lake District |url=https://www.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=pfbid02MuGJH8Rq5sbdKg3apHotgdawBDcbdz5jviRfSzdkkxT3whpc8jThkhFM3h8T6VTkl&id=100050450570340 |access-date=2022-04-06 |website=www.facebook.com |language=en}} an English Springer Spaniel pet dog who in February 2021 became the first ever pet to receive the PDSA Order of Merit, an award which is considered the animal equivalent of the OBE and is normally reserved for dogs such as police dogs or service dogs.{{cite web |title=Max the dog awarded canine equivalent of an OBE after helping 'thousands of people across the globe' |url=https://news.sky.com/story/max-the-dog-awarded-canine-equivalent-of-an-obe-after-helping-thousands-of-people-across-the-globe-12222451 |publisher=Sky News UK |access-date=20 February 2021 |archive-date=19 February 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210219132722/https://news.sky.com/story/max-the-dog-awarded-canine-equivalent-of-an-obe-after-helping-thousands-of-people-across-the-globe-12222451 |url-status=live }}{{cite web |title=Max the spaniel from Keswick first pet to be awarded animal equivalent of OBE |date=19 February 2021 |url=https://www.itv.com/news/border/2021-02-19/max-the-spaniel-first-pet-to-be-awarded-animal-equivalent-of-obe |publisher=ITV |access-date=21 February 2021 |archive-date=20 February 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210220032715/https://www.itv.com/news/border/2021-02-19/max-the-spaniel-first-pet-to-be-awarded-animal-equivalent-of-obe |url-status=live }} He died on 6 April 2022.{{Cite web |title=Max the Miracle Dog dies - cumbriacrack.com |url=https://cumbriacrack.com/2022/04/06/max-the-miracle-dog-dies/ |access-date=2022-04-06 |language=en-GB}}{{Cite web |url=https://twitter.com/bbcnwt/status/1511737923447803904 |access-date=2022-04-06 |website=Twitter |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=Max Out in the Lake District |url=https://www.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=527547158936965&id=100050450570340 |access-date=2022-04-06 |website=www.facebook.com |language=en}}
Background
Kerry Irving of Cumbria in the United Kingdom was seriously injured in a road traffic accident and while recuperating and suffering from depression, he adopted Max to bring for walks to assist him in his wellbeing.{{cite news |title=Keswick's Max the Miracle Dog gets PDSA Order of Merit |work=BBC News |date=19 February 2021 |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-cumbria-56122795 |access-date=21 February 2021 |archive-date=20 February 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210220082408/https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-cumbria-56122795 |url-status=live }} Kerry credits Max as giving him the will to live again.{{cite web |title=Max the Miracle Dog is first pet to receive 'animal OBE' |url=https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2021/feb/19/max-the-miracle-dog-is-first-pet-to-receive-animal-obe |work=The Guardian |date=19 February 2021 |access-date=21 February 2021 |archive-date=20 February 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210220120203/https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2021/feb/19/max-the-miracle-dog-is-first-pet-to-receive-animal-obe |url-status=live }}
Social media
Max became a social media celebrity when his owner created the page Max Out in the Lake District, which attracted a large following and was said to have helped "thousands across the globe" during the COVID-19 pandemic and was subsequently christened Max the miracle dog. The daily walks around the Lake District were streamed live via Facebook; in the process of these walks, from 2017 to 2022, Max and his owner raised over £450,000 for charity and have attended numerous public events, charity walks and school visits.
PDSA award
On 19 February 2021, the People's Dispensary for Sick Animals (PDSA) awarded Max the Order of Merit,{{cite web |title=Max - PDSA Order of Merit |url=https://www.pdsa.org.uk/what-we-do/animal-awards-programme/pdsa-order-of-merit/max |publisher=PDSA.org |access-date=21 February 2021 |archive-date=19 February 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210219133045/https://www.pdsa.org.uk/what-we-do/animal-awards-programme/pdsa-order-of-merit/max |url-status=live }} with the citation:
:"For providing support in recovery and enriching the lives of many others.” This recognised how the dogs had helped their owner and their valuable community activity."
:The director general of the PDSA stated: "Max has provided a source of huge comfort - not only to his owner Kerry, but to thousands of people across the globe who are facing or have gone through hard times. He has become a true ambassador for the positive impact that animals have on mental health and wellbeing, which is more important now than ever."{{cite web |title=Dog who provided virtual therapy awarded animal equivalent of OBE |date=19 February 2021 |url=https://www.standard.co.uk/news/uk/spaniel-dog-virtual-therapy-pandemic-animal-obe-b920469.html |publisher=London Evening Standard |access-date=19 February 2021 |archive-date=19 February 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210219135557/https://www.standard.co.uk/news/uk/spaniel-dog-virtual-therapy-pandemic-animal-obe-b920469.html |url-status=live }}
See also
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [https://www.pdsa.org.uk/what-we-do/animal-awards-programme/pdsa-order-of-merit/max Max on the PDSA website]
- [https://www.facebook.com/maxinthelakes Max on Facebook]
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Max (English Springer Spaniel)}}
Category:Individual working dogs