A statue for Max, the spaniel who put the fun in fundraising
RECORD fundraising spaniel Max is living proof that a dog is man’s best friend – the man in this case being his owner Kerry Irving, who credits his pet with saving his life.
But unlike Max, not all dogs have a statue erected in their honour.
The 13-year-old springer, of Keswick in Cumbria, has been put forward for the public tribute after helping to raise £100,000 for the PDSA in six weeks – the most the veterinary charity has received from fundraising so quickly.
As if that weren’t enough, videos of his exploits are followed online by nearly 150,000 people and he was invited to Buckingham Palace to meet the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. He also met Kate last year when she visited Keswick.
Mr Irving, 55, is his biggest fan. ‘If it wasn’t for Max I wouldn’t be here at all,’ he said. The former blacksmith added that his pet gave him a reason to live after he became suicidal following a car crash that caused spinal injuries.
He said the idea for a bronze sculpture of Max – who is a registered therapeutic assistance dog trained to help Mr Irving – was suggested by local councillors, and is awaiting approval.
Max raised the £100,000 with Mr Irving’s other dogs Paddy, three, and Harry, 22 months. More than £50,000 came from a raffle to mark Max’s birthday, and his pals amassed £46,000 from a sponsored walk up Ben Nevis.
In total, the dogs and Mr Irving, a mental health campaigner and author of Max The Miracle Dog, have raised £244,000 for charity.