Names: Max (8 y/o) & Valeo (5 y/o)
Family Member: Tracy
How long have Max & Valeo been in the family? Max has been in the family 7.5 years and Valeo 3 years.
Profession: Special Education Teacher
Location: Snellville, GA.
Nicknames: Max: Maximus,
Valeo: Baby Girl
Max
Valeo
5 of the best words/phrases that describe Max & Valeo?
Max:
- Energetic
- Full of Life
- Goofy
- Determined
- Unstoppable
Valeo:
- Sensitive
- Intuitive
- Nurturer
- Gentle
- Silly
What makes Max & Valeo unique? Max is paralyzed after an episode of IVDD (Intervertebral disk disease). He has also had three cancerous mast cells tumors; all of which he beat! Max has an unwavering will to overcome all obstacles and does not let anything in life stop him or slow him down.
Valeo is a very sensitive girl. When she is upset she cuddles with her blanket and suckles on it. When she senses someone else is upset, she climbs in their lap and licks their face.
Rollin Rollin Rollin.....
A rope and a smile!
Rescue Story: I adopted Max from Fulton County Animal Services in July of 2010. He was my best friend and most trusted confidant for many years and many life transitions. He saw me through my teacher certification, my masters degree, has traveled thousands of miles with me on road trips, and has moved with me to more places than I can count! Max was diagnosed with IVDD in December of 2013. Unfortunately, the ruptured disc left him paralyzed. Between 2014 and 2016, Max battled three separate mast cell tumors and beat each one of them. He’s an easy-going guy who loves cuddles and love more than anything, but is known to get some crazy episodes of the zoomies with or without his trusted wheels.
I decided it was time to find a friend for Max, but due to Max’s paralysis and need to use a cart for his mobility I was very selective in choosing a dog that was a good fit. After meeting several pups available for adoption, the staff at Fulton County Animal Shelter asked if I’d be willing to meet a girl on the urgent list who had been an abuse case. As soon as Max and Valeo met, I knew it was the perfect fit. She was not scared of Max’s cart or of his over the top energy, but knew how to put in him place. Once she had enough of his antics, she placed her paw on his face as if to say, “ok it’s time to chill”.
Valeo (formerly Crane) was a special case at FCAS. She was found chained in a yard with a collar so far embedded in her neck the staff named her Crane after the headless horseman. She weighed 53 pounds at the time of intake and is a beast at 83 pounds today! She arrived timid and lacking confidence. Today she is a completely different girl; confident in herself and comfortable in her surroundings.
Max in his forever home!
Valeo (aka Crane) in her adoption photo.
The "chill out" paw at their first meeting!
What is your favorite pastime as a family? For Max it's travel, hide and seek, hikes, school visits with the students and pack walks. Valeo loves zoomies, army crawls, and rolling around in the dirt. She accompanies me on many walks to the lake where we spend time on the pier taking in the natural surroundings. She loves frisbee and anything that involves meeting new people.
What is life like since you rescued Max & Valeo? My fur babies fill my heart to extents I never knew possible and make my life much more fulfilling! They have been my constant in a life that has been full of ups, downs, and consistent adjustments. They’ve moved from GA to MI and back to GA again, always ready for the next adventure. They are my best pals and my favorite companions.
Photographers Note: I had been communicating with Tracy since February, in the hopes we could get a Michigan photo shoot together. I am from there and she was living there at the time, but our schedules just didn't work out. Thankfully she stuck with me and we were able to get it done back in GA!
It was so much fun meeting these pups. First of all, she has the description of Max down to a T. Nothing stops him, he was even about to go down some stairs with his cart without assistance. Tracy grabbed his wheels and helped him down but apparently he has done it before, successfully! Max and dogs like him are such an amazing lesson we humans can learn from. Losing the use of his back legs and he didn't skip a beat. Tracy said he took to his cart immediately and continues to barrel through life with that big pittie grin and his happy go luck attitude. Same holds true with Valeo, she has ever reason not to want to trust humans but yet she is such a goofy, grass rolling sweet girl and has put the past behind her.
Both of these dogs, could have ended up a statistic very easily. Not many people would have taken a chance with Valeo and her abusive past or not given up in regards to Max. Thank goodness there are people like Tracy, who I have the privilege of meeting and showcasing doing this project!