Max’s Christmas Wish Comes True!

The Harris family are lucky enough to know the magic of giving a homeless pet a loving new home just in time for Christmas. 

Siblings Mel and Danielle began searching for a new furry family member after sadly losing their much-loved dog after almost eleven wonderful years together. They were used to always having pets in their lives, and love staying fit and enjoying outdoor adventures with their furry friends.

‘’We’d lost our other dog, and home just didn’t feel like home without one.’’

So, they started their search on PetRescue…

‘’The website was easy to navigate, and filtering what dog was best suited to us helped find the right dog. For example, Kids Under 5, NSW and Interstate adoptions.’’

‘’When searching for our new family member, we didn’t have a specific dog in mind. The only thing we were sure of was that it had to be a rescue dog. We wanted to give a dog a second chance at life. 

It was really important to us to rescue a dog, as we feel that the dogs we have been blessed with in our lives have rescued us. All we needed was a dog that would be right for our lifestyle and family, and especially great with kids so we could give them the best life possible.’’

It wasn’t long until Mel and Dani set their eyes on the adorable Max, who was in the care of the awesome folks at Animal Welfare League - Moree Branch.

‘’Our hearts melted when we saw his gorgeous face, with his beautiful blue eyes with brown patches around both and the trademark Kelpie eyebrows above them. Also, his overly big pointy ears and spots all over his belly. His profile mentioned he was great with kids as his foster home was filled with children, which was ideal as we had two little ones in the family.’’

Animal Welfare League offered to help arrange air travel for Max, as the drive from rural town Inverell to Sydney, where the family lived, would take seven hours each way. However, with Christmas fast approaching, there wouldn’t be any more flights available until after the festive period.

The family quickly decided that Max had to be home in time for Christmas, so the day before Christmas Eve, Mel and Dani’s dad drove the seven long hours each way to pick him up! 

‘‘We wanted Max home in time for Christmas because we wanted the whole family to be together, and he was now our family.’’

Great communication is key, and Santa's elves themselves couldn't have coordinated better than Dani and Animal Welfare League;

‘’Even though Max was thousands of kilometres away, the communication was remarkable, resulting in a smooth and easy adoption process.’’

Max was lucky enough to celebrate Christmas with his new family in his new home - #BestDayEver! He quickly settled in, and having lived with kids in his foster home, he was soon BFFs with the tiny humans too (as you can see from their adorable snaps!)

‘’It was great to have him there for Christmas day with the family. We’ve had dogs for so long, and they’ve been a part of our Christmas for as long as we can remember. It was so special and exciting and helped to fill that void. The whole family were over for Christmas, so we were able to show him off to everyone too!’’

‘’Max is a really cheeky goofball. He came out of his shell and adapted quickly to his new surroundings. He has created strong bonds with his family and is very protective of them. Max has made the house a home again. He has enriched our lives by filling our hearts with love and companionship. 

Having Max around creates a happy and calm environment. He adores his little humans, and they absolutely adore him. It is heart-warming watching them interact, play and grow together. He follows his little humans around like a shadow. They love to cuddle with him, play ball and play chase with him. They even fight for his attention.’’ 

Almost five years later, Mel says, ‘’our lives have been blessed, all because we took a chance on a rescue dog.’’

‘’Max has enriched our lives and really benefited our family. Our family has been through a lot of ups and downs, and he’s had such a positive impact on our health and our minds. You have a reason to get up in the morning and a reason to come home. He fills our hearts with so much joy and love. He is our support network and cuddle buddy. When life seems a little rough, you always have Max to rely on to make everything better.

We just love being around Max. Whether it be chilling out with him, playing ball, tag or tug. We also love going for long strolls and car rides to visit family. We pretty much just love to do what makes Max happy.’’

Mel says to anyone considering adopting a pet;

‘‘Adopting a dog is rewarding. They show their gratitude through love and through a deep and special bond on a daily basis. It’s as if rescue dogs know you have given them a second chance and will love you unconditionally. Adopting a rescue pet is one of the most significant choices you can make.’’

Right now there are homeless pets who would wish for nothing more than a family to call their own for Christmas, and you can help them. 

Your donation today will help connect them with loving families.

Your donation makes it possible to showcase pets like Max who need a home and through PetRescue, find the right family. Without that connection some pets may never get the chance to find a family.

Finding a home for every pet is possible.

Will you help find a home for a pet in need this Christmas?

Finding a home for every pet is possible. It’s just that some pets simply get overlooked.

You can help give them, and thousands more, the best chance to find a home in time for Christmas.

Meet the 12 Pets of Christmas