Virtual Memorial for our beloved Max.
As announced recently on our Facebook page, Animal Ark’s longtime resident and mascot, Max the German shepherd, passed away peacefully last week at our shelter.
Under normal circumstances we would host a memorial service at Animal Ark so that the countless people who knew and loved Max could pay their respects and celebrate his life. However, as we’re all aware, we find ourselves in circumstances that are about as far from normal as can be imagined.
Therefore, we would like to invite you to participate in a “Virtual Memorial.” Please share your stories and photos of your interactions with Max. Was your child inspired, upon meeting Max, to draw a picture of our beloved mascot in his wheelchair? Did your family congregate around Max for a group photo? Did you meet Max at one of our community events? Again, we encourage you to share your photos and stories. Animal Ark staff and volunteers still grieve, and our daily shifts at the shelter are a painful reminder of Max’s absence. Your outpouring of support is what gets us through.
Leave your stories and photos on our Facebook page, or send them via email to shelternews@animalarkmn.org.
And very importantly, we would invite you to consider making a donation in Max’s honor. As noted recently on our Facebook page, a “Call for Donations” was answered and then some by our generous Facebook followers. Bags of cat litter, pallets of cat and dog food…we were as always overwhelmed by your generosity. If you’d like to make a donation in honor of Max to help us care for our current and future special needs pets, please visit our Donations page and share what you can.
Our hearts were warmed by the outpouring of emotion and donations this week, even as the world became more uncertain by the minute. It reminds us of Max himself, who was discovered severely injured yet didn’t allow his circumstances to dictate his attitude. Instead, he trusted the kind souls around him and thrived as a result. It’s that spirit that will get the world thru its current challenging epoch. Kindness may not be a cure for disease, but it’s a salve for troubled souls.
Thank you, as always, for your support of Animal Ark.
