Celebrity springer spaniel Max has cleared the way for a new honour – as he gives his name to Cumbria County Council’s Keswick gritter Maxi-Moover.
Keswick’s four-legged canine celebrity springer spaniel Max – was invited along as the new name was revealed along with owner Kerry Irving and pals Paddy and Harry.
Max shot to fame on social media after his owner Kerry Irving began posting videos of their daily walks online. With more than 200,000 followers on the Max out in the Lake District Facebook page he shares with fellow springer spaniels, Paddy and Harry, it has proved a real hit.
Owner Kerry is delighted to add this accolade to the super-dog’s growing collection.
He said: “It’s going to be a great honour, it’s great as well that the gritter is actually going to be travelling around Keswick and Whinlatter looking after the roads around our home town.
“To see Max helping to bring something to the council and the highways now too it just ties in so well.”
In February, the therapy dog was the first animal to win a PDSA Order of Merit award, which is the equivalent to an OBE for animals, recognising the work that he had done to help his owner Kerry overcome depression after he became really badly injured in a serious car crash in 2006.
A statue has also been designed of the world’s favourite springer spaniel that is set to be placed on a bench in Keswick’s Hope Park during the summer.
The gritter will be used in the Keswick area during the winter where Max and his owner live with people being encouraged to stop and wave at the ‘Maxi-Moover’ whilst it passes their streets.
Councillor Keith Little, cabinet member for highways and transport, met Max when he visited the gritter at its Lillyhall depot, near Workington.
He said: “It was nice to meet Max, he’s obviously got some national support on his Facebook site as he has been helping lots of people to get through the pandemic and being in lockdown, so we were proud from Cumbria County Council to be asked if we could possibly name a gritter after him.”