Senior shelter dog has ‘plenty of pep in his step.’ The ‘sweet’ pup needs a home
A senior dog who has “a lot of spunk for his age” needs a new home.
“Maxi may be 10, but don’t let the ‘senior’ label fool you because he’s still got plenty of pep in his step,” a Florida animal shelter wrote June 12 in a Facebook post. “He’s a fetch pro, an expert napper, a road trip enthusiast, and loves long walks on the beach (or your neighborhood!).”
The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) of Brevard said Maxi is up for adoption after a journey that started more than one year ago. He was picked up as a stray before he landed at the shelter in January 2024.
“When I thought I found my forever family last July, I was over the moon, but then I ended up back here when a kind stranger found me wandering as a stray,” the shelter said in an online adoption profile written from Maxi’s perspective. “My heart broke when my family didn’t want me back.”
The owners couldn’t keep Maxi, so he returned to the SPCA in January. The shelter hopes he spends his senior years outside the shelter, in a home where he’s “surrounded by love and care.”
“He’s been clocking in more hours here than most of our staff and volunteer,” the shelter wrote. “And while seeing his handsome face every day is a highlight, we’d much rather see him heading out the front door with a family than chilling in his room watching his 300th episode of Bluey.”
Maxi is described as a “sweet” dog who loves tennis balls and cuddling. He also has become known as a “shelter icon,” in part due to his participation in a program that allows animals to get a taste of life outside the SPCA.
“Maxi also joins us at adoption events, so he’s no stranger to making new friends out in the community,” Shelby Hicks, public relations and community engagement coordinator for the shelter, told McClatchy News via email. “He’s kind of become an icon in the shelter because of that and because (he’s) still got a lot of spunk for his age.”
As of June 13, Maxi was still waiting for a second chance. Details about the shelter’s adoption process can be found at spcabrevard.com.
“All I want is a loving home where I can feel safe, loved, and cherished,” the SPCA said in the profile written from Maxi’s viewpoint. “I promise to fill your life with loyalty, joy, and plenty of tennis balls.”
The shelter is in Titusville, a roughly 40-mile drive east from Orlando.
This story was originally published June 13, 2025 at 1:31 PM with the headline "Senior shelter dog has ‘plenty of pep in his step.’ The ‘sweet’ pup needs a home."
