Edie Mayo and Troy Griffin are your average, loving couple. Together, they have raised their adopted son since he was 3 weeks old. When a passerby saw how the couple was treating their son Max, he had to snap a photo. The picture instantly went viral. Max, short for Maximillian, is their son, but he's also a 16-year-old Sheltie dog.
"He's part of our family,” said Mayo. "He's taught me life lessons that I will never forget.”
Max has played a huge part in Mayo's life; one time he even warned her of an oncoming tornado when she lived near Lake Livingston. Recently, the 16-year-old has ran into some health issues. High blood pressure caused him to go blind, he has arthritis, and he has trouble walking. Still, Mayo and Griffin see no reason to part with him.
"I don't think you should just turn your back on someone just because they're elderly,” Mayo said. "I think they deserve our love and our care and our attention. And there is so much we can learn from them even as they get older."
"I think we should do for him what we would do for our parents, or our children,” Griffin added. So the couple does. Twice a day, they put Max in a baby stroller and take the senior dog to the park. The dog may not be as agile as he used to be, but he still loves to interact with the other dogs, get fresh air, and enjoy the outdoors.
"It's all about dignity and respect,” Griffin said. "And it's not just for him, it's how you treat everybody. And he's no different. He's part of the family."
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