A 10-YEAR-OLD boy from Blandford and his furry companion helped to raise over £400 for a Dorset dog shelter by appealing to their fanbase of Instagram followers.

Max Painter, who suffers from autism, chose to host a sponsored walk near Badbury Rings in East Dorset with his miniature dachshund Stanley on Monday raising £438 for the Stour Valley Dog Rescue in Blandford Forum.

Max’s parents decided to get him a dog to help him a dog to help him with his anxiety. After setting up an Instagram account for Max and Stanley, the pair have become something of a small viral sensation.

Max’s mum Vicky said: “We took him to go and visit some dogs and he started crying because he said he never felt so happy before So, I said to myself right we need to get him a dog.

“There is a video on the Instagram account that kind of went viral of when we brought the dog in and he saw it for the first time. Now he has over 6,000 followers.

“When I saw that Stour Valley were a non-profit organisation, I spoke to Max about doing something for them.

“So I got onto Instagram and told his followers that Max was going to do a sponsored walk and sent a link to the GoFundMe page. We said that he may not do it because of his anxiety.”

Max and Stanley were not only supported through donations but in person as well. Members of his followers came long and joined them on the walk, including a lady and her son who drove five hours from Sheffield to join Max and Stanley.

During the walk, the two boys forged a friendship and have continued to stay in touch.

Vicky added: “In the build up to it he was getting worried about it but when he got out of the car, all that worry just disappeared, he loved it.

“We took hundreds of photos and we had a lovely day out.

“If that little boy wasn’t there, I don’t think Max would have done it. It is great that he came along and helped him.”

Max’s involvement with the charity doesn’t stop there. Having raised such a substantial amount, the rescue centre in Blandford have agreed that Max can decide where the money he has helped raise can go.

As well as helping dogs locally, the shelter also helps brings over from Romania and help them to live a better life.

Sharon Maistre-Welsh, one of the founders of Stour Valley Dog rescue, said: “Because he has done so much for us and raised so a large amount from one event, we want to get him involved.

“The £438 that Max raised will help pay for two dogs to come over from Romania.

“The £400 will pay for two lots of transportation for the dogs. The £38 will also go towards one passport for the dog and the shelter have said they will pay for the second passport.”

Max and his mum are looking to organise a similar event during the summer to raise more money for Stour Valley Dog Rescue.

To find out more about Max and Stanley, find them on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/stanley_the_tiny_dachshund/.

To donate to Max and Stanley’s fundraiser, visit gf.me/u/xiywr8.