Game Dog Guardian. It’s Our Turn To Fight For Them.

Meet Kim and Thad who own Sarge:

-Do you have your pit bull for dog fighting, to guard your drug house, terrorize the neighborhood with your machismo or other?  If (other) please list reason:

We never set out to adopt a pit bull; Sarge adopted us, actually! He was 14.5 years old at the time and had just been released from protective custody, after spending the first 14 years of his life with an animal abuser. He wanted a home where he could learn new skills, meet new people, visit new places, and try new things. I work in geriatrics, so I view aging not as an illness but as an opportunity for growth and development. Sarge must have known our house would be a good fit and we’d help him accomplish big things. He’s also quite the ladies’ man, so when he heard we had an elder female pug who loves to snuggle, that sealed the deal.

-When did you drop out of school? 

My husband (Thad) and I both graduated from Colgate University in 2002. I double-majored in political science and anthropology and Thad studied history. Thad will graduate with honors from Brooklyn Law School in 2010. Right now we’re both enrolled in “charm school” with our other pit bull, Martha Washington. She’ll graduate next week with a degree in “basic manners.”

-So are you mostly a career criminal or do you hold down a day job? 

Sarge makes so many appearances around town, it’s hard to find time for our own careers! But I work full-time as a geriatric social worker for the Area Agency on Aging in Philadelphia, where I advocate for low-income elders and their caregivers. I also serve on the board of directors for Pretzel Park/Manayunk Dog Run and on the steering committee for Generation Appreciation Philadelphia. Thad is finishing law school and prepping for the Pennsylvania bar exam. He interned recently with the Brooklyn District Attorney’s Office (Homicide Bureau) and with Philadelphia City Councilman Curtis Jones, Jr. In our spare time, we volunteer with Pals for Life (pet therapy), Big Brothers/Big Sisters, several humane education programs, and local political campaigns. Before starting law school, Thad also volunteered as President of the Inner City Outings Program for the Washington, DC chapter of the Sierra Club.

-What is your favorite activity with your dog?

Besides waking up next to Sarge every morning? We love taking him on therapy dog visits at nursing homes. Sarge can brighten a room just by walking in (ok, so technically we have to carry him in…..between his arthritis and his bait dog injuries, he can barely walk). He’s got the “magic touch” with elders who are mentally or physically impaired. We’ve been on therapy dogs visits where the nursing home staff tells us, “Mrs. Jones doesn’t talk, you won’t get a response out of her.” Sarge is deaf as a doorknob, so he’s not interested in talking! Sarge just wants to “be” with you. He loves sitting next to a wheelchair being pet, or sleeping next to your feet, or simply making eye contact. As an elder himself, Sarge understands the power of just being together, giving and receiving love, not needing any words. Watching him reach people in that way is pure joy. You can see it in their eyes. They know Sarge is there.

-What have you learned from owning a pit bull?  Did anything surprise you?

The gas came as a total shock. We knew that pit bulls were not inherently dangerous, but no one told us that their toots are lethal! Aside from that, we learned that most people will assume that pit bulls -- especially victims of abuse -- require rehabilitation, regardless of the individual dog’s behavior. “Rehab” is a buzz word these days. It surprised us how many people would meet Sarge, see that he resembles a Pit Bull, hear that he was a victim of abuse, and then ask how long it took to rehabilitate him. It took zero minutes! Sarge didn’t need rehab, and we certainly weren’t trained to provide it. He just needed a chance to be a dog. He needed an environment where he could give and receive love. I wish more people could learn how resilient dogs are, it’s not rocket science. Yes, some dogs (including those who were never abused) will need extra help getting adjusted, but “going to rehab” should never be a prerequisite for just being a dog. We were surprised by how many people (including pit bull advocates) made assumptions about Sarge. Oh, and we also learned never to do a therapy dog visit right after feeding him dinner.

-How did your family/friends react when you got him/her?

A lot of people asked, “Does this mean you don’t want to have kids?” Apparently our crowd hasn’t heard about the “nanny dogs.” But in general, it was a non-issue. First of all, I didn’t grow up with dogs; in fact, I was afraid of them until I adopted my first pet at age 26. So if I was comfortable adopting a pit bull, then they can’t be that scary, right? Second, I’m a geriatric social worker, so many of the people I see regularly either work with elders or are elders themselves. Today’s elders grew up watching Petey, the American Pit Bull Terrier, on Our Gang. Their parents told them stories about Sergeant Stubby’s bravery during World War I. So to tell them, “I just adopted a pit bull!” wasn’t very shocking…….after all, they are America’s dogs!

-Anything else you want to share?

I don’t have anything else, but Sarge asked me to share his blog: www.elderbulls.blogspot.com.