10/31/2026
REMEMBERING SIR PATRICK STEWART ❤️🐾
Sir Patrick Stewart will be remembered by millions for his remarkable career on screen. But away from the spotlight, he also made a difference in the lives of rescue dogs, particularly pit bull-type dogs who are so often misunderstood and overlooked.
In 2017, Patrick and his wife, Sunny Ozell, decided to foster Ginger, a rescue pit bull who had been saved from a dogfighting operation. They hadn't planned to adopt her, but it didn't take long for them to fall in love.
As Patrick recalled:
“First her warmth and friendliness and curiosity and good manners impressed us right away, but what we were not prepared for is what very quickly followed and that was that we fell in love.”
Although they desperately wanted to keep Ginger, they ultimately helped her find a loving forever home in the United States, where she could receive the care she needed.
The experience left a lasting impression on Patrick. He went on to foster more rescue dogs, support animal rescue organisation Wags & Walks, and use his public profile to challenge the stigma surrounding pit bull-type dogs. He also spoke out against dogfighting and supported efforts to protect these often misunderstood animals.
Reflecting on the experience, he wrote:
“The experience of fostering a rescue Pit Bull has left a lingering joy in my life that I believe is here to stay.”
In 2021, the ASPCA recognised his advocacy with its Pit Bull Advocate & Protector Award.
Patrick's story with Ginger is a reminder of how fostering can change lives - not only for the dogs who need a safe place to land, but for the people who open their homes and hearts to them.
Through fostering and advocacy, he helped bring attention to dogs too often judged by their appearance rather than their individual personalities.
Rest in peace, Patrick. Thank you for the care you showed rescue dogs and for helping more people see them for who they really are. ❤️🐾
Photo: Maximilian Bühn, via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0. Cropped and incorporated into a graphic.
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/