11/01/2026
I’ve been so sad about this huge loss!! Such a wonderful man and animal advocate. We wish more people would use their fame like you did!
Sir Patrick Stewart, the beloved actor who opened his home to rescue pit bulls and used his voice to speak up for them, has died at 86.
He died at his Los Angeles home on Oct. 28, with his wife, Sunny Ozell, by his side.
Many people knew him as Captain Jean-Luc Picard in Star Trek or Professor Charles Xavier in X-Men. Dog lovers also knew the man who knelt at his front door, smiling as a rescued pit bull covered his face in kisses.
Her name was Ginger.
In March 2017, Patrick and Sunny welcomed her into their home through Wags and Walks, with help from the ASPCA.
Ginger had been rescued from a Los Angeles-area shelter. While Patrick was working on an anti-dogfighting campaign, he expressed an interest in fostering a pit bull, and the rescue matched them with her.
When she arrived, he watched for her through the window.
Then he opened the door and got down to greet her.
Ginger walked inside, wagging her tail, and began licking his face. He laughed, stroked her and thanked her for the greeting.
The videos that followed showed their life together in small, affectionate moments. Ginger kept him company beside the swimming pool, rested on the couch and received plenty of attention from her foster parents.
In one clip, Sunny reminded him that dogs weren’t allowed on the furniture.
Patrick agreed.
Then he leaned over and kissed the sleeping Ginger on her forehead.
Sunny called her an “angel in fur.”
Ginger eventually found a permanent home, and the couple continued fostering other pit bulls. Patrick shared their personalities with his followers, giving people a chance to see the affection and companionship these dogs brought into his life.
He also spoke out against dogfighting, visited animal-care facilities and helped draw attention to dogs waiting for adoption.
His advocacy even became part of Star Trek.
When he returned as Jean-Luc Picard, Patrick insisted that the character’s dog be a pit bull. The dog became known as Number One.
In 2021, the ASPCA honored him with its Pit Bull Advocate & Protector Award.
“The privilege of helping to protect and celebrate pit bulls is all we need,” he said.
When his family announced his death, they remembered his animal-welfare work and his “cherished foster pitties.”
Those dogs had been part of his life, his home and the legacy he left behind.
A foster home is temporary, but the care given there still matters. For Ginger and the dogs who followed her, Patrick and Sunny offered a place to rest, receive affection and be cared for while waiting for a family.
He opened the door.
They came inside.
And for that part of their journey, they were home.
Rest in peace, Sir Patrick Stewart.
