Bender takes the ice: New Admirals puppy gets rink time, hopes to raise awareness for adoption and neutering

Bad ice skaters often have their knees bent in, and that was the inspiration behind the name for the Milwaukee Admiral’s newest addition — Bender.

Bender, a pit bull mix, is 9-weeks-old and has been with the team for the last week, but Tuesday was his first time on the ice at the University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee Panther Arena.

Trotting on the ice while wearing an Admirals hoodie, he looked like a natural, aggressively handling the puck with his paws. 

Once in the locker room, Bender explored the space and even walked on the team logo, which is usually forbidden, but for him, the Admirals players make an exception. 

Admirals goalie and Brookfield native Troy Grosenick tossed a skate guard a few feet away. Bender immediately ran over and started chewing on it.

“It’s made out of the same stuff that a dog toy is, so I figured he’d like chewing on it,” Grosenick said.

Grosenick has two dogs at home and said having Bender around will help “keep things light” in the locker room.

“I think its good for morale,” Grosenick said. “It’s one of those things that keeps you grounded.”

The Admirals approached the Humane Animal Welfare Society (HAWS) of Waukesha County with the interest in getting a team dog. HAWS has between 50 to 70 dogs available for adoption.

“It’s really caught on with NHL teams where they have an official puppy,” Charlie Larson, vice president of communications for the Admirals, said, adding the team has a strong connection to HAWS. “We’ve had a number of players adopt through HAWS as well.”

Jaymee Ebbers, new media coordinator for the Admirals, had been asking the team to get a dog for the last two years.

Eventually, team owner Harris Turer agreed, and Ebbers volunteered to be the employee who actually adopts and takes care of Bender.

But before Bender was born, HAWS officials asked Ebbers what her “unicorn puppy” would be.

Ebbers knew what she wanted.

“I want an eight-week-old male bully breed, preferable a blue-nosed pit (bull),” Ebbers said.

Bully breeds are dogs that some people might be afraid of, like pit bulls, American Staffordshire terriers and bulldogs.

It’s rare for HAWS to get puppies. It usually has older dogs, but the organization does have a network of shelters that they work with to help dogs get adopted.

Ebbers was in luck. A shelter in Alabama had a pregnant pit bull that was about to give birth. The pit bull mother-to-be was transported up to Milwaukee, and on Dec. 10 she gave birth to Bender and his 10 siblings.

Bender became the Admirals' first official team dog on Feb. 4. and plans to make his season debut at home on Feb. 26 at 7 p.m. against the San Antonio Rampage.

Bender will also be at HAWS, 701 Northview Road, in Waukesha, on Feb. 25 for “National Spay and Neuter Day” to raise awareness of the importance of neutering dogs.

“We’re calling attention to not just the ability to adopt but also to making sure you get your dogs  spayed and neutered because that’s how most of the dogs end up in the shelters, because people didn’t (neuter their dogs), so then they get pregnant and what do you do with 15 puppies?” Larson said.  

When Bender gets older, Ebbers said they plan on being a part of HAWS’ "No More Bullying" program that aims to teach third through fifth graders kindness and compassion through dogs.

Ebbers and Bender have begun taking behavioral classes to prepare to go into classrooms.

Bender will also teach those students not to be afraid of bully breeds.

“He’s a pit bull mix,” Ebbers said. “They have such a bad stigma of being mean animals, so we’re going to work with him over the next couple years and hopefully by the time he’s 2 (years old) he’ll be ready to go and work with them to go in their schools, and to teach kids to not be afraid of bully breeds and that they’re just like every other animal.”

Jennifer Smieja, communications and marketing coordinator for HAWS, said Bender will help educate the community about bully breeds.

“It’s not the breed that is a bully,” Smieja said. “(Bender) is still a wonderful dog, he is a happy dog… we can’t jump to conclusions because of a label that was given to him because of what his breed is.”

The Admirals host two “dog days” in which fans can purchase a special ticket to bring their dog. Part of the ticket sales go to HAWS.

Smieja said HAWS has a mobile adoption unit at the games to give fans an opportunity to see and interact with some of the dogs that are available for adoption.

“We have seen a number of our dogs go home because of our visibility through dog day with the Admirals,” Smieja said. “We have really loved how our two organizations have made this connection. It’s been great working together on something that can be really impactful in the community.”