Around the year 2018, Sarge Marcum made the most of the fresh air in the Yukon by racing through streams and pursuing fish. Also, his owner enjoyed himself.
In February, Sarge, a 14-year-old assistance dog owned by Justin Marcum Sr., received Diamond status in Carnival Cruise Line’s Very Important Fun Person Club loyalty programme, commemorating more than 200 nights spent at sea (though Marcum said he has sailed far more).
The 48-year-old Marcum, a retired military police officer for the United States Army stationed in Katy, Texas, said, “He likes travelling to Alaska, and I think it’s probably one of the finest experiences he had. Sarge had been with Marcum since he was a puppy, but in 2013 the Belgian Malinois was designated as a service animal after Marcum suffered a brain injury following an explosion.
Carnival only allows service dogs, which are those that have been ‘individually trained to meet disability-related needs by performing tasks like guiding a blind person, alerting a deaf person, pulling wheelchairs, alerting and protecting a person who is having a seizure, or performing other special tasks’, on board.
Marcum cruises eight to nine times a year, usually with Carnival, and he has talked to about taking Sarge with him. This conversation has been condensed and made more concise.
