Dog Lover? A Swampscott Boy Wants Your Help

AJ Kluge is turning the old adage on its head: He’s quickly making himself into dog’s best friend.

Ten-year-old Kluge has held charity-themed birthday parties for the past three years; each year he chooses a different cause and invites his birthday party guests to bring donations for the charity rather than birthday presents for him.

For his eighth birthday, he collected items to donate to soldiers families at Hanscom Air Force Base; for his ninth birthday, Kluge collected money and supplies for a local reptile rescue group; and his 10th birthday party was a donation event for Sweet Paws Rescue, an Essex-based animal rescue that allows potential homes to foster a dog before going forward with a full adoption in order to determine whether the dog is a good fit for the family.

“I am very proud of my son,” Heidi Kluge said. “For the last three years he has given up receiving gifts to donate to people or animals who he feels need them more.”

But the young Swampscott resident doesn’t want to wait until his birthday in June to do his next charity project. Instead, he’s signed up as a junior rescuer with Sweet Paws Rescue.

According to Heidi Kluge, Sweet Paws has a program in which kids conduct a fundraiser and Sweet Paws has a party for the kids during which they can win T-shirts and other prizes. The kid who collects the most money receives a visit to their school from Sweet Paws.

AJ Kluge has already raised $80, but that’s a far cry from what he wants to raise in order to help Sweet Paws offset the costs of food, vet care, medications and other expenses that go along with keeping the shelter.

Anyone who wants to pitch in and help Kluge raise money for Sweet Paws can contact his mom at heidihidi@aol.com or 781-596-2423 for more information or to set up a time when the Kluges can pick up your donation.