Meet Ruby, Scout and the 25 huskies of Second Chance Mushers. These Northern Michigan dogs are loyal, brave, adventurous, loving—inspiring.
This is a MyNorth.com exclusive. Want more? View our print subscription and digital subscription options.
An Icy Rescue
When a 65-year-old man fell through the ice into Lake Arbutus in January, his dog Ruby came to the rescue. Kammeron Bennetts, a Michigan State Police motor carrier officer, says Ruby seemed to understand pretty quickly, this was not the time for play. “The second I grabbed her collar, she sat down and looked at me and you could tell the whole demeanor changed. I clipped it on her, and she jumped right on top of him to give him the disk,” Bennetts says.
A Nursing Home Friend
After escaping Antrim County Animal Control twice to sneak into a Bellaire nursing home, Scout the dog has become a full-time resident at Meadow Brook’s facilities, acting both as default guard dog and a source of joy for staff and residents. Scout’s day starts in the Glacier Hill Unit, where his bed and an assortment of toys occupy a portion of Household Coordinator and Dietary Manager Jenny Martinek’s office. From there, she says, he makes his “rounds,” visiting residents while she’s out on the floor. “He knows who keeps treats for him,” she laughs.
Photo by Dave Weidner
The Second Chance Mushers
You’ve heard of the crazy cat lady? Meet her remarkably logical foil, Sarah Dobbrastine—Munson nurse by night; indefatigable mom of 25 huskies by day. High-maintenance old-timers, exuberant young pups, adults deemed unfit for adoption and facing death row—Dobbrastine opens her home to them all.
Photo by Dave Weidner