Shelter Dog Runs Away and Decides To Move Into Nursing Home
There have been numerous studies conducted about how spending time with dogs can help the health and well-being of senior citizens, and an article posted this morning, August 29, from the Detroit Free Press is a heartwarming example of these studies in action.
An abused shelter dog named Scout kept escaping the Antrim County Animal Control and hopping a fence so he could nap on a sofa at the Meadow Brook Medical Care Facility, a hour northeast of Traverse City, Michigan.
Scout didn't do this one time, he did it three times in a row. After the nurses discovered Scout once again curled up on a sofa at the nursing facility they decided to adopt him and make him the resident pup of the facility.
And the residents absolutely adore him.
From The Detroit Free Press, "I think it reminds them of being home,” said Rhonda Thomczak, 49, the administrative assistant at Glacier Hill, the household where Scout was first discovered. “When you’re home you have your pets, and you don’t get to have that here. Having a dog around makes it feel like home.”
No one knows Scout's history or what he's been through, just that before the shelter rescued him he was severely abused. Scout spends his days visiting the residents, some of who keep dog biscuits in their walkers.
Marna Robertson, the nursing home's administrator, was quoted in the above article as saying why Scout decided to call the nursing center home, , "You know, it’s really hard to say,” Robertson said. “Maybe he felt like it was a safe environment. He certainly has a penchant for the elders. He’s very in tune with what they need, especially our very vulnerable population. If they have dementia or if they’re dying he knows that, and he will go and be with them and comfort them. He must’ve just felt like he needed to be here.”
What a wonderful story. Scout was taken in by those who needed him the most, and his days are spent loving the residents who in turn love him back.
Looking for more PetHelpful updates? Follow us on YouTube for more entertaining videos. Or, share your own adorable pet by submitting a video, and sign up for our newsletter for the latest pet updates and tips.
