By Nils Skudra
This weekend, I had the opportunity to watch Rescued by Ruby, a heartwarming biographical drama about Daniel O’Neil, a Rhode Island State Trooper who adopts Ruby, a hyperactive half-Border Collie, and trains her to be a K9 search and rescue dog. I felt this film was especially compelling since the protagonist is neurodiverse and consequently struggles with self-esteem due to being underestimated by others, and it is through his relationship with Ruby that he develops the confidence necessary to succeed in pursuing his goal of joining the elite K9 search and rescue team. Since many neurodivergent individuals have formed close bonds with their pets, which have helped to enhance their self-esteem and self-confidence, this film delivers a profound message that strongly resonates with people across the neurodiverse spectrum.
The film opens by introducing Ruby, a sweet but hyperactive dog living at a shelter in Warwick, Rhode Island, who displays significant behavioral issues, including chasing after wildlife in the forest and a hesitation to come upon command from people she doesn’t know. While shelter employee Pat Inman (Camille Sullivan) has a close attachment to Ruby, she is told that they must find a family for Ruby since she will otherwise be put down. However, Ruby’s high-strung behavior has resulted in her being returned to the shelter by several families that initially adopted her, and Pat cannot take her home since she already has a multitude of different pets, together with her family, and her husband is unwilling to take any more.
Daniel O’Neil (Grant Gustin) is a 29-year-old State Trooper living with his wife Melissa (Kaylah Zander) and their child. He has the dream goal of becoming an elite K9 search and rescue team member, for which he must acquire a dog that has the proper level of discipline and self-control. However, Melissa is very resistant to the idea of having a dog since she is pregnant and therefore does not want to take on the additional responsibility of pet ownership. In addition, Dan displays a series of anxious tendencies associated with hyperactivity, including repeatedly tapping the floor with his foot and squeezing a stress ball during his interview for the K9 search and rescue position. Furthermore, he experiences significant difficulties with reading and filling out paperwork due to dyslexia, which accounted for his academic struggles in grade school. Consequently, the K9 search and rescue sergeant, Matt Zarrella (Scott Wolf), tells Dan that he does not have the “right temperament” for the job since it requires focus and calmness, although Dan insists that he has the motivation and work ethic necessary to succeed, pointing out that he has had to work ten times as hard as everyone else to join the State Troopers.
Dan’s anxiety-related behaviors indicate that he may have ADHD or Asperger’s Syndrome since these traits are commonly found among individuals with those diagnoses. People with ADHD tend to struggle with maintaining focus and attention due to the hyperactive aspects of their diagnosis, which can sometimes affect their academic or job performance. In addition, people with Asperger’s Syndrome often display tendencies referred to as “stimming” to deal with their anxiety, such as an inability to remain still, tapping their feet on the floor, or using a squeeze ball. These behaviors are often misunderstood by neurotypicals, which can result in social ostracism for neurodivergent individuals. However, Dan’s reference to having worked ten times as hard as the average person also illustrates the unique diligence that people with Asperger’s bring to their work ethic, which can make them extremely valuable employees.
Dan arrives at the shelter to inquire whether they have any German Shepherds to qualify for the search and rescue team but learns that they do not have any. Pat introduces him to Ruby, who instantly forms a connection with Dan, and he decides to bring her home. However, upon their arrival, Ruby immediately displays her rambunctious and hyperactive streak, running through the household and causing mayhem, much to Melissa’s chagrin. She insists that Ruby be kept outside on the patio at night, but her subsequent whining prompts Dan to sleep outside with Ruby. This convinces Melissa of the bond that her husband has formed with Ruby, and she gradually warms up to the new family pet.
Ruby’s disciplinary issues become a major source of concern for Dan when he registers for the K9 search and rescue course since she acts aggressively toward the other dogs, but with Melissa’s encouragement, he takes Ruby through the opening phase of the training. Initially, Ruby performs very well, remaining still for the required five-minute timeframe when Dan walks several paces away from her, but then breaks loose and runs into the forest, where she retrieves a tree limb with a bee’s nest. Following this episode, Sergeant Zarella tells Dan very frankly that Ruby is not bred for the tasks of the K9 search and rescue team, which leaves him feeling very discouraged. However, Melissa convinces Dan to homeschool Ruby by focusing on her strengths rather than her weaknesses, which he enthusiastically agrees to since this same approach helped him graduate from the policy academy despite his dyslexia and hyperactivity.
Ruby ultimately passes the exam for the course, resulting in Dan’s provisional promotion to the K9 search and rescue team. However, after waiting for months, their first assignment ends in disappointment when they are sent to a home where a murder victim’s body is supposedly located and Dan cannot find it, despite Ruby catching the scent of human remains. This prompts Dan to ignore Ruby and lament his efforts to become a K9 search and rescue specialist, expressing his feelings of self-doubt about being the right fit for the job. Melissa insists, though, that she married Dan for who he is as an individual, citing his passion and his ability to hyperfocus on the things that matter to him. This gives him a renewed sense of purpose, and when Ruby runs off back to the crime scene to help the search and rescue team successfully locate the body, Dan learns the importance of fully trusting both his K9 partner and himself to achieve his goals.
With its heartwarming story arc and sensitive performances, Rescued by Ruby provides a moving portrait of how Dan’s powerful bond with Ruby helped him to persevere in pursuit of his dreams. In addition, it offers incisive commentary on the ways in which people with ADHD or Asperger’s Syndrome can achieve professional success, despite being underestimated by their neurotypical peers, through the support of family and pets. Oftentimes, forming a close relationship with pets or service animals can play a critical role in bolstering neurodivergent individuals’ self-confidence with respect to their social skills and ability to exercise responsibility. By watching this film, neurodivergent viewers can be encouraged to recognize the role that an emotional bond with their pets can play in helping them succeed in their professional and personal lives.
I am an artist on the autism spectrum. I received an MA specializing in Civil War/Reconstruction history at the University of North Carolina, Greensboro, and I have been drawing hundreds of Civil War-themed pictures since the age of five and a half. I recently completed a secondary Master’s in Library and Information Sciences. As a person with autism, I have a very focused set of interests, and the Civil War is my favorite historical event within that range of interests. It is therefore my fervent desire to become a Civil War historian and have my Civil War artwork published in an art book for children. I am also very involved in the autism community and currently serve as the President/Head Officer of Spectrum at UNCG, an organization I founded for students on the autism spectrum. The goal of the organization is to promote autism awareness and foster an inclusive community for autistic students on the UNCG campus. The group has attracted some local publicity and is steadily gaining new members, and we shall be hosting autism panels for classes on campus in the near future.
