Cinema Therapy — Charlyne Gelt, Ph.D.

Rescued by Ruby

From caring comes courage.The best stories come to us from real life. Rescued by Ruby (2022) is one such story, the heartwarming tale of two underdogs, a Rhode Island state trooper, and a hyperactive shelter puppy, who meet up and transform each other. Both have an unfulfilled dream. The state trooper, Daniel (Dan) O’Neil (played by Grant Gustin), has always wanted to join the elite K-9 Search & Rescue team, but has been rejected five times. He has only one last chance to qualify before he turns 30. Ruby, a border collie/Australian shepherd mix (played by an actual rescue dog), has always wanted a forever home and has been adopted multiple times, but keeps getting returned to the pound as “unmanageable.” She is now doomed to be put down as unadoptable. These two misfits partner up and help each other achieve their dream. The film, directed by Katt Shea, is based on the book Dogwink by Squire Rushnell and Louise DuArt, which is based on a true story, The Dogwink Ruby, by Karen Janszen.

Hopeless?
The situation in the movie seems hopeless until Dan learns that his wife, Melissa (Mel), is pregnant with their second child. This makes him become more determined to pursue his goal, get a promotion, a step up, and improve his pay and benefits. Then, when he also learns that the K-9 unit has loosened their regulations to include breeds other than German Shepherds (the breed that is usually used in search and rescue teams), Dan revisits the shelter. He is encouraged by, Pat, an advocate for shelter adoptions. Pat knows of Ruby’s plight and begs Dan to adopt her and give her one last chance—or she will be put down.

Dan is smitten by Ruby. The dog reminds him of himself. Both are high-energy, persistent, enthusiastic, and easily triggered, and they share a background full of disappointments, letdowns and failures. While the K-9 team requires a calm focus, Dan can’t even sit still. He is dyslexic, easily distracted, all over the place, and a very poor reader. He’s told that he doesn’t have the right temperament for the K9 team job. But now he gets to try again, where he and Ruby will be challenged to learn to work together effectively to achieve their best self. We see that, at heart, Dan believes in his own intuition and people skills, which he feels are more important than being speedy with paperwork. Plus, he love dogs.

So, Dan partners with this clever, hyperactive, mischievous, and disobedient fellow underdog. A tough entry exam is followed by six-weeks of intensive training. Fortunately, Captain Zarella on the force advocates for Dan, and Dan’s wife, Mel, reminds Dan of how he got through the police academy with dyslexia and hyperactivity, so maybe he should try homeschooling Ruby, which he does. Ruby and Dan do well. They pass the six-week exam.

But then the duo is sent out as a team to the home of a murder victim, where Ruby senses human remains, but Dan can't find them, causing tension between the two. Ruby ends up running away. Captain Zarella later informs Dan that the remains were indeed found at the scene, just where Ruby had indicated, but buried beneath concrete. Zarella tells Dan that it was truly amazing that Ruby caught the scent, and scolds him for not trusting his K-9 partner more. Dan, chagrined, searches for Ruby, finally finds his dejected partner, and brings her “home.” They are now emotionally bonded and begin working together as true teammates on the elite K-9 unit. In a dramatic example of their partnership, when Dan and Ruby join the search teams to looks for Michael, a boy who got lost while hiking, they find him in the rain and dark. Michael turns out to be shelter advocate Pat's son.

All things that go around, come around!

Psychological Implications
Rescued by Ruby teaches a life lesson—that being different is okay and that to thrive, each of us needs to feel loved and comfortable in our own skin. Home and family are the starting place for learning this important lesson. But in the film, shelter dog Ruby has never had a real home. She is hyperactive and is repeatedly misunderstood by those who try to adopt her, resulting in their returning her to the shelter as “unmanageable.” Ruby finally gets adopted by Rhode Island state trooper Daniel O’Neil, who identifies with her differentness, understands her, views himself as a fellow misfit (hyperactive, dyslexic, struggling to make the grade). So, the two begin to bond and thrive.

Good Matches
Dan’s wife in the film, Mel, is his rock, his calm in the storm. She soothes and reassures him that he alone can train Ruby to become a K-9 dog, and therefore achieve his dream. He does this, and against all odds, he and Ruby become successful teammates in the call for service to others.

A good match like this is often missing is some parent-child relationships, meaning the parent may not recognize the developmental needs of their child. This causes conflict, chaos, and emotional disturbance among family members. How many children are identified and labeled as "unmanageable" personality when they can’t fit into the frame society has imposed upon them? Rescued by Ruby is a heartwarming example of the value of developing strategies to open ourselves up to “see” the unmet needs of others. Inner angst may manifest as frustration, anger, and even rage. Learning difficulties, reading problems and rage in a child often go hand in hand. “Reading” between the lines, listening from a different perspective, builds-up self-confidence, communication and resolution. Inner angst is no longer manifested as conflict or outer turmoil.

A nurturing parent or, later on, a spouse or partner who believes in you, serves as a strong component in healing the trauma of an “unmanageable personality.” Mel believes in her husband, believes that he has his own superpowers—a big heart, boundless energy, an ability to hyper-focus on things—and she admires how he never gives up and trusts in something bigger than himself.

This is a formula for manifesting anyone’s potential. Mutual rescue. It worked for Daniel and his K-9 teammate, Ruby.

Charlyne Gelt, Ph.D. (PSY22909) is a clinical psychologist who practices in Encino. She leads Women's Empowerment Groups that help women learn the tools to move beyond self-destructive relationship patterns. She may be reached at 818.501.4123 or cgelt@earthlink.net. Her office address is 16055 Ventura Blvd. #1129 Encino, CA 91436.