2. Ruby

Pet name (and nicknames): Ruby (Ruby-Doo, Baby Ru, Rubert)

Interesting story behind your pet’s name or nickname: She was partially named after a friend who rescued her, and partly because of her spunky personality. Ruby felt like a spunky name.

Pet’s date of birth: 3/31/2024

Pet’s gender: Female

Is your pet spayed or neutered: Yes

Pet’s breed: Australian Shepherd mixed breed

Physical description: Medium sized with white and brown spots and a spot on her left eye. When she was younger, people would often comment that she looked like the Target dog.

How long have you had your pet: 10 months

If adopted, how did you come to adopt your pet: A friend found Ruby and her siblings abandoned on the side of the road in a neighboring county. We had just lost our sweet older dog and weren’t sure we were ready for a new family member yet, but we went to see the puppies and fell in love.

Favorite food/treats: Smoked chicken feet

Tell us about your pet’s personality: Energetic, smart, and extra spunky. She is always up for walks, to run around with her doggie BFF Nellie, or to play fetch in her backyard.

What makes your pet happy: Having her people around her and going for walks around Cascades Park.

What is unique about your pet: She’s incredibly smart and a quick learner (when she wants to be).

Please tell us about any of your pet’s unusual characteristics or special talents: Ruby is a Houdini. She can climb, jump over, and shimmy her way out of any obstacle. You can see the gears turning as she assesses situations to see if she can figure out how to get what she wants.

Please share a heartwarming story: Ruby joined our family the day the tornadoes hit our neighborhood in May 2024. One of the trees that we lost in that event stood in front of our porch. After it was cut and hauled away, Ruby immediately decided that the stump was hers. Anytime out front is spent perched on her stump. It’s her throne, where she sits and watches over her queendom (i.e., the front yard and the street where we live). If any of us try to stand on her stump, she attempts to wrestle us off with all her might. She always wins. Ruby rules her queendom with an iron fist and uses her elevated stump throne to alert us of all dangers, including, but not limited to cats, squirrels, neighbors minding their own business in their own yards, and, of course, rival dogs taking walks with their families.

What makes your pet special to you or your family: She filled a void that was left by the sudden passing of our sweet old pup, Barry. She was dropped off to us the day the tornadoes hit our neighborhood last year, and her sweetheart and personality helped us get through that stressful situation. Every day is a fun adventure with her.

Why should your pet be Tally Top Pet: Ruby embodies what the Tally Top Pet contest and Be the Solution is all about. She was the product of parents who hadn’t been spayed/neutered and was abandoned on the side of the road with her siblings to fend for herself. She has soldiered through and brought such joy to us. She loves Tallahassee and is definitely a Top Pet in our book.