Scout's tale is one of the most wonderful you'll ever read!
Rather than waiting to be adopted into a new home, like many shelter dogs do, this canine decided to choose one for himself - and he did so in style!
Scout realised that just being a full-time resident at the Antrim County Animal Shelter in Bellaire, Michigan, wasn't enough, so he decided to do something about it!
He started sneaking out in the middle of the night, only to wind up in the nursing home right across the street.
The most surprising thing was that Scout didn't do this just once or twice. He sneaked inside his nursing home several times after being returned to the shelter, as if desperately trying to say, "This is my home, hoomans." Never, ever take me back!"
Despite the fact that it was right across the street, getting into the Meadow Brook Medical Care Facility in Bellaire, Michigan was no easy chore!
Scout had to cross a highway and then sneak through the automatic doors after scaling different barriers to get there.
The bizarre thing was that he'd always sneak into the facility late at night and sleep out right after slipping through the door on a comfy leather couch in the lobby.
The nursing home staff originally made sure Scout returned to the shelter, but after he kept sneaking out and then sneaking back in, they concluded there was something about their facility that kept Scout calm and happy!
Then they decided he should be a permanent resident!
"When Scout continued to show up here, we thought maybe it was meant to be," MBMCF's Jennifer Martinek says.
"He's become a member of our family.""He chose us," says clinical care coordinator Stephanie Elsey, "and this is where he belongs."
Scout was initially accepted as one of their nursing home's residents, but he soon revealed himself to be much more! He practically transformed into the most compassionate, insightful carer in the facility, and everyone quickly fell in love with him!
"If you're upset about something, or everything's going wrong, he makes you feel better," one of the MBMCF residents says. Scout is overjoyed to be here.Scout has a sweet spot in his heart for residents suffering from terminal illnesses and dementia, which is the most endearing thing about him. It's as if he senses that those folks need extra attention, so he approaches and consoles them.
"We can't imagine life without him!" "He completes our Meadow Brook family," the Meadow Brook Medical Centre Foundation team announced on Facebook.
Nobody understands what makes Scout so compassionate, or why he has a sweet place for the elderly. The only thing we know about his background is that he grew up in an abusive home.
But one thing is certain: Scout is a caretaker at heart, and he fits well in with his new family!