Kenny Chesney honors late dog with song that will benefit charity

“I wrote ‘Da Ruba Girl’ about Ruby, because she was this spirit who had so many different pieces to who she was,” Chesney told People. “It was a fun song, and I’d recorded it, but never included it on an album. Instead, we’d play it on No Shoes Radio, where it became a fan favorite. People loved the song, I think, because they all knew a dog who had the same kind of spirit or heart, you know, the kind who was an underdog, who wasn’t the obvious choice.”

Stray Rescue of St. Louis is a dog shelter whose “sole purpose is to rescue stray animals in need of medical attention, restore them to health, and place them in loving adoptive homes.”

“No one had a bigger, bolder heart than Ruby,” Chesney tweeted on Saturday.

“When a dog dies, it’s a hole like no other, and as much as you love your dog when they’re alive, you really understand how deep that bond was when they slip away,” Chesney told People. “For every dog in the world like Ruby, I hope ‘Da Ruba Girl’ can bring them new homes, raise money for the shelter and remind people there’s a really profound love that happens when you adopt a rescue who truly needs a home.”

Chesney has championed the rescue of animals and brought 1,400 cats and dogs to new homes following Hurricane Irma, according to the magazine. The singer teamed with Love for Love City Foundation, Victory Air and Big Dog Ranch Rescue to help relocate the animals.

Chesney paid tribute to Ruby on Instagram early last week, calling her a “very good girl” and remembering her “ancient, calming soul.”

“We loved you and thank you for teaching us how to love unconditionally,” Chesney wrote. “You were one heaven of a dog.”