Ruthie, a Golden Retriever who’s one of the Lutheran Church Charities’ K9 Comfort Dogs, is headed to New York City today. This time, instead of traveling to help others, she’ll be recognized for her hard work. Ruthie has helped victims cope after many devastating events around the country, including the Orlando nightclub shooting and the Boston Marathon bombing and the police officer shootings in Dallas. But her biggest contribution may have been the six weeks she spent in Newtown, Connecticut, following the December 2012 shootings at Sandy Hook Elementary School. On Thursday, the family of an animal-loving young victim of that shooting, Catherine Violet Hubbard, will present Ruthie and her handlers with the ASPCA’s Dog of the Year Award at the annual Humane Awards Luncheon. — Read it at Today