“Da Ruba Girl”: Kenny Chesney remembers his late rescue dog Ruby with a song benefiting strays

Kenny Chesney is currently mourning the loss of his rescue pit bull mix, Ruby — aka Da Ruba Girl — but he has found a way to make her memory larger than life.

The singer announced this week that he’s releasing an official version of “Da Ruba Girl,” a song he routinely aired on his SiriusXM channel, No Shoes Radio. Fans have long been asking for Kenny to make the song officially available to download or stream on demand; on Friday, “Da Ruba Girl” will be out on iTunes and all streaming platforms.

“No one had a bigger, bolder heart than Da Ruba Girl, whose name was Ruby,” the singer says. “She was a rescue my friend Mary brought into our lives, and she was the most loving, gentle soul. It’s why she inspired the song, and truly how she showed us better ways to be human.”

But Kenny’s new song will do more than just honor Ruby’s memory — it will also help other dogs find homes.

All proceeds from “Da Ruba Girl” will benefit Stray Rescue of St. Louis, which finds homes for dogs who have a harder time being adopted, such as pit mixes, older dogs and bigger dogs.

“While she was a rescue, she truly rescued every single person who came in contact with her,” Kenny continues. “To honor her life, I wanted that love and her ability to rescue people to continue. I wanted to do something that embodied what she was, and that would also help people know these dogs can save you.”