Matthew Russell

Matthew Russell

Matthew Russell is a West Michigan native and with a background in journalism, data analysis, cartography and design thinking. He likes to learn new things and solve old problems whenever possible, and enjoys bicycling, spending time with his daughters, and coffee.

Articles by Matthew Russell

A hand holds a microchip scanner in front of a Jack Russell Terrier type dog.

Detroit Man Reunites With Stolen Dog After 6 Months Thanks To Microchip

A Detroit man spent six months not knowing whether he would ever see his dog again. Then a discovery inside an abandoned home changed everything.

Detroit Man Reunites With Stolen Dog After 6 Months Thanks To Microchip

A Detroit man spent six months not knowing whether he would ever see his dog again. Then a discovery inside an abandoned home changed everything.

Split image showing a curious cat peering over a ledge on the left and a dog running across green grass with city buildings behind it on the right.

Panic Flights Out of Dubai Leave Helpless Pets Behind

As fear spreads across Dubai, some families are escaping first and leaving their pets behind. Shelters are packed. Rescuers are exhausted. Cats and dogs are being found alone, hungry, and...

Panic Flights Out of Dubai Leave Helpless Pets Behind

As fear spreads across Dubai, some families are escaping first and leaving their pets behind. Shelters are packed. Rescuers are exhausted. Cats and dogs are being found alone, hungry, and...

U.S. Air Force aerial refueling aircraft flying overhead against a partly cloudy sky.

Six U.S. Troops Dead After Refueling Plane Crashes in Western Iraq

Six U.S. service members are dead after a KC-135 refueling plane went down in western Iraq. The aircraft fell in what the military called friendly airspace. What happened in the...

Six U.S. Troops Dead After Refueling Plane Crashes in Western Iraq

Six U.S. service members are dead after a KC-135 refueling plane went down in western Iraq. The aircraft fell in what the military called friendly airspace. What happened in the...

Split image showing a woman speaking on the left and a child reading a colorful illustrated children’s book with an adult on the right.

Kentucky’s Fight Over Dolly Parton’s Book Program Puts Thousands of Children at Risk

A fight over funding in Kentucky has put Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library in the spotlight for all the wrong reasons. Free books have reached more than 120,000 young children each...

Kentucky’s Fight Over Dolly Parton’s Book Program Puts Thousands of Children at Risk

A fight over funding in Kentucky has put Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library in the spotlight for all the wrong reasons. Free books have reached more than 120,000 young children each...

Split image showing a Roman dog mosaic on the left and a carved stone dog statue on the right, both historical depictions of dogs in ancient Rome.

Ancient Romans Grieved Their Pets With Words That Still Break Hearts

Ancient Romans left behind pet epitaphs that read with startling intimacy today. Some mourn lost kisses. Others beg strangers not to laugh at a dog’s grave. The words are blunt,...

Ancient Romans Grieved Their Pets With Words That Still Break Hearts

Ancient Romans left behind pet epitaphs that read with startling intimacy today. Some mourn lost kisses. Others beg strangers not to laugh at a dog’s grave. The words are blunt,...

Black cat crouching beside a pet carrier in a corner outdoors, appearing frightened and defensive.

Stray Mother Cat Nurses Orphan Puppy After Tragedy Strikes Both Families

After losing two of her own kittens, Mabrouka did something no one expected. She opened her heart to a helpless orphaned puppy and cared for him like her own.

Stray Mother Cat Nurses Orphan Puppy After Tragedy Strikes Both Families

After losing two of her own kittens, Mabrouka did something no one expected. She opened her heart to a helpless orphaned puppy and cared for him like her own.