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The fifth entry in Columbia Pictures' "Rusty" series, about a boy and his dog, My Dog Rusty returns to the focus of the first three entries, tensions within the Mitchell family between young Danny (Ted Donaldson) and his father Hugh (John Litel). Danny's constant lies, each told for a good purpose but found out at the worst possible time, have already caused stress between father and son, and Hugh's campaign for mayor of Lawtonville doesn't make their relationship any less strained. In order to prove he can handle responsibility, Danny takes a job assisting the new doctor, Antonia Cordell (Mona Barrie). When several of Danny's friends fall ill, Dr. Cordell takes water samples from around town, trying to determine the source of the apparent contamination; but an accident in the lab, caused by Rusty and covered up by Danny, soon results a panic that intrudes on Danny's father's campaign for mayor. And when the truth comes out -- an event with tragic consequences for Danny's good friend Joshua Michael Tucker (Whitford Kane) -- Danny realizes that he has damaged the reputations of both Dr. Cordell and his own father, as well as doing terrible harm to his friend. He feels he has no choice but to leave home, but Rusty won't let the boy run away that easily, and follows him.