Yavapai County, AZ – A toddler who disappeared from his home in Seligman late Monday afternoon was found 16 hours later thanks to a rancher’s dog. According to the Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office, the two-year-old boy turned up approximately seven miles away from his home.
In a news release, the authorities explained:
After 16 hours of searching, a rancher approximately 7 miles away reported that a young child had walked onto his property. Upon arrival at the ranch, deputies confirmed this was indeed the missing boy.
A DPS Ranger helicopter spotted two mountain lions while searching for the child during the night. The big cats were in the area the toddler traversed, and the rancher thinks his dog, Buford, an Anatolian Pyrenees, helped protect the boy from harm. The agency explains, “The rancher who located the missing boy said his dog had discovered the boy while patrolling his property and likely protected and directed the missing boy to safety. The boy told the rancher he slept under a tree.”
Rancher Scotty Dunton expressed surprise at how far the little boy walked, telling ABC 7 News:
“I can’t believe that kid made it that far, it’s seven miles and that’s if he walked in a straight line. There are three big mountain ranges between here and his house and big valleys. For a 2-year-old to do that, that’s insane.”
Good boy Buford!
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