Buford the dog helps rescue missing Arizona boy

SELIGMAN, Ariz. – A dog is being credited with helping to find a young boy who went missing from his home overnight in northern Arizona.

What we know:

The Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office says a 2-year-old boy wandered off from his Seligman home on April 14.

A crew of over 40 people, along with deputies and Arizona Department of Public Safety troopers, responded to the boy’s property. Sixteen hours into the search, a nearby rancher reported that a young child walked onto his property.

The child was later confirmed to be the missing boy.

What they’re saying:

“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 sheriff’s office said. “The boy told the rancher he slept under a tree.”

YCSO says a DPS helicopter that assisted in the search spotted two mountain lions along the same terrain that the boy traveled upon.

“YCSO thanks DPS, search and rescue teams, Coconino County Sheriff’s Office, Mohave County Sheriff’s office, and the public for sharing the flyer,” the sheriff’s office said. “And of course, Buford the dog, who stayed with the boy and brought him to safety.”

Map of Seligman