K9 dogs are an invaluable part of any police department. They have amazing senses that humans lack, allowing them to do important tasks like tracking down missing people.
Recently, one K9 was the hero of the day after finding a missing 3-year-old before it was too late.
On Monday, the Van Buren County Sheriff’s Office, in Michigan, responded to a call about a missing 3-year-old boy who had escaped through the window of his Geneva Township home. The toddler was reportedly only wearing a diaper.
Needless to say, the family was worried sick about their missing child: “It was heart-wrenching to sit there with the family,” Van Buren County Sheriff Daniel Abbott told News Channel 3. “It was hard for all of us to sit there and just hope for [a happy ending].”
The sheriff’s office quickly jumped into action, employing drones, search parties, and most importantly search dogs — including K9 officer Kuno and his handler, Deputy Eric Calhoun.
The smart dog made a major break in the case when he discovered a “little footprint in the mud,” allowing him to begin tracking the toddler, according to WZZM.
A drone flew to the area and got sight of the 3-year-old. Kuno and Deputy Calhoun heard crying from the woods, and followed the sound to locate the missing child. Bodycam footage shows the moment Calhoun finds and consoles the crying toddler:
Thankfully, the child was okay, and only had some minor scratches. But he had wandered through the woods and was just 50 yards from the water — the sheriff’s department said that if he wasn’t found in time, it could’ve been a tragedy.
“That kid went through a little finger of woods. Think about that, kids go to water, so if we weren’t to locate that kid when we did, you’re talking three, four or five minutes, that kid might have wandered in one of those ponds, we’d have a different outcome,” Sheriff Abbott told WZZM.
It came as no surprise that it was K9 Kuno and Deputy Calhoun who saved the day: this marks the fifth missing child they have located, an amazing and rare achievement.
“I’ll be here 32 years next week. I’ve never heard of a canine recovering multiple kids throughout its career,” Abbott said. “This is a deputy on his days off, sets up trainings with other agencies so he can stay on point with this dog. His goal is to have the number one dog in the state of Michigan, if not the nation. That is the drive he has. This dog has that drive.”
We’re so glad this toddler has been found safe, thanks to hero K9 Kuno and his handler! It’s incredible what dogs can do ❤️
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