It’s a very serious situation when a someone goes missing, especially when they have dementia. But recently, one woman who went missing the desert was rescued all, thanks to the dog that was by her side.
According to a Facebook post from the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources, the Emery County Sheriff’s Office received a report in June about a missing woman with dementia, who went out to walk the family dog near the mountainside and had not returned for over a day.
It was a dangerous situation as the area has extreme heat, with temperatures rising over 100 degrees and dropping to a chilly 55 degrees at night.
A K9 search dog named Kip and his handler were called to search the area, but the weather conditions and amount of time that had passed made things difficult.
Despite the low odds of success, Kip and his handler searched the area where the woman went missing — and soon got a crucial lead: they heard the sound of barking, possibly from the missing woman’s dog.
They were unable to find her, but returned the next day after a neighbor also reported hearing barking coming from a remote area. Checking security cameras in the area, the officer saw the woman walking with the dog, and searched in the direction she was heading.
Once again, they could hear barking. They followed the sound, and it finally led them to the missing woman. The woman reportedly had some scratches and bruises and was dehydrated, but otherwise in good condition.
“The neighbor gave her water and help soon arrived to transport her to the local hospital for evaluation,” Utah Division of Wildlife Resources wrote. The day was saved, all thanks to the loyal dog by her side who sounded the alarm.
“At the end of the day, her dog saved her life by barking to alert those searching in the area. We’re so glad she was found safe.””
We’re so glad this woman is home safe, thanks to this hero dog! Thank you to this officer and K9 for going out to search for her!
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