{"id":21079,"date":"2025-04-23T13:29:36","date_gmt":"2025-04-23T17:29:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/inspirationreport\/?p=21079"},"modified":"2025-04-23T13:30:15","modified_gmt":"2025-04-23T17:30:15","slug":"2-year-old-wanders-miles-from-arizona-home-then-ranch-dog-guides-him-to-safety","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/inspirationreport\/2025\/04\/2-year-old-wanders-miles-from-arizona-home-then-ranch-dog-guides-him-to-safety.html","title":{"rendered":"2-Year-Old Wanders Miles From Arizona Home \u2014 Then Ranch Dog Guides Him to Safety"},"content":{"rendered":"
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NBC News \/ YouTube<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

A 2-year-old who wandered away from his Arizona home is safe thanks to a loyal ranch dog who guided him to safety, officials said.<\/p>\n

The rancher who owns the dog said he was leaving his property to go into town when he spotted his dog sitting by the entrance \u2014 \u201cand the little kid\u2019s standing there<\/a> with my dog,\u201d the rancher told Yavapai County Sheriff\u2019s Office deputies in a video posted to the department\u2019s Facebook April 15.<\/p>\n

The toddler wandered off from his home in Seligman sometime before 5 p.m. Monday, April 14, officials said in the post.<\/p>\n

More than 40 search and rescue members, deputies and rangers searched for the child overnight, the department said.<\/p>\n

\u201cAfter 16 hours of searching, a rancher approximately 7 miles away reported that a young child had walked onto his property,\u201d the department said. \u201cUpon arrival at the ranch, deputies confirmed this was indeed the missing boy.\u201d<\/p>\n

The rancher told deputies he had heard about the missing boy and figured his dog Buford had found him while patrolling the property and likely brought him back to the ranch, the department said.<\/p>\n