Missing Arizona toddler found 7 miles from home with rancher’s dog: ‘He wouldn’t leave him’

A rancher’s dog is being credited with helping protect a toddler who went missing in Arizona this week after he wandered away from his home and was found several miles away.

Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to a call April 14 reporting a missing 2-year-old boy, the sheriff’s office said in a post on Facebook. The toddler had wandered away from his home in Seligman, Arizona, about 180 miles southeast of Las Vegas, and into rough terrain.

A search and rescue party consisting of 40 members was put together to look for the toddler, according to police. After 16 hours of searching, the boy was found in a rancher’s driveway, almost 7 miles away from his home.

But the boy wasn’t found alone: he was with the rancher’s dog named Buford, a 5-year-old Great Pyrenees/Anatolian mix.

‘I can’t believe that kid made it that far’

In a video posted by the sheriff’s office, the rancher, Scotty Dunton, said he had heard about the missing toddler and was headed to town when he spotted him.

“When I was driving out the driveway, I noticed my dog was sitting down by the entrance,” said Dunton, who owns Dunton Ranch in Kingman. “I look up and the little kid’s standing there with my dog.”

“I can’t believe that kid made it that far,” he added.

The sheriff’s office said that during the overnight search, “DPS ranger rescue helicopter said they spotted 2 mountain lions among the terrain the boy traveled.”

Dunton’s wife Dawn told USA TODAY over email that she wasn’t home at the time of the rescue, but the “child was in fairly good condition all things considered.”

“He was crying but Scotty was able to comfort him. His little face was all dirty and of course he was hungry and thirsty,” Dawn said. “He is doing well now after some much needed rest in the safety of his home.”

Buford ‘loves kids,’ is a ‘natural babysitter’

Dunton said he believes the toddler reached the ranch by following a road right next to a power line before their dog Buford found the boy.

Buford “loves kids, so I can imagine he wouldn’t leave him when he found him,” Dunton said.

Dawn told USA TODAY Buford has been with them since he was a puppy.

“We chose him from the litter because of his chill demeanor,” Dawn said, adding that Buford is a livestock guardian breed and it is their nature is to roam and protect.

“Buford has always been a natural babysitter, whether it be with baby animals or with children,” Dawn added.

The trek would’ve been 7 miles had the toddler walked straight, the rancher said. “For a 2-year-old to do that, it’s insane.”

Julia is a trending reporter for USA TODAY. Connect with her on LinkedIn,X, Instagram and TikTok: @juliamariegz, or email her at jgomez@gannett.com

Saman Shafiq is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at sshafiq@gannett.com and follow her on X and Instagram @saman_shafiq7.

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