A 3-year-old girl named Aurora wandered off into the bushland surrounding her family’s rural Warwick, Australia property on Friday.
Despite the efforts of more than 100 searchers, no trace of the girl was found until the following morning.
But little Aurora did not have to spend the night alone. Max, her 14-year-old Australian Cattle Dog (known as a Blue Heeler in Australia) remained by her side.
SUCH A GOOD BOY, MAX! He stayed with his 3-year-old human who was lost near Warwick last night while we frantically searched for her. For keeping her safe, you’re now an honorary police dog. 🐶https://t.co/QiszGFP4gg via @ABCNews pic.twitter.com/xxRc6ndeaK
— Queensland Police (@QldPolice) April 21, 2018
Max is now being hailed a hero by the Queensland Police who named him an “honorary police dog”. His valiant actions are even more impressive when you take into account his age and the fact that he is deaf and partially blind!
“The area around the house is quite mountainous and is very inhospitable terrain to go walking in, so she’d traveled quite a distance with her dog that was quite loyal to her,” State Emergency Services area controller Ian Phipps told ABC News.
Aurora was located at 8 AM Saturday morning about one mile from her home. The girl’s grandmother, Leisa Bennett, was calling out to the child as she walked the large property. She eventually heard a faint response. As Bennett rushed toward the sound of Aurora’s calls, Max emerged from the bush to meet her.
“I shot up the mountain and when I got to the top, the dog came to me and led me straight to her,” she said.
Both Aurora and Max are doing fine and recovering from their ordeal at home.
H/T to ABC News
Featured Image via Twitter/Queensland Police
via Whisker Therapy