Buford, the Anatolian Pyrenees mixPhoto: Dawn Dunton / USA Today
A rancher's dog became an unlikely hero when he found a missing 2-year-old boy in the Arizona desert.
Last week, the Yavapai County Sheriff's Office reported that a 2-year-old boy was missing from his home in Seligman, Arizona.
Dozens of community members came together to look for the boy. After 16 hours of searching, he was found safe with a furry friend next to him.
Buford, a 6-year-old Anatolian Pyrenees mix, was walking alongside the boy when Scotty Dunton found them at the entrance to his ranch.
Dunton said, "I can't believe that kid made it that far."
Dunton also said that the surrounding area surrounding his ranch is covered in thick trees and boulder piles. "Not real friendly for a 2-year-old," he added.
The sheriff's office also mentioned that they found 2 mountain lions during their search walking along the track the boy traveled.
The child was found in good condition, about 7 miles away from his home. Dunton and his wife, Dawn gave him food, water, and much needed rest.
When Buford isn't protecting the ranch from coyotes, he is a "natural babysitter" with the other animals on the ranch.
Dunton followed the boy's footsteps, and found that Buford never left his side.