
‘Guardian' dog protects 2-year-old: Man recalls how his pet saved toddler missing in Arizona wilderness
Buford, an Anatolian Pyrenees, became a guardian angel for a toddler wandering in the remote Arizona wilderness. As his owner recalled in a video the Yavapai County Sheriff's Office shared, his dog found the two-year-old while patrolling and directed the missing boy to safety.
'On Monday, just before 5 pm, Yavapai County Sheriff's deputies responded to a report of a missing 2-year-old child who wandered off from his home in Seligman. Over 40 search and rescue members, several deputies, DPS, a DPS ranger, and Coconino County Sheriff's deputies immediately headed to the property. After 16 hours of searching, a rancher approximately 7 miles away reported that a young child had walked onto his property. Upon arrival at the ranch, deputies confirmed this was indeed the missing boy,' the department wrote.
According to the department, the ranch owner saw his dog sitting near the entrance without moving. Upon investigating, he came across the toddler, who had walked all night after wandering from home. The kid told the man that the dog had found him after he had lied down under a tree - in an area where coyotes are often spotted.
The department later thanked Buford for staying with the kid and bringing him to safety.
Social media users are hailing the dog as a hero, with many saying he deserves all the treats in the world for being the toddler's guardian angel. Expressing the sentiment, an individual posted, 'We have a tradition for search and rescue dogs that when a dog finds a subject, they get a steak. This dog clearly deserves one.'
Another added, 'People saying this is suspicious and a child this age can't got that far need to stop. I spent several years in Search and Rescue, and I promise you toddlers and small children can move farther and faster than you would believe,' referencing speculative remarks.
A third commented, 'With all the doom and gloom on the news, I'll take this wonderful ending.' A fourth wrote, 'I'm shocked the kiddo walked that far. And I'm so proud of this dog. Good boy!!!'
What are your thoughts on this owner's story about his dog?

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Hindustan Times
3 days ago
- Hindustan Times
Delhi: Minutes before court verdict, DPS Dwarka revokes student ousters
The Delhi Public School (DPS) Dwarka on Thursday informed the Delhi high court that it had withdrawn its order expelling 31 students for non-payment of hiked fees --just minutes before the court was to pronounce its verdict in the case. As justice Sachin Datta assembled to deliver his ruling on the parents' plea, the school's counsel submitted that the expulsion order had been withdrawn. The students' names had been reinstated, subject to parents paying fees in line with an earlier order by the high court on May 16. That order directed students to pay 50% of the increased fees for the 2024-25 session, pending a final decision by the UT's department of education (DoE). The school's lawyer also informed the bench that an affidavit to that effect had already been filed earlier in the week. Taking note of the submission, justice Datta noted that the immediate controversy had become moot. However, the bench laid down clear procedural safeguards for any future actions under the Delhi School Education Rules, 1973. The school must issue prior communication specifying the proposed date for striking a student off the rolls and must give reasonable opportunity to the students or their guardians to show cause against such action, it directed. On Thursday, the court's judgment, released shortly after the matter was closed, expressed 'dismay' over the school's engagement of 'bouncers' to physically block students from entering the premises and called this 'a reprehensible practice' that has 'no place in an institute of learning.' The judgment further pointed out the psychological impact of such coercive tactics, noting: 'Public shaming/intimidation of a student on account of financial default, especially through force or coercive action, not only constitutes mental harassment but also undermines the psychological well-being and self-worth of a child. The use of 'bouncers' fosters a climate of fear, humiliation and exclusion that is incompatible with the fundamental ethos of a school.' The court underlined the special status of educational institutions, emphasising that while schools charge fees to maintain infrastructure and staff, they 'cannot be equated with a pure commercial establishment.' It maintained: 'The driving force and character of a school (particularly a school such as the petitioner, which is run by a pre-eminent society) is rooted not in profit maximisation but in public welfare, nation building and the holistic development of children.' Highlighting the fiduciary and moral responsibilities schools bear towards their students, the judgment insisted on a compassionate and just approach to fee recovery without compromising students' dignity. The court development comes just a day after Delhi education minister Ashish Sood announced the government's intent to bring in an ordinance to implement the Delhi School Education (Transparency in Fixation and Regulation of Fees) Bill, 2025, aimed at curbing arbitrary fee hikes by private institutions. The school struck off the names of the students on May 9 and barred them from entering the premises on May 13, triggering protests by dozens of parents. The move escalated an ongoing standoff over fee hikes, with many parents refusing to pay the revised structure without the Directorate of Education's (DoE) approval. In response, DoE passed an order on May 15 directing immediate reinstatement of the students. The controversy stems from DPS Dwarka's hike in fees for the 2025-26 academic session, which over 100 parents have challenged before the high court. They demanded that the school be directed to collect only DoE-approved fees for both current and future academic years. In their plea, the parents alleged that DPS Dwarka violated previous court orders prohibiting schools from harassing students over non-payment of unauthorised fees. They also claimed the school deployed bouncers to prevent students from entering, despite judicial restraint. On April 16, the high court rebuked the school for treating the students in a 'shabby and inhuman' manner by confining them to the library over failure to pay increased fees. Citing an inspection report by the district magistrate, the court had remarked that 'the school deserves to be shut down'. On its part, the school submitted that the action followed proper procedure of issuing show cause notice, mails, messages and phone calls after the unpaid dues of the students in question touched approximately ₹42 lakh till the academic year 2024-25. Senior advocate Pinaki Mishra, representing the school, submitted that fees collected from students was the only source of income for the school since it catered to various expenses, and the school was surviving with a deficit of ₹31 crores for over 10 years.


Hindustan Times
4 days ago
- Hindustan Times
Fee row: Delhi HC dismayed over DPS Dwarka using bouncers to block students
The Delhi High Court on Thursday called out Delhi Public School, Dwarka, for using "bouncers" to block the entry of students in its premises over a fee dispute. Noting such a practice had no place in an institution of learning, Justice Sachin Datta said public shaming and intimidation of a student due to financial default did not only constitute mental harassment but also undermined the psychological well being and self-worth of a child. The court said though the school was entitled to charge appropriate fees, especially given the financial outlay required to sustain infrastructure, remunerate staff and provide a conducive learning environment, it is a place different from a normal commercial establishment and carried fiduciary and moral responsibilities towards students. "This court is also constrained to express its dismay at the alleged conduct of the petitioner school in engaging 'bouncers' to physically block entry of certain students into the school premises. Such a reprehensible practice has no place in an institute of learning. It reflects not only disregard to the dignity of a child but also fundamental misunderstanding of a school's role in the society," its order read. The order came on a plea against the removal of over 30 students by the school over the issue of fee. At the time of pronouncing the order, the court was informed by the school's counsel that the order debarring 31 students was withdrawn and were reinstated. The court said the controversy raised in the parents' application was "moot" point. "However, it is clarified that if the school seeks to take any action in future by taking recourse to Rule 35 of the Delhi School Education Rules, 1973, then the school will (i) issue a prior communication specifically putting the concerned students and/ or their parents/ guardians to notice as to the date on which the students are proposed to be struck off the rolls; (ii) give a reasonable opportunity to showcause against such action," it said. The court said the parents concerned were obliged to adhere to and comply with the orders passed by the coordinate bench of the high court regarding payment of requisite fees to the school. The May 16 order of the coordinate bench which directed parents to deposit 50 per cent of the hiked fees for academic year 2025-26 following which their wards will be allowed to continue their studies in the classes, gave clear and cogent directions on the amount of the fees payable, it added. The court had previously clarified that the rebate of 50 per cent was on the hiked component of the fee and the base fee should be paid in full. Justice Datta on Thursday observed the use of bouncers fostered a "climate of fear, humiliation and exclusion" which was incompatible with the fundamental ethos of a school. The driving force and character of a school, particularly a school such as the petitioner (DPS, Dwarka), run by a pre-eminent society, was rooted not in profit maximisation but in public welfare, nation building and the holistic development of children, the judge said. The court underlined education and inculcation of values to be a school's primary objective and not operating as a business enterprise. The school had previously refuted allegations of profiteering and argued it was running on deficit and due notices were sent to the parents. The school's counsel said the school had a deficit of ₹31 crore accumulated over the last 10 years. The students were expelled on May 9 following which the parents filed an application in a pending petition of the school. The school moved the high court in July 2024, challenging a July 18, 2024 notice of National Commission for Protection of Child Rights, directing the deputy commissioner of police to register an FIR under the provisions of the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act against the school.


Indian Express
19-05-2025
- Indian Express
HC reserves order in plea challenging expulsion of DPS Dwarka students
The Delhi High Court on Monday reserved its order in an application filed by parents of over 30 students of Delhi Public School (DPS), Dwarka, challenging the students' expulsion last week over alleged non-payment of fees, even as the school denied allegations of profiteering. The school, through its counsel, told the court of Justice Sachin Datta that since 2015-16, the school has faced a deficit while paying salaries and meeting expenditure. 'How do I operate with a growth deficit of Rs 31 crore over 10 years? Today, there is an outstanding of Rs 1.75 crore… Rs 42 lakh is due from these 31 students.' 'This whole perception that this is profiteering… These are not the franchise issues… these are all very eminent people who run the DPS Society. To think that these people want profit…,' the counsel added. The school submitted that it had issued notices to the students that their fees were due. It added that 31 students were expelled over non-payment of fees, and not 32 – as was asserted by the parents – with one of the students taking a transfer. With arguments concluded, the court reserved the application for verdict. On May 16, the HC had orally remarked that it is inclined to stay DPS Dwarka's order expelling 32 students over non-payment of fees. It had noted that the school has not complied with the provisions of the Delhi School Education Act.