2-year-old boy guided to safety by rancher's dog after wandering 7 miles alone in Arizona wilderness
A ranch dog in Arizona is being hailed as a hero after it led a lost toddler out of the desert wilderness and back to safety.
Officials in Kingman reported that a two-year-old child slipped away from his home on Monday night and wandered into the rugged wilds of the Arizona countryside. The child's disappearance kicked off a 16-hour search that ended on Tuesday morning after the boy was found by an unlikely rescuer.
Scotty Dunton, of Dunton Ranch, said he had heard about the missing child, identified as Boden Allen, in the local news, and was shocked when he saw a toddler matching the missing child's description wandering onto his property alongside his dog, Buford.
"I'd heard about the missing child before I was going to town, and when I was driving out the driveway I noticed my dog was sitting down by the entrance," the rancher told KPHO. "I look up, and there's a little kid standing there with my dog."
The boy wandered seven miles from his home in Seligman, crossed rough canyon lands, and endured a cold night in the desert before proceeding to Dunton's Ranch.
The Yavapai County Sheriff's Office even noted that a pair of mountain lions had been spotted on their thermal imaging cameras while deputies were searching for the boy.
Dunton said his ranch and Boden's home are separated by "three big mountain ranges" and "big valleys," and believes it's likely the boy followed a dirt path under nearby power lines to make it to his ranch. Even following the path, Dunton said he still "can't believe the kid made it that far," according to CBS News.
After bringing Boden in, Dunton asked the boy if he had walked all night. The boy reportedly said he slept under a tree during the night. The rancher then asked if his dog, an Anatolian Pyrenees named Buford, found him. The boy reportedly said yes.
Dunton said Buford is a "guardian" by his nature and spends his evening patrolling the ranch.
'He goes out at night and just kind of patrols. He goes half a mile, a mile from the house and just makes big loops, keeps coyotes out," the rancher told 12 News.
He told KPHO that he wasn't surprised Buford took a special interest in Boden.
"It's what he does. He loves kids, so I can imagine he wouldn't leave him when he found him," Dunton said. "It was a relief that he was alive. I was ecstatic that he was OK and that my dog found him."
Dunton provided Boden with water and shelter and notified law enforcement that the boy had been found. The toddler was eventually reunited with the family, but not before Dunton offered him some kudos for making it through his harrowing journey.
'I told him, 'Buddy, you're the toughest little two-year-old I've ever seen.' He's like, 'Yep,'" Dunton told 12 News.
The rancher told the broadcaster he planned to reward Buford for a job well done.
"Oh, he's getting steak dinner tonight, my wife already said," Dunton said. "He did a great job."
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NBC News
22-04-2025
- NBC News
Buford, dog who rescued 2-year-old boy lost in Arizona wilderness, showered with gifts
The dog that led a 2-year-old boy to safety after he spent a night alone in the Arizona wilderness last week is being praised for his heroism with an influx of gifts from strangers. Scotty Dunton, who owns the 6-year-old Anatolian Pyrenees named Buford, said gifts have been arriving at his doorstep since Boden Allen's rescue. "Toys, chew toys, snacks, you name it, just a little bit of everything," Dunton told NBC affiliate KPNX of Mesa. Dunton added that he has heard from people all over the world since his dog's rescue mission and that Buford is now an honorary member of the Yavapai County Search and Rescue Team. The team even gave Buford a vest. Boden wandered off from his family's Seligman home on April 14. His father, Cory Allen, said he was working on the roof while his wife, Sarah Allen, tended to their 1-year-old child, KPNX previously reported. The couple called family members for help searching for the toddler and eventually contacted the Yavapai County Sheriff's Office. More than 40 rescuers and a Department of Public Safety helicopter were brought in to assist in the search effort. "I didn't even know how to process," Sarah told the news station. "I looked at his empty bed in the middle of the night, and I'm like this isn't real, he's not — how is he not here? How is he out by himself somewhere in the dark?" Dunton, a local rancher, said that about 16 hours after Boden disappeared, he found the toddler on his property. According to KPNX, Buford, the dog, found the child sleeping under a tree and led him back to Dunton's ranch, which is about 7 miles from the Allens' home. The rancher previously told the news station that he had traced the child's steps and found that Buford had escorted him for at least a mile. "It's unreal and it's unbelievable," Sarah added. KPNX reported. Cory said life is back to normal for his family, and Boden is "active" and "exploring all the time."
The Guardian
17-04-2025
- The Guardian
A true good boy: rancher's dog leads two-year-old Arizona child to safety
A two-year-old boy who spent a night alone in the Arizona wilderness was led to safety by a rancher's dog and was recovering safely at home with his family on Thursday. The toddler, identified as Boden Allen, disappeared from his home in Seligman, Arizona, at around 5pm local time on Monday, about 100 miles south of Grand Canyon national park, prompting a large search operation. He was wearing just a blue tank top and pajama pants at the time, the Yavapai county sheriff's office said in a missing person notice. Allen had wandered off from his home, ending up several miles away and in territory where mountain lions live and roam, according to a Facebook post from police officials. Search parties continued their efforts throughout the night and spotted two mountain lions along the way. After 16 hours of searching, the boy was rescued. Scotty Dunton, a rancher whose property is seven miles away from Allen's home, said that his dog, Buford, had discovered the wandering boy. The canine had been patrolling the ranch, his regular function, and appeared to have protected and shepherded the missing boy to safety after discovering him. The boy reportedly told the rancher he had slept under a tree. 'When I was driving out the driveway, I noticed my dog was sitting down by the entrance,' Dunton, who owns Dunton Ranch in Kingman, said in a video posted by the sheriff's office. '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. Dunton told NBC's News12 of Phoenix that he 'had heard about the missing child this morning, so I knew it was him'. He also described Buford, a five-year-old Great Pyrenees-Anatolian mix, as a natural guardian. 'He goes out at night and just kind of patrols. He goes half a mile, a mile from the house and just makes big loops, keeps coyotes out,' Dunton said. The protective pooch was thanked by police for staying with the boy and bringing him to safety. Boden was reunited with his parents and though he was reportedly shaken up and sustained a few scratches, he had no major injuries.
The Independent
16-04-2025
- The Independent
2-year-old boy guided to safety by rancher's dog after wandering 7 miles alone in Arizona wilderness
A ranch dog in Arizona is being hailed as a hero after it led a lost toddler out of the desert wilderness and back to safety. Officials in Kingman reported that a two-year-old child slipped away from his home on Monday night and wandered into the rugged wilds of the Arizona countryside. The child's disappearance kicked off a 16-hour search that ended on Tuesday morning after the boy was found by an unlikely rescuer. Scotty Dunton, of Dunton Ranch, said he had heard about the missing child, identified as Boden Allen, in the local news, and was shocked when he saw a toddler matching the missing child's description wandering onto his property alongside his dog, Buford. "I'd heard about the missing child before I was going to town, and when I was driving out the driveway I noticed my dog was sitting down by the entrance," the rancher told KPHO. "I look up, and there's a little kid standing there with my dog." The boy wandered seven miles from his home in Seligman, crossed rough canyon lands, and endured a cold night in the desert before proceeding to Dunton's Ranch. The Yavapai County Sheriff's Office even noted that a pair of mountain lions had been spotted on their thermal imaging cameras while deputies were searching for the boy. Dunton said his ranch and Boden's home are separated by "three big mountain ranges" and "big valleys," and believes it's likely the boy followed a dirt path under nearby power lines to make it to his ranch. Even following the path, Dunton said he still "can't believe the kid made it that far," according to CBS News. After bringing Boden in, Dunton asked the boy if he had walked all night. The boy reportedly said he slept under a tree during the night. The rancher then asked if his dog, an Anatolian Pyrenees named Buford, found him. The boy reportedly said yes. Dunton said Buford is a "guardian" by his nature and spends his evening patrolling the ranch. 'He goes out at night and just kind of patrols. He goes half a mile, a mile from the house and just makes big loops, keeps coyotes out," the rancher told 12 News. He told KPHO that he wasn't surprised Buford took a special interest in Boden. "It's what he does. He loves kids, so I can imagine he wouldn't leave him when he found him," Dunton said. "It was a relief that he was alive. I was ecstatic that he was OK and that my dog found him." Dunton provided Boden with water and shelter and notified law enforcement that the boy had been found. The toddler was eventually reunited with the family, but not before Dunton offered him some kudos for making it through his harrowing journey. 'I told him, 'Buddy, you're the toughest little two-year-old I've ever seen.' He's like, 'Yep,'" Dunton told 12 News. The rancher told the broadcaster he planned to reward Buford for a job well done. "Oh, he's getting steak dinner tonight, my wife already said," Dunton said. "He did a great job."
