Ranch dog named 'Buford' honored for 'vital role' in saving missing toddler in Arizona

USA Today

26-04-2025

Ranch dog named 'Buford' honored for 'vital role' in saving missing toddler in Arizona The 2-year-old was missing for about 16 hours before appearing with Buford in his owner's driveway.
Show Caption
Hide Caption
Ranch dog rescues missing child in dangerous terrain of Arizona
A missing 2-year-old child is miraculously found after spending the night in the rough terrain of Seligman, Arizona all thanks to a courageous ranch dog.
Buford, a rancher's dog in Arizona credited with helping protect and rescue a toddler who went missing in Arizona last week, is basking in glory as a hero.
The 6-year-old Great Pyrenees/Anatolian mix received an "Honorary Search and Rescue Certificate" and a vest by the Yavapai County Sheriff's Office on April 22 for being a "source of comfort to the family and community," and playing "a vital role in representing the spirit of keeping our community safe," the law enforcement agency said in a post on Facebook.
"Buford's vigilance and protective instincts, combined with Scottie Dunton's swift response, ensured Bodin's safe return to his family," Buford's certificate reads, according to the Arizona Republic, part of the USA TODAY Network. "Your actions exemplify the highest standards of community service and canine heroism."
Not only that, but Buford is also being showered with gifts from strangers for protecting the 2-year-old boy and leading him to safety, his owner, Scotty Dunton, told KPNX.
"Toys, chew toys, snacks, you name it, just a little bit of everything," Dunton said, adding he has also been receiving messages for Buford from across the world.
Need a break? Play the USA TODAY Daily Crossword Puzzle.
Buford the dog meets 2-year-old Bodin Allen, lost boy he led to safety
Buford the dog is credited with guiding 2-year-old Bodin Allen to safety after the boy wandered from home on April 14, 2025.
Yavapai County Sheriff's Office
'I can't believe that kid made it that far'
The 2-year-old, identified as Bodin Allen by the Arizona Republic, was reported missing on April 14. The toddler had wandered away from his home in Seligman, Arizona, about 180 miles southeast of Las Vegas, and into rough terrain, according to the Yavapai County Sheriff's Office.
A search and rescue party consisting of 40 members was put together to look for the toddler, and he was found after approximately 16 hours with Buford in the rancher's driveway, about seven miles away from his home.
Dunton, at the time, had said he spotted the toddler just as he was headed to town.
"When I was driving out the driveway, I noticed my dog was sitting down by the entrance," Dunton, who owns Dunton Ranch in Kingman, had said. "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'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."
How did the toddler go missing?
Bodin's mother, Sarah Allen, told the Arizona Republic, she was tending to their 1-year-old child when the toddler wandered off in the afternoon of April 14, adding it was not unusual for Bodin to go outdoors and play in the dirt. A few minutes later when she went outside to look for her child, she couldn't find him anywhere.
"My instinct was maybe he got trafficked or something," Bodin's father, Corey Allen, told the Arizona Republic. "And he could be states away. Who knows what's going on? And that feeling just kept intensifying by the minute."
Over the next few hours, which Corey described as "the weakest moment of our lives," search and rescue officials looked for the toddler far and wide.
"I feel like I'm about to be ended as a person," Corey told the Arizona Republic. "I'm trying to hold my son in my arms, and he's not there."
Arizona Republic reporter speaks with rescued boy, parents
Arizona Republic reporter Caitlin McGlade speaks with rescued boy Bodin Allen and his parents, Sarah and Corey Allen.
Bodin, meanwhile, dressed only in pajama bottoms, a tank top, and sneakers, was wandering under the full moon, somewhere in the seven miles between the Allen property and a ranch guarded by the 150-pound dog Buford.
Around 8 a.m. the next morning, as Scotty was getting ready to go into town, he saw Buford coming down the fence line with a little blond boy and alerted the family.
"I've just had the most emotional meltdown. I've never cried that hard," Corey said, describing the moment before he found out his son was found.
Sarah said their son was completely unfazed by the incident and "acted like nothing even happened."
The Yavapai County Sheriff's Office also celebrated Bodin by giving him "a challenge coin" to acknowledge "their courageous spirit and commitment to helping others."
Buford loves kids
Dunton said he believes the toddler reached the ranch by following a road right next to a power line before Buford found the boy.
Buford "loves kids, so I can imagine he wouldn't leave him when he found him," Dunton said.
"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 to roam and protect.
"Buford has always been a natural babysitter, whether it be with baby animals or with children," Dawn added.
Contributing: Julia Gomez, USA TODAY / Caitlin McGlade, Arizona Republic
Saman Shafiq is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at [e-mail] and follow her on X and Instagram @saman_shafiq7.