Running off to nowhere and having an adventure sounds fun, especially for a child. But for parents, it is the exact opposite. Not knowing where your child has gone must be the scariest feeling for any parent or guardian.
Gayla Jay experienced it all first-hand. She and her two granddaughters were walking at the Molalla River Recreation park when the youngest, two-year-old Iris Nix, suddenly ran off.
Gayla followed her granddaughter right away but lost her in a route that split into four pathways. To make things worse, the said park in Oregon had little to no cell reception, so she had to ask strangers for help.
Eventually, they managed to get cell reception and call 911. In just a few minutes, a search and rescue was underway.
Coincidentally, Tammy Stevens was riding her horse while walking her two dogs, Maddie and Wilson, near the park. When she realized what was happening, she volunteered to join the search.
The lady and her dogs went through steep and dangerous paths in the area when she suddenly heard a child crying for help. She commanded one of her dogs, Wilson, to fetch her.
Wilson then guided Tammy to where Iris was. “I followed Wilson, and then I saw him laying his two front paws on Iris’ lap. The child was crying, but she seemed relieved after seeing us,” the proud dog owner said in an interview.
Tammy immediately brought the child to safety. She then asked for a volunteer to help carry Iris and bring her to the medical team. After two long hours, the child was finally back to her grandmother, unharmed.
Gayla tearfully hugged her granddaughter. “I just can’t believe that it all happened, and all I can say is thanks to the nice lady and her dogs for finding my baby,” she said.
Dogs are not only smart, but you can also rely on them in times of need. If you want more rescue stories, check out the video below featuring another dog rescuing a lost three-year-old boy!
Video credit: Youtube Inside Edition