Dogs work together to save elderly woman with dementia who went missing in Utah mountains

We often think of dogs as being loyal and dedicated to their parents, but some canines go even further than others.

One pup in Utah is being hailed as a hero for helping save his dog mom, an elderly woman with dementia who got lost in the state’s mountains in the summer heat for almost three days — an act that's sure to have earned him plenty of the best dog treats ! He was helped by a search and rescue dog, who heard his barking.

The incident occurred last month near Joe’s Valley in Emery County. The woman went for a walk with her dog on the evening of June 24 near the cabin she was staying in with her family, but they didn’t return. Her relatives spent the night looking for her, and reached out for help in the morning.

Search and rescue teams headed out, with conservation officer James Thomas and his dog, Kip, among them. They searched at night, when temperatures were lower, allowing Kip to work longer. Thomas explained to WGHP , “If we’re running in 100-degree weather, he’s only going to work for about 15 minutes and then he’s going to need to take a break. At night, he can run for up to an hour.”

Eventually, Thomas and Kip heard barking, and went towards the sound, thinking that it could be the woman’s dog. They didn’t find her, but Kip kept running toward the mountainside. While Thomas didn’t think she’d be so high up, a neighbor told Thomas the next day that he’d also heard the barking.

Upon reviewing security footage, it was found that the woman and her dog were walking up toward the mountainside, so they began to search up there. Again, they heard barking, and Kip eventually reached the woman and her chocolate Labrador, who never left her side even though he wasn’t on a leash.

She was barefoot and severely dehydrated, and had scratches and bruises on her arms. However, Thomas said she was happy to see him and Kip.

“She’s really lucky that she had her dog with her,” he said, continuing, “She thought she’d only been gone about 10 minutes. To see her still alive, it was a good feeling. It was pretty remarkable what she went through.”

He stayed with her until help arrived. A helicopter took her from the mountainside, and medical crews gave her treatment at the scene.

Of course, the woman and her dog didn’t intend to go walking in the mountains for so long, but if you’re hoping to go on some long walks with your pup, here’s some advice on hiking with a dog . And, if you like spending time out and about when it gets a little colder, here are our 10 best dog breeds for cold weather .