Just in case you didn't love dogs enough already, a group of bloodhounds over in Florida helped to find a missing three-year-old autistic boy who was lost in the woods this week.
Aedric was being watched by his grandmother on Sunday (September 15) over in Pace, a Pensacola suburb in the Florida Panhandle, when he decided to sneak out of the house for an adventure in the forest.
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However, he soon lost his way, leaving his mother and grandma sick with worry.
"The most terrifying words a mother can get on the phone is 'your child is missing, get home right now,'" Audra Hughes said at a news conference on Monday.
The Miami Herald reports that officers from the Santa Rosa County Sheriff's Office embarked on a two-hour search, but to no avail.
That's when they brought out the big guns - their team of trained bloodhounds.
"Once the dog hit the ground, it was 28 minutes until we got the child," said Sheriff Bob Johnson.
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Officials went on to explain that the little boy was found around 200 yards away, surrounded by shrubs, mud and 'nasty moss'. Officers had to use a machete to break him free.
Thankfully, aside from a few scratches and bug bites, Aedric was unharmed and was even given a life-size stuffed animal by the police department to mark his journey to safety.
Details of the rescue were posted on Facebook, with District One Commissioner Sam Parker congratulating the team on their success:
"Great job Santa Rosa County Sheriff's Office! Their bloodhounds found a missing 3 year old autistic boy who was lost in the woods today. Thank you to everyone else that came out to help with this effort."
The post has since received over 33,000 likes, 19,000 shares and 2,500 comments at the time of writing, with many offering their congrats to the team and their trusty bloodhounds.
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One user wrote, "Praise the Lord! Thankful for these dedicated deputies and their awesome bloodhound!!" while another said, "Thank you Santa Rosa County to you and your bloodhounds for finding the missing boy safe and sound, such a great job and thank you to everyone else that helped."
A third posted: "What a great doggo and handlers!!!!!!!! I can not imagine losing my boy in the woods. I am so glad he was found. That pup needs lots and lots of treats."
She's not wrong - here's hoping those bloodhounds were given plenty of treats for a job well done.
Featured Image Credit:Topics: Police, missing, Florida, Facebook, Rescue, Dogs