Missing woman with dementia saved by her dog’s barking

EMERALD, Emery County — A missing woman with dementia was rescued after her dog’s barking led authorities to her location.

According to a release from the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources, the woman had gone to the mountainside with the family dog ​​and did not return for “more than a day.”

According to reports, an Emery County Sheriff’s Office deputy and his K-9 Kip arrived on the scene just after sunset.

The temperature had dropped from 38 degrees during the day to a ‘chilly 13 degrees’. Because of the heat and the length of time she had been missing, the officer was concerned that they might not find her.

The pair were searching the area for cabins around 3:30 a.m. and heard a dog barking. When they approached the dog, officers said they couldn’t find her nearby.

The next day, a neighbor told the officer that he also heard barking, and that it was coming from an area on the mountain where there were no homes or cabins. The officer checked local security cameras and found footage of the woman and her dog walking west. The officer, K-9 Kip, and the concerned neighbor began searching that direction.

The post said they heard barking again, which was getting louder. They followed the sound to find the missing woman.

She was reportedly in “good condition, with only some scratches and bruises, although she was extremely dehydrated and missing her shoes.”

The neighbor gave her his water and went back into the neighborhood for cell service to alert the sheriff. The officer, K-9 Kip, and the woman stayed behind until officers arrived, then she was taken to a local hospital for medical evaluation, the post said.

“At the end of the day, her dog saved her life by barking to alert our officer and K-9 Kip. We are so glad she was found safe.”