Missing boy lost in Canadian wilderness gets to keep stray dog that kept him safe

The woman whose dog accompanied a missing two-year-old through the Yukon wilderness for more than 24 hours says the toddler and the canine are meant to be together. "If it was me and that dog was with my child the whole night I would pay whatever amount of money I could to have that dog you know?" Kim Dolan said. Dolan told the boy's family they should keep the dog, and they agreed.

The youngster, known only as Kale, disappeared around dinner time Thursday from his family's campsite into the wilderness near Ross River - about 400 kilometres from Whitehorse. It is believed the youngster followed Dolan's dog and that the pooch helped keep the boy warm so he could survive the chilly night.

It was a full 25 hours before the boy was reunited with his family. Search and rescue teams, called from neighbouring communities, found the boy about a kilometre away from where he disappeared.



The discovery was made after a helicopter noticed a blip on its heat-sensitive search equipment. "The chopper had picked up some kind of heat or whatever and the crew that was on the south side decided to go and check it out," searcher Mike Bondarchuk said.

"And sure enough, they went over a hill and there he was. I guess he was just standing there going, `doggie!'" The boy was examined by physicians, but is in remarkably good shape.

It is believed Kale, along with his family and new best friend, are headed back to their home in Kamloops.

With news video.