Max is an old blue heeler dog and he recently made the news when he stayed in the bush overnight to protect a 3-year-old child. After protecting the little ger for more than 15 hours, Max led the searchers back to her to save her from the bushland in Queensland’s Southern Downs in Australia.
The child, named Aurora, went missing at about 3:00pm the day before and she wandered off on her own. People searched for her all day in the woodlands and hills but never found her and she had to spend the night under the open sky.
On the next morning, thanks to Max, the 100+ State Emergency Service (SES) volunteers, the police and the other members of the public, finally found her. The time was 8:00am.
As a thanks for his efforts and help, Max is no a honorary police dog.
“She found the dog first. Max led her to Aurora,” Mr Benston- the partner of the girl’s grandmother said.
“Max is 17 years old, deaf and partially blind.”
SES area controller Ian Phipps also added “The area around the house is quite mountainous and is very inhospitable terrain to go walking in, so she’d travelled quite a distance with her dog that was quite loyal to her,” he said.
“The search was actually quite hard where the volunteers and the police were, amongst the very steep slopes full of lantana and other vegetation.”
Ms Bennett said the girl responded to the shouts of the searchers and helped them find her.
“When I heard her yell ‘Grammy’ I knew it was her,” she said.
“I shot up the mountain … and when I got to the top, the dog came to me and led me straight to her.
“He never left her sight. She smelled of dog, she slept with the dog.”
Ms Bennett shared the emotional reunion featured “a lot of tears”.
“I think [Aurora] was a bit overwhelmed by the tears and the howling, but I explained to her how happy those tears were,” she said.
“It could have gone any of 100 ways, but she’s here, she’s alive, she’s well and it’s a great outcome for our family.”
According to Mr Philips Aurora is in good health, despite some minor bruises and cuts.
“With the weather last night it’s quite lucky she is well because it was cold, it was cold and raining,” he said.
“She’s a very hardy young lass to survive that without any ill effects and everyone, all the volunteers are extremely happy.
“They had travelled from all over the region just to do the search and that’s one of the things they join the SES for is to look after the community and do these activities … and bring happiness to a family.
“There was a little bit of dread going into it with a cold night last night, but to get such a positive outcome the volunteers are very happy, and will be tucking into a bacon and egg sandwich very shortly.”
