In a heartwarming story, K-9 “Blaze” helped safely locate a missing 10-year-old boy with special needs in the East Bay area of California on Tuesday evening.
The boy was reported missing in Antioch, California around 5:45 pm on May 16, sparking a large-scale search operation that involved the Antioch Police Department, Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Office, and several other agencies.
As the hours ticked by and the search effort continued, authorities brought in the highly trained K-9 “Blaze” and his handler Deputy Geraty to help locate the missing boy.
Within minutes of arriving at the scene, Blaze picked up the scent of the boy and quickly led his handler and other officers to the child’s location. The boy was found safe and unharmed, and reunited with his family.
In a Facebook post, the Antioch Police Department thanked Blaze and Deputy Geraty for their quick response and heroic efforts, saying, “Without a doubt, their actions saved this young man’s life.”
The post also urged parents and caregivers of children with special needs to take extra precautions to keep them safe, saying, “We ask that families with special needs children in our community reach out to the Antioch Police Department, so that we may provide them with resources to help prevent similar incidents from occurring in the future.”
The incredible work of K-9 “Blaze” and the law enforcement agencies involved in this search serves as a reminder of the crucial role that police dogs play in keeping our communities safe. Their bravery and dedication are truly inspiring, and they deserve our utmost respect and gratitude.