Hero German Shepherd Tracks Missing Toddler for Hours in Freezing Woods

15 hours ago 4

A brave German Shepherd named Freyja is being celebrated as a hero after she helped save a missing 2-year-old girl lost in the freezing woods of New Hampshire.

On the afternoon of October 10, the toddler slipped out of her family’s secured backyard in Dorchester after the family’s two dogs accidentally pushed open a section of the fence. Wearing only thin leggings and a light sweater, she wandered off into the dense woods as temperatures began to fall.

Her mother quickly called 911, and authorities launched a massive search before nightfall. With temperatures expected to drop into the 20s, time was running out. More than 90 volunteers joined local police, firefighters, and Fish and Game officers to comb through the heavily wooded area.

“Everybody dropped what they were doing and came over extremely quickly knowing the temperature was dropping,” said Sgt. Christopher McKee of New Hampshire Fish and Game.

Among those volunteers was Jeremy Corson, a seasoned member of New England K9 Search and Rescue, who arrived with his 7-year-old German Shepherd, Freyja. Jeremy had driven over 40 miles from Concord to help.

“Time is of the essence with a 2-year-old,” he explained. “The more time passes, the further they can travel — and the colder they get.”

As the search stretched into the evening, Freyja began to pick up a scent around 8 p.m., roughly five hours after the little girl vanished. “She was nose-down, tracking hard,” Jeremy recalled. “The woods were so thick, you couldn’t see more than a few feet ahead.”

Then came the moment everyone had hoped for — Jeremy called the child’s name, and a faint voice answered back.

“She was in a really rough piece of woods,” he said. “I could definitely tell she was cold and scared.”

Jeremy carried the shivering toddler out of the dark forest and back toward the rescue base. When her family saw her, they broke down with relief. “Everyone was absolutely ecstatic,” Jeremy said. “Her mom was very emotional and broke down when she saw her baby safe.”

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Paramedics rushed the little girl to a nearby hospital for a full checkup. Thankfully, she was unharmed and soon ready to return home — where she told her family she just wanted a bath and bedtime.

As for Freyja, her incredible sense of smell and determination saved a child’s life. Jeremy proudly rewarded his heroic partner with her favorite toy and plenty of love. “I’m extremely proud of her,” he said. “Her abilities are truly incredible.”

Thanks to the quick action of volunteers and one extraordinary dog, a family was made whole again — and a tiny girl was safely tucked into bed that night.

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