Watch Barking Mystery Dog Lead Ky. Police Officers to Missing Boy

Body camera footage shows Louisville police receiving help finding a missing child from a four-legged detective who began barking and led officers to the boy's location.
Feb. 11, 2026
2 min read

What to know

  • Louisville police found a missing boy after a neighborhood dog repeatedly barked and led them to a parked vehicle.

  • Body camera footage shows the dog guiding officers to the car, where the child was found unharmed inside.

  • The boy was safely reunited with his family, and officials credited both officers and the unidentified dog for the successful recovery.

Kentucky police searching for a missing boy received help last month from a mystery dog, who did its best Lassie impression to lead officers to the child.

The rescue happened Jan. 7 when Louisville police were rushing to find a boy who had gone missing, the department stated in a social media post. Officers were searching on foot, while a drone and the department's Air Unit were deployed in the sky.

But police received their best lead from a four-legged detective with an apparent nose for missing kids.

"Then came an unexpected hero: a neighborhood dog who seemed to know something was wrong and led officers straight to the child,"

Body camera footage released by the department shows the dog furiously barking at officers and leading them to a parked car. The dog then sat in front of the car's bumper, and officers discovered the missing boy inside.

"I don't think I've ever seen a happier kid in my life. He jumped out of the car, bear hugged my neck and wouldn't let go," Officer Josh Thompson told CBS News.

Officers don't know where the dog came from or how it knew to help find the missing child. But police were happy for the assistance.  

"Outstanding work by our officers, and a four‑legged friend who reminded us that heroes come in all forms," the department stated.

About the Author

Joe Vince

Joining Endeavor Business Media in 2018, Joe has worked on the company's city services publications. He began working at OFFICER.com as the assistant editor. Before starting at Endeavor, Joe had worked for a variety of print and online news outlets, including the Indianapolis Star, the South Bend Tribune, Reddit and Patch.com.
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