Brighten Your Day

Heroic Golden Retriever Saves Missing Toddler

March 24, 2025

A golden retriever named Zoie is being hailed as a hero after helping save a missing toddler.

First responders at the scene | Credit: tankman714 on Reddit

Zoie’s owner was gaming at his PC one afternoon when the usually quiet pup suddenly began barking uncontrollably while staring out the front window. Her frantic behavior was so unusual that it immediately caught her owner’s attention.

When he looked outside, he saw a little boy—no older than three—wandering up a neighbor’s driveway and into their backyard. Realizing no one was home at the house, the man asked nearby neighbors if they recognized the child, but no one did. With the help of two neighbors, they tried to speak to the boy, who was silent and only shrugged.

While the neighbors walked the child around the street searching for his family, Zoie’s owner called 911. To his surprise, the operator quickly confirmed they had found the missing child and sent police officers to the scene within a minute.

"When I called after saying my location and that I found a kid the operator quickly asked what clothing he was wearing and after I confirmed she yelled to someone 'they found him!'" he said.

It turned out the boy had been missing for about 30 minutes, having wandered away from a busy road half a mile away. His family was overwhelmed with relief when they were reunited.

Later, two officers visited Zoie’s home to finish their report and made sure to give the heroic pup plenty of love. She proudly soaked up all the pets, scratches, and praise she deserved.

The hero, Zoie | tankman714

Her owner, still in awe of her sharp instincts, believes Zoie knew something was wrong the moment she saw the unfamiliar child heading into a place he didn’t belong. Thanks to her quick-thinking alarm, a lost child was safely brought home.