A dementia patient in her 80s has safely reunited with her family after going missing for over a day in a forested area of Daegu ? thanks to the sharp instincts of a trained rescue dog.
Daegu’s Dongbu Fire Station received a call on June 5 reporting that the woman, who went out the day before, had not returned home. With her cognitive condition raising serious concerns, authorities launched an urgent search operation. CCTV footage revealed she had wandered toward a wooded hillside near Gongsan Dam in the city’s Dong District.
The terrain, however, posed a significant challenge. Thick vegetation and steep paths made it nearly impossible for rescue teams to comb the area effectively. Officials deployed a search dog that quickly honed in on a high-probability zone.
Twenty-six hours after the report, the woman was found exhausted but alive. She was immediately transported to a nearby hospital and is reportedly now in stable condition.
“The precision of the search dog combined with our rescue team’s persistence made this mission a success,” said Chief Shim Chun-seop of the Dongbu Fire Station.
Authorities say rescue dogs are becoming vital in both mountain emergencies and dementia-related disappearances. Efforts are underway to expand training programs as demand for these lifesaving canines grows.