The love of a dog isn’t like any other love. It comes easily – loyalty, kindness – all of it lives in these furry animals who simply ask for only one thing in return – to be loved by us. And in return, as one Michigan family learned, those dogs will repay you with all of that love back in spades.
The Chase family’s littlest child, 2-year-old Thea, had been playing in the family’s backyard. However, her mom Brooke Chase said, after her uncle had told the shoeless little girl to go inside for her shoes, she wandered off. Brooke said something told her she needed to check on Thea.
Thea Chase and her dog, Hartley. Photo courtesy of the Chase family
After learning Thea should have been inside the home, Brook looked for her and they quickly realized the child wasn’t inside the home, either. “So, I realized she was missing and I’m telling her uncle, and I said, ‘Where is she?’”, the child’s mother, Brooke Chase, said.
“We’re searching all around the yard, up and down the roads, screaming at the top of our lungs her name, calling for the dogs because the dogs were missing, too,” she added. The family began searching the property, desperate to find Thea. “We’re [searching] everywhere around here,” Brooke said.
It’s completely wooded — deep, thick woods around here. There’s a swamp over there, so of course we’re, like, freaking out.
“And after about fifteen minutes of searching for her with our friends and family, I called the cops, ” Brooke said. When police arrived, it was already 8pm. “When we get a call like that, everything else stops,” Lt. Mark Giannunzio said.
The Michigan State Police brought out drones, search-and-rescue and canine teams, as well as volunteers from the community, to begin searching the wooded area near the family’s home, Giannunzio said. For Thea’s mom, everything was a blur. “I was in such a fog and in such a shock that she was literally gone, in a split second,” Brooke said.
Thea Chase and her dog, Buddy. Photo courtesy of the Chase family
Nearly 4 hours later, right at midnight, a family friend on an ATV came across a barking dog. He quickly recognized the Chase’s family dog, Buddy. The rottweiler began barking as soon as he saw the man approaching. Brooke said when the ATV rider reached for the girl to wake her up and see if she was OK, “Hartley kind of like was like growling at him” as if to say “don’t touch my kid.”
After a few minutes, the family friend was able to pick up Thea, and safely rode the ATV back to the family’s home. Brooke, back at the family’s home, heard over a radio that Thea had been found. “I ran outside when I heard that she was up here and the minute she sees me, ‘Hi Mommy,’ like nothing happened, giggling. ‘Hi,’” she said. “I’m just like, ‘Hi honey,’ like trying to compose myself.”
Giannunzio said that the temperature had been only 60 degrees when Thea was found. A quick medical check assured everyone that Thea was fine after her 4-hour adventure. “She laid down and used one of the dogs as a pillow, and the other dog laid right next to her and kept her safe,” Giannunzio said.
It’s a really remarkable story.”
Thea’s mom said she is so very grateful for all of the people who came out and helped the family find her daughter. “I just want to thank everybody that was here helping find her,” Brooke said said. And don’t worry, dogs were well-rewarded for their heroic actions in keeping little Thea safe and sound. “She has those dogs wrapped around her finger,” Brooke said, smiling. For more on the rescue of the little girl, listen to the family’s story below.
