KAMLOOPS — A British Columbia Mountie is crediting his police dog with sniffing out a missing toddler.

RCMP Const. Dave Lewis and his dog Zak were called after a 21-month-old boy went missing in Kamloops on Sunday night.

“It was the first time we’ve been asked to find such a young person,” said Lewis.

Staff Sgt. Grant Learned said the boy was reported missing at about 9 p.m. Sunday when his parents, who were visiting from Vancouver, noticed the child was gone.

The child was playing in a yard with his four-year-old brother and was believed to be under supervision. Lewis said the yard was not fenced and backed onto a park.

From his experience, children normally take the path of least resistance, said Lewis. He and Zak followed the downward slope toward the street, but the two-year-old German shepherd didn’t pick up the toddler’s scent.

So Zak and Lewis went back into the yard, where Zak soon picked up a trail that led 90 metres into the park.

“I trust Zak,” he said, adding it wasn’t long before the boy was found asleep in some sagebrush.

“He was just as surprised to see us as we were to see him so close to home,” Lewis said.

The boy was dressed for the outdoors and stayed warm in his tuque and down-filled jacket. He was back in his mother’s arms about 30 minutes after police arrived.

Zak and Lewis have been partners for about six months. Lewis said the dog loves his job, especially following tracks with his nose.

“He’s a pleasure to work with,” he said.


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