Hero Golden Retriever Protects Sisters For Hours After They Go Missing In Louisiana Woods
“I don’t know how long it took for the people to be able to actually get access to the kids because he was protecting them.”
A Louisiana dog is being hailed a hero after he protected his family's daughters for hours when they went missing in the woods last month.
Abigail, 7, and Cecilia Bourg, 4, were playing with their golden retriever, Artemis, in the backyard of their Folsom home on the evening of November 29, when he ran into the woods. The sisters followed him and were soon lost.
More than 100 volunteers joined the search, and local law enforcement agencies deployed drones, ATVs, K-9 officers, and a helicopter. But the hours kept ticking by without a sign of the trio. Before long, it was dark.
Mary Bourg
“It’s feelings that no parent wants to go through, it was just a rollercoaster of emotions,” Mary Bourg, the girls’ mother, told WGNO.
Their father, Justin Bourg, told WWL that he felt confident they were going to find them in the woods. “That's their favorite place to go play, but once hour three, three and a half was kind of creeping up on us on the clock, I was getting more dark thoughts,” he recalled.
Fortunately, the girls knew they were lost and decided to stay in one place. Abigail reportedly hung into Artemis's collar and snuggled into him while Cecilia cuddled up to her sister.
Around four hours after the sisters went missing, rescuers heard Artemis barking. They found the dog and his girls huddled together 1.2 miles away from home.
"When people found them, he was growling,” Mary told WWL. “I don’t know how long it took for the people to be able to actually get access to the kids because he was protecting them.”
The Bourgs said they’re overwhelmed by the outpouring of support they received from their community.
“There was just nothing people would stop at until our babies were found so we’re just more than grateful,” Mary said.
As for Artemis? He was rewarded with a special steak dinner.
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