Rescue crews save dog that stayed with dead owner in Cochise County

COCHISE COUNTY, AZ (AZFamily) — A small dog refused to leave its owner’s side, even after the woman passed away.

The Cochise County Sheriff’s Office Search & Rescue team was called to help with a body recovery over the weekend in a remote area several miles north of Muleshoe Ranch Road. Crews arrived and found a small dog who had stayed with the owner and the vehicle.

Initially, the pup ran off, but the CCSO Search and Rescue team was able to catch it. The sweet four-legged friend was taken to a shelter. On Monday, family members of the woman who live in Boston contacted the shelter, saying they were coming to pick Charlie up!

The initial call came out around 10 a.m. on Saturday when a man called 911 to report seeing a dead woman inside an SUV in a remote area about six miles north of Muleshoe Ranch. He told dispatchers that the woman’s Nissan Rogue had serious damage to one front tire and the undercarriage, and that the back tailgate was lifted. He also noted that a small dog was hiding under the SUV.

When deputies arrived, they confirmed the woman was deceased. Her body was later transported to the Pima County Medical Examiner’s office to determine how she died.

Her name has not been released, but investigators say she was 60 years old.

Initial information indicates that the vehicle was a rental and was supposed to be returned on June 27. Deputies say the condition of the woman indicated she had been dead some time before being found.

It’s unclear why she was in such a remote area.

CCSO Search and Rescue says this is not the first time that teams have saved pets that stayed with their owner.

“This truly shows the devotion and love a pet has for their person,” the agency posted on social media.

The investigation remains ongoing.

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