Man’s Best Friend: Stray Dog Saves The Life Of 7-Year-Old Boy

There’s an old saying that states dogs are a man’s best friend. We don’t know about you but after hearing this story, we’re inclined to believe it.

The Huffington Post reports that a seven-year-old boy managed to survive three freezing nights trapped inside a service shaft in Siberia thanks to a stray dog who kept him warm.

Raul Kutliakhmetova was on his way home from school when he heard a dog crying for help. He followed the noise and realised that it was coming from an uncovered hole at the side of the road.

“I looked inside and saw my favourite dog down there,” said Raul.

Raul recognised the dog immediately because he often played with him in his home village.

“I wanted to save the dog and fell inside; I was calling but no one heard me,” said Raul.

Doctors can't believe Raul was found alive (image via The Siberian Times)

It is believed that the stone walls of the service shaft muffled the boy’s cries for help. However, Raul’s mother became worried when he didn’t return home and immediately contacted the authorities.

The Russian Interior Ministry began broadcasting an advertisment about her missing son and urged anyone who saw him to get in touch.

Over 200 volunteers joined a hunt for the boy but as the days passed, fears grew that little Raul would be found dead.

After three days, road workers were alerted when they heard a dog crying.

“We went around them [the service shafts] and heard a dog wailing,” said Maksim Belskiy, a local road engineer.

“There inside the well together with the dog was a boy. We called the police an ambulance immediately,” he added.

A doctor who treated Raul admitted that he was “in awe” that the child had managed to survive as night temperatures were at least -10C.

“He told us that all that time his dog and him were clutching to each other trying to warm each other up,” said the doctor.

According to the doctor, the dog’s body heat managed to stop Raul from developing hypothermia. If it wasn’t for the stray, Raul would most certainly be dead.

Raul is now back at home with his family and the stray dog also made a full recovery although its current whereabouts are unknown.