As if we needed another reason to love dogs, now we have the privilege of meeting Cami, a devoted cattle dog hailed as a hero after saving her elderly owner’s life.
Donned in a purple puffy coat and red flannel shirt, Karen Davis, 82, went for an afternoon walk on December 29, 2025, with her blue heeler cattle dog. The pup, named Cami, is known to stay by the grey-haired woman’s side in case she falls.
But Davis failed to return home in Elmira, Oregon, about 30 minutes west of Eugene. Authorities acted swiftly, issuing an urgent public alert and launching a search in the woods near her home.
People can become hypothermic even in moderately cool temperatures if they’re wet or sweaty. Elderly people, in particular, are at higher risk of exposure because they generally have thinner skin and less efficient blood flow, according to AARP. And with temperatures set to drop into the thirties that evening, quickly finding the missing woman became all the more important.
Around ten volunteers from the Lane County Sheriff’s Department set out to find Davis, spending several hours scouring the woods near her home. What alerted them to her location wasn’t footprints or a cell phone ping, however, but rather the sounds of her steadfast pup, Cami.
Rescuers found Davis awake in rough terrain past the dead end of a forested road. Cami was spread across her legs, her body warmth likely helping her owner live. A dog’s body temperature runs a couple of degrees warmer than our 98 degrees, and their body heat can transfer to a cold person, keeping them warm and potentially saving their life. Plus, cuddles from a furry friend can help keep a lost person awake and ease their anxiety, writes the American Psychological Association.
Rescuers initially treated Davis for hypothermia before carrying her through the brush to an awaiting ambulance. She was later brought to an area hospital. As for Cami? She’s now heralded as a hometown hero.
“Cami kept her warm and signaled to Lane County Sheriff’s Search and Rescue volunteers as they searched the area,” Lane County Sheriff’s Search Office wrote on Facebook. “Thanks to area residents and Lane Fire Authority for their assistance on this search, and to Cami for being such a good dog!”
Someone give Cami all the treats.
The post Meet Cami, the Very Good Dog Whose Cuddles Saved Her Owner’s Life appeared first on Outside Online.
