Police dog finds missing 70-year-old hiker near a volcano. He had only one request
'Trina, when she got next to him, she licked his hand basically to let him know that we found him and that he’s safe.'
When news broke across social media that a senior hiker had vanished in the rugged terrain near an active volcano, the online community was immediately concerned. On October 21, 2026, KHON2 News reported the news and has gotten over 8,000 views and 150 likes. What began as a terrifying search and rescue operation in the heart of Hawaiʻi quickly transformed into one of the most heartwarming stories of the year.
Trina's amazing detective skills
The ordeal began around noon on October 19, when Hawaiʻi Island police received a frantic report that 70-year-old David Arai had been missing for over 24 hours in Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park. Given his age and the perilous wilderness, authorities classified him as "endangered" and launched an exhaustive ground and aerial search, utilizing a Hawaiʻi Fire Department helicopter to spot his rental vehicle. With time running out, officials brought in their secret weapon: Trina, a 3-year-old Swedish-trained K9 Labrador retriever specializing as a live-find human tracking canine. Alongside her handler, Officer Christopher Ross, Trina combed through treacherous trails. At 7:30 p.m., about seven hours after police received the missing-person report, Trina located Arai on a trail roughly two miles from his rental car.
Arai is safe
“The conditions were pretty bad going down that trail. And the first thing I noticed, I saw the top of his head, and he was slightly off trail in the bushes, like pretty much laying on his back,” Ross told KHON2. He added, “We led up to him, just wanted to make sure he was okay, and Trina, when she got next to him, she licked his hand basically to let him know that we found him and that he’s safe.” After being safely transported from the trailhead, Arai was rushed to Hilo Benioff Medical Center to receive treatment for severe exposure and dehydration. But while recovering, the grateful 70-year-old made a surprising request that stunned both the rescue team and the public.
Arai's doors are always open for Trina
Captivated by the gentle K9 who saved his life in the dark, Arai expressed a deep bond that he wasn't ready to let go of. His son, Kaohe, revealed to reporters that his father had completely fallen for his four-legged hero. "And if she ever retires and is looking for an adoption, [Arai is] open," Kaohe stated, adding, "He said he fell in love with that dog." The touching sentiment left Officer Ross deeply moved, as he later remarked, "It's a blessing just having this dog... Like my last thought before I fell asleep was that we truly have an angel on our hands."
More about K9 dogs
According to 3DK9 Defence Defect Deter's article from March 16, 2021, there are around 50,000 active police dogs in the United States. The K9 dogs are capable of performing several different functions that benefit the police force and the general public. These dogs are highly intelligent, trained for any scenario, and can also put their lives on the line to help protect the public. Labrador Retrievers like Trina are a popular choice for drug and explosive detection and search and rescue.
Separately, a 2026 study involving six certified wilderness search-and-rescue dogs found that human breath was a particularly strong component of the scent dogs used during searches, even more noticeable than skin scent in the study’s testing conditions. Researchers said the findings could help improve how handlers understand and train dogs for wilderness searches.
'Thank you, furry baby'
The heart-warming resolution of the rescue sparked an outpouring of love and admiration online, with readers flooding the comments section to celebrate K9 Trina's heroics. User @sajforever7865 simply wrote, "Thank you furry baby," while user @user-zo2ki7hy8j wrote, "Trina, you are an angel! Extra pets and treats :)."
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