Maine Warden K9 Luna Does It Again, Locating a Missing Etna Man

A Maine Game Warden K9 has done it again, locating a missing man in Etna who was in distress after a night in the woods.

How Did K9 Luna and Warden Latti Find Mr. Nolin?

Of course, K9 Luna didn't do it all by herself, but this dog has proven to be very adept at locating missing people. This time around, it was 74-year-old Joseph Nolin, who had gone missing while checking on his son's game cameras. Family members said Nolin suffered from a medical condition so they were concerned when he didn't return home.

A search was launched for the missing man, with Luna and Warden Latti searching a nearby bog. Suddenly, K9 Luna signaled that she had caught Nolin's scent. She started running just before Latti heard the man yell. Luna than stopped about 200 yards away and began barking, her signal that she had found the missing person. It was approximately 1:45 Monday afternoon and Mr. Nolin had been missing for nearly 30 hours. He was located about a mile from his house, in deep woods at the edge of a bog.

What Was Mr. Nolin's Condition When Found?

Wardens say he was in real trouble, unable to move, hypothermic, and dehydrated after spending a night in the woods with temperatures dropping below freezing. According to Latti, Mr. Nolin would later tell his son that he heard a bell, which was the bell on Luna's collar.

Then all of a sudden a black lab appeared and started to lick him and he knew he was saved.

Officials say the man was unable to move, but was alert and talkative, explaining to them how he got turned around and became lost. The Wardens gave him some food and Gatorade, and warmed him with blankets as they figured out how they were going to carry him through a mile of woods. Once he was, literally, out of the woods, a Maine Forest Service Helicopter transported him to a waiting ambulance near his son's house. Officials say he was hearty enough that he was released from medical care after being rehydrated and his body temperature returned to normal.

What Other Searches Have Been Resolved by Latti and Luna?

This was a collaborative effort between several agencies, and I don't want to minimize their contributions. But I'm a big fan of K9 Luna, who has been a very successful search and rescue dog. In September, Luna located a 35-year-old New Hampshire woman who got lost in Berwick. A year ago, Luna found a missing 80-year-old man with dementia in Oxford. In August of 2021, K9 Luna found an 11-year-old girl with autism in Gorham.

Today is national cook for your pet day. I think K9 Luna deserves a T-bone. Good dog.