A man who went missing on October 13 was found dead on the 15th, with his dog guarding his dead body, Lewis County Sheriff’s Department says.
On October 14, The Lewis County Sheriff’s Office revealed on their Facebook page that they were actively searching for 39-year-old Cody M. Johnson and his dog.
“Cody made a phone call at about 11:30 a.m. on Saturday, October 12, which is the last known contact with him,” the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office reveals.
USA TODAY reports that the man was found dead in Lewis County, New York by a local camp owner on October 15, around 3:35 P.M, with his loyal Pit Bull right by his side.
“His dog Afton had not left … Cody alone and (the dog) was located in good health,” Lewis County Sheriff’s Department investigator, James Blackwell, wrote in an email.
The investigator later added that it seems like Johnson may have died due to being outdoors in the cold weather.
Furthermore, Sheriff Mike Carpinelli tells WWNY that when they found Johnson’s body, Afton refused to leave his owner’s side.
The loyal pooch, which was revealed to be Johnson’s service dog for years, was only able to calm down after being offered water and biscuits.
“I was shown the photographs of the scene where it was,” Carpinelli said, “and just hearing that the animal was with the owner just goes to show the loyalty that dogs have with owners, the loyalty to it.”
Carpinelli also said that it was a little comforting knowing that Johnson wasn’t alone in the cold when he passed away.
“The dog that’d been with him for quite a while. His companion, and the loyalty he had with Cody. He stayed with him all those days and those evenings.”
WWNY reveals that Afton is now being taken care of by a family friend and will be turned over to Johnson’s family who are coming up from North Carolina.