Max, the deaf and half-blind blue heeler that kept a little girl safe while she was lost in rugged bushland, has now officially become Queensland's first honorary police dog.
On April 20, three-year-old Aurora wandered off on a large property near Warwick in Queensland's Southern Downs, but she had Max at her side to cuddle her for comfort and warmth.
Aurora's grandmother Leisa Bennett joined more than 100 State Emergency Service volunteers and police in the search for the girl throughout the cold, wet night.
But it was 17-year-old Max that eventually led them to find her.
"He never left her sight," Ms Bennett said.
"She smelled of dog, she slept with the dog."
SES area controller Ian Phipps said Aurora and Max were found about two kilometres from the house she left the previous day, still on the family property at Cherry Gulley, 30 kilometres south of Warwick.
"The area around the house is quite mountainous and is very inhospitable terrain to go walking in, so she'd travelled quite a distance with her dog that was quite loyal to her," he said.
Max's loyalty prompted police that day to declare the old blue heeler an honorary police dog.
On Tuesday, police made it official.
The Warwick officer in charge, Senior Sergeant James Deacon and Darling Downs district dog squad officer in charge Sergeant Trevor O'Neil, visited Max to make good on the promise.
Max appeared to be pretty pleased to be presented with a Queensland Police Service collar and medallion.
It is hoped his services will not be needed again any time soon.
