A K-9 bloodhound reunited with its handler Thursday after it ran away during a training exercise the previous day.

Gunner, a K-9 unit dog from North Carolina, was visiting York County, South Carolina, for a training session. However, at around 3:00 p.m., Gunner “jerked away” from his handler and took off into a wooded area at King’s Mountain State Park, the York County Sheriff’s Office (YCSO) stated on Facebook.

Multiple officers began searching for the missing K-9, and the YCSO received help from neighboring law enforcement agencies, including the Caston County Police Department, the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office, and the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division.

Thankfully, after 25 hours of searching, Gunner was found “cold, wet, and thirsty” but in “good” health.

The officers who found Gunner said they saw him come out of the woods and were initially unsure if it was the missing K-9. But after approaching and getting a hold of the dog, they quickly realized it was Gunner.

“She gets down and just grabs the dog and says, ‘I am not letting this dog go,’ that’s how she did it. And I was like, ‘Oh, what’s this dog’s name?’ It said Gunner, and I said, ‘Oh God, that’s him!’ So that’s when we found him,” one of the officers told Queen City News.

The two officers who found Gunner said they had just been called in to help and had been searching for about an hour.

The YCSO released footage of the heartwarming moment Gunner was reunited with his handler, Harnett County Sheriff’s Office deputy Mike McCoy.

“Thank you everybody for what you have all done. I appreciate it,” an emotional McCoy said moments after reuniting with the bloodhound.

McCoy told the YCSO that he was “hollering” his name throughout the night and could hardly talk. “It’s a big relief,” he added.

The handler noted that throughout the past year he has been with Gunner, the K-9 has had approximately 35 or 36 successful missions.

Facebook users commenting on the YCSO video were also elated that Gunner had been found and was safe.

“So thankful!! This made me cry…such amazing dog and person connection…they are heroes!” said one user.

“Nothing unites all of us regardless of our beliefs like a lost & found dog story. Who’s a good boy?” another user commented.

You can follow Ethan Letkeman on Twitter at @EthanLetkeman.