ALMA (KFSM) -- A family dog comes to the rescue just to end up missing.
"We had a grease fire in the kitchen and my son was asleep in his bedroom," said Kristall Hays, who was away at the Steel Horse Rally when the fire took place.
She continued, "Luckily, our dog was out back. She was barking at his bedroom window to try to wake him because she knew something was wrong.
Kristall's son, Chris did wake up.
Ruby saved the family from the fire that took their home. Now the family is searching for Ruby.
"We believe she had a little pit and a little Labrador in her," explained Hays.
When Chris escaped the home, he took the dog to a neighbor across the street.
"And our dog had gotten out of that (neighbor's) yard a few days later," said Hays.
Now, as the family temporarily stays at a hotel, they spend many of their nights searching for Ruby.
"My best friend's gone. (She) saved her son's life," said Barry Cook.
That life saving dog was a birthday present for Cook.
"We got her for my birthday in September."
"She's the best dog in the world," he said.
Hays describes the dog as, "a slim dog, female, and all four of her toes on her paws were white."
Meanwhile, the home is a total loss.
"Whatever wasn't damaged by the fire was damaged by smoke or water."
The family has put in applications for new places to stay, but so far, nothing has gone through. Regardless, they say they're just thankful everyone made it out alive.
And they are hoping to find Ruby -- soon.
The fire started because the daughter left the stove on. They say it's a reminder to always check to make sure it's turned off.