VOLUSIA COUNTY, Fla. -- Late Thursday night, volunteers and emergency crews rescued a 5-year-old Volusia County boy who was lost in dense woods for more than six hours. More than 40 deputies, along with dozens of volunteers, were just beginning their search for Kaleb Carreli, who became lost when he chased his dog into the woods near his home in DeLeon Springs.

Once he was found safe, the crowd of volunteers and deputies cheered as Kaleb Carreli was taken to a waiting ambulance.

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AT THE SCENE: Missing Boy Found Safe In Woods

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"He is in good shape, a little cold, a little scratched, but in good condition. This is how its supposed to end," Volusia County Sheriff Ben Johnson said.

The little boy got lost around 5:00pm Thursday after he ran barefoot into the woods looking for his dog. His mother tried to find him, but when it got too dark she gave up and called police. Thick trees, dense fog and swampy terrain made searching for Kaleb a challenge for the herd of volunteers.

A helicopter equipped with heat-seeking technology was called into action. However, the woods were too dense for the chopper's technology to work, so it left the scene. After the helicopter left, that is when volunteers heard cries from the missing boy.

"I was on an ATV and he was hollering and I stopped and went straight to him," volunteer searcher Tony Johns said.

Searchers spotted Kaleb around midnight in a patch of thick underbrush. It took rescuers about seven minutes to reach the boy due to the thick, swampy terrain.

When they finally got to him, he was safe and unharmed. His feet were a little scratched and he was cold. Kaleb went from the arms of rescuers into the arms of his waiting mother and then a waiting ambulance.

Kalbe was taken to Florida Hospital DeLand where he was treated and released. He was back home Friday morning.

The boy's dog is still missing.