![rufus thomas walking the dog rufus thomas walking the dog](https://img1.bdbphotos.com/images/orig/r/2/r29pwhe6hfdkh6dw.jpg)
When a nearby nuclear explosion occurs, Rufus takes cover in an abandoned vehicle from the shockwave. Grace unties Rufus as Morgan puts Rachel down and recovers the baby. Later, Rufus leads a zombified Rachel to the USS Pennsylvania where Morgan and Grace hear the baby's cries and emerge. After realizing that she won't make it to safety in time, Rachel gags herself, ties herself to Rufus and then commits suicide, asking the dog to find people for her daughter. Rachel has Rufus with her when she gets a flat tire and then a broken leg. When Morgan's Group arrives at the USS Pennsylvania, Rachel has Rufus at her side. Rufus runs around town as Dwight welcomes Charlie and Alicia to the dam community. Morgan checks on Rufus, who is seemingly okay. While driving back to Humbug's Gulch to see if Rufus can pick up a scent in the last place Grace was seen, the car is struck by another.
![rufus thomas walking the dog rufus thomas walking the dog](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/q5NAcDmWRWo/hqdefault.jpg)
Morgan unsurely shows Rufus a jacket belonging to Grace in an attempt to see if he can pick up a trail. Rufus is seen waiting in the truck after Morgan picks up supplies left by Daniel. When Emile and Morgan have their final encounter, Emile is left dead, with Rufus seemingly staying in the valley with Rachel and Morgan. Rufus eventually tracks Morgan down again to a water tower, yet Emile fails to kill Morgan. Rufus urges to go inside, though when let in finds no trace of Morgan. When Emile accepts the bounty after Morgan Jones, Rufus is used again to track down Morgan's scent, eventually leading Emile to Morgan and Isaac's place of hiding in a town. Rufus briefly licks Walter's severed head. Rufus is greeted and pet by Emile, though before Walter is able to understand the situation, Emile tells him that Rufus is his dog and kills Walter. Rufus soon catches up, and is described by Walter to have been following him for days. While Emile is preparing dinner, Walter, who is being chased by Rufus, comes to him asking for help from the people tracking him. Rufus at some point became trained by Emile LaRoux to be used in his bounty hunting work. Despite that Emile was told Josiah could not have possibly survived, Rufus eventually found him in the smoke, saving his life. When a forest fire trapped a group of hikers, Josiah became lost in the flames trying to rescue them. Before the outbreak, Rufus worked as a search and rescue dog for Emile and Josiah LaRoux during their time as park rangers.