Bangkok, May 18 (IANS): A disabled dog has become the pride of his village in northeast Thailand by rescuing a baby boy who was buried alive by his teenaged mother.

The sniffing and digging of the dog named Ping Pong attracted the attention of farmers to a spot in Ban Nong Kham village in Cham Phuang district earlier this week.

According to Ping Pong's owner, the dog's digging exposed the child's legs, prompting locals to take out the infant to safety, the Guardian reported.

A 15-year-old girl confessed to burying her baby and was charged with attempted murder. She said she had been scared of retribution from her father for getting pregnant.

The girl's family said they will look after the child, who was declared healthy after his rescue.

"The girl is now in the care of a psychologist and her parents because she is in great fear. She regrets what she did and said she acted on impulse without thinking it through. She feared her parents would find out she had been pregnant," said Lieutenant Colonel Panuwat Puttakam of Cham Phuang police.