K9s are an invaluable part of any police department. With their incredible sense of smell, police dogs can do many things human officers can’t, like finding a person by tracking their scent.
That skill plays a crucial role when it comes to finding missing people. Time is of the essence, especially when the missing person is a young child. And it’s even more important when it’s during a severe weather emergency.
Luckily, one 12-year-old girl who went missing during the recent Tropical Storm Elsa, but was soon found safe thanks to one smart tracking dog.
Elsa struck Florida last week, and the severe storm caused accidents leaving one dead and others injured.
And during the storm, a 12-year-old girl went missing in Lee County, Florida, putting her in serious danger. Luckily, the local Sheriff’s Office had an officer perfectly suited to find her: a bloodhound named Mercy.
Bloodhounds are famous for their incredible sense of smell, and Mercy has been putting her skills to good use as a member of the Lee County Sheriff’s Office since graduating from training last summer.
She specializes in tracking down missing people, so she was a crucial part of the search for the 12-year-old lost in the storm.
“Mercy tracked the little girl for more than half a mile through thick woods,” Lee County Sheriff’s Office wrote on Facebook.
Searching the woods during a tropical storm would normally be a huge undertaking, but Mercy followed her nose right to the girl, getting her home quickly and safely.
“Thankfully, Mercy found her and brought her safely back home to her family,” the sheriff’s office wrote.
News of Mercy’s successful rescue mission has now gone viral, with over 1.6 thousand people sharing the story on Facebook. Hundreds of comments praise Mercy as a hero.
Great job, Mercy! It’s incredible what K9 dogs can do. So glad she was around to find this girl so quickly!
Share this great news if you love K9 dogs!
