Pasco Sheriff's Office adding three new K-9 teams
PSO welcomes three new bloodhounds. Courtesy: Pasco Sheriffs Office
PASCO COUNTY, Fla. - The Pasco Sheriff’s Office mainly uses bloodhounds to find missing people since they have a keen sense of smell.
The PSO K-9 Unit is adding three new single-purpose tracking K-9 teams consisting of bloodhounds and their trained handlers. The dogs can follow scents, even after a long delay or through crowds, making them perfect for helping deputies search for people faster.
The three bloodhounds are littermates who were born on Oct. 26, 2022 in Kentucky, according to the sheriff's office. Deputies say K-9s are selected based on their drive, personality and how they work with their handlers.
READ: Sibling cats left at shelter with heartbreaking note: 'My mom can’t take care of me anymore'
PSO says that the K-9s live at home with their handlers when they aren't working.
The bloodhounds were trained for nine months by two Pinellas County Sheriff's Office K-9 teams starting in January 2023. Deputies say they learned tracking and scent detection in PSO’s Law Enforcement Bloodhound Tracking School.
Officials say that bloodhounds begin training earlier than typical law enforcement K-9s to build their natural instincts.
READ: Hotter temperatures heating up leatherback turtle nests on Florida beaches
The two K-9s from Pinellas County are also littermates of the three PSO K-9s, according to the Pasco Sheriff's Office.
Last week, the four-legged first responders had a graduation ceremony and were given their certifications. PSO's K-9s also met those who donated funds to help the teams with their deputy partners, according to officials.
PSO says there's a total of 40 working dogs that are paid with community donations. Meet the newest additions to PSO:
K-9 Dream & Dep. Patrick
K-9 Dream's partner is Dep. Patrick. Courtesy: Pasco Sheriff's Office
K-9 Dream’s partner is Dep. Patrick, who joined PSO in 2017 and was previously assigned to patrol before joining K-9. Dep. Patrick is also a member of SWAT. Dep. Patrick describes Dream as stubborn, yet playful and friendly. He also says Dream goes "100 mph whether at work or at home." K-9 Dream has also earned the nickname "Chewy" because his favorite treats are anything he can find. The funds for K-9 Dream were generously donated by Ice Dreammm and he is named in their honor.
K-9 Simon & Dep. Leyton
K-9 Simon's partner is Dep. Leyton. Courtesy: Pasco Sheriff's Office
K-9 Simon’s partner is Dep. Leyton, who joined PSO in 2017 and was previously assigned to the training unit. Dep. Leyton says Simon is methodical while working, but playful and loving when at home. K-9 Simon’s favorite toys are water bottles and he loves to be outside. The funds for K-9 Simon were generously donated by the Simon Property Group, who manage the Tampa Premium Outlets in Lutz.
K-9 Spinner & Dep. Schaub
K-9 Spinner's partner is Dep. Schaub. Courtesy: Pasco Sheriff's Office
K-9 Spinner’s partner is Dep. Schaub, who joined PSO in 2015 and was previously assigned to patrol. K-9 Spinner may be relaxed at home, but is very driven and excited to track at work. Spinner’s favorite toy is his tug and Dep. Schaub says he’s very active and excited about tracking. The funds for K9 Spinner were generously donated by the Spinner Law Group and he is named in their honor.