It was during a hot and humid day in Florida, with the temperature reaching the 90th degree, that Toby, a K9 dog, and his handler, deputy Craig Lariz, were called into action.
The mission was to locate a 67-year-old woman who was reported missing. The woman had dementia and disappeared after she walked away from her home near Tampa.
After searching through a grassy and thick area behind the woman’s home and her closest ones preparing for the worst because she was nowhere to be found, a turning point happened.
Thanks to Toby and Lariz, the poor lady was found some 250 feet from her residence. The police said that if it weren’t for Toby and his sniffing skills, they wouldn’t have found her so fast.
The Rescue Mission Was Filmed on the Body Cam Footage
The body cam footage showed the woman lying in the grass, but barely responsive and unable to move.
According to Hillsborough County PD Sheriff Chad Chronister, her grandson was watching the woman and he explains that he thought that she was inside the home when she had actually gotten out.
The police say that they weren’t contacted until the next day so the search was even harder.
When the police got to the location, they noticed that the lady had several bug bites as well as some lacerations from her walking through the briars. He also explained that aviation was unable to see the deputies, let alone the woman lying there. It’s good news that they have K9s.
Although this rescue mission was a joint effort, the real hero is actually bloodhound and K9 Toby. If it weren’t for him, the sheriff said that this call could’ve had a tragic ending.
Thanks to Toby, it all ended pretty well, with minor consequences.
How Is the Rescued Woman Doing Now?
According to the deputies, the woman was carefully transported to a helicopter and then taken to a local hospital where she had to get treated for serious dehydration.
It was thanks to smart and well-trained K9 Toby that the lady is alive today and recovering surrounded by her family, explained the sheriff.
Sources:
