They say that time is of the essence, and K9 officer Mary Lou sure knows it!
This amazing Bloodhound, working with Deputy Sarah Ernstes at Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, in Florida, showed her exceptional searching skills on January 26th, 2024.
The office received a report that one child had gone missing in the area, and Deputy Ernstes immediately responded with her team – including Mary Lou. The K9 put her incredible sense of smell to use, and within hours, she made a heroic rescue!
A Great Skill
Deputy Ernstes, her colleagues, and Mary Lou immediately responded to a call about the 11-year-old girl who was reported missing in Wimauma, Florida. Together with her handler, this amazing K9 girl quickly scanned the area and followed the girl’s scent.
Once they were done searching for the girl at her neighbor’s house, they learned that she was given a ride to one of the apartment complexes.
The search led them to a nearby park, where Mary Lou put her greatness on display!
After some time of searching, she started wagging her tail around one of the park bathrooms. According to her handler, Mary Lou does this only if she’s close to somebody, and that soon proved to be true!
Soon after they saw Mary Lou standing by the bathroom door, the officers initiated their rescue mission.
The Moment Of Pure Sweetness
The video posted by HCSO shows Mary Lou putting another successful rescue to an end.
“Our units headed to that location, where K9 Mary Lou was able to alert our deputies to a locked bathroom door at a park in the area,” HCSO wrote on Facebook.
After brief communication with the child, Deputy Ernstes was able to convince her that she was safe. Then, as soon as the girl unlocked the door and came out, a moment of pure sweetness happened!
Mary Lou seemed extremely enthusiastic about her rescue, and she wanted to end it in the most beautiful way ever! After Deputy Ernstes made sure that the girl had no fear of dogs, she let the K9 “do her thing.”
As a reward for finding the missing hooman, Mary Lou decided to give the girl the cutest kiss on the face and shower her with affection. Apparently, this K9 Bloodhound does this every time after she has a successful mission, and this time – she did it again!
The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office couldn’t be prouder of their officers who put their time and effort into doing this good deed.
“With their exceptional skills, they successfully located and brought home a missing 11-year-old girl, reuniting her safely with her family. I couldn’t be prouder of our team’s commitment to service and determination to protect and serve,” HCSO wrote in a Facebook post.
Mary Lou happens to be one of the most exceptional K9s in the office, and this time, she proved that she has a keen sense of smell once again.