DADE CITY, Fla. — There's a new K-9 at the Pasco County Sheriff's Office, and she's the first of her kind.
Maddie is the first "live-find" K-9 the sheriff's office has had. That means she is trained to locate people who are still alive after disasters hit. Whether it's a natural disaster or man-made, K-9 Maddie is trained to help find survivors who may be trapped somewhere.
K-9 Maddie is a 2-year-old Labrador Retriever. She will be partnered with her handler Deputy Robert Lewis. The duo is state-certified for search and rescue efforts and will soon be federally certified.
Once the two are federally certified, they will be able to travel anywhere in the U.S. to help after disasters.
The funds for K-9 Maddie were donated by the Moore family. She was named in honor of their daughter Maddie Moore, who suddenly died in 2017. Her family said her dream was to work in forensics. The Moore family said K-9 Maddie's work is a great way to honor the memory of their daughter.
You can read more about the other K-9s at the Pasco County Sheriff's Office here.
- Coronavirus in Florida: 1 year after the first cases
- Tampa Bay couple remembers journey home 1 year after being trapped on a cruise ship due to COVID-19
- Expert addresses 3 of the most frequently asked questions about J&J's COVID vaccine
- Third stimulus check: Potential timeline for $1,400 payments
- Trump teases White House bid, all but explicitly announcing 2024 run
- World War II veteran in Sarasota honored with birthday parade
►Breaking news and weather alerts: Get the free 10 Tampa Bay app
►Stay In the Know! Sign up now for the Brightside Blend Newsletter
