PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla — The Port St. Lucie Police Department announced they have added some new furry friends to their K-9 force.
Rylee and Hoot, two seven-month-old bluegrass bloodhounds, will be the brand-new members of the K-9 unit.
🚨New K9 Puppy Alert🚨
— Port St. Lucie PD (@PSLPolice) August 7, 2024
PSLPD is proud to announce that the Jimmy Ryce Center has donated Rylee and Hoot, 2 female bloodhounds that are the newest members of our K9 Unit.
Last month, the K9 Unit supervisor traveled to Bluegrass Bloodhounds in Leitchfield, Kentucky and brought… pic.twitter.com/jPRigauD4l
Over the next several months, they will spend about 300 hours training including obedience, tracking and trailing.
Port St. Lucie Officer William Harris said these bloodhounds have a strong advantage in tracking compared to other breeds.
“Everything about that dog is about acquiring and trapping scent and following that scent,” said Harris. “On top of their olfactory senses in their nose, their ears, the way their ears drape, the folds of their skin and the oils in their skin, it actually helps them to stick odor to their body so they can track and follow that odor.”
Once training is done, the bloodhounds will be assigned to regular duties on road patrol and they will be used to help with non-violent suspects and missing and endangered persons.
