'Amazing little puppy': Neglected dog now saving lives in Indian River County
Penny, a rescue pup from a neglectful home, has been adopted by the Indian River County Sheriff's Office and trained for search and rescue.
After completing her training with the Brevard County Sheriff's Office K9 unit, she is now certified to assist in locating missing and endangered individuals.
Penny and her handler, Deputy Samuel Lewis, have already responded to multiple calls, showcasing the impact of giving rescue dogs a second chance.
ORLANDO, Fla. - A pup that needed saving will now save lives in Indian River County.
The backstory
"Penny" was rescued from a bad home and adopted by the Indian River County Sheriff's Office.
Now, she's paying it forward in the search and rescue department after sharpening her skills in Brevard County.
Penny came to the Space Coast to learn under the Brevard County Sheriff's Office K9 trainers because they've been training dogs for decades and know how to help them learn crucial skills.
Her handler, Deputy Samuel Lewis, says she will help in the "search and rescue for missing and endangered elderly and kids, autism, Alzheimer's."
What's next
Her new mission in life is to help others after her life started out pretty rough for the 1-year-old pup.
"We know that she was taken from a neglectful home, not properly cared for, malnutrition, not properly fed," said Jacob Curby, who's the K9 Sergeant for the Indian River County Sheriff's Office.
The Indian River County Sheriff's Office adopted her from a hound rescue in North Florida and sent her to the Space Coast to learn from a well-established K9 training program.
"We have dogs trained in just about every facet you could do," said Tod Goodyear, who's the public information officer for BCSO.
BCSO taught Penny all the tracking skills she and Deputy Lewis need for search and rescue operations. Penny passed her national certification test and can now pay it forward.
"It is a great way to get a dog out of a bad situation, turn it around and train it and put it out to help a community," said Goodyear.
Penny's already making an impact on those closest to her.
"Life changing," said Deputy Lewis. "She's the best thing to be able to rescue her and be able to help her out."
Deputy Lewis loves his new partner. They're stationed at the county jail right now and have already responded to several missing people calls in the community.
"She's an amazing little puppy," concluded the deputy.
BCSO has trained hundreds of law enforcement K9s, from therapy to narcotics and patrol, not only in Florida but across the country.
STAY CONNECTED WITH FOX 35 ORLANDO:
Download the FOX Local app for breaking news alerts, the latest news headlines
Download the FOX 35 Storm Team Weather app for weather alerts & radar
Sign up for FOX 35's daily newsletter for the latest morning headlines
FOX Local: Stream FOX 35 newscasts, FOX 35 News+, Central Florida Eats on your smart TV
The Source
The information in this article comes from reporting done by FOX 35's Esther Bower.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
10-08-2025
- Yahoo
Coffee morning helps raise awareness of issues facing older people
A coffee morning in Bury St Edmunds has helped raise awareness of the challenges facing older people. The "Raise a Cup" event was hosted at Liberty Lodge, a Churchill Living development, with charity Hourglass in attendance to discuss safer ageing. Penny Wilby, community fundraising manager at Hourglass, joined apartment owners in the lounge on Thursday, July 31, to discuss the charity's work. A new partnership between Churchill and Hourglass will see £400,000 donated over the coming years to support services such as a 24/7 helpline and a national network of frontline teams. The event took place on July 31 (Image: Supplied) Ms Wilby said: "I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know the staff and owners at Liberty Lodge and talking to them about how Hourglass is fighting to combat the abuse and exploitation of older people. "It's a fight we can't win on our own, so we need companies and individuals to help us wherever they can." Lodge manager Silke David added: "This event was a perfect opportunity to celebrate this, and to talk about the importance of connection and safety for the over-60s."
CBS News
08-08-2025
- CBS News
Pittsburgh firefighters hit the streets for another year of the "Fill The Boot" campaign
If you're driving around the Pittsburgh area today, chances are you'll see firefighters holding up a boot at several intersections, and it's not because they're missing a shoe; they're hoping you'll help. They're filling the boots to raise money for children with muscular dystrophy. "We collect for muscular dystrophy, it's a great cause, and all the money stays here to benefit kids," said Captain Chuck Lewis of the Pittsburgh Bureau of Fire. It's a part of a tradition that has been going strong since 1954, when the International Association of Firefighters made the Muscular Dystrophy Association its official charity. "Twenty years now, and my father used to do it, and my grandfather used to do it," Lewis said. "He started this in the Pittsburgh area back in 1959." That legacy is still going strong on the streets. "I'm just interested in helping out our community," said Elizabeth Cook, one of the many who donated at an intersection during the day. You'll likely see these firefighters around the city all day waving boots at drivers, pedestrians, and anyone else who passes by. If you don't have spare change in the cupholder, there's another way to donate. "Feel free to scan the QR code, it gives you a little background on who MDA is, it's for a good cause, and helps many adults and children with MD," Lewis explained. So, if you see a firefighter holding a boot, whether it's cash, change, or scanning the QR code, every dollar counts.
Boston Globe
17-07-2025
- Boston Globe
Caribbean American community advocates recognized at the second annual State House breakfast
Advertisement 'We are here to accentuate the excellence that we see in the room and to never forget that,' said Kwame Elias, the Director of Community Outreach at Boston Caribbean American Association. 'Without unity, there can be no community.' Boston is home to one of the largest Caribbean communities in the country. The city's Caribbean population has grown by 212 percent since 1980, with the three largest countries of origin being the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, and Haiti, according to Boston's Planning Department. Governor Maura Healey and Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll, whose mother was born in Grenada and raised in Trinidad, also made appearances. Healey handed the first award to Joyce Stanton, Advertisement Stanton's 'happiness, spirit, and joy are just infectious,' Healey said. 'Congratulations to all of today's awardees,' Healey said during her speech. 'Our administration stands shoulder to shoulder with all the work you're doing.' Chrylann Barrett-Lewis, and Bay Cove Human Services, an organization that supports people with mental health challenges and substance use. When she first found out that she was nominated for the award, she was surprised. She joked that she thought the notification was a 'spam email.' The Boston Caribbean American Association had circulated a form where community members could nominate people they believe elevated the Caribbean experience in the Commonwealth. Afterwards, the board decided on the honorees. Regardless of her initial reaction, Barrett-Lewis, a first-generation Jamaican, said the award is a testament to the strides the Caribbean American community has made. 'It means everything to be able to see representation and to see other folks from the Caribbean making a life,' Barrett-Lewis said. 'A lot of folks leave their original home to come to the United States to make a 'better life.'' The award ceremony comes in the midst of a tense political climate for the Caribbean community. Last September, President Trump repeated baseless claims that undocumented Haitian immigrants in Springfield, Ohio, were 'eating the dogs.' Melodie Levy, an honoree from North Attleborough, said the Trump presidency feels 'heavy.' 'Even though we are lawyers, doctors, teachers and other professionals, we're not seen as that,' Levy said. 'I hate the word 'aliens.' It just irks me.' Advertisement The Caribbean population has been in Boston for over a century — but only in the past decades has the community started to see Caribbean faces in top political positions. The Boston Caribbean American Association, which officially formed in 2024, has made progress in 'getting stakeholders to take the Caribbean community much more seriously,' Elias said. Denna Mary Gilot, who also works with the organization, emphasized cohesion among the Caribbean communities, which encompasses 13 countries. Though there's different islands, opinions, and dialects, it's about 'unity at the end of the day,' she said. In the upcoming years, the organization hopes to continue advocating for a cultural district and a 'big, welcoming community center' for the Caribbean community — the same way that there's a Chinatown for Chinese immigrants and the North End for Italian immigrants, Elias said. 'Every other immigrant community has a place that they call home. We don't,' Elias said. '(The Caribbean community) is very scattered in our different pockets, in our different neighborhoods.' With the ceremony in its second year, organizers hope to keep the momentum going. 'Hats off to the team, to everyone,' Elias said. 'Here's to year number three.' Jessica Ma can be reached at
