'Amazing little puppy': Neglected dog now saving lives in Indian River County
The Brief
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.
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The Source
The information in this article comes from reporting done by FOX 35's Esther Bower.
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