OSCEOLA COUNTY, Fla. — The Senior Resource Alliance donated K9 Valor, a trained bloodhound, to the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office on Tuesday to assist in locating missing persons, particularly individuals with dementia and developmental disabilities such as autism.
The dog is paired with Deputy Luis Paredes-Labrador and is joining him on duty this month.
The donation is part of the Bringing the Lost Home project, which Senior Resource Alliance launched in 2021 in partnership with Scent Evidence K9 and the U.S. Department of Justice.
Through the initiative, the nonprofit organization has donated 11 bloodhounds to local law enforcement agencies, helping locate more than 120 missing people.
Prior to joining the agency, Valor completed extensive training with Scent Evidence K9.
Along with the bloodhound, Senior Resource Alliance provided scent kits for the Sheriff’s Office to distribute to local residents.
The packages can store a person’s unique scent for up to a decade to accelerate search efforts during emergencies.
Senior Resource Alliance President and CEO Karla Radka emphasized the impact that rapid search responses have on families during missing person emergencies.
“When someone vanishes, the impacts are far-reaching: the person’s safety is at risk, and loved ones are pushed into a frightening and overwhelming wait for answers,” Radka said. “Cutting down on wait times provides important relief for Central Floridians navigating the unthinkable and we’re honored to work with the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office to continue growing this program across our region.”
Osceola County Sheriff Christopher Blackmon expressed appreciation for the organization’s contribution to local public safety. “On behalf of the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office, I want to extend our gratitude to the Senior Resource Alliance for their generous donation,” Blackmon said. “Valor will be able to help those in the community at their most vulnerable moment. We are grateful for SRA’s support and commitment to the safety of our community.”
Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live.