The baying of bloodhounds echoed through the air at the State Capitol as law enforcement officers from across the state convened in Tallahassee for the Eighth Annual Bloodhound Scent Tracking Seminar. Master Deputy Steve Ferreira of the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office and his bloodhound Jolene weighed in on the training.
“We lay tracks down, a mile long, we let them age for an hour or so, two hours, and then we go out and play hide and seek with the dogs. It teaches the dogs different environments," he said.
The handlers and canines gathered at the Capitol in support of Florida Missing Children's Day. Because of their heightened sense of smell, bloodhounds are often specifically trained for use on missing persons cases.
During the week-long seminar, handlers and bloodhounds alike develop techniques to effectively track missing persons. After hundreds of hours of training the teams will be certified, and the canines even get their own badges.
Master Deputy Ferreira pointed out the real potential of this training. Working with another canine named Joker, Ferreira and his team located two missing children this year.
"It's a different kind of feeling to tell somebody you've found their child," he said.