SUCCESSFUL TRAIL

May 11, 2017, MARK-9 was called out by Dallas Police Department for a 71 y/o female that went missing from her home on May 5. The subject is an Alzheimer's patient that has done this previously, but had been located quickly by PD. It had rained a couple of times between May 5 and May 11 and the police were informed there may not be a trail due to age and the rain.

INBTI Instructor Kevin Pirtle went inside the residence to obtain a scent article; as he did a fast moving thunderstorm rolled in with heavy rain and quickly passed. He brought out K9 Khloe and did the normal scent inventory/pre-starting ritual from the back door of the house. K9 Khloe took a right turn going north and after a block gave a negative. She was then cast in the intersection and gave another negative.

INBTI Instructor Kevin Pirtle then brought out K9 Trooper to confirm. He trailed a block taking a right turn at the intersection and working down another block to the next intersection where he threw a negative.

On May 14, Mark-9 was called back out to the Dallas area where the subject was sighted by a security guard at Baylor Hospital in downtown. She was seen at approximately 12:30 on Friday May 12. Mark-9 responded, obtained a scent article from her residence and were escorted to Baylor Hospital by Police Department. Police gave a general area where she was sighted.

INBTI Instructor Kevin Pirtle retrieved K9 Khloe and began the normal scent inventory on both sides of the street, around the entrance to Baylor Hospital Emergency department and after the pre-starting ritual, Khloe was started. She immediately turned right going 10 feet, gave a negative and turned back to the left crossing the road. Her nose hit the sidewalk and her pace increased. It was then Kevin informed his backup and the accompanying officers that they were on trail. They trailed through downtown Dallas and surrounding neighborhoods and had to take several breaks due the 90 degree temps. K9 Khloe worked to a concrete bike and walking path and began heading back toward downtown. After a few minutes, her speed increased and she was showing flowing negatives. It was relayed to police department that they were on a fresher trail. After over 2 hours and 3.6 miles, Khloe led the team to a "T" in the path. She checked both directions and she gave negatives both ways. Instructor Pirtle took her back down the path to recover the trail, had her check a street and she gave a negative. He could tell Khloe was getting hot and exhausted, so the decision was made to stop the dog. The officer was advised to look in the area where we had stopped.

The next morning, the female subject was found at a homeless shelter sitting under a tree, 1/2 mile away from the point Instructor Pirtle and K9 Khloe had stopped!

When asked if Instructor Kevin had anything else to add he said "I want to say thank you to Kevin Kocher for giving us the Kocher method. This method of training for intensity and motivation allows us to be able to work through the heaviest of contamination as stated above. As we always say, urban is where the money is!"

Thank you MARK-9 and Kevin Pirtle for having such a valuable resource on standby and available to law enforcement in your area!