BSO K-9 Macie wags tail into retirement after 1K calls, 9 years of dedicated service
COOPER CITY - After answering over 1,000 calls, working for 9 years with little days off, and providing therapy to those in crisis, Macie the bloodhound with will be putting her paws up to rest.
"Since I started keeping track of her stats, which is about 2016, she's had over a hundred confirmed assists and find for both children and elderly," Deputy Kelli Covet, Macie's handler said.
Even with today's technology, nothing has really replaced a bloodhound's ability to sniff out a scent.
"We had a missing 5-year-old child when I got to the scene there were multiple officers on scene, detectives going door to door helicopter flying every resource you can think of was there so we went and got a pillowcase, I put Macie down where they thought they may have seen him last, we literally went two houses down, she jumped in the bushes and the kid was hiding in there," Covet told CBS4.
In fact, she says, people often forget how integral K-9 units play a role in everyday police work.
"Most of the time it was a bloodhound that was involved in missing a located loved one," she said.
From simple searches to complicated cases where the trail has gone cold, Macie has been focused, and hard-working.
"It's unfortunate that we have found people deceased but, we have found an important role in finding that family closure," Covet explained.
Macie came to the Broward Sheriff's Office through the Jimmy Ryce Center, when she was just a puppy. In 1995, 9-year-old Jimmy Ryce was abducted and killed in South Miami-Dade. His family started the non-profit with a mission to donate bloodhounds to help law enforcement find abducted and lost children.
"The Ryce family always felt that when Jimmy was abducted if there had been a bloodhound available that bloodhound would have found Jimmy alive, Jimmy was alive for hours," Terri Lynn, Jimmy Ryce Center Co-managing Director said.
Since the center began, it has donated 700 bloodhounds to the police. Macie was the first bloodhound given to BSO, and later became their first certified therapy dog as well.
"She brought smiles to people when they needed it, she responded to multiple tragedies," Covet said.
That includes tragedies like the Parkland shooting, and she has comforted not only the public but first responders. Some told CBS4 there's just something about her floppy ears and eyes that bring comfort to people.
"She is the best girl ever," a BSO staff member said.
As part of her send-off, BSO recognized Macie and Deputy Covet for their service, Macie also received chew toys and extra treats.
"Retirement-wise she's going to get to sleep in, relax at home, hang out by the pool and wait until my new partner to come home," Covet added.
Macie will spend the rest of her life with Covet at her home, and her new brother, Anthem, who will be taking over her duties. As a note, a dog of Macie's age is roughly equivalent to being 65 years old in human years, so pretty much close to the same age, many people want to retire.
