Earlier this week, a Waterloo Regional Police service dog and its partner located a three-year-old child who was missing in a cornfield in Woolwich Township.
Police say they were called to a home on Wittick Road at around noon on Wednesday by parents whose three-year-old girl had wandered off.
With temperatures close to 30 degrees, there was concern for her wellbeing as it was thought she may have wandered into a nearby cornfield, police say.
They say that PSD Grim and his partner, Const. Marrissa Zuliani, began searching for the little girl.
They found her about two hours after she had gone missing, and despite the intense heat, the girl was found unharmed.
She was taken to hospital for observation as a precautionary measure, police say.
“Our canines are trained to support officers in many different types of investigations or matters,” police spokesperson Cherri Greeno told Global News.
“Outcomes such as this demonstrate why they are such an important part of our service and a value to our community.”
Grim and Zuliani are just one of four sets of teams in the Waterloo police K-9 Unit.
The dogs are trained to help find and apprehend suspects, locate missing persons, recover stolen or missing property or evidence, and detect hidden contraband, such as drugs, firearms, ammunition and currency.
“The canine handlers work as a team with their dog and form a special bond,” Greeno said. “We are very proud of the team of Constable Zuliani and Grim, as well as all of the other officers who responded to this call and ensured the safe return of the child. “
In 2018, the canines were used in 344 suspect tracks while helping to make 45 arrests.
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