MARTIN COUNTY, Fla. — The Martin County Sheriff's Office (MCSO) has a new helper to assist in search and recovery efforts.
Meet "Splash"— the nation's first search and recovery otter.
The 2-year-old Asian small-clawed otter is trained in scent detection and recovery work, and his sharp senses will help MCSO in locating people who are lost in bodies of water.
Splash was trained by Micheal Hadsell, from Peace River K9 Search and Rescue, a Southwest Florida–based nonprofit.
"We’re grateful to Peace River K9 Search and Rescue for visiting and sharing their innovative approach to recovery operations," MCSO wrote. "Sheriff Budensiek said it best — partnerships like this showcase how creativity and collaboration can help solve crimes even in the toughest environmental conditions."
