COLUMBIA COUNTY, Fla. – It’s not every day that a K9 unit is recognized for its efforts to find a missing person and return him or her home.

The Florida Department of Corrections (FDC) K9 tracking team from the Baker Reentry Center recently helped the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office locate a missing 78-year-old disabled woman in MacClenny.

“We are extremely proud to serve the community around us, especially in times of need like these,” said Baker Reentry Officer Ronnie Woodall. “Our K9 tracking teams are comprised of the best in the industry, and we sincerely appreciate our relationship with our local law enforcement partners who provide a pathway for individuals like this to be brought back home safely.”

The FDC K9 unit’s mission is usually to find and capture escaped prisoners, but since prisoner escapes are less common in modern times, the teams are now used to assist local law enforcement.

They can track dangerous fugitives and find missing children and vulnerable adults.

It took the K9 team nearly two hours to find the missing woman, who was located about 2 miles from where they began their search.