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I’m Angie Snodgrass, and am part of the not-for-profit organization called 832 K-9’s Deputy Dogs. We raise, train and finally gift exceptional bloodhounds to law enforcement.
As an organization, we gift the trained dogs to law enforcement exclusively. In explanation, it isn’t because we think the deputy handler is better or worse than their search/rescue counterparts. By requesting letters from the Sheriffs of the applying departments, we confirm that the authorities will actually utilize the team, rather than having them sit on the sidelines hoping for that opportunity.
We first understood 30 years ago how valuable a bloodhound can be in a missing persons case. When my sister went missing from her farm home in Indiana in 1978, the idea of bloodhounds or their skill was never introduced. She was a 26-year old mother of two, with a sparkling personality and wit. Our family spent 10 long weeks waiting for information, along with authorities desperately trying to find her. . . Her murder is still unsolved today. Bloodhounds wouldn’t have made a difference in the outcome, but they might have alleviated some suffering, and possibly recovered evidence that would have solved this crime.
As our website details, this organization was formed in the memory of my son, Deputy Kody Snodgrass. He grew up with bloodhounds (my husband and I became involved in search/rescue after my sister’s murder), and so was a natural to begin handling the bloodhound “Jimmy” for Lake County Sheriff’s office in Florida. Kody was on the Tactical Team and a road deputy, but he felt most effective when he and “Jimmy” were on a track. They saved lives, discovered evidence, and helped locate evading criminals in the community. Well, obviously, I could go on and on about what a great son he was, and how proud we were of him. Every parent should be able to feel that their child is a hero, and we certainly did (and still do).
We lost Kody in a motorcycle accident 7 years ago, and formed this organization to continue good works, in his memory.
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