Jerry likes to enjoy himself, but the Massachusetts police K-9 knows it's not all fun and games. Last week, he helped find a group of teenagers that disappeared near Mirror Lake in Fort Devens.
"He tracks human odor and he tracks ground disturbances. So every time you step on the grass, grass gets crushed and emits an odor, as well as the odor that comes from a human," said his partner, Sgt. Josh Tocci.
Police say the teens were exploring the woods around the lake Friday and found an old underground bunker. They wandered inside, and that's when the door shut behind them.
"The door shut from the wind and they weren't able to get out," said Lunenburg Police Chief James Marino.
The trapped teenager managed to stick a cellphone out a vent in the bunker and call for help. It let dispatchers narrow the search for emergency responders in the field, including Jerry.
"The K-9 officer used the dog to get a scent from their vehicle," Marino said.
Tocci and Jerry started their search where the vehicle used by the teens was found. About a half-mile from there, in the woods, the 6-year-old German shepherd came across the bunker. State police and other officers quickly busted the door down, freeing the the group after about 90 minutes.
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"They asked if the dog was the one who found them. We said yes," Tocci said.
The teens were thrilled. They even had their picture taken with Jerry before they went home for the weekend, safe and sound.
