TO: Honorable Mayor & Members of the North Port Commission
FROM: A. Jerome Fletcher II, ICMA-CM, MPA, City Manager
TITLE: Approve the Canine Donation Agreement By and Between the City of North Port, Florida, and High Cotton Bloodhounds for a Bloodhound Puppy Valued at $1,500.00 to be Utilized as a Search and Rescue Tool.
Recommended Action
Option 1: Approve the Canine Donation Agreement by and between the City of North Port, Florida, and High Cotton Bloodhounds for a bloodhound puppy valued at $1,500.00 to be utilized as a search and rescue tool.
City Commission Options
Option 1: Approve the Canine Donation Agreement by and between the City of North Port, Florida, and High Cotton Bloodhounds for a bloodhound puppy valued at $1,500.00 to be utilized as a search and rescue tool.
• Pros: North Port will have an invaluable resource to help keep our community safe and locate missing/endangered people. The current canine budget will absorb the maintenance expense of the dog.
• Cons: The North Port Police Department will incur the cost of the maintenance of the dog throughout its years of service.
Option 2: Deny the Canine Donation Agreement by and between the City of North Port, Florida, and High Cotton Bloodhounds for a bloodhound puppy valued at $1,500.00 to be utilized as a search and rescue tool.
• Pros: The North Port Police Department will not incur the cost of the maintenance of the dog throughout its years of service.
• Cons: Not having this resource available in cases where it is needed and having to rely on other agencies could create an unsafe response time in certain cases.
Background Information
The North Port Police Department (NPPD) has identified the need to add a bloodhound as an important search and rescue tool to provide a higher level of customer service to our citizens. As North Port grows and continues to get new facilities such as hospitals, mental health centers, more schools, etc., NPPD must tailor the Department’s resources to meet the new needs of the community.
Regionally, there are not many bloodhounds available to rely on through mutual aid, if that type of canine is needed. It is important that NPPD have this asset readily available to save precious time in response to certain calls, such as missing children or elderly. During the Brian Laundrie search, bloodhounds were called from around the State of Florida to assist, as this type of canine was most likely to succeed and proved to be successful in the case.
The bloodhound breed comes with significant advantages in tracking and finding individuals who have left an area on foot. The breed can “scent discriminate” to follow the odor of a certain person, greatly increasing the chances of finding them through crowded areas. Bloodhounds are also capable of finding individuals that have been missing for hours, even days in some documented cases.
The bloodhound breed is known as the elite athlete of the scent world. They have over 300 million olfactory receptors, more than almost any other breed, giving them a supercharged sense of smell. Bloodhounds have nearly 100 million more olfactory receptors than the average police dog breed, such as a German Shepherd.
Not only do bloodhounds greatly increase the chances of successfully locating missing people, but they come with a reduction in liability given the fact they are trained for only tracking and are not trained to bite anyone. A growing trend among law enforcement agencies, including neighboring jurisdictions, is to limit the use of bite-trained patrol dogs when locating individuals in non-criminal incidents such as missing persons cases. While patrol dogs may still be deployed with an abundance of caution in these situations, utilizing a bloodhound as the primary option is the safest and most appropriate approach. This practice helps protect the safety of the missing person while also reducing potential liability for the City.
High Cotton Bloodhounds was made aware of NPPD’s interest in potentially adding a bloodhound through the Department’s K-9 networking. High Cotton Bloodhounds reached out to the City regarding their desire to donate one of the bloodhound puppies that they had to law enforcement.
The Canine Donation Agreement by and between the City of North Port, Florida, and High Cotton Bloodhounds for a bloodhound puppy valued at $1,500.00 to be utilized as a search and rescue tool has been reviewed by the City Attorney and it is legally correct as to form.
The Canine Donation Agreement by and between the City of North Port, Florida, and High Cotton Bloodhounds for a bloodhound puppy valued at $1,500.00 to be utilized as a search and rescue tool was submitted to the City Clerk’s Office on December 29, 2025, subject to City Commission approval.
Strategic Plan Pillar
Safe Community
Financial Impact
Funding is currently allocated in the North Port Police Department’s Fiscal Year 2026 Budget for other Police Department canines in service. These funds will also be utilized for the following estimated recuring costs for the care and maintenance of the bloodhound puppy:
Ø Pack Track Subscription: $140.00 annually. Note: Year one is free.
Ø Tracking Certification (optional): $55.00 annually
Ø Food and Vet: Approximately $1,500.00 annually
Ø Heat Alarm Subscriptions: $168.00 annually. Note: Year one is free.
Procurement
Procurement Code, policies and procedures will be followed when purchases are made.
Attachments:
1. Canine Donation Agreement
2. Canine Bloodhound Donation Letter Exhibit A
3. Photo - AKC Registered Bloodhound Puppy
Prepared by: Jamie Ebershoff, Executive Assistant
Department Director: Todd R. Garrison, Chief of Police