Maine State Police K9 Uses Scent From a Magazine to Locate Missing Man

A K9 named, Winger, helped locate a man with dementia who went missing from his Southwest Harbor home for about six hours on September 22nd.

The 72-year-old man was last seen by his wife between 4 - 4:30 p.m. at the family’s ocean-front property. They contacted police around 7:30 p.m. Lt. Michael Miller of the Southwest Harbor Police Department requested a tracking canine.

Maine State Police Cpl. Chris Smith arrived with his K9, Winger, who was able to fix on the scent from a magazine at the table where the man was last seen. Winger followed a track through trails to the beach where the K9 team located the man approximately a half mile from his family's home. He was transported home.

Southwest Harbor PD requested assistance from the Coast Card, Arcadia National Park Rangers to assist with the search. The Maine Warden Service was also contacted.