Lou Battistella, commander of the Greensburg Bloodhound Team, had no intention of bringing another dog on board after the death of Darcy, a 12-year-old canine who worked more than a decade with the team.
“Sometimes, things happen for a reason,” Battistella said via email.
Battistella took in Demi, a 10-week-old bloodhound, on March 10. The dog comes to the team from Copperhead Bloodhound Kennel in Illinois, where she was born. She will fill the gap left by Darcy, who died from cancer Feb. 21.
Demi was transferred to Greensburg by the National Police Bloodhound Association after her originally selected handler, based in New York, developed a shoulder injury.
She will attend the association’s annual spring training seminar in April, completing 32 hours of field training. Demi is already beginning to show her potential, Battistella said.
“In all my years working with seven different bloodhounds, Demi has shown remarkable drive, enthusiasm and natural ability,” he said.
The bloodhound team was formed in 1969 by then-Greensburg fire Chief Edward Hutchinson. Bloodhounds can follow scent trails left behind by skin cells, pointing the dog’s human counterparts in the right direction.
Demi will be the 34th dog to serve on the team, alongside two-year-old Delsie. She is expected to start working with the team in September.