Search ramps up for retired Sacramento Sheriff’s K9 missing since Christmas from Olivehurst
Family, volunteers and Sacramento County Sheriff’s officials are continuing an intense, sweeping search for a retired sheriff’s K9 who has been missing since Christmas, last seen in rural Yuba County.
The Police and Working K-9 Foundation said in a news release Tuesday that an expanded search effort will begin New Year’s Day, which will mark one week since Levi went missing from his handler’s home in Olivehurst.
The recently retired black Labrador Retriever “was out on a romp in the countryside near his home when he disappeared on Christmas Day,” the news release said, including a flier with photos and details about the dog.
Hundreds of people have helped search and spread the word about Levi, the foundation says, with a Sacramento sheriff’s helicopter and a private drone being used in recent days to search the rural area where the dog was last seen, but with no luck. People have also searched on foot and using ATVs.
Levi formerly worked airport detail with the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office, handler and owner Det. Tori Rolland said in the news release.
“I hope and pray that I get my sweet boy back,” Rolland wrote in a Facebook post Monday evening. “Even for one last hug and kiss.”
According to the new flier, Levi is 7 years old, weighs about 71 pounds, was last wearing a black collar with a silver chain, has a scar above his right eye, a tattoo inside one of his ears and is gray under his chin. He is neutered and microchipped.
Rolland has posted frequently to social media about Levi’s disappearance and started a Facebook group titled “Bring Levi Home” and GoFundMe page to create a community-sourced reward, in addition to the cash reward Rolland has promised personally to whoever finds Levi.
“Experts have advised that, in addition to searching the local area, the search should be expanded to a larger geographical area in Northern California in case K-9 Levi has been picked up by a good Samaritan that did not know that he was missing,” the K-9 foundation news release said.
“We need the word about Levi’s disappearance spread far & wide to other Northern California counties to increase the chances of bringing him home safely,” the new flier said.
Rolland and the foundation are asking social media users to share posts about Levi to help widen the search effort for the dog.
Anyone with information about Levi is urged to contact Rolland at 916-549-4350 or by email at Tori_Rolland@yahoo.com.
