A canine hero is being credited with tracking down a missing 13-year-old boy. Port St. Lucie Police body camera video captured the moment Officer Robert Burdick and his bloodhound K-9 “Hoot,” found a missing 13-year-old boy with autism in Fort Pierce, Monday night. The boy had just finishe d a workout and was waiting by a family member’s car when, within seconds, he vanished. “He had walked out of the door, normally, as he always does, and in seconds, he was gone,” said Well Fitness Center Owner Nicholas Burgos. Fort Pierce Police searched on foot and by air with a drone before calling in Port Saint Lucie Police’s K-9 unit for help. Hoot began searching after sniffing a piece of the boy’s clothing. “They are picking up that odor, that scent, whether it’s sweat, things of that nature,” said Officer Brittany McNally. “They have a much better keen sense of smell than humans do. After the boy’s scent was detected, Hoot led the officers to him, who was found about a mile from the gym in the woods alongside the railroad tracks. “It’s absolutely incredible, I mean, who doesn’t love a good K-9 story with a great outcome and reuniting that family with that child? This is just a great, great outcome,” said McNally. This time, the boy was found within two hours, but that’s not always the case. According to advocates, children with autism wander away often, which could turn dangerous quickly. Gene Saunders is the founder and CEO of Project Lifesaver International. This non-profit organization supplies law enforcement agencies with devices to help track and locate people with autism or dementia. “I’m ecstatic, as long as they’re found safely, whatever method they use, I think it’s great,” said Saunders. Saunders urges parents of autistic children to be extra cautious. “Autistic children can go in an instant for a lot of different reasons,” said Saunders. “I think the best thing the parents can do is be aware of their child at all times, know where they are, and you need to do as much as possible as often as possible.” Port St. Lucie Police said K-9 Hoot has now helped find four missing children in just two years. ...read more read less