Bloodhounds Used In Search For Escapees

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MIAMI (CBSMiami) – Bloodhounds that are donated by the Jimmy Ryce Center are the same breed as those being used to search for escaped prisoners in New York.

Don Ryce, Jimmy Ryce's father, released a statement Thursday saying, "I am so glad to hear some amazing bloodhounds have been on the forefront helping law enforcement track down the Clinton Correctional escapees. We have long known the value of utilizing bloodhounds for their exceptional scent and tracking capabilities."

The dogs are assisting in the search for prisoners David Sweat, 34, and Richard Matt, 48, who escaped over the weekend.

Ryce also wished "everyone involved, both two and four legged, a safe and successful mission."

Ryce's son, Jimmy, was abducted in SW Miami-Dade, raped and murdered in September 1995. His killer was executed in February of 2014.

The Jimmy Ryce Center has provided AKC bloodhounds, for free, to law enforcement in an effort to find abducted and lost children and missing adults.

According to the Ryce Center, a bloodhound, which has 60 times the scent power of a German shepherd, is the only dog that can follow a human trail more than a few hours old."

The Ryce Center believes "Jimmy would be alive today if a bloodhound had immediately been brought in to search" for him.