K-9 Dog Helps Find Missing LI Woman With Dementia: Police

EAST MORICHES, NY— A K-9 dog came to the rescue of a woman in East Moriches with dementia who was reported missing last week, police said.

According to Suffolk County Police, Irene Mazzeo, 62, was found safe and taken to a local hospital for evaluation; a Silver Alert had been issued when she went missing.

"We train our canine dogs for these exact moments and on a cold December night, our training may have saved a life," Suffolk County Police said on social media.

Mazzeo had last been seen at her home on December 1 at 8 a.m.; she often walks around the neighborhood but that day, she did not come home, police said.

Once reported missing, an extensive search was conducted by uniformed officers, the aviation section, the marine bureau, and the canine section, police said.

"And while all of the human officers gave it their best effort, it was Canine Jax who found the woman, shivering, cold and wet, lying on a log in the middle of the woods near her home on December 2 at 1:05 a.m. Fortunately, she is back home," police said. "Great job to Jax, and his handler, Canine Officer Ralph DiMasi."