Carmel K9 Finds Missing Man In Somers

CARMEL, NY — Fresh from a demonstration for families at the egg hunt sponsored by Carmel's Parks and Recreation Department, Officer Vincent DeSantola and K9 Pietro answered a call for service Monday and found a missing person in Somers.

At 3:35 p.m., the duo was called in to help local and state police locate a 60-year-old vulnerable adult who had been lost for over an hour.

The man had a cell phone, but the battery had died, complicating the search.

PO DeSantola began the track and K9 Pietro led him for nearly a mile — along roadways, through
several back yards and finally into a wooded area where he located the missing person at
3:53 p.m. The man was evaluated by EMS and then returned safely into the care of his family, police said.

To show their gratitude, family members dropped by police headquarters in Mahopac with treats for the force.

"Thank you for the thoughtful snacks (for Pietro and us humans too!) sent to us by the family," department officials said. "We are happy to help!"

The Carmel Police Department re-established its canine unit in 2022 after a 10-year hiatus. K9 Pietro, a Czech Shepard, was named in memory of a member of the department, the late Gary Pietropaolo Jr.