K9 Drago Rescues Elderly Endangered Missing Man

An older man suffering from Alzheimer's and Parkinson's went missing on Sunday, September 13, 2020, but was quickly found thanks to K9 Drago.

According to the Onondaga County Sheriff's Office, deputies responded to a residence on Justin Drive in the Town of Clay for an elderly endangered missing man. The man’s family reported that he had Alzheimer's and Parkinson's and left without his medications. The older man had been missing for approximately 30 minutes and had stripped his clothes off before leaving.

"Deputy Jeff Neal and his partner, K9 Drago, quickly responded and were able to track the elderly man to a small wooded area behind a residence several blocks away, where the elderly man was located laying in an area of thick brush. The man was too weak to stand and had to be carried out of the wooded area. Air1 also responded and provided lighting while the male was being transported and turned over to NAVAC Ambulance personnel. [Onondaga County Sheriff's Office]

Jeffrey Neal and his K9 partner Drago have continuously made a positive difference in the community. The pair, along with Deputy Doupe, were awarded the Onondaga County Sheriff’s Office Deputies of the Month for September in 2019. They were commended for their instinctive actions, attention to detail, and utilization of resources, which undoubtedly saved the victim's life who had a mental health disorder and a drug addiction.