Scent preservation kit helps track missing woman

About two years ago, the woman had completed a scent preservation kit. On Monday night, it’s what may have saved her life.

The Citrus County Sheriff’s Office received a call about a missing endangered elderly woman. She had been reported missing from her Sugarmill Woods home for about two hours, but it only took a K9 named Ally and her handler, Deputy Justin Williams, five minutes to find her.

Deputies are crediting her scent preservation kit with the quick rescue.

The kit is designed to preserve a person’s scent for seven years, or longer if kept unopened. The process is simple and can be done at home: a swab is taken from under the arm using a sterile pad from the kit and then sealed in a special jar with evidence tape. It’s then stored at room temperature.

In Citrus County, scent preservation kits are provided for free at several locations including:

– Inverness Library: 1511 Druid Road
– Citrus County Chamber of Commerce: 915 N Suncoast Boulevard in Crystal River
– Homosassa Library: 4100 S Grandmarch Avenue
– Crystal River Library: 8619 W Crystal Street
– Citrus County Chronicle: 1624 N Meadowcrest Blvd in Crystal River

The kits are recommended for anyone with dementia, autism, Alzheimer’s or other conditions that might make someone vulnerable.

In a Facebook post, the Sheriff’s Office said Ally also had a sweet ending. She was treated to a vanilla ice cream cone as a special reward for her efforts.