Police Bring In Specially Trained Otter During Search For Missing Woman

February 5, 2026

Police in Pensacola, Florida, recently called in an unusual helper while searching for a missing woman: a specially trained otter named Splash.

Splash / Peace River K9 Search and Rescue Association Inc.

According to local reports, officers brought Splash to the scene on Tuesday as they intensified their search near the Mahogany Mill boat ramp after investigators received a tip that a body might be in the water. The woman had not been seen since Friday, raising serious concern.

But before Splash ever had to get to work, there was good news. Authorities located the woman safe in a different area on Monday, meaning the otter never needed to enter the water.

Splash is no ordinary animal. The two-year-old Asian small-clawed otter has been trained to help detect human remains underwater—something that can be extremely difficult for traditional search teams. Officer Mike Wood of the Pensacola Police Department explained that Splash is trained to dive, release bubbles, and detect scent in a way that allows him to guide dive teams to a specific location, a task that even highly trained dogs cannot perform underwater.

"Once he gets down there he's able to makes bubbles and he goes up and he chomps on those bubbles. He gets the scent more by taste than he does smell and he's able to show dive teams exactly where that odor's coming from — something dogs are simply not able to do," Wood said.

Splash / Peace River K9 Search and Rescue Association Inc.

Peace River Search and Rescue, a nonprofit organization based in southwest Florida, brought Splash to Pensacola along with a German Shepherd trained for similar detection work. The dog was first sent out by boat to check the area but did not alert, so Splash was ultimately not deployed.

Splash’s trainer, Michael Hadsell, who serves as president of Peace River Search and Rescue, said the otter is the only one of his kind trained for this work. The idea came from a desire to improve recovery efforts, and Splash has already proven his value. He has participated in more than 20 missions and helped locate six targets.

The organization receives daily requests for Splash’s assistance and is considering training additional otters next year to help meet the growing demand. Notably, Splash’s services are provided free of charge, supported entirely by donations so that agencies in need can call on this one-of-a-kind resource.