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Handler – Deputy Kel li Covet
Macie The Police Bloodhound, From Jimmy Ryce Center Has Died
The abduction, rape, murder, and dismemberment of Jimmy Ryce in 1995 is a story anyone reporting in South Florida — or even living in South Florida — will likely never forget. Jimmy, 9, was abducted moments after he got of his school bus by a day worker in the Redland. His body parts were later found entombed in flower pots. Shortly after his death, his parents Don and Claudine founded the Jimmy Ryce Center For Predatory Abduction, an organization dedicated to providing bloodhounds to law enforcement agencies. The belief: trained bloodhounds would have located Jimmy in the hours after his abduction, leading to a different outcome. The organization has donated nearly 700 bloodhounds since its founding. One of those bloodhounds, Macie, just died. Macie spent ten years on duty for the Broward Sheriff’s Office. She assisted with over 100 confirmed “tracks,” was deployed 523 times, engaged in 346 community service events, and responded to 1,118 calls for service. From the Jimmy Ryce Foundation: “Kel Li Covet, a K-9 Deputy with BSO was teamed with Macie in April of 2013. According to Covet, once she met Macie, “It was love at first sight.” After a life of unwavering service, K-9 Macie retired from BSO in 2023.Macie was named after Martha Ryce, Jimmy Ryce’s sister. Like her namesake, Macie was kind and loving. And, like Martha Ryce, both devoted their life to helping victims of tragedy. We salute K-9 Macie and thank her for nearly a decade of exceptional service searching for missing children and adults. Our hearts ache but we take comfort in knowing that Macie is running in heaven with her brothers (Bandit and Kash) and sister (Nellie) surrounded by Jimmy, Martha, Claudine and Don Ryce.”
