Oconee County Sheriff’s Office Announces Availability of Free Scent of Hope Kits

(Walhalla, SC)-----------------------------------The Oconee County Sheriff’s Office, in partnership with Upstate Bloodhound Search and Rescue, the Oconee Sheriff’s Foundation, and Lifeline Community Church, is announcing the availability of free Scent of Hope kits for families and caregivers in Oconee County.

Scent of Hope kits allow families and caregivers to collect and preserve the unique scent of a child or at-risk adult before an emergency occurs.  If that individual runs away, wanders, or goes missing, the preserved scent can be provided to trained bloodhound search teams as an additional resource to assist in locating them. 

Each kit contains the materials and instructions needed to properly collect and preserve a scent sample at home, including a Mason jar, sterile gauze, sealing tape, sterile gloves, and instructions.  Each kit is intended for one individual and a properly collected and stored scent sample can remain viable for up to two years.

Once completed, the kit remains with the family or caregiver.  The kits should be stored in a cool, dark location.  The Oconee County Sheriff’s Office does not collect or store completed kits and information from the kits is not entered into an agency database or used for data collection. 

If someone with a prepared Scent of Hope kit goes missing, families should notify responding law enforcement that a preserved scene sample is available.  The sample can then be provided to search personnel if needed.

The kits are provided to the public at no cost through donations and community partnerships.  The Oconee Sheriff’s Foundation recently donated $250 dollars to Upstate Bloodhound Search and Rescue in support of the program.  The Sheriff’s Office would also like to thank the Tribble Center for their assistance in assembling and packaging the kits for distribution. 

Scent of Hope kits is FREE and available for pickup at the Oconee County Sheriff’s Office in Walhalla during normal business hours, Monday through Friday, from 8:30am until 5:00pm.  Kits are also available through the Sheriff’s Office Community Services Division. 

For more information about Upstate Bloodhound Search and Rescue or the Scent of Hope program, contact Taylor Burbury at taylorburbury@yahoo.com or visit their Facebook page:

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61552117897780

For more information about obtaining a Scent of Hope kit through the Oconee County Sheriff’s Office, contact Sgt. Alan Sayre, Community Services and Outreach Director, at asayre@oconeelaw.com or outreach@oconeelaw.com.