K-9 Besa only dog in nation with special human trafficking certification

CLEVELAND, Ohio (WOIO) - A 10-year-old German Shepherd named Besa is with the Ohio Special Response Team.

She was brought to Cleveland for the Pet Expo held at the I-X Center.

Besa is trained and certified to find people in danger, whether that’s after a natural disaster or helping find people hiding.

But what truly sets her apart?

She’s the only dog in the nation to achieve the “Human Trafficking” qualification from the United States Police Canine Association.

Her handler, Sarah Gentry, told me in order to get this certification, Besa had to prove she could find people in hidden rooms, inside vehicles with the windows closed, and outdoors.

“It’s a good feeling obviously you can be proud of your dog,” said Gentry. “And then be able to help people some day”.

Captain Alan Plastow works closely with the human trafficking cases the team helps out with.

He said their help is free and their volunteers have hundreds of hours of experience finding missing people.

“We send the dog out looking for them with either a scent article, something they’ve worn, or the dog will find anyone alive in a given area,” said Plastow.

“Statistically in Ohio, an excess of 24 thousand kids go missing every year,” said Plastow. “Are they trafficked? Nobody knows until we find them.”

In 2024, more than 400 people were identified as human trafficking survivors in Ohio.

So far this year, that number is at 23.

The search team put on a couple of demonstrations at the pet expo hoping that people would know to give them a call if they ever needed help.

“If your family member goes missing you have the right to ask the police to involve us,” said Plastow.

Standing next to them when they arrive will be Besa ready to bring your loved one home.