Our History
In 2004, Retired Captain Thomas Weaver created the LCSO Cell Dog program aimed to be a K-9 rehabilitation program incorporating inmates as K-9 trainers. Since then, we have trained and found over 600 dogs forever homes.
April 14th, 2021, deputies responded to a citizen complaint of a puppy inside a vehicle in distress, halfway hanging out of a window, with its mouth taped shut. While on the scene, deputies located the puppy and another dog inside a vehicle in the parking lot of Walmart on S. Tamiami Trail in Estero, Florida. Deputies further discovered the suspects had tapped along with tightly wrapping a training lead around the puppy’s snout. Both K-9’s were also left alone without access to food or water.
We are pleased to report that both K-9’s, which are now named Luna and Phoenix, have been adopted by the Lee County Sheriff’s Office and are Ambassadors of our Cell Dog program, a collaborative effort with local animal shelters to help train find homes for unwanted rescues.
