When Perry Lawrence gets a call about a lost dog he doesn’t hesitate. He’s driven five hours from central Florida to help a family he’s never met find a pet they love. He’s tracked through swamps, construction sites, suburban neighborhoods and dense woods often in the middle of the night. He doesn’t do it for the money. He does it because he can’t not do it.

Perry came to dog tracking almost by accident. He spent years tracking wounded deer with his Labrador (Smudge), building a reputation through Florida’s blood trailing network. Then one day someone called asking if he could help find a lost show dog in Plant City. Perry had never tracked a lost pet before but he said yes anyway. Three days later following Smudge’s nose through the woods he found where the dog had been bedding down. The dog had been stolen but the trail led to the truth, a trap was set, and the dog came home. Perry was hooked.

He’s been tracking lost pets ever since; never advertising, always word of mouth. Today he works alongside his yellow Lab "Moose", who has been his partner since Perry lost his beloved black Lab Jett to heat stroke on a deer track last November. Perry doesn’t hide that loss. He talks about Jett the way you talk about family.

What Perry wants every pet parent to know: The first hours matter most. Don’t let crowds of people stomp through the woods where your dog disappeared it contaminates the scent trail. Don’t use your other dog to search unless absolutely necessary for the same reason. In a neighborhood get people knocking on doors and hanging flyers within a two mile radius immediately. Leave dirty clothes with your scent in areas your dog might have gone. Call every vet, shelter and rescue within a wide radius. And never stop.

One thing Perry wants to be clear about, people assume he’s going to walk right up to the lost dog and catch it. That’s not how it works. Imagine being a scared dog missing for days or weeks. A stranger approaching with a large dog is terrifying. That’s exactly why Perry won’t track unless someone the dog knows and trusts is with him. Most of the time his job is to alert the pet parent that the dog is in the area. Then he steps back and lets them try to call the dog out. If the dog won’t come he advises setting a trap from the local pound, placing food nearby, and leaving undergarments with your scent around the area. The longer a dog has been missing the more scared and unpredictable they become. Patience matters as much as tracking skill.

A recent example is Zoie, a small dog who had been missing for two weeks and had been spotted in the area the day before Perry arrived. All woods. Dense. Intimidating terrain for a small scared dog. True to form when Perry and Moose worked through the woods Zoie came out on her own, spooked and running from the larger dog but eventually caught by her owner at the tree line. Perry hung back and let it happen naturally. That’s the job.

On spotting scammers: Perry is refreshingly direct. There are people out there feeding on the emotional desperation of families who have lost a pet. If someone demands a large deposit before showing up be cautious. Ask how they track. Ask for references. And if anyone claims an 85 to 100 percent recovery rate Perry will call them out himself. With his new Lab Moose he’s currently 9 out of 15 tracks , and he counts finding a dog in the area he predicted as a success. That’s honest. That’s real. Anyone claiming dramatically higher numbers deserves serious scrutiny.

One of his most memorable tracks was a 14 year old Redbone Coonhound with bad hips who got out when a lawn crew left a gate open. Perry drove through the night arriving at 11:30pm. Moose tracked through a subdivision, past a retention pond, through woods, across a major road and into a construction site. They called it for safety at dark and came back at dawn. The next morning Moose picked up the trail again heading into the woods and found the old dog. He had gone there to pass peacefully. Perry cried with the family. He calls it a success because they had closure. They knew. They could say goodbye.

What Perry charges: Perry is retired. This isn’t a job. If you can cover his gas he’s grateful. He currently charges around $250, a fraction of what some tracking companies charge desperate families. A family we’ve been working with paid $1,200 to another tracking company that came up empty. That tracker was someone Perry himself had trained. That’s part of why he doesn’t charge more. He knows what’s out there.

Perry Lawrence. Two Labs and their Dad. If your pet is missing in Florida he’s worth a call.

📱 Contact Perry Lawrence directly for tracking inquiries.1-813-764-3752

Sunday evening near Pier 60, a planned "teen takeover" turned violent. A 17-year-old was shot and transported to the hospital. Several fights broke out in the area involving hundreds of teens near Coronado Drive just after 5 p.m.

Clearwater PD responded quickly and has several people in custody. Deputy Chief Michael Walek was direct in his message to anyone thinking about repeating this behavior:

"This is the first weekend of summer at Clearwater Beach. I want to make it very clear to anyone who plans to come here and engage in this kind of behavior: don't. If you do, your trip to the beach will end with a trip to jail."

The beach is open. Your community is safe. Clearwater PD has made it clear this will not happen again.

For full coverage follow WTSP 10 News:→ Here

🍎 Important Update: Hope Villages of America Food Bank Schedule Change

Starting June 2nd, Hope Villages of America is adjusting their food distribution schedule to better serve our community. Late-night distribution moves from Thursdays to Tuesdays, with extended hours.

New Schedule: Monday, Wednesday, Thursday & Friday - 12:30pm to 3:30pm Tuesday - 12:30pm to 6:30pm

If you or someone you know relies on this service, please make note of the change. For more information or to volunteer visit Hope Villages of America. → Here

If you've been waiting for the Gulf to warm up the wait is over. Clearwater Beach water temperatures have reached 81 degrees. Warm, clear, and perfect for swimming, paddleboarding, or just wading in. Historically Gulf temperatures peak around 85-86 degrees in late summer so we're already well into comfortable swimming territory ahead of schedule.

Check current water temperatures and conditions Here

Watch the live Clearwater Beach Cam Here

Our pets aren't just animals — they're family. If you've seen any of the pets below please email us at [email protected] and we will connect you directly with their families. One share could bring someone's baby home.

Zena has been missing for over 89 days from the Seville Condo area near Clearwater Costco. Her heartbroken family will not give up searching

LEARN MORE →

Leah has been missing since April 28th from the King Arthur Court in Dunedin. Her Mom has owned her since she was a puppy.

LEARN MORE →

Lobo has been missing since May 11th from Gladden Park in St. Petersburg. Her Mom has owned her since she was a puppy.

LEARN MORE →

🎶 Free Event: Florida Orchestra — Symphony by the Sea

Celebrate America's 250th with a free outdoor concert from the Florida Orchestra this Saturday, June 7th at 6pm at The BayCare Sound, 301 Drew St., Clearwater.

The program mixes patriotic favorites, movie music, Broadway hits and classical standards…something for everyone. Covered seating, local food trucks, concessions and bars all on site. No chairs or picnic needed.

General admission is free. Preferred seating available for $21.

Bonus: bring a donation for the Salvation Army food drive.

📍 The BayCare Sound, 301 Drew St., Clearwater 🗓 Saturday, June 6 | 6:00 PM INFO →

🌊 Free World Oceans Day Celebration at Clearwater Marine Aquarium - June 6th. Learn More and Plan Your Visit INFO & TICKETS →

🐢 Sea Turtle Nesting Patrol Experience Join conservation volunteers monitoring nests along the beach Reservations required INFO & TICKETS →

🧘 Free Sunset Yoga Monday June 1st at 6:30 pm - 7:30 pm - FREE admission - Coachman Park, 300 Cleveland Street, Clearwater, 33764, Meet on The Green LEARN MORE →

🚶‍♀️ SilverSneakers: Zumba Gold Class Tuesday and Thursday 9:00 am - Aging Well Center @ The Long Center, 1501 N. Belcher Road, Clearwater, 33765, View Map LEARN MORE →

⛵ Clearwater Community Sailing Center A nonprofit sailing center at 1001 Gulf Blvd offering boat rentals, sailing lessons for all ages, and Summer Camp. Open Tuesday through Sunday 9am to 5pm. LEARN MORE →

🏓 Pickleball Court Locations: Here is the easiest way to find Pickleball courts near you with an interactive map. LEARN MORE →

🏖️ Near the Beach

🏙️ Inland

⚠️ Trivia nights and schedules can change. We recommend confirming directly with the venue before heading out. Know of a change or a new spot? Tell Scout →

Thanks for reading My Clearwater Scoop today. If you found something useful, please share it with someone that you think would be interested.

Until next time,

Stan, Scoop and Scout