Drones, aerial devices that have been used to solve crimes and help with police investigations, can be used to locate lost pets, the city of Mission Viejo showed this week, especially if they are equipped with state-of-the-art thermal imaging capacities.
A Mission Viejo resident called the Animal Services this week, pleading for help to find her dog Josie, who had gone missing for more than 24 hours, the city said.
Josie’s owner told Animal Service officials that the dog ran off after becoming startled while being in a remote area.
“Understanding the urgency and challenges of locating a frightened pet in open terrain, the department deployed its FAA-licensed remote pilot to conduct an aerial search using the newly donated drone’s advanced thermal and imaging capabilities,” the city said in a statement.
Initially, the drone wasn’t able to find the dog, but after officials received reports of a possible sighting, the aerial device was relaunched to the specific area. The drone’s thermal imaging was then able to pin-point Josie’s location and track her for a mile as the animal was wandering around along a remote trail.
As the drone was monitoring Josie’s moves, her owner was guided to wait for the dog nearby, the city described.
“When Josie entered a nearby park, her owner calmly called to her, and after a few anxious moments, Josie recognized the familiar voice,” the city of Mission Viejo said in a statement. “Her fear melted away as she wagged her tail and joyfully leapt into her owner’s arms.”
The high-tech drone was donated by the Dedicated Animal Welfare Group (DAWG), which provides medical care for sick and injured animals, the city added.
“This is exactly the kind of compassionate, community-focused outcome we strive to achieve,” said Kyle Werner, Animal Services Manager and Chief of Field Services. “Thanks to DAWG’s incredible generosity, our team now has another vital tool to help reunite families with their beloved pets, especially in cases where terrain or time makes traditional searches difficult.”
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Source: NBC Los Angeles