A dog breaks his leash and takes off across a park, quickly disappearing from view. What do you do?
You run, walk, call, search, but to no avail. A dog can cover five miles in an hour and can quickly get out of earshot.
But now there is a new way to search for lost pets: Thermal drones.
Thermal drones have been used for years to help hunters find a wounded animal and even scope out deer herds.
But their latest use is in finding Fido, and drone owners say it is the most rewarding use of the technology.
In Michigan, Lost Pet Drone Recovery started responding to owner requests in 2022 using a thermal drone to search for wayward mutts. In the first month, the drones found 22 lost dogs and returned them to their owners.
The same is true across the country where thermal drone operators are recovering dozens of lost pets.
In Connecticut, a New York based thermal drone pilot recovered 40 dogs in 2023.
Although drones can be a great tool in recovering dogs, they are not a guarantee.
According to Lost Dogs of America, an ordinary drone can more easily locate a dog that stands out from surrounding vegetation: A white dog standing on green weeds would be easier to find than a white dog in snow.
If a drone does spot a dog, there is still the issue of recovering the pet. Once you know the location, you still have to get hands on the dog. A shy pet may run or even panic.
In some cases, drones may be the best way to search, but in all cases, posts on Facebook lost pet groups and flyers are essential.
