An Australian Shepherd lost in a windstorm over the weekend was reunited with her distressed owner, with some help from a thermal drone.
Mission Viejo Animal Services responded to a call Friday morning from a Rancho Santa Margarita resident who reported that strong winds had startled the 16-month-old dog, Lana, prompting her to flee into a canyon area between Dove Canyon and Coto de Caza. (The agency also serves Rancho Santa Margarita, Aliso Viejo, Laguna Hills and Laguna Niguel.)
Initial attempts to conduct a drone search were thwarted by the windstorm, and the ground operation was called off before nightfall, the agency said. The following morning, a resident called about a dog barking in a remote canyon roughly a mile from where the canine was reported missing.
Three animal control officers returned to the area and used the thermal drone to pinpoint the exact location of the missing pet, then waded through dense brush and a steep ravine to bring the animal to safety, Animal Services Manager Kyle Werner said.
Werner said the drone was donated to the agency four or five months ago by the nonprofit Dedicated Animal Welfare Group (DAWG). Since then, animal control officers have deployed the device in a handful of successful rescue operations, he said, notably one involving a canine stranded on the freeway.
Thermal drones, which are equipped with heat-sensitive cameras, can track animal movements by detecting temperature differences in the landscape. The drone used by Mission Viejo Animal Services can fly up more than 400 feet, giving the agency the ability to scan vast areas for missing pets, Werner said.
An FAA-certified pilot flies the drone, Werner said. There have been discussions about introducing the technology to other departments in the city, he said, though he is not aware of any other agency that currently utilizes the equipment.
“We’re a unique agency that puts our community first,” Werner said. “Helping someone find a lost pet — that’s where we stand out.”
Fred Tarsky expressed gratitude to the animal control officers and the many neighbors who participated in the rescue effort, either by reporting sightings on social media or joining the search party. A few people had stayed out searching for the dog until 1:30 a.m., he said.
“It’s just a very heartwarming, human-and-dog story,” Tarsky said. “The amount of attention to this whole thing via social media was just amazing. It’s a miraculous recovery.”