Drone Team Uses Thermal Imaging to Rescue Dog Who Traveled 20 Miles After Escape
A routine transport turned into a tense search when a 9 year old dog named Abbie escaped from a car during a pit stop on the New Jersey Turnpike and vanished into the surrounding area. Abbie was being transported from a South Carolina animal rescue to her new forever home when she slipped free, setting off a frantic effort to locate her before she was injured or lost for good.
In the hours that followed, rescuers were stunned to learn just how far Abbie had traveled. Tracking data from an AirTag revealed that she had moved more than 20 miles, making her way from East Brunswick to Woodbridge. For a dog unfamiliar with the area, navigating busy roads, wooded terrain, and harsh conditions, the distance was alarming.
That is when the U.S.A.R. Drone Team, a New Jersey based nonprofit search and rescue organization, was called in to help. Team member Michael Parziale said he was initially skeptical when he heard how far Abbie had gone. Once the tracking data was confirmed, the urgency of the situation became clear.
Parziale deployed a drone equipped with thermal imaging, a tool that allows rescuers to detect heat signatures in dense brush and low visibility areas. Within minutes, the drone picked up Abbie’s location in a wooded area near the roadway. The technology provided real time guidance to police officers and animal control teams on the ground.
Video from the rescue shows officers coordinating carefully, stopping traffic and approaching slowly to avoid spooking the exhausted dog. Abbie could be seen standing in the brush as rescuers closed in, eventually securing her safely without further injury.
According to Parziale, this was not the first time the U.S.A.R. Drone Team had helped reunite a lost dog with worried caretakers. Earlier this year, the group located a missing puppy in under an hour after it had been missing for more than a full day. He says the reward is always the same, seeing relief and joy on the faces of those waiting for their pet to come home.
Abbie was later examined by veterinarians and is expected to undergo surgery for injuries sustained during her journey. Despite the ordeal, officials confirmed she is now safe and will continue on to the loving home that was waiting for her all along. Her rescue highlights how modern technology, combined with experienced responders, can make a life saving difference when time and distance are working against a lost animal.
Click the video below to watch the full story:
The post Drone Locates Dog After 20 Lonely Mile Journey appeared first on iHeartDogs.com.