POLAND, Ohio (WKBN) — A dog is back home after being lost for hours overnight, and a drone aided the search effort for its return. The technology is an option that’s growing in popularity to help people who have lost their pets.
Josh Nicholas and his son Logan reunited a lost golden retriever with its family Sunday morning in Boardman. They used a drone with a camera that has thermal lens capabilities.
Josh owns Diversified Drones, and pet and livestock recovery is something he’s seen grow this year.
“It’s becoming very popular with the new technology that is coming out with these drones. They’re very convenient to use, they can deploy fast, and a lot of people don’t know about it yet,” Josh said.
The call came in at midnight to find a dog running through Hitchcock Woods.
“She was devastated. She was upset. She said, ‘Please I know you run 24/7. Is there any way you can help me?’ And absolutely. That’s what we’re here for is to get out 24/7,” Josh said.
Josh responded within minutes and found the golden retriever’s heat signature, but it stayed on the run for hours. Logan joined in the morning, and the dog was found again via drone.
It was caught by someone else who joined the search, and then Josh and Logan coordinated the dog’s safe return. It was Logan’s first time assisting in a pet rescue.
“Rescuing them for their owners is a really good deed to do, and I like to do that because I have a dog, and I wouldn’t want him to get lost. So, I don’t want any other people’s dogs to get lost either,” Josh said.
Livestock and domesticated pets are at risk of injury or even death if they’re lost or unattended. Depending on the location and weather conditions, every second matters for a safe recovery.
“We recommend if you call us within a few hours, there’s a better chance of us finding it. We’ve had recoveries that take you minutes to find. We’ve had recoveries that take hours,” Josh said.
Josh has been involved in aviation since 2008. Diversified Drones offers also other services, such as videography and photography — which is what Logan enjoys most.
