A heartwarming reunion took place in Crystal Lake, Illinois, when a missing Bernese Mountain Dog was found using innovative thermal drone technology after being lost for nearly a week.
Charlie, a 2-year-old Bernese Mountain Dog, went missing on Monday after being let out on a foggy morning without his collar, which had been removed during a bath the previous night. His owners, Kate Belmonte and David Nowak, spent days searching for their beloved pet before getting assistance from Dog Gone Pet Recovery, a Lake Villa animal search and rescue group.
The breakthrough came on Sunday when thermal drone operators Mike Smith of SmithicAir and Kat Cavanaugh of Dog Gone Pet Recovery spotted Charlie in a wooded area off Huntley Road. The drone's thermal imaging showed clear blue and green heat signatures, leading rescuers directly to Charlie's location, just a two-minute walk from his home.
"He was in this park, walking trail area off in some tall grass and broken-down trees, hiding there," said Belmonte. The cold weather actually aided in the search, as Charlie's large size created a distinct thermal signature against the cold ground.
When found, Charlie was injured with a broken femur, likely from being struck by a car during his week-long ordeal. He underwent surgery on Monday and is expected to make a full recovery. His owners plan to bring him home Tuesday, where he'll reunite with their other two dogs.
"It's just unbelievable technology, and pretty much without this, to be honest with you, I don't know we would've been able to find him," Nowak remarked about the thermal drone's role in locating Charlie.
The success story highlights the growing use of drone technology in pet recovery efforts, though experts caution that thermal imaging searches aren't guaranteed solutions and work best under specific conditions and with recent sightings.