Mission Viejo animal services uses drone to find lost dog

Mission Viejo animal services officials used a drone to help reunite a lost dog and a distraught owner earlier this week. 

Paula McCabe said her German Shepherd mix, named Josie, jumped the fence and ran into the Mission Viejo hills.

"Something had either spooked her or she was just hypersensitive," McCabe said. 

Luckily, she had an AirTag on Josie and tracked her to the Covenant Hills neighborhood. McCabe immediately spotted Josie when she arrived to the area but when she called out to her dog, the German Shepherd ran away. 

"She just kept darting," McCabe said. "It's like she wasn't listening to anything."

Struggling to catch her dog, McCabe called Mission Viejo Animal Services, which pinpointed the dog's location by using a thermal imaging drone that was donated by the Dedicated Animal Welfare Group.

"We were able to get a heat signature on the dog," Animal Services Manager Kyle Werner said. "We followed it for about a mile, and we coordinated with the owner on a cell phone to a position where she could get in front of the dog."

Werner also gave her tips to create a safe space for Josie to recognize McCabe's voice. 

"You can see there's a shift in the dog's demeanor, and it immediately runs up to the owner," Werner said. "Even after 20 years, things like that are really why we do this job."

The drone recorded the heartfelt reunion between Josie and McCabe. 

"I could get teary eyes now cause I was just so distraught," McCabe said. 

Afterward, she thanked Kyle for his kindness and help.

"They made me feel so important, and so cared for, and he was so great, and so patient," McCabe said. "Honestly, I couldn't have done it without him and his drone."

Josie is still recovering from her epic trek, but her vet gave her something for her anxiety and fixed up her paws. 

"She's not completely the same," McCabe said. "She's a little loopy from the medication, but I'm just happy to have her home."