Rescuers helped find a lost dog that escaped from a car during a pit stop in New Jersey last week and was found more than 20 miles away. Dramatic video from a drone team shows how they were able to find her.

The 9-year-old dog named Abbie was on the move from a South Carolina animal rescue to her forever home on Saturday when she got loose at a travel plaza on the New Jersey Turnpike. Fortunately, she was wearing an AirTag, which tracked her from the spot of her escape in New Brunswick, all the way to Woodbridge, more than 20 miles away. 

Enter the U.S.A.R. Drone Team

The U.S.A.R. Drone Team, a New Jersey nonprofit search and rescue organization, was called in to assist. Drone team member Michael Parziale was surprised to hear Abbie had traveled as far as she did and launched a drone equipped with thermal imaging.

They located Abbie within a few minutes.

Video shows Parziale, police and animal control talking with each other as they worked to rescue the pup. 

When Abbie was spotted in the woods, nearby officers were told where to stop driving along the road. Video shows her standing in the brush while rescuers walk toward her, careful not to scare her off, before capturing her.

"Our reward is seeing the smiles on everybody's face"

It wasn't the first time Parziale's team found a missing furry friend. Last February, the U.S.A.R. Drone Team located a lost puppy after it got startled by a loud noise, ran away, and was missing for more than 24 hours. Once Parziale was called in, he was able to find the uninjured dog in 41 minutes.

"Our reward is seeing the smiles on everybody's face, especially the owners of their pet. I mean, we consider them family members," Parziale said.

Abbie was injured during her time on the run and is set to undergo surgery before heading to her new home.