Drone SAR for Lost Dogs UK- Founder Graham Burton

Please, read my story and help me raise money (not for me) but for anyone who has the misfortune of losing a much loved dog !!

I am trying to raise £3-6k for the volunteer organisation Drone SAR for Lost Dogs UK

to purchase a new thermal imaging drone to aid in their selfless search for missing dogs and on occasion missing people.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/DroneSARForLostDogsUK

Until you lose a dog you don't realise how devastating it can be.

Here is my story:

At 9pm 4½ weeks ago today two of my dogs Ralphie and Blèu wandered off from home after a gate was left open. My two boys and I searched until it was too dark to see with no sign of them.

I sat up all night with the door open in the hope that they would return, sadly no sign. (This is totally out of character for my two “home” loving dogs)

I registered both missing dogs lost on 'Lost Dogs UK' and used the power of social media to spread their status far & wide.

At 04:30 as it was getting light I set out on my search again. I'm crying as I write this because I can't describe how lonely I felt at this time and how writing this is making me re-live 36 hours of what I can only describe as truly heartbreaking and horrendous. I walked 12 miles of our usual walks, still no sign.

At 9am I returned home.

I called the police to check for RTC; I called the RSPCA; I called the dog warden , and the microchip company as well as local vets. A few friends came up to help in the search, but as I live very rural I realised I needed more help. I remembered a friend’s recent search for their missing black and white GSP “Hoy” and how they reached out to Drone Sar for Lost Dogs U.K.

https://www.facebook.com/group/DroneSARForLostDogsUK

I asked my son to register our missing dogs (and generate a free poster covering their details) with this volunteer based group and within the hour I had a call from Graham Burton the founder... Long story short, he arranged for 2 drones and a team of local ground searchers to come help me find my dogs.

I cannot describe how emotional I felt knowing total strangers would take time out of their own lives to help me, it was overwhelming.

After 12 hours, thankfully, Ralphie was found, but no sign or sightings of Blèu.

Unfortunately, I received 2 hoax calls, one, seemingly from the RSPCA saying my dog was in an accident and another from a man saying he had my dogs and demanded money for their return...as you can imagine I was beyond upset at these cruel people trying to take advantage of my loss.

My search went on with the help of DroneSARForLostDogsUK and my friends and just over 36 hours later I had to post this devastating news ...

I wish I could post a happy post but unfortunately my beautiful Blèu has been found, deceased, thank you for your kind words and support over the last 24 hrs its been so overwhelming.

I'm so broken I don't know what I'll do without him, I just can't imagine never seeing him again, never stroking his silky ears or him squeezing his beautiful head between my legs.

He won't ever come sit on my knee or clamber on the bed. I will miss the sound of his clumbersome ways around the house .I just loved him so so much.

PS he was found by railway workers having met with a train.

He has never ever gone on a train line, ever; I just pray he didn't suffer.

FYI

Graham Burton ( very recently recognised by the PM’s office and the government with a Point of Light Award- for his team’s outstanding and inspirational voluntary service) and the folks at DroneSAR for Lost Dogs U.K. kindly help people who have lost dogs at any time of the day or night. They are volunteers who give up their free time to search for our missing companions and family members. They help organise ground searchers, drone pilots and give invaluable advice on how to encourage a lost dog to use its incredible nose to return home or to the location it went missing from. There are hundreds and hundreds of us who have been reunited with our missing pets due to their selfless dedication. Whether found alive or sadly deceased we can get some much needed closure on the search for our missing dogs. I want to raise money to get a thermal drones in honour of my beautiful Bleu so that others may have a better chance of being reunited with their loved ones.

So far Drone SAR for Lost Dogs U.K. , in their 4 years of services have reunited over 2000 dogs with their owners ( and even more if you include those having been found, but crossed the “rainbow bridge”) , they have over 1700 drone pilots, and 1600 ground searchers to call on. Their organisation has well over 41,000 members from the community covering the whole of the U.K., including NI, Isle of Man, Jersey, and Guernsey. Not to forget, on occasion, when asked by the police they have been out searching for missing people.

I can only thank them for their service and although my story is bittersweet ; I want to raise the funds for a new thermal drone ( as they rely on private pilots as well as donations to get more search and rescue equipment). This new drone would aid any of us that face a day when one of our beloved pets goes missing.