Help find lost pets with a Thermal Drone

HELP PROVIDE VOLUNTEER DRONE SEARCHES FOR LOST PETS

In July of 2024, we lost our 18-month-old pup, Oliver, in the Uintas Wilderness for 19 days. As the initial hours turned into days, we were lucky enough to be connected with a trapper who specializes in recovering lost dogs. She brought an incredible amount of knowledge and resources to our search, but one resource that was not available to us within Utah was a thermal drone operator. The nearest thermal drone operators that assist with lost dog searches come from neighboring states and can charge upwards of thousands of dollars per day for their services.

After recovering Oliver, I decided that a thermal drone operator should be available locally for pet families in Utah - and they should not have to worry about if they can afford those services during their time of need. I am seeking funding for a DJI Mavic 3T that I will use to assist lost pet families on a completely volunteer basis. I am excited to be able to help others with this resource coupled with the knowledge of lost dog behavior that I gained while searching for our dog. I will be able to offer this resource directly to lost pet families and partner with local subject matter experts on recovering lost pets - at no cost to them.

Thermal drones are already in common use among professional Search and Rescue organizations and have proved to be of tremendous value, but sadly, this resource cannot be leveraged for recovering lost pets. Thermal drones are expensive assets that are currently not accessible for this purpose. I feel that a lost pet should receive the same level of effort and resources as that of a missing person.

With funding that equals less than the cost of 3 days of services from an out-of-state provider, I can provide this volunteer service indefinitely into the future! Your generosity is so greatly appreciated - if we can help recover even one lost pet, it will be worth it!