Meet the pet detective who has helped track down and reunite 330 lost dogs with their owners for free–using a thermal imaging drone.
She doesn’t accept a penny for her work, saying that the joy when an owner is reunited with their animal is all the reward she needs.
Erica Hart, 44, got her first drone as a present from her father in April 2018.
After experimenting with the drone, Erica’s dad informed her that a missing dog had been reported in the area. He suggested Erica use her drone to find him.
Erica contacted the owner of a missing dog, a Schnauzer who went missing while on a stroll. She then went to find the dog.
Word spread and Erica said it “snowballed” from there. She has since been on 330 dog rescue missions with her drone. Even some of the dogs she found have been kept by her. Erica was the first person to be called for this mission in Scotland and Somerset, UK.
“I don’t just help find dogs though, I have found, cats, emus, cows and helped mountain rescue locate missing people,” said Erica. It is my nature to be helpful .”
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” I do all of this for the dogs. Imagine not seeing your mum for 10 years and then seeing her all of a sudden–it is that feeling.”
She estimated she’s been through 30 drones since she started out, and reiterated that the human element of the work is the most important for her.
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“I have seen large, 6-foot men burst into tears; it is priceless to see their faces,” she remembers. “Some people can’t have kids so they will get a dog, they are comfort for some people.”
Erica is available seven days a weeks and was out searching on Christmas Day as well as New Year’s Day. The longest rescue Erica has been part of lasted 12 days but she said the length of the rescue depends on whether the animal missing goes into fight or flight mode.
WATCH the interview below…
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