Overview
- The small dog had been missing since early July and the owner spent about two weeks searching local shelters before the animal was found.
- Menlo Park Fire Protection District deployed a drone after an emergency call and located the dog roughly 800 meters (about half a mile) from shore.
- Rescuers reached the animal by boat while seabirds were attacking it, lifted the dog aboard, covered it with a blanket for cold and returned it to shore for care.
- The owner was contacted and publicly thanked the rescue crews after being reunited, and video from the fire department and local police was shared by local outlets.
- The case highlights how drones are being used to locate distressed animals in coastal waters and the added hazard that seagulls can pose to small animals in open water.