JAN 23 Newsletter

A Summary of the last few months

We hope all our followers had a wonderful Christmas and Happy New Year.  Here are some of the stories from the last couple of months.

William – Bulwell/Hucknall

We were alerted to a dog that had bolted at 4pm on Bonfire Night from Bulwell Hall Park after being spooked by a fire work.  There were posts all over the Hucknall facebook pages of sightings near the Bowman Pub and Butlers Hill Tram Stop.  The owner got in contact and we gave our usual advice and put things in place for the dog to return to where he originally ran from overnight.  Despite his owner, Janet, and friends stayed up all night searching and through the pouring rain the following day however, William didn’t return. 

The story gripped the local area with everyone searching local areas for him.  The drone was deployed on the Monday but no sign of him.   In the background checks revealed that there had been a report that a tram may have hit a black dog in the general area but the timings weren’t matching up.  It wasn’t until the next day when the lady tram driver called to say that she had definitely hit him when he was running headlong towards her but he saw him run off down the track back towards Moor Bridge.  It was heartbreaking news and we were worried that William had been badly injured and still out there.

The residents of Hucknall organized a search for the Tuesday, attended by Drone to Home, armed with leaflets and business cards and methodically searched the area.  We were then called by a local business to say they had found him and he was alive.  Drone to Home raced to the scene and after some time managed to pull him out of the brambles he was wedged into and got him to the vets with his mum.

Luckily his vet check revealed that there was no internal bleeding nor any major wounds/broken bones but they were keeping him for observation as he was severely dehydrated after being out for almost 4 days.  He was finally given the all clear on Thursday to go home with his mum who was ecstatic after believing she may never see him again.

William after just being rescued
William in the trees before being rescued
Monty looking at the camera
Monty on the thermal camera

Monty – Codnor

Monty is a tri-pawed golden Labrador foreign rescue who had only been in the country for 3 months.  He was visiting relatives in Codnor, Derbyshire from Yorkshire when the kids of the household accidentally let him out the front door where he immediately bolted across the busy main road into fields chased by the children.

We were contacted by the frantic owner who believed she wouldn’t see him again, that he would be a victim of the road or would pass away out in the fields.  We gave her support and advice over the coming days with the drone going out to scan the fields where he was sighted but too frightened to be approached.  His owner had even been feet away from him but he bolted.  Traps were set by other agencies but he stayed away.

After nearly a week we got a call to say he had been caught by a passerby in Codnor Marketplace who, with the help of a ham sandwich, managed to entice him into his van until his owner could get there.

Bella – Worksop

We were contacted by panicked owner, Donna, when her small Romanian rescue bolted off Kilton Forest Golf Course, Worksop and was hit by a car as she ran across the road on the morning of Friday 13th January. 

Over the course of 6 days and nights the team and family, along with the community of Worksop, searched for Bella.  The drone searched the area, doors were knocked on, leaflets given out, posters put up but sadly there was only one possible sighting of her on the Saturday evening.  Bella’s family were out all hours of the day and night with little sleep looking for her.

On the morning of Wednesday we got the call we were hoping for – Bella was home.  At around 4.45am she had made her way home and a member of the family heard a small bark and rushed out to find Bella.  She wrapped her in a blanket and took her up to her mum who was grabbing a few hours sleep and put her in bed with her.

Thankfully after everything she had been through, she was given a clean bill of health by the vet later that morning.

Bella is now a big celebrity in Worksop and was even interviewed on the radio for Hallam FM.

William after just being rescued
Matilda with mum
Matilda curled up sleeping in a dyke

Matilda – Langham, Rutland

Matilda, a wire haired dachshund,  was just getting ready to go on a walk when she was spooked by banging doors on a removal van and bolted on the afternoon of Sunday 29 January. 

The team spent several days and late nights in the Langham, Rutland area searching with no sightings at all until there was a very positive sighting of her around teatime on Wednesday 1 February.  She was located curled up sleeping in a dyke at 1.20 am on Thursday 2 February and within half an hour was back home with her overjoyed mum.

Fleur

Fleur was out for a walk with her mum and 3 other fur siblings when an aggressive dog flew out of a garden attacking and killing one of the smaller dogs.  Her owner was pushed to the ground by the attacking dog whilst she was trying to save two of the other dogs and Fleur, a nervous rescue, bolted.

We were called to help her owner immediately and went straight out to the Vale of Belvoir where Drizzy Drone was put into action.  It was a massive area of very rural land and no idea which way she ran.  She was spotted by drone on the 2nd night and with everything in place left to, hopefully, make her way back. Fleur made her way back to her mum, the next morning, who was sitting in her car patiently waiting.

Fleur in the garden
Fleur cuddled up
Finn with the Drone To Home team

Finn

Finn, a young spaniel, went missing in Swinstead, Lincs just before New Year when his owners went away for a short break.  He was seen around the village where he was staying a couple of times but then seemed to disappear.  Drizzy the Drone searched for most of the day and into the early hours of the next day but with few sightings.  Finn was out for two nights but stayed in the area and when the team arrived back early the next morning to be told he had been spotted again so after about an hour of tracking him he eventually went back to very close to where he went missing and we sent his mum in to get him. 

Woody

We haven’t forgotten you!

Woody is still missing from Awsworth, since the beginning of November, with not one positive sighting.  Heartbreaking for the owners but we won’t forget him and keeping looking when in the area.  Please keep your eyes out for him..

Woody sniffing a plant

Team News

2 Drone To Home vehicles parked. facing each other

Drone to Home moves into Lincoln

Drone to Home welcomed Hannah Pearce to the team, to coordinate Lincoln searches, in January.  Lincoln is a vast county and we are starting to get more and more calls to missing dogs out there.  Hannah will begin her training and be operational soon.

We also increased our fleet from one to two vehicles which will be able to access more areas being able to go off road.

Lola sat on the beach

Lola joins the team

We added Lola, the Patterdale, to the team who is tracker dog in training.  She joins Travis and has already been out on a couple of searches including Bella in Worksop.

Canine first aiders with their certificates

Canine First Aid

Drone to Home hosted it’s first Dog First Aid training session, run by the amazing Dani Hickman, at the Ramsdale Golf Club on Saturday 28th January.

It was a fantastic turnout with over nearly 30 people attending to take or retake their Dog First Aid certificate.  A really well delivered, informative and interactive course.

We will be adding more dates for the future so please keep an eye out.

Drone to Home team in the clouds at the top of Snowdon

Snowdon

Some of the team and followers headed across to Wales to walk up one of the Snowdon trails to raise money for the Charity early December.

The next challenge will Ben Nevis in Scotland in October of this year.

Sponsors

We welcome new sponsors, below, to our growing portfolio and thank all for their ongoing support.

Posh Paws Logo

Posh Paws Luxury Animal Hotel

We are a family run luxury boarding kennel and cattery, located on the Nottinghamshire and Lincolnshire border.  Our aim is to ensure your pets stay here is “home from home”, and they enjoy their holiday whilst you enjoy yours.

Upcoming Events

DTH Dog Show Festival

We announced the date of our 2nd Dog Show Festival after the great success of our first in October last year.  We are hoping it will be bigger and better and a great day out for the family and pooches of course.

Free entrance, free parking, stalls, Dog Show, Lure and plenty more.

Sunday 17th September, 11.00 am to 4.00 pm at Fiskerton, Notts.

 

Thank you for contacting the charity Drone To Home.

A totally FREE service.

Drone To Home will NEVER ask you for your bank details, PIN, or banking password.

If you receive such a request, please contact us directly on 0330 124 2004.

All other enquiries, please email hello@dronetohome.org.uk.

Drone To Home Team.

0330 124 2004

https://www.facebook.com/dronetohome


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