Thermal-imaging drone helps find dog who 'bolted' because she didn't want a bath

USA Today

11-04-2025

Thermal-imaging drone helps find dog who 'bolted' because she didn't want a bath Montana didn't want a bath, so she 'bolted': Two sleepless nights later she was found hiding in the woods by Ohio police thanks to the thermal camera on a new drone.
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Dog rescued after falling 100 feet into canyon at Colorado National Monument
A dog fell 100 feet at Colorado National Monument. Mesa County Search and Rescue saved her and she only suffered minor injuries.
Montana's three-day life on the lam all started because she didn't want a bath.
By the time it was over, she could have used a couple.
The 2½-year-old Bernedoodle — a Bernese mountain dog-poodle mix — was scheduled for some pet pampering April 1 at Posh Pooch Dog Grooming in Ohio's Springfield Township outside Akron.
But Montana had other ideas, leading to a frantic search that involved social media posts, false sightings and a police drone with thermal imaging.
"We had people out looking everywhere for her," Montana's owner, Tracy Mock, said. "I did not sleep for two nights."
Montana's adventure began when she arrived at Posh Pooch. Sensing what was to come — she hates water, Mock said — Montana made an executive decision.
A bad one.
A frantic search for a lost pooch
"As soon as the door was open, she bolted," Mock said.
Montana headed for an auto parts store, crossing the street unscathed.
It was the last time Mock saw her Bernedoodle before they were reunited April 3.
The long hours in between became a blur of efforts to find Montana.
Mock and her daughter canceled a planned vacation to Florida. Mock posted online about the desperate search and her first Facebook post was shared more than 1,200 times.
Township Trustee Kellie Chapman, who runs Lakemore Dogs Homeward Bound, became involved and helped publicize the search for Montana.
"So many lost dogs don't get claimed," Chapman said. "It's nice when (the owners) are actively looking for them."
Mock and her family posted flyers at businesses throughout the community and fielded calls and messages from people who believed they'd seen the elusive dog.
"The love of the community was absolutely amazing," she said.
But searches by Mock family members, individuals in the Springfield-Lakemore community and others didn't recover Montana.
Calling in the drone
Not until the morning of April 3.
Mock said she received a frantic call that Montana had been seen in a wooded area.
"Everybody was saying, go get a drone," she said.
Turns out, the Springfield Township Police Department had one available.
It's a newer device for the department, said Chief Jack Simone, but had already proved its usefulness tracking down a fugitive.
"That was a great situation where they were able to apprehend him," Simone said. "He was hiding behind a garage."
Last Halloween, it was used in a big hide-and-seek event that drew dozens of students who hid from police. The drone was called upon to find the last 10 students.
The drone program got heavy backing from Officer Ty Klapp, Simone said.
"He actually fund-raised for the program," Simone said. "He raised upwards of $20,000."
The department is still figuring out new ways the drone can be helpful, although locating a lost dog wasn't the first thing that came to mind when starting the program, Klapp said.
Alone and afraid in wooded area
When Montana was sighted in a wooded area on the morning of April 3, Klapp jumped into action.
The drone had to stay below 100 feet because of the proximity to Akron Fulton Airport. The low ceiling forced Klapp to dodge and weave the drone around the treetops.
"It took a while to search the woods," he said.
But, using the infrared camera, he spotted Montana.
"She was laying down and … something loud went by and she jumped up running," he said.
Members of the Mock family were at the scene, and Klapp alerted Mock's sister-in-law where to look.
Success quickly followed.
"Everybody was ecstatic," Klapp said. "There were people who were running through the water."
A heavy rain had soaked the wooded area, Klapp said.
The pup who hated water had been trudging through muddy woods and had a bite on her nose, but was otherwise — physically — unscathed.
Making the adjustment back to domestic life
"She was exhausted," Mock said. "She laid (around) for days."
But she has perked up and become more active with Stella, another family dog and Montana's close companion, Mock said.
She said her dog survived a harrowing and dangerous experience.
Crossing a busy road and highway without being hit by a car "is a miracle," she said. "Last night was the first time she played with Stella."
Montana was mum about her experiences during life on the road.
Follow Alan Ashworth on Twitter at @newsalanbeaconj.