It’s easy to see why a dog is called a man’s best friend. Their love and loyalty for their humans often go beyond words.
But the bond between a dog and its owner is truly felt when the dog is no longer there. When our best friend crosses the rainbow bridge, we’re left only with grief. Yet, when a dog goes missing, we will stop at nothing to bring them back.
This was the case for one devoted owner whose blind family dog went missing. He didn’t give up in his search, and when they were finally reunited, it was a moment filled with joy—captured from above with a drone.
The Touching Reunion
On Friday, October 20, 2024, 11-year-old Molly disappeared from her family farm. Her owner, Mike Herridge, did everything he could to find her, but all his efforts were in vain.
That’s when Mike and his daughter, Natalie, contacted a rescue drone company. Three days later, the drone spotted a dog in a vast field. When Mike got the call, he rushed to the location to see if it was his beloved Molly.
Upon arriving, he immediately recognized her. He hurried to her, but Molly, being blind, couldn’t immediately recognize her favorite person.
But as soon as Molly smelled Mike, her tail started wagging uncontrollably, filled with the joy of being near her daddy.
After a few moments of loving affection, Mike led her to the car, and they were soon on their way home together.
Drone footage captured the reunion, and the emotional video soon warmed the hearts of many on the internet.
A Search Filled With Hope and Gratitude
When Molly went missing, Mike and his family didn’t hold out much hope of ever seeing her again.
“To be honest, I didn’t think we were going to find her alive. I started looking in ditches or holes she could’ve fallen into. She’s completely blind and isn’t particularly mobile,” Mike shared in his interview with the Daily Mail.
But they refused to give up, and Mike’s eldest daughter, Natalie, came up with a brilliant idea. She reached out to Drone To Home, a rescue group using drones to locate missing dogs.
It turned out to be a great decision, as the drone located Molly in less than two hours.
“I was standing near the drone operator who said, ‘I think I might’ve found your dog,’” Mike recalled. “I looked on his screen and said, ‘Yep, that’s her!’” Mike said with a smile, adding: “When she heard my voice, she started jumping around like a puppy. I held her and thought, ‘I can’t believe I’m picking you up right now.’”
Finally, Phil James, CEO of Drone To Home, shared his joy over the happy reunion, admitting that he “doesn’t get emotional very often”—but this moment brought tears to his eyes.
In the end, he expressed his gratitude that his company’s work continues to bring so much happiness to dog owners like Mike and his family.
“We receive, on average, about 40 calls and messages a day through our virtual call center, and we have 11 trained volunteers answering the phones,” Phil explained. “We all love what we do and have the best job in the world.”