Chesapeake Thermal Drone Recovery

09/11/2026

Today, we remember the nearly 3,000 people who never made it home. We remember the firefighters, police officers, EMTs, military personnel, and countless civilians who ran toward unimaginable danger.

Today, we also want to remember some of the four-legged heroes who also answered the call. In the days and weeks following 9/11, more than 300 search-and-rescue dogs worked alongside their handlers at the World Trade Center and the Pentagon.

They climbed over unstable rubble. They searched through dust, smoke, and debris. They worked for hours alongside their people, following the things they knew how to follow: their training, their instincts, and their noses.

Dogs like Apollo, an NYPD German Shepherd, who was one of the first K-9s to arrive at Ground Zero. He was knocked down, injured, and even caught in a fireball. His handler brushed the burning debris from him…and Apollo went back to work.

Dogs like Bretagne, a young Golden Retriever who spent 10 days searching the World Trade Center site with her handler and Texas Task Force 1.

And dogs like Sage, who worked at the Pentagon and went on to serve in other disasters.

Some dogs searched for survivors. Some searched for those who would never be coming home. And some weren't there to search at all. They were there to comfort the people who were hurting.

They didn't understand terrorism. They didn't understand tragedy. They didn't understand why their world suddenly looked so different. They just knew their person was beside them...and they had a job to do. The last living person rescued from Ground Zero 27 hours after the collapse was found by one of these search and rescue dogs.

On this day, we remember the victims of that fateful day. We remember the heroes. We remember the families.

And we remember the dogs who worked beside them.

Never forgotten ❤️🤍💙

Photo: Sirius, a Yellow Lab - the only working police dog to pass away during the 9/11 attacks 🐾💔

Information obtained: https://www.911memorial.org

09/11/2026

When Sunny called us about her missing indoor cat, Monsta, we did what we always do: we listened and then we got to work.

We talked through her situation, pulled up her address, and explained that indoor cats typically don't go very far from where they escaped. We talked about speaking with neighbors, getting permission to search their yards, and checking under sheds, decks, brush, inside garages, and other hiding places. We asked her to make note of neighbors with security cameras and see if they would check their footage. We created a customized map and pointed out potential hiding places — a shed here, a deck there, a storm drain, a boat or trailer in a yard.

We talked Sunny through humane trapping, including where to get a decent live trap, how to bait and cover it, and why placing it in front of her existing Ring camera would help monitor it. We explained the thermal drone and K9 searches and when they might become helpful if they were needed.

And we did all of this from the comfort of our living room, in our pajamas, at no charge.

Because these are things we've learned from others who share this passion and through our education with MARN. They're tips and tricks we've learned, practiced, and refined through experience. And if sharing that knowledge helps bring someone's pet home, we're happy to share it.

Not long after our phone conversation, texts, flyer, and customized search map, we got a lead. One of Sunny's neighbors had seen Monsta the night before and was kind enough to take a picture for confirmation.

Wouldn't ya know it — Monsta was right in the search area we had highlighted. She was fitting the pattern and tendencies we've seen in lost cats before her.

It was early afternoon, and armed with that latest information, we knew Monsta was likely close. We told Sunny to go check it out, ask the homeowner for permission to search the property, and use a flashlight to check those dark, tucked-away places.

And then we got the video we'd all been hoping for: Monsta was home ❤️

To us, this is just how we help bring lost pets home. But to Sunny, it was so much more. We didn't realize just how much until we read the review she left us. A few excerpts really stayed with us:

"...from the very beginning, they were incredibly kind, patient, knowledgeable, and professional"

"...What stood out to me most was that their priority was clearly helping us find our cat, not simply selling us a service"

"...They also offered to walk us through setting up a humane trap over video and told us we could call them anytime if we had questions"

"...After making so many calls during those stressful days, it meant more than I can say to speak with people who treated us like worried pet owners rather than just another potential customer"

And finally:

"To me, that says everything about the kind of people they are. When your pet is missing, you want help from someone who genuinely cares about getting your animal home, not someone who is only thinking about making money. That kind of honesty, compassion, and integrity is incredibly important to me as a pet owner, and it is exactly why I would trust Ashley and Jim without hesitation."

Those words mean more to us than we can really ever explain.

When your pet is missing, you're scared. You're overwhelmed. You're looking for someone who will listen and help you figure out what to do next. Sometimes that means a drone. Sometimes it's a trap, a K9, flyers, cameras, or a combination of everything.

And sometimes, it starts with two people sitting in their living room in their pajamas on a Sunday morning, simply listening and providing the right guidance.

We're so happy Monsta is home❤️

09/10/2026

FOUND! HOME WITH MOM AND DAD! 💕

Missing German Shepard - Near Hereford/Falls Road. MAY be dragging a leash!

Upperco, MD ~ 09/10/26 ~ LOST DOG
“Sona”, Female, Collar and Tags, microchipped, Brown/Black
Last seen: Falls Road between Mt. Carmel Road and Gunpowder Road 09/08, between Hereford and Hampstead, MD
Contact:
https://www.facebook.com/lisa.orens

Info via PM / Lisa Orens

09/09/2026

FOUND! HOME SAFE WITH DAD & MOM 💙

09/09/2026

Fingers crossed 🤞 and prayers 🙏 for Mochi.

09/07/2026

🤗
Welcome home, Monsta!

09/05/2026

"It was like calling Special Forces.”

— A Chesapeake Thermal Drone Recovery client

We laughed when we read this review… but honestly, we kind of love it 💙😂

When your pet goes missing, you don't need someone who simply shows up, launches a drone, flies around for a bit, and leaves.

You need someone who knows how to search.

Someone who understands terrain.

Someone who knows what they're looking at.

Someone willing to stay out there alongside of you.

Someone who will keep working the problem.

And most importantly, someone who cares about the animal you're trying to bring home.

That's what we try to bring to every search. Compassion, dedication, and education.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “It was like calling Special Forces.”
We'll take it 😉🐾

If your pet disappeared tonight, would you know what to do and who to call?

09/04/2026

FOUND!

LOST DOG! DO NOT CHASE!
Report sightings!

Last seen on South Wieker RD.

09/02/2026

Some puppies go for a walk, but Demi goes on an ADVENTURE 😂

Ms. Barb called us frantic. Her adorable 18-week-old Black Lab puppy, Demi, had taken off into the woods with one of her other dogs while Barb was unloading groceries.

The older dog came home. Demi apparently said, “Nah, I’m good. I’ve got places to be.” 😂

Barb searched the thick woods behind her house with no luck, so she called us.

Jim pulled up the area on Google Earth and immediately saw the challenge: thick woods, soybean fields, a tidal creek, and a busy road.

When Jim asked Barb how thick the woods were, her response? “Thick.” Great. Love that for us.

Jim explained that heavy tree canopy can block a thermal signature, making the woods difficult to search. The soybean fields, however, would be much more drone-friendly. We explained the limitations and that we'd need to wait until sundown for the best thermal conditions.

While getting ready, Jim and Ashley created a flyer and started sharing it with local lost-pet groups as well as getting it up around the neighborhood. We also asked Barb to grab some liquid smoke and create a scent trail through the woods to encourage Demi to head home.

Barb went to the store…and came back with SIX BOTTLES 🤣 Apparently, Barb was prepared to smoke out half of the Eastern Shore. She wanted her baby back asap & we don't blame her.

But before we even got the drone in the air, Barb got a call from her neighbors. They had seen the flyers and heard a dog barking in the soybean fields!

Barb rushed over, started calling…

AND THERE SHE WAS! 🖤🐾🎉

Demi had been hanging out in the soybean fields the entire time, apparently enjoying her Sunday excursion.

Demi: 1
Everyone else: 0 😂

On a serious note, this is why community involvement is so important. The flyers reached the right people, the neighbors heard Demi, and one phone call brought her home.

No drone needed this time — just teamwork, communication, and apparently six bottles of liquid smoke on standby (we hear they make a good Chili marinade).

Welcome home, sweet Demi! 🖤🐾

And maybe next time… skip the adventure, kid 😉

09/01/2026

Shadow Cats TNR is SOOO close to reaching their goal of $200k by the end of September! This $200k will be MATCHED - giving them a total of $400k to purchase a new building so they can continue the great work they do in our community. Please donate, even a few dollars will add up. If you can't donate - please share the link in hopes a friend or family member can donate!

Here is a video describing what they do and what the money will be used for:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HRx2MZHxvaQ

We've officially got 30 days to raise $79,100 to get our full matching donation of $200,000 for our capital campaign. We desperately need a building of our own to continue this mission. If you've thought about donating, now is the time!
You can sponsor us to receive different levels of recognition, donate goods/services that we can raffle, or just give us some cold, hard cash!
If you can't donate or have already contributed- please give our posts a share! Every dollar counts towards the match. Thank you for all your support!

Donate here:
https://shadowcatstnr.org/news/capital-campaign