09/06/2025
I've been working my tail off (no pun intended) to get this video put together for so many of you, that have been patiently waiting.
Between moving, remodeling our old house to sell, working a full-time job, and running drone calls, it's taken a little bit, but here we are.
I hope you all enjoy a front row seat of what went down the night Dallas Cheddar was saved.
Every drone call comes with its' own story and ending, and this one was no exception. But I didn't know just how wild, life would get when I finally laid eyes on this elusive and suffering dog, and she was finally caught.
Here is the story of the infamous Dallas Cheddar, whose story and rescue captured the hearts of people across the nation, and around the world!
My phone rang one evening, the call came from Gracie, a lady within Canine Rescue of Central PA. Through a web of details and sightings, they had come across a stray dog with a plastic snack barrel over its head. Over the course of 2-3 days, they had made numerous attempts to try to catch up with the dog, but to no avail. At the end of one evening, it disappeared into a large corn field, knowing that she wasn't going to make it much longer, that's when the decision was made to put eyes in the skies.
After getting as many details as I possibly could, I was 100% confident that I could successfully find the dog. And with the dog having obscured vision and being without sustenance for who knows how long, I wasn't too worried about her spooking and getting away from us.
I knew the dog had to be suffering, and a slow, painful death would be waiting if we didn't find it soon. I packed everything up, and once evening came and the thermals cooled down, I headed out to meet all the volunteers that were waiting on me.
Once I arrived, we made a game plan, and the drone was soon in the air.
Within twenty minutes I found her, but as it sometimes goes, our first attempt to catch her was unsuccessful. After navigating them in, she decided to take off into the depth of the corn field, and so I went back to searching. For 1-2 hours, my eyes were locked on to that screen, watching for a thermal signature to pop up, that would be close to the size of what we were looking for. Then the thermal spot popped up, and when I panned over to the zoom camera and I saw her, I may have possibly lost my mind.
Then the fun began again.
Round 2 of guiding people through a 13 ft high cornfield to get to the dog who was at the very center of it.
I kept the drone hovering in the air, while I gave direction to someone who was with me, who in turn was on a radio with the volunteers who were on the ground. It went something like this, "Go ten yards, go left 7 rows, now go 20 yards, now over left five rows."
Slowly they progressed closer and closer, fighting the corn, and concentrating on directions until, well you'll see what I mean!!!!!!!!!
The technology of drones in the hands of a responsible operator have the power to do so much good for our communities and for the world around us! The powerful combo of drone, and people working together is what gave this dog and everyone who was invested in the story, a very happy ending!!!!!!!!!
When I left the house, I had no idea that this would go viral, that a rescued dog would be named after me and that everyone would want a piece of the story. But in a world that is constantly full of heavy things, everyone was finally able to celebrate a happy ending.
Every drone call comes with its' own story and ending, and this one was no exception. But I didn't know just how wild, life would get when I finally laid eye...
