drone helps locate dog trapped in jar after days-long search

A dog in York County got into a "jarring" situation Monday that sparked a days-long search and rescue mission.

The dog was spotted with a container stuck around her neck and covering her head, but ran off before she could be helped.

dallas the dog

Canine Rescue of Central PA and Find Toby stepped in. Through the power of social media and multiple sightings, she was located in a cornfield in Dillsburg.

Janelle George, from the social media and medical committees at Canine Rescue of Central PA, said, "We were all just very, physically tired and, but also just felt very defeated because we're like, this dog really needs our help. This is time sensitive. How can we go about this differently? How can we, you know, capture this dog, who has the advantage of the corn field, and we don't?"

dallas the dog

The search then took to the skies with the help of Dallas Fuhrman from Nighthawk Drone Services, who received a call at midnight on Wednesday and immediately took action.

"It's miserable for walking through by yourself because you got 13-foot-tall corn stalks. And I was like, well, if I come out, we're going to find it," Fuhrman said.

After hours of using the drone to guide rescuers below, Fuhrman said, "We exclaimed, because once she radioed back, 'We got it,' I mean, we all just about lost it."

George expressed relief upon seeing the dog, saying, "Just seeing the picture that, okay, this dog is alive and okay, and we're going to get the help it needs was just such an insane relief."

dallas the dog

At 3 a.m., the dog with the jar on its head was found and given a name. Fuhrman said, "They said, 'We're just going to name it after you.' Some people were calling it Dallas Cheese because it was a cheese puff container. That's what it stuffed its head into. And I just lost it. I was losing it, but it was, it's an honor. But I was flattered. It was a joke in the moment. And I guess it stuck."

dallas the dog

Now, "Dallas" is making a full recovery. George said, "They cut the jar off, and she was so sweet afterwards and kind of just — they described it as like, she collapsed into the volunteers' laps."

Reflecting on the rescue, George added, "Yesterday, we were just chasing her in circles, and it felt very defeating. So, to finally get the good news that she is safe and, you know, knowing everybody that was involved, it was just an incredible feeling. And we are just so happy for the safety of Dallas."

dallas the dog

Dallas' medical bills are estimated to be around $3,500. There are ways to donate at crcpa.org to support Dallas and her healing journey.

dallas the dog

What's next

Dallas is out of the vet hospital and doing well, according to volunteers from Canine Rescue of Central Pennsylvania.

Dallas is eating and hydrating well, and her bloodwork is promising despite a low white blood cell count, which doctors think could be due to numerous tick bites.

Volunteers had to cut mats out of her fur because she had engorged ticks, and Dallas is currently on antibiotics to help with that.

Despite everything she has been through, Dallas is described as friendly, loving, and sweet.

"Getting her spayed, getting her vaccinations, we are currently working on a foster potentially for tonight or early tomorrow morning, so we'd like to get her into a home as soon as possible. Right now, she has to be fed every 6 hours to avoid re-feeding syndrome, so that's something a priority for us - her health," George said.

Dallas will receive lots of love and a bath, and due to her love for cheese balls, her middle name is Cheddar.

The manager of Bickel's Snack Food, which manufactures the cheese balls jar that was on Dallas' head:

"They want to cover all costs and will give her a gift bag of cheese balls, but they said in a bag, and not a barrel," George said.

You can view pictures of Dallas when she was picked up from Shores Veterinary Emergency Center below:

TOP STORIES FROM WGAL:

CHECK OUT WGAL:Stay in the know with the top stories of the day. Get all the latest Harrisburg, Lancaster and York news, weather and sports from the WGAL News Team.