The UK's first, largest, and only completely free drone search and rescue service for missing animals — built entirely on volunteers, compassion, and the belief that nobody should profit from another person's pain.
Drone SAR for Lost Dogs UK was founded on 22nd July 2017 by Graham Burton, a retired press photographer from South Wales. Graham had long been active as an admin on missing dog groups and had seen first-hand the heartbreak of owners desperately searching for their animals.
The spark that started it all came when Graham heard about an elderly lady in Devon who had lost her golden retriever and was being quoted £800 per day by a drone operator to search for her. He was furious. He contacted friends in Devon, they found the dog — and charged nothing.
"I don't agree with asking people for money from someone's pain. Everyone does everything from the goodness of their heart — nobody earns a penny."
From that single search, Drone SAR was born. What began as a small group of friends quickly grew into something nobody expected. Today it is the UK's first and largest drone-assisted animal search and rescue organisation, with over 122,000 members across the whole of the UK and Ireland — including nearly 4,500 qualified drone pilots and over 3,700 ground searchers and tracker dog handlers.
Since its creation, DSAR has helped reunite well over 7,005 missing animals with their families — not just dogs, but horses, cows, goats, sheep, pigs, tortoises and other exotic animals. Not a single penny has ever been charged to an owner in need.
Our volunteer network covers the whole of the UK and Ireland — including Northern Ireland, the Isle of Man, Jersey, and Guernsey. Pilots and ground searchers are distributed across the country, with equipment stored locally with custodian pilots and trappers.
A full multi-disciplinary operation — drone technology, specialist equipment, dedicated ground teams, scent tracking experts and coordinated search management, all working together to bring missing animals home.
Our fleet of thermal imaging drones can locate animals by heat signature in complete darkness, dense woodland or difficult terrain that ground searchers cannot safely reach.
Handheld thermal scopes allow our ground teams to scan large areas at night and pinpoint a dog's location before attempting an approach.
Large-capacity Humane traps designed to safely contain a frightened dog without harm, with an outstanding success rate.
Humane containment traps used for Small to medium breeds or more challenging capture situations.
Placed at trap sites and food stations, these cameras allow remote 24/7 monitoring — alerting us the moment a dog enters the trap zone.
Our network includes specialist scent tracking dog handlers whose trained dogs can follow a missing animal's trail across fields, woodland and urban environments — working areas where drones cannot operate effectively and covering ground that human searchers would miss.
With over 3,700 ground searchers across the UK and Ireland, our boots-on-the-ground volunteers distribute scent clothing, set food stations, monitor traps, and maintain the vital human presence that no technology can replace — particularly when coaxing a frightened animal to safety.
Every search is individually coordinated by our experienced admin team — gathering information, analysing terrain, deploying the right assets in the right order, and keeping pilots, ground teams and the owner in communication throughout.
All equipment has been funded entirely by donations from the public — people whose animals we have helped bring home. Every penny donated is saved and used to purchase more equipment, distributed to custodian pilots and trappers across the UK. Nobody earns a penny from what we do.
Our volunteers' extraordinary dedication has been recognised at the highest levels.
Awarded by Prime Minister Boris Johnson in recognition of outstanding inspirational voluntary service. In a personal letter to Graham, the PM wrote of being "fascinated to learn of your brilliant innovation reuniting lost dogs with their families with drones." The Points of Light award recognises outstanding individual volunteers making a change in their community.
Graham Burton travelled to the House of Lords to accept this prestigious award on behalf of the whole Drone SAR team — a landmark recognition of the organisation's impact on animal welfare across the UK.
Drone SAR for Lost Dogs UK was Highly Commended at the Animal Star Awards, which celebrate the extraordinary relationships between people and animals.
Amanda Wood-Woolley Volunteer of the Year at the Animal Star Awards, which celebrate the extraordinary relationships between people and animals.
Drone SAR for Lost Dogs IOW was named
Volunteers of the Year for the Southern Region
at the Animal Star Awards 2025 — a remarkable achievement for a branch that had only been operating since June 2024.
Graham Burton personally won the Animal Star Award of the Year for the Southern Region, recognised for his outstanding achievements and his foresight in supporting the launch of the Isle of Wight branch.
Drone SAR for Lost Dogs UK appeared on Crufts TV in 2025, bringing our work to a national audience of dog lovers. The organisation has also featured on BBC Wales, national press publications, and numerous radio programmes over the years.
Team leader Maria Walker, and our East Sussex/Kent team Volunteers of the year award Winnrs
The main Drone SAR for Lost Dogs UK Facebook group is the heartbeat of the organisation — the place where every search begins. With over 122,000 members, it is the UK's largest and most active lost dog search network, operating 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.
When you post a missing animal to the group, our admin team responds quickly — gathering key information, deploying local drone pilots, and coordinating ground searchers in your area. The network spans the entire UK and Ireland, including Northern Ireland, the Isle of Man, Jersey and Guernsey, with custodian pilots and trappers located throughout the country.
We search for more than just dogs. Since our founding we have helped reunite horses, cows, goats, sheep, pigs, tortoises and other exotic animals — any missing animal where our technology and volunteers can make a difference.
On occasion, our pilots have also assisted the police in searches for missing persons — a testament to the capability and trust our volunteers have built over the years.
Join the UK Facebook GroupWe are always looking for more volunteer drone pilots, ground searchers and tracker dog handlers across the whole of the UK. If you want to help bring missing animals home, we'd love to hear from you.
Volunteer With UsSince the end of June 2024, Graham Burton — alongside Isle of Wight admin and coordinator Suzzy Lee — created a dedicated Island division: Drone SAR for Lost Dogs IOW.
Although DSAR pilots had been assisting on the Island since the organisation's early days, it became clear that a dedicated local presence was needed. The IOW team has already achieved remarkable success in its short existence, reuniting missing animals with their families across the Island.
The IOW Facebook page has grown to over 1,000 followers and the team has won the Animal Star Volunteers of the Year award for the Southern Region — all within their first year of operation.
Join Our Facebook GroupWe are always looking for more volunteer pilots, ground searchers and tracker dog handlers on the Isle of Wight. If you have what it takes to be part of this amazing team, get in touch.
Volunteer With Us