How It Works | Drone SAR for Lost Dogs UK

1

Submit Your Report

Use our Report a Lost Dog form to submit your dog's details. Please include a clear recent photo, the full postcode and a description of how they went missing.

We'll need to know:

📍 Full postcode and detailed description of where and how your dog went missing — from home, on a walk, how far from home, did you walk or drive to the location?
👤 Confirmation that you are the owner or primary point of contact
💾 Whether your chip company has been notified, the chip is registered, and your contact details are up to date — please do this immediately if not

⚠️ Do not post your phone number publicly. Submit it only through our secure report form.

2

Initial Advice & Scent Trail

Once your report is received, our team will contact you and provide immediate guidance. One of the most effective things you can do right away is establish a scent trail.

🧥 Leave scent items immediately — this really works:

Place as much unwashed family clothing as possible near where your dog went missing and outside your home. We need to get your scent airborne as quickly as possible.

Polo shirts, T-shirts, pyjamas, old well-worn coats
Walking boots with smelly socks inside
The bottom sheet from the bed
Any clothing belonging to the person the dog has most bonded with

Add a small amount of smelly food alongside — tinned sardines, smoked cheese, chicken, or anything pungent.

🏠 If your dog went missing from home:

Leave a door and gate slightly open (if safe to do so) so they can return. Leave scent clothing and food in the front garden. 9 out of 10 dogs will return to where they went missing from, often during the early hours of the morning. Many dogs have returned home safely following this advice — do it as soon as possible.

3

If Your Dog is Sighted — Stop, Drop, Think

A frightened lost dog will run. The instinct to call or chase is natural but it can be the worst thing to do. Share these instructions with anyone helping you search.

STOP — DROP — THINK

When you see a dog off a lead, alone or in unexpected circumstances

Use slow movements

Don't approach the dog — let them approach you

Never approach a dog in a straight line — turn your body to an angle

Do not look directly at the lost dog

Sit or lie down on the ground

Pretend to sniff the ground

Lure with food if possible

Speak softly — never call or whistle

If you are not able to lure them, watch and follow from a safe distance

📞 If sighted: Contact the owner or point of contact immediately, noting the time, location and direction of travel. Do not attempt to catch the dog yourself unless they come to you willingly.

4

Notify Emergency Services & Local Authorities

As a precaution, notify the relevant authorities as soon as possible — especially if there are nearby hazards like roads, railways, rivers or farmland. They will put alerts out and remain vigilant.

Also notify farmers and landowners in the area who will remain vigilant.

🇬🇧 UK-Wide

🚂 Network Rail

24/7 Emergency Line

03457 11 41 41

Lost dogs can be attracted to the vibrations of a railway line and food near the tracks. If a railway line is nearby, contact Network Rail immediately — they will alert drivers and workers in the area.

🚤 Canal & River Trust

0303 040 4040 0800 47 999 47

If there are canals or rivers nearby.

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 England

🛣️ Highways England

0300 123 5000

If there is a main road nearby, contact Highways England. If your dog is on the motorway, contact Highways England AND call 101/999.

🌊 Environment Agency

0800 80 70 60

Covers streams and waterways in England.

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 Wales

🌊 Natural Resources Wales

0300 065 3000

Covers waterways and environmental incidents in Wales.

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 Scotland

🚂 ScotRail

0344 811 0141 - 7am to 10pm 0141 355 5240 - after 10pm and before 7am

Rail services across Scotland. Report animals on or near the tracks.

🛣️ Transport Scotland

0141 272 7100

Trunk roads and motorways in Scotland. Contact if your dog is near a major road.

🇮🇪 Ireland

🚂 Iarnród Éireann (Irish Rail)

01850 366222

Rail services across Ireland. Report animals on or near railway lines.

🚌 National Transport Authority (IRE)

01879 8300

Public transport authority for Ireland — covers bus and rail services.

5

Drone Search Deployment

Once our team has your details, a search assessment is made and — subject to pilot availability and suitable conditions — our pilots and ground searchers will be notified

🚁 Our drones can:

Cover ground — far faster than a ground search
Search in darkness using heat signatures (when available)
Help to locate dogs hidden in woodland, undergrowth and fields
Operate in conditions where ground searchers cannot safely go

💛 Remember: This service is completely free. We will never ask you for payment. If anyone contacts you claiming to be from Drone SAR and asks for money — report it as a scam.

What Happens When You Report a Missing Dog