- A missing dog in England was lured to safety by a rescue team using sausages tethered to drones.
- Millie, a Jack Russell Terrier, was missing for days after slipping off of her lead last week.
- "We had to think outside the box, and fast," Denmead Drone Search & Rescue told Insider.
Rescuers searching for a lost dog in England lured the missing pet to safety using sausages attached to drones.
Millie, a 3-year-old Jack Russell Terrier, went missing last week after slipping out of her lead. To help find her pup, Millie's owner, Emma Oakes, contacted nonprofit group Denmead Drone Search & Rescue.
"With Millie in danger, we had to think outside the box, and fast. Attaching the sausage to the drone was a think- outside-the-box moment," Denmead Drone Search & Rescue told Insider. "We didn't know if it was going to work or not. We are over the moon that it did."
The nonprofit chronicled the days-long rescue mission on its Facebook page.
Days of possible sightings came and went, but volunteers couldn't reach the lost dog. It wasn't until a possible sighting in Langstone that the rescuers were able to locate Millie on the mudflats.
It took two days to locate her within the marshlands and reeds, according to a Facebook post.
Even though they spotted her using a pair of drones, Denmead Drone Search & Rescue said Millie was more than 2,000 feet away from land and in an area of sinking mud.
They tried to reach her on kayaks, but the tide was quickly coming in.
The rescue team was told that if they could not get Millie to solid ground within a few hours, the pup would likely drown, according to Denmead Drone Search & Rescue's Facebook post.
One of the drone pilots came up with the idea to lure Millie to safety using food attached to the drones. So they secured pieces of two-ounce cooked sausage to the drone using a piece of string. Denmead Drone Search & Rescue said some bacon was also tried to get Millie's attention.
Sure enough, the team was able to lure Millie into a safe zone, preventing her from drowning, the Facebook post said.
Millie then slipped past the rescue team and ended up on the roads again, according to Denmead Drone Search & Rescue's Facebook, sparking another cat-and-mouse chase to secure her.
On the last day of searching, Oakes' dad joined the party.
"After 15 minutes of walking around Millie came charging up to the owner's father and his dog, tail wagging happy. Millie was quickly secured in the car," Denmead Drone Search & Rescue wrote on Facebook.
Millie then went to the vet for a checkup following her big adventure and was prescribed lots of TLC and rest.
"Millie has been an amazing rescue for us," Denmead Drone Search & Rescue told Insider. "Millie's adventure was an incredible one, for both Millie and us. The team, did an amazing job, getting Millie home safe."