Communities search for sheriff lieutenant’s lost dog with aid of drone

The ongoing search for a missing family dog ​​in the Merrimack Valley has been bolstered with the help of police drone technology.

Cash, a 3-year-old Catahoula tiger terrier, has been missing since fleeing the family home in Haverhill on Friday afternoon. It belongs to Tanya Copelli, a lieutenant with the Essex County Police Department.

At about 1 p.m., Cash panicked, ran out of Copelli’s house, and ran into a nearby wooded area. Since then, family, friends and community members have been searching almost nonstop.

“It could be anywhere,” Copelli said. “It could be miles from here.”

Gene Eastman, a family friend and Cobelli’s former co-worker, told Boston.com that Cash’s disappearance is unusual for a dog that is said to never leave its owner. Surrounding towns and their animal control offices in both Massachusetts and New Hampshire were alerted to the search, Copelli said.

Phil Minghella, Owner On a drone mission And organized by the Northeast Massachusetts Law Enforcement Council, they provided a police drone on Friday to help track down Cash, according to Copelli. The drone uses infrared and thermal imaging technology to detect thermal signatures at night, Eastman said.

For a single moment Friday evening, the drone’s eyes were on Cash, who was seen about 1,600 feet away in the wooded area. However, it quickly took off and has not been seen since, according to Copelli.

Community members who discovered Cash were urged not to approach or contact him. Although he is usually “very active” and friendly with people, he is very skittish and will run away if approached, Copelli said.

Copelli and her family are continuing their search Sunday and are putting up fliers around town alerting the community. Anyone with information that could assist in the search is asked to call Copelli at 978-857-6853.