Fire department uses drones to find farmer’s missing donkey
By Naomi Popa
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ABBEVILLE COUNTY, South Carolina (WYFF) — A farmer in Abbeville County is feeling immense gratitude towards first responders who helped rescue one of her farm animals, Jake the donkey.
Traditionally, Jake is able to roam across more than 20 acres of land. Because of the rain, he got caught in mud on Sunday and slipped down a ravine, nowhere to be found.
Not knowing what to do to help find Jake, his owner, Kaye Acton, called the Abbeville County Fire Department, requesting that drones be used to help find her farm animal.
The fire department then answered the call to help find the four-legged beloved animal, even though it was a unique call.
“We have not had a call quite like this,” said Bryan Mullet, the ACERT Drone team leader who helped find Jake.
While it didn’t take long, it took a handful of helpers. More than 15 crew members in various roles helped with the search for Jake.
“When Miss Kaye called, she said the words, you know, my donkey has just wandered off. I kind of chuckled,” said JT Bass, the Abbeville County Fire Coordinator, “Only because, you know, it’s just funny. Because it’s just a funny set of put-together and I apologize to her, she’s very graceful.”
First responders used a drone and thermal imaging to find Jake, which took roughly 15 minutes.
“He was drained, dehydrated, had no fight left in him,” said Matthew Busby, an ACERT Technical Rescue team member.
Jake was seen upside down, wedged on his back, making it difficult for him to move at first.
“Honestly, whenever you pull up and see an animal in that much distress, but to see him stand, that was a miracle by itself,” said Cheryl Phillips, a certified canine medic and tech who helped render aid to Jake when he was found.
Because of his injuries, Jake will spend some time recovering after the incident. During that time, Acton will be feeling thankful she was reunited with a piece of her heart.
“And then I found a miracle, one phone call. But the world changed. Everybody showed up, and they were wonderful, they were wonderful,” said Acton.
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