A North Carolina dog that vanished into floodwaters is back home after a tense overnight search.
The dog, named Monchu, had an emotional reunion with his owner after neighbors, social media, and a well-timed drone flight located him.
What happened?
According to WLOS News 13, Sam Haney, Monchu's owner, and his girlfriend, Kristen Honeycutt, took their dogs to a spot near Cane Creek in Fletcher, North Carolina, before the water created a dangerous situation.
Honeycutt said recent storms had pushed the creek far above its normal level, and conditions worsened so fast they could not respond in time.
Honeycutt entered the water after her dog was carried off, and the current pulled her away as well. She was able to get herself and some of the dogs that followed out but not Monchu.
"I saw Monchu poke his head over Kristen's shoulder, and I was trying to tell him to stay there, and he just kind of got freaked out and I guess jumped right back in the water because there was no other path of anywhere to go," Haney told News 13.
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Afterward, they called 911 and continued looking for Monchu as Honeycutt's mother asked for help on social media.
Haney said the response was immediate and emotional. "We get back to the cars and we get quiet for a second, and we started hearing complete strangers all around calling for Monchu, and it was just the most incredible experience just knowing that the community was out looking for him," he told News 13.
The next day, Bree Day-Bottai, a local drone pilot, saw the online posts and volunteered to search. Using her drone near the river, she located Monchu.
"I was like, 'Hey, I got him,' and they were over there instantly looking at the camera and it was him," Day-Bottai told News 13.
Haney said, "As soon as I saw him do the little circle on the screen, and you couldn't even make out — it was just a little blob, and I saw it do a little loop — and I was like, 'Yup, that's him.'"
Why does it matter?
What began as a routine outing at the creek turned into an emergency within seconds, putting both people and pets at risk in powerful water.
Monchu was found because community members quickly organized and a volunteer searcher brought in drone support. Online appeals drew strangers to the area, and Day-Bottai's drone helped the couple find the missing dog.
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