DJI Drone Rescues Pup in Wild Pretzel Jar Pickle

Holy guacamole, DroneXL crew, have we got a tail-wagging tale for you! A stray pup in Pennsylvania, now named Dallas, got her noggin stuck in a giant pretzel jar, turning her into a furry snack catastrophe. As WGAL, People, and CBS News reported, enter now into a drone-wielding hero who soared over cornfields to spot this cheesy mess, proving drones are the ultimate wingman for man’s best friend!

A Salty Situation in York County

On August 17, 2025, folks in York County, Pennsylvania, spotted a dog stumbling around with a massive plastic pretzel container glued to her head. Poor Dallas—she couldn’t eat, drink, or shake it off, facing a dehydration disaster. Canine Rescue of Central PA (CRCPA) sprang into action, knowing this pup was in a crunch-time crisis.

Beth Miller, a CRCPA volunteer, described the jar as a suffocating trap, blocking food and water. “She’s been trying to get it off, and it’s not budging,” Miller told WGAL. The no-kill rescue hit Facebook, begging for sightings of the skittish stray darting into fields like a four-legged ninja.

Dallas dodged rescuers for days, vanishing into cornfields faster than you can say “cheese puffs.” Locals reported sightings, but she’d bolt into the stalks whenever anyone got close. It was a high-stakes game of hide-and-seek with a dog’s life on the line.

Drones to the Rescue: Sky-High Search

By Monday, CRCPA teamed up with Find Toby in PA, turning the hunt into a full-on mission. Volunteers combed the area from sunup to sundown, but Dallas kept slipping through the corn like a furry ghost. “We were exhausted and felt defeated,” said Janelle George from CRCPA. “This dog’s in serious trouble, and it’s urgent.”

Tuesday night, as one search crew clocked out at 10 p.m., a fresh squad rolled in, including drone pilot Dallas Fuhrman from Nighthawk Drone Services. Fuhrman fired up his drone at midnight, ready to scan the corn maze. “Walking through 13-foot-tall corn is miserable,” he said. “With my drone, we’re finding her.”

The drone’s eagle-eye view sliced through the corn chaos, guiding ground teams like a GPS for pups. At 3 a.m. Wednesday, boom—Dallas was found deep in the field, dazed and drained but alive. “We got it!” the team radioed, sparking cheers and a race to free the pooch.

From Jar Jail to Puppy Paradise

Rescuers nabbed Dallas with ninja-like precision and cut off that pesky pretzel prison. “She just collapsed into our laps,” George said. Rushed to Shores Veterinary Emergency Center, Dallas was dehydrated, tick-riddled, and matted, but a fighter. Her bloodwork was solid, save for a low white blood cell count from tick bites—antibiotics to the rescue!

About a year old, Dallas is a sweet, loving gal, earning the middle name “Cheddar” for her snack-tastrophe. Bickel’s Snack Food, the jar’s makers, stepped up, covering vet bills and gifting cheese balls—in bags, not barrels! “They’re giving her a gift bag,” George chuckled.

Dallas is out of the hospital, eating every six hours to dodge refeeding syndrome, and headed to a foster home soon. Spaying, vaccinations, and a bath are next—a total pup glow-up! CRCPA’s shouting out the community, from drone heroes to social media sharers, for this pawsome save.

Drones: The Ultimate Rescue Wingmen

Drones aren’t just for epic sunset shots or herding livestock—they’re lifesavers in tricky terrain. Fuhrman’s drone turned a needle-in-a-cornfield hunt into a pinpoint victory, showing DJI-level tech can guide rescuers where boots fail. “It was a killer team effort,” Fuhrman told WGAL, proving drones are game-changers for animal rescues.

This isn’t the first time drones saved a furry friend. From spotting lost hikers to tracking wildlife, these flying gadgets are rewriting the rescue playbook. For DJI fans, it’s a nudge: your hobby could be a hero’s tool, zipping over fields or forests with ease.

The community’s rally—sightings, shares, and midnight missions—shows the power of people (and pups) uniting. Dallas’ story is a heartwarming win, mixing humor, heart, and high-flying heroics.

The DroneXL Take

As a drone pilot with seven years of dodging branches and nailing epic orbits, I’m howling with joy over Dallas’ drone-powered escape, but let’s toss a pinch of salt on this cheesy tale. Spotting a jar-headed pup in a cornfield at 3 a.m.? That’s drone sorcery—my DJI Mavic Mini 3 could’ve pulled it off, slicing through those stalks like a pro. Fuhrman’s midnight mission with his Dji Matrice is pure legend, turning a desperate chase into a tail-wagging triumph.

Still, let’s keep it real: not every rescue’s this slick. Cornfields are a drone pilot’s nightmare—wind, leaves, and low visibility can turn a flight into a crash landing. I’ve lost signal in simpler spots, so props to Fuhrman’s tech holding strong. Scaling drone rescues means more pilots, better gear, and maybe some FAA wiggle room for night ops. Dallas’ happy ending is a barking good time, but drones aren’t magic wands—they’re tools. Here’s to more saves like this—fly smart, DroneXL crew, and watch for pups in pretzel peril!

Photographs courtesy of Nighthawk Drone Services and Canine Rescue of Central PA