Freestate Pet Tracking

12/24/2025

On Christmas Eve, we want to pause and say thank you.

This year brought us into the lives of so many incredible people. We met families during some of their hardest moments, walked alongside them through worry and fear, and were lucky enough to help many pets find their way home. Being trusted during those moments is something we never take lightly.

We also experienced deep loss this year. Losing Duck was devastating and changed us forever. He is still with us every day in our hearts, in our work, and in the way we honor him. He will always be part of this team.

We are grateful for everyone who trusted us, supported us, encouraged us, and stood in our corner. To our team, our friends, and this community that has grown around us, thank you for being part of our lives.

We look forward to the year ahead with hope, purpose, and gratitude.

Wishing you and your families a peaceful Christmas and a New Year filled with comfort, safety, and reunion.

12/07/2025

We are thrilled to share the wonderful news that Beans is safely back home with her family. This little survivor spent several days navigating the Carlisle area, showing remarkable resilience and intelligence along the way.

Goose and I tracked Beans on November 26, and he worked an absolutely beautiful trail. He picked up her scent immediately, carried it across the field, followed it west onto Dyarman Road, and then drove north toward a secluded mound area. That location proved to be spot on. Just five hours after Goose completed his track, Beans appeared on camera at the exact place he had indicated. Seeing a confirmation that quickly and that precisely is always something special, and we could not be prouder of Goose.

Over the four days following that first camera hit, Beans relocated to a spot roughly half a mile south. From there she settled into a very tight loop. Sightings in this area came from multiple credible sources, all clustered closely together. At one point she went quiet for several days, which is completely normal for a dog in survival mode, but once she resurfaced it became clear that she was staying within a small, predictable range.

Although Beans repeatedly refused all feeding stations and avoided appearing on additional cameras, her family’s flyering efforts made all the difference. Their fast, thorough distribution of flyers throughout Carlisle ensured that every set of eyes in the community was watching for her. Because of that, neighbors continued to report sighting after sighting, which helped keep her mapped even during the quieter stretches.

We also want to acknowledge Carol from Finding Toby. Her ongoing support and hard work throughout the case were invaluable, and we appreciate the dedication she brought to helping Beans. The news of Beans' capture is fresh and the family has not shared the complete details of Beans’ return yet, so we will share those updates at a later time, but we are grateful for Carol’s steady efforts from start to finish.

Today we are simply celebrating. Beans is home. She showed heart and determination every step of the way, and her family, their community, and every person who helped kept her moving toward safety.

Goose and I were honored to play a part in this journey, and we are so happy for Miranda, Andrew, and everyone who cares about Beans.

11/27/2025

The Barkside with Goose: Interview with Recon from Arkcan

Goose:
Welcome back to The Barkside. Today I am interviewing someone who can fly but does not smell like any bird I have ever tried to track.
Which is a shame because I am deeply committed to avian tracking.
He is also not edible, which is disappointing.
Everyone, meet Recon.

Recon:
Hello, Goose.

Goose:
First question. Are you a robot bird?
Second question. If you fell out of the sky, could I eat you?

Recon:
No and absolutely not.

Goose:
Fine. New question.
Can you throw tennis balls?

Recon:
No.

Goose:
Do you at least get belly rubs from your pilot?

Recon:
No. I do not have a belly.

Goose:
This is getting worse.
You cannot throw a ball, you do not get rubs, and you smell like a warm toaster trying to remember its purpose.
How do you stay motivated?

Recon:
Altitude.

Goose:
Altitude. I stay motivated by the words chicken cookie.
We are very different.
I respect it.

Goose:
Let us talk about your work. You fly everywhere, right?

Recon:
Many places. Fields, mountains, farms, suburbs. Anywhere an animal disappears and the ground teams need help from above.

Goose:
And you look for all species? Dogs. Cats. Chickens. Turtles. Mystery creatures that look at me funny?

Recon:
Any animal that needs help getting home.

Goose:
Good answer.
Do you have a case that stands out?

Recon:
I will give one example. A dog in Thurmont, Maryland.
He slipped from his yard with a thirty foot tie out attached. When I scanned the area, I found him hanging off a cliff. The tether caught on rock and he was suspended by his collar.

Goose:
Oh no. That is a very serious misadventure.

Recon:
There was no cell service. No way to call for a team.
So my pilot hiked half a mile through the dark, climbed down the cliff, freed the dog, carried him back out, and returned him safely to his family.

Goose:
That is real work.
That is the kind of thing people never see.

Recon:
My pilot is a hero on every mission. He stays focused on the work, not the photo opportunity.

Goose:
Truth. The right teams put the animal first. Nothing matters more than that.

Recon:
Ground and sky are partners. You follow the scent. I cover the terrain. That is how the search gets done.

Goose:
Before we finish, can you smell anything?

Recon:
No.

Goose:
That explains why you cannot appreciate beef, chicken, tennis balls, belly rubs, or joy.

Recon:
I work better above the noise.

Goose:
Anything else you want families to know?

Recon:
Good teams focus on the animal. Not the spotlight. Not the publicity. Not turning a search into a performance.

Goose:
You are welcome back anytime, Recon. Even if you smell like a toasted motherboard with no belly.

Recon:
The interview is complete.

Goose:
I did amazing.

Recon:
Debatable.

⸻

Drone Partner Credit: Arkcan LLC

PayPal:
https://www.paypal.me/Arkcanllc

Venmo:
https://www.venmo.com/u/Arkcanllc

Zelle:
Send to Arkcan LLC
Phone: 443-536-6934

11/27/2025

Happy Thanksgiving from Freestate Tracking.
Today we’re giving thanks for the trust our clients place in us during moments that are often painful and overwhelming. Being invited into that kind of vulnerability is something we will never take for granted.

We’re also thankful for the rescues, partners, and friends who walk this path with us. The people who show up for the right reasons, who keep the focus on the missing pets and the owners who need them, and who bring kindness into every step of the process.

Thank you for being part of this community and for letting us do the work that matters to us.

11/27/2025

The Barkside Teaser: Something Unusual Is Coming…

Goose is confused.

There’s a guest on the next Barkside who:
• flies
• doesn’t have a scent
• can’t enjoy beef
• can’t throw tennis balls
• has zero belly
• and yet… is one of the most important search partners out there.

Meet Recon from Arkcan tomorrow.

Ground nose meets sky eyes.

11/25/2025

Friends in the Carlisle, PA area, please keep your eyes open for this girl!

11/24/2025

Goose set up his station in the kitchen and demanded to give his official Thanksgiving safety briefing. Here’s what he wants every dog and cat owner to know before the holiday starts.

Goose says: “While you’re enjoying your Thanksgiving feast, don’t forget that some of the dishes on the table can cause big problems for dogs and cats. I want everyone safe, so here’s the list you need to get through the day without any emergencies.”

Thanksgiving Foods That Are Dangerous for Dogs and Cats

Cooked turkey bones
Cooked bones splinter and can cause choking, internal tears, or intestinal blockages.

Turkey skin and fatty scraps
Rich, fatty pieces can trigger pancreatitis and severe stomach upset in both dogs and cats.

Stuffing
Stuffing and dressing often contain onion, garlic, shallots, leeks, scallions, or chives. All of these are toxic to pets and can damage red blood cells.

Gravy and drippings
Usually high in fat and often seasoned with onion or garlic powder plus extra salt.

Onions, garlic, leeks, scallions, shallots, chives
Any form is unsafe, including cooked, raw, powdered, or mixed into dishes. These can cause life threatening anemia.

Grapes and raisins
Even small amounts can cause kidney injury in dogs. Cats are also at risk.

Chocolate and desserts, especially sugar free
Chocolate contains theobromine and caffeine, and sugar free items can contain xylitol, which is extremely dangerous.

Raw yeast dough
Dough expands in the stomach and produces alcohol as it ferments. This can cause bloat, pain, and alcohol poisoning.

Ham, deli meats, and other cured meats
Very high in fat and salt, which can cause vomiting, diarrhea, and pancreatitis.

Dairy and whipped cream
Most adult cats and many dogs are lactose intolerant. These can cause stomach upset, vomiting, or diarrhea.

Seasoned broths and turkey brine
Turkey brine is extremely salty and can cause salt poisoning. Broths may contain hidden onion or garlic powder.

Anything heavily seasoned
Many spice blends and mixed dishes hide unsafe ingredients or are too rich for pets.

⸻

Safer Treat Options
If you want to share a small Thanksgiving treat, keep it plain, unseasoned, and in small amounts:

• Cooked turkey meat (no skin, no bones, no seasoning, no brine)
• Green beans (plain, no butter or casserole ingredients)
• Sweet potato (plain, cooked)
• Pumpkin (plain 100 percent pumpkin, not pie mix)

Happy Holidays!
Love, Goose ❤️

11/24/2025

Rename Your Dog Challenge

Replace every vowel in your dog’s name with “ooga” and tell us the unhinged new name they now have.

Goose becomes… Googaoogasooga.
When I said it out loud, he stared at me like I ruined his whole bloodline.

Drop your pup’s “ooganized” name below. Bonus points for photos.

11/17/2025

Goose approaches every case with total focus. He takes on the climbs, the scent work, the terrain, and still pauses mid-track to extort dried chicken from us like it is written into his union contract.

People keep asking what he enjoys at home, so we put together a comfort wish list.

Just the fun items, nothing work-related.

If you were one of the people who asked, here it is.

https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/O86YJ3DMD8UA?ref_=wl_share

11/10/2025

Secrets of the Sniff: How Your Dog’s Nose Is a Supercomputer

Ever wonder what your dog is really doing when their nose is glued to the ground? They’re not just sniffing grass; they’re decoding a scent-based story written molecule by molecule.

A dog’s nose isn’t just strong; it’s engineered for precision. With up to 300 million scent receptors (humans have about 6 million), they can detect a single drop of liquid in 20 Olympic-sized swimming pools. When your dog stops to sniff, they are instantly gathering data.

Their nose is so specialized that they can actually separate breathing from smelling. A fold of tissue directs air to two different chambers: one for respiration and another for olfaction. This allows them to continually process scent data without interruption. They also read scent in three dimensions, often wiggling their nostrils independently to triangulate the source.

They recall scents with absolute clarity, and more importantly, they can discriminate between them. Our Freestate Tracking dogs can isolate and follow the unique scent fingerprint of your specific pet, even in a busy park filled with the trails of dozens of other animals.

At Freestate Tracking, we see this superpower in action every day. Our team doesn’t rely on luck; we rely on the undeniable, specialized power of the canine nose. When your pet goes missing, we harness this unparalleled biological technology to follow that unique, faint trail, maximizing the chances of a fast and successful reunion. The science is fascinating, but the results, getting a loved one home, are everything.

11/08/2025