When the team at Stray Rescue of St. Louis (SRSL) launched a fundraiser for a thermal imaging camera last year, they hoped it might help them find animals in trouble — especially during those long, dark winter nights. What they didn’t know was that it would end up saving a life almost immediately.
In March, just weeks after the FLIR camera arrived, a call came in from a concerned truck driver. He had stopped to rest in a local park and spotted a small puppy sitting alone on top of a trash can. By the time rescuers got there, the sun had already set — and the puppy had vanished.
It was completely dark when Donna Lochmann, SRSL’s chief lifesaving officer, arrived. Armed with the new FLIR camera, she scanned the shadowy woods — and within seconds, a warm, glowing shape appeared on the screen.
“There he was,” SRSL wrote on Facebook. “A little heat signature nestled in the trees. We never would’ve seen him with the naked eye.”
Lochmann followed the signal and gently found a tiny, shivering tan puppy curled up in the cold. She scooped him up and rushed him to the SRSL veterinary clinic — where the team quickly discovered he was battling a severe case of parvo, a life-threatening illness.
You can watch footage from the rescue here:
They named him Flir, after the camera that made his rescue possible.
Flir’s road to recovery was rough. He spent days in isolation, receiving constant medical attention. But slowly, he began to improve — gaining weight, wagging his tail, and showing the spark of the happy puppy he was always meant to be.
“Flir is our miracle boy,” SRSL wrote.
By the end of the month, Flir was well enough to move into foster care. Then, the best news of all: someone fell in love with him.
Stephanie Meyer Schmitz adopted Flir and gave him a new name — Oliver Flir Schmitz.
“My sweet little man,” Schmitz wrote on Facebook. “You are finally home, with a family who will protect you and love you forever.”
Oliver quickly adapted to his new life. Whether hiking outdoors, cuddling on the couch, or celebrating his birthday, he blossomed into a joyful, spirited pup. As he grew, so did his personality — playful, curious, and full of love.
“All puppy,” his mom said proudly. “We love him to pieces.”
Eventually, Oliver’s family realized something was missing — a four-legged sibling. Soon after, they adopted Poppy, a rescue pup who had also been saved by SRSL. Oliver welcomed her with open paws.
“Now our family is complete,” Schmitz said. “We can’t imagine life without them.”
From a cold, lonely night in the woods to a warm, love-filled home, Oliver’s journey is a reminder of how even the smallest chance — and the right tools — can lead to a life forever changed.
“Not only did this brave little puppy survive,” SRSL wrote, “he grew into a big, beautiful boy — and he’s living his best life.”
To help pups like Flir get the care they need, you can donate to Stray Rescue of St. Louis here.
