The dog's owner told Mission Viejo Animal Services their pet ran away after getting scared by the strong winds that whipped the region Friday.
The dog was seen running into an area near Dove Canyon, but the winds made it difficult to search.
The next morning, a neighbor heard the dog barking and animal control officers responded to the area. Using a thermal drone, they were able to find the dog's exact location and save it from the steep canyon.
Fortunately, the dog was uninjured and was reunited with its very grateful owner.