CANDIA, N.H. (AP) – First there’s the infrared camera. Then comes the remote controlled net. And if those fail, there’s always the transmitter dart.

James Bond has nothing on these animal catchers.

Steve Sprowl, an investigator for the New Hampshire Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, says this technology could be used to catch a local dog that escaped from his owners more than a year ago and has been living in the woods.

The 4-year-old golden retriever known as Sam escaped from his owners, Dennis and Peggy Sklarski of Deerfield, in May 2004 and has been spotted in the woods around Candia ever since.

Sam was adopted by the Sklarskis from an animal rescue organization, and the dog was with them for only about three weeks before he escaped from Dennis Sklarski’s workplace.

The couple say they were just getting to know Sam when he fled and they miss him. But they say Sam’s adventures have brought them dozens of new friends.

“The whole thing has been a real demonstration of people coming together to help each other out,” Dennis said. “I sometimes feel discouraged thinking we tried everything and that we’ve failed, but have we really failed? No, because no one has given up on Sam. Well, his saga continues.”

The plan to catch Sam relies on two animal capture specialists from a Boston dog rescue agency who plan to lie in wait near one of his favorite feeding areas. They plan to track the dog on an infrared camera. And when he steps below the remote-controlled net, they’ll drop it over him.

“So you just hit the button, the net drops and voila, we got the dog,” Sprowl said.

If that fails, they plan to shoot the dog with a transmitter dart that contains a small dose of sedative.

“I think this stands a really good chance of working, but if it doesn’t, well, I think we’ll all be a little teed off,” Sprowl said.

The dog is not considered a danger to people though he has been known to get into unattended garbage.

Sprowl said the plan to capture Sam could be implemented as early as this week.

Information from: New Hampshire Sunday News, http://www.theunionleader.com