Daring daschund reunited with owner after hopping on a bus and making 18-mile journey to seaside town alone
An adventurous daschund is in the dog house after getting on a bus and making an 18-mile trip to the seaside all on his own.
Frank disappeared from his home, sparking panic by his owner Michelle Ballard who organised a search party with friends, fellow dog walkers and schoolchildren to try and find him.
But unbeknownst to her, the four-year-old daschund had hopped un-noticed onto a bus in his home town of Colchester, Essex, travelling all the way to the seaside town of Clacton.
Luckily, a passenger on the number 76 bus noticed Frank and agreed to take him to his home in Clacton, where he spotted a Facebook appeal for the missing dog’s whereabouts and could arrange a reunion.
The tale is reminiscent of the loss of Jonathan Ross’s pug, who was reunited with the TV presenter after it escaped last year following an appeal on social media.
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“I thought a bus driver would have noticed and not let him on but maybe he boarded when someone was paying,” said a relieved Michelle.
“Luckily, there was a kind gentleman called Michael who offered to take him back to his own home in Clacton.
“He took him in for the evening and was going to take him to the vet in the morning but his family spotted the post on Facebook.”
After Michelle’s partner Jonathan picked Frank up, he was reunited with his worried owner as well as his two-year-old human brother Freddie and best friend Charlie, a two-year-old sausage dog.
Michelle added: “He is a valuable dog and you hear some horrible stories about situation like this. We were so lucky it was such a kind man who picked him up.
“It is completely out of character for Frank. It is the first time he has done anything like this in his life.”
