Lost dog walks himself home FIVE MILES across Bristol after going missing as he chased squirrels while out with his owner
- Pip wandered off on a walk in Bristol with owner Libby Bowles on September 18
- While the 47-year-old searched Leigh Woods, the pup walked the 4.6 miles home
- Locals posted updates on local groups as he was spotted travelling across city
A lost dog dubbed ‘wonder pup’ walked himself home five miles across a busy city while his owner searched for him.
Pip wandered off while chasing squirrels on a walk in Bristol with owner, Libby Bowles, 47, on September 18.
While she spent 90 minutes searching for him in Leigh Woods, the pup took to the streets and strolled all the way home, arriving 20 minutes before Ms Bowles did.
He was caught on CCTV during his 4.6-mile walk home, which included a stroll across Clifton Suspension Bridge.
To try to track him down, Ms Bowles had taken to local lost and found groups. Locals posted updates and CCTV grabs as he was spotted travelling across the city, including outside his old home, in the park, and outside a local museum.
Pip wandered off while chasing squirrels on a walk in Bristol with owner, Libby Bowles (left), 47, on September 18
Pip, dubbed ‘wonder pup’, walked himself home five miles across the busy city of Bristol while his owner Ms Bowles searched for him
Pip, a pedenco, is a rabbit hunting hound rescued from Spain.
Now a therapy dog, he is well-known around Bristol because he sits in Ms Bowles’ backpack as she cycles around the city.
Ms Bowles said: ‘The thing is, he’s very calm and placid unless there’s something furry to chase.
‘He’s run off before, but he’s always come back, so when he didn’t I was quite worried.
‘I spent an hour going up and down our walking route looking for him, and luckily ran into some friends who went round to the other side of the woods to see if they could find him. They actually did see him, but then at the last minute he zipped away from them under a fence.’
Pip’s escape sparked a city-wide chase. He was captured on CCTV in several places across the city, trotting along the pavement, with no awareness of the search party.
Ms Bowles said: ‘At first I thought, “How on earth is he going to cross Bristol by himself?” But thankfully Pip has a good nose – he often takes me to his dog friends’ houses on our walks.
‘The dog community in Bristol is amazing, so I put him in one of the groups and I got constant updates of where he was seen. He went back to our old flat, past Bristol museum, literally all over Bristol.
‘Eventually he was seen in the park near our house, so I breathed a sigh of relief because I knew he should be able to get home from there.
‘I called our neighbours and they were all waiting for him when he got back. He apparently trotted round the corner fairly nonchalant. He had all his dog friends and lots of treats waiting for him.’
Pip was caught on CCTV during his 4.6-mile walk home, which included a stroll across Clifton Suspension Bridge (pictured in the background)
Pip once belonged to a hunter in Spain.
After being found on the streets, he was rescued and adopted by Ms Bowles, who works in sustainability education.
Pip is now a therapy dog as well as being part of a programme called Read2Dogs, where children can read to him rather than adults to boost their literacy skills.
Ms Bowles said: ‘I used to be a primary school teacher and I think it’s such a valuable exercise, it has a profound effect on confidence in the classroom.
‘I’m writing some books about Pip and his adventures, so kids can read to Pip about all his exciting stories.’
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