Pete the Dog Ended Up Lost and Alone in N.Y.C., So He Ran a Mile to His Favorite Daycare for Help (Exclusive)
Pete didn't get frazzled when he found himself lost in a city of 8 million people; he came up with a plan.
On May 14, the 1-year-old beagle mix was on a walk with one of his owners in New York City when his leash broke, according to Pooch Play and Stay in Brooklyn. The stressful moment left him separated from his pet parent and on his own in N.Y.C.
Somehow, clever Pete turned the scary situation into an opportunity to get more playtime by running one mile to Pooch Play and Stay, his favorite doggy daycare.
The facility has video of the moment Pete arrived without his owner, surprising staff and clients. In the clip, Pete runs up to the glass front door of Pooch Play and Stay and paces in front of the entry until a staffer notices him and lets him in, taking him back to the daycare area.
"So happy and proud of himself," Pooch Play and Stay captioned the social media clip showing Pete strutting around the daycare with a wagging tail after his rescue.
"We were going about the day as usual, cleaning and bringing other dogs into the back for daycare. I looked up and saw something whiz past the door, and then I saw Pete run by again! He was eager to come in, and we were confused, as were the other dog parents dropping off," Grace Bodkin, the admin manager at the daycare, tells PEOPLE.
Bodkin was the staff member who let Pete in and got him situated after his impressive solo trek to the Pooch Play and Stay. Aside from the fact that he was on his own, there were other signs that Pete had gone through a rough time.
"Once we brought him in, we knew something was wrong; he was pretty dirty! I immediately tried calling his parents and started giving him a bath right after," Bodkin says.
Pooch Play and Stay got in touch with Pete's pet parents, who were grateful to learn that their dog was safe after his disappearing act. The owners picked up the dog the same day and took him to the vet to ensure he wasn't harmed while he was alone.
Thankfully, Pete only had a few scratches from the ordeal and was given the all clear to return to doggy daycare.
'He came back the next day," Bodkin shares. "He was unfazed and happy to be there!'
Pooch Play and Stay is impressed with Pete's self-preservation skills, especially since the dog is usually scared of "outside noises.""We are so happy our smart boy knew his way to us," the doggy daycare wrote on Instagram about the incident, a first for the facility, which has been open for a year.
"Pete is new to the city and has some fears around loud noises. Inside the doors of Pooch, he is so happy, extroverted, and playful! We are so glad to be a place he feels comfortable and safe to come to, and we hope we can be that for as many dogs as possible," Bodkin adds.
