Frank the dachshund felt like stretching his legs this week so left his house and took a bus 18 miles to the seaside all on his own.
The sneaky sausage dog vanished from his home and sent his owner Michelle Ballard into a blind panic as she tried to find out where he had gone.
Four-year-old Frank had strolled down a nearby road in Colchester, before boarding a bus unnoticed, and without paying, bound for the seaside town of Clacton.
As Michelle was desperately pulling together a search party of friends, fellow dog walkers and schoolchildren, Frank was taking in the scenery on the number 76 bus before being spotted by another passenger.
He spoke to the driver and the pair agreed that Frank would be taken home with the man in Clacton while his owner was located.
Later that night, Frank's new friend spotted a Facebook post appealing for any information about the dachshund and got in touch to arrange a reunion.
Relieved owner Michelle said: "I thought a bus driver would have noticed and not let him on but maybe he boarded when someone was paying.
"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.
"My partner Jonathan picked him up at about 7pm."
Frank was taken home and reunited with Michelle as well as best friends Charlie, a two-year-old sausage dog, and Freddie, his two-year-old human brother.
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."
