Lost dog makes her way to former shelter, rings doorbell for help

Animals have incredible instincts, and are smarter than we sometimes give them credit for. Sometimes when pets go missing, they’ll find their own way home in very surprising ways.

That was the case for one dog recently, who after going missing from her home made her way back to her former shelter to ask for help.

Bailey, a husky-mix, was recently adopted from the Animal Rescue League of El Paso. But her new family soon became worried after their rescue dog went missing.

After being notified by the owner, the Animal Rescue League shared the news on Facebook, asking locals to keep an eye out for the dog. They hoped to reunite their old friend, who they described as a “beautiful girl,” with her new family.

But two days after her disappearance, Bailey reappeared in a way no one expected.

The shelter got a surprise when their doorbell rang at 1:40 AM — and on the doorbell camera they saw a familiar furry face: it was Bailey!

Somehow, Bailey had instinctively traveled all on her own to her former shelter, which was ten miles away from her home — and was even smart enough to ring the doorbell.

“These dogs are smarter than people give them credit for. How did she know what direction to go? She was 10 miles away! What did she eat and drink during those days,” Loretta Hyde, founder of Animal Rescue League of El Paso, told KFOX 14.

The Animal Rescue League says that Bailey was in the shelter for a very long time, so it’s understandable that she still thinks of it as her home.

“She felt safe here. When she got loose she was on a mission to get home,” the shelter wrote on Facebook.

Bailey’s former carers say it’s a testament to how they treat their shelter dogs: “Strays want to go back to us. They love our shelter,” Hyde said.

But while Bailey clearly has a soft spot for her former home, she’s now back safe and sound with her adopted family, and hopefully won’t be running off again.