Lost pet dog recovering after being rescued from highway by passing bus
A lost pet dog was recovering today (April 2) after wandering onto a busy highway and being rescued by a passing bus.
The hungry pooch named Cookie had been missing for three days before it emerged on the expressway in Bangkok, Thailand, on Tuesday lunchtime (March 30).
Bus driver Tuen Prathumthong received a radio call warning him to slow down as a dog was posing a danger to passing vehicles.
However, the kind driver simply could not ignore the hapless mutt, which was inches from passing vehicles and struggling through the midday sun temperatures reaching 37 C.
Tuen pulled over while conductor Noknoi Seedam checked with the 10 passengers onboard the vehicle if they would mind giving the two-year-old pooch a ride to safety.
CCTV captured how the relieved mutt bounded onto the bus when the doors opened.
It was then taken back to the depot for fresh food and water before the owner came forward to collect the dog.
Cookie is now recovering at home with owner Pachara Yoosawat, who said he was tired and hungry after the ordeal.
She said: ‘Cookie has lost about half a kilo in weight and he has some injuries on his feet.
‘He was very tired and has been sleeping a lot but he’s starting to feel better.
He’s still a little bit scared of people.
He was very pleased to see us.
‘We have taken him to the vets but now he is resting at home.
We will be more careful to stop him from getting lost again.’ Bus conductor Noknoi said she after rescuing Cookie, he was taken to the Muang Thong Thani depot where he napped under a vehicle and was given fresh food and water.
Describing the touching rescue, she said: ‘We received an alert about the dog in the road so I knew there was a hazard.
When we arrived at that position there were cars slowing down, so I realised it was for the dog.
‘I checked with the passengers if they would mind if we stopped to collect the dog, as it was in danger.
The driver stopped the bus and I called out to the dog to come onboard.
‘He was not afraid and ran straight on.
He found a seat and laid under it but he did not want to be around people.
He did not want to be touched.’ Cookie’s owner offered a reward of 5,000 Baht (116 GBP) to the bus service but they declined and suggested it was given to animal rescue groups instead.