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‘Houdini’ dog recorded opening several doors, escaping animal hospital

Posted at 11:38 PM, Apr 11, 2017
and last updated 2017-04-12 09:31:03-04

STAFFORD COUNTY, Va. – A Virginia family is grateful and breathing a sigh of relief now that their escape artist pooch is safe at home after breaking out of an animal hospital.

While they were on vacation in Virginia Beach, they learned their 10-year-old dog was missing – and the big escape was caught on camera. Early Monday morning, General, a Great Pyrenees, managed to get out of his room at the kennel, but that was just the start of his escape.

Surveillance video shows General navigating several doors inside the facility.

After roaming around the Aquia-Garrisonville Animal Hospital for more than two hours, General eventually opened a door and found himself outside. Then, he calmly walked away.

The last time General is seen on the surveillance video, he walked past a bench.

After the animal hospital shared pictures, General was found in a nearby neighborhood, 15 hours after his escape.

“It’s been tough,” said Travis Campbell, the dog’s owner. “He’s a little Houdini when it comes to opening doors. He can get a lot of doors open.”

The family said they knew General was clever, but not like this.

“I knew that he could open doors and all that, but I didn’t think he would be able to get through the doors of the vet,” Campbell said.

General, Campbell and Campbell’s son Greyson, visited the News 3 studio on Wednesday to talk about the great escape.