Watch As Shelter Dog Opened His Kennel, Unlocked the Front Door, and Escaped
Fans of spy movies know the thrill of a perfectly timed prison break, but no one expects to see it pulled off by a shelter dog. Meet Dawson, a clever pup from West Virginia who turned a quiet night at the animal shelter into a real-life escape scene. (Watch Video Above)
On January 5, the Huntington Cabell Wayne Animal Shelter shared jaw-dropping CCTV footage showing Dawson calmly opening his kennel and then unlocking the shelter’s front door, leaving viewers around the world stunned and worried for the safety and welfare of the missing dog.
One Clever Dog, One Unforgettable Escape
The shelter made it clear that Dawson’s daring escape was very real. In a Facebook post sharing the footage, staff joked that they wished it were AI, but quickly admitted this dog is far smarter than anyone expected. Dawson didn’t just slip out of his kennel, he figured out how to unlock the shelter’s front door and let himself out.
In the CCTV video, viewers can see how the big dog calmly uses his paws to open his kennel before heading straight for the exit. With impressive focus, Dawson works the lock using his mouth, teeth, and tongue, then pushes the door open and disappears into the night, leaving viewers amazed by his confidence and cleverness.
The Internet Reacts While One Dog Is Still Missing
Now Dawson is missing and the shelter staff is urging their social media followers to help them in locating the 40-pound dog. While the shelter has received a few possible sightings, the pup is still missing. Staff are urging anyone who believes they may have seen Dawson to reach out at 304-696-5551 or 304-544-5891, hoping the right call will help bring him home.
Through a Facebook update on Jan. 7, the shelter revealed how they have been struggling ever since Dawson took off. The now-viral videos of Dawson’s escape have received over 4 million views, over 25 thousand likes, shared thousands of times, and sparked thousands of comments.
The shelter stressed that the footage is real and not staged or created using AI, pushing back against accusations that questioned their care and conditions. Staff explained that they are doing everything they can, often under intense pressure, as they work toward remaining a no-kill shelter, a mission that comes with frequent overcrowding but is driven by a commitment to save lives.
