HOUSTON, March 19 (UPI) -- Authorities in Houston said they are trying to find the owner of a dog that hopped on a city Metro bus and took a 20-mile ride without an accompanying human.

Metro Police Officer Ida Schoener said a man brought the Boston Terrier into her office just before 8 a.m. Monday and said the dog had gotten aboard the No. 44 bus in North Houston by himself and taken the 20-mile ride to the Downtown Transit Center.


"He said he had boarded the 44, just like any other patron. Oh he's cute. He is precious," Schoener told KPRC-TV.

"He couldn't turn him loose," Schoener said, "But the guy had to go to work and he didn't know what to do with him. I knew he belonged to somebody. He was a friendly little guy."

The dog was taken to Bayou City Veterinary Hospital, where veterinarians said he was a little thin and had a sore ear, but was otherwise healthy.

Police and the veterinary hospital are using social media to try to find the dog's owner.

"Because he's somebody's little friend," Schoener said, "We just wanna make sure he gets back where he belongs."