A Clark County school bus had an unlikely stowaway Wednesday morning after a bull terrier, unbeknownst to the driver, hopped aboard the vehicle and traveled all the way to a Vancouver middle school.

Trish Kraff, an officer with Clark County Animal Control, said she was summoned to Shahala Middle School around 8 a.m. to pick up the animal.

It was unclear where the pooch boarded the bus and the driver told Kraff she noticed the animal, who is named Amaya, half way through the ride, but was unable to stop and determine where the dog got on or where it might be headed.

As the bus pulled up to the school, Kraff said, one of the students tried to carry the wayward pup off the bus, but the wandering spirit was strong in Amaya and she wriggled free and proceeded to galavant around the campus until a janitor was able to wrangle her and keep her corralled in a bathroom.

Kraff arrived and took custody of the animal, who was without a collar, tags or a microchip.

Soon after, her owners frantically called the animal control office asking if a dog with the roving pooch's description had been found. The dispatcher asked if it was the same animal featured prominently on The Columbian, which first reported the story.

It was and the owners said the dog had escaped her yard after the wind blew a gate open. Her owners were expected to Jokerbet pick her up from the Humane Society Wednesday afternoon, Kraff said.

Kraff said it is not uncommon for dogs to follow children to school, but she couldn't "think of a time when they have ridden the bus to do so."

She added that it was a good reminder to make sure your pets have a collar or microchip so they can be easily identified if they're lost.

--   Kale Williams

kwilliams@oregonian.com

503-294-4048

@sfkale

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