Driven by love? Five-year-old husky walks herself to doggy daycare in Regina

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She was kept at home because she had an appointment for a checkup with the vet on April 13, but Missy had other ideas.

The five-year-old husky took matters into her own paws, digging under a gate and heading straight to Spot's Place, the Regina doggy daycare where she usually spends her weekdays.

Now she's a bit of a social media sensation.

"The way it all started was, I went to work in the morning, and usually she gets ready with me and we take off on the bike. I ride the bike there, and then I come back and go to work," her owner, Heath Hrappstead, told CBC.

"But that day, she ended up staying at home. I could tell from the whimper she was very upset with me that I decided to leave without her."

Hrappstead's partner was home with Missy while he was at work. When she went out to run a few errands, she left Missy in the yard to blow off some steam.

WATCH | Puppy love? Regina dog walks herself to daycare for playdate with boyfriend Shaggy: Puppy love? Regina dog walks herself to daycare for playdate with boyfriend Shaggy | Duration 2:21 Missy, a five-year-old husky in Regina, has become a bit of a celebrity after digging under a gate and getting herself to Spot’s Place, the doggy daycare where she usually meets up with her boyfriend Shaggy.

"She ended up getting a call [from Spot's Place] because Missy had dug her way out under the back gate and ran and took herself to daycare," Hrappstead said.

"It sounded like she just followed the route that we normally take in the morning with the bicycle."

This wasn't the first time Missy escaped from the yard. (Joelle Seal/CBC)

His first thought was "not again," he said.

"This is the second time she got out. It was the same kind of deal, but she didn't dig her way out [last time]. She just managed to get through the gate. So I've got to do a little more reinforcing."

He's glad his furry pal enjoys the daycare.

"When I drop her off in the morning, they're really good with her," Hrappstead said. "She just shows up with her tail wagging … we call it butt-wagging because she's wagging, but her butt's moving too, and she's so excited."

Spot's Place staffer Mackenzie Hoffman said Missy rushed straight to the door that day and was let in promptly.

Surveillance cameras outside and in the lobby captured footage of her excited arrival.

"She was full of mud, obviously, because she had a little escape journey," Hoffman said.

"So we're like, 'Perfect, she gets to see Shaggy.' We're like, 'They probably want to see each other. She came all the way to see Shaggy.'"

To make her more presentable, "we thought we might as well give her a little spa day," Hoffman said.

Missy and her boyfriend Shaggy with staff members at Spot's Place. (Joelle Seal/CBC)

Missy has been coming to Spot's Place for about four years now, and is part of the family, she said.

"She used to come twice a week when she had a brother and then he passed on. So then they started bringing her every day to help with her grieving process."

Two years later, she met Shaggy.

"They kind of hit it off right off the bat," said Hoffman. "They do have other friends here, but they definitely gravitate to each other the most."

Last year, Spot's Place held a prom for the dogs, and Shaggy and Missy attended as a couple.

"They just love each other," Hoffman said. "Mom and dad on both sides are very aware of their relationship, and it's no secret to them that Missy and Shaggy are best friends."