Dog Shows Up At Springfield Daycare Alone, Staff Realize He’s Been There Before

The other day, the team at Dogtopia in Springfield, Virginia, was getting ready to close up for the day when something surprising happened. 

Out of nowhere, a dog showed up outside, standing alone in the parking lot. Their security cameras caught the moment the pup appeared, looked around, and confidently walked straight to the front door.

The staff didn’t hesitate. As soon as they saw him, they opened the door, and the dog trotted right in like he belonged there. 

He made his way directly to the play area, clearly familiar with the layout. That’s when the employees realized who the mystery visitor was: it was Sampson.

Sampson is no stranger to Dogtopia. He’s been attending doggy daycare there once a week for the past three years. And as it turns out, he loves it so much, he decided to visit on his own.

Earlier that day, Sampson had managed to escape from his backyard. He found a small gap in the fence and slipped through it without anyone noticing. 

His family was worried when they discovered he was gone, but they also had a strong feeling about where he might be. As Mike, his daddy, said in an interview:

“This was actually the second time he did it. The first time was scary because we had no idea where he went. The second time was still scary, given the route to day care includes two main roads, but I was pretty confident I knew where he went, and that made me feel better. When we first jumped in the car, our neighbor asked if she could help look for him, and I said, ‘I am sure he just went to day care.’”

He was right.

Once Dogtopia called to let the family know that Sampson had arrived safely, the panic turned into relief. Not only was he ok, he was in his happy place, hanging out at the one spot he truly loves.

When his family came to pick him up, they were both amazed and grateful. They still don’t know how he managed to remember the route to daycare or navigate it all on his own. 

But one thing’s for sure: Sampson had made up his mind that he wanted a bonus visit, and nothing was going to stop him.

The family made sure to patch up the fence so Sampson wouldn’t sneak off again. But they also promised him a proper visit to daycare later that week. 

Of course, knowing how determined and clever Sampson is, he might already be dreaming up his next solo adventure.

The daycare staff couldn’t help but laugh at his determination. To this sweet dog, Dogtopia isn’t just daycare, it’s his favorite place in the world.