Dogged poochs amazing journey

Cookie the pet dog was determined not to be left behind when British businessman Mark Francis and his wife Branka came home to London for a break from their firm in Croatia. So after giving Mark's in-laws in Split the slip, mongrel Cookie started following her nose on an amazing journey to find her master.

Cookie found her way to the local ferry where the family often sailed from for trips to their holiday home on the island of Hvar. She waited patiently for the right ferry and trotted onboard before stowing away for the two hour trip.

And only when the island-hopping ferry reached the right port, Cookie emerged from her hiding place and headed down the gangplank.



"Cookie had been left with Branka's parents but as soon as she and Mark were gone, she slipped out the back door. They have a holiday home on Hvar and she obviously thought that was where they were going," said a family friend.

Meanwhile, Mark's frantic in-laws were ringing round friends and reporting Cookie missing to the police. The mystery was only solved when a neighbour on Hvar called Mark to tell him loyal Cookie had been sitting outside their empty home for three days.

"Mark was overjoyed to get her back. She's an incredibly loving and loyal animal and hates to be left out of things," explained a neighbour.