Tail-backs and chaos on the M5? Titan the dog loves life in the fast lane

Those are the words of an ‘embarrassed’ – but relieved – dog owner after his pooch ran onto a motorway, and lived to tell the tail.

The M5 was closed both ways on Thursday while emergency services tried to retrieve Titan after his im-pawsible journey onto the motorway at Junction 1 for West Bromwich.

The four-year-old Akita doggedly evaded capture for around an hour before being collared.

Posts on social media showed officers running down the hard shoulder as Titan scampered in between vehicles.

Owner Keiran Samra, a recent University of Wolverhampton English graduate, told the Express & Star: “We’ve got builders around regularly for an extension at the back where Titan’s area is.

“I went out after breakfast to take him for a walk but the builders had left a gate wide open and he wasn’t there and I thought ‘oh no’.

“The same thing happened a few weeks ago but luckily we caught him quite quickly.

“But I had a mini-panic attack [on Thursday] because he wasn’t in sight this time.

“So I contacted Sandwell Council and informed the police there was a dog on the loose. I started walking around the area hoping he was in a local park.

“Just after midday I got a call saying there was a dog on the M5.

“It was a mixture of worry and relief when the police said they had found him.

“I can’t ever remember the motorway being closed for a pet before.

“I’m really relieved for their help and thankful to them for bringing him in.

“He’s a mischievous dog but I really don’t know why he wanted to go on the motorway.”

A lorry driver helped corner Titan on the M5, before police officers dropped him back at the house where Mr Samra, aged 22, lives with his grandparents.

Energetic Titan showed little sign of having brought the Midlands transport network to a grinding halt – although he was a little bit puffed.

Mr Samra, who lives in West Bromwich High Street, said: “I do feel a bit embarrassed because of the delays everyone faced and the trouble the police went through, but I’m glad he’s safe.”

Driver Peter Wright, from Ludlow, was the motorist who came to Titan’s rescue.

He said: “As I got on the motorway they had put the traffic officers there and signs up saying that there were animals on the loose.

“I was expecting it to be horses or something like that but then I spotted this dog running around my lorry.

“I got out and managed to find this blue lead in my lorry and tied it around his neck. He was quite a big dog and I managed to stand with him by the side of the motorway.”

Highways England tweeted throughout the incident, which began at around 10.30am and saw traffic stopped for around one hour.

Following Titan’s rescue they posted on the social network: “Great news! Dog has been safely caught, preparations are being made to release the traffic #M5, both ways J2 + J1. Long delays.

“The dog’s OK, we’ve given him some fuss and he’s safely off the network.”