posted November 06, 2004 12:56 AM         

(CBS) London's Battersea Dogs Home finally has the answer to the musical question, "Who Let the Dogs Out?," reports CBS News Correspondent Mark Phillips.

A camera in the pound was rolling as Red -- a former stray, mostly Greyhound mixed breed – showed he'd learned a thing or two in the time he's been waiting for a new home.

Red sticks his snout through the door to his cage and -- bingo -- freedom.

But it turns out Red isn't just smart, he's hungry. His first stop is the kitchen. But after that, he's an equal opportunity dog escape artist.

One by one, he performs the latch opening trick on his friends' cages. The kennel keepers had installed closed circuit TV cameras to see how the dogs had been getting out -- this had happened about a dozen times.

Now they know. It was an inside job.

A close up of the latch shows the doggy-eye view of Red's trick. But how did he figure this out from the inside of the cage?

And if Red is smart enough to do this -- can he negotiate his own movie deal?

UPDATE: The BBC Web site is reporting that more than 300 phone calls have poured into the Battersea shelter since Red's talents have been made public, and all have offered the dog a home. The staff will select the best home possible for the clever pooch.

©MMIV, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.

posted November 24, 2004 02:49 AM         

Thanks Neph! What a great story!!!