TOKYO (AFP) - A poodle's dash for freedom briefly shut down one runway at a major Japanese airport Monday (Oct 9), forcing its owner to come out and catch the canine, police said.

The dog escaped at Tokyo's Haneda airport while cargo crews were loading its cage onto a Japan Airlines flight bound for Naha in Okinawa around 8.50am, airport police said.

It appeared to enjoy its brief taste of freedom, dashing across a runway and sniffing around in grassy areas.

But officials had to close one of four runways for a total of six minutes, causing delays for 14 flights, said a police spokesman.

In the end the poodle's owner had to come out to catch the pet about 40 minutes later.