WA prisoner escapes jail by walking dog

A drug trafficker has found a novel way to escape jail - take the dog for a walk.

Bernd Neumann, also known as Brett Faulkner, escaped by walking the dog away from a prison soccer game on Saturday afternoon.

Neumann, 59, who was two years into a 15-year sentence for trafficking methylamphetamine, has not been seen since.

He had been part of a drug syndicate that included Stephen Cookson - whose head was found washed up in a bag on Rottnest Island last year.

Although he had previously skipped bail, Neumann was allowed to leave the minimum security Wooroloo Prison Farm, near Perth, for the supervised soccer match, The West Australian newspaper reported.

After making good his escape Neumann abandoned the labrador puppy, which was part of a prison program that trains animals for people with physical disabilities.

Corrective Services Minister Joe Francis said he was outraged that junior staff had allowed Neumann to attend the soccer match without the knowledge of the prison superintendent. He has ordered a review of procedures.

Neumann is described as fair-skinned and about 183cm tall, with a slim build and long grey hair in a pony tail. He was last seen wearing a yellow and black polo shirt, black shorts and a green hat.

He no longer has the dog.