Duncan, the famous 2-legged dog, sparked a massive search after he was thrown from his master's truck in a road accident.
Duncan the famous two-legged boxer is now even more famous.
The TV and internet sensation was thrown from his master’s truck during a brutal road crash in Idaho. As his human family assessed the damage, Duncan disappeared.
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Gary Walters and fiancée Amanda Giese were traveling with two kids and three dogs in Idaho when they ran into a buffalo. Beast, Walters’ 15-year-old son, was behind the wheel, thanks to his new learner’s permit.
“He did a hell of a job,” Walters told InsideEdition.com Tuesday. The teen slammed on the brakes, swerved, but nonetheless clipped the behemoth mammal standing in the dark in the middle of the road.
Walters’ 2002 Ford Excursion flipped several times, ejecting Duncan. Then the dog ran off.
The family’s two other dogs were not hurt. Giese suffered broken ribs, a concussion and bumps and bruises. Thanks to an “exoskeleton” of reinforced bumpers and roll bars, the family was safe despite the vehicle being totaled.
“I don’t think we would have made it” without the reinforcements, Walters said.
And then the search was on to find Duncan, a 4-year-old pup that was born with a deformity that fused his back legs. Walters and Giese, who operate Panda Paws, a rescue service for abandoned, abused or neglected animals, took Duncan in as a puppy.
Vets said the only hope for the dog was amputating his conjoined legs. After the surgery, Duncan didn’t seem to notice anything amiss. He learned to walk, run and climb stairs using only his front legs.
They got him a doggie wheelchair, but he hated the contraption, so they donated it to another dog in need.
His determination and pluck earned him appearances on Today and The Queen Latifah Show. A video of his first, frolicking trip to the beach has been viewed more than 6.8 million times on YouTube.
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When Walters and Giese posted an online plea for help in finding Duncan this weekend, social media went nuts. People near the crash site helped look for the dog. Cops helped look for the dog, and his story was shared by East Idaho News.
“Somewhere between 30 and 40 people showed up,” Walters said.
On Saturday, 14 hours after the crash, a man spotted Duncan running near a quarry and phoned Giese, whose number was listed on a missing flier posted on the Panda Paws website.
“Duncan was curled up under a bush," Walters said. "Jade, our daughter, called him and he perked up and ran to her."
The dog had traveled three miles from the crash site, and was about 300 feet off a main road, Walters said.
He was dehydrated, a little beat up and his paw pads were damaged, but he was otherwise OK.
“He’s totally fine,” Walters said. “I don’t know how. That dog is such a survivor.”
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