A local dog's amazing journey made headlines across our region. The 3-year-old goldendoodle bolted through his invisible fence that June day and joined a field of thousands running the Maryland half marathon. He jumped in at mile five and kept pace for eight miles.

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At two hours and 14 minutes, a YouTube video shows him crossing the finish line, with dirty paws and a smile. His run has helped raise thousands of dollars for cancer research.

His owner Rosana Dorsett only figured out her dog ran a marathon after he came home the next day. “We started putting two and two together- oh my gosh he ran the race?” she said.

Two months later, word of his accomplishment has spread like wildfire. He's now a national star - even ABC world news shared his story last night. Dozer had 800 fans on Facebook last month -- today, it's 12,000 and counting.

“A dog, especially like Dozer, is a great way for people to relate, come in, open their hearts,” Dorsett says.

The playful pooch has raised more than $21,000 for the University of Maryland's Greenebaum cancer center, the race beneficiary. The money he raises will fund a clinical trial for medication for an aggressive form of breast cancer.

At next year's marathon, organizers say there could be a shorter distance race for dogs and their owners, hosted by Dozer. Dozer and Dorsett are already in training.