German Shepherd Fanucci to Attend Westminster Dog Show After Near-Fatal Injuries

In 2014, a German Shepherd named Fanucci jumped out of a van going 60 mph and nearly died as the result of his injuries.

This week, the show dog will be competing as one of the favorites at the Westminster Dog Show.

"If he never does anything in his career, he's done more than you ever have imagined," handler Sue Condreras told the Associated Press (h/t ESPN).

The dog's injuries were severe, including a right back leg that was broken and barely dangling. A five-hour surgery was performed by Dr. Guy DeNardo at the Valley Central Veterinary Referral and Emergency Center in Whitehall, Pennsylvania.

"You see the dog, you see the pain. You don't want him to suffer," co-owner Stephanie Schrock said. "For half an hour, we thought about whether we needed to euthanize him, trying to come up with the right decision."

Instead, after months of rehab, the dog began walking again and has since returned to competition. Fanucci enters the Westminster competition as the favorite in the German Shepard class, where he will attempt to make history.

Fanucci has already competed in the Westminster show twice, winning an award of merit.