A border collie who was born with deformed feet has been showing off his unique running style to dog lovers online.
Banksy, who can be found on TikTok under the handle BouncyBanksy, was born with two deformed back feet.
He's never let that disability hold him back, though, especially when it comes to running. In a video posted to social media, Banksy can be seen charging across a beach toward his owner.
As the clip shows, Banksy has developed his own unique running style, and it's proving popular with dog fans. The footage of Banksy bouncing across the beach has been viewed over 2.9 million times.
Regular exercise doesn't just make a huge difference to a dog's overall health, it can also provide a major boost to their mental well-being.
A 2012 study published in The Journal of Experimental Biology found dogs experience something akin to a "runner's high" after exercise. As part of the experiment, researchers put human and canine test subjects through 30-minute treadmill sessions before conducting blood tests.
The results showed an increase in endocannabinoid levels in the blood of both dogs and humans. These chemicals are found to activate the part of the brain that makes people feel good.
Banksy certainly appears to be on a high, running around in the clip shared to TikTok. The canine couldn't be happier as he charges towards his human companion.
Dog fans flocked to the comments section on the clip. "He's runnin in cursive," one viewer joked. "He nailed the jack sparrow run," another wrote. A third posted: "that is literally my dream dog right there," with a fourth adding that "this is the cutest run."
Elsewhere, one user wrote, "I think it needs new batteries," while another commented: "Banksy be galloping."
Banksy is not the first disabled dog to spark delight on social media, of course. Last year, dog lovers were introduced to Belle, who got stuck in her mom's birth canal as a puppy. As a result, her facial muscles grew higher up her skull than expected, giving her a distinctive, permanently shocked expression. That hasn't stopped her living life to the full, though, or attracting a huge online fan base.
The same could be said for Fenix, a neurodivergent husky, who found similar fame after footage of him running across a beach was uploaded to social media.
Then ,there's Olive, the mixed-breed Chihuahua/terrier enjoying a second chance at life with her new owners in New York. Olive was badly mistreated as a pup and was left deaf as a result. She hasn't let that hold her back, though, and has even learned to communicate with her new forever family through a form of sign language.
Newsweek has contacted BouncyBanksy via TikTok for comment.
Do you have funny and adorable videos or pictures of your pet you want to share? Send them to life@newsweek.com with some details about your best friend, and they could appear in our Pet of the Week lineup.
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
About the writer
Jack Beresford is a Newsweek Senior Internet Culture & Trends Reporter, based in London, UK. His focus is reporting on ... Read more
