Pup On The Run Captures The Hearts Of Roanoke Residents

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ROANOKE (CBS11) - A one-year-old pup has earned the nicknames Houdini, Flash and Bullet, for evading capture for six weeks.

Edgar the dog was supposed to be joining the Gnade family at their home in Chadwick Farms. No sooner had he stepped into their backyard for the first time, than he escaped through a dip under the fence.

"He was here for five minutes and gone in a flash," said Jeff Gnade, the dog's owner.

His new family was devastated; their children in tears. Edgar was supposed to be their very first family pet. Unable to locate him, Suzie Gnade posted about her predicament on the Nextdoor app.

"Instantaneously there were at least 25 cars, circling the neighborhood, looking for Edgar," said her husband, Jeff.

"A lot of people were looking in the creeks," Mrs. Gnade said.

But that was only the beginning.

For the next six weeks, neighbors continued to search.

Not a day goes by without #TeamEdgar news updates.

There are hundreds of Nextdoor posts regarding his escapades. Neighbors have even snapped photos of Edgar sightings. They often ruminate over the best techniques to catch him.

"I've seen Edgar four times," said neighbor Deidra Hepp, who last tried to lure the pup to safety with the help of smoked provolone cheese and hot dogs. "He is gone so fast, that you just see a little brown dot, running."

So far, Edgar has managed to outrun every resident who tries to help him. With coyotes and snakes in the woods nearby, neighbors know time is running out.

"We need to find this bugger. It's been six weeks. He's getting thinner. He needs human touch," said Hepp.

The lost pup, has helped an already tight neighborhood find a stronger sense of community.

"Edgar has kind of brought us together," Hepp explained.

At some point a neighbor thought he had located Edgar. The dog turned out to be a stray with a similar coat. The Gnade children, still saddened over their missing pet, fell in love. The family has since adopted Sweetze. When Edgar makes his triumphant return, their home will be a two-dog household.

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