Sometimes, the most ordinary places conceal the most astonishing discoveries.
Brian Waldrop, Stream Team Coordinator with the Missouri Department of Conservation, began his day like any other alongside fellow team members.
Working with Stream Teams, Beyond Housing, and volunteers from Tiered Community Teams, they were scouting locations for an upcoming clean-up effort when something unexpected caught their attention.
A mound of garbage lay before them, topped with a large black trash bag. What they uncovered inside left them speechless.
A Heartbreaking Surprise
Brian noticed the black bag on top of the trash pile appeared to shift slightly. Curious, he stepped forward to investigate. As he opened it, he froze in disbelief.
Inside, surrounded by discarded bottles and candy wrappers, was a tiny puppy.
Brian and his team couldn’t believe what they were seeing. Realizing the pup had been heartlessly abandoned, Brian felt a wave of sorrow.
“It’s a happy ending story or at least a happy beginning story. He was found in a black trash bag in a pile of trash,” Brian told FOX 2 St. Louis.
He couldn’t comprehend how someone could treat a living creature so cruelly. He knew he had to act.
One Man’s Decision Changes A Puppy’s Life
Instead of handing the puppy over to uncertain circumstances, Brian made a choice that would change both their lives.
Without hesitation, he decided to adopt the little dog himself. When the Department shared the news in a Facebook post, responses poured in from across the country.
“Thank you for saving this little guy! So thankful your crew was in the right place at the right time,” one wrote.
“Handsome little guy! Glad he’s finally home,” another one added.
Initially, the puppy looked yellow. But after a thorough cleaning, Brian discovered he had a white dog beneath the grime.
“He was quite yellow. When I got him home and washed him, he magically turned white,” says Brian.
Though naming him took some time, Brian eventually settled on calling him Dude.
“His first name could’ve been Hefty. And then it was Be Well My Son, and then it turned into Welston…A good name could be, like, Shawn, or Riley… Right now, it’s just good ole’ Dude. He’s just a cute little puppy,” he continued.
After all the hardship the puppy endured, Brian is simply thankful that Dude now has a safe place to call home.
These days, Dude’s only concern is dreaming up new adventures. The life of being discarded is now far behind him.