Whoever placed this plain blue duffle bag in the desert was probably hoping it would never be found, let alone opened. But it was found, and most importantly, in time to rescue the helpless animal trapped inside.
The Victor Valley Animal Protective League (VVAPL), in California, recently shared the story of a man who unwittingly saved that creature's life. While on a drive through the desert, that person had spotted what he initially thought was just another scrap of garbage.
"Trash in the desert is all too common, which is why he was going to drive around it," writes VVAPL. "That is, until it moved."
Thankfully, that was enough to inspire the man to stop for a closer look.
He cautiously opened the bag, setting free a terrier dog who was, no doubt, very happy to be out.
"Fortunately, the dog was found before suffering any harm, saving him from a horrific death," VVAPL writes.
It's unclear how long the dog had been there, or what cruel person had left him to perish all alone. But there's no doubt that his serendipitous discovery was the start of something better.
Indeed, VVAPL says, this dog's sad story has the happiest of endings:
"We named the sweet boy Duff, and he's now in a forever home thanks to a Good Samaritan."
While it sometimes takes being in the right place at the right time to save a dog dumped like Duff had been, there's a surefire way of helping others still in need. Click here to learn more about adopting rescue dogs in your area.