This kind of discovery isn’t as rare as you might think.

Not long ago in Fresno, a housekeeper at Motel 6 was doing their daily rounds when they stumbled upon a truly heartbreaking scene: a tiny pit bull puppy had been left behind in one of the rooms.

The motel staff quickly reached out to animal control officer Rudy Pina, who rushed over to assess the situation. Upon arrival, Pina saw the little dog cautiously peeking out from between the room’s two beds, uncertain if he could trust the stranger. But once the puppy realized he was finally safe, he wasted no time in warming up to Pina.

“When I saw him approach me, I could immediately tell that this little guy was very healthy and extremely friendly,” Pina shared with The Dodo.

Pina guessed that the puppy owner left him in the room for at least a day or two. Thankfully, help had arrived just in time.

Pina brought the puppy to the Fresno Animal Center, where the dog’s lively and affectionate personality truly began to shine. The little dog couldn’t stop wagging his tail or bouncing around Pina.

“He’s incredibly sweet. He’s a handsome little fellow,” Pina said.

While finding an abandoned dog in a motel room might seem shocking, Pina revealed that, sadly, it happens more often than people realize.

“Unfortunately, this is something that happens fairly regularly … Believe it or not, it’s almost a weekly occurrence,” Pina explained.

Pina emphasized that one reason he shares videos of his work as an animal control officer is to raise awareness about these issues.

A new beginning

Thankfully, this pup’s story had a happy ending.

Pina’s TikTok video about the dog’s rescue gained so much attention that someone quickly stepped up to adopt him. Now, he’ll never have to worry about being left behind again.