When longtime animal rescuer Lisa Reams received a desperate phone call, her heart sank.

Someone had reported that a newborn puppy had been abandoned in a dumpster in Yazoo City, Mississippi.

Without hesitation, she rushed to the scene, determined to find the little one who had been tossed away like trash.

A Tiny Life Left Behind

When she arrived, the area seemed quiet. Lisa searched around the dumpsters, peered inside, and called out softly, but there was no puppy in sight.

Her instincts told her not to give up. She drove away, only to return an hour later.

This time, she spotted a small, shivering shape pressed against the side of the dumpster. The puppy looked frail, his dark fur dusty and his tiny body trembling from hunger and fear.

As Lisa approached, the pup—later named Oscar—tried to wedge himself underneath the dumpster to hide. He didn’t know this stranger had come to help him.

All he knew was fear, abandonment, and loneliness.

A Fragile Beginning

Lisa knelt beside the frightened puppy and began speaking gently, her voice filled with warmth.

Still, Oscar whimpered, growled, and resisted her touch. It broke her heart to see such a small life already filled with mistrust.

When she finally lifted him into her arms, his tiny body stiffened at first. Then, as if realizing he was finally safe, Oscar let out a long, trembling sigh.

In that moment, he seemed to understand he was no longer alone.

Lisa searched the area thoroughly, shining her flashlight under and inside every dumpster.

She wanted to be sure no other puppies were hidden nearby. After combing through the site, it became clear—Oscar had been left all by himself.

No mother, no siblings. Just him.

With her own rescue group already overflowing with animals, Lisa reached out to another rescuer, Angie Young of Southern Mutts in Greenwood, Mississippi.

Angie assured her that once Oscar recovered, she would help find him a loving family. Until then, Lisa volunteered to foster the fragile pup herself.

The first night in her home, Lisa gave Oscar a warm meal and a gentle bath.

For the first time in who knows how long, the puppy curled up on a soft blanket instead of cold concrete.

The following morning, she took him to the veterinarian. The doctor estimated he was only six weeks old and diagnosed him with hookworms and ringworm—painful but treatable conditions.

With medication in hand, Lisa carried him back home and promised to nurse him until he was strong enough to begin his new life.

A Brighter Tomorrow For Oscar

The first days in foster care were difficult.

Oscar was hesitant, pulling away when Lisa tried to pick him up. But patience and kindness began to heal wounds that medicine couldn’t reach.

Slowly, the little black pup started to trust again.

Each day, his personality peeked through a little more.

Soon, he discovered that belly rubs were his favorite comfort and that toys could bring joy. Lisa filled her home with playthings just for him, and Oscar eagerly learned what it meant to be a puppy again.

Though his journey is far from over, Oscar has already come so far.

He no longer cowers in fear at human touch. Instead, he leans into gentle hands, craving the affection he once tried to escape.

Lisa continues to check the site where he was abandoned, searching for any sign of his mother or siblings.

But none have been found. For now, Oscar is safe where he belongs—in a home filled with love.

Once he is healthy and strong enough, Oscar will begin the search for his forever family.

There is no doubt that a puppy with such resilience and tenderness will capture the heart of someone willing to give him the life he deserves.

Oscar’s story is a reminder of how fragile life can be, but also how hope can bloom again with compassion.

From the shadows of a dumpster to the warmth of a foster home, one tiny pup is learning that he is not disposable—he is cherished.