On Christmas Eve, a police officer from Gardena, California, decided to give the puppy a permanent home after a dramatic rescue days earlier. Officer Nick Beerling of the Gardena Police Department responded to reports of “faint whimpers and cries” emanating from an automatic trashcan located outside a local church on December 19.

The rescue operation, which involved both animal control and the fire department, became necessary after the distress calls led officers to a self-compacting trashcan. Upon breaking the lock and opening the bin, the rescuers found a trembling 1-year-old terrier inside, according to reports from WJAC.

“When we looked inside, there was this little terrier-type dog, just sitting on top of the trash, shivering and in need of help,” Beerling recounted to WJAC. “It was a self-compacting trashcan, and if not for the timely intervention, it might have ended tragically for him.”

“(We saw) the little dog, terrier type dog sitting on top of the trash, kind of whimpering and shaking, looking for help,” Beerling told WJAC. “And then we looked into it a little bit further and found out it was like a self-compacting type trash that eventually would have, unfortunately, might have crushed him.”

The nonprofit said he had been “tossed away like trash.”

The dog was taken to the spcaLA South Bay Pet Adoption Center and named Flan. 

After staying at the center for a few days, and getting neutered, Flan was adopted by the Beerling family. 

“The girls and I have been trying to convince him to get another pet for a while, and he hasn’t wanted to commit but this little guy just tugged on his heart,” Beerling’s wife told WJAC.

The family renamed their new pup Norman after the street he was found and rescued on.

“⁠This is one rescue we’ll never forget,” the shelter said in a social media post. “The Beerling family is incredibly excited to take him home.”