Hero Garbage Man Saves Dog Found in Dumpster Who'd Just Given Birth to Puppies

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A Virginia garbage man and loving dog dad himself was doing his rounds late last week when he became a hero, saving a mama dog who was seemingly abandoned in a dumpster.

Jermaine Jackson was driving his Waste Management truck through Old Towne Petersburg on Friday when he stopped at a dumpster, preparing to tip its contents into his truck, WTVR reports.

His truck had already lifted the dumpster when "a dog popped out," Jackson told the TV station. She really only had seconds to spare.

"It's kind of sad because she's sitting there with a sad face like, 'Get me out of here,'" he told WTVR. "If I didn't see her, she'd be in the back of the truck right now or she could have gotten crushed."

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He lowered the dumpster and checked on the dog, who started wagging her tail. He built a small shelter to shield her from the rain before calling the local animal control service. Eventually, they made their way to Frances Verschuure's house nearby. The two humans sat on the front porch with their new friend.

"We got some blankets, we got some food, we got some water and called animal control," Verschuure told the TV station. "So in the meantime, we just sat out here with her. She was as sweet as she could be."

When animal control officers arrived, they determined the dog, who looks to be a kind of bulldog, had recently given birth. Verschuure said the pup looked grateful to receive care and go on her way to the shelter.

Jackson, a 26-year veteran at Waste Management, was still concerned how she ended up in the dumpster because it was impossible for her to get in there by herself. Someone else probably left her there.

"I got two dogs of my own, and I could never think about throwing them in the trash can just because I couldn't take care of them," he told WTVR. "You wouldn't want nobody to throw you in the trash can if they couldn't take care of you."

However she got there, we're just glad she's out and hopefully on her way to a new home.