Thanks to rescue groups Hope for Paws and Coastal German Shepherd Rescue, a dog who had been abandoned near a dumpster was given a second chance at life.

Hope for Paws, a rescue organization in Los Angeles, California, received a call about a dog who had been living under a dumpster for nearly a year. The dog was very fearful and hid whenever people came near. A Good Samaritan noticed the dog and had been bringing him food and fresh water until help could be found.

In this video, the Hope for Paws group, armed with a cheeseburger and a leash, tries to coax the dog out from under the dumpster. Every step forward is met with several steps back as the rescuer works to gain the dog’s trust. The temptation of warm food eventually becomes too much, and the dog moves out from under the dumpster enough that the crew can safely put a leash on him and move him to the vehicle.

After a bath and a vet visit, Cowboy, as they name him, begins to act noticeably happier and more comfortable around his new human companions. Coastal German Shepherd Rescue stepped up to help find Cowboy a home, and now he’s living the dream with his own family.

Watch the video below to see how this scared dumpster dog regained his trust in humans and found his happily-ever-after home.