Every dog deserves a place to call home, and for Oscar, that place was a tipped-over trash can.
The dog had been living in the can for some time before the Lexington-Fayette Animal Care & Control was called about the situation.
Rescuers quickly went to the location and found the dog peeking his head out of the trash can. He seemed to be doing ok. He was alert and excited to see humans, but he was also hesitant to leave his trash-filled home.
Animal control wrote on Facebook that when the officer arrived, the “sweet but timid dog would come up to greet her but then dart right back to the trash can.”
The dog seemed happy to stay inside the trash can, even though he was also slightly eager for attention. The rescuers thought he must’ve felt safe, warm, and secure in the can, despite it being an unconventional home.
The rescue officer wasn’t going to let the dog continue living on the streets, so she spent time (and dog treats) gaining the dog’s trust and eventually, got him into a crate.
They named him “Oscar” after Oscar the Grouch, which seemed perfectly fitting given his trashcan house.
No one came forward to claim the dog and he quickly became a “staff favorite” at animal control! They wrote on Facebook that they fostered him in their office for a few days and “During this time we thought it was funny he would ‘guard the trash’ and get into the office trash cans!”