Sergeant Nick Beerling was just going about his shift in Gardena, California, when he heard a sound that didn’t belong near a church trash can. It was a tiny cry for help that changed his family’s holiday plans forever.
On December 19, Sergeant Beerling was near a self-compacting trash bin on Normandie Avenue when he heard faint whimpers coming from inside the metal box.
It was a dangerous situation because those bins are designed to crush whatever is inside. He called for backup from the fire department and animal control to get the heavy lid open.
When they finally broke the lock, they saw a one year old terrier mix sitting on top of the garbage. The poor thing was shaking and looking for any way out.
Beerling said the little dog was just looking for help. The people at the spcaLA South Bay Adoption Center said the pup had been tossed away like trash. They named him Flan and started giving him the medical care and food he needed to get strong again.
Even though he wasn’t sure about getting another pet, the Sergeant couldn’t stop thinking about that dog.
On Christmas Eve, he brought his family to the center. His wife said this little guy just tugged on his heart. They adopted him right then and there. They even gave him a new name, Norman, to remember the street where his life was saved.
It is hard to imagine how someone could just throw a living creature into a compactor. It makes us feel heavy and sad. But look at how God used Sergeant Beerling to step in.
It reminds me that none of us are ever truly lost or hidden from Him. Even when we feel like we are in a dark place or tossed aside by life, there is a Father who hears our cries and sends help.
WATCH: Officer Adopts Puppy Abandoned in Trash Compactor
