LANSING, Mich. (WLNS) – He was tossed aside like trash and locked up in a crate. Thankfully, a woman came to his rescue.

Scotty, the pit mix, is all smiles after a check-up and some grooming.

The woman who found him next to a dumpster said she’s glad he’s spending the night at a dog daycare versus the cold plastic crate she found him in.

“I just, I couldn’t imagine any of my dogs being out there like that or who would want to leave their dog out there in that kind of condition after obviously caring for them like they did,” said Lindsey Curtis, a manager with Nana-n-Paws doggie daycare.

She was just starting her day when her boyfriend told her about a blue plastic crate. It was sitting next to a dumpster in Trapper’s Cove Apartments in Lansing.

“Soaking wet towel on top of him, it’s raining out, he was whining and he had gone to the bathroom in his crate and there was a bunch of junk in there with him,” said Curtis.

She called her boss who told her to call animal control and bring him in. The unnamed pup got the new name “Scotty”, based on the Star Trek character, as vets took him upstairs to see if he was healthy and if he had a microchip, which he didn’t.

Patty Lance, owner of the dog daycare said Scotty is around eight months and seemed cared for due to his healthy weight. She said the find was devastating.

“It absolutely breaks my heart. There are so many options for people. If they can’t take care of their pet, they could have contacted animal control and for a small fee surrendered the dog,” said Lance.

A spokesperson with Ingham County Animal Control said the agency plans to investigate the incident tomorrow after picking up Scotty in the morning.

Scotty’s story comes at a time when researchers with Shelter Animal Count, a group of animal nonprofits, have tracked an increase in animals showing up in shelters nationwide during the last three years.

The data shows more than 2,038,000 pets were in shelters in 2021.

In 2022, that number jumped to more than 300,000.

Back in Grand Ledge, Curtis hopes Scotty’s story ends in a loving home.

“He’s all smiles, he’s going to make someone very happy.”

While Ingham County Animal Control officers launch their investigation, Lance said she hopes anyone that knows something about how Scotty ended up in a crate comes forward.