It’s not every day that a routine job becomes a rescue mission. But recently, one morning in Philadelphia, a Good Samaritan working on a property experienced just that when they noticed something moving inside a discarded trash bag.

Alarmed, the worker ripped open the bag and was stunned to find a white and tan pittie inside. The dog’s body and legs were stiff, and he could only move his head. The Good Samaritan gently moved the dog out from the trash bag, placed him on a piece of cardboard nearby and covered him with a blanket. Then they called local authorities for help.

When the dog, later named Codi, arrived at Pennsylvania SPCA that day, veterinarians had so many questions about his story.

“What had happened to this poor soul?” Pennsylvania SPCA wrote in a Facebook post about Codi. “Why had he been discarded like trash?”

Veterinarians quickly realized that Codi was unable to stand. They ran lots of tests and made sure Codi got plenty of food and water. Rescuers stretched Codi and massaged his ailing limbs. In time, the resilient pittie took the first of many slow, careful steps.

Eventually, Codi was ready to begin searching for his permanent home. The Pennsylvania SPCA got the word out — telling Codi’s story on social media and advertising him on a local news channel. Soon, Codi caught the attention of his forever family.

It had been one month since he was found paralyzed inside the trash bag. Now, at last, Codi was going home.

“The odds may have seemed against him, but he never gave up,” Pennsylvania SPCA wrote in a Facebook post about Codi’s adoption. “[L]ast week, it all paid off.”

SPCA staff are thrilled for Codi. Surely, they’ll never forget this sweet dog who defied the odds.

“His recovery was pretty remarkable,” Gillian Kocher, Pennsylvania SPCA director of public relations, told The Dodo. “And though he’s still a little wobbly, he’s been adopted and is living the best life!”