Oregon driver saw something shivering in the darkness — his curiosity saved a life

Who would abandon a sweet little puppy in the woods? Turns out, there are a few heartless people who would. Nate Fast (@imnatefast), a music producer, was on his way to a campsite in Oregon last week when he found a puppy lying helplessly on the road at night. The viral video was uploaded in four parts — the first part alone, posted on July 21, has gathered 3.2 million views and 147,277 likes so far, while the second one is going viral with 6.1 million views and 466,177 likes.

During a quiet night drive, Nate brings his car to a halt as his headlight catches a small figure on the road. A frail, shivering puppy seems homeless and dangerously close to death. “It’s literally going to die if I don’t save it," Nate says in the video that has captured hearts across the internet. As he steps out of his car to get a closer look, Nate mistakenly thinks the pup’s legs are broken, but is relieved when it starts walking. The pup, clearly desperate for help, quickly begins to trust him. Unsure about leaving the animal behind, Nate says, “I’m probably gonna save you.”

The beautiful, furry creature then joins Nate on his road trip. Believing that everything happens for a reason, Nate affectionately pets the dog, saying, “You were meant to live.” He later names the puppy "Santi," explaining, “His name is officially Santi because I finished “The Alchemist” last night, and the boy’s name was Santi and then I met this Santi — and it all makes sense.” The hungry little Santi is then fed by his rescuer. Skinny and clearly starving, the pup devours the food gratefully. A quiet whimper met a kind soul, and a road trip turned into a rescue written by fate.

A research study found "non-aggressive behavior issues" as the top among 5 reasons people abandon their pets, with "too many animals" and "housing" emerging as most frequently cited. While there is no excuse for leaving the poor animal in such a heartbreaking condition on the road, the State has to work towards more accessible animal welfare schemes.

Meanwhile, touched by Santi’s happy ending, viewers took to the comments to thank Nate. @itz_me_jackie91 commented, “The poor baby found the right human.” @teighlar.hendrick offered to help, saying, “Thank you for saving this sweet soul. I would reach out to a vet to ask about refeeding syndrome and how to avoid it. If the vet won’t answer questions without seeing him, call local rescues. They’ll help you with getting weight on him without further complications for him. I can’t wait to see a GoFundMe or vet name put up so I can donate to help you with any medical expenses!” On the other hand, some people harshly criticized the person who abandoned the poor fur baby. @jamiebonner8419 condemned the act, writing, “That poor animal, whoever did this to the dog is pure evil.” @mrquant86 commented, “You’re a saint for helping this poor animal. Breaks my heart to see such kind-hearted, innocent creatures be abandoned like this.”

You can follow Nate Fast (@imnatefast) on Instagram for more updates on the dog.