“Are you going to save that dog?” neighbors yelled at the rescuers who arrived at an empty home. “I fed him back when it was really cold,” yelled another. According to neighbors, the dog hiding under the stairs had been alone for months, abandoned by his owners.

“He shook so hard from fear he brought us to tears,” Stray Rescue of St. Louis wrote. “He’s very dehydrated and hungry.”

Thankfully, his hunger worked to their advantage and they are able to gently coax him out from under the stairs using some food.

They are finally able to earn Olson’s trust and he is now safe at their shelter, where he will no doubt find a forever home.