When residents of a quiet Massachusetts town were out for a walk one morning, they came across a shocking sight: a dog sitting in his crate, left alone on the side of the road.

The 2-year-old Maltese was left in the crate with his leash, blanket, food, coat and all of his toys, according to the Hingham Police Department. It seemed the dog hadn’t even been there an hour when he was found, and he was quickly freed from his crate and rescued from the freezing temperatures.

The dog was left on a friendly neighborhood street, which suggests that whoever left him there wanted him to be found by the right people. The dog was taken in by the Animal Rescue League of Boston (ARL), where vets checked him out and concluded that he’s very healthy. He was clearly incredibly grateful to his rescuers for saving him from the cold, and loves hanging out with staff at the shelter.

“Volunteers and staff have remarked at how sweet-natured the dog is … and how much he loves his little treats,” ARL wrote on its website.

The dog is not microchipped and didn’t have any identification on him, and authorities are currently investigating the situation.

“Our effort now is to investigate the circumstances, including locating the owner,” the Hingham Police Department wrote on its Facebook page. “If the adoption becomes necessary down the road, we’ll give any relevant updates.”

For now, the dog will remain in the care of ARL, where he’s happy, healthy and safely away from the freezing Massachusetts streets.

If you have any information on this dog, you can contact the Hingham Police Department at (781) 749-1212 or ARL’s Law Enforcement Department at (617) 226-5610.