Said Zarate is a garbage collector from Mexico. Although his job is often a thankless one, recently, Zarate did something while on the job that has earned him some incredibly well-deserved gratitude.

Zarate and his colleague were doing the rounds in a rural area earlier this month when they noticed something floating in a concrete canal.

"I saw something moving in the water," Zarate said. "I kept looking until I could identify that it was a dog. I told my partner to stop."

When Zarate realized it was a helpless dog trapped in the canal, he didn't think twice about going to the dog's aid.

He grabbed an empty sack from the truck for the dog to cling to while being pulled out of the water to safety.

The dog was exhausted from trying to stay afloat and couldn't keep a grip on the sack.

But Zarate refused to give up and was eventually able to lure the distressed dog to the edge of the canal so that he could lift him out onto dry land.

Zarate saved the dog's life, and the dog was eternally grateful.

"He leapt into my arms," Zarate said.

The sweet dog appeared to be healthy. He was obviously cared for by a loving family, who turned out to live on a nearby ranch.

"I'm sure he has good owners. He must just have had an accident," Zarate said. "After staying with us for a moment, he ran off cheerfully back home."

"I thanked God I was able to save him," Zarate said.

After sharing the above video online, Zarate received a message from the dog's grateful owner.

"He sent me a message thanking me for helping his dog."