But persistence and compassion won out, and the rescuers were finally able to free them from their misery.

Only five puppies made it. Fragile and barely clinging to life, they faced a long road to recovery.

Malnourished and sick, they battled infections and hunger. Their mother, too weak to feed them, grieved for the ones she had lost but stayed close to the ones who survived.

That night, the rescue team worked to soothe their pain. The experience left a deep impact on everyone involved.