Rescuers found her tied up in a snow-covered doghouse، You won't believe what happened inside

It was a frigid Valentine's Day in Missouri when volunteers from Stray Rescue of St. Louis (SRSL) happened upon a 2-year-old pit bull chained to a dog house. With snow accumulating around her and temperatures dropping to single digits, the rescuers dropped everything to help her.

They had no idea that, inside the dog house, the pup was hiding an adorable and alarming secret.

As the team, led by Donna Lochmann, approached the dog house, they discovered a litter of tiny puppies nestled under the mama dog’s body. They quickly realized that the dog had lived outside full-time and birthed her puppies in the dog house. Suddenly, their mission shifted from rescuing just one dog to saving seven fragile lives.

After luring the mama dog, later named Galentine, out of the dog house, the crew picked up the puppies one by one and carried them to the car. They knew taking a defenseless mom’s babies could be risky, but Galentine seemed to know they were there to help.

Stray Rescue of St. Louis

When it was her turn, Galentine allowed her rescuers to remove the chain from her neck and joined her puppies in the car.

“She climbed on our laps in the Jeep and jumped in the back to smell her babies and make sure they were all accounted for,” Natalie Thomson, SRSL’s chief communications officer, told The Dodo. “It was the first time they were ever warm in their lives, so they all fell asleep almost immediately.”

Stray Rescue of St. Louis

Galentine breathed a sigh of relief on her way to SRSL’s headquarters, feeling thankful that her little family finally escaped the cold. In the next seat over, her rescuers were doing the same.

“Today, we had a huge win,” SRSL wrote on Facebook, announcing Galentine’s rescue. “We were able to get her and all her babies!”

Stray Rescue of St. Louis

Galentine and her puppies, named Serenade, Cherish, Flirt, Arrow, Amour and Adore, quickly settled into their room at the shelter with a pile of plush blankets and a heaping bowl of food. Every time a staff member entered the room, the affectionate mama dog lit up.

“She is attention-starved as well and just wants to climb in our laps and kiss our hands,” SRSL wrote. “She is sooo grateful. What a good mom.”

Stray Rescue of St. Louis

Weeks passed, and Galentine’s tiny babies soon became strong, chunky puppies. Galentine cared for her puppies day and night, nursing them for hours until they could eat solid food on their own. Then, when the babies were officially cleared for adoption, the tiny family began their journey of finding forever homes.

While the puppies are still in foster homes accepting adoption applications, Galentine’s wish came true earlier than expected. On the weekend before St. Patrick’s Day, the perfect family entered SRSL looking for someone to bring home — and they instantly fell in love with Galentine.

“We held a big adoption event on Sunday, and she found her forever family!” Thomson said.

Stray Rescue of St. Louis

Galentine couldn’t believe her luck. Just one holiday prior, she was fending for herself and her puppies in a snowy dog house. To finally receive the family she’d always dreamed of one month later felt like a dream.

It’s been a few days since Galentine went to her forever home, and she couldn’t be happier. The SRSL staff are hopeful her puppies will find homes soon, too. But until then, they’ll keep celebrating the little family they saved.

“At 2 years old, Galentine is just a baby herself,” SRSL wrote on Facebook. “Never again will she be lonely, cold, frightened or hungry. She’s ready to receive respect and give so much love in return. She matters.”