A Florida couple thought they might have a bear lurking behind their home after hearing strange growling sounds coming from a nearby palm forest.
What they found the next morning was something completely different — and far more heartbreaking.
Hidden among the trees in Interlachen, Florida, was an extremely thin black Labrador caring for 11 newborn puppies.
The couple had been staying at their winter home when they first heard the noise after dark.
Because visibility was poor, they could not immediately tell what was making the sound.
They initially feared it might be a bear.
At daylight, they went back into the wooded area to investigate.
That is when they discovered the mother dog and her enormous litter.
The puppies were not all together in one spot.
According to Nikki Kell, director and treasurer of Nala Sanctuary, the babies were scattered in several small groups throughout the forest floor.
The sight made it clear the little family needed help quickly.
The mother dog was severely underweight and had an injury to one of her rear legs.
Despite her condition, rescuers said she had a sweet personality, although she was understandably hesitant around strangers after apparently surviving on her own for a long time.
The couple began contacting local animal rescue groups.
Their calls eventually reached Nala Sanctuary, a nonprofit rescue organization based in Interlachen.
Rescuers rushed to the area and carefully gained the mother dog’s trust with food.
Once they were able to approach her safely, they gathered up all 11 puppies and moved the entire family out of the woods.
The mother and babies were first taken to a warm barn where they could rest, eat and recover.
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Rescuers then faced another challenge.
Finding a foster home for one dog can be difficult. Finding someone able to care for a nursing mother and 11 newborn puppies at once requires much more space, time and experience.
Eventually, they connected with a foster caregiver associated with Moonshine Kennel who agreed to take the entire family.
That was when rescuers witnessed one of the sweetest moments of the ordeal.
After arriving somewhere safe, the exhausted mother finally stretched out beside her puppies.
As the babies began nursing, she fell asleep.
Her tail was still wagging.
Rescuers named the mama dog Sarah.
For perhaps the first time in a long while, Sarah no longer had to worry about finding food, protecting her puppies from wildlife or keeping them warm on the forest floor.
She could simply rest and be their mom.
Nala Sanctuary said Sarah is now caring for all 11 of her babies while the family continues recovering.
The rescue organization believes their situation had become extremely dangerous.
With an injured, underweight mother trying to feed 11 newborn puppies outdoors, rescuers said the family likely would not have survived much longer without intervention.
Now, all 12 dogs have warmth, food and people watching over them.