One quiet evening, we received a desperate and urgent call that would change our lives—and the lives of 18 innocent souls—forever. A tip came in about a group of dogs abandoned in a dilapidated house on the far outskirts of the city. The caller said they had been left behind, completely alone and defenseless, with no food, no clean water, and no one to care for them. When we arrived at the property, the sight was worse than we had anticipated. The house was falling apart, windows shattered, doors barely hanging on their hinges, the floors soaked with rain and filth. It was a haunting image, made even more heartbreaking when we realized that among the dogs was a mother with newborn puppies clinging to her side.
As we stepped inside, our hearts sank. The air was damp and heavy with the smell of neglect. Trash was strewn across the floor, and the dogs—frightened and thin—huddled in corners, unsure whether to approach us or run away. In one of the rooms, we found the mother dog, curled tightly around her litter of tiny puppies. Her eyes met ours—not with fear, but with exhaustion. She was clearly overwhelmed, but she hadn’t given up. Despite her failing health, despite the cold, the hunger, and the misery, she was still doing her best to protect her babies.
The weather had taken a turn for the worse. Dark clouds loomed above, and the first drops of rain had already begun to fall. Inside that abandoned house, this mother dog had done the unthinkable—she had kept her puppies alive in impossible conditions. She had moved them, one by one, to drier spots in the house, doing everything she could to shield them from harm. We named her Serena, for the serenity she somehow managed to radiate even in the midst of suffering.
But even the strongest love can be worn thin. Within hours of rescuing Serena and her babies, her condition took a sharp decline. Her body began to tremble. She struggled to stand. She stopped eating. And heartbreakingly, her puppies began to weaken as well. We lost six of them before we could even get Serena to the veterinary hospital. The remaining eleven were frail, crying softly, their tiny bodies cold to the touch. Serena was barely conscious when we reached the clinic, and we feared the worst.
The veterinary team acted quickly. Serena was diagnosed with severe dehydration and anemia, and she tested positive for Ehrlichia, a dangerous tick-borne disease that compromises the immune system. She was in critical condition and required round-the-clock medical attention. The prognosis was uncertain, and for the first time in a long while, we felt the weight of helplessness settle in.
But Serena, even in her weakest state, still had a spark. She would lift her head just enough to check on her babies. She licked their little heads, curled herself around them when she had the strength. There was something in her spirit—something raw and maternal—that defied logic. She had suffered more than any animal should ever have to endure, and yet, her concern wasn’t for herself. It was always, always for her puppies.
We took turns staying with her through the nights, monitoring her IVs, adjusting heat lamps, bottle-feeding her pups every few hours. The days blurred together. It was physically exhausting, emotionally draining, and yet, we never once considered walking away. How could we, when Serena refused to give up? She taught us something about love that no book or lecture ever could. It’s unconditional. It’s selfless. It’s fierce.
Gradually, Serena began to improve. Her breathing steadied. Her eyes became more alert. The anemia began to resolve with treatment, and her body slowly regained strength. As for the eleven remaining puppies—they began to thrive. They gained weight, opened their eyes, and started to crawl and explore. They were playful and curious, their personalities beginning to shine through.
Watching them flourish was nothing short of a miracle. From the brink of death, they had found new life. Each little tail wag, each yawn, each wobbling first step filled our hearts with indescribable joy. It reminded us why we do this work—why we answer the calls in the middle of the night, why we put everything on hold to save lives that many would overlook.
Serena’s transformation was extraordinary. The dog we had found collapsed and barely breathing was now walking, even wagging her tail. Her eyes, once dull and lifeless, now sparkled when we entered the room. She had not only survived—she had triumphed. And in doing so, she had given her puppies the chance to grow up in a world that would treat them with kindness and compassion.
This journey—this emotional rollercoaster of pain, love, loss, and hope—left a mark on all of us. It reminded us of the incredible resilience animals possess, the depths of a mother’s love, and the power of human compassion when paired with action. Every sleepless night, every tear we shed, every moment of doubt was worth it to see Serena and her puppies alive and thriving.
Serena’s story is not just about rescue. It’s about redemption. It’s about the idea that no creature, no matter how broken or discarded, is beyond saving. It’s about the undeniable truth that love—pure, selfless love—can change everything.
We continue our mission with renewed energy, inspired by Serena and her unshakable spirit. There will be more calls, more rescues, more lives on the line. And we will answer them—because every animal deserves a second chance. Every life matters. And sometimes, in saving them, they end up saving a part of us too.
