This stray dog, like Mary during the birth of Jesus, sought refuge in a barnacle-filled straw to give birth, but this time to seven puppies.

In Palenque, Mexico, a picturesque nativity scene was displayed inside a small tent in the town’s main square. It has the typical array of festive figures posed in serene silence, but recently something unexpected has appeared: a pregnant stray dog.

Apparently, the sweet dog saw the paved area as a safe space and so ended up using it as a refuge. She could take a break from the cold of the streets and provide lighting if necessary. Local journalist Eric Gυzmá observed this and discovered her curled up in the straw inside of her.

Upon closer inspection, Eric discovered that the dog gave birth to seven puppies. Without any other options, the dog seemed to have chosen the paved area as a safe and pleasant place to give birth to her children.

“She was surprised and happy to find that her puppies were in a safe place,” Eric told The Dodo. “They weren’t wet and cold,” he said. It’s worth noting that while Paleq is normally warm all year round, it starts to get cold in December and the presence of dogs seeking shelter is quite frequent.

Eric began to spread the policy about the dog and her puppies at the manger, and since then, many from Paleqυe have made the trip to see them with their own eyes, some bringing food and drink. Even local officials got involved and agreed that the dog family would be allowed to stay as long as they needed.

Beyond the health benefits, the animal caretakers at Dejado Hυellitas SOS Paleqυe have also stepped in to ensure that the dogs are cared for now and in the future, and have begun looking for homes for them to live in.

For Eric, the puppies’ birth inside the Avid manger is not a miracle, but he hopes it will leave a lasting legacy. “I hope that as citizens we are more aware of stray dogs and adopt them instead of buying them,” said the journalist. “We must love them regardless of their origin,” he concluded.