When Penelope and her puppies ended up at an overcrowded shelter in Texas, the situation was dire. The six puppies were only around 3 weeks old, and their mama was doing the best she could to care for and protect them. Unfortunately, the shelter was so full and stretched thin that they just didn’t have the resources to care for the sweet family.

Penelope and all of her puppies were in immediate danger — until someone stepped in to save them.

“The rescue I work with, Strong Paws, was able to save this mama and her small babies after they were scheduled for euthanasia,” Chelsea Domaleski, a volunteer with Strong Paws, told The Dodo. “They were saved 30 min[utes] before they were going to be put down.”

Penelope had been trying to convince everyone around her that she and her family were worth saving from the moment they arrived at the shelter, and she was so grateful that her efforts paid off.

“[A] volunteer who worked with her said that she was so cute and begging for attention the moment she met her,” Domaleski said.

The little family was pulled from the shelter and taken to a foster home, where they’re currently doing well. Penelope did a beautiful job of caring for her puppies in the shelter and making sure they felt safe, and her efforts haven’t faltered even now that they’re in a loving home.

“She is settling into her new life beautifully,” Domaleski said. “She’s taking good care of her puppies and happy to have a full belly every day. She’s working on gaining weight and is looking forward to getting stronger every day.”

Unfortunately, Penelope’s situation isn’t an isolated one. There are too many mama dogs and puppies ending up at shelters that don’t have the resources to care for them. This puts their lives in immediate danger, and many of them aren’t as lucky as this family was.

“We’re trying to spread awareness to get more people to sign up to foster and save more babies,” Domaleski said. “Fostering is free!”