Earlier this week, while working on a remote farm in Turkey, veterinarian Soner BĂźyĂźmez heard a sound in the distance that he couldnât ignore. It was a desperate sound, like a cry for help.
âI immediately ran to the spot,â BĂźyĂźmez told The Dodo. âThere had been a landslide. I saw a  dog trapped in the ground. Only her head remained [above the soil].â
The dog was in distress. But, as BĂźyĂźmez would soon come to learn, she wasnât concerned for her life alone.
âWhen I first saw her, it was very upsetting,â BĂźyĂźmez said.
He knew he had to act.
Quickly fetching a shovel, BĂźyĂźmez began to dig.
As BĂźyĂźmez moved the dirt trapping the dog, another sound struck his ears. The sound was faint but unmistakable.
âI heard the cry of  puppies,â BĂźyĂźmez said. âThey were under the ground.â
When the first dog was safely removed, BĂźyĂźmez began to dig once more in order to save her babies.
All told, BĂźyĂźmez saved seven puppies whoâd been buried alive after their underground burrow caved in â much to the relief of their worried mother.
Thanks to BĂźyĂźmezâs quick thinking, the furry family was now safe and sound.
BĂźyĂźmez believes the mother dog was a stray, surviving on her own in that desperate spot. But now, she and her babies will be alone no longer.
âTheir general condition is very good. The mother and her puppies are protected,â BĂźyĂźmez said. âI will care for them as my own.â
