Earlier this month, a group of seven puppy siblings found themselves crouched inside a cardboard box, trying to keep warm. The puppies had been abandoned at a snow-covered dump in a remote part of Saskatchewan, Canada. Their odds of being spotted were slim. Nevertheless, they huddled together, keeping their eyes on the horizon, perhaps hoping help might come.

Miraculously, a community member in the area happened to see the puppies’ fuzzy faces peeking out from the box. Horrified, the passerby posted about the puppies on a community Facebook page, asking for help. Eventually, local police were at the scene, moving the puppies to safety.

It wasn’t long before someone contacted Pretty in Pink Animal Rescue. Shelter cofounders Lindy Adams and Kristen Schick were crestfallen, but not necessarily shocked, to learn about the puppies’ situation.

“It’s always upsetting,” Adams and Schick told The Dodo. “But it’s no longer surprising, as we see it so often.”

In time, the puppies were transported to Prince Albert, where the rescue is based. Safe with knowledgeable rescuers, the puppies were examined and then placed in caring foster homes.

Every day, the puppies gain a bit more strength and nourishment. Over the past few weeks, rescuers tended to each puppy’s individual needs, making sure they had the medical intervention necessary to allow them the healthiest lives possible. Though some puppies need a bit more time to heal than others, all of them are on the road to recovery.

“Overall, they are doing well,” Adams and Schick said.

Adams and Schick are hopeful that this story provides some needed publicity for the domestic animal overpopulation crisis in Saskatchewan. They encourage community members to reach out to their local rescues to see how they can help and to feel comfortable asking experts if they encounter an animal in need. Every little bit saves lives.

“Fostering an animal for your local rescue helps so much,” they said. “Donations of supplies … are always so needed.”

If everyone does their part, puppies like these will never have to worry about fending for themselves.