Abandoned pooch and newborn puppies spur on daring rescue operation from dog skeptic!
Rio Grande Valley, Texas - Stephanie Garcia wasn't a big fan of dogs until she met one special pooch and her puppies.
A viral video shows how Garcia discovered that someone had abandoned a new Golden Retriever mom, who was hiding under the Texan's house with her puppies.
The cute puppies crawled around their mother, who looked helplessly into Garcia's eyes, and something quickly clicked for the homeowner.
"I have never [been] able to understand the affection a human can have for a dog. It never made any sense to me," she told Newsweek.
"And the day Honey and her pups came into my life I instantly fell in love. I was so overcome with emotions and fell in love."
But how far would Garcia go to help the poor animals? Together with her daughter, she took an unusual path in rescuing the dogs.
Viral TikTok video shows discovery of dog mom and her puppies
As the video shows, the homeowner and her daughter crawled under the house and first focused on getting the puppies to safety.
Needless to say, Honey the dog was upset that people were taking her babies away and gently tried to stop them!
The mama dog eventually follows her pups into the rescuers' house and paces around, confused at first over the change in scenery.
After some pats and reassurance, however, the dog family appears to have settled into their new situation and looks to be more at peace in Garcia's care.
While Garcia had originally planned to keep Honey and all 11 of her puppies on her expansive rural property, only four puppies survived and their mother was rushed to the vet with seizures and heartworms.
The kind rescuer paid for Honey's expensive treatment and worked around the clock to take care of the dogs.
She even ended up losing her job because of the time commitment, although she doesn't regret making the sacrifice "because the dogs have brought so much joy" into her life.
"I worry I won't be able to keep them all because I won't be able to afford their vet bills," she admitted.
"Dogs are expensive! Vet bills, dog food, flea medication, and I'm not currently working – but I do know things will work themselves out," she added.
Cover photo: Collage: Screenshots/TikTok/@..auntsteph