A few months ago, while driving to a doctor’s appointment on a quiet country road in Lajas, Puerto Rico, Dellymar Bernal spotted something that made her heart stop.
At an intersection, just off the pavement, a small tan puppy stood barking — not in aggression, but in desperation.
Bernal, who serves as the executive director of Santuario de Animales San Francisco de Asís (SASFAPR), had seen her share of strays before. But what she found when she pulled over left her speechless.
Behind the tiny pup were nine more puppies, huddled together beside a couple of buckets of food.
“I couldn’t believe what I was seeing,” Bernal told The Dodo. “Ten little lives, just sitting there on the side of the road. I couldn’t leave them there.”
The tan pup — later named Luna — wagged her tail and barked as if trying to get Bernal’s attention, while her siblings stumbled around, weak and confused.
“The one who was barking and wagging her tail stole my heart,” Bernal said. “When I opened the car door, they all came running to me, tails wagging, just happy someone had stopped.”
Their friendliness told Bernal everything she needed to know — these puppies had once belonged to someone.
“At some point, they had a home,” Bernal said. “The area is very isolated, and when we shared the story online, neighbors said they’d seen someone abandon them there a few days earlier.”
You can watch the moment Bernal rescued the puppies here:
Bernal gently gathered the puppies, one by one, loading all ten into her car. With her shelter already full, she didn’t know where they’d go — but she knew they’d be safe.
She drove straight to SASFAPR, dropping off nine of the pups, then took the smallest one, Lirio, to the vet. Lirio had been limping, and X-rays revealed multiple fractures in her back paw.
Thanks to dedicated veterinary care, Lirio slowly began to heal. Meanwhile, her siblings — Luna, Lisa, Luisa, Lilypads, Lance, and Liliard — flourished back at the sanctuary.
Before long, adoption applications started pouring in. Luna, the brave little barker who first called for help, found a home in Boston. Lisa was adopted in New York.
Now, only Lirio and Lorenzo remain at SASFAPR — Lirio recovering from her paw injury, and Lorenzo awaiting eye surgery. Once they’re both fully healed, they’ll also head off to loving forever homes.
Bernal hadn’t planned on rescuing ten puppies that day. But thanks to her compassion and quick action, ten little lives that were once left to fend for themselves are now safe, loved, and thriving.
To support rescues like Luna’s, you can donate to Santuario de Animales San Francisco de Asís here.
