When a guy posted on Facebook about giving up his dog and her nine puppies, a concerned community jumped in to make sure the tiny family received the attention and care they so sorely needed.

Nana is four years old and has spent the last three years tied up outside her North Carolina home. The first two litters of puppies did not make it after she gave birth three times. All nine puppies from her third and last litter survived, and as soon as they were born, her owner decided he wanted to give away all ten dogs.

When the man posted about giving away the dogs in July, neighbors who were aware of the situation stepped in and took the dogs. Faithful Friends Animal Sanctuary (FFAS) staff heard about the dog family and knew they had to help, so they called Mr. Bones & Co. Rescue.

“They sent us photos of the conditions she was living in and the state she was in,” Mr. Bones & Co founder Elli Frank told The Dodo. “We believe she moved her babies to a ditch to keep them cool in the hot July sun.” It broke my heart.”

FFAS agreed to care for the wonderful family until the puppies were old enough to be moved all the way to New York, where Mr. Bones & Co. is situated. During that time, Mr. Bones & Co. rescuers visited Nana and her puppies to develop their confidence and make the final voyage and transfer smoother.

“Her owner had bred Nana twice before, and she had seen every baby die except one,” Frank explained. “She was a protective mom who had suffered so much neglect and loss that we wanted her to know she was safe, and would remain safe, with us and FFAS.”

After getting to know all of the puppies, it was determined that they would all be named after Peter Pan characters. Peter Pan, Tinkerbell, Tiger Lily, Wendy, John, Michael, Cubby, Liza, and Jane are the names of the puppies.

The puppies grew larger and healthier until, finally, in mid-September, Nana and her family were flown to New Jersey by Pilots N Paws, where they were picked up by Mr. Bones & Co. and transported to New York. It had been a long voyage, but Nana and all her puppies were finally safe.

On the day they arrived, rescuers transported each of the nine Peter Pan puppies to their foster homes, and it was finally time to take Nana to her foster home as well. Nana felt entirely protected for the first time in a long time as she snuggled with her rescuers in the car, weary from the drive.

Over the course of our visits, she had grown to trust us and had given her babies to loving homes that would look after them until they found permanent homes, according to Frank. “She knew she had done her part and had finally been able to save her babies and ensure they survived.”

Nana and her puppies are now prospering in their respective foster homes, and Nana’s fosters are even thinking about adopting her. The puppies are growing by the day, and everyone engaged in their rescue is overjoyed. The journey to save the tiny family was long, but they are now all happy and safe.