The other day, shelter workers at the SPCA in Westchester, New York, found an unexpected visitor in their parking lot. While caring for the rescued dogs inside their facility one afternoon, the staff realized an unknown pup was waiting for their care on the sidewalk.

The volunteers’ hearts sank when they discovered a tiny crate tethered to the pup’s collar and a suspicious cardboard box by her side. As they approached to help the dog, they quickly realized she wasn’t alone: The tiny crate and the cardboard box were filled with her puppies.

The mama dog, later named Nora, felt unsure of her rescuers at first — as desperate as she was for someone to save her and her tiny family. She hesitated as they got closer and tried to run away, dragging her puppies’ crate behind her momentarily.

Luckily, the staff intervened swiftly and got ahold of the mom and her babies just in time.

“Mom was so scared and could have bolted and dragged the carrier attached to her leash with two pups in tow and all been injured … or worse,” SPCA Westchester wrote on Instagram.

The puppies in the cardboard box poked their heads out in curiosity as the SPCA staff tended to their tiny family. Before long, the babies and their mom were safe inside the shelter, decompressing together after a long and stressful day.

There was no way for the SPCA staff to know the events that led to Nora’s abandonment, but they sadly had footage of the moment she was left behind. They watched in disbelief as an unknown driver discarded the pups on the sidewalk and sped away.

“They were literally 20 feet from our door, where the person could have easily brought them in and asked us for help,” SPCA Westchester wrote. “While we’re grateful they weren’t just left in the woods or on the side of the road, it still makes no sense.”

You can watch footage from their rescue here:

As heartbreaking as it was to watch Nora and her babies be abandoned, the staff knew that the best was yet to come for the little family. After receiving clean bills of health, Nora’s babies each found the perfect foster-to-adopt homes. They’ve since gone on to meet their new forever families, but the resilient mama dog is, sadly, still at the shleter.

“[W]e’d love more than anything to find Nora a foster home,” SPCA Westchester wrote on Instagram. “She is still very scared and confused but has really started to warm up to our staff …”

As of now, Nora’s still at SPCA Westchester, where her new best friends are hard at work helping the sweet girl regain her confidence. She’s still getting used to her new surroundings, but Nora is feeling better every day, and she’s more than ready to experience life in a loving and quiet home.

The folks at SPCA are actively searching for Nora’s perfect foster home and hope to send her off to her new life soon. Until then, they’ll keep showering the sweet girl with the love she’s always deserved and reminding her just how special she is.