Mama dog adopts orphan puppy after losing her own litter

These photos will make your heart melt.

Daya the dog was pregnant with nine puppies and living in an overcrowded shelter when Halfway There Rescue put her into a foster home. When her foster family brought her in for a checkup, they received the devastating news that none of her puppies were alive.

“X-rays showed no evidence of living babies,” Jennifer Werner, a volunteer for the rescue, told The Dodo. “Her nine puppies were in the process of being absorbed by her body. This had caused a severe infection in her uterus that required emergency surgery within an hour of her arrival at the vet hospital.”

Although Daya survived the surgery and was OK physically, her mental state suffered as she coped with the loss of her puppies. Daya’s maternal instinct caused her to treat toys or socks as if they were her puppies, laying with them, licking them and bringing them everywhere with her.

Shortly after Daya’s surgery, the rescue received a call about a female puppy abandoned on the side of the road who was in need of a home and a mother. The puppy, Raisin, met with Daya, and the two hit it off immediately. It was clear to everyone that Daya needed Raisin and vice versa. Look at them snuggling together with their foster mom, Twitter user @katie_levans:

Daya was pregnant but had no viable puppies. After surgery for her miscarriage she was confused to not have puppies and started mothering her toys. Raisin was an orphaned puppy w/ a ruptured eye that had to be removed.

Halfway There Rescue paired them to foster together. THREAD pic.twitter.com/YDILBDh9m2

— Katie Levans (@katie_levans) January 21, 2018

And here they are spooning at the shelter!

https://www.instagram.com/p/BeLUN2eAP9l/?taken-by=halfway_there_rescue

“They were snuggled up together and it was obvious a relationship was forming,” Werner said. “Even though the two were not related, they served a need for each other that would lead to an incredible bond.”

The pair continued to take care of each other, and each of them eventually found their forever homes. In fact, the tiny Raisin ended up staying with her foster mom!

If you’d like to learn more about the other dogs that have been rescued by Halfway There Rescue and are still up for adoption, you can get more information at their website.