Cars thundered overhead.

Below the highway, hidden in a dim patch of dirt and shadow, a mother dog lay almost completely still.

Pressed against her body were four tiny puppies.

They were only around ten days old.

The newborns were nursing quietly while their mother remained stretched along the ground, too weak to move normally.

Her abdomen was badly swollen.

Her breathing was slow.

And something about the way she held her body immediately suggested that she was injured.

The mother would later be named Reta.

At that moment, however, rescuers had one urgent concern.

Whatever had happened to her, she was still trying to care for four puppies who depended on her for everything.

Reta Could Barely Move, but Her Puppies Were Still Nursing

When rescuers reached the family beneath the highway, the seriousness of Reta’s condition became clearer.

She remained on the ground while the puppies stayed gathered around her.

Her body looked weak.

Several wounds were visible.

And the swelling across her abdomen was impossible to ignore.

The rescue team suspected she may have been struck by a vehicle before making her way beneath the highway, although the exact circumstances could not be known with certainty.

What mattered now was getting all five dogs somewhere safer.

Rescuers approached slowly.

Reta allowed gentle handling while they checked her and began preparing the family for transport.

One by one, the four puppies were carefully lifted.

Then Reta was moved as gently as possible because of the obvious pain and weakness in her lower body.

Video: Rescuers Find an Injured Mother Dog Nursing Four Newborn Puppies Beneath a Highway

The Veterinary Exam Revealed a Fractured Pelvis

At the clinic, veterinarians began examining Reta more thoroughly.

The findings explained why movement had been so difficult.

She had a fractured pelvis.

There were also multiple wounds across her body.

The severe swelling in her abdomen was linked to trauma that was interfering with her ability to pass waste normally.

For a nursing mother caring for four newborn puppies, those injuries created an enormous physical burden.

Treatment began immediately.

The goal was to relieve her discomfort, address the injuries, and keep her stable enough to continue caring for the puppies.

The newborns also needed close observation.

At only around ten days old, they were completely dependent on warmth, feeding, and constant care.

For the rescuers, saving Reta meant protecting the entire little family at once.

A Warm Bath and Food Marked the First Signs of Relief

As treatment progressed, Reta’s body slowly began responding.

The rescue team cleaned her carefully and gave her a warm bath.

Dirt and debris from the roadside were washed away while the staff continued handling her cautiously because of the pelvic injury.

Afterward, she was given somewhere warm to rest.

Then came food.

A bowl of shredded chicken was prepared to help rebuild her strength while she continued nursing.

By the next morning, rescuers noticed an encouraging change.

Reta attempted to stand.

She was not steady.

Her movements were still limited by the injury.

But she was able to get onto her feet.

Her tail also moved slightly.

For a dog who had been almost completely motionless beneath the highway, even those small changes were important.

Minnie, Daisy, Linda, and Margarita Began Growing Stronger

The four puppies remained close to Reta as the family recovered.

They were eventually given names.

Minnie.

Daisy.

Linda.

Margarita.

While Reta received treatment, the puppies continued feeding and developing.

Their tiny bodies grew stronger.

They became more active.

And as the weeks passed, they began showing the curiosity and playful behavior expected from healthy young puppies.

The contrast with their first days beneath the highway became increasingly clear.

Then, they had known only dirt, traffic noise, and an injured mother struggling to move.

Now they had warmth.

Regular care.

Clean bedding.

And people watching both their condition and Reta’s recovery closely.

As the Puppies Grew, Reta’s Injuries Continued Healing

Weeks of treatment brought steady improvement.

Reta’s wounds closed.

Her strength returned.

Movement became easier as her body healed.

She was no longer confined to the position in which rescuers had found her beneath the highway.

Meanwhile, the puppies continued growing quickly.

Before long, they were old enough to begin moving toward homes of their own.

Minnie and Daisy remained together.

Linda and Margarita were also placed as a pair.

For rescuers who had first carried the four tiny newborns away from the highway, watching them leave for homes marked the end of one major part of the rescue.

But Reta still had her own future ahead.

After Raising Her Puppies, Reta Found a Home Too

Once her puppies were safe and her health had improved, Reta was eventually adopted as well.

Her new life looked very different from the place where rescuers first saw her.

No traffic roaring immediately overhead.

No cold dirt beneath her body.

No fractured pelvis forcing her to remain almost completely still while four newborn puppies depended on her.

Instead, Reta had a home.

Regular food.

A safe place to rest.

And people responsible for her care.

The entire family had moved from one uncertain scene beneath a highway into separate homes where they could continue their lives.

That was the part of the rescue no one could see on the first day.

When Reta was discovered, the focus was simply on getting an injured mother and four tiny puppies out of danger.

Everything that came afterward was built one step at a time.

Treatment.

Food.

Rest.

Growth.

Adoption.

And eventually, five dogs no longer needing the shadow beneath a highway as their shelter.

Reta’s story is memorable because of how difficult her condition was when rescuers found her.

But the ending belongs equally to the four puppies pressed against her that day.

Minnie.

Daisy.

Linda.

Margarita.

They survived the fragile newborn stage.

They grew.

They found homes.

And when Reta’s work as their mother was finally finished, she found one too.