Last January, as a snowstorm was about to hit Oklahoma, a driver spotted something unusual on the side of a rural road.
As he got closer, he discovered eight little creatures huddled together in the dirt.
A real-life "Hunger Games"
Knowing the puppies wouldn't survive a single night in the forecast blizzard, the man immediately called Puppy Haven Rescue. Once on the scene, rescuers pulled the eight 9-week-old puppies, a mix of Pyrenean Mountain Dog and German Shepherd, from their precarious hiding spot.
To celebrate their resilience, the team named them after characters from the Hunger Games saga: Peeta, Katniss, Haymitch, Primrose, Rue, Gale, Johanna, and Effie. It was a nod to their fight for survival.
Keeping an eye on Mum
While the puppies were quickly placed in foster homes where they "are thriving", the rescuers haven't forgotten about their mother.
She has been identified as a feral dog, which means she cannot live with humans. The rescue centre continues to keep an eye on her to make sure she is okay, reassured that her little ones are now safe.
