When a Missouri homeowner noticed a dog approaching a hollow tree in her yard, she had no idea what she was about to witness. Peeking inside, she was stunned to see not one or two — but 11 fuzzy little faces staring back.
The puppies had burrowed deep inside the tree’s hollow, waiting for their mom to return. Cold, hungry, and barely visible in the shadows, the tiny yips and wagging tails caught the homeowner’s attention just in time.
She called Tanya Meeks, founder of Ozarks Pet Rescue.
Meeks had been tracking the mother dog for weeks but hadn’t been able to find where she’d hidden her puppies — until now.
She and a team of rescuers rushed to the scene and managed to pull out the first two pups. But the rest had crawled so deep into the tree trunk’s twists and hollows that no adult could reach them.
Thinking quickly, Meeks called in backup: a rescue board member and her young son. The boy was just the right size to crawl inside and reach the pups one by one.
“He climbed into the tree and pulled them out, one after another,” Meeks said. “It was incredible.”
With all 11 puppies finally safe, things took a turn when the mother, spooked by the commotion, escaped. The rescuers focused on caring for the puppies — tragically losing the smallest one to illness overnight — while working tirelessly to bring Mom back.
They returned daily with the remaining puppies, trying to lure her into a humane trap, but nothing worked — until Meeks tried something new. She had the foster mom record the puppies’ whimpers and cries, hoping the sound might convince the mother to come close.
Just as she was setting the speaker near the trap, Meeks felt a gentle lick on the back of her neck. It was the mama dog.
“She ran off again when I went for a leash, but this time, she ran into the trap,” Meeks said. “It was like she finally realized we were trying to help.”
Meeks named her Aida. The moment Aida saw her puppies again, she was overcome with joy — and so were they. They jumped and cried with happiness, while Aida looked back at Meeks as if to say, “Is this really happening?”
Now safe in foster care, Aida is a different dog — relaxed, affectionate, and so proud of her pups. She's no longer fighting to survive but instead enjoying a warm bed, full meals, and endless love.
“She’s the sweetest girl,” Meeks said. “She’s doing absolutely amazing.”
Aida and her puppies are thriving and will soon be ready for adoption.
If you're interested in adopting Aida or one of her puppies, you can fill out an application here. To help other dogs like Aida get the help they need, you can make a donation to Ozarks Pet Rescue.
