A litter of puppies left in a California field was found with another dog, and what the team from the Los Angeles County Department of Animal Care and Control discovered about this older canine melted people’s hearts.

An Instagram video posted by the Lancaster Animal Care Center on November 3 shows five young pups snuggling alongside an older dog after being rescued and brought to the animal shelter. Then, with a burst of energy, the puppies ran around the adult canine, Tia, while she looked up at the person filming with hopeful eyes.

The way Tia, who is thought to be about a year old, interacted with the pups makes it seem like she’s their mother, but the team at Lancaster Animal Care Center believes she only stepped in to help save them after finding them all alone.

“It doesn’t appear that she gave birth recently, so we don’t think they’re her puppies,” Noemi, a volunteer with the Lancaster Animal Care Center, told Newsweek. “But she was caring for them and was very sweet and loving to them.”

Photos of a 1-year-old dog with puppies at an animal shelter after being found in a California field. | @lancasteranimalslaco/Instagram

The dog’s motherly instincts kicked in. Tia stayed with them, keeping them safe until someone found the group together. She continued to look after them while at the Lancaster Animal Care Center and until they were adopted.

Many dogs, like Tia, will step up and care for animals that are not theirs, a behavior known as alloparenting. In a 2019 study published in the journal Animals, 61 percent of breeders observed the presence of alloparental behaviors, such as nursing, licking and cleaning, in dogs. Young female dogs that had previously given birth showed a stronger interest in whining puppies.

Four puppies and Tia have been adopted, according to an Instagram post that was updated on Monday. The last puppy waiting for a home is Serenity, but her health may be the reason for the delay.

The post explained that Serenity has “possible neuro issues.” The person who adopts her will need to follow up with a private veterinarian.

Viewer Reactions

The Instagram video has garnered over 144,000 views and nearly 7,000 likes as of Wednesday, with people falling head over heels for Tia helping out the pups.

“Her eyes tell a story. She’s amazing and selfless. I hope they get a rescue or fosters,” wrote one viewer.

Tia’s eyes break my heart into pieces. What a good girl she is, deserving of the very best home!” a commenter wrote.

“That’s so sweet. She’s taking care of them as if they are her own. What a sweet, loving mama. Please help this sweet family. Rescue this mama and her little angels,” a third person commented.