She was quickly losing hope.

The staff at Amelia County Animal Shelter (ACAS) are used to getting heartbreaking phone calls. Having rescued countless dogs in Amelia County, Virginia, they’ve encountered almost every scenario when it comes to pups needing help.

But recently, they got a call from patrons at a local dollar store about a mama dog peering inside — and the accompanying picture was unlike anything they’d ever seen.

Earlier that day, shoppers at Dollar General in Jetersville noticed someone quietly staring at them through the glass door.

To their surprise, a lone pit bull was sitting just outside the store’s exit, silently begging for someone to notice her.

Despite having a tough exterior with scratches all over her body, the sweet girl had the most soulful look in her eyes. And her new friends stopped at nothing to help her.

The Good Samaritans at the store set out food and water for the dog before calling the local animal control office.

When officers arrived to save the dog, later named Izzy, they instantly realized that she was a nursing mom. A quick search in the surrounding area revealed her adorable litter of puppies, hungry and eager to find shelter.

The rescuers scooped up the tiny, vulnerable family and drove them straight to ACAS. The team welcomed Izzy and her babies with open arms and scheduled a vet visit for the following morning.

“Mom and the babies went to the vet today and got checked out, pedicures and some meds to get all of them right on track,” ACAS wrote on Facebook. “Everyone is doing good and eating well.”

Izzy captured her caregivers’ hearts right away, as did her tiny litter. When they weren’t watching the hungry babies gobble down a mound of wet food, the staff spent their time snuggling with Izzy — and they fell for her instantly.

“[Mama], aka Izzy, is such a love bug,” ACAS wrote.

To help Izzy heal from her recent trauma, the ACAS team decided to give her periodic breaks from taking care of her babies.

While one doting staff member supervised her puppies, another spent one-on-one time with Izzy, where her true personality got to shine through.

“Izzy [is] enjoying some time [away] from babies and [in] fresh air,” ACAS wrote in a Facebook update. “She is so gentle taking treats.”

As of now, Izzy and her babies are still at ACAS, working on getting stronger each day.

They’ll be placed for adoption as soon as they’re healthy enough. But for the time being, they’re soaking up all the love their friends at ACAS have to give.

And with every warm cuddle, the tiny family’s memory of living outside the dollar store continues to swiftly fade away.

To help pups like Izzy and her babies get the care they need, you can donate to Amelia County Animal Shelter here.

You can inquire about adopting Izzy or her babies here.