The Animal Charity of Ohio, a non-profit animal welfare organization, received a call last weekend asking for support for a family of dogs. A mother and her two puppies were found living in squalor when a humane agent and Jane MacMurchy, the nonprofit’s operations director, arrived at the scene.

The dogs’ owners were obviously neglecting them, and the tiny family had grown completely dependent on one another.

They were in terrible circumstances, MacMurchy said. “There was probably 6 to 8 inches of trash in a temporary pen, and [the puppies] were completely unsocialized.”

The owners handed up the 5-month-old puppies, Peaches and Layla, as well as their 7-year-old mother, Lady, to the rescuers, who hurried the dogs to the shelter.

The dogs were healthy, according to a vet’s checkup, but the puppies lacked self-assurance and didn’t know what to do when their mother wasn’t present to guide them. Seeing Peaches and Layla comfort one another in the shelter broke MacMurchy’s heart.

Mom was the first to finish the vaccines and the wellness exam, according to MacMurchy. The puppies clung to each other as we carried her into our intake area since they were afraid without their mother.

When Peaches and Layla are old enough to be adopted, the pups will hopefully go to the same household. They will receive hugs not just from one other, but also from their loving family.