It was an ordinary day in Puerto Rico when Dellymar Bernal turned her car down a quiet rural road on her way to a medical appointment.
She wasn’t expecting anything unusual, but fate had a different plan for her.
As she slowed at a lonely intersection, her eyes drifted to the roadside. That’s when she spotted something that made her heart pound.
A small pup was barking desperately, his tiny voice echoing through the stillness.
He wasn’t alone. Behind him, a cluster of wide-eyed siblings stumbled over scattered buckets of food, wagging their tails as though begging someone to notice them.
Tiny Voice On The Roadside Leads To A Life-Changing Rescue
Bernal’s breath caught.
Ten fragile puppies had been left there in the middle of nowhere.
For a woman who dedicated her life to animal rescue, the sight was both familiar and overwhelming. As executive director of Santuario de Animales San Francisco de Asís, she was already stretched thin.
The shelter was beyond capacity, with more strays arriving every week.
She knew she had no space, no plan, and no time — yet she also knew she could never drive away.
“I can’t leave them here,” she whispered to herself, stepping out of the car.
One tan puppy bounded forward, wagging her tail furiously. Her tiny bark sounded like a cry for help and, in that instant, Bernal felt an unshakable connection.
The little one was later named Luna, and her fearless determination to call for rescue would change all of their lives.
Carrying Hope, One Puppy At A Time
The pups swarmed around Bernal as if they had been waiting for her all along.
Their trust made the situation even more heartbreaking. Puppies that greet strangers with wagging tails are almost always pets who once knew safety.
These babies hadn’t grown up on the streets — they had been left behind.
Neighbors later confirmed her fears. The family of ten had been dumped days earlier, abandoned in one of the most isolated parts of Lajas.
For several nights, the puppies had survived only on leftover food someone had scattered, clinging to each other for comfort.
Bernal bent down and opened her car door.
One by one, she scooped up each warm, wriggling body. Ten trips later, her car was filled with whimpers, curious noses, and the faint smell of puppy fur.
She headed straight toward SASFAPR, knowing her team would find a way to make space.
Nine pups were unloaded at the shelter, where volunteers quickly set up cozy blankets and warm meals.
But one baby, a delicate little girl named Lirio, was carried to the veterinary clinic instead.
Lirio’s paw had been twisted, and the vet’s exam confirmed everyone’s worst suspicion — multiple fractures. Despite the pain, her gentle eyes never dimmed, and the team promised to help her heal.
Back at the sanctuary, Luna and her brothers and sisters — Lisa, Luisa, Lilypads, Lance, and Liliard — settled in quickly.
Their playful spirits returned the moment they felt safe. Tail wags replaced cries, and their tiny bodies began to fill with strength.
Each day brought a little more joy, and slowly, the weight of abandonment was replaced with the promise of love.
New Beginnings For Ten Forgotten Souls
It didn’t take long for word to spread.
Adoption applications began arriving, and soon the shelter’s kennels echoed with laughter as families came to meet the puppies.
Luna, the brave barker who first called out for help, traveled all the way to Boston. Her sister Lisa was welcomed by a loving family in New York.
Other siblings scattered into homes across Puerto Rico and beyond, each one discovering what it meant to belong.
Still, two pups remain under the shelter’s watchful care.
Lirio continues her recovery, bravely adjusting to her healing paw, while her brother Lorenzo waits for delicate eye surgery.
Both are showered with affection every day, and the team knows that when the time is right, they too will find families eager to cherish them.
Looking back, Bernal still marvels at how quickly an ordinary drive turned into a mission to save ten lives. She hadn’t planned for it, yet the choice was never really a choice at all.
Compassion doesn’t check calendars or wait for perfect timing — it simply answers when it’s called.
Because she listened to a single bark on the side of the road, ten abandoned puppies now have the chance to grow, to play, and to love without fear.
And for Bernal, the memory of Luna’s first desperate cry will always remind her why she does this work.
If you’d like to help more animals like Luna, Lirio, and their siblings, you can support Santuario de Animales San Francisco de Asís by donating HERE.