In Missouri, a Good Samaritan saw a puppy resting on a trash heap a few days in a row and decided to call for assistance. He made a call to Stray Rescue of St. Louis (SRSL), and their team of rescuers headed out right away to save her.

The puppy was first noticed by Donna Lochmann, the chief lifesaving officer for SRSL.

In an interview, Lochmann says: “When we arrived there, she was still rummaging through the trash because she was hungry, and we could tell that she was emaciated.”

When the dog first didn’t notice Lochmann, she immediately began to hide under the trash can.

Lochmann understood that she would need to win the puppy’s trust in order to save her. She thus took a look at the dog’s hunger before taking a treat out.

According to Lochmann, “She was really open to the sausages.” However, she walked right past the food and toward me when I bent down and offered her one.

The adorable dog moved as near to her rescuer as she could and locked eyes with her instead of chewing on the food that was being presented to her.

She appeared to be asking, “Are you here to help me?” said Lochmann.

After gaining the dog’s confidence, Lochmann led her to the car while wearing a leash around her neck.

The puppy, which Lochmann dubbed Little Toes, immediately won the hearts of every employee at the shelter as soon as they arrived.

Lochmann remarked, “She was extremely kind to everyone at the clinic. She was hugging pretty much everyone.

Little Toes was only at the shelter for a day and a half before being placed in foster care, but during that brief time, she made sure to show as much affection as she could.

Little Toes now spends her time pampering her new foster parents and canine sibling. Now that she is in a secure and caring temporary home, her sweet personality is developing more and more every day.

And while her SRSL pals miss her hugs, they are relieved that Little Toes will never again go hungry.