Visitors at a cemetery in Belgrade, Serbia, were confused when they spotted a distressed German Shepherd lingering around a person’s grave for days on end.

The anxious dog had dug a hole beneath the grave and would refuse to move from the spot.

Locals presumed that the faithful pooch was grieving her owner’s death, but the truth was something else entirely!

Source: Vesna Mihajloski/Facebook

In a twist, the poor dog turned out to be a homeless soul desperately trying to be a good mama to her newborn puppies. The graveyard hole was supposed to be a makeshift den to keep her 4 puppies warm and safe in the bitter cold. But despite her best efforts, the helpless mama dog was having an incredibly hard time nursing and raising her furry family.

Luckily, an animal rescuer named Vesna Mihajloski jumped in to bail the mama dog out of her troubles. She rescued the thin and haggard puppies from their “grave home” and took them to the shelter. The mama dog was grateful to finally have a proper roof over her head and a warm bed for per precious babies. With the necessary medical attention and nutritious meals, the sweet doggie family soon began thriving at the shelter!

Source: Vesna Mihajloski/Facebook

Thanks to Vesna, the hardworking mama dog is now relaxed and happy. The puppies soon began showing their fun-loving, goofy sides. What started as a tragic story has certainly culminated into a beautiful little miracle orchestrated by the mama dog’s unconditional love for her puppies!

Click the video below to watch the heart-rending journey of the devoted mama dog and her 4 “graveyard puppies”.