Honey had a rough start in life, yet she never stopped hoping. In what can only be called the worst of times, she clung to the hope that someone, eventually, would find her and provide her with a nice, cozy home.

Despite the fact that her previous owners abandoned her, this brave girl showed unbelievable spirit. Enclosed in a small kennel, she was preparing for the single most important role in her life – to be a mom. 

That’s when hope smiled at her and changed her life forever!

Scared And Sick, She Desperately Needed Help

Steph, the long-time foster and founder of Steph’s foster pups, saw the video of Honey, formerly known as Sugar Bear, struggling at Lancaster Animal Care Center, California.

Her sorrowful eyes and desperate look broke the foster’s heart, and she knew that she needed to do something to help.

For the first couple of days, she visited Honey on a daily basis. She wanted to give this dog hope that everything would be okay. The problem was Honey was extremely fearful and broken. 

Deep down, she almost lost all of her faith in humanity and didn’t have the strength to make new friendships. On top of that, Honey was only days away from giving birth. She was always stuck in the corner, instinctively trying to protect her future nest.

Yet, somehow, she saw a glimmer of hope in Steph’s eyes and eventually warmed up to her. 

After delivering eight precious babies into the world, Steph took Honey home without thinking twice. She and her puppies needed care around the clock, and being at the shelter was definitely not an option.

“Words cannot express our gratitude for @stephsfosterpups and the amazing community of fosters, rescues, and adopters that step up for the dogs that find their way to our care center,” the rescue wrote on their social media.

Sadly, Honey was in really rough shape. She suffered from multiple health issues, including infections, skin issues, and respiratory problems.

“She had given birth to eight puppies overnight. I brought her and the babies and man, was she in rough shape. This poor girl had two ear infections, major skin problems, was underweight and had a very bad upper respiratory infection,” Steph wrote in an Instagram post.

Due to pneumonia, four of her pups crossed the rainbow bridge, leaving the mama with her four remaining babies. It was a long, difficult journey with lots of ups and downs, but eventually, Honey and her newborns made it through!

She’s The Best Mama Ever

After only a few weeks in Steph’s foster home, both Honey and her pups thrived. They grew bigger and stronger with every new day, and their foster momma couldn’t be happier.

Honey was such a nice mama who always made sure to stay close to her babies. She took care of them and showered them with so much love!

“Honey is the most dedicated mama and the sweetest dog I have probably ever come across,” says Steph.

When they finally reached their four-week milestone, Honey became a lot more relaxed. She made friends with Steph’s other foster pups and started to learn how to be a dog again. 

She played, did zoomies, and even became engaged in little quirks alongside her buds. You could just tell that she, indeed, enjoyed herself for the first time in her life! Her worries were gone, and now, Honey herself blossomed into the biggest pup ever!

She and her puppies are actively seeking families that can provide them with love and a forever home. But, for now, her California-based foster home will do just fine!