It was a hot and humid day in Cartagena, Colombia, when a resident walking past a bus station noticed something strange atop a nearby trash pile. As he approached the overflowing dumpster to get a closer look, he realized that two puppies were lying on the mound of discarded paper and plastic.

The babies, who appeared to be around a month old, were all alone — neither their mom nor the rest of their litter were nearby. They seemed to be sleeping soundly, but the Good Samaritan could tell the puppies needed urgent medical attention, so he dropped everything and called a trusted dog rescue, Isla Animal.

Lina Patino, founder of Isla Animal, rushed to the bus station, followed by her rescue partner, Jennifer Ponsford. Racing against the sweltering heat, Patino and Ponsford scooped the tiny puppies up and drove them straight to Isla Animal’s refuge center.

“They were thrown away in a garbage can next to the bus terminal,” Patino told The Dodo. “They were destined to die …”

Patino and Ponsford could tell that the puppies were in critical condition: They were covered in ticks, and their bloated bellies suggested they had parasites. But the dedicated rescuers refused to give up on the pair of siblings.

“They were malnourished … we gave them food, water, antiparasitic medication and applied tick repellent,” Patino said. “The first 24 hours, they were so depressed and lethargic that I thought they wouldn’t make it … that they would die.”

Patino and Ponsford worried about the puppies, whom they named Enrique and Beto. But they were happily surprised in the following days as they watched the resilient babies start to make vast improvements.

“By the third day, they had more energy than ever before,” Patino said. “We gave them medicated baths for their skin conditions, and they’ve been doing great ever since.”

The puppies, who will soon turn 2 months old, are feeling better than ever now thanks to Patino and Ponsford’s love and care. Now that they’re rid of ticks and parasites, the babies are finally receiving the nutrition they need to help them grow healthier and stronger.

When they’re not cuddled up together for a nap, Beto and Enrique can usually be found playing happily together. They’ve still got some growing to do before they can be adopted, but the two siblings are enjoying their newfound puppy lives.

Beto and Enrique are looking forward to receiving their first round of puppy vaccines soon, and they can’t wait to meet their future forever families. But, for now, the pair of survivors are soaking up all the love their rescuers have to give. And the relieved rescuers couldn’t be happier for them.

“They counted on luck and met angels,” Patino said.

To help stray animals like Enrique and Beto get the care they need, you can donate via PayPal. You can also buy Isla Animal’s merch on their website.

You can inquire about adopting Enrique and Beto by reaching out to Isla Animal on Instagram.

To keep up with Jennifer Ponsford’s rescues in Cartagena, Colombia, you can follow her on Instagram.