They couldn’t ignore the scene of a mother dog holding her newborn puppy in her mouth.

In 2013, a group of American soldiers stationed in Afghanistan, led by Sgt. Edwin Caba, found themselves unexpectedly banding together to help a stray dog and her puppies. A homeless dog, who they later named Sheba, wandered into their camp one day, sparking an immediate connection, especially with Sgt. Caba.

Sheba quickly became both a mascot and a friend to the soldiers, waiting for their safe return each night. When Sheba fell ill after giving birth, the soldiers stepped in to take care of her and her puppies, generously sharing their food rations to keep the canine family strong and healthy.

As the time drew near for the soldiers to return home, they couldn’t bear the thought of leaving Sheba and her puppies to fend for themselves, knowing they would likely not survive on their own. Therefore, they made the heartfelt decision to bring the dogs back with them to the United States.

Their kind-hearted action meant that Sheba and her puppies — Harris, Breezy, Buckeye, Jack, Sarah, Rocky, and Cadence — could all start new lives with some of the soldiers. An incredible story of compassion that truly ended on a high note.

Below is a video documenting this touching story.