Four puppies nearly died after they stumbled into tar that had been spilled in a garbage pile. The strays were so covered with tar and debris that only their eyes could move. Animal Aid Unlimited in India came to their rescue after receiving a call and revealed:

When the first one wandered in and got stuck, she must have cried with so much emotion that the others came to see what was the matter, and they too got glued down by the awful tar.

One puppy was covered in plastic garbage and stones, glued to her because of the tar. She, like the other puppies, was completely trapped.

Animal Aid Unlimited

Rescuers wrote on YouTube:

The little sweethearts were dazed with confusion, pain, fear and frustration, and two were so completely covered that all they could move was their eyes.

Animal Aid Unlimited

They took the puppies back to their shelter and although they knew the pups had a mother, they “couldn’t find her until the day following their rescue.” They set about the delicate operation of washing the tar off of the puppies which took hours.

Animal Aid Unlimited

They worked for three days on the the pups, who were all so exhausted and so sad from their ordeal. But after the tar was removed, they would soon be reunited with their mother. “By the time Mommy arrived, they were freed from the poisonous grip of the tar and ready for the comfort of her love,” Animal Aid wrote.

Watch these puppies being freed in the heartwarming video below.