As she stepped out of her cage for the first time on a gray November day, rescue dog Maple felt unsure of her surroundings. The 3-year-old pug had just been rescued from a breeding farm in Iowa by an organization called Camp Companion, and she felt shut down after years of neglect.

But something about her new foster parents, Izzy and Tyler, gave her hope. She could sense that they were there to help her, and — despite her fear of being touched — she slowly approached them for love.

You can watch her first steps here:

Izzy and Tyler were overjoyed to see Maple step out of her crate, but they were immediately heartbroken by her condition.

“She was filthy, under-groomed and flinched every time we went to pet her,” Maple’s foster parents wrote on Instagram. “Puppy mills often keep dogs in overcrowded cages with little to no medical care, proper nutrition, or opportunities for exercise and play. These mamas never get to experience the joy of being pets — just the endless cycle of breeding.”

Maple’s past was undoubtedly sad, but as soon as she stepped into Izzy and Tyler’s house, she was filled with an emotion she’d never felt before: safety.

Izzy and Tyler worked tirelessly to earn Maple’s trust and help her feel at home from the moment they welcomed her. Their hard work paid off when, a week later, Maple rolled over for belly rubs and played with a toy for the first time.

“She showed us bellies for the first time, which is a huge sign of trust,” Maple’s parents wrote on Instagram. “She also finally played with a toy for the first time ever … a really great sign that she’s settling in and not feeling stressed.”

Slowly but surely, Maple’s puppy-like curiosity grew, but there was a limit to her playfulness. Try as she might, the sweet girl couldn’t move as quickly as she wanted to due to being 40 days pregnant with her final litter of puppies.

Izzy and Tyler encouraged Maple to rest and tended to her needs as she grew rounder and more tired each week. Finally, on Christmas Day of 2024, Maple gave birth to her last bunch of babies: three girls and three boys.

For the next few months, Izzy, Tyler and Maple focused on raising the adorable litter of pups. The babies filled the house with extra squeals of joy and excitement, but they didn’t help Maple’s energy levels — she remained exhausted until the moment they were each adopted.

But as soon as they left in early March, something changed within Maple. Her energy seemed to return during her first post-winter walk with her foster mom and brother, Riggley — the first walk she enjoyed. Then, a few days later, Maple shocked her family with something completely unexpected: She got the zoomies.

“This has never happened before,” Maple’s foster parents wrote on Instagram.

Maple’s foster parents smiled gleefully as they watched Maple bounce from room to room, running up to Riggley and barking at him to play. Riggley, just as shocked as his parents, didn’t quite know what to do with Maple’s newfound playfulness.

Still wanting to play, Maple joined Riggley on his bed and wrestled with him unlike ever before. It was the first time Izzy and Tyler had seen her so happy, and it was a clear sign that she was ready for adoption.

Maple was adopted a few weeks after her babies by a loving couple with a history of rescuing pugs. Though she’d grown attached to her temporary family, she was instantly obsessed with her forever mom the moment they met.

“The minute we walked into the store, Maple ran right up to her new mom,” Maple’s foster parents wrote on Instagram. “It was like she knew this was supposed to be her person.”

Saying goodbye to Maple, now named Mabel, was a bittersweet experience for Izzy and Tyler. As much as they miss cuddling with Mabel and laughing at her antics, seeing her zooming around her new permanent home makes them happier than ever.

“We can’t change Maple’s past, but we can promise her a future filled with love, care and plenty of snuggles,” Mabel’s foster parents wrote on Instagram. “From here on out, she’s safe, loved and will always have people looking out for her.”