USA/North Carolina - It's a heartbreaking story: a dog who was attacked as a pregnant stray severely injured her leg and was sent to an overcrowded shelter.

After she gave birth to her six puppies in November, the small family of dogs was transferred to the Paws Place Dog Rescue shelter.

There, the animals received the care they needed and four of the six puppies have already found new homes.

But the mother dog's leg continued to worry the caretakers: "After the puppies were weaned and separated, we had Rhea's leg examined - and it was decided that it would have to be amputated."

Fortunately, Rhea got better quickly after the operation. She recovered quickly, was vaccinated, neutered and is now fully recovered.

Carers describe her as a very loving dog who gets on well with other animals but is still very cautious - which is hardly surprising given her history.

"Seeing her raise her puppies and now start to enjoy her own life again has been incredibly inspiring and heartwarming for all of us at Paws Place," said one shelter worker.

Now Rhea is ready for her own forever home. She is looking for a family who can give her a second chance in life and adopt her.