Just in time for Christmas, Hondo, Sadie, Chloe, Tilly, and Lola touched down on a flight from Georgia, wagging their way into rescuers’ hearts at a Chichester shelter.

These puppies, all under eight months old, left behind rougher times for a chance to find their forever homes while recovering at Live and Let Live Farm, a donation-dependent animal rescue center in Chichester.

Pilots Kevin Berger, Suek Kim, and Klay Parkhurst of Pilot N Paws, a nonprofit volunteer transportation organization, flew them from Georgia on Friday, while more volunteers ensured their comfort and safety between flights.

“Even just being able to save them and get them here fills your heart,” said Teresa Paradis, executive director at Live and Let Live Farm. “On Friday night my heart was full.”

At the rescue center, Sadie, a tan-colored puppy adorned with white markings, extended her paw through her kennel wires, seeking a human connection. Meanwhile, Lola, a white bundle of joy, reveled in the warmth of being held and cuddled. Nearby, Chloe and Tilly, wagged their tails with anticipation for new playmates.

But behind their cheerful personalities are days of pain and adversity.

Take Hondo, a seven-month-old black and white puppy, who stood on his hind legs as he pressed his face against the kennel walls in seek of attention while wagging his tail.

His past was far from happy, having been seized from a backyard breeder where he was chained, emaciated, and even doused with gasoline to treat fleas.

Burn scars from a nearby fire pit mark his body.

Then there’s Tilly, found on the streets at three months old, starved and plagued by a severe case of mange. Animal control had considered euthanasia for her, but she was rescued in time.

The other three puppies — Sadie, Lola, and Chloe — lived with hoarding owners who tried to dump their dogs in the woods and even drown some before animal control could step in to seize them.

They were rescued in time and given a life outside the crates they were confined to for most of their lives.

“They still have a majority down there [southern states] that animals are throwaways. The other thing that is big down there to control the population is euthanizing the pregnant dogs because they can get rid of a bunch at once,” Paradis said.

After a vet appointment on Thursday, these resilient dogs will be ready for adoption. However, the Christmas miracles at the shelter don’t end there.

On Christmas morning, Nina, a two-year-old chocolate lab mix, gave birth to seven puppies turning the holiday into an unexpected celebration of life. She was rescued from the streets of Texas, where she was found emaciated, plagued by parasites, pregnant, and enduring the trauma of having one eye gouged.

“She gave us no signs of being in labor or ready to give birth,” said Paradis. “We went to Christmas breakfast and came back to find seven babies getting ready to or already nursing on mama.”

These newborns will enter a foster home until they’re eight weeks old, preparing for their eventual adoption.

Paradis passionately urges anyone in search of a canine companion to consider adoption, emphasizing the transformative impact on a dog’s life.

“You may not be able to make a difference for all the dogs. But for one dog, you’ve made a life difference,” Paradis said. “They’ve been through a hard life yet they’re beautiful, friendly, and loving dogs.”

To adopt a puppy, visit liveandletlivefarm.org/dogs-and-cats