When cycling enthusiasts Belén and Tristan took a special trip to Tajikistan, they planned to fulfill their shared goal of journeying down the Pamir Highway.

During the trip, the couple discovered two scared, homeless puppies on the side of the road and made an unplanned stop to help. As people carelessly passed by, Belén and Tristan realized how important it was for them to ensure the puppies ended up in safe hands. They put their vacation on hold and focused solely on rescuing the distressed dogs.

After finally convincing a truck driver to take them to Dushanbe, the couple asked for donations from their social media followers to put toward flights back to the Netherlands – for them and the puppies. An anonymous donor sent them 1,000 euros.

The pups, who’ve been named Moka and Latte, have found loving forever homes, where they’ll never have to worry about survival again.

Thank you, Belén and Tristan, for saving these precious lives — even while on  vacation.