Morton Grove, Illinois - Even the most experienced animal rescuers at Wright Way Rescue had never seen this before! A whopping 30 adorable puppies were found crammed together in a cardboard box on the side of a road.

"We've obviously come across many dumped and abandoned litters of puppies and dogs, but never this many in one location," Wright Way Rescue CEO Christy Anderson told The Dodo.

She added, "And these puppies were so young. It was just heartbreaking."

The young dogs were found by Good Samaritans in rural Missouri, who called the local authorities for help. A rescue team then took the pups to a local vet, where an examination revealed that the pups were suffering from a potential life-threatening tick infestation.

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Further investigation revealed that the pups came from at least three litters and were all different ages.

After their exam, rescuers took the pups to Wright Way Rescue in Illinois. There, the youngest ones are being bottle-fed, while the older ones are getting puppy kibble.

The young pups will stay with the rescue organization and/or foster families until they're bigger and can get fixed.

"As they grow stronger and healthier, these adorable pups will be ready for the ultimate adventure — finding their forever homes!" Wright Way Rescue wrote in a Facebook post.

"We're actively seeking loving foster and adoptive families to provide them with a warm, nurturing environment where they can blossom."

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The organization has been updating followers on the puppies' status, and many have sent their sympathies over the heartbreaking situation.

Hopefully the viral attention will help these poor pups find forever homes soon!