When two women noticed a tiny, fluffy white dog hiding under their parked car in Los Angeles, they knew immediately that they had to try and help her.

The dog was clearly very young and didn’t belong out on the streets all alone. They attempted to coax her out from under the car, but the poor dog was so terrified and absolutely refused to move. The women didn’t want to just leave her there, and so they decided to call for help.

The women contacted Hope for Paws, and waited for rescuers to arrive. When they got there, the tiny dog, later named America, was still huddled under the car, and seemed to have no plans to come out anytime soon. Just in case, though, rescuers surrounded the car with a plastic gate, so if she did try to run, she wouldn’t be able to escape.

Rescuers got down on the burning hot pavement to peer under the car at America, who stayed exactly where she was. Despite being terrified, America didn’t growl or bark. She just lay there on the ground, forcing her rescuers to try and reach under the car to grab her instead.

One of the rescuers stuck a leash under the car …

… but America inched away from it, terrified that the rescuers might be there to hurt her.

Finally, they were able to get the leash around her, but she was so tiny and fast that she slipped all the way through …

… and one of the rescuers made the quick decision to just reach under the car and try to grab her with her hands instead.

Luckily, it worked, and within seconds America was finally safe and in the arms of her rescuers. She quickly realized that they were there to help her and began to warm up to them immediately, snuggling with them and happily accepting hugs and love.

Rescuers drove America to the vet, where she got what may have been her first bath ever. Once she was clean and dry, America turned into the most playful pup there ever was, chasing her rescuers around and enjoying finally being safe and off the streets.

Five-month-old America is now in foster care, and hopefully soon she’ll go off to her loving forever home — and will never have to deal with being homeless and scared ever again.

Watch the full video of this sweet rescue below: