When Jeanean Gillespie clocked into work at a construction site earlier this month, she expected to see the usual handful of people around. Her office, located on an uninhabited stretch of desert, managed the new housing developments being built — and no one, other than her team of workers, was authorized to be there.

So when she saw two tiny eyes peering at her through her office doorway that morning, she jumped. The tiny pup had seemingly shown up out of nowhere, and she was desperate for someone to see her.

“She wanted to be noticed, she wanted help,” Suzette Hall, founder of Logan’s Legacy 29, wrote on Facebook. “Thank goodness my dear, dear friend, Jeanean Gillespie, worked there.”

Gillespie’s heart dropped when she realized the little dog, later named Sage, was all alone in the dangerous desert. With bobcats and coyotes lurking nearby, Gillespie knew time was of the essence to save Sage.

The compassionate worker tried repeatedly to capture Sage, but the scared pup ran away every time. After a few failed attempts, Gillespie called Hall for backup and placed food and water by the door for her in the meantime.

Sage was frightened by her new friends, but she still felt safe in their care. As they came up with a rescue plan, Sage figured out how to get as close as possible to them while still keeping her distance.

“She would sleep outside the office doors at night,” Hall wrote. “They all tried to help her, but she wouldn’t let anyone get close.”

Gillespie tried gaining Sage’s trust each day and eventually lured her inside the office. Hall arrived soon after, and the experienced rescuer recognized Sage’s demeanor instantly.

“When I got there, she was so scared, but she wanted to surrender so bad,” Hall said. “She was exhausted.”

Hall calmed the skittish dog and successfully scooped her up shortly after arriving. As scared as Sage was, she instantly felt comforted in Hall’s arms.

“[W]ithin minutes, she melted safely into my arms,” Hall wrote. “She knew she was safe from loneliness …”

Gillespie waved goodbye to the resilient pup as Hall loaded her into the car and drove off to Camino Pet Hospital. After days of surviving on her own in the desert, Sage got some much-needed rest.

“She fell fast asleep on the drive back,” Hall said. “She closed both eyes for the first time in days. She was rescued and she knew it.”

It’s been a couple of weeks since Sage’s rescue, and the survivor pup is still recovering from the ordeal. Aside from needing a growth removed, a dental cleaning and a spay, Sage is overall healthy. But her spirit is still broken.

“Poor Sage is not feeling well … her blood work came back normal, bus she is just so sad,” Hall told The Dodo. “She needs love. She is just longing for it.”

Sage is scheduled for surgery soon, and Hall hopes to find her an amazing family once she’s feeling better. Until then, she’ll keep showering Sage with the love she’s always deserved.

“She’s such a sweet baby,” Hall said.