Ohio - When Brett Dugas' German shepherd dogs Mya and Livia kept sniffing around an old shed in the yard, little did he know what he would find inside!
The Ohioan initially assumed a groundhog was inside, but when Mya suddenly started digging a hole, he realized something else must be afoot.
"I just happened to look through the dirty, dilapidated window and barely peek, and I just see this little gray kitten sitting there with his eyes closed, just meowing," he told The Dodo.
Upon closer inspection, Dugas saw there was not just one but two kittens in the shed.
He noticed that the cats’ eyes looked terrible and were likely infected.
Dugas reached out to the animal‑rights group Lucky Paws Rescue, and a staff member came by to check on the little ones.
Viral Instagram video shows a heart‑warming rescue of the tiny kittens
The rescuer confirmed the kittens had eye infections.
"They’re reacting well to the medicine, and [the rescuer] said they’re going to heal fine," Dugas said.
The story of the kittens' rescue has gone viral on social media. A video has gained over 10 million views – and nearly a million likes on Instagram.
But the animal lover isn’t entirely sure about one thing.
"[W]hether [Mya and Livia’s] intentions were to smell a snack or help do the right thing, either way, their noses played a huge part in making it happen," he told The Dodo.
Dugas also gave clever new names to the two kittens: BARNey and SHEDeur.