Last month, Ohio resident Brett Dugas and his girlfriend, Guste, started noticing that their two German shepherds seemed really interested in an abandoned shed they have in their backyard. The dogs were sniffing around the perimeter of the shed, obviously
trying to get at something inside.
The shed, which is filled with old tools and had been locked for years, is a frequent hangout spot for neighborhood groundhogs, so at first, Dugas and Guste assumed their pups had just smelled one of them inside the old shack. But a few days later, Dugas noticed his dogs getting really excited outside the shed and knew there was something unusual inside.
“Mya and Livia were just all over the door,” Dugas told The Dodo. “I mean, just sniffing. And then Mya started digging at the ground right by it.”
As Dugas circled the shed to try to figure out what was going on, a tiny ball of gray fur caught his eye.
“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,” Dugas said.
Dugas had no idea how long the baby had been sitting there by himself and worried about what kind of condition he might be in. He asked his neighbor to bring bolt cutters so they could get into the shed and rescue the tiny cat.
The first thing Dugas noticed about the kitten was that his eyes looked really infected. He knew the little cat needed immediate medical attention, but wanted to make sure there weren’t any other kittens in the shed first. When he went back inside, sure enough, he found the kitten’s brother hiding in a corner.
Dugas quickly got in contact with Lucky Paws Rescue, who were able to take in the babies right away. The rescuer at Lucky Paws confirmed that the kittens had eye infections, but within just 10 days, they were doing much better.
“They’re reacting well to the medicine, and [the rescuer] said they’re going to heal fine,” Dugas said.
The kittens, whom Dugas named BARNey and SHEDeur, are thriving now. Once they’re old enough, they will be neutered and available for adoption. Thanks to Mya and Livia sniffing them out of the shed, they got a second chance at life.
“[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,” Dugas said.
