Wherever there is dark there is light, wherever there are villains there are heroes.

That latter contrast was proven beyond doubt when four young boys in the 7 Mile area of Detroit went above and beyond to save a dog in desperate need of help.

Brothers Kenny, Kenneth, and Kevin Dancy, along with friend Andrew Daniels, were going about rather distinguishable business in helping a local woman who happened to be moving house, when they came across a scene that would have shocked any adult.

The boys knew they had to act fast. They wrapped the dog in a winter coat to keep her warm, before freeing her from her bonds and taking her home with them so they could give her food and water. They named her Sparkle.

As fate would have it, they encountered members of the Detroit Pit Crew Dog Rescue while walking Sparkle out in the neighborhood.

They told the dog’s story to the men, who believed that Sparkle was also suffering from mange. The organization took her in for veterinary care, taking time to post heartfelt thanks in a Facebook video that labelled the boys “heroes”.

“You could tell they really love this dog,” Theresa Sumpter, the organization’s founder, told WDIV.

“They were protective of the dog and wanted to make sure the dog was going to a good place.”

After Sparkle was tested at the shelter, it became apparent that she didn’t have the mange. This mean she could be fast-tracked to adoption. Pet Tales Rescue, a sister organization, oversaw the process, placing Sparkles with a foster mom who would give her all the love she needed.

Meanwhile, the four young boys, who received widespread praise for their compassion, also went on to rescue two more dogs in the same neighborhood. Again via Detroit Pit Crew Dog Rescue, they were able to take the dogs from the streets to the vet for treatment.