Peanut the dog is being hailed as a heroic hound after she rescued a 3-year-old girl from freezing temperatures – and a terrible home.

On Friday morning, Peanut's owner in Delta County said that her pup started going nuts for seemingly no reason at all.

After letting her outside, the dog went charging into the fields surrounding the couple's house.

When Peanut's dad chased after her, however, he found that she had stopped in front of a small naked girl who was curled up and shivering in the cold. The husband scooped up the child, wrapped her in his sweatshirt and brought her back to the house.

"He called 911 and reported the incident," says his wife. "By the time the ambulance and police arrived, the little girl could only say one thing – ‘doggie'."

Police then contacted Child Protective Services who took the girl and her sister into custody after their home was deemed "unsafe and unsanitary".

Peanut's inspiring actions aren't the first time she's encountered cruelty either – the pup was admitted to the Delta Animal Shelter in April with two broken legs and a stomach full of carpeting, according to the shelter's Facebook page. The owners responsible were arrested and convicted with charges of animal cruelty.

But now almost one year after her adoption, the pup has been living in the lap of luxury and is happily accepting praise for coming to the rescue of a young girl in need.

Click To Share This Pawesome Story With Your Friends (Photo by Delta Animal Shelter)