Runners hear rustling in the trees. They came closer and saved five sweet souls

Whoever abandoned them near a hiking trail must have had no heart.

As reported by Animal Channel, Ashley Blake and Scott did some cross country running on a wooded trail in Tennessee when they discovered five puppies.

The two runners aimed to run 14 miles of the Frozen Head Trail, but they hear rustling in the trees. Out of curiosity, Blake and Scott stopped to investigate.

“It was just a little rustling that caught us. It’s usual to hear forest critters, and that’s what we expected. We turned and saw this black pile," Blake said.

Seeing a black animal in the leaves, the pair thought that it might be a large predator. But as they came closer to the creature, they found out that it was five puppies.

The little ones were huddled up next to each other trying to keep warm in the brush. Blake and Scott immediately called for park officials to assist them.

“It was five puppies huddled together. It was close to freezing temperatures and they were trying to stay warm. As trail runners, you see a lot of wildlife, but never puppies," Blake explained.

They tried to keep the puppies warm while waiting for the help to arrive. Then, a ranger showed up offering them some help.

Upon realizing that they were there to help them, the puppies calmed down and were not frightened anymore.

As it turned out, the puppies hadn't just wandered off on their own. Someone had abandoned them without food, water, or blanket to keep them warm.

Basically, they were left for dead. The ranger told Blake and Scott that this isn't the first time pets have been dumped at the secluded road that runs near the trail.

The puppies were kept at the ranger's home that night. The following day, he brought them to a shelter.

Scott then decided to take one of the puppies himself. He named the sweet soul Barkley.

The other puppies are now at the Oak Ridge Animal Shelter in Tennessee. They are in need of loving families to adopt them as well.