When a man decided to rescue two abandoned pit bulls from a shelter, he never imagined how the pair would repay him for his kindness. The unwanted dogs showed just how grateful they were, though, in a very unexpected way.

Robert McGowan was at a local shelter when two pit bulls caught his eye. According to The Dodo, the dogs, which had been abandoned, had a rough life, but that’s when Robert came to their rescue. Seeing the sweetness in them, Robert adopted the previously neglected and unwanted pair into his loving home. Unbeknownst to him, he’d soon be repaid for his kindness in a very unexpected way.

Sometime after adopting the two dogs, named Ellabelle and Ladybug, Robert went to the garage to enjoy an evening cigarette on a Thursday night. His brief moment of peace, however, was very quickly interrupted as a robbery attempt unfolded. “Thursday night, I was sitting in my garage smoking a cigarette. Horrible habit, I know,” Robert recalled, adding, “4 young men rushed me.”

According to Robert, who was reportedly sitting next to his car with his garage door up, the suspects rushed inside, said they wanted his vehicle, and began to beat him up while demanding that he hand over his keys. “One just punched me straight in the eye,” Robert, who was left with a black eye, said. “I was knocked off my chair.”

Likely fearing for his life, injured, and dazed from the assault, Robert decided to comply, telling the thieves that the keys were in the house. However, the robbery suspects were about to get more than they had bargained for. “I told them the keys were in the house. They decided to go in,” Robert recalled. “What they weren’t expecting were my 2 80lb Pit Bulls,” the homeowner explained.

Indeed, the would-be robbers were met by Robert’s unexpected backup as one of the assailants opened the door to the home. Much to their surprise, they were now face-to-face with Ellabelle and Ladybug, who were eager to greet them and let them know they had picked on the wrong guy. “They chased them out,” Robert said. “My girls ran into the garage and stood over me. They stood there barking, making it clear that no one was going to hurt me anymore. The four people took off.”

A Facebook post on the MARS – My Animal Rescue Society – Mauritius page, which featured photos of Robert’s black-eye as well as his brave companions who rescued him, further detailed the encounter. “They are sweethearts and the kindest dogs you’ll ever know but protect their home and owner with finesse,” Robert explained. “My beautiful babies charged these a**holes and stood over me as I laid on the floor of my garage, forever protecting me.”

Robert told The Dodo that his dogs are “very docile and timid” and added that “they’re not aggressive at all,” despite the breed’s reputation. Praising the dogs for saving the day, he used the opportunity to encourage others to consider opening their homes to a dog in need and adopting from a shelter, saying, “They are rescues. Unwanted dogs. They saved my life. Please consider adopting a rescue. They might save your life too.”

Although Robert McGowan suffered a black eye during the attack, he wasn’t injured any further, and nothing was stolen, thanks to Ellabelle and Ladybug. Of course, the grateful owner has since rewarded the brave pair for their heroism. “They got toys and treats,” he said. “They got good stuff.” It would seem, however, they already had the “good stuff” in the form of a loving home, and they weren’t about to let a few thugs hurt the person who showed them what it’s like to be loved, proving that man’s best friend can also be his best protector.