A dog is being hailed for protecting a litter of abandoned kittens in Canada.

Two weeks ago a woman on a country road in Ontario noticed a stray dog in the snow.

When the woman went over to investigate, she found five kittens with the dog.

The dog had wrapped herself around the litter, in an apparent attempt to keep them warm.

All the animals were then brought to Pet and Wildlife Rescue, a local animal shelter.

Myriam Armstrong from the shelter told Canada's CBC: "It's the first time it's happened to us. It was really, really cute and kind of a surprise".

"Obviously the kittens find it very comfortable under the dogs, so either she found them and nested with them, or they found her and decided she was a great source of heat."

Image: Facebook/Pet and Wildlife Rescue

The animals were said to be in poor condition when they arrived - with all of them being underweight and flea-infested.

The kittens also had parasites on them.

They have all been receiving medical treatment at the shelter.

The shelter has yet to hear from anyone claiming the two-year-old dog or five-week-old kittens as their own.

The kittens have been taken into foster care, and the dog - named Serenity - is to be placed for adoption.

The animals were able to visit each other several times at the shelter, but eventually had to be separated for medical treatment.