Dog risks life to save kittens

A dog risked its life to save a litter of newborn kittens from a house fire in Australia.

Leo, a terrier, had to be resuscitated after refusing to leave the kittens during the blaze in Melbourne, reports the Melbourne Herald Sun.

"One officer returned into the blazing house and re-emerged carrying the near-lifeless Leo," said fire brigade commander Ken Brown.

"Another couple of firefighters grabbed the resuscitation equipment and were able to revive him. The dog had remained stoically guarding the box of kittens, even though their mother had disappeared."

Mum Janine Kelly was with children Paul, 18, Tayla, 11, and Jayme, 5, when a stranger ran to the back of her home, yelling at them to get out because the front of the house was engulfed in flames.

The children sobbed with relief when firefighters rescued and revived 11-month-old Leo.

"Then we were told there was a box of kittens still in there, and firefighters returned to grab them too," Cdr Brown said.

He said Leo licked the kittens with joy when he saw them. "It was a wonderful sight," he said.

Tayla was taken to the Royal Children's Hospital suffering from smoke inhalation and later released.

The shocked family then returned to their gutted home to find Leo sitting on a burnt mattress, faithfully waiting for his family to return.

-Ananova