My Heroes of the Day: Leo, the dog and the firefighters who saved 5 lives...

LEO the dog risked his life to protect four kittens trapped in a house fire in Melbourne last night.

The plucky pooch tested the courage and skills of firefighters as they were forced to dodge fallen power lines to reach him and his young feline companions at the burning weatherboard home in Pilgrim Street, Seddon just before 9pm.

Commander Ken Brown said family pet Leo, which remained in the house guarding the family's four-week-old kittens, owed his life to the firefighters.

"They got him out of the house and successfully resuscitated him,'' he said.

http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,24553977-2862,00.html">LINK >>>

http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,24555727-2862,00.html

Firemen had to dodge fallen power lines to enter the blazing building in Pilgrim St after three children rescued from the blaze screamed for their pets to be saved.

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

"Another couple of firefighters grabbed the resuscitation equipment and . . . were able to revive him.

Scarlett, the cat that saved kittens from 1996 Brooklyn fire, dies

Friday, October 24th 2008, 11:18 AM

Scarlett the cat, a calico hero who drew worldwide acclaim after rescuing her five kittens from a 1996 Brooklyn fire, has passed away.

The aging cat - believed to be at least 13 years old - succumbed to multiple illnesses, leaving behind the sad Brooklyn family that adopted her after the blaze.

"She was the most precious and loving cat, and in our household, it was all about Scarlett," said her owner, Karen Weller.

Scarlett's ascension to stardom began in an abandoned Brooklyn garage, where she was tending her litter of five when a fire broke out in March 1996.

Firefighters spotted Scarlett, despite burns to her eyes, ears and face, toting each kitten out of the building to safety. Once outside, Scarlett nudged each baby with her nose to make sure she found all five.

The hero cat was taken to the North Shore Animal League with her offspring - and their story soon attracted attention from around the globe.

Calls about the fearless feline's health came in from Japan, the Netherlands and South Africa, while other admirers sent Mother's Day cards to Scarlett.

She became the main character of a book, "Scarlett Saves Her Family," and received mentions from Oprah Winfrey and CNN.

In her new Brooklyn home, Scarlett was top cat. Four of her five kittens survived the blaze and they were adopted in pairs.

Scarlett died on Oct. 11, after battling kidney failure, a heart murmur and lymphoma, Animal League officials said.

Cat Scorched in 1996 Fire Saving Her Kittens Dies
Scarlett’s survival story made international headlines.

Scarlett's heroism left her badly burned, but saved her five kittens. She died last week of multiple illnesses. Photo courtesy North Shore Animal League.
Scarlett, a mother cat who survived a Brooklyn, N.Y., garage fire in 1996 after running into the flames to pull her five kittens out of the burning structure, died of multiple illnesses Oct. 15. She lived with her adoptive family for more than 12 years after her ordeal.

The calico cat made international headlines following the incident that left her badly burned. She required ongoing care as a result of her injuries, and was also diagnosed with a heart murmur.

On the day of the blaze, firefighter David Giannelli spotted the cat after she was seen touching each of her 4-week-old kittens with her nose, to make sure that her litter was safe, and then falling unconscious. He took the cats to North Shore Animal League America for treatment.

After a three-month recovery period, the cats were ready for adoption. The kittens were adopted out in pairs and Scarlett went to live with Karen Wellen in Brooklyn, who was selected from a group of 7,000 applicants.

The North Shore Animal League created a heroism award in Scarlett's name and recently unveiled The Scarlett Room, an online site showcasing animals in the organization's sponsor program.