A dog saved the life of a Greenville man when he woke him up just in time for him to call emergency rescue, after a fire broke out. Roland Cote, whose wife and 7-year-old grandson were away when the blaze started early Sunday in a converted two-story garage, told police investigators that Thumper, his black Labrador retriever grabbed him by the arm to wake him, leaving just enough time for him to dial 911 before fleeing the fast-moving fire.

A pet products company announced today that Japan will receive its first nursing home for dogs. The elderly dogs will receive round-the-clock monitoring by doctors and puppies will help to keep the aging dogs happy and lively. 20 dogs at a time will be accepted by the home. Owners will pay 98,000 yen or $800 a month to keep their elderly pets in comfort. The facility will be named Soladi Care Home for Pets according to Soladi and the Endo Veterinary Clinic in Tochigi, eastern Japan.

A three-year-old dachshund and a stray kitten have formed such a strong relationship some may wonder if they really belong to two different species. Lillie, the dog, not only hangs out and naps with Tahoe, the kitten, she also feeds him several times a day as if he was her own pup. The unusual relationship started at the home of Eunice Collins who found Tahoe few weeks ago hiding in the hood of her Chevrolet Tahoe; hence the name. Tahoe was so small that Collins thought it appropriate to keep in him in her bedroom so that he is not hurt by any of her other pets; two dogs and four cats.

A mechanic in Tinley Park, Illinois had a surprise waiting for him when he checked under a customer's hood; a black kitten. Scott Bella, who works at an auto shop, thought he heard a cat's meow when he was driving a customer's van. Upon returning to the auto shop, he raised the hood to find a cat sitting near the car's radiator. Mr. Bella resolved to call the cat "Lucky" after finding she survived the 350 degree heat of the radiator. He told a local newspaper he questioned the customer over the incident but she denied all knowledge.

Dogs in Japan will have something to look forward to in their old age; a nursing home made just for them. For about $800 a month owners can put Fido in a nursing home with round-the-clock care when their favorite pet becomes too old to stay at home anymore. Not only will their favorite pooch be attended to by doctors, but also teams of puppies will be on hand to make Fido feel younger himself. The Soladi Care Home for pets opens Friday, according to a statement issued by the company and the Endo Veterinary clinic in Tochigi, eastern Japan, the Associated Press reports.