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WARREN, Mich. -- Their mother scurried amid flames, carrying the 2-day-old kittens one by one in her mouth to safety. She perished with the sixth and last kitten she went in to save from a house fire on July 13.

Now only two kittens remain from the litter.

Firefighters found the five living kittens outside the house and took them to an animal hospital in Harper Woods. The mouse-sized animals were given a 50 percent chance to live and placed in the care of Feline Friends Rescue in Warren.

For a month, the litter seemed to thrive. But two of them - Sparky and Ember - got sick and died last month.

Warren resident Martha Johnson, 58, who cares for the kittens dubbed the "fire babies," said the largest kitten, Phoenix , died Sept. 6 of lung complications related to smoke inhalation. more...

With the approach of Valentine’s Day, there are a few important tips you should know for your sweetheart pet. A box of treats may not be the perfect way to say, “I love you” to your furry friend. High fat content and over-eating are a few problems for both people and pets during the holiday months.

Your cat or dog may find that hidden box of chocolate intended for your Valentine! Plastic or aluminum wrappers left unattended may pose a choking hazard. Prevent a holiday disaster by reading more from: http://www.petsmart.com/articles/article%5F13565.shtml

A college student brought home an unexpected passenger this weekend. Tracker, pictured left, crawled in the engine compartment of her car and sustained the ride all the way from Kalamazoo to Rochester Hills.

The girl's home was already filled with pets, so Tracker was turned over to the Michigan Animal Rescue League. He, as well many other lovable pets are available for aoption. Read more about Tracker from WDIV Channel 4...

51 year old Valerie Archer or Norfolk, England kept 74 animals in the 3-bedroom farm house she shares with her brother and sister.

After being convicted of over 13 separate charges f animal abuse, her rights to keep animals, as well as her siblings, have been stripped for life.

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Children from the Boys and Girls Club of Pontiac learned a lesson on photography and life from famed photographer Linda Solomon.

Kids had the opportunity to take pictures of dogs and cats up for adoption at the Michigan Humane Society. The animals were dressed in the latest holiday pet fashions and will appear on the Humane Society's greeting cards.

Buy Michigan Humane Society Greeting Cards

Learn more from WDIV Channel 4

Canadian Pet food company Petcurean Pet Nutrition is recalling all of its Go! Natural pet food products after receiving reports of illnesses in animals that ate their food.

At $42.99 per 30 pound bag, Go! Natural boasts the highest meat content of any dog food.

14 dogs and cats have fallen ill, at this time 7 have died in California. A spokesperson for the company said that they are focusing on a Texas processing plant that may be responsible. Go! Natural is sold in San Francisco, San Diego, Sacramento, Seattle and Denver areas.

more from WDIV Channel 4...

Panleukopenia symptoms include diarrhea, lethargy and vomiting. This deadly virus was once referred to as "cat plague" because it had previously devistated cat populations. Vaccinations are available from your vet.

Michigan Humane Society shelters in Rochester Hills and Westland are reportedly not accepting cats from pet owners as a precautionary measure.

That policy is expected to remain in place until officials determine if there has been an outbreak of the deadly panleukopenia virus in the area, according to The Oakland Press.

read more on this important bulletin from WDIV Channel 4...

The following are the rules of the house:

1. When I say to move, it means go someplace else, not switch positions with each other so there are still two dogs in the way.
   
2. The dishes with the paw print are yours and contain your food. The other dishes are mine and contain my food. Please note, placing a paw print in the middle of my plate of food does not stake a claim for it becoming your food and dish, nor do I find that aesthetically pleasing in the slightest.
   
3. The stairway was not designed by NASCAR and is not a racetrack. Beating me to the bottom is not the object. Tripping me doesn't help, because I fall faster than you can run.
   
4. I cannot buy anything bigger than a king size bed. I am very sorry about this. Do not think I will continue to sleep on the couch to ensure your comfort. Look at videos of dogs sleeping......they can actually curl up in a ball. It is not necessary to sleep perpendicular to each other stretched out to the fullest extent possible. I also know that sticking tails straight out and having tongues hanging out the other end to maximize space used is nothing but doggy sarcasm.
   
5. My compact discs are not miniature Frisbees.
   
6. For the last time, there is no secret exit from the bathroom. If, by some miracle, I beat you there and manage to get the door shut, it is not necessary to claw, whine, try to turn the knob, or get your paw under the edge and try to pull the door open. I must exit through the same door I entered. In addition, I have been using bathrooms for years; canine attendance is not mandatory.
   
7. The proper order is kiss me, then go smell the other dog's butt. I cannot stress this enough. It would be such a simple change for you.

Rules for non-pet owners who visit and like to complain about our pets:

1. The dog lives here. You don't.
   
2. If you don't want dog hair on your clothes, stay off the furniture.
   
3. I like my dog a lot better than I like most people.
   
4. To you, she's a dog. To me, she's an adopted daughter who is short, hairy, walks on all fours and doesn't speak clearly.
   
5. Dogs are better than kids. They eat less, don't ask for money all the time, are easier to train, usually come when called, never drive your car, don't hang out with drug-using friends, don't smoke or drink, don't worry about buying the latest fashions, don't wear your clothes, don't need a gazillion dollars for college, and if they get pregnant, you can sell the pups.
   
6. The same applies to cats, except they ignore you until you are asleep.

Hundreds of dogs, cats and small and furries will be up for adoption at the Detroit Zoo on September 27 & 28, 10am to 5pm!

This 3rd annual event features the Michigan Humane Society as well as 24 other organizations. Adoption fees vary by the organization but the animals are spayed or neutered and up to date on their shots.

Editors Note: as the proud owner of an adopted pet, Daisy, I put my highest recommendation on this event. Not only is it cheaper that going to a breeder, an adopted pet truly knows that you have saved their life and are forever grateful!

Daisy says...open your heart to an animal in need, just like I used to be!

Now held in the spring and fall, "Meet Your Best Friend at the Zoo" is made possible by a partnership between the Michigan Humane Society and the Detroit Zoo. This partnership, along with community support, has grown the event into the largest off-site adoption event in the country, placing nearly 8,000 animals since 1993. In 2001, the fall event was added in order to place more homeless animals.

Sponsored by Oldies 104.3 WOMC, 99.5 WYCD Detroit's Best Country and Mirror Newspapers, "Meet Your Best Friend at the Zoo" is held outdoors under tents in the Detroit Zoo front parking lot at 10 Mile Road and Woodward Ave. There is no charge for admission to the adoption event or for parking.

The US National Research Council has found that 1 in 4 cats and dogs in the US and Europe are overweight.

One of the biggest problems is sharing food and giving treats.

More from Ananova...

Editor's Note: My own cat, Kitty, is fat herself. She's been on a diet for years of only a quarter cup of food in morning and one in the evening. I'd like to point out her extreme laziness as another cause!

They've finally come up with something for that special person who has everything, including a dog and cat...

Bowlingual, set to take the U.S. by storm in August, translates barks and whines into human phrases.

When Bowser isn't feeling chatty, the devise also offers your pet's horoscope and other fun features.

more...

The Singapore government is killing about 45 cats a day.

Cathy Strong, president of the Animal Lovers League, said over 2,000 would be sent to Noah's Ark animal shelter in Johor, Malaysia.

About 100 cats already are on their way and have been placed in quarantine. The rest would follow in the coming days, she said.

"We are trying to save as many as we can," she said. "Volunteers are taking turns, they are about to collapse from rounding up the strays."

more from Ananova...