Maryflynn Thomas of New Orleans never thought that her dog would save her life, but that's what happened just before Christmas when her Chihuahua Buttercup ran into her room. Thomas recounts, "I'm sleeping away and this little 7-pound girl little girl kept ramming and slamming her whole body into my face over and over and over again," Thomas said. Her home was quickly filled with smoked, trapping Thomas, Buttercup and Lola, her Boston terrier, inside. Thomas made it through the black smoke to her balcony where firefighters were able to rescue her and Lola, but Buttercup ran back into the burning building. Determined to find Buttercup, the firefighters went back into the house and found her hours later, hidden under a mattress, where she had protected herself in an air pocket, alive and well.

• Chihuahua
• fire