10 Life-Saving Animals To Melt Your Heart

Figo, a New York golden retriever, rescued its blind owner when it darted in front of a mini school bus in order to protect her from a collision Monday. Figo has been praised as an incredible hero. "The dog took a lot of the blow," Brewster Police Chief John Del Gardo told MSN.com. "And he did not want to leave her side. He stood right with her. He was there to save her." In fact, all kinds of animals, especially dogs, it seems, have risked their own lives to save humans.

The bus driver says he did not see the woman and her dog and is receiving a summons. No one on the vehicle was injured, but the woman who was hit faced a broken ankle, elbow, and ribs and a head wound. Figo and his owner received treatment for the injuries they incurred. Figo could not go in the ambulance, but was taken to a veterinary clinic, and both he and his owner were visibly upset at the separation. The owner continued to scream her dog's name, according to MSN.

Pets, service animals, and wild creatures have all been known to protect humans through numerous heroic acts. Here are nine other examples of animals who fought extraordinary odds to show us how much they care.

The Dolphins That Saved A Swimmer From Sharks

Dolphins are known for occasionally saving humans from sharks. When a British man was swimming an eight-hour journey across the Cook Straight, a shark started swimming under him. Soon, 10 dolphins joined him and accompanied him for an hour, according to the Daily Mail.

The Parrot Who Saved A Choking Child

Willie the parrot noticed that the little girl his owner was babysitting was choking on her breakfast, according to The Huffington Post. He began squawking, flapping his wings, and yelling, "Mama baby!" hysterically until the babysitter entered and saw that her charge was turning blue. Willie was awarded the Animal Lifesaver Award.

The Pig Who Saved A Heart Attack Victim

Lulu, a pot-belled pig, rushed out of her house when her owner's mother collapsed from a heart attack. Lulu dropped to the ground in the middle of the street to stop traffic. She went back and forth between the house and outside to check on the victim and find help. Eventually, someone followed Lulu home and got help, according to the Mother Nature Network.

The Horse That Kicked An Attacking Cow

A woman went to move a new calf, but the calf yelled out in protest. Its mother knocked the woman to the ground and kept pushing her, so she couldn't get up. The cow straddled her, ready to crush, when the family horse, Kerry Gold, kicked the cow with its back legs until the cow ambled off. From then on, Kerry Gold was a protective horse to people in the pasture, according to a story in The Guardian.

The Cat That Roused Poisoned Owners

When a pump broke and released odorless carbon monoxide into a home, the family cat woke its poisoned owners by making loud noises, according to Fox News. They were disoriented but managed to call 911 and received treatment.

The Beluga Whale That Rescued A Diver

During a free diving contest in an aquarium, a Chinese diver's legs became paralyzed from the cold and quickly sank. She had no breathing equipment, but a beluga whale named Mila realized the problem before the organizers did and used her nose to guide the diver to the surface, according to The Telegraph.

The Zoo Gorilla That Saved A Boy

Jambo the gorilla became a celebrated animal, even having a statue and stamps created in his likeness, after he saved a boy who fell into a New Jersey zoo enclosure. The boy fractured his skull and broke limbs, but Jambo stroked his back and kept the other silverback gorillas away until help could come, according to the BBC.

The Elephant That Saved A Girl From A Tsunami

When the 2004 tsunami hit Asia, an 8-year-old girl was riding an elephant named Ningnong. The waves rushed up to his shoulders, and he ran to shore, according to BBC News.

The Dog That Brought Medicine

The story of Balto, the Alaskan dog that led a team from Nome to Anchorage and back, is well-known and even inspired an animated film. In 1925, there was a diphtheria epidemic among Nome children, but doctors didn't have medicine, according to the Central Park website. Balto and his team took a 53-mile journey in 20 hours to save the city's children.

Animals have a soft spot in our hearts for more than their cuteness. Some of them save lives. Besides these heroic examples, service, police, and rescue animals better society for the people who need them.

Images: ABC screenshot (1); Getty Images (7)