A California teen won’t ever again doubt Santa’s chimney-maneuvering skills.
An 18 year-old in Stockton, CA, got stuck in the chimney when he tried to sneak into his house after he broke a curfew.  He was trapped for about 90 minutes until emergency crews arrived and saw his feet poking out of the fireplace.  They used a firetruck ladder and ropes to pull him up.

Apparently, only his pride was hurt.  Scare me, will ya! KA-BLAM! OUCH!
… A man hunting in Monroe, Ore., was startled when a squirrel suddenly ran up his leg. He immediately fired at the animal with his .22-caliber rifle. But he missed and hit his own foot. The squirrel escaped.

An Australian veterinarian holds obedience classes for cats – but says they learn to sit and fetch only if the lessons are one-to-one.
“If you get more than one cat in a room, the claws come out,’’ says Dr. Nicole Hoskin.  She said she’s been able to teach hand commands to Buzz, a 10-week-old kitten with hearing problems.

Raise your right paw and swear your testimony will be the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth.
Four dogs have taken the stand in a Portland, Ore., courthouse in the trial of two people accused of neglecting them.  Merlin, Patches, Coco and Raven were subpoenaed by the defense lawyer, who thought jurors looking at them would be convinced they’d been well treated.  One of the witnesses slobbered on the rug, but was not held in contempt.  The trial was set to resume with human witnesses.

From The Boston Herald and The New York Post.