Atlanta, Georgia - Keith Walker is a true hero: he saved 16 dogs and cats, risking his own life in the process!

Walker, who has been homeless since he was 13, noticed that an animal shelter near him was starting to burn.

He actually wanted to pick up his pit bull Bravo to take him for a walk. The owner of W-Underdogs allowed Walker to keep his animal at the shelter overnight on a regular basis.

The 53-year-old reacted immediately when he noticed the fire and rushed into the building: "I was nervous as hell. I'm not going to lie. I was really scared to go in there with all that smoke. But God put me there to save those animals," he told TMZ.

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For the animal lover, it was clear that he had to step in: "If you love a dog, you can love anyone in the world. My dog is my best friend, and I wouldn't be here without him, so I knew I had to save all those other dogs."

The fire at the shelter is believed to have been caused by a faulty kitchen appliance.

Six dogs and ten cats survived thanks to Walker's courageous efforts.

The animals wouldn't have made it without him because even the firefighters wouldn't go in and free the animals.

"They called animal control, but Keith was already in the building pulling out the cats and dogs until they were all safe," says shelter owner Gracie Hamlin.

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"I can't thank him enough for saving my animals," Hamlin added. Apparently, others feel the same way.

The shelter's Facebook page says it has now received a flood of requests offering donations for Keith Walker.

There have even been job and apartment offers for the homeless man. It is quite possible that he will finally find a home after forty years without a permanent residence.