This is the heartwarming moment a pet dog helped to move a kitten to safety from a busy road in China.

The black canine dragged the white cat off the motorway to prevent it from being hit by passing vehicles in Shijiazhuang, Hebei, on October 2.

Footage shows the caring pooch nudging the small furry creature away from the middle of the road. When the cat remained sitting still, the dog picked it up gently with its mouth and carried it to the roadside.

Mr Yang said: 'I saw a very small cat squatting in the middle of the road, and passing cars had to drive slowly to avoid it. I also carried it to the roadside a few times, but it kept running back to the middle of the road.

'The dog was worried about it being hit by a car, so it took the kitten to the roadside. This scene feels so healing.'

Dogs are social creatures that crave interaction with other animals and humans. They can form lasting attachments to other species and are generally tolerant of them. They also respond to pheromones, biological scents that can indicate if an animal is young.