Dozens of cats and dogs were killed when flamed consumed an animal shelter Sunday night.
Firefighters were first called to the "Sweetpea Friends of Rutland Animals" around 10:45 p.m. The fire chief said the building was completely engulfed by the time crews arrived.
The shelter owners' family said that only four of the 24 dogs survived. Three dogs are stable and one is in critical condition. The fire killed all but one of the 33 cats.
"Those animals are her life. Her whole life. It's going to be really tough," said Jennifer Parisi, the shelter manager's daughter. "You can rebuild the building, but can't you get back those lives. She was very close to these animals, they needed her and she needed them. "
Firefighters said the building is a total loss.
An investigation is underway to determine what started the fire. The owners say firefighters believe it might have been electrical.
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