Over 100 Cats Die In House Fire

DANSVILLE (WWJ/AP) - The remains of dozens of cats and one dog were found by animal control officers in a burned-out house in Dansville, in rural Ingham County.

The Lansing State Journal and WLNS-TV report that officers went to the house Thursday to rescue the animals and were surprised to see it burned.

Animal Control Director Jamie McAloon Lampman said 85 cats were found dead. She estimates remains of another 20 cats still are in the house which caught fire Wednesday night.

"What was intended to be a rescue mission, unfortunately, became a recovery mission," McAloon Lampman told the Journal. "We were as shocked as anybody to pull up and find the house had burned to the ground ... We were hoping to be saving a lot of animals and we left without a single animal."

It is not clear how many animals were killed in the fire, about 15 miles southeast of Lansing. The remains will be held as part of a criminal investigation.

Lampman said residents of the house are believed to be staying with friends. Animal Control had been investigating them as part of a criminal matter.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.