58 Dogs, 7 Cats Die in Fire at Kennel

An early morning fire at a central Michigan kennel killed 58 dogs and seven cats while many of their owners were away celebrating the Thanksgiving holiday. Only 31 pets escaped the blaze at the Samarkand Kennel, just north of Lansing, Mich., DeWitt Township veterinarian Dr. Stephen Thimmig said. The cause of the fire was not immediately known. “The owners of the kennel are beside themselves with grief and can barely speak,” Thimmig said. He said one of the dogs that died in the fire was a Doberman named Titan who had assisted rescue workers in North Carolina in the aftermath of Hurricane Floyd.