Fire kills dozens of dogs and cats

GLEN COVE, N.Y., March 29 (UPI) -- A house fire on New York's Long Island killed at least 35 dogs and cats but several other pets survived, police said.

Authorities said a woman in her 40s lived in the Southampton home with 30 dogs, 20 cats, three turtles, two possums, two crows, a rabbit, a squirrel and a python, New York Newsday reported. Twenty dogs and 15 cats died of smoke inhalation in Wednesday night's fire. The rest were rescued and taken to the town shelter.

Police said they did not believe the woman was running a shelter in her home.

"It seems she just loved animals," Southampton Town Police Sgt. Mike Joyce told Newsday.