150 cats killed in animal shelter fire in Oshawa

OSHAWA --  It was a grim morning for Durham Humane Society employees and volunteers in the wake of a fire that has killed at least 150 cats and five dogs.

The fire call came in shortly before 2:30 a.m. and by the time firefighters arrived on the scene the animal shelter on Waterloo Street was 'fully engulfed" in flames.

"I didn't hear the dogs barking, it was so quiet," Margaret Pasternack, an employee at a taxi company across the street, told newsdurhamregion.com.

"All we saw was flames."

Ms. Pasternack called 9-1-1.

Shelter workers, volunteers and a humane society board member were visibly upset at the loss of the animals after daybreak at the scene.  

"I can't believe it.  I'm just numb," humane society receptionist Melissa MacArthur told reporter Stefanie Swinson.  

Only two cats out of the 150 being cared for at the shelter survived according to Ms. MacArthur.

Ten dogs were rescued.

The animals that survived were treated for burns and given oxygen at a 24-hour animal hospital in Whitby. Fourteen humane society volunteers tended to the animals between 4 and 7 a.m.

The rescued pets are now being cared for by Oshawa Animal Services.

Six fire trucks and 28 firefighters battled the blaze.  

The front of the building has been gutted and firefighters remain on scene at this hour as the investigation begins.

Damage is estimate at $250,000 to $300,000.