Over Fifty Dogs Burned Alive In Sick Arsonist Attack: Police Arrest 14-Year-Old Boy

An arsonist attack on one of Britain’s largest dog homes resulted in the slow and agonizing death of at least 53 of the poor animals who were housed there.

A 14-year-old schoolboy was arrested on suspicion of deliberately starting the fire which ripped through the Manchester Dogs’ Home last night.

Over 30 firefighters battled to control the blazing inferno. As flames engulfed the dog home, thousands of residents rushed to help the dogs.

According to the Daily Mail, during the height of the fire, heroic dog-lovers stormed into the building to rescue at least 150 dogs from the flames.

An online petition supported by magician Dynamo is calling for two men in particular to receive an award for the bravery and dedication they showed in rescuing the dogs.

After hearing dogs barking in panic at the height of the blaze, Jason Dyer, 41, and his nephew Dean Rostock, 25, jumped over the fence into the dogs’ home and rescued around 20 dogs.

For Mr Dyer, rushing in to help the dogs was a no-brainer.

“This place is part of our childhoods. We both have dogs and love dogs – of course we are going to run in there. We just wanted to make sure as many as possible would be okay.

“All the windows of where the dogs are advertised for sale were blown out and the ceiling was collapsed.

“We initially ran into the bit that was on fire but we couldn’t get those dogs out. We went to the other kennels and began kicking out the doors. We just wanted to get them out.”

A crowd of more than 200 gathered outside the burning building with blankets to comfort the distressed dogs and offer homes for them to stay.

In extraordinary scenes, strangers worked alongside one another, forming human chains to pass blankets and food into waiting vehicles.

The dogs that survived are all due to be transferred to the charity’s sister rescue centre on the outskirts of Warrington, Cheshire. Manager of the Cheshire home, Anna Stansfield, described the fire as “soul-destroying.”

Three fundraising pages have seen more than 20,000 people donate a sum of £370,000 in just over 12 hours to help the dogs and support the Manchester and Cheshire Dogs home, which, since its launch in 1893, has re-homed more than a million dogs.

A spokesperson for the RSPCA described the situation as “heartbreaking.”

“I come and walk the dogs here as a volunteer. I’m absolutely devastated at what’s happened. I’ve been crying for two hours. It is just desperate. We need everything,” said one volunteer.

About a third of the kennels building is thought to be damaged, and the site is now a crime scene as police and firefighters investigate the cause of the fire.

“We are working closely with Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service to establish how this tragedy has occurred,” said Superintendent Marcus Noden, of Greater Manchester Police.

“We are in the very early stages of the investigation and have a young boy in custody, however we would ask if anyone was in the area and remembers seeing anything suspicious around the dogs’ home that they call police and tell us what they know.

“As a dog owner myself I understand that many people will feel angry and upset about what has happened but I would ask that they let the police carry out their investigations and not take matters into their own hands.”