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Cops: Chenango County woman, 62, killed 33 dogs in arson fire

By Associated Press

Story Created: Dec 18, 2012 at 2:51 PM EDT

Story Updated: Dec 18, 2012 at 2:51 PM EDT

GREENE, N.Y. (AP) - A 62-year-old New York woman has been charged with arson and animal cruelty after police say she started a fire in the basement of her upstate home, killing 33 dogs she kept there.

State police say troopers responded Monday to a report of a despondent woman at a home along Route 206 in the rural Chenango Count town of Greene, 50 miles southeast of Syracuse.

Troopers say Michele Keech set fire to the basement of her home, causing extensive damage and killing 33 dogs.

Police say Keech was charged with felony counts of arson and aggravated cruelty to animals. It couldn't be determined if she had a lawyer.

State police on Tuesday did not have information on the type of dogs killed or why Keech had so many.

(Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

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