Thirty-one animals died when fire ripped through the shelter in a two-story house in Ko Po San Tsuen, Kam Tin, in the early hours of yesterday.

The divorced woman who runs the shelter and lives on the premises was not there when the fire broke out around 2am - she says she was baby-sitting to make money to pay for the animals' food.

Twenty-one cats and 10 dogs died in the blaze, which fire investigators say was started at several different locations and has been confirmed as "suspected arson."

Police have taken over the probe.

Incensed animal rights activists have described the apparent attack as "unbelievable" and called for whoever is behind it to be jailed.

A passing motorist raised the alarm at 1.54am yesterday, telling the emergency services that the two-story house made of bricks and zinc sheeting was on fire. The blaze was put out within half an hour.

The shelter operator, surnamed Pang, who is in her 50s, says she was baby-sitting in Tuen Mun when the fire broke out.

Pang began rescuing abandoned puppies and kittens in 1995 and borrowed her uncle's house in the village to shelter the animals. "The cats and dogs are very obedient. I call each of them by name to feed them, and they will not fight for food," she said. "I dont know how I will be able to get over the pain of losing so many of them."<p>Pang said there had been no complaints about the animals and insists she had turned off all electric appliances except for the refrigerator before she left the house. Village heads at nearby Ko Po Tsuen said they too had never received complaints regarding the shelter.

Inspectors from the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals examined the area that escaped the blaze and declared it clean and suitable for animals. There was no question of animal abuse on her part, they said.

The maximum penalty for arson is life imprisonment. For cruelty to animals, the maximum is a fine of HK$200,000 and three years in jail.

A member of animal group Bag Me Home, Vicky Chu Po-shan, said it was unbelievable anyone would carry out such a cruel act.

She said the most common complaints about animal shelters were noise and smell but from her understanding the Kam Tin shelter was some distance from residential areas.

There are more than 100 privately run animal shelters in Hong Kong. There are no regulations concerning shelters as long as owners provide adequate food, water and space and the shelters are at premises that allow residents to keep pets.

Eight dogs that survived were reunited with Pang, while three others were sent to the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department.