North Stonington — A fire that began about 11 a.m. Wednesday quickly gutted the home of a well-known area animal rescuer.

Cathy Leinert, owner of Cathy's Rottie Rescue, Rehab and Sanctuary at 182 Cossaduck Hill Road, said she was hysterical thinking of the animals in her care when she came up the driveway to see the flashing lights of the firetrucks.

Leinert said she has been running a rescue organization at the house for 17 years and has rescued more than 600 dogs, many from high-kill shelters. She said 19 dogs are currently in her care, and now that the rescue is temporarily closed, her major concern is finding homes for them, starting with the handful that have been rehabilitated and are ready for adoption.

According to the organization's website, Leinert has been working with and training Rottweilers for more than 25 years. She and her husband, Roger Whitehead, run the nonprofit primarily with their own funds, although donations and adoption fees help out.

By 11:30 a.m., the roof of the house at 182 Cossaduck Hill Road, where Leinert and her husband live, had collapsed. Its interior continued heavily smoking for more than an hour as crews from across the region worked to put out the blaze.

A trooper on scene said no one was in the home when the fire began.

Upon his arrival, Whitehead began crying, asking Leinert if she was in the house when the blaze began and whether the dogs were OK.

Outside, dogs watched the ordeal in fenced-in kennels. Several horses also stood on the far end of the property.

Leinert said three dogs had escaped during the fire, but only one immediately ran up to her. Griz, an 80-pound husky mix, and Georgie, a timid 50-pound German shepherd mix, had run into the adjacent state forest property, where Whitehead found them safe.

According to Mystic Fire Chief Frank "Fritz" Hilbert, the state fire marshal's office was assembling a team to investigate the cause of the fire. Hilbert said nobody was hurt in the fire, which he said was reported when people saw a thick plume of dark smoke in the sky but could not tell where it was coming from.

Hilbert estimated it took about 10 minutes for firefighters to track down the blaze. Upon their arrival, the home was engulfed in flames.

Leinert and Whitehead are not strangers to tragedy. Back in February 2014, the roof of the horse barn behind their house collapsed under the weight of snow. North Stonington Volunteer Fire Department members used chain saws to rescue the horses, but insurance didn't cover the loss.

With the help of the community, the barn has since been rebuilt.

Leinert said she has received help so far from the Red Cross, as well as neighbors and friends around the state, to find places for her family and the animals to stay. Since the dogs stayed inside the house, which is a total loss, she said she will need fencing to create spaces for the dogs in the barn, as well as gift cards to Tractor Supply Company to replace blankets, food and other supplies lost in the fire.

As of 1 p.m., North Stonington Deputy Fire Chief Joe Cassata had not made himself available for comment.

Trucks from the Pawcatuck, North Stonington, Center Groton and Wequetequock fire departments provided water to the scene. Leinert said the fire departments did a "phenomenal job" responding to her home.

Day Staff Writer Amanda Hutchinson contributed to this report.

l.boyle@theday.com