Several passers-by helped Stamford and Greenwich police and firefighters rescue all 21 dogs and three cats in the hospital, which was closed when the fire broke out.
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"We have all the animals accounted for as of now," he said at about 5:30 p.m.
The blaze was reported at 4:43 p.m. and appeared to have started on the second floor, Conroy said.
"The fire was through the roof when we got there," he said.
He said he did not know the cause as of yesterday evening.
Michelle Rainer of Norwalk was working at an office nearby when she received a call that the animal hospital was on fire.
"We instantly ran out to see how we could help," Rainer said. "We didn't even grab our coats."
As police officers and firefighters brought animals out of the burning hospital, she and three co-workers took them to a parking lot across the street, Rainer said. They carried 10 dogs and cats, she said.
Cynthia Cruz of Stamford was on her way to buy ice cream for her children when she saw fire coming through the roof of the animal hospital.
"I helped bring two small dogs over," Cruz said. "I kept telling my daughter, 'The pets, the pets, the pets,' and immediately parked the car."
Helen Koven, wife of Dr. Richard Koven, a veterinarian at Animal Hospital of Greenwich-Stamford adjacent to Davis Animal Hospital, received a phone call at home from Greenwich police.
In the 10 minutes or so it took to reach her husband's office, police officers and firefighters removed the pets from the hospital and handed them to civilians, who brought them to safety, Koven said.
"They were in people's cars," Koven said. "They were everywhere."
She immediately opened the office and invited everyone in to warm up and shelter the animals. The dogs and cats were examined by Richard Koven and a fellow veterinarian, Dr. William Lovers.
"I saw the dogs and said I'd be more than happy to take all the animals in," Helen Koven said. "We will hold them for as long as we need to."
"So far, no one is suffering from smoke inhalation," Lovers said. "Fortunately, they got out fast enough that no one was injured."
Dr. Robert Nizlek, who owns Davis Animal Hospital, arrived about an hour after the fire broke out. He said he had no comment.
Betsy Henry of Stamford was about to eat dinner at her home a few blocks from Davis Animal Hospital when she heard about the fire and went to see whether she could help.
