Valley man fights to get dogs back from county after fire

Blaze Thall, owner of Hooks Home Bound Rescue, said it wasn’t just his home that burned in a fire in Desert Hot Springs Saturday, but it also belonged to dozens of rescue animals he housed there.

Seven puppies and four cats died, but firefighters saved 11 other dogs. They’re now at the Coachella Valley Animal Campus in Thousand Palms and Thall wants them back.

John Welsh, spokesperson for the Riverside Count Dept. of Animal Services said animal control officers are very familiar with Thall. They’ve responded to dozens of complaints that he had too many dogs without a proper kennel permit.

“For many years this particular person has been in violation with the law. He has faced thousands of dollars in citation penalties,” said Welsh.

However, the county couldn’t just take the animals away.

“These dogs were fairly healthy dogs so this doesn’t give us the ability to swoop in and take someone’s dogs,” said Welsh.

Thall said Monday he planned to relocate the animals, but then the fire happened and he believed it didn’t start by accident.

“Somebody got wind I am moving and did this to this house with the puppies in it,” said Thall.

Thall is now trying to raise money to pay the impound fees for the surviving dogs.

Animal services said he can sign the animals over to the county, to another rescue group or prove the dogs will get a safe and legal place to live.

“They’re his property. It’s just a matter of working the process to get them back to him,” said Welsh.

We asked where Thall plans to move the dogs if or when he gets the back.

“They’re going to a safe place. I can’t say because of the haters, because of the stalkers, because of everything else,” said Thall.

CAL Fire said the flames sparked in the attic and the fire is still under investigation.

Stay with CBS Local 2 and News Channel 3 for updates on this developing story.