EDITOR'S NOTE: A previous version of the story identified Kortney LaTour as the homeowner; however, property records obtained by TMJ4 News confirm LaTour did not own the house that she was living in and running a kennel out of.
The Village of Dousman confirms the woman whose house caught fire over the weekend, killing 21 animals, was illegally operating both a business and a kennel out of her home.
READ ALSO | Families say pets died in Dousman house fire while in-home pet care business owner was away
Law enforcement says Kortney LaTour had 32 dogs and cats inside her home at the time of the fire. Of those, 10 dogs and 11 cats died. We're told she was operating a training and boarding facility called Whomping Willows.
"I was just told 'there was a fire, a lot of dogs passed away, but yours made it out', and I honestly just blacked out. I couldn't think straight. I was like 'we need to go,'" Savannah Katula said.
Katula's dog, King, was one of the 11 cats and dogs that survived.
Katula said King was pulled out of the house soaking wet after first responders tried to put out the fire. King was then taken to a pet hospital and is currently being treated for aspiration pneumonia from smoke inhalation.
"I do feel bad cause as hard as it is for what we're going through, I feel bad even stressing about like he's not taking his meds because there's so many people that don't even have this option," Katula explained.
She said she met LaTour at work and paid her to train and board King. A service that is illegal according to the Village of Dousman.
A village spokesperson says Dousman does not allow kennels. Village ordinance does allow residents to obtain a "hobby kennel permit," but that must be approved by the Village Board and only permits up to five dogs.
Watch: Dousman homeowner ran illegal kennel before fire killed 21 animals, village says
At the time of the fire, LaTour had 32 animals at her home.
LaTour also should not have been operating any kind of business out of her home without Village Board approval, the spokesperson said. That approval was never obtained.
"In my mind, it doesn't change anything. It was a horrible, horrible tragedy, accident, and shouldn't have happened regardless, but I don't think that it changes that everyone is going through a lot," Katula added.
We tried calling LaTour and left a voicemail. We also tried texting her to get a comment regarding the village claiming she was illegally running a business and kennel out of her home. She never returned our messages.
The Village of Summit's police chief, who is leading the investigation, said investigators are looking into every possible angle of the fire and the business operation inside the home.
While many mourn the loss of their furry family members, Katula remains thankful King is still here. King has a long road of recovery ahead, with vet bills that Katula is now having to cover herself. If you'd like to help King, click here.
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