British dog walker for Hollywood stars rescues 100 horses from LA wildfires despite tremendous risk to her safety

A British woman is being hailed as a hero after she helped evacuate 100 horses from dozens of Los Angeles homes – without fear for her own safety – as fierce wildfires raged through the city.

Thea Creasy, 45, who has lived in Los Angeles for 20 years, led a heroic mission to rehabilitate hundreds of animals abandoned in burning homes when the Suffolk horse trainer mobilized a crew of brave volunteers last Thursday.

Speak with The TelegraphCreasy said she spearheaded the equestrian evacuation after helping rescue two horses that became trapped in her friend’s home.

Despite safety warnings from police, Creasy – who runs a dog walking service with several celebrity clients – made the quick decision to drive to her friend’s property and load the horses into her trailer.

“I’m still going to save a horse even if it’s in danger to myself – that’s just how I am wired,” Creasy told the newspaper.

Afraid that her friend’s horses weren’t the only ones trapped in burning houses and barns, Creasy then embarked on a mission to rescue all the horses on a road threatened by the flames.

Along the way, she appealed for volunteers to meet her with as many supporters as possible, but Creasy “began to panic and hyperventilate” when she became stuck on the highway “with a cloud of black smoke rising over the spot where I were the horses’.

Fortunately, Creasy, who used to work as a horse trainer in Topanga Canyon, LA, arrived on time and used her experience to coax the excited animals into the waiting trucks and trailers.

Thea Creasy, born in Suffolk, is a horse trainer and runs a famous dog walking business in Los Angeles, where she has lived for the past 20 years

She said: ‘They were clearly alarmed but they are not wild horses, they understood they had to follow orders.

‘Some owners were hysterical, others were afraid their horses would not go to the trailers. But I’ve seen a lot of emergencies,” Creasy continued.

‘The more urgent the situation, the calmer I become. The animals feed on your emotions and you can’t do anything just by panicking. I have trained myself to be as calm as possible in situations like this.’

These rescue efforts nevertheless took their toll on Creasy’s physical and mental health; she told the newspaper that she has “hardly slept in a week” and is currently suffering from terrible migraines.

She is currently looking for safe homes for the rescued horses, with centers in Los Angeles operating at maximum capacity.

For example, an equestrian center in LA’s famed Griffith Park opened its doors to 300 horses and donkeys affected by the horrific wildfires that swept through Southern California.

The Eaton Fire, which has destroyed more than 10,000 acres of land, hundreds of homes and displaced thousands of people, also wreaked havoc on the large horse populations of Altadena and Pasadena, northwest of LA.

More than 300 horses and donkeys arrived at the center over a two-day period last week, a Los Angeles Equestrian Center employee told DailyMail.com exclusively.

The Eaton Fire, which has destroyed more than 4,000 hectares of land, hundreds of homes and displaced thousands of people, has also wreaked havoc on the horse population.

They highlighted how animals are often left behind during large-scale evacuations like the one in Los Angeles, which has forced hundreds of thousands of residents to leave their homes in recent weeks.

‘Everyone forgets that if you have to evacuate an area, you are dealing with hundreds of domesticated animals.

“We have horses that were brought in by their owners who had to evacuate, we have horses that ran off their property during the fire and wandered the streets and then were rounded up by animal control.

“We are short on supplies so we are accepting donations. Anything will help,” the worker shouted at the time.

But as supplies dwindle, the center also faces another problem: identifying owners and trying to figure out how to contact them.

“We have identified the owners of about half of the horses we have, but there are some where we have no idea who the owners are and we are waiting for the owners to contact us,” the employee said.

Meanwhile, LA-based animal shelter Pasadena Humane said it had taken in more than 300 animals due to evacuations, with staff and volunteers “working non-stop” to help with their care.

It added that several animals required intensive care treatment as they suffered severe burns and dehydration.

Earlier this month, Hollywood actress Jennifer Aniston shared on Instagram a list of local shelters that were taking in pets.

The Morning Show star, 55, also asked people living around Pacific Palisades to leave water for wildlife fleeing the flames and give them the space they need.

A screenshot of her PSA was later posted to X, formerly Twitter.

“The California Board of Forestry and Fire Protection recommends bringing your pets indoors at night to allow wildlife a safe path to pass,” the actress continued.

‘Consider leaving buckets of water for these animals: they are scared, exhausted and may have lost their home.

‘A little kindness can help them recover and survive.’