The Show: Sad Pibbles and Happy Tails

[blondiek237]

Is VRC a 501C3 charity?  That might make a big difference. 

 

Best Friends is in a league of it's own - it is an awesome place run professionally on a HUGE scale.

Yes they are, I donate monthly and get an email receipt each month with all the tax info. I wish it were more but something is better than nothing

[zxy556575]

They are 501c3 according to their website. GuideStar charity review says VRC doesn't provide tax returns or other financial data. I can definitely see Tia herself being annoyed with bureaucracy and paperwork, but at this point VRC surely should have a grant writer and experienced financial advisors.

Edited January 24, 2016 by lordonia

[blondiek237]

They are 501c3 according to their website. GuideStar charity review says VRC doesn't provide tax returns or other financial data. I can definitely see Tia herself being annoyed with bureaucracy and paperwork, but at this point VRC surely should have a grant writer and experienced financial advisors.

I get an email each month for my donation

[RedheadZombie]

Brandi and her new owner adore each other, Dee is enjoying her job and bonding well with her handlers, and the rescued duo are on the road to recovery but not yet ready for adoption.

  

I believe it also said Dee is one of their favorites now.

I know, right?!  That even surprised and delighted Tia, who said something about Dee being a shameless flirt.   Dee has found her people!  :-)

That girl was in hog heaven. Did you notice when all the guys gathered around her near the end? Instead of getting overwhelmed, she kind of did a little jump. Definitely a law and order gal.

[Bastet]

I love Uncle Jethro.

 

I like that they used the show to bring attention to Chagas disease.  Poor Kizzy!  And Poor Lizzie.  "Sometimes I hate this job."

 

It was heartbreaking seeing Ashley so depressed in her kennel, but I'm glad they show that it happens sometimes. 

 

Watching Jackson make himself at home was great, though.  And I'd have been as nauseated as Tia, riding in the car like that.  It made me a little queasy just to think about.

[RedheadZombie]

I love Uncle Jethro.

 

I like that they used the show to bring attention to Chagas disease.  Poor Kizzy!  And Poor Lizzie.  "Sometimes I hate this job."

 

It was heartbreaking seeing Ashley so depressed in her kennel, but I'm glad they show that it happens sometimes. 

 

Watching Jackson make himself at home was great, though.  And I'd have been as nauseated as Tia, riding in the car like that.  It made me a little queasy just to think about.

 

Too bad Ashley can't be fostered for a time.  Even just hanging out in the office would help, but they may already have quite a few there.  She needs some one on one time.  Maybe they need to break out old Jethro.

[walnutqueen]

I completely lost it when Uncle Jethro got into the crate with Kizzie.

[jnymph]

Words can't describe how much I adore Uncle Jethro.  What an amazing dog !

 

Too bad Ashley can't be fostered for a time.  Even just hanging out in the office would help, but they may already have quite a few there.  She needs some one on one time.  Maybe they need to break out old Jethro.

I thought of that as well;  wondered why they didn't try introducing her to Jethro.   Maybe he'd work his magical charm to bring her round ?  

I really like the fact that Tia stresses that not all dogs are alike and some simply need more time than others.   

Poor Kizzy, so heartbreaking.  And Lizzie, "Sometimes I hate this job."   (sorry for nearly duplicating Bastet's post! but I felt the same.)

 

Yay for Jackson ! 

Edited February 1, 2016 by jnymph

[Maharincess]

I'm watching an old episode today, its the one with Gwoto(spelling?) the dog that Tia said is the most aggressive dog she's ever seen. The dog lunges at everybody and everything he sees and is a disaster waiting to happen.

This woman also has a young son. The dog has to be locked in a kennel outside because of his aggression but the owner insists on keeping him.

I'm a huge dog lover and have my own formerly abused rescue dogs. But I think this woman is an idiot for keeping this dog.

First of all, she's willingly putting her child and everybody else in the neighborhood in danger. I think there should be child endangerment charges brought. In my opinion, she's definitely putting her son in danger.

Second, what kind of life will that poor dog have being locked in a kennel alone for 95% of the time.

It's like Tia says, some dogs just can't be saved and I think this is one of those cases.

I love my dogs more than I love most humans but I wouldn't keep a dog like that.

[GreyBunny]

That dog Gwato was a menace, he should have been put down a long time ago.  On FB the owner complained that we only saw a few minutes of him and claims he's actually a sweet dog at home and good with her kid.  Whatever.  She herself described the dog as human aggressive, dog aggressive, and destructive and just from the email alone the dog should have been given a one-way ticket to the vet.   

[zxy556575]

Why was the dog on the show if he has an owner? Was he a formerly a VRC rescue?

[Bastet]

I vaguely remember that one; it's from the Agua Dulce days, when Tia still did dog training.  So the dog had been brought to her for evaluation, and Tia basically said it was an ingrained mental problem, not a behavioral problem that could be trained away.

[zxy556575]

Thanks, Bastet. If even Tia gives up on a dog ... yikes.

[Bastet]

I was reading through old posts in this thread (yeah, I'm weird), and because I've recently been paying far more attention to VRC in real life/time (rather than just on the show) because of Tia's injury (Lucky continues to help her recover, and, yes, she's coming out of her hair being laid up), a couple of things jumped out at me ...

 

Of course, the dogs are loved and cared for, but I've always wondered exactly how many dogs are placed in permanent homes every year.

 

Right now, they adopt out about 50 dogs per month.  (And yet still have so many coming in that they have at least 300 at any given time.)  Back in Agua Dulce, when the show was in its infancy, they adopted out maybe five per month.

 

We see so many instances of 2 or more employees driving across country to place ONE dog.

 

Standard procedure is to transport multiple dogs at one time to their new homes in the same general area -- they've recently done a run to California, and one to Florida, for example. 

 

And, also, remember that the trips we see on the show are paid for by production; it's not extra money out of VRC's coffers to make a trip with just one dog.  (In normal situations, out-of-state adopters bear the cost of transport for their pet, and doing it in bunches lessens everyone's share of those costs.)

[Bastet]

I’m sure they get a lot of people who just want to be on TV (and I feel sorry for Dana – volunteer who adopted Mister Meaner – being shown right when the VO hit the point with Tia talking about that; bad implications by the editing) and workers who bail after a hard day shoveling shit.  I’m glad the show doesn’t shy away from acknowledging that. 

 

Joe seems like a good soul.  It’s funny that Sui feels a bit of a bond with him, because his connection to and interest in each dog reminds me of Sui.  I hope to see more of him.

 

I love that they do regular senior wellness exams for their old dogs, rather than just taking them in when there seems to be a problem – I know the clinic works with them on costs, but they have SO many dogs, and those exams add up, especially if you’re doing the senior blood panel each time.

 

Even people who subject themselves to so much heartache have emotional lines to draw, and I completely understand Moe and Lizzy not being up for hospice fostering Gidget so soon after losing two dogs.  They’re going to be sad when Gidget dies, regardless, but to have her in their home would make it even worse.  Kudos to Rosanna and the small percentage of the population like her who do hospice foster/adoption so that an animal can spend her final days in a loving home; it’s something I’d love to be able to do, but I don’t have the emotional fortitude.  People who do have my utmost respect.  That shot of Gidget sunning herself in the courtyard did my heart good.

 

Oh, those three dogs with their tails tucked between their legs in fear, but simultaneously bouncing around.  Another reality it’s nice to show – there’s just a certain attitude towards pet ownership that is pervasive there, and Tia’s peeps have to check their frustration sometimes and try to help by employing the honey vs. vinegar theory.  And Tia was right – it was clear Portia loved and felt safe with her owner.  Better to work with him and help him be a decent owner.  He’s probably never going to win Pet Parent of the Year, but he can learn to provide the basic care and love that gives them a safe home that beats a kennel.

 

I am all over the cat story next week.  I wonder if it will include that VRC has already constructed cat houses, designed by Jackson Galaxy, on the new property in the country.  They're really cute -- little kitty cabins. 

 

Also, one of Tia’s ultimate goals for that property is to use part of it to provide shelter to domestic violence victims – a place they can come with their pets, since most DV shelters don’t allow pets (and pets are frequent targets of DV, especially in retaliation when a victim leaves, so this lack of options is one of the many reasons people stay when they want to get out).  This is something that has been part of my work for a while (I do, among other things, DV policy work and used to do direct representation until it got to be more than I could handle) -- working to get DV shelters to allow pets or at least partner with local rescue organizations to provide foster homes during the transition period.  I know from national conferences the situation for victims of DV in Louisiana is about as good as it is for neglected, abandoned, or abused animals -- the resources just aren't there -- so this would be another instance of putting a bandage on a gaping wound, but someone has to. 

Edited February 14, 2016 by Bastet

[walnutqueen]

Agree with everything in your post, Bastet.  I also liked the way Tia encouraged Joe the new guy to interact with the public to build his confidence and social skills.  I'm glad he seems t be working out.

[jnymph]

Well,once again I'm sobbing after watching my favorite show. Dear sweet Gidget & Roseanna!

Will post later after composing myself. Sheesh!

[zxy556575]

So nice to see Jackson Galaxy and cats! Trapping them all will for sure be a long process, but hopefully they haven't become too feral and can eventually be captured and adopted.

 

VRC has always rescued breeds other than pits when needed (and Tia's own dogs run the gamut), but I was pleased that the Assumption Parish location is open to all.

 

It was heart wrenching to see Tia tear up talking about all the dogs who never get adopted.

Edited February 21, 2016 by lordonia

[Maharincess]

I can't stand Jackson Galaxy and his ridiculous schtick.

I missed this episode but saw the previews for next week. Is Earl leaving for good? I'm hoping by the preview when Tia tells him he'll come back healthy that he's leaving temporarily to get his arm fixed.

I love Earl. Jake was always my favorite parolee until Mr. Earl showed up. He's such a sweet, gentle man that it's hard to imagine him in prison.

Edited February 23, 2016 by Maharincess

[zxy556575]

I can't stand Jackson Galaxy and his ridiculous schtick.

 

I stopped watching his show because it seemed to be the same thing over and over, although I don't mind him personally. But I agree that smaller doses are better. His tortured facial hair stylings are nutso.

[Maharincess]

It's the facial hair and the carrying of the cat supplies in a guitar case that makes my eyes roll back so far they hurt.

He's like the Guy Fieri of the cat world.

I hate how Tia uses those cages so much in her house. I understand that the pitbulls need to be in kennels but when she's just sitting in her house all of her dogs are in cages. I hate that. If she's just sitting there in her couch why are the poor dogs locked up?

I'm not saying the dogs are being abused or neglected but why? Why do they need to be caged when she's sitting right there?

It always makes me so sad when I see a dog in a cage.

Edited February 27, 2016 by Maharincess

[Bastet]

I had to stop watching Jackson Galaxy’s show because it was too formulaic and staged, but the man knows – and loves – cats (and his Spirit Essences have worked fantastically for several cats in my life), so it was nice to see him in a different context.  Big kudos to that woman taking care of them for two years.  I’m a huge proponent of TNR programs for community cats, so I know several people who care for a colony in their neighborhood.

 

I think it’s great that they showed the proper way to handle a situation like this, the evaluation, the gradually increasing physical contact over the course of a week or more, the creation of positive association with the traps, etc.  Do it wrong, and you may wind up getting one or two total and scaring off the rest of them for a long time.

 

I love those cat cabins.   

 

The situation with the mama dog Milky Way reminded me of Artemis, with Tia wandering around with her to see if she’ll lead her to puppies.  Like with Artemis, I figured by Milky Way’s behavior that the puppies were gone, and momma had just been turned out when they were done using her.

 

Yay for Bullet!  All that time without even an application.  And the home check takes me back, yet again, to how much I respect their lack of rigid, one-size-fits-all rules.  So many rescues would never adopt a dog to someone without a fence.  VRC insists on hard-core fences in most situations.  But here, with a dedicated couch potato, and a responsible owner who will have him leashed during his brief forays outside, they understand it’s a good fit.  I love his owner.  “You’ve been waiting for your momma.”

[zxy556575]

I hate how Tia uses those cages so much in her house. I understand that the pitbulls need to be in kennels but when she's just sitting in her house all of her dogs are in cages. I hate that. If she's just sitting there in her couch why are the poor dogs locked up?

I'm not saying the dogs are being abused or neglected but why? Why do they need to be caged when she's sitting right there? It always makes me so sad when I see a dog in a cage.

 

Full confession -- I've only had one dog in my life and that was in the 70s, so way before the general popularity of crate training. I had to look it up a decade or so ago when a co-worker mentioned it in relation to her newly adopted dog and I wondered to myself why anyone would do that. Didn't ask her, of course, so as not to reveal my ignorance. ;)

 

But it does seem to be accepted as the "kind" way to handle dogs these days. From the Human Society website:

 

Crate training uses a dog's natural instincts as a den animal. A wild dog's den is his home, a place to sleep, hide from danger, and raise a family. The crate becomes your dog's den, an ideal spot to snooze or take refuge during a thunderstorm.

- The primary use for a crate is housetraining. Dogs don't like to soil their dens.

- The crate can limit access to the rest of the house while he learns other rules, like not to chew on furniture.

- Crates are a safe way to transport your dog in the car.

 

I'm not trying to stir up an argument and as I said, I'm not even a dog owner, but it still sounds like it's more for the convenience of the human than the dog. Although the dogs I've seen on shows like this seem quite content. It mostly amuses me to think of trying to put my cat in one.

[Bastet]

I'd never heard of crate training until joining a pet forum a few years back.  I'm still iffy on it in general, but I've come to understand how incredibly beneficial it is in some situations.  And through a friend forwarding me pics/videos from Tia's Facebook page, I've seen oodles of pics of her dogs out and about in the house, so I think Tia is doing it the way it's designed to be done.  Which I'd probably still never do ... unless I had that many dogs, maybe.

 

Like lordonia, I cast no aspersions on those who utilize crates in some fashion; I don't have dogs, so it will never be an issue, and I still don't know enough about it - but I've definitely been educated out of my knee-jerk "that's awful!" reaction in all situations.

Edited February 28, 2016 by Bastet

[Bastet]

Lucky in the driver’s seat of the motor home was just adorable.  I love these behind-the-scenes specials, with the way the crew gets involved – and listens to Tia, damn the shot, when she says to back off.

 

I love Tia’s question to owners who move and leave their dogs behind.  “How did you think this was going to play out?  What was supposed to happen – he’d open the door and go look for a new home himself?”

 

I also like her, “Oh crap, why can’t you [snapping turtle] be a regular turtle?”  She cannot see an animal on the side of the road without helping, but she knows those things will take a chunk out of you.  “Last season, an alligator.  This season, a snapping turtle.  Next season, let’s go for a wild pig.”  Hee. 

 

Ivy and that little girl remain one of the cutest owner/dog bonds I’ve ever seen.  I teared up along with Tia as she talked about watching the episode and reflecting on Mariah and her childhood buddy.  I cannot fathom having grown up without my cats, so it is a special little tug – even though I don’t like kids – seeing a kid and a pet adore each other.

 

I could watch a show about Jethro every week.  A friend who uses Facebook sends me home videos that Tia posts on her Facebook page, and that dog cracks me up.  There’s one where Jethro is asleep on a couch or bed, tucked under a blanket other than his head, and just refuses to get up; it’s early morning and they have to head into the city and he’s just not having it.  You can hear Tia saying, “All the mornings you wake me up at 6:00 with your woo-woo-woos … get up!”  I still can’t believe he survived his mystery illness.

 

The "blooper reel" was fun, but Tia's comment about finding her "future ex-husband" at the prison was interesting -- did she divorce Aaron?

Edited February 28, 2016 by Bastet

[Maharincess]

I noticed she hasn't mentioned her husband at all. I never bought the "it wasn't his stolen property" excuse but she did apparently.

I've been wondering what happened to him.

I haven't seen every New Orleans episodes so I have a question, what happened to Mondo? The last I remember seeing him he and his wife had moved to New Orleans because his daughter was sick.

I don't remember seeing him after that.

[Bastet]

I never really formed an opinion on the stolen property charge, because, sure, it's not exactly unlikely, but it also wouldn't make sense under the circumstances -- and the DA's behavior was pretty much verging on bizarre (and the system really did, time and again, have it in for VRC and its crew when they were here in L.A. County).  Tia spent a whole lot of money defending Aaron, and I hope for her sake above anything else that he was worth it. 

 

Mondo has been gone from VRC for a few years (per a Facebook question), but I don't know the timeline/specifics.  He initially stayed behind to close up shop in Agua Dulce and then decide what to do given his large family and local ties.  He, his wife, and at least the one young daughter came to New Orleans temporarily while she sought some specialized treatment for her cancer, but I get the sense that was never intended to be permanent.  I don't know what he's doing now.

Edited February 28, 2016 by Bastet

[Bastet]

No, not the season finale!  I still have a rather odd reliance on this show.  I’m going to have to start recording morning reruns again.

 

Tia sounds really different in some of the VOs; it’s tripping me out. 

 

It’s heartbreaking to see Earl stumble like that, but I’ve noticed a little something off for a while … maybe since a bit before his surgery, but it was pretty vague then.  Chronic pain is no fucking joke, and I have nothing but sympathy for someone who goes down a bad road trying to deal with that - especially when it’s getting addicted to something legally prescribed to you! - because once it hits addiction stage ... man, that is some controlling, debilitating shit that is so hard to overcome.  And, not for nothing:  Substance-abusing Earl is blowing off work and snapping at the drop of a hat … but also over-reacting to a dog’s condition and making middle-of-the-night phone calls for Lizzie’s veterinary medicine knowledge. 

 

Kudos to Tia having that initial conversation off camera.  I also appreciate everyone agreeing to do their “see ya soon”s on camera; it’s an important thing to show.  Earl is a textbook illustration that being addicted is a horrible thing, but addicts are not horrible people – it can happen to anyone under the right (wrong) set of circumstances.  I am rooting for him like I root for those I know personally. 

 

Also sad is the woman who’s become the neighborhood dog rescuer; she has the best of intentions and is doing a pretty good job on the whole, but isn’t equipped – with separate spaces or with adequate behavioral knowledge - to safely house that many dogs.  Tia handled her very well.

 

Tia loses another great parolee to long-distance romance.  Matt certainly handled his resignation better than Jake, but he also didn’t have the same level of emotional history.  Good luck to him in the future.  Does Matt have a child in Louisiana, or am I confusing him with one of the other parolees who have kids?  I think it must be the latter, because he came to VRC as a parolee directly from working there as an inmate on a work program, but for some reason I have a picture of him with a young girl.  At any rate, I’m going to miss him.  I dig Country Matt.  (As do those dogs.  I know it’s meant to be a stepping stone, but I just miss these guys when they move on.  I can only imagine what Tia and crew feel.)  But bringing back the beard?  Not a good look. :-)

 

Tree/Sunflower!  By leaps and bounds, my biggest fear about being burglarized is the idea someone could harm/let out and leave vulnerable to harm my cats.  When moving, it’s totally reasonable to leave your pet in the comforts of her familiar home short term to take the first load of stuff and then come back to bring her along with the final load, and these people come back to find their stuff – and their dog – stolen in a break-in.  I’d be coming out of my hair.  Their reunion was the perfect counter-balance for this episode.  The power of this show!

 

I’m glad production didn’t make Tree’s family take down their Christmas decorations in order to try and disguise the time of filming – and am impressed they turned footage around that quickly.

[Maharincess]

I haven't watched it but I checked in to see what happened with Earl. That breaks my heart, living with chronic pain is a bitch and its so easy to become addicted to those damn pills.

I wish Mr. Earl nothing but the very best. It takes a big man to admit to those problems.

[GreyBunny]

Full confession -- I've only had one dog in my life and that was in the 70s, so way before the general popularity of crate training. I had to look it up a decade or so ago when a co-worker mentioned it in relation to her newly adopted dog and I wondered to myself why anyone would do that. Didn't ask her, of course, so as not to reveal my ignorance. ;)

 

But it does seem to be accepted as the "kind" way to handle dogs these days. From the Human Society website:

 

Crate training uses a dog's natural instincts as a den animal. A wild dog's den is his home, a place to sleep, hide from danger, and raise a family. The crate becomes your dog's den, an ideal spot to snooze or take refuge during a thunderstorm.

- The primary use for a crate is housetraining. Dogs don't like to soil their dens.

- The crate can limit access to the rest of the house while he learns other rules, like not to chew on furniture.

- Crates are a safe way to transport your dog in the car.

 

I'm not trying to stir up an argument and as I said, I'm not even a dog owner, but it still sounds like it's more for the convenience of the human than the dog. Although the dogs I've seen on shows like this seem quite content. It mostly amuses me to think of trying to put my cat in one.

 

Here's my beef with crates and the den analogy:  actual dens have an opening where the wolf can come and go at will, there's no door that's closed and locked that traps the wolf inside.  Also, real dens are for the canine family to be together, not a cage that separates the dog from the rest of the family.

 

Poor Earl.  Damn.  Chronic pain is a nightmare and painkiller addiction is all too common.  I hope he gets through rehab and can come back okay.  Congrats to Matt on his new life.  

 

So glad Tree got her family back.  

 

The rescue lady, her heart is in the right place but she was clearly overwhelmed.  One of the dogs, I think it was Spot, isn't neutered so, along with that and the skin problems many of them had, it doesn't look like she's able to keep up with their vet care.  The elderly dachshund mix was awfully cute, I wanted to adopt that one.

[zxy556575]

Yes, all good wishes to Earl. My tears this week were for the humans on the show. I'm concerned about his finances and his house as well. Don't know how someone without savings can afford to take a month or more off work, much less pay for rehab. My assumption, since Tia mentioned it, I'm hoping the surgeon who operated on Earl's shoulder found a place that would take Earl at no charge.

 

About the rescue of Sunflower/Tree -- Tia again emphasized that Tania had never been on a rescue by herself before, which still seems odd to me since the girls have grown up in VRC. I suppose it was just taken for granted that Tia would do them all, but she doesn't even live in NO any more. And sorry, but Sunflower's snarl and lunge (without contact) towards Matt during her rescue was not the totally frightening and life-threatening event that it's been played up to be, over and over.

 

I'm still thinking a little about cages. The only rescue facilities I'm familiar with other than city shelters are Best Friends in Utah and Cesar Milan's place, both of which house their animals in groups within large penned areas. No kennels or crates. Maybe that's Tia's intention for the new VRC  property that the kids worked to get fenced. Anyway, the people who know dogs and have the necessary space seem to agree that it's preferable not to kennel them when possible.

 

Now that I think about it, whenever we see shots of staff walking the dogs in the background or as part of a particular story, it's always one by one. The dogs don't seem to have much individual or group social interactions with each other.

[nitrofishblue]

The use of a crate gives a dog a safe place to rest. I had one when I brought home my first foster dog. I would put her in it at night that first week before I knew she was housebroken. Happily she had no problems with housebreaking. However she didn't like being confined at night. She had to be in bed with us. So the door remained open at all times. I put a blanket over the top of it. Well, my other dog took over the crate. If I wanted to find Rossco I would find him sleeping away in the crate. On several occasions Agnes would join him. The crate was placed in the room so he could see everything that was happening while resting. He loved it.

 

Crates are very important when you bring a new dog in the house. If you are unsure if the dog is completely housebroken and can't be trusted to not chew up the wrong items when left alone for a any period, the dog should be in a crate. Now it is a different story if you use a crate as punishment. The dog won't like that and will let you know.

[deemac]

I have to chime in on the crates.

 

I'd never used one till I took in a pitbull foster and he was used to it.  Then I got pitbull mix sisters from my sisters dogs litter.  Crates to keep these crazies safe.  It's unbelievable what they will chew when unattended (they have a fixation with opening the under the sink cabinet and a preference for sos pads, and couch cushions, extensions cords, anything you can think of and yes they have plenty of approved chew things) and unless I had a closeable door to every room it's necessary when I'm at work.  (they'll be 2 in June and people keep telling me they'll grow out of it......I'm dreaming).  Add to that that the crates have open access all the time and if there's no room on the couch (me and 3 dogs the smallest of which is 70 lbs don't all fit) they often chose their crate as a place to lay.

 

I'd say the crate situation depends on the dog.  Mine each see the crate as theirs and where there's zero tolerance for anyone annoying them (read irritating kitty cats or other dog).  I'd bought one for the dog I had previous to all this and he wanted nothing to do with it.....at the time I assumed all dogs were that way and it was stored away so sometimes it's a great thing, sometimes not.

 

d

[RedheadZombie]

Soon as the episode started and we saw Earl's condition, I immediately wondered how long it had been since his surgery.  It's so very common to slip back into using after an injury.  I've had patients just outright refuse pain medication, but that's a misery of its own.  Love Earl and hope he's back soon, clean and sober.  And I hope his son is supportive of his treatment.  I'm assuming Earl's receiving pro bono assistance. 

 

It's the facial hair and the carrying of the cat supplies in a guitar case that makes my eyes roll back so far they hurt.
He's like the Guy Fieri of the cat world.

I hate how Tia uses those cages so much in her house. I understand that the pitbulls need to be in kennels but when she's just sitting in her house all of her dogs are in cages. I hate that. If she's just sitting there in her couch why are the poor dogs locked up?
I'm not saying the dogs are being abused or neglected but why? Why do they need to be caged when she's sitting right there?
It always makes me so sad when I see a dog in a cage.

 

I think Jackson's an acquired taste.  I look past a lot because I believe he really loves cats.  There's an episode I've saved on my DVR.  It's the crazy cat woman episode.  She's the one who bickers constantly with her son (who gave her the cat).  I will never get over the scene in which she proudly shows the footage of the cat wedding, and lip synchs the "meow" wedding march.  I watch it when I'm feeling down and it gives me life.

 

Regarding the crates, it can be difficult to see them.  I often wonder why the dogs in the office are crated.  Maybe it's to stay out from under the camera/sound guys' feet.  Maybe there's potential of fighting when more than one is out.  I volunteer weekly at an animal shelter.  There's usually a free run dog, and there may be one to two other dogs crated in the same room.  Typically they can't all be loose at the same time.  But when I arrive, I immediately crate the free run guy, and give the other two some out time.  I hate seeing every single dog crated.

 

I agree with Tia's belief that every kid should have a dog (or pet).  I think one of the greatest gifts a parent can give a child is a pet.  Beyond the unconditional love, it teaches children about kindness and empathy, as well as the circle of life.  The first death many children experience is their pet, and as difficult as that is, it can be an invaluable lesson on grief, loss, and dealing with it in a healthy manner.

[Jenkins]

I am 100% for crates.

 

I crate trained both my current dogs and every dog I have owned for the last 40+ years.

 

And I can give you quite a few reasons why.

 

One, the majority of dogs will not poop or pee where they sleep. So it is a great way to help them strengthen their bladder and teach them to hold it. My beagle mix that we got at 14 weeks NEVER pooped or peed in his house, not ONCE. This is a rarity though. He was pretty much house trained from the day we got him. I can count on one hand how many accidents he has had in the almost 5 years we have had him. This doesn't mean you can just leave them in there all night. My wife and I would take shifts letting the dogs out to go to the bathroom every 2-3 hours through the night.

 

Two, for their own safety. As mentioned above, some dogs love to chew on things they shouldn't. This describes my Boston mix. The problem isn't so much that she loves to chew. The problem is she SWALLOWS everything she chews on. I have had to pull a lot of dog toy pieces out of her butt because they get stuck on the way out (all "indestructible" toys mind you). One day I was sitting on the couch watching TV and I heard this electrical pop and a yelp...I look over and she was chewing on the cord to the fan (she has NEVER chewed on another cord since). We did a great job in keeping things off the ground she could swallow, but she slept in her crate at night until she was out of her chewing phase, purely for HER safety (I LOVE having my dogs in bed with me at night).

 

Three, this show showed another GREAT reason I keep my dogs in their crate when we go out...intruders. When we are getting ready to go out, I tell them "get in your house" and they happily get in them. This is for a couple reasons. One, if someone breaks in, my beagle mix doesn't realize he is only 30lbs. He 100% would charge a grown man and most likely be injured or killed in the process. Take all I own, but don't hurt my dogs...that is my stance. Two, if there is a fire while I am gone, I don't want the fireman having a tough time gathering my dogs (we have stickers on the windows stating we have two dogs).

 

My dogs think of their crates as their safe zone. When my Boston mix gets scared (thunder, fireworks, etc), that is where she heads. So it certainly was not a traumatic experience for her to be crate trained.

 

Now I do realize there are some people that use crates more or less as a babysitter. Leaving them in there for extended periods because they don't want to be "bothered" by them. These people shouldn't own pets. But done responsibly and with love, create training is a GREAT tool.

 

As for the show. Not going to go in to detail on a public forum, but I have been down the EXACT road Earl is going down. If you haven't been down this road, I really hope you don't judge. Addiction to some is just weakness. I don't consider myself a weak person. I have chronic pain 24/7. So for me it was like the frog in a boiling pot analogy. It isn't something that happens over night, it is very gradual.

 

And sadly, Earl has a ROUGH road ahead. I wouldn't be surprised in the slightest to see him relapse multiple times. I have been clean for years now and I can tell you, the desire to abuse NEVER goes away. You just have to care more about yourself and those around you than the thing(s) you abused.

 

I wish more people were like you Bastet. You obviously have compassion. I know a lot of people will judge Earl and say he threw the gift Tia gave him away and how weak he is. Believe me he is not. No one in their right mind would throw away a second chance like Earl got.

 

And yes, Matt DOES have a daughter. I have no clue if they live in the NO area though. The mother wouldn't let him see her for a long time, so maybe she still doesn't.

Edited February 28, 2016 by Jenkins

[Maharincess]

I haven't seen anybody here judge Earl at all. I've seen nothing but people being compassionate and wishing him the best.

That's a terrible thing to say, nobody is judging him.

[Jenkins]

I was speaking in general about ALL viewers, not the people in this thread.

 

There WILL be people that judge him. In fact, while I haven't looked, I would guess the people at IMDB have already started (that place is a cesspool).

 

The people in this thread are nothing but compassionate from what I can tell. :)

 

Sorry for the misunderstanding there.

[RedheadZombie]

Yes, all good wishes to Earl. My tears this week were for the humans on the show. I'm concerned about his finances and his house as well. Don't know how someone without savings can afford to take a month or more off work, much less pay for rehab. My assumption, since Tia mentioned it, I'm hoping the surgeon who operated on Earl's shoulder found a place that would take Earl at no charge.

 

About the rescue of Sunflower/Tree -- Tia again emphasized that Tania had never been on a rescue by herself before, which still seems odd to me since the girls have grown up in VRC. I suppose it was just taken for granted that Tia would do them all, but she doesn't even live in NO any more. And sorry, but Sunflower's snarl and lunge (without contact) towards Matt during her rescue was not the totally frightening and life-threatening event that it's been played up to be, over and over.

 

I'm still thinking a little about cages. The only rescue facilities I'm familiar with other than city shelters are Best Friends in Utah and Cesar Milan's place, both of which house their animals in groups within large penned areas. No kennels or crates. Maybe that's Tia's intention for the new VRC  property that the kids worked to get fenced. Anyway, the people who know dogs and have the necessary space seem to agree that it's preferable not to kennel them when possible.

 

Now that I think about it, whenever we see shots of staff walking the dogs in the background or as part of a particular story, it's always one by one. The dogs don't seem to have much individual or group social interactions with each other.

 

I remember the early years of the show, and at that time, I definitely felt that Tania's heart wasn't into the business.  I think it was more a mother/daughter struggle than anything, and I definitely see that Tania is now 100% committed.  I also think that Tia is a workaholic who was probably a bit of a control freak.  It must be overwhelming to have so many dogs' lives in your hands, and she also knew she was the best at rescues, and didn't want anyone else potentially injured.  Now the business has extended to such a degree that Tia can't be everywhere.  I think both Tania and Mariah are clearly not quite comfortable yet, which always makes things a bit more dangerous. 

 

I greatly admire Cesar Milan and his devotion to the breeds considered most "dangerous" by many.  But he's truly unique, and I don't think there are many people who could balance such a large number of dogs.  The balance is always in danger of being upset, and he maintains the peace daily by how the dogs are fed, etc.

 

As to Dog Town at Best Friends, that's a unique place, too.  They have a huge support system of celebrities, and don't have to work on a shoe string budget like Tia.  Best Friends has a much lower human to dog ratio, and paid workers versus unpaid volunteers.  I love that their dogs live in small groups, but there's a lot of work that goes into working these groups out.  Tia simply doesn't have the luxury of time, space, and workers.  I do love that Tia seems to go all out with medical care.  One of the SPCA shows I used to watch, they'd pull up at the scene, evaluate the potential cost of healthcare, and euthanize a dog at the scene if it's injury was potentially too costly.

[AntiBeeSpray]

I haven't watched it but I checked in to see what happened with Earl. That breaks my heart, living with chronic pain is a bitch and its so easy to become addicted to those damn pills.

I wish Mr. Earl nothing but the very best. It takes a big man to admit to those problems.

 

Definitely. I was almost crying when I saw what had happened. So sad. I hope that he's able to over come it.

 

I wish him the very best as well.

[blondiek237]

Crates are a great thing when used properly. We had them for both Ozzy and Jax when they were puppies. Ozzy now prefers a quiet corner, but Jax loves his crate. We had it set up in the livingroom after Jax had knee surgery, and after we moved it and Jax was not happy, now it sits in the LR (with the door open, it's always open) and more often then not he is in there everyday when I get home from work.

[Bronzedog]

I have never used a crate, but, I've noticed that my current dog has kind of created his own. He has his own space under the dining room table that he chose where he takes his stuff and when he's tired or just taking a break he exiles himself to. I've learned that when he's in his "room" he wants to be left alone. It occurred to me awhile ago that maybe he would have preferred a crate, wasn't given one, so he created his own.

[jnymph]

Tia continues to be my hero, she is the "real deal" as Sui once said during a rescue.  I was impressed and glad she chose to have the conversation with Earl off camera.  Class act.  Poor Earl.  He was justifiably upset but at the same time seemed determined to not let this beat him.   I truly wish him the best.

 

Another class act move by Tia is not to jump to conclusions and judge Virgi(?) the neighborhood dog rescuer.  Tia stepped in and helped her out.   Virgi has noble intentions at heart.  I wish her the best too !

 

Yay for Tree getting her family back !!!  The lady of the house (can't recall her name) really tugged at my heart with her tears flowing talking about Tree. 

 

The crate issue: I'm 100% for them, depending on the dog of course.   My current dog is an 8 yr old Alpha female Labrador Retriever that's very confident.  She doesn't seem to need nor desire a crate and she hasn't gotten into one lick of trouble with free reign of our entire house (um. knock on wood.) 

Although, I've had dogs in the past though that have VERY MUCH needed their crates !

Edited February 29, 2016 by jnymph

[gesundheit]

Yes, all good wishes to Earl. My tears this week were for the humans on the show. I'm concerned about his finances and his house as well. Don't know how someone without savings can afford to take a month or more off work, much less pay for rehab. My assumption, since Tia mentioned it, I'm hoping the surgeon who operated on Earl's shoulder found a place that would take Earl at no charge.

It's also not entirely impossible that his insurance covers it, or at least pays into a good portion of it.

 

Man, I knew something would happen in the season finale that would get the tears flowing, but I never would have predicted it would be that. Earl and Sui's goodbye just about broke me. I hope he'll be back, that's so heartbreaking. Especially because of how hard he'd worked to finally get to a place in his life where he could be proud of himself. I hope he hangs onto that.

 

And of course I also cried about Tree being reunited with her family. Too much.

[Jenkins]

Another class act move by Tia is not to jump to conclusions and judge Virgi(?) the neighborhood dog rescuer.  Tia stepped in and helped her out.   Virgi has noble intentions at heart.  I wish her the best too !

 

 

I can't even imagine the emotions that poor woman went through. Having to try and save one of her dogs from being killed by more of her dogs. It bothers me even two days later to just think about it.

 

She definitely needs help. There is a reason Tia keeps all her dogs in kennels and just doesn't let them run free. That pack mentality sometimes just takes over.

 

I bet Tia checks in on her quite often. You could tell Tia really respected what she was trying to do. If Tia can just take some of her more aggressive dogs, I think that lady will be fine.

 

I can also imagine how tough it must be on her financially. It costs us about $50 a month for food for two 30lb dogs and we average about $75 a month through the year for vet bills (just had a $500 visit two weeks ago). Tia obviously gets a lot of donations, but I can't imagine that Virgi (unsure of her name as well) gets all that much housing those dogs at her home. I am going to go out on a limb and say this is probably why she hasn't built kennels yet, so maybe Tia will help her out with that?

[Rlb8031]

Regarding the crates, Tia does have some facilities to house multiple dogs together. The puppies are usually kenneled by litter while they are small, and she also keeps bonded pairs together as well. I also remember her showing that they put dogs like Jethro that are used to make less secure dogs comfortable either in with, or next to timid or scared dogs to comfort them. I get the sense that the separation of dogs is 1) space constraints (they don't have a lot of the large size kennels big enough for multiple dogs), and 2) the aggression issues. With as many dogs as she has, and with so many dogs being handled by volunteers, having the rules be clear about one dog at a time, keep dogs apart at all times unless specifically instructed is probably more for the safety of all rather than to be mean to the dogs. I also recall that a few seasons ago when they first moved to NO with about half as many dogs as they have now, it was much more common to see dogs exercised two or three at a time, especially when they were being handled by Jake, Tania, Maria and the more experienced parolees or a combination of two or three. Now, most of the staff walk one dog only unless they are specifically training a dog to mirror behavior or relax another.

[chenoa333]

I have little to no criticism for anyone who is honestly trying to help with rescuing and finding good homes for animals. Whether it be dogs, cats, rabbits, horses, whatever species. I don't care if the rescuers look like the Elephant Man..

Jackson's TV show is an opportunity for people with felines to become educated about cat behavior. And much like the dogs that Cesar Milan helped in his TV series, it's usually the owners that need rehabilitation.

I find Jackson's TV series very educational. I have worked in veterinary medicine (diagnostics labs and veterinary assistant) for over 20 years and also do animal rescue. So Tia and Jackson have taught me so much that is very valuable to my efforts.

I never saw a follow up on the cats that were rescued. I hope they got all of them and there was a happy ending.

P.S. I LOVE EARL! I wish him well and hope to see him back at VRC!

ETA: For those of you who may not know this, Jackson Galaxy is a musician and in a band. He was a musician and a drug addict/alcoholic when he lived in Colorado. He went to rehab, got clean and found a job at an animal shelter. That's how he got the education about cat behavior. He wrote a book (forgot the title, sorry!) but his journey to where he is now is very interesting. So his Shtick with the cat supplies in the guitar seems to me to be just a combination of his love for music and cats.

Edited August 21, 2016 by chenoa333

[Bastet]

There's a mini-marathon of episodes on tonight, so I got all excited thinking perhaps the new season was starting this weekend.  I went searching online and, alas, no, but a few days ago Tia responded to a "when do we get new episodes?" question by saying she doesn't know, but thinks it should be soon.  I hope so!

[dbell1]

Another marathon tonight. I love this show. Perfect antidote to politics. 

[Rlb8031]

Looks like November 12 is the start of the new season. Not sure how many episodes. 

[zxy556575]

I just saw a commercial for the show where Tia said the last couple of months have been the hardest of her life. I checked her Facebook page and apparently she was injured and broke her leg? Seems like it was back in January so maybe it was discussed here and I've forgotten.