The Show: Sad Pibbles and Happy Tails

[Maharincess]

I don't watch the show anymore because of the horror stories. I saw the effects of abuse when I rescued my border collie, I can't watch it on TV.  I got rid of the one social media thingy I used (Facebook) so I only keep up with the show through you guys. 

I liked the California days much better. They still had rescues and bad stories but the show wasn't as dark as it is now. I still support the show and donate to the rescue but I just don't have the heart to watch these kinds of shows anymore. 

How is Earl doing?  I think I read that he had relapsed. He's such a good man, I wsh him the best. 

[Rlb8031]

I think that you have to read the FB page to get some of the happier stories, or at least happy sides of the story. For example, the hound that got returned last year after the family decided that it didn't really want a service dog anyway has made several appearances on the FB feed for VRC along with his new human, a 5-year old boy who seemingly loves nothing more than falling to sleep on his new buddy. Similarly, they've been dealing with a wolf hybrid pack they were asked to help trap after the owner was institutionalized. The initial request was a "Help, we had to take in x dogs, don't know where we'll put them and don't have money for them". The FB follow-ups have all been thanks to the two other rescue groups that stepped up to take some dogs, the folks who've sent money and food, and the follow-up that the initial information about these "wild wolves that will tear you apart" was actually a rumor started by a local guy who was bitten after attempting to "capture" the pack leader by picking him up by the neck and choking him, then hogtying him on the ground. Fortunately, the pack leader escaped and was able to take a chunk out of the guy at the same time. 

All this to say, some of these stories develop over longer periods of time than the 2-3 months of filming and editing time and VRC tries to do a "these are the things that keep us rescuing" updates on FB as a way to let folks know that there are some happier endings. 

[nitrofishblue]

I have been a volunteer at my local spca since 2002. I have seen so many things that made me cry. But I will never stop. I am now 73 and manage two photo teams at the two shelter locations that take pictures of the pups so we can post them online. I know I am doing something to help. It isn't much but for that one dog that gets adopted after the family saw their picture I took, I know I made a difference.  I enjoy this show since it is very real. To be honest I have learned a lot from the V team about dealing with the big strong dogs. I don't find the show dark. Sadly, there will always be animal abuse. All we can do is try yo help as many as possible find a good home. I am a foster failure. I took in a sad abused eight year old pocket pitty as a foster. She became a permanent family member after she saved me from an attack from a stray dog that was twice her size. She is now 13 and loves to curl up on the bed next to me and my husband. I love to wear my t-shrt that states that I love dogs more than I like people. I can't save them all but I can save them one at a time.

[Maharincess]

@nitrofishblue, the shirt I'm wearing says "You can't buy love, but you can rescue it". 

Its just my personal choice to stop watching these types of shows. I volunteer as well and I've always had rescue pets. I'll do my part, I just don't want to watch the sad stuff anymore. 

[chenoa333]

On 7/24/2017 at 10:37 PM, Maharincess said:

@nitrofishblue, the shirt I'm wearing says "You can't buy love, but you can rescue it". 

Its just my personal choice to stop watching these types of shows. I volunteer as well and I've always had rescue pets. I'll do my part, I just don't want to watch the sad stuff anymore. 

There are many people who do animal rescue and we come in all different facets of how much our hearts can take. All of our hearts can give love every day, every week, every hour, every second. But how much our hearts can handle of the sadness is a personal thing. I feel guilty every day of my life because I'm not the badass animal rescuer I used to be. I cry too much and I started hating people for the awful things they do to innocent loving creatures. So MaharaPrincess...every little thing each one of us does to help, is what matters. And to all of you badass warriors who continue to do what i can no longer do...may you be blessed with all you deserve! ?

[chenoa333]

On 7/24/2017 at 10:37 PM, Maharincess said:

@nitrofishblue, the shirt I'm wearing says "You can't buy love, but you can rescue it". 

Its just my personal choice to stop watching these types of shows. I volunteer as well and I've always had rescue pets. I'll do my part, I just don't want to watch the sad stuff anymore. 

Lol! I just realized I've been typing your PT user name wrong for well...years!  My apologies to you Maharincess! ? 

[RealityCheck]

On 7/23/2017 at 5:30 PM, chenoa333 said:

I hope it's an uplifting 2 hour premier.

Looking at my DVR listing, it looks like they are airing two new episodes back-to-back.

To whet the appetite, this is an oldie but every time I watch it I can't help but chuckle.  Tia appeared on the Ellen Degeneres show 2009 but Snorky steals the show.

[walnutqueen]

On 7/30/2017 at 2:17 AM, RealityCheck said:

Looking at my DVR listing, it looks like they are airing two new episodes back-to-back.

To whet the appetite, this is an oldie but every time I watch it I can't help but chuckle.  Tia appeared on the Ellen Degeneres show 2009 but Snorky steals the show.

Thanks, RC.  I had not seen this clip before, and I'm still grinning.

[Bastet]

The first episode was a great start to a new season.

Matthew was too much for me just in the teaser, so I was not looking forward to his segments.  And, indeed, it turned out to be one of these parents who lets a kid run around like a lunatic in public/at someone else's place and laughs like it's cute.  That fuckwit just sat there as he got into shit, and didn't react even when Tia told him not to do something, when Tia should have never had to be the one to do that to begin with.  And then he thought it was funny to lock a dog in the crate and then throw toys at him, and Lisa just sat there smiling like an idiot, repeating, "Matthew, sweetheart." 

I wouldn't have adopted any dog to them, either.  She seemed like a very nice woman; when it was just her talking to the camera, I quite liked her.  And I know she's a single parent, and presumably doing the best she can.  So if she had been trying to stop her kid from disrespecting people's property and, especially, teasing a dog, and the kid was just a brat in spite of her efforts (over-stimulated, showing off for the cameras, whatever), I'd credit her for doing her job, and feel sorry for her that she wound up with a kid who makes that job even harder than it inherently is.  And maybe she was embarrassed that her kid was acting that way, especially on camera.  But damn.  (I still wouldn't have adopted her a dog, but I wouldn't be disparaging her in print.)

I figured the fact they were on the show meant they were going to get a dog - she wouldn't have signed the release if it ended with Tia saying, "Go turn your kid into a decent human being and then come back" - so I tried to prepare myself for that, but kudos to Tia for having more sense than Matthew's mom to say he's not ready, and she's not putting one of her dogs in that situation before he is.  So that Lisa comported herself well in the interview segments, and allowed this to be shown, I'll have some hope that she didn't go home and head to the nearest shelter that does no screening.

Sean, the good samaritan with the dog dying in the street, is my kind of person.  Not just to call for help, which anyone should do (but obviously many don't), but to sit there with her, and cry over this dog he doesn't even know - when he isn't even a dog owner himself - because it's just that awful to see.  That he asked for updates, and came to see her - and called seeing her alive and well the greatest day of his life - is so sweet.  She looks like a completely different dog in her new home!  (I knew Sean was just speaking from emotion, and wouldn't actually wind up adopting her, but it was lovely.)

Lizzie driving as fast as she can, leaning forward like that can make the car go faster, and yelling at traffic -- I've been there, and it's so frightening.  The way Hilda kept looking like death was seconds away and then popping up was heart-wrenching; she's a tough little cookie.  I think she sensed she was being helped, and mustered the last of her energy to keep going long enough for them to be able to save her. 

I hope we'll continue to see more of Joe this season; I got a really good vibe off him the moment he was hired (similar to Sui), and have enjoyed him ever since.  If this is the first time he's heard of a guy harming his ex's dog to get back at her, he's lucky.  Seeing Gator reunited with his mommy was sweet.  But is he un-neutered?

I liked seeing the update from Deshaun; I hope they'll continue to do those on parolees from the Agua Dulce facility.

J.D. from the little "Looking For a Home" segment seems so sweet!  I hope the old guy finds an adopter now that it has aired. 

Edited August 6, 2017 by Bastet

[Bronzedog]

I really want to know why Sean didn't end up with Hilda.

[Bastet]

19 hours ago, Bronzedog said:

I really want to know why Sean didn't end up with Hilda.

I suspect it was just that he was talking from the immediate emotion of seeing the dog he saved do so well, and when time passed and Hilda was ready for a home, he saw he was either not ready to be a first-time dog owner, or that his lifestyle wasn't the right fit for her needs. 

The second one was another good episode; the show had moved away from the parolees a bit over the last season or two, so I'm glad the shift back towards that focus we saw near the end of last season seems to be picking up steam in this one.

Darius has big shoes to fill, being the second person they get through the prison program that brought them Country Matt.  (And, jeez, I love programs like that and wish more prisons would implement them.  That the rehabilitation prong of our criminal justice system has all but disappeared is a considerable frustration to me.  As is stuffing a 15-year-old first offender into the adult prison system for 12 years for a non-homicide crime.)  He seems like he really wants to make something of his life, and appreciates the chance VRC can give him to do that.  I hope he succeeds.

Joe and Lizzie made a good team capturing the scared stray, Savvy, who looked relaxed and friendly in the update.

Yay, a Jake update!  He was such a huge part of their lives, never mind the rescue, it was sad for him to bungle the way he announced he was leaving.  I liked hearing him address that in a previous update, saying basically that he didn't know how to do it and just shut down and wound up handling it badly, so I'm glad to hear from him again with all that behind him.  I hope the rescue he and his wife started is doing well; if anyone has the experience to successfully get one running from the ground up, it's him.

And a Country Matt update; I like him so much, too.  Love hearing that he and his wife are happy with their three dogs and a cat.

I was surprised at first that Ryan was so standoffish for having already had a dog, especially since we saw their dog curled up in his bed, but then I thought maybe he just really likes the quiet, personal aspects of having a dog - like lying in bed with a reading buddy - and is a little shy, at least at first, with the playful ones.  And then I saw him rocking himself, obviously dealing with being a little overwhelmed by everything going on, and wondered if it's a medical condition, not just personality.  Regardless, Tyrion certainly brought more out of him than either of the others, so I think they'll be a good match.

Emma slept in the dog's crate before he even got there.  I don't like kids, but that is freakin' cute.  And it's great that the parents are dedicated to teaching her that when the dog wants to be alone, he must be left alone.  She seems really good with him at her young age, so I think Tyrion is set all around.  He certainly looked happy in the update pictures!

This is yet another example where they'll adopt to someone who has an unfenced yard when it makes sense given the environment, the dog's personality, and the owners' experience of only letting a dog out when supervised. 

Edited August 6, 2017 by Bastet

[Bronzedog]

The kids on the second episode were the polar opposite of the kid on the first episode.  How great of a life is Tyrian going to have?  Seven acres and a kid who loved him enough before she really knew him to sleep in his crate.  And, parents who let her

[dbell1]

I'm so happy the show is back!! I follow them on Facebook, but it can get overwhelming with all the posts.

Did the woman whose dog was grabbed by her ex ever explain how he got the dog in the first place? No chip, not neutered, I can't see a good outcome there.

I wonder if Matthew had ADHD or some other issue? Wasn't impressed by the mother. She seemed more eager to get on tv than redirect her child. They dodged a bullet with that little family. Only dog he needs is stuffed.

Poor Hilda. That was really disturbing. I've made that drive to the emergency vet with a few pets, one good outcome, one sad one-Lizzie really held it together well. Glad Hilda's living the good life now.

Tyrion's new family was awesome. Can they adopt me next? 

Glad to see the updates. This program is such a strong advocate for rehabilitation of parolees, rather than stigmatizing them. 

[brilliantbreakfast]

Oh, man, this was just one verklempt moment to the next.  Little Hilda.  I sat there in my big barrel chair with my two cats blubbering "I want her!  Guys, wouldn't you like to have that little puppeh come live with us?"  They thought I was nuts.  

If little Matthew's mom doesn't get her s#!t together, that kid is going to be "Boston Matt" -- a parolee on P&P -- in 20 years.

Emma.  God, what a cute little girl.  I don't get the sense that Ryan was spectrum-ish, just shy.  I'm sure it's overwhelming having all those guys with cameras around when you are a shy kid.  I kind of feel that Emma really, really, really wanted to be on TV and they made Ryan come along in a situation where he wasn't really comfortable.

The new parolee is getting a good edit.  He's clearly no dope.  I'm sure he will be staying.  Love seeing Earl now as the Big Poobah for breaking in the new guys.  His story arc is still the best and still going on.

When you think about how Tia's girls and the twins could be early on (and if you've ever seen the video on YouTube that looks like something put together almost as an audition tape for the show, it's worse than you thought -- and almost understandable why the neighbors in California didn't want them there), the way they've grown up and stepped up to the plate is truly admirable.  You'd think being "TV Stars(TM)" would have made them insufferable, but they have turned into four fine adults.  Kudos to Tia and yes, to Animal Planet on that one.

[Mrs. P.]

I was SO glad that Tia turned Matthew and his mom away. Maybe that will be the wake up call that the mom needs. She's got to see that Matthew is borderline out-of-control.

[Bronzedog]

2 minutes ago, Mrs. P. said:

I was SO glad that Tia turned Matthew and his mom away. Maybe that will be the wake up call that the mom needs. She's got to see that Matthew is borderline out-of-control.

"Borderline" is being kind.

[dbell1]

I once had an Akita Newfoundland mix. Sweetest, most mellow dog you could ever want. At my son's birthday party, a friend's daughter brought her out of control 3 year old. Squirting juice boxes, throwing food, just totally of control. She did nothing, just sat there saying that's how boys acted. :/ At one point, he walked over to the dog and started pulling on her. I was out of the room. Came back in as she growled at him and tried to move away. He followed. His mom said "you need to get her out of here." I replied that the dog was harmless, her son wasn't and the only one that needed to leave was them. They left in a huff.

She complained to everyone we knew about the way I spoke to her. Every single person agreed with me, including her family. It was a wake up call for her. Some discipline started happening and the proper corrections were made. Within a year, he was well behaved, and had more friends than before. We're still friends, and he's in college now. 

The mother? Well, over the years I've "adopted" a hamster and a dog from them. They've always treated pets as disposable. She swore the dog had behaviour issues too. He doesn't. Within a month he became a dream dog. Some people shouldn't have pets. 

[shirazplease]

My DVR cut off before the adoption updates at the end of the show. Who did Hilda get a home with? What a sweet little dog. Can you post a link to the YouTube video of the kids back in California?

[Pfj99]

3 hours ago, dbell1 said:

I once had an Akita Newfoundland mix. Sweetest, most mellow dog you could ever want. At my son's birthday party, a friend's daughter brought her out of control 3 year old. Squirting juice boxes, throwing food, just totally of control. She did nothing, just sat there saying that's how boys acted. :/ At one point, he walked over to the dog and started pulling on her. I was out of the room. Came back in as she growled at him and tried to move away. He followed. His mom said "you need to get her out of here." I replied that the dog was harmless, her son wasn't and the only one that needed to leave was them. They left in a huff.

She complained to everyone we knew about the way I spoke to her. Every single person agreed with me, including her family. It was a wake up call for her. Some discipline started happening and the proper corrections were made. Within a year, he was well behaved, and had more friends than before. We're still friends, and he's in college now. 

The mother? Well, over the years I've "adopted" a hamster and a dog from them. They've always treated pets as disposable. She swore the dog had behaviour issues too. He doesn't. Within a month he became a dream dog. Some people shouldn't have pets. 

If I could, I'd like this post a thousand times!!

What shocked me as much as Matthew's mom's failure to even ATTEMPT to control him was her complete ignorance of dog behavior and needs.  I guarantee that any dog brought into her household would eventually bite Matthew in self defense.  And guess who would pay the price for that injury--it wouldn't be Matthew.  I'm one of those terrible people who would shed more tears for the dog than for Matthew.

i used to have a boss who had 3 out of control boys and 2 German shepherds.  One of the sons who was about 10 at the time thought it would be fun to tease the dog by continuing to take away a bone the dog was chewing on.  The dog bit the boy, and the dog didn't live to see the sunset.  It still makes me tear up to think about that injustice.

[EighteenTwelve]

Didn't the mom say they had had a dog that had died a couple of months before? It must have been a saint disguised as a dog.

[Bastet]

17 minutes ago, EighteenTwelve said:

Didn't the mom say they had had a dog that had died a couple of months before?

Yep.  Tia, watching this kid run wild, asked her if he'd been taught to respect the dog's boundaries.  The answer was, "It's a work in progress."  Yeah, with a long way to go.

[Bastet]

For those wondering why Sean didn't adopt Hilda, my friend sent me a post from the VRC Facebook page about that - he lives with roommates who have big dogs, and Hilda is just too shy for that environment.

She also sent me some sad updates: Almonaster (the dog they found in horrible shape; you probably remember him in his pajamas) and Mouse (the senior dog adopted by a wonderful older couple) have both passed away.

Also, they still have two Katrina dogs. 

[Megan]

On 08/06/2017 at 3:51 PM, Bastet said:

Yep.  Tia, watching this kid run wild, asked her if he'd been taught to respect the dog's boundaries.  The answer was, "It's a work in progress."  Yeah, with a long way to go.

When describing her previous dog she literally said Matthew climbed all over the poor thing and she mentioned he'd been bitten before.

Just watching that kid made me tense.

[Bastet]

27 minutes ago, Megan said:

and she mentioned he'd been bitten before.

That was really something, wasn't it?  Tia was being nice (and truthful) by saying one of the reasons Matthew shouldn't have a dog right now is for his own safety, that he could get bitten, and the mom just nonchalantly said yep, that had happened.  Now, at least she didn't run out and put her dog to sleep (assuming it was their dog) for reacting naturally to her kid's misdeeds, but shouldn't that have been a wake-up call?

I had called my mom during the first commercial break to ask if she was watching; she said she was recording it.  She called when she got to that first break, and as soon as I said, "Hello," she announced, "I'd have strangled that kid!  Please tell me Tia sends them packing."

Edited August 8, 2017 by Bastet

[GreyBunny]

What a brat.  Matthew and his mother both need to go to boot camp to learn what's what.  

I really hope his mother watches this episode and is embarrassed but I doubt she will be.  She didn't seem particularly aware.

Meanwhile, the two kids in the second hour were both very nice, well-behaved kids.  What a contrast.

Edited August 8, 2017 by GreyBunny

[SRTouch]

On 8/8/2017 at 0:28 AM, GreyBunny said:

What a brat.  Matthew and his mother both need to go to boot camp to learn what's what.  

I really hope his mother watches this episode and is embarrassed but I doubt she will be.  She didn't seem particularly aware.

Meanwhile, the two kids in the second hour were both very nice, well-behaved kids.  What a contrast.

Whoa! Finally watched the episode last night. Ok, sure it could have been the way it was edited, but that kid is something. Just think, next year some poor kindergarten teacher is going to have him in their class. And, totally agree about the other family, much better behaved children. And, after the wild first kid it really stood out when the mother said her kids already knew and understood that there will be times when the puppy needs alone time, and the crate is a safe zone.

[brilliantbreakfast]

On 8/6/2017 at 2:09 PM, shirazplease said:

My DVR cut off before the adoption updates at the end of the show. Who did Hilda get a home with? What a sweet little dog. Can you post a link to the YouTube video of the kids back in California?

They've all come a long, long way.  

[Linderhill]

was that Shorty Rossi, the "Pit Boss" in that video?  very interesting.  The video does look like a really bad pitch for a crappy reality show.  I'm glad the format was changed to what it is, much more appealing the way it is now. 

[Bronzedog]

I'm not crying!  You're crying!

[Bastet]

I watched last week’s episode, but could barely concentrate because I was worried about my cat Riley (she’s been doing much better this week and, as noted in the pet thread, checks out okay; I am cautiously optimistic, but quite optimistic).  I was glad to be able to lose myself in an episode again.

Summer’s adopter is the kind of person I want to be, yet probably never will be.  I almost always adopt adults rather than kittens (Riley was about six), but I haven’t yet brought myself to adopt a cat that probably only has a year left.  I want to do that, so badly (I have a fantasy version of myself that adopts all the seniors who get dumped at the shelter on their last legs, so that their final months are spent in a loving home rather than a shelter), but spending this recent time scared that something horrible was wrong with Riley and we’d wind up only having this one year together confirmed I probably can’t handle it. 

Thank the universe for better people than me, like Eileen, who can let the fact “she needs us” override everything else and provide hospice, especially for a dog who has never known a proper home for her 14 years, just a kennel.  At VRC I thought the young son was a bit detached at first, but then he interacted, and at home (where he’s comfortable, despite the cameras), he got all excited when Summer came over to him.  I'm so happy for Summer!  Lizzie crying that she’s saying good-bye to her for the last time – happy because she’s getting a forever home, and sad because forever isn’t going to last long – choked me up.

Earl helping Gunny make progress is sweet; Riley is the first “scaredy cat” I’ve ever had, so I had a lot to learn about supporting her and taking things very slow; she’s still not comfortable with anyone other than me, but with me she has made tremendous progress, so I like seeing a scaredy dog open up to the world around him.  Gunny has a beautiful face and sweet personality when he's comfortable letting it show, and I hope this episode helps him find someone who wants to take the time to let him shine, because it’s so rewarding!

I also want someone who lives on the water or who takes a boat out every weekend to adopt Worm (from the little "Looking for a Home" interstitial).  What a fun dog she seems to be.

Is this the first time they properly introduced the girlfriend Mariah (M2)?  We’ve seen her for quite a while now, including in the credits, but I think they’ve barely mentioned her; I wonder if this means they’re getting married or otherwise making a new commitment to each other, or if it's truly only because she's started working for the rescue full time.

[walnutqueen]

18 hours ago, Bronzedog said:

I'm not crying!  You're crying!

What else is new?  I'm always fuckin' crying.  Happy stories, sad stories, if there's an animal involved, I'm a weeping mess.

[RealityCheck]

I've been seeing ads about "You Watch, We Give" (source) so I'm posting the information for those who want to participate.

Quote

Animal Planet’s annual tradition of "You Watch, We Give" for PIT BULLS & PAROLEES will continue Saturday, August 26 at 9PM ET/PT to coincide with National Dog Day.  "You Watch, We Give" takes place as part of Animal Planet’s on-going commitment to make a positive impact in the animal world; the network will donate money to Villalobos Rescue Center with the total donation based upon the episode’s viewership.  Animal Planet encourages viewers to tune in for "You Watch, We Give" to help drive its donations to Villalobos.

[TVbitch]

Okay, forgive me, I watch way too much Intervention, but for a moment there, I kind of had my eye on the family that takes in hospice dogs. I hope they are not sharing the pain meds.

I never watch this show without crying. How is it even possible!  

Edited August 25, 2017 by TVbitch

[Bastet]

An update on Summer (via an email from my friend who read it on the VRC Facebook page): She had 10 great months with her family before passing away.

[nitrofishblue]

That was an interesting show. So sad to see that fire take almost everything. Amazing that their dog saved the entire family, WONDERFUL!!!!!!! That guy getting his dog back was great. He really was upset about why he had to rehome his dog. He regretted it. Thankfully he was able to get his buddy back. The little girl looked so happy to see the dog.

I can only assume that Tia is now a grandma. Is the small child her grandson? M2 stated that he was her and Kan (sorry I can't remember how to spell his name) son. Then it appeared that her other daughter-in-law was pregnant. I know they want to keep their family private. Just wish they would keep us up-to-date so we aren't guessing. They really are a close knit family. They live in such a stressful environment between the fogs and dealing with the idiot public.

At least I know I helped a bit by watching the show so Animal Planet will donate money.

[Maharincess]

4 hours ago, nitrofishblue said:

 

 Sorry about the quote box. My phone is being crazy. 

I wonder what happened to make Tia stop talking about the family. In the first season she talked about her husband all the time and even went so far as to have the cameras in the courtroom during his trial. Now she gets pissed off if anybody even asks about him. They showed the kids weddings in recent seasons and now they don't even say anything about the kids having babies. 

I don't watch the show anymore, I can't stand watching sad, abused animal shows anymore and I don't do social media (had Facebook for a while but deleted my account and never regretted it)  so I apologize if this has already been addressed. 

Edited August 27, 2017 by Maharincess

[Bastet]

It's funny; I wondered last week why they were finally formally introducing M2 to viewers when she's been around for so long, so now I guess it was because they were going to delve into their family life a little bit by showing that they'd lost their home to a fire.

I read that Lizzy had the baby, but I don't know whether it's a boy or girl.

Lizzy and then Tia's attitude towards the dog's former owner evolved the same way mine did, and I think that was a good story to tell.  He completely owned the fact he'd made a bad decision; he explained why he'd done it, but wasn't making excuses.  I'd have given them the dog, too -- better with them, who truly do seem to have learned from their mistake, than in a kennel.  It was cute to see the dog (whose name I can't spell) run right up to the little girl. 

The homeless man and his dog being reunited was also lovely to watch. 

I missed the first ten minutes, so I didn't get the details of how Lookback alerted them to the fire, but good dog! 

[Rlb8031]

If I recall correctly from when M2 first showed up, I don't think that is Kanani's(sp?) bio child. I recall the first time he appeared at all he was about three. It's possible that it is his kid, and they hadn't shown M2  or them dating for a couple of years, but my sense was that she was a single mom when they met. Either way they have created a great little family. 

[Bronzedog]

Did anyone catch the name of the service dog organization?  If they provide free service dogs I'm thinking about a donation, but, didn't get the name. 

[walnutqueen]

1 hour ago, Bronzedog said:

Did anyone catch the name of the service dog organization?  If they provide free service dogs I'm thinking about a donation, but, didn't get the name. 

Rick Hairston, Canines For Service, North Carolina.  Hope it helps, Bronzedog, and thank you for considering them.

[dbell1]

What the hell has Tania done to her hair? That green is ugly. Shallow rant over. I was wondering why we hadn't seen her or Perry all season, and there she is. 

Poor Rottie, had the feeling she wasn't going to recover. There's a place in hell for anyone who dumps a dog.

Mossy was a beauty, looked to be part Bernese Mountain dog? Glad she got out of the kennel. She's still on their website. They're calling her a Rottie/Aussie mix.

Glad Louie got his happy ending, we had a very loveable black lab mix once. Dumb as a rock, failed obedience school many times, but a total love bug. 

[Bronzedog]

21 minutes ago, walnutqueen said:

Rick Hairston, Canines For Service, North Carolina.  Hope it helps, Bronzedog, and thank you for considering them.

Thanks!  I think it's a great service and if you need a trained dog you should be able to have one.  My dog's not a service dog, hell, he acts like he's never even seen before if anyone else is around, but, but just having the little ungrateful jerk around is a comfort.  

Edited September 10, 2017 by Bronzedog

[MonicaM]

14 hours ago, dbell1 said:

Glad Louie got his happy ending, we had a very loveable black lab mix once. Dumb as a rock, failed obedience school many times, but a total love bug. 

 

We have a shepherd mix.  She's as smart as they come, and passed beginning and advanced obedience classes effortlessly.  Yet, she's still a complete jerk around other dogs and strangers.  So smarter isn't always better.  Fortunately, we're dumb enough to love her despite her at times annoying personality, and she really is a great dog with people she knows.

With as many dogs as they have in their shelter, I wondered why they didn't bring out a few more until they found one that did meet the qualifications for the service program.  

[Bastet]

I have never heard Samhain pronounced that way.  Poor girl.  To just dump an old dog to fend for herself like that; I hate people.  I'm glad she was able to be put to sleep by people who cared, rather than enduring a protracted death alone.

Mossy is adorable.  I wonder what the granddaughter thinks about Grandpa giving her dog away, but if she was worried about it, she shouldn't have got a puppy knowing she'd be heading off to college.  I feel sorry for the dog, and hope she's still able to stay in someone's home since she freaks out so badly in a kennel environment. 

I'm kind of glad Louie got to just be someone's pet. 

[Latenites]

Does anyone know how old the twins were when Tia adopted them?  Thanks.

[Rlb8031]

46 minutes ago, Latenites said:

Does anyone know how old the twins were when Tia adopted them?  Thanks.

I think somewhere between 14 and 16. My recollection was they got kicked out of their home and the girls said they could stay with them. I don't know if there ever was a formal adoption, however, I recall there was some online posting from the boys family saying that the story as it was portrayed on tv wasn't true (ie, they were never kicked out, they could come home at any time and they accused Tia of alienating the boys from their family). I always thought there was something deeper in the story between Tia's ex and the boys because he was around at this time and if I recall his story, the cops originally got him on a parole violation when they were investigating the theft of one or more motorcycles. There was speculation it was actually the kids that stole it. Whatever the case was, they have been with Tia since high school and she has always referred to them as her boys.

[Latenites]

18 minutes ago, Rlb8031 said:

I think somewhere between 14 and 16. My recollection was they got kicked out of their home and the girls said they could stay with them. I don't know if there ever was a formal adoption, however, I recall there was some online posting from the boys family saying that the story as it was portrayed on tv wasn't true (ie, they were never kicked out, they could come home at any time and they accused Tia of alienating the boys from their family). I always thought there was something deeper in the story between Tia's ex and the boys because he was around at this time and if I recall his story, the cops originally got him on a parole violation when they were investigating the theft of one or more motorcycles. There was speculation it was actually the kids that stole it. Whatever the case was, they have been with Tia since high school and she has always referred to them as her boys.

Thanks, rlb. I like the twins and love how Tia treats them like they're her own. I'm a fan of adoption and have an adopted child too. I love the show. Tia's my hero.

Edited September 11, 2017 by Latenites
Typo

[Bastet]

Yep, it has been since high school.  She never adopted them, but they've been with her since Mariah brought them home as "strays" -- she met them at school, they started hanging around a lot to avoid what was going on at home, and in time they started regarding Tia as "Mom" (and Aren as "Dad") and just never left.  That history makes it particularly sweet to hear Kanani refer to the little boy as "our" son, when he may not be biologically his -- Kanani knows very well that's not the only thing that makes a family.

(And, yes, one of them was tangled up - and possibly even to a greater degree than what is in the filings - with the items seized during the raid.  I can't remember which one, or if it was the same one who was dealing with a drug abuse problem at the time, but it was a big mess.)

Speaking of Kanani and M2, and bringing it back to the episode, did Tia introduce her as "my daughter-in-law" when they met with the service dog guy?  It was "my [something polysyllabic] Mariah," but I couldn't make it out and didn't go back to check.

[TVbitch]

I have watched all the seasons but can't remember what Tia's husband went to jail for. How long is his sentence? I keep thinking that surely, any season now, he should be out. I mean, people who have committed manslaughter and stuff are out in 5.  

It's sad to see Tia is still limping and unable to be her robust dog-chasing self (just for jumping over a damn couch!).  I'm glad she is letting the girls step up. 

[walnutqueen]

Aren has at least 15 years to serve under the 3 strikes law,  Tia et al had few problems moving far, far away and dropping his ass from their storyline.

You know the teevee money has gone to your head when you are building expensive arks.