The Show: Sad Pibbles and Happy Tails

[Bronzedog]

I thought the ark idea was kind of cool, but, I think she said it held 20 dogs, so, they'd need about 20 of them.  That's a whole lot of storage space between storms.  It also made me think they must not be hurting for donations.

[nitrofishblue]

They stated that most of the supplies and time were donated. Plus, the work started quite awhile ago. So it was a slow process getting the first one built. Makes sense. They now have a storage unit that won't have to be filled in a rush. They will have supplies in it and as the water rises so does the ark. Serves two purposes. Great idea when that facility is so far in the backwoods away from quick access.

[Bastet]

I can't believe next week is already the season finale; it seems like the show just came back!

Mars was adorable during the meeting with Leo, but his bond with Veronica was pretty immediate.  Veronica not caring at all that planes were taking off over her head was cute, and her claiming her chair was fantastic.

Poor Harvey; he looked so sad and painful.  Seeing him feel better was so nice, and I like the soft spot Joe has for him.

The ark is cute, and that would be nice to be able to keep them on the property (like in the warehouse, where they can just move them upstairs) rather than having to evacuate them elsewhere.

It's easy to spot the stories that were filmed quite some time back - the ones where Tia's knee is still giving her a lot of problems (and where Cypress Lake is still fixing its flood damage).

[Bronzedog]

So, are Matt and Jill getting a spin off?

[Happy Belly]

Congratulations to Tanya and Perry on the birth of their daughter, Salem Wolf Sanchez. she made a btief guesr appearance on last night's show. Wasn't it great to see Country Matt again? His wife is dynamite!  i hope this becomes permanent. it was a joy to watch them deal with the hounds..lol

[Bastet]

Didn’t Lizzie have a baby, too?  Tia is suddenly surrounded by grandkids.  I love how excited Tania is to bring another strong woman into the family.

Bootstrap is so cute, and that scar on his face makes me want to hunt down whoever did that to him.  Him hugging and kissing Lizzie good-bye was sweet.

I haven’t watched the hounds special yet (gotta slot it in around football), but thanks to the all-day marathon I was able to record the one episode from this season that I’d missed (it didn’t re-air the next week per the usual schedule, because Animal Planet aired a special on Harvey animal rescues instead, and I’ve been looking for it in vain ever since).

That was the one where they found Mr. Wags, who’d been mauled and whose canine tooth had been pulled out and twisted, so that it was lying sideways along his gums.  Wow.  No wonder those teeth can do so much damage; they’re huge!  That poor dog.  It was adorable to see how excited and wiggly he was after he felt better, compared to how hard it had been for him to walk with all the infection swelling.  And I love that, despite how long she’s been doing this, Tia still marvels every time at how emotionally resilient these dogs are, that they can be so neglected or even abused, yet still trust people to help them.

The adoption in that one was a nurse from Arkansas looking for a dog to fill her empty nest.  She fell in love with Hustle, a nervous little guy scared of new things.  I have a cat like that, so I was happy to see him get a home.  He was just flying around his new backyard on the home visit.  And that snaggle-toothed grin!  As Tia would say, “super cute.”  (Incidentally, Tia is pretty much the only person in the world who can use “super” like that without me being annoyed.)

The episode also showed a lot of Darius, the new guy working for them via the work release program Country Matt was in.  His face truly lights up when he talks about, never mind gets to do, any of the medical care.  It was nice of Dr. Kristen to show him around, encourage him, etc.  I hope he gets to pursue a career in the veterinary medicine field when he gets out.

It was a great episode, and I’m glad I finally got to see it.

I always enjoy the behind-the-scenes specials, when we get to hear Tia comment on what we saw and give more information, so it was cool to get not only an episode like that, but bookended with commentary from the live viewing at Tahyo.  (I find it strangely endearing how nervous Tania is when she’s directly on camera, even after all these years of a crew following her around.)

I really like how much Tia respects her daughters-in-law, as people, as rescue workers, and as partners for her sons; the way she speaks of them is wonderful.

It was cool to see the surgery video when Dr. Kristen found that huge ovarian tumor in Gunn.  And to see the segment on Dr. Kristen.  I know the vet practice they used when they were in CA; it's not where I go, but I know people who do, and it’s well regarded.  It was quite a drive from their Agua Dulce location, but worth it.  So I can just imagine the “how are we ever going to find someone we’re as comfortable with out here?” anxiety they had upon relocating.  And in the early New Orleans episodes, we saw them go to a practice in the city, before they found Cypress Lake.  And they hit the jackpot with that place, so I can see why they’re making a long drive again.  Dr. K is aces, and it was nice to learn more about her.

Re-visiting the story with the parolee Mike made me sad again, just like the first time around.  I wish he could have trusted that he could be straight with Tia, tell her what was going on with his family situation, and work something out, but his life experiences just didn’t set him up to have that kind of trust in an employer, even when other parolees assured him of it.  He just seemed to have good potential there, and it’s too bad it didn’t work out.

I hope this show gets renewed; Tia said on the VRC Facebook page it hasn't been determined yet.  Updated now that I've watched the hounds special to say that as they were signing off from the Tahyo event, Mariah said there would be new episodes in January.

Oh my, the hounds are a lot of work.  I knew that, but watching a whole show about it really brought that home.  You've got their innate hound characteristics, and then the fact most of these particular hounds were never treated as pets; they were "just" hunting dogs. 

They turned the hounds special around fast as compared to the rest of the show; I just went looking for some info and found out Country Matt and his wife got there at the beginning of August.  It looks like he's still there, so I wonder if they're going to move.  It's a big deal for her to leave her family, but if his daughter is in Louisiana, then it was a big deal for him to move.  I'd love to see him back on the show.

Edited September 24, 2017 by Bastet

[SunnyBeBe]

I like the floating kennel idea, but, how would you control the thing?  What would prevent it from crashing into another float or tree or into a power line?  I guess you could anchor it down some how. 

[dbell1]

Show is coming back on January 6th. My dvr recorded a 3 minute preview.

In staggering news, it costs almost $11,000 a day! to run the rescue. Tia was on Facebook asking for help earlier this month.

[Rlb8031]

20 hours ago, dbell1 said:

Show is coming back on January 6th. My dvr recorded a 3 minute preview.

In staggering news, it costs almost $11,000 a day! to run the rescue. Tia was on Facebook asking for help earlier this month.

Yes, with the new 30+ dogs rescued from a dogfighting situation the number went from $10k to $11k. That recent influx has also resulted in a call for volunteer dogwalkers and a notice that they are hiring new employees.

[Maharincess]

I wonder if she ever wishes she could go back to the quiet days in California before the show. Everything just got so huge when they moved to Louisiana that if I was her, I'd long for the old days. Where do they go from here?  The situation isn't getting any better and probably won't, it's just going to keep getting bigger and bigger with more dogs and more money needed.  

It must be a really stressful life. 

[nitrofishblue]

I just got my 2018 calendar. The pictures are GREAT. I recommend it to all.

[Rlb8031]

20 hours ago, Maharincess said:

I wonder if she ever wishes she could go back to the quiet days in California before the show. Everything just got so huge when they moved to Louisiana that if I was her, I'd long for the old days. Where do they go from here?  The situation isn't getting any better and probably won't, it's just going to keep getting bigger and bigger with more dogs and more money needed.  

It must be a really stressful life. 

She has posted on FB a couple of times something to the effect of "we thought it was bad in California when we had half as many dogs and one single location". 

[Bastet]

The situation for pit bulls (and chihuahuas, but especially pit bulls) is horrible in Los Angeles, as shelters are inundated with them, and many only keep pits on the owner hold (3 days, often, maybe 5) and then immediately euthanize if not claimed; no chance for adoption.  But there are at least some resources here, and as many shitty owners as we have, the overall community attitude towards dog ownership is a little better than in the south.  So I'm not surprised they, despite having been there after Katrina, a few times afterward, and being in contact with local rescues, didn't fully realize the scope of the problem until they got there.

[RedheadZombie]

This Christmas episode seemed like a repeat, but I couldn't recall Mariah's clown wig so maybe it was an original. The fencing and the burning names into it were covered in a prior episode, so maybe they're simply continuing?

I wish this show could get some training from Dog Town in how to create small dog communities.  Even the most dangerous of Michael Vick's dogs were integrated into small groups, and the dogs don't miss out on the association they need as pack animals.

Is "Country Matt" the native New Orleanian who was leaving to go be with his woman?

I'm glad they are now adopting out all breeds, but my heart is with the bully breeds, and they need all the help they can get.

[Bronzedog]

Nice to have an evening of P&P!  Kind of weird that Miranda didn't tell Tia that she was married to Marcel for a year, though.

[walnutqueen]

9 hours ago, Bronzedog said:

Nice to have an evening of P&P!  Kind of weird that Miranda didn't tell Tia that she was married to Marcel for a year, though.

I was thinking the exact same thing!  Not so weird is that both daughters fell for "bad boys" and think they've saved them from drugs, all while being saved themselves  by lurve.  How'd that work out for your Mum, girls?  Aaron WHO?

Off the bitch box, it was truly touching seeing the stories of all their lives and loves of the dogs, and how this bonded them.  I shed quite a few tears between eyerolls, for sure.  I am a true sucker for a good animal story, and the last episode delivered that in spades.

On a shallow note, that huuuge neck tattoo is going to look rugged long before the rest of her nubile looks go south.  Just sayin' ... crepey.

Edited January 7, 2018 by walnutqueen

[Rlb8031]

Okay, continuity question. Last season, there was one show where Mariah had a complete buzz cut. I noted it because it was such a stark change. Even in that episode, some of the talking heads had her with shoulder length colored hair. The next episodes she is back with the medium length colored hair and now she is back to beyond the shoulder dyed hair. I didn't think she was a weave or wig girl, so what gives?

[Bastet]

The talking heads are often filmed well after the events being discussed, so you'll see them with a new tattoo, totally different hair, etc.  And even the events themselves that co-exist in an episode could have been filmed at wildly different times; they've filmed stories during one season that didn't air until the next one. 

I loved Mariah and Marcel being asked about their next big adventure and answering in near-unison, "Not kids." 

I also loved that all of the kids' dogs signed off on their future partners early in the relationship; those stories were cute.

Worm is so cute!  I remember her from a "Looking for a Home" interstitial last season; I adored her then, and even more now having seen her story. 

Poor Kiwi, but I understand why the potential adopters chose to take their son's dog instead.

Tia dealing with the parolees who talked smack about Mariah was wonderful; I love when she said, "She's not a bitch; I'm a bitch."  Kudos to the one guy for coming back and devoting himself to the job.  And kudos to Mariah telling Tia to give them the option, I guess.  If any employee of mine called a co-worker a bitch, I'd be hell on wheels.  If I had a daughter and someone said that about her?  Look out.

[deemac]

I felt like I got weird vibes from these shows.  Maybe it's from what I consider the over the top pond.  I'm on social security and struggle with caring for all my pets.  If I need a collar I buy the most useful one with  no frills cheaply as possible but still quality.  I also kinda felt she was leading towards kids taking over and posted on facebook about most frequently asked questions she replied:

 

What's going on with "AJ" (probably our most asked question)

ANSWER: AJ was featured in the first season just to give some background on Tia's life. The status of their relationship is private.

 

It wasn't private when she tried to sway things with the TV show.  Will she be moving back to California for him?

 

Maybe I'm just cranky from the extreme cold....and the mouse that has invaded my house because of it and the fear of the mayhem when/if the 2 of my 3 pitties that have caught same in my yard realize there's  one in here and compete with the cats chasing it.  They're mixes and 70 and 90 lbs.  It will be destruction!

[gesundheit]

I was pretty psyched to have 3 new episodes on the first night back! I don't care as much about their personal lives as they think I do, though. I enjoy their various partners being part of the show, I have no problem with that, but I don't really care much beyond that. Personal stories about the parolees? Yes. That's in the title! And I also wish they wouldn't do Christmas episodes. We all know those are filmed months before Christmas, and it's not like the audience is clamoring for that theme. I was just a little sad that we got three brand new episodes and not a single one of them had a dog getting a new home.

[Bastet]

4 hours ago, deemac said:

I felt like I got weird vibes from these shows.  Maybe it's from what I consider the over the top pond.  I'm on social security and struggle with caring for all my pets.  If I need a collar I buy the most useful one with  no frills cheaply as possible but still quality. 

I don't mind the pond; Chewy paid for it (and thus got to advertise on it).  Before that, they improvised with a big ol' mud pit.  Now it has moving water and won't accumulate so much slime and bugs; it will be a great place for the dogs to cool off and play, and it also makes a nice little place for potential adopters to go through the interview process and meet and greet.  Just because they're a non-profit, I don't require them to sit around on folding chairs eating ramen.  They're certainly not living high on the hog.

[eatsleep]

On 1/6/2018 at 11:11 PM, Bronzedog said:

Nice to have an evening of P&P!  Kind of weird that Miranda didn't tell Tia that she was married to Marcel for a year, though.

That was horrible! Tia always talks about how close they all are and not telling her about the wedding was like a slap in the face. Who does that? It's one thing if Mariah didn't want anyone present at the ceremony. But to not even tell anyone about it for a year? And on;y because she legally had to? That's crazy. As a parent, you're supposed to know this stuff because your unmarried children are your next of kin for legal matters. I wonder what that's really all about.

Tia looked very different this season. Like she aged 10 yrs in only months. How is her leg? Is she OK? She joked about possibly finding a new husband. hmmmm

On 1/7/2018 at 1:14 AM, walnutqueen said:

Not so weird is that both daughters fell for "bad boys" and think they've saved them from drugs, all while being saved themselves  by lurve.  How'd that work out for your Mum, girls? 

Addiction is no joke and people often relapse. I'm surprised by Mariah's choice. Marcel was abusing heroin! IDK what drugs Perry did.

[walnutqueen]

7 minutes ago, eatsleep said:

IDK what drugs Perry did.

Heroin, too, IIRC.

[deemac]

3 hours ago, Bastet said:

I don't mind the pond; Chewy paid for it (and thus got to advertise on it).  Before that, they improvised with a big ol' mud pit.  Now it has moving water and won't accumulate so much slime and bugs; it will be a great place for the dogs to cool off and play, and it also makes a nice little place for potential adopters to go through the interview process and meet and greet.  Just because they're a non-profit, I don't require them to sit around on folding chairs eating ramen.  They're certainly not living high on the hog.

It's hard to put my thoughts into words that won't offend especially since I don't mean to.  The pond, the trailor, that looked awesome to me, for K and M2.  Then, for those of you have watched fb videos, Tia's house.  Not at all fancy, fixed up etc.  It actually makes my house look good (and it's not in good shape either lol).  I just get the vague feeling she's providing for the kids to make sure they continue and with the talk of AJ's possible up coming parole wonder if she's heading back for California and maybe returning to wolf rescue or something.  The contrast in how she lives and the kids live is big.

Or maybe my brain is just frozen

[Rlb8031]

2 hours ago, deemac said:

It's hard to put my thoughts into words that won't offend especially since I don't mean to.  The pond, the trailor, that looked awesome to me, for K and M2.  Then, for those of you have watched fb videos, Tia's house.  Not at all fancy, fixed up etc.  It actually makes my house look good (and it's not in good shape either lol).  I just get the vague feeling she's providing for the kids to make sure they continue and with the talk of AJ's possible up coming parole wonder if she's heading back for California and maybe returning to wolf rescue or something.  The contrast in how she lives and the kids live is big.

Or maybe my brain is just frozen

I watch a bunch of the animal/pet/vet shows and Chewy shows up on a lot of them giving away swag. Most recently, they were part of one of Dr. Jeff's free spay and neuter clinics where every person that came and brought an animal to get neutered got a box that included a 10lb bag of dog/cat food, treats and toys.

Also, remember that K and M2's house was burned to the ground and they purchased that prefab trailer with the insurance proceeds (which Tia mentioned was WAY FANCIER than her house for a fraction of the price). I seem to recall that Perry and the oldest daughter have a pretty standard shotgun home in NO. I don't remember them every showing Mariah's place in NO, but if it was Tia's original home in the city, it too was just a standard shotgun, nothing fancy with very little in the way of furniture. 

[CJKing]

On 1/8/2018 at 2:45 PM, eatsleep said:

 

Tia looked very different this season. Like she aged 10 yrs in only months. How is her leg? Is she OK? She joked about possibly finding a new husband. hmmmm

 

I've been getting caught up on the last 2 seasons and I was really surprised at how much Tia has aged since her accident. She looks like she is in pain, probably from her leg. I hope she is getting good medical care and seeing a doctor regularly. 

[Bastet]

I remembered Cate; she had been through a hell of a lot, and I hoped she and Balloons would stay healthy together, doing breast checks, for years to come.  I liked when she took her on an ambling walk at the meet and greet and Earl said, "This is her top speed," causing Cate to say, "Mine too." 

I didn't think the bond with Balloons was as immediate and obvious as with Bug when they first met, but it doesn't need to be, first of all, plus the way Balloons knew she was home and interacted with Cate there was beautiful. 

I took it hard when we learned Cate died.  I'm glad she had Balloons with her for the final six months of her long battle, and am glad Balloons remains in the family.

Richard has quite a way with dogs.  I always like watching these guys so hardened by life turn into lighthearted goofs with the dogs. 

[EyewatchTV211]

18 hours ago, Bastet said:

I remembered Cate; she had been through a hell of a lot, and I hoped she and Balloons would stay healthy together, doing breast checks, for years to come.  I liked when she took her on an ambling walk at the meet and greet and Earl said, "This is her top speed," causing Cate to say, "Mine too." 

I didn't think the bond with Balloons was as immediate and obvious as with Bug when they first met, but it doesn't need to be, first of all, plus the way Balloons knew she was home and interacted with Cate there was beautiful. 

I took it hard when we learned Cate died.  I'm glad she had Balloons with her for the final six months of her long battle, and am glad Balloons remains in the family.

Richard has quite a way with dogs.  I always like watching these guys so hardened by life turn into lighthearted goofs with the dogs. 

Agree with all.

Was sad to hear that Darrius didn't stick around. I was wondering how he was doing after the cute stuff last season with the vet tech stuff. Such a shame. I hope Richard will work out - he seems to bond nicely with the dogs. 

[Bastet]

Just now, VMepicgrl said:

Was sad to hear that Darrius didn't stick around.

Oh, bummer - I didn't hear that (I tuned in over five minutes late, and I think I was late coming back from commercial once, too).  Did he complete his work-release program and then just not stay on as a parolee once he was out of prison, or did he quit the program early?

[EyewatchTV211]

Just now, Bastet said:

Oh, bummer - I didn't hear that (I tuned in over five minutes late, and I think I was late coming back from commercial once, too).  Did he complete his work-release program and then just not stay on as a parolee once he was out of prison, or did he quit the program early?

She talked about it in the beginning, so you must have tuned in right after. It was the first situation you described - as soon as his work-release program was completed he stopped showing up. 

[Maharincess]

I don't watch this show anymore and don't do social media. How is Earl doing?  The last episode I saw was when he left for rehab then I read somewhere that he had relapsed. He was my favorite part of the show and I've been wondering how he is. 

I just can't watch anymore, it is just way too sad and even though I know she's much beloved here, I just don't really like Tia all that much. I love, admire and totally respect what she does for dogs, but on a personal level, I just don't like her. I won't go into why because I know I'm the only one here who doesn't love her. 

[Bastet]

I don't do social media, either, so I don't know how he's doing in real time, but on the show he's doing well.  He was on this latest episode, showing the new parolee the ropes and chatting with him. 

[dbell1]

Thoughts on the first 4 episodes, in random mutterings...

Not surprised that Mariah and Marcel didn't tell anyone about the marriage. They probably didn't want a big special wedding episode like the others had. She seems to be more about the dogs than the show. And I've loved Marcel from the beginning. He seems to be a good guy. And his work with the homeless is so necessary.

Tania looks good with some mom weight on. Lizzie pregnant is adorable. Hooray for twin and M2 getting engaged. Love watching them grow up on my screen and have children of their own. Circle of life and all that. 

The Chewy pond looked a bit OTT until I remembered how ungodly hot and humid it gets in down there. Was a bit weird to see a jumbo pond in front of the floating cabin. Is it going to flood a lot there or not? Because one of these things does not belong. Would suck if we saw the cabin in the pond next hurricane season. 

Tia's slapdown of the trash talking parolees had me cheering. "Guy talk" my ass. Once again, our ace soundman protects VRC.

New guy Streets, hope he sticks around. Potentially unpopular opinion here, Earl is not a success story. Guys who get off parole and move on with their lives are. Country Matt, Sui, those are guys to emulate. Last year, on a live show, they mentioned one of their CA guys who's doing very well as their favorite story. 

Tia wrote a beautiful Facebook post about Cate. So sad she lost her battle. 

And if I could bring another dog home, Boomer would be it. I have a soft spot for abused dogs. Our Shepherd's Petfinder photo had her legs wrapped up in tape. She'd had bite wounds too. 

[jnymph]

10 hours ago, dbell1 said:

Thoughts on the first 4 episodes, in random mutterings...

Not surprised that Mariah and Marcel didn't tell anyone about the marriage. They probably didn't want a big special wedding episode like the others had. She seems to be more about the dogs than the show. And I've loved Marcel from the beginning. He seems to be a good guy. And his work with the homeless is so necessary.

Tania looks good with some mom weight on. Lizzie pregnant is adorable. Hooray for twin and M2 getting engaged. Love watching them grow up on my screen and have children of their own. Circle of life and all that. 

The Chewy pond looked a bit OTT until I remembered how ungodly hot and humid it gets in down there. Was a bit weird to see a jumbo pond in front of the floating cabin. Is it going to flood a lot there or not? Because one of these things does not belong. Would suck if we saw the cabin in the pond next hurricane season. 

Tia's slapdown of the trash talking parolees had me cheering. "Guy talk" my ass. Once again, our ace soundman protects VRC.

New guy Streets, hope he sticks around. Potentially unpopular opinion here, Earl is not a success story. Guys who get off parole and move on with their lives are. Country Matt, Sui, those are guys to emulate. Last year, on a live show, they mentioned one of their CA guys who's doing very well as their favorite story. 

Tia wrote a beautiful Facebook post about Cate. So sad she lost her battle. 

And if I could bring another dog home, Boomer would be it. I have a soft spot for abused dogs. Our Shepherd's Petfinder photo had her legs wrapped up in tape. She'd had bite wounds too. 

Co-sign on all you've said.

 

I was heartbroken to read about Cate at the end of the show.   I didn't get a chance to read Tia's FB post yet;  but I'm going to assume that Balloons and Cate had some endearing times together and that Balloons did her job by comforting Cate in her last moments on this earth.   

Boomer is just a phenomenal dog.  I pray he finds a home soon. 

[Abra]

Quote

Last year, on a live show, they mentioned one of their CA guys who's doing very well as their favorite story. 

I remember seeing a comment on this when that episode aired, but I missed that part of the episode (and they don't include the live shows as options to watch On Demand). Does anyone remember the name of that parolee?

[Rlb8031]

There were two guys one black (Derrick, Darrius???) and one white (I believe his name was Cameron). The first was on the show until the move to LA, even came down for an episode or two but his parole officer wouldn't let him go and he ended up staying in California, and getting a job. Cameron was the kid who Tia was friend with his mom, he started out seemingly doing well in the program, and then he got in trouble again. The judge told him he had to complete all of his graduation requirements or else he was going to jail. He finished up, then immediately started screwing up at the rescue and eventually walked away. He ended up finally getting his act together, got married and had kids and has a job as a firejumper (those guys who fight the big CA fires in the wilderness).

I'm torn on the whole Earl story. I feel like he is a success in that he was an older guy with no education, no skills and no employment history. He was literally unqualified for any job, and the fact that he turned into a guy who can hold a job down every day is a testament to him. Young guys like Matt, Sui, Darrius and some of the others are still at a place in their lives where they can go back to school, learn a skill and take chances on new careers. A 50-year old? He's got far fewer options and a lot of excuses as to why he couldn't do anything more than he's ever done in the past. The fact that Earl hasn't used those excuses, and that he's still trying to live a clean, honest life is definitely something to be celebrated. 

On 1/14/2018 at 9:10 PM, Maharincess said:

I just can't watch anymore, it is just way too sad and even though I know she's much beloved here, I just don't really like Tia all that much. I love, admire and totally respect what she does for dogs, but on a personal level, I just don't like her. I won't go into why because I know I'm the only one here who doesn't love her. 

Curious about this. I don't find her to be personally likable either (as in she doesn't seem like someone who it would be fun to hang out with), but I think that her passion and love of her work is definitely admirable.

[deemac]

I envy Earl.  He's doing a job he loves.

[Bastet]

I think in general this is meant to be a transition, not a permanent job, so most of the time, yes, it's better to move on to something else after a time (assuming something else is available; even off parole, opportunities don't exactly abound), but given the level of responsibility they have given Earl and the stage he's at in his life, in his case I think it's good to still be there after all this time.  It's not just about the dogs, he's also largely in charge of the parolees, so he gets the benefit of being a mentor to some of those guys.  Plus, the consistency and stability is good to help him deal with his addiction.

[Maharincess]

16 hours ago, Rlb8031 said:

There were two guys one black (Derrick, Darrius???) and one white (I believe his name was Cameron). The first was on the show until the move to LA, even came down for an episode or two but his parole officer wouldn't let him go and he ended up staying in California, and getting a job. Cameron was the kid who Tia was friend with his mom, he started out seemingly doing well in the program, and then he got in trouble again. The judge told him he had to complete all of his graduation requirements or else he was going to jail. He finished up, then immediately started screwing up at the rescue and eventually walked away. He ended up finally getting his act together, got married and had kids and has a job as a firejumper (those guys who fight the big CA fires in the wilderness).

 

Curious about this. I don't find her to be personally likable either (as in she doesn't seem like someone who it would be fun to hang out with), but I think that her passion and love of her work is definitely admirable.

I remember Cameron. He was in one of my favorite episodes. It's the one where the mom and her two older daughters wanted a companion for their dog. Tia and Cameron took a couple of dogs to their house for a meet and greet and their dog and the dog Tia brought got into a fight. Cameron handled that fight like a champ and separated the dogs. Another part of that episode made me laugh so hard. Cameron was kind of awkwardly flirting with the daughters and one of them said "geez, why don't you just sniff my butt like a normal person" and Cameron was so embarrassed. It was hilarious. It was sad when he turned into such an asshole and Tia had to fire him. 

There are quite a few reasons why I don't care for Tia, I don't want to go into it because I know that everyone here loves her. I'm sure anything I say, I'll be told all of the reasons why I should like her.  I absolutely respect and admire what she does for dogs though. 

[MonicaM]

On 1/16/2018 at 3:39 PM, Maharincess said:

I remember Cameron. He was in one of my favorite episodes. It's the one where the mom and her two older daughters wanted a companion for their dog. Tia and Cameron took a couple of dogs to their house for a meet and greet and their dog and the dog Tia brought got into a fight. Cameron handled that fight like a champ and separated the dogs. Another part of that episode made me laugh so hard. Cameron was kind of awkwardly flirting with the daughters and one of them said "geez, why don't you just sniff my butt like a normal person" and Cameron was so embarrassed. It was hilarious. It was sad when he turned into such an asshole and Tia had to fire him. 

There are quite a few reasons why I don't care for Tia, I don't want to go into it because I know that everyone here loves her. I'm sure anything I say, I'll be told all of the reasons why I should like her.  I absolutely respect and admire what she does for dogs though. 

Don't feel alone in this.  I'm not a big fan of Tia, but I respect her work, both for the dogs and the parolees.  Several of my animal loving friends feel the same way.  

[Maharincess]

I'm glad I'm not alone on my feelings about her.  I just think she would be a very, very unpleasant person to be around. 

[chenoa333]

Saw the preview for tonight's new episode about the dog found in an abandoned house who was so sick it couldn't even stand up. I'll have to skip watching this one and just check back here with the posters brave enough to watch it. I really want to know but I know its going to make me cry :(

[SRTouch]

2 hours ago, chenoa333 said:

Saw the preview for tonight's new episode about the dog found in an abandoned house who was so sick it couldn't even stand up. I'll have to skip watching this one and just check back here with the posters brave enough to watch it. I really want to know but I know its going to make me cry :(

Know what you mean, it's heartbreaking to see when some people, sometimes accidently but also often purposely,  inflict pain on animals. What really gets me is when the animal, who has every right to lash out at humans, realizes that these humans are there to help. We saw that recently with the poor beat up dog with terribly infected, swollen, and no doubt painful, wounds. At first he growled at Tia, but then realized she wanted to help and gave a tail wag... 

[nitrofishblue]

I see so much of this every week. I have been a volunteer at the local SPCA since 2002. I founded our photo teams. I see a constant parade of dogs who have every right to hate people yet the they are extremely forgiving. I have reached the point where I love dogs more than people.

[EyewatchTV211]

On 1/17/2018 at 6:01 PM, Maharincess said:

I'm glad I'm not alone on my feelings about her.  I just think she would be a very, very unpleasant person to be around. 

I don't really have an opinion about her personally one way or the other. I'm a newer viewer of the show, although I have probably seen most eps. through repeats now. But I don't follow them on social media at all and haven't gone back to everything here. I just enjoy (mostly) the show when I can see amazing dogs get homes and I appreciate what they are trying to do with the parolees.

[Rlb8031]

5 hours ago, chenoa333 said:

Saw the preview for tonight's new episode about the dog found in an abandoned house who was so sick it couldn't even stand up. I'll have to skip watching this one and just check back here with the posters brave enough to watch it. I really want to know but I know its going to make me cry :(

Actually, it wasn't as bad as it seemed. A family found her and brought her into their home. They didn't realize she was pregnant, she went into labor and couldn't deliver all the pups. They family called VRC after she had been in labor for 24 hours. When Tanya got there, she had delivered two healthy puppies and had just delivered two that were already dead. They got the mom and the puppies, rushed her to the vet where they discovered a third pup that had still not been delivered. They were able to induce contractions and the mom passed the third which also was not alive. Mom bounced back after the last pup was delivered, and they were able to put her back with the two surviving puppies who were able to nurse ultimately. All three are happy and healthy at the rescue.

[jaimesommers]

I was glad to see mama doggie able to get Dr. Kristen’s help with her last puppy and then so joyously reunite with the two puppies who lived. 

 

No parolees on this episode, though. Maybe that’s why I don’t watch this show as much as I used to - I liked hearing their stories and following their progress as they worked on creating new lives for themselves. 

[EyewatchTV211]

13 hours ago, Rlb8031 said:

Actually, it wasn't as bad as it seemed. A family found her and brought her into their home. They didn't realize she was pregnant, she went into labor and couldn't deliver all the pups. They family called VRC after she had been in labor for 24 hours. When Tanya got there, she had delivered two healthy puppies and had just delivered two that were already dead. They got the mom and the puppies, rushed her to the vet where they discovered a third pup that had still not been delivered. They were able to induce contractions and the mom passed the third which also was not alive. Mom bounced back after the last pup was delivered, and they were able to put her back with the two surviving puppies who were able to nurse ultimately. All three are happy and healthy at the rescue.

A different dog, that I don't think was shown in the previews, didn't make it though. So it wasn't all happy news this ep. I'm glad they don't reveal that sort of news from the vet's office, though. For some reason when it is a little more removed, like we hear about it on the phone with visuals of the rescue in the background, it isn't as hard to take as I expect it to be. Although I am still sad, of course.

[SRTouch]

42 minutes ago, VMepicgrl said:

A different dog, that I don't think was shown in the previews, didn't make it though.

Yes, still sad, but not nearly as bad in that the puppy didn't die due to neglect or cruelty. Still an element of neglect, in that the puppy had never received any of its shots or been seen by a vet... and I highly doubt the puppy's gasping and shortness of brief had only gone on for a couple weeks. Still, owner eventually brought the puppy where it had a chance, instead of just dumping it... sucks that it had a congenital defect that even surgery had little hope of repairing.

Edited January 21, 2018 by SRTouch

[Bastet]

I was so mad at Hotep's owner; the dog was so young, that wasn't a situation of someone having a pet, then life going to hell for her so she could no longer afford to care for the dog; she never did a damn thing from day one.  No shots, not fixed, and then after weeks of suffering, she made him someone else's problem to deal with.  At least he wound up with the good people at Cypress Lake in his final hours.

I like that Jasco's owner was totally sold on adopting him once she learned he'd been passed over a few times, saying he may not have a flashy personality that would grab a lot of people, but he has the perfect personality for her.

Xena taking care of her puppies was really cute, and her face in the update photo at the end was adorable.

I liked seeing M2 in a Rosie the Riveter shirt.  And I love Moe and Lizzy making their departed dogs part of the baby's room.  I like that they, just like Tania feels about Bluie not being here to meet her daughter, really wish Monster and Jack could be part of this big event in their lives.