Original title
Pit Bulls and Parolees
Released
10/30/2009
Origin country
US
Genre
Documentary, Drama, Reality
Production companies
44 Blue Productions, Rive Gauche Television
Status
Ended
Number of seasons
19
Number of episodes
210
Follow Tia Torres, founder of Villalobos Rescue Center, and her family as they rehabilitate both felons and ill-reputed pit bulls who come together to rescue one another from their dim pasts, and bring new meaning to life.
The second season takes a deeper look into Villalobos Rescue and the manner in which Tia runs the center and the Underdawgz program, while raising twin sons Kanani and Keli'I and daughters Tania and Mariah, who look to take a more active role in the center. In addition, season two dives into pasts of key the members of the "Underdawgz" - like Jake and Armando - and their current struggles as they fight for the pit bulls and themselves to convert their notorious reputations.
In the third season, pit bulls and owners in need compel Tia and her dedicated team to head across the nation. Despite her own struggles to keep Villalobos up and running, Tia and Tania take an emotional trip to Alabama to help another canine rescue deal with the aftermath of a devastating tornado. Jake and Armando, now off parole, are given the opportunity of a lifetime when they head across the country solo to rescue two feral pit bulls that lost a battle with a porcupine. Adopters of all kinds, from a group of fun-loving bachelors to a mother and daughter duo with hearts of gold, open their homes to pit bulls in need. Emotions run high this season as Tia saves a gentle giant from spending his final days in an animal shelter. And in one of the most shocking adoptions Tia has ever witnessed, a habitually aggressive dog is instantly transformed the moment she reunites with her former owner. Finally, old and new members of Torres' team come together to witness one of Villalobos' best success stories, Armando, wed the love of his life.
Tia Torres has spent the last 20 years of her life in California building Villalobos, the largest pit bull rescue in the United States. But insurmountable issues with the local community and government drove her to make the life-altering decision to leave her home state. New Orleans has one of the highest populations of pit bulls in the country with many of them living on the streets. Louisiana also has the highest number of parolees of almost any state. It's seemingly the perfect place for Villalobos' new home, but change doesn't come easy.
The first year in New Orleans hasn't been easy. The fifth season finds Torres in a completely re-established Villalobos in the heart of the New Orleans' ninth ward. The city offers even more stories of rescue and rehabilitation including a mission involving a protective mama dog and her litter of seven puppies and Tia's dangerous retrieval of two stray pit bulls hiding beneath a precarious two-ton pile of lumber. This season, Tia and her staff are confronted with more cases of dog abuse and dog fighting than ever before. With bigger and more dangerous rescues, Tia, along with her family and parolees, will stop at nothing until peace is restored in "The Big Easy."
Villalobos has quickly become a community stronghold in New Orleans, with people leaving dogs at her doorstep on a regular basis. Despite having a full house in the Lower Ninth Ward and numerous overflow facilities, Tia has opened the doors to include more breeds than ever, and the financial strains have her at a breaking point, leading Tia to open a local bar as a way to raise more money for the rescue. In season six, Tia rescues fighting dogs from constant abuse and works hand in hand with local law enforcement to remove chained pit bulls during a police raid. As the work continues to pile up, Tia must find trustworthy help and her irreplaceable parolee, Earl, who is about to get off parole, may have found one solution to her problem. Tia's daughters and adopted twin sons continue to be committed to Villalobos. And a hard-working employee makes the transition from inmate on work release to parolee, while Tania's "honeymoon" with her new husband, Perry, has been spent helping her mom keep her head above water.
In the seventh season, Tia's children - Tania, Mariah, Kanani and Keli'i aka Moe - along with their significant others take on more proactive day-to-day roles at Villalobos. Because satellite locations are spread among blistering Louisiana swamps and the resilient neighborhoods of the Ninth Ward, all hands are on deck to accommodate the constant intake of dogs. In the swamps, the plight of abused and unwanted dogs isn't limited to just pit bulls. Villalobos now has rescued hounds, spaniel mixes, terriers and more. Villalobos favorite Earl contemplates a risky surgery to correct a debilitating prison injury, and parolee Sui embarks on his first rescue. Jackson Galaxy from My Cat From Hell helps Tia rehome 38 feral cats near a massive sinkhole.
Tia suffers a devastating injury that requires her children to step up to keep Villalobos running, and her family's strength is tested in a way it's never been before. For the first time, Tia's kids are forced to manage the parolees, rescues and adoptions on their own. Throughout the season, the rescues featured are more crucial than ever.
After a long recovery from a devastating leg injury, Tia gets back into in full swing and relies on her children, their significant others and the parolees to help keep the ever-expanding rescue center running. Tia fights a never-ending battle that's grown to include dogs of every type and size, in desperate need of help. Many are unwanted pets dumped on the road, found wandering in the swamps, or thrown over the Villalobos gates. It's the reality of running the nation's largest pit bull sanctuary, where each new day brings happiness or heartbreak - and sometimes both.
This season, former adopters return to Villalobos in hopes of finding another dog to add to their family, Lizzy, Tania, and Mariah create a "retirement center" at one of the warehouses to give the senior dogs a special place to call home, and for the first time, the rescue team celebrates their favorite holiday, Halloween, with a special event to benefit the hundreds of dogs in their care. The rescues this season continue to make a lasting impact on the team, from an abandoned dog with a severe skin condition to strays that lead the Villalobos employees on a wild goose chase. And this season, the Villalobos team sees families from Idaho to Florida to Wisconsin, who've opened their hearts and homes for a new family member. Later in the season, Tia partners with Amanda Giese from Amanda to the Rescue.
This website uses TMDB and the TMDB APIs but is not endorsed, certified, or otherwise approved by TMDB.
