Pit Bulls & Parolees is back on Animal Planet this coming January 6 for Season 9.
Watch our exclusive preview below, which shows Tia Torres and her family in action rescuing all sorts of dog breeds; helping some rehabilitate with men who would otherwise be in a gang or committing crimes.
The abused and unwanted dogs of Louisiana and beyond count on the hard work of the Animal Planet star and rescue activist, who is still going strong — but her efforts need your help.
Her Villalobos Rescue Center is hampered by hard costs and is no longer able to take dogs from out of the state of Louisiana.
The number of dogs in Torres’ rescue is staggering, with no dogs turned away from within the parish that houses the Villalobos Rescue Center. But the center receives hundreds of daily requests, and some people even drive to Louisiana from outside the state to ask Tia for help.
The Villalobos Rescue Center is now an all-breed rescue with the main focus on Pit Bulls. This season you will find out a costly addition to their bills is dealing with heartworms, common in the South. They approximate that 99 per cent of the dogs taken in have this pre-existing condition.
It costs up to $500+ per dog to cure them of this invasive parasite. This makes their yearly vet bill climb to over a half a million dollars. The cost to keep their doors open and doctors, rent, medicines, food, kennel upkeep and staff paid is about $70,000 a week.
Fans can help Tia and the center with their costs by donating here.
Enjoy the early Merry Christmas from Animal Planet and Villalobos Rescue Center below — a two-minute teaser for the upcoming season which starts on Saturday, January 6:
Pit Bulls & Parolees begins January 6, 2018 at 8/7c on Animal Planet.