Pit Bulls and Parolees star Tia Torres has thanked fans for raising thousands of dollars to help rescue dogs through the show’s “You Watch. We Give” initiative last week.
The annual event sees Animal Planet paying out donations based on how many people view the special episode.
Tia, the founder of the Villalobos Rescue Center near New Orleans, which helps hundred of dogs and also aids parolees by taking them in as workers at the center, said it would not be able to run without the fans.
She said the money raised would go towards paying the center’s annual $600,000 veterinary bill, and prevention and treatment for the animals.
The special episode aired last week, with the full number of viewers yet to be revealed.
Tia said: “I want to thank all the viewers and especially the fans for tuning into the Watch and Give episode, and making this all possible.
“Without you there would not be a Villalobos Rescue Center.
“With the money raised off the Watch and Give episode we are going to put it towards our never-ending vet bill of over $600,000 a year, and all the heart-room prevention and treatment we do for the dogs.
“With the hundreds of dogs that we now have and the amount of employees and volunteers that it takes, we definitely have a big operation going here.
“And we do absolutely rely on donations of every form. So, without you all this would not be happening.
“So thank you. Major hugs, major kisses, major dirty paws out to everybody.”
This week’s Pit Bulls & Parolees sees Tia and Sugar rescue a stray, but have to rush him to the veterinary clinic after being stunned by what they find.
Meanwhile, new worker Darius moves closer to his dream of working in the world of veterinary medicine, and a potential adopter looks for a dog to give a forever home…
Pit Bulls & Parolees airs Saturdays at 9/8c on Animal Planet.