pitbulls and paroless

[crazedACD]

Originally Posted by AdrianneIsabel

I'm not sure about breeding but I know for a fact several good hearted and hard working rescue friends have been really pushed around by her. They caravaned for her from CA to LA and were treated badly then, they brushed it off as stress and went to help again during one of the storms/settling in but again they were treated like crap.

Then a friend was collecting kennels which I donated 3 to and got them returned with a nasty response along the lines of don't you know pit bulls need big kennels and not these small things? I turned around and redonated them to a local rescue who sold two and kept one for puppy transports, they were very gracious.

Meh, a bit of decorum goes a long way. It's hard to stay civil and keep your friends & help when you're drowning but its easier to stay afloat when you have help.

Interesting.

You know, I can't find like...anything about the operation through google. The worst I found was people debating her move to Tehachapi. Some said she has a bad history (as you are saying). I can find more negative stuff about Best Friends (and Best Friends > Villalobos, IMO, though neither are perfect).

I think she has a reasonable idea/operation but too many dogs for her to manage the way it is. Doesn't seem like it would take much to tip the apple cart there (especially financially).

[AdrianneIsabel]

http://www.spencerdailyreporter.com/...fe/entry/50781

An on-topic read

[Tahla9999]

The idea of these pit bulls living months and years in a kennel with limited interaction is saddening. From what I've seen from the show, the reason why new volunteers don't enter the kennels is because of the risk that a newbie might let one slip out and cause a kennel fight. Still, dogs NEED that interaction. I don't watch her show anymore because I cringe every time I see her get a dog while battling with the question should she or should she not because her resources are limited. I'm not surprised that she is now keeping dogs in crates because almost every episode she constantly states that she can't add anymore, but than she gets more and more.

I do like the fact that she wants to give pit bulls a second chance and that she is very picky on who she gives the dogs to. She doesn't sugar coat their possibility of DA at all. But for pit bulls sake, keep a smaller number of dogs and focus on the many dogs you already have.

[kady05]

What a sad article.. although I can't say I'm surprised.

I do still watch the show, I'm not sure why, but I do. What I don't get is why she acts almost like animal control? People call her about loose dogs and she goes and picks them up then keeps them at her facility.. WTF? I think there was only one time (on the show) where she actually took the loose dog to AC in case its owner came to claim it. After it's stray hold she went and picked him up to take to Villalobos. Half the time when she does this, they're not even Pit Bull type dogs.

I mean, I get wanting to help them but I find myself saying "Isn't that AC's job? Don't you have enough dogs to deal with?" All the while she's ranting about how money is so tight, etc.. makes zero sense.

[Miakoda]

It's called a "power-hungry hoarder".

[-bogart-]

i decided to stop by and volunteer without the kids. The security guard ran me off. I will not go back or recommend them to anyone.

Especially with the whole lets half ass train some service dogs. She is also rude on her facebook page. I am so not impressed, which sucks as I really wanted to help.

[Tazwell]

I'm not defending Villalobos here, but I don't really understand the complaint of the writer... It seemed like she was saying "we only got to walk and play with the crated dogs and SOME of the kennels dogs, but we wanted to enrich the lives of the dogs in those other kennels." That's really the only reason she gave for hating the experience... That and she had to clean kennels. Though I think it would be better if the staff cleaned the kennels while the volunteers handled the dogs!

On a similar note, I got a chance to meet Tia this weekend at her "P" word tour. And one of the things that she talked about was the dogs being in a kennel environment for so long. She emphasized very strongly that the dogs need a calm environment to keep from getting kennel crazy, so they work very, very hard at keeping the dogs calm. No excessive barking, and they train them not to react to the other dogs walking by. The newer dogs are not moved from the 'back' building to the main building until they learn this, supposedly. She said that aside from training, they play music and use essences like lavender in the building.

I suppose it might be true, because the dogs are never going crazy when you see them on the show. Dogs being happy in a kennel environment was a big part of her 'seminar'.

*ETA* there were definitely a few things that I had to disagree with, though, and a few things that boggled me.

[AdrianneIsabel]

I'm sorry but dulling out a dog does not make it happy. Shamoo, because of the pain she is in after rigorous exercise, is reinforced to be calm and quiet all of the time in the crate. I guarantee she'd much rather bounce, bark, chase, play, walk, and swim.

Calm is healthier and less stressful but by no means do I think it makes a happy dog.

Then again I'm pretty against kennel life in the same way most are against chain life pending a lack of time out/off for exercise and stimuli.

[Tazwell]

I totally agree with you there, thats almost abusive to keep a dog subdued and kenneles for its whole life. They're pit bulls, for pete's sake! at least they make an effort to keep the kennel crazies away.

On the other hand, there are worse possibilities out there. Like Spindle top, or just plain uncaring owners.

[Wickgaga]

Originally Posted by -bogart-

i decided to stop by and volunteer without the kids. The security guard ran me off. I will not go back or recommend them to anyone.

Especially with the whole lets half ass train some service dogs. She is also rude on her facebook page. I am so not impressed, which sucks as I really wanted to help.

Do you know how you go about being a volunteer works there? Just wondering as at our local shelter, you have to sign up to go through orientation & training before you can come volunteer.