Straight Outta Swampton

Issue #42

We Havenโ€™t Gone Anywhereโ€”Weโ€™re Just on YouTube! ๐ŸŽฅ๐Ÿพ

We keep hearing how much you all miss usโ€”but donโ€™t worry, weโ€™re still here, doing what weโ€™ve always done: rescuing, rehabbing, and loving on dogs that need us most.

While we may not be on TV anymore, you can still follow the journey!
๐Ÿถ The Dogs of VRC now have their very own YouTube channel โ€“ VRCDogs!
From rescues and rehab stories to daily life at the rescue, youโ€™ll find everything dog-related right there.

And donโ€™t worryโ€”Tiaโ€™s still doing her thing!
She has her own YouTube channel and a growing Patreon platform, where she shares an even deeper, behind-the-scenes look at her life and the work sheโ€™s so passionate about.

๐Ÿ’› Tia absolutely adores her Patron fam and is working hard to give them exclusive access, updates, and content you wonโ€™t find anywhere else.

So if youโ€™ve been missing usโ€”come hang out online!
๐Ÿ“บ Subscribe to VRCDogs on YouTube
๐Ÿ”” Follow Tia on YouTube and Patreon for all the extras

You can find all the places to follow us on social media, where to donate and so much more on our LinkTree below!

๐‘ฎ๐’๐’๐’… ๐‘ด๐’๐’“๐’๐’Š๐’๐’ˆ ๐‘ฝ๐’Š๐’๐’๐’‚๐’๐’๐’ƒ๐’๐’” โ˜€๏ธ

๐ƒ๐ข๐ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ ๐ฆ๐ข๐ฌ๐ฌ Saturday ๐ฆ๐จ๐ซ๐ง๐ข๐ง๐ โ€™๐ฌ ๐ฅ๐ข๐ฏ๐ž ๐ž๐ฉ๐ข๐ฌ๐จ๐๐ž ๐จ๐Ÿ ๐†๐จ๐จ๐ ๐Œ๐จ๐ซ๐ง๐ข๐ง๐  ๐•๐ข๐ฅ๐ฅ๐š๐ฅ๐จ๐›๐จ๐ฌ? 

You can rewatch the last 2 episodes here!

This is a new weekly morning talk show where Katie and Jenna dive into everything happening at VRC: rescues, volunteer opportunities, our latest merch, what Tiaโ€™s working on, and so much more. You can catch them live on TikTok and YouTube, but donโ€™t worry if you canโ€™t watch them live we will have it recorded and posted for later!

๐‘ฐ๐’‡ ๐’š๐’๐’– ๐’˜๐’‚๐’๐’• ๐’•๐’‰๐’† ๐’Š๐’๐’”๐’Š๐’…๐’† ๐’”๐’„๐’๐’๐’‘ ๐’๐’ ๐’‚๐’๐’ ๐’•๐’‰๐’Š๐’๐’ˆ๐’” ๐‘ฝ๐’Š๐’๐’๐’‚๐’๐’๐’ƒ๐’๐’”โ€”๐’‘๐’‚๐’”๐’•, ๐’‘๐’“๐’†๐’”๐’†๐’๐’•, ๐’‚๐’๐’… ๐’‡๐’–๐’•๐’–๐’“๐’†โ€”๐’‹๐’๐’Š๐’ ๐‘ฒ๐’‚๐’•๐’Š๐’† ๐’‚๐’๐’… ๐‘ฑ๐’†๐’๐’๐’‚ ๐’†๐’—๐’†๐’“๐’š ๐‘บ๐’‚๐’•๐’–๐’“๐’…๐’‚๐’š ๐’‚๐’• 9๐’‚๐’Ž ๐’‡๐’๐’“ ๐‘ฎ๐’๐’๐’… ๐‘ด๐’๐’“๐’๐’Š๐’๐’ˆ ๐‘ฝ๐’Š๐’๐’๐’‚๐’๐’๐’ƒ๐’๐’”!

A Rescue Turns into Recovery This Week

A Harsh Reality at Michoud Blvd ๐Ÿ’”๐Ÿพ

This past week, Tia received a call from a DOTD worker about two beautiful dogs dumped at one of the most heartbreaking places in New Orleans: Michoud Blvd.

This area has been a notorious dumping ground for decadesโ€”a place we often call "hell on earth" for abandoned dogs. Without rescue, their fate is tragically sealed.

Despite our efforts, we have not yet located the two dogs. But our dedicated DOTD contact continues to monitor the area, and we remain on standby, ready to act the moment theyโ€™re spotted.

Meanwhile, Jenna, Katie, Perry, and Kyle recovered the body of a young Rottweiler, bringing him to the vet so he could be cremated with dignity. They also discovered the remains of six other dogs, making this week especially devastating for our team.

Jenna and Katie went live during their search to share this harsh reality with you allโ€”because these stories, as painful as they are, need to be told.

๐ŸŽฅ If you missed the livestream, we encourage you to watch and share. Awareness saves lives.

This was one of the hardest weeks we've had in a long timeโ€”but we won't stop fighting for the voiceless.

the two dogs we are hoping to find soon

  Volunteering is BACK โ€“ & Better Than Ever! ๐Ÿพ๐Ÿ™Œ

Weโ€™re so excited to welcome volunteers again to our beautiful property in Assumption Parish! Whether youโ€™ve volunteered with us before or youโ€™re brand new, weโ€™d love to have you join us.

๐Ÿ—“๏ธ Volunteer days are currently Saturdays only
๐Ÿ“ Location: VRC in Assumption Parish, Louisiana
๐Ÿ“ง RSVP by emailing: [email protected]
๐Ÿ• Please RSVP no more than 1 week in advance

Come get dog-tired, meet our amazing dogs, and be part of the work that keeps VRC going strong. Trust usโ€”itโ€™s worth it. ๐Ÿ’›

OUR FIRST EVER RAFFLES

Tickets are $10, and for the first giveaway, it's a "SPEND THE DAY WITH ME/TIA TORRES"

Well, this could get interesting BUT here's the cool part...THERE WILL BE THREE WINNING NAMES PICKED!!!

Tia will draw the winning names on June 21st (more info is on the tickets after purchase), and she will do it on Facebook, YouTube & TikTok "live"

YOU ASKED AND WE LISTENED:

Win a lunch/dinner date with two of the smoothest "criminals" ever! Earl and Toney Converse will take the lucky winners out for day/night on the town and show off their Southern hospitality. Bring your empty belly and your phone for lots of selfies!

THERE WILL BE THREE WINNERS!!! Once the names have been drawn, the winners can pick the best date for their schedules. We are not able to pay for transportation here, but we will cover the amazing lunch or dinner and your time with the two guys who made the word "parolee" a positive thing.

The Big Easy Boyz will be picking the three winning names on:

JUNE 21st @ noon (central time)

Raffle tickets are $10, and all monies go to the dogs!

We will draw the names "live" on Facebook, YouTube, & TikTok.

  WE HAD A HUGE MERCH BLOWOUT SALE  

We are trying to empty out our store so that we can bring in some new designs! EVERYTHING is on sale for as low as $15.00. You all AMAZED US, and really showed up, so we have extended this sale until the end of the week!

All orders must be in by Friday (May 9th) to have your shirts signed! Tia (& some guests) will be signing orders Saturday LIVE!

Where:

Date & Time: 

Saturday May 10th @ Noon-ish (central time)

Help us empty those shelves so we can finally share all of our new merch ideas with you! We are excited https://vrcstore.dog/

Slobbers and Drools,

Tia Torres

Transport Partners Help Save Lives! 

Another Big Trip for Some Lucky Pups! ๐Ÿš๐Ÿพ

Weโ€™re thrilled to share that another amazing group of dogs made their way to our newer rescue partner, Cocoโ€™s Heart Dog Rescue in Wisconsin this week! These sweethearts are now one step closer to finding their forever homes. ๐Ÿ’›

Meet the travelers:

๐Ÿถ Violet & Liberla โ€“ two of our lovable Beagles
๐Ÿถ Bistro โ€“ a long-haired hound mix with charm to spare
๐Ÿถ Gold & Nickel โ€“ some cute little pups
๐Ÿถ Mussel & Pummel โ€“ two more cute little puppies
๐Ÿถ Banjo โ€“ the big guy with a bigger heart

We're so grateful for our rescue partners who help give these pups the second chance they deserve. Safe travels and happy tails, friends! ๐Ÿพโค๏ธ

Join our 90 Dog Fianceโ€™ Program

We are excited for another group of dogs to make their way into foster homes soon! Fostering is an amazing opportunity to help dogs in need, and be apart of their journey. We only ask to foster our dogs for 90 days (hence the name 90 dog fiancรฉ), you will be added to a private Facebook group and be able to communicate with us at VRC about your foster pup! You will also be first in line to say โ€œI doโ€ if you choose to adopt!

This is a volunteer opportunity (but you do get a 90 Dog Fiance t-shirt!) and we cover ALL expenses for our dog. If anyone is interested, please email us, and we will send you an application so that we can get to know more about your situation and hopefully make the right match!

Thank you for being part of their journey ๐Ÿพ 

โค๏ธ Are you in the Midwest area to the Northeast? Can you foster? 
๐Ÿ“ฉ Message us [email protected] to learn more!

THE ADOPTABLES

These dogs are currently available for adoption.

If they have a virtual adopter- that means that their adoption fee has been covered by one of our amazing virtual adopters! If they do not have a virtual adopter- and you would like to sponsor their adoption fee for an approved application let us know!

Big News: Atkins Is Now Available for Adoption! ๐Ÿพโค๏ธ

Thatโ€™s rightโ€”our boy Atkins has officially joined our list of adoptables! After spending time as a sponsorship dog since returning to us, heโ€™s now ready to find a forever home.

Atkins is a very special soul, and he means the world to us. Because of that, Tia will be extremely selective when it comes to choosing the perfect homeโ€”he deserves nothing less than the absolute best.

๐Ÿ’Œ Sponsors, donโ€™t worry!
You can absolutely continue sponsoring Atkins while he awaits his perfect match. If youโ€™d prefer to switch your sponsorship to another dog, just email Katie and let her know. If we donโ€™t hear from you, your donation will go to the pup most in need at that time. If you would like to be Atkins personal Virtual Adopter- email Katie email [email protected]

Letโ€™s find this incredible boy the forever home heโ€™s been waiting for. ๐Ÿ’™

Hicks โ€“ Living the Good Life! ๐Ÿพ๐Ÿ›๏ธ๐ŸŽพ

Let us introduce Hicksโ€”our sassy, spoiled king whoโ€™s fully embraced the good life! ๐Ÿ‘‘

Once abandoned and left tied to our picnic table in the rain, Hicks has long put those days behind him. Now? Itโ€™s all fluffy blankets, tasty treats, yard time, and naps on demand. And honestly, he deserves every bit of it.

Hicks is:
๐ŸŽพ A self-entertaining ball chaser
๐Ÿ›‹๏ธ A professional napper
๐Ÿ— A certified treat connoisseur
๐Ÿ’โ€โ™‚๏ธ Full of sass and personality

He prefers to be the only pet in the homeโ€”no small pets or cats, pleaseโ€”but he does well with older, respectful kids. If youโ€™re looking for a one-of-a-kind companion who will keep you smiling, Hicks might just be your guy.

Ready to spoil Hicks like heโ€™s already royalty? Apply for Hicks 

(His adoption fee is covered by his Virtual Adopter)

Smitty the Pitty โ€“ From Surviving to Thriving ๐Ÿ’ช๐Ÿพ

Meet Smitty, also lovingly known as Smithโ€”a resilient little pittie with a heart full of love. ๐Ÿ’—

Smith came to us in horrific condition, rescued by a kind New Orleans police officer who refused to look the other way. She had a long road to recovery, both physically and emotionally, but sheโ€™s come through it all with grace, strength, and sweetness.

Now healed and thriving, Smith has blossomed into a beautiful, affectionate girl. Sheโ€™s a little shy at firstโ€”but can you blame her after all sheโ€™s been through? Once she warms up, sheโ€™s all about snuggles and quiet companionship.

Hereโ€™s what makes Smith special:
๐Ÿพ Petite pittie (under 50 lbs)
๐Ÿ‘ง Great with older kids
๐Ÿถ Prefers to be the only dog
๐ŸŒฟ Loves to explore and soak in the world
๐Ÿ›‹๏ธ A cuddle bug at heart

Smith is ready for her happily ever afterโ€”could it be with you?

Interested in adopting or virtually adopting Smith? Check out her profile & in touchโ€”weโ€™d love to tell you more about this special girl.

Adoptable Senior Spotlight

All dogs featured in this section are apart of our Senior Dog Program which means: all dogs adoption fees are covered and all of their medical care is covered for life.

Meet Jubilee โ€“ Our Overlooked Gem ๐Ÿ’Ž๐Ÿพ

Sweet Jubilee has been with us for years. Despite her loving nature and wonderful personality, she continues to be overlooked.

Yes, Jubilee needs to be the only pet in the home, but what she offers in return is pure gold. Sheโ€™s a total love bugโ€”affectionate, loyal, and full of joy. Her whole face lights up when she sees her favorite people, and she lives for snuggles, belly rubs, and one-on-one time. I mean, look at that smile!

We know the perfect home is out there for her. But until then, you can help support her as a Virtual Adopter. ๐Ÿ’Œ If youโ€™re interested in becoming Jubileeโ€™s Virtual Adopter, please email us.

Sweet Senior Spotlight: Cootie ๐Ÿพ๐Ÿค

Say hello to Cootieโ€”our speckled senior sweetheart whoโ€™s been waiting far too long for her forever person. She's been overlooked for years, but we know her someone is out there. ๐Ÿ’ซ

Cootie struggles with anxiety, which makes her a tougher placement. She especially needs comfort during storms, when she just wants to snuggle up and watch TV with her people. But once she trusts you, youโ€™ll discover a loyal, gentle soulwho simply wants to be near her humans.

Sheโ€™s all about the simple pleasures:
๐Ÿ• Walks
๐Ÿš— Car rides
๐ŸŒณ Lounging in the yard
๐Ÿฆด Chewing on her Nylabone while keeping you company
๐Ÿฅถ Frozen peanut butter Kongs are her favorite treat!

Cootie is crate trained and does best in a calm, understanding home where she can feel safe, loved, and never alone for too long.

We know she wonโ€™t be the right dog for everyoneโ€”but for the right person, sheโ€™ll be everything. ๐Ÿ’›

Interested in adopting or virtually sponsoring Cootie? Check out her profile or reach outโ€”weโ€™d love to tell you more about her.

Interested in other adoptable dogs at Villalobos? Click below!

  Want to help a VRC dog but can't bring another pooch into your home?  

Check out two of our favorite programs here at VRC!

Our Virtual Adoption program is for our adoptable dogs- when you virtually adopt you are sponsoring their adoption fee of $300 so when that perfect adoption application comes along it is covered! We currently have over 115 dogs in our V.A program and itโ€™s a favorite among everyone at VRC!

Go to the website https://www.vrcpitbull.com/dogs/ and pick out a dog who isnโ€™t already virtually adopted and then email us for more information. [email protected]

Our Sponsorship program is for our dogs who are deemed unadaptable for behavioral or severe medical issues. We also have added our Wolf-dogs, as well as our Kajun Kitties to this program!

VRC SPONSORSHIP PROGRAM

At Villalobos Rescue Center, we are dedicated to provide lifelong care and love to dogs and cats that face significant medical or behavioral challenges , making them unlikely candidates for adoption. Our Sponsorship Program offers a meaningful way for our supporters to contribute to the well-being of these โ€œlifersโ€ through monthly donations. While becoming a sponsor, you help us with the essential care, as well as medical costs.

VRC dog sponsors get access to a private Facebook group moderated by Tia, Katie & Jenna.

 ๐ŸพMelon Needs Sponsors๐Ÿพ

Melon has been with us for years and while he's full of personality and charm, he's also one of our more challenging placement cases due to his anxiety and dog reactivity. Because of this, he's found stability and happiness with us, thanks to a dedicated team who have carefully crafted a routine that suits him perfectly.

Recently, Melon was diagnosed with Cushingโ€™s disease, which requires monthly medication and more frequent vet checkups to manage. As his medical needs increase, so do the costs of his careโ€”which is why weโ€™ve added him to our sponsorship program.

By sponsoring Melon, you're helping us provide the consistent care, medication, and love he needs to live his best life. ๐Ÿ’š

Thank you for supporting our long-term residents like Melon. He may not be easy to place, but heโ€™s easy to love.

Big News from Kajun Kitties! ๐Ÿพ

A young cat recently showed up at the home of one of our wonderful employees. With patience, care, and a few tasty meals, she gained the kittyโ€™s trust while we waited for space to open up. Last Thursday, we were finally able to bring her inโ€”and to our surprise, she was very pregnant!

Just two days later, on Saturday morning, this sweet mamaโ€”now lovingly named Mother Gooseโ€”gave us a beautiful surprise: seven tiny, perfect babies!

Weโ€™re so grateful she found her way to us and can now raise her little family in a safe, loving environment. Stay tuned for more updates as these kittens grow!

Our Kajun Kitties have their very own Amazon Wishlist. One wish list if for our current Kajun Kitties in our care, this wish list is called Kajun Kitties Wishlist. The second wishlist is for our TNR community program (TNR Wishlist). This program helps us Trap, Neuter, and Release any community cats, and to make sure they are healthy and unable to add to the current kitten chaos. We have so many amazing people in our community that take on colonies of cats and we love helping our amazing community here in Assumption Parish but we DESPERATELY need supplies and food!

To shop for our Kajun Kitties or our TNR program please go to https://www.vrcpitbull.com/how-you-can-help/wish-list/

Wolf- Dog Sponsor Spotlight: Meet Freya ๐Ÿบ๐ŸŒ™

This weekโ€™s featured wolf-dog in need of sponsors is the stunning Freya! With a wild heart and a powerful story, Freya has finally found peace and safety with us at VRC's beautiful wolf-dog sanctuary in Texas.

Like many of our wolf-dogs, Freya is considered unadoptableโ€”but that doesnโ€™t mean she doesnโ€™t deserve love, care, and support. Thatโ€™s why weโ€™ve officially added all of our wolf-dogs to our sponsorship program.

Your sponsorship helps cover:
๐ŸŒฟ Daily food and enrichment
๐Ÿ› ๏ธ Enclosure maintenance and upgrades
๐Ÿฉบ Ongoing medical care
๐Ÿ’› And most importantly, a lifetime of safety and respect

By sponsoring Freya, youโ€™re not just supporting one animalโ€”youโ€™re helping preserve a safe haven for all our wolf-dogs to live with dignity and freedom.

๐Ÿ‘‰ Follow their journey and check out their very own website, www.vrcwolfdog.com 

Thank you for being part of their wild and wonderful journey. ๐Ÿพ

๐’๐ญ๐ซ๐š๐ฐ๐›๐ž๐ซ๐ซ๐ฒ ๐๐š๐ง๐š๐ง๐š ๐‡๐จ๐ง๐ž๐ฒ ๐ƒ๐ซ๐จ๐ฉ๐ฌ ๐Ÿ๐จ๐ซ ๐ƒ๐จ๐ ๐ฌ

๐Ÿ“๐Ÿฏ

Ingredients:

- 1 ripe banana, mashed ๐ŸŒ

- 1/4 cup strawberries, finely chopped ๐Ÿ“

- 1 tablespoon honey (optional) ๐Ÿฏ

- 1/4 cup rolled oats (optional, for texture) ๐ŸŒพ

Instructions:

1. In a mixing bowl, combine the mashed banana, chopped strawberries, and honey. ๐ŸŒ๐Ÿ“๐Ÿฏ

2. If desired, add rolled oats for extra texture. ๐ŸŒพ

3. Drop spoonfuls of the mixture onto a lined baking sheet. ๐Ÿฅ„

4. Freeze until solid, then transfer to an airtight container for storage in the freezer. โ„๏ธ

These drops make a tasty and refreshing treat for your dog! ๐Ÿถ

 

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