Straight Outta Swampton

Issue #35

โค๏ธ๐ŸพEverything Villalobos in One Place! ๐Ÿพโค๏ธ

Want to follow our journey, support the dogs, or grab some VRC merch? Weโ€™ve made it easyโ€”find ALL our links in one spot!

From our official website and social media pages to donation options and merch, itโ€™s all there! Every follow, share, and contribution helps us continue our mission.

It takes a village, thank you for being part of the VRC family!

โ€œWhereโ€™s Tia?!โ€ โ€“ The Question We Get Asked Most

Ever since Pit Bulls & Parolees went off the air, the number one question we get is: โ€œWhereโ€™s Tia?!โ€ Well, donโ€™t worryโ€”Boss Lady is still here, still fighting for the dogs, and still finding ways to keep Villalobos Rescue Center afloat in a world where the animal rescue community is in crisis. With the show ending, she had to figure out new ways to keep going, and has been working harder than ever to make sure we can continue her mission. If youโ€™re looking for all things Tia, weโ€™ve got you covered! From her different podcasts to our Pit Bulls & Parolees spinoff, Life with the Underdogs, and so much moreโ€”this is where you can stay connected and keep up with everything happening behind the scenes.

The fight isnโ€™t overโ€”itโ€™s just taking on new forms. Thank you for always standing by us!

MERCH IDEAS OVERLOADโ€ฆ.BUT FIRST!

We have SO many exciting new merch ideas brewing, buttttttโ€ฆโ€”we need to clear our shelves!

This is your chance to grab some of our current merch before itโ€™s gone! Every purchase helps support our rescue efforts and the dogs in our care. We have something for everyone!

Shop now & stay tuned for whatโ€™s coming next! ๐Ÿ›’ https://vrcstore.dog/shop

#ShopForACause #VillalobosMerch #MakingRoomForMore

Slobbers and Drools,

Tia Torres

FULL CIRCLE: BACK TO OUR ROOTS

Villalobos Rescue Center started in 1993 with a mission dedicated to rescuing wolves and wolf-dogs. Seven years later, our path took a turn, and we shifted our focus to the misunderstood American Pit Bull Terrier, entrusting the care of our original rescues to another organization.

Who could have guessed that over two decades later, fate would bring us back to where it all began? Life has a way of coming full circle, and now, we find ourselves once again embracing the majestic canines that first led us on this journey.

THE STORY CONTINUESโ€ฆ For the past few years, weโ€™ve been quietly building something truly specialโ€”a breathtaking wolf sanctuary in Texas. If youโ€™ve been following our journey, you probably remember the two most intense rescues involving devastating wolfdog situations. Those moments reinforced our calling and led us back to where it all began.

Now, weโ€™re excited to finally share the progress of this stunning property and introduce you to the magnificent canines who call it home. Welcome to our โ€œVillage of the Wolves.โ€ Stay tunedโ€ฆ this is just the beginning!

TWO MORE HAPPY ENDINGS!

This week, two of our beloved dogs found their forever homes!

Ariat, one of our dedicated prison dogs, officially got his parole and landed himself in an absolutely amazing home! His journey from training to adoption has been incredible, and we couldnโ€™t be happier for him.

Dizzy, a favorite among our volunteer dog walkers, has embarked on a new adventure all the way to Oklahoma! He now has a wonderful family and an older doggy sister to show him the ropes.

Wishing both Ariat and Dizzy the happiest lives aheadโ€”this is what rescue is all about! ๐Ÿ’™๐Ÿก #ForeverHome #RescueSuccess #VillalobosRescue

Ariat and his new family

Dizzy and his new mom

THE ADOPTABLES

๐Ÿพ Welcome Bogo, Spears, Pecan, and Castle to SCI Rockview! ๐Ÿพ

Weโ€™re excited to welcome Bogo, Spears, Pecan, and Castle to our Prison Program at SCI Rockview in PA! These pups are ready to tighten up their basic training, learn some new skills, and get the extra polish they need to find their forever homes. With the dedication of their handlers, theyโ€™ll be ready to be paw-rolled in no time! Stay tuned for updates on their progress. ๐Ÿถ๐Ÿ’™

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 JOHNSON โ€“ 11 YEARS OLD & STILL WAITING FOR HIS PERSON

Johnson has been with us for most of his life. Found running down a busy street near our old New Orleans locationโ€”dumped by the scrap yardโ€”his journey hasnโ€™t been an easy one. Life in the kennels has always been tough for him. More than anything, he craves love, attention, and a person to call his own.

At 11 years old, Johnson is sweet, sensitive, and just wants to be by your side. Heโ€™s the kind of dog who will follow you anywhere, always ready to soak up love and companionship. He doesnโ€™t mind older, calmer kids but prefers to be the only pet in your family. Could you be the one to finally give Johnson the home heโ€™s been waiting for? ๐Ÿ’™

#AdoptJohnson #ForeverHomeNeeded #SeniorDogsRock #VillalobosRescue

MEET FELONY- 9 YEARS YOUND & FULL OF LOVE!

Felonyโ€™s story is a heartbreaking oneโ€”after her owner passed away, his mother was unable to care for the multiple dogs he left behind. When we found them, they were living in unsavory conditions, and we didnโ€™t hesitate to bring them into our rescue.

Despite it all, Felony (or โ€œFellyBellyButtonโ€ as her caregivers call her) has the sweetest soul. She absolutely loves making new dog friends and still has plenty of energyโ€”youโ€™d never guess sheโ€™s a senior with the way she bounces and trots around!

Now, she just needs one more thingโ€”a forever home. Could it be with you? ๐Ÿ’™

#AdoptFelony #SeniorsDeserveLoveToo #ForeverHomeNeeded #VillalobosRescue

Interested in other adoptable dogs at Villalobos? Click below!

๐Ÿ’ปVIRTUAL ADOPTERS UNITE๐Ÿ’ป

Well here's your chance to "adopt" a VRC dog and help us bring him/her one step closer to getting a forever home of their own.

Virtually adopt a VRC dog and getโ€ฆ

โ€ขA welcome email

โ€ขYour name under their bio on the website!

โ€ขThe ability to send your dog care packages

โ€ขAn invite to the exclusive VRC virtual adoption group page where you will get inside information, pictures and updates and much more!

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]

MEET FUDGE

๐ŸถWhat is the name of your company and what do you do?

Weโ€™re Sphero! We make programmable robots, hands-on STEM learning tools, and supporting curricula that make school fun for kids in grades PK through 12th grade.

๐ŸถWhat inspired your company to virtually adopt a dog from VRC?

We're an animal-loving bunch here at Sphero. Since we're a virtual company, with just our Warehouse and Hong Kong teams on-site, our Slack channels are where the day-to-day action happens. We have a channel called "Aww" where everyone shares pictures of their adorable critters โ€“ fur babies (and some human babies), scales, fins, you name it! That's actually where I first mentioned Dutchess and the VRC program. It turns out that we have quite a few Pittie fans among us. People were excited about the program, and someone suggested we virtually adopt a dog for our team. That sparked a whole wave of enthusiasm!

๐ŸถDid any team members already know about VRC or Pitbulls and Parolees?

There are quite a few fans on our team, for sure! I am fortunate enough to VA Dutchess and sponsor Sugar Plum and Kenai. Others on the team are familiar with Pitbulls and Parolees.

๐ŸถHow did you select the dog you virtually adopted and why?

Realizing we would have more resources with more people, we decided to go with a larger and/or more senior dog so we could spoil them. Since the Sphero mission supports kids' education, we also searched for a cute name. After many of us took a look at the pups, the team trusted me (Jamie) to choose some options, and then we voted. Fudge was our choice! We had a hard time voting, and many people said it was the hardest thing we did that day โ€“ha! We wanted all of them.

๐ŸถHow does this adoption align with your companyโ€™s values and mission?

One of our core values as a company is to be Changemakers. While animal rescue is outside the realm of what we do professionally at Sphero, VRC is making a change, and that aligns with what we strive to do daily.

๐ŸถWhat impact do you hope to make by supporting VRC and its rescue efforts?

This started as an initiative to give back in a way that aligns with something many folks at Sphero are passionate about โ€“ we wanted to help dogs in need. It provides an outlet for our team members to support animal rescue in a low-lift way, which may inspire them to get more involved in their local rescue communities. It would also be great if other companies started doing this to spread the impact further!

๐ŸถHow does your team plan to stay engaged with the dogโ€™s journey and updates?

I (Jamie) am leading this effort and will monitor and share the updates from the Facebook page with the team in our dedicated Slack channel for Fudge.

๐ŸถHow do you encourage employees to participate in or feel connected to this adoption?

The group that wanted to contribute to this VA all participated in choosing Fudge and chose to be involved in the VA program. Continuing to send updates on Fudge to them will help them feel connected and engaged with this pup. We will also open this to the rest of the company if anyone else wants to send treats to Fudge. He will be our โ€œofficeโ€ pup in a virtual environment like we all are at Sphero.

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.

Melon

This sweet senior has faced many challenges, and recently, heโ€™s been feeling unwell. After tests and vet visits, weโ€™ve received the tough newsโ€”Melon has been diagnosed with Cushingโ€™s disease.

Melonโ€™s journey hasnโ€™t been easy. His severe anxiety and dog reactivity have made it difficult to find the right home. He resides in a satellite location with amazing staff that have learned different ways to give him comfort in these golden years. Melon thrives on routine and enrichment and we are grateful to have our experienced staff that take the extra steps to help our anxious dogs.

Sponsoring Melon, would not only help us with his essentials, but also his medical care and medication.

๐ŸˆThe Kajun Kitties๐Ÿˆ

As part of our ongoing TNR efforts, we recently trapped these two beautiful cats, Wisteria and Lark. Right now, weโ€™re getting all their medical care taken care of and learning more about their personalities. While itโ€™s still early, theyโ€™re showing signs that they might just be adoptableโ€”so stay tuned!

Lark

Wisteria

In the meantime, our Kajun Kitties could use some extra support! Weโ€™re in need of adult Purina cat food and, as always, Tidy Cats litter to keep these kitties comfortable. Every little bit helps! If youโ€™d like to send supplies our way, weโ€™d be so grateful. Thank you for supporting our feline friends!

Special Soul Looking for a Second Chance

PJ is a stunning 3-year-old Siamese who came to us in 2022 under heartbreaking circumstances. He was deeply loved by his elderly bed bound owner, but when her aid bailed on her, she no longer could care for him, and he and his feline companions were left in a difficult situation. A welfare check was done after neighbors became concerned which led to her receiving the care she desperately needed but unfortunately this left her cats behind and their future unknown. We made a promise to her that PJ would be well cared for, no matter how long it took to find him the right home. At first, PJ was very scared and unsure of his new surroundings but this past year, he has truly blossomed. While he may never be the cuddliest cat, he would make a wonderful companion for someone with a calm home who understands that heโ€™ll need time to adjust to house life.

Could you be the patient, loving person PJ needs? If youโ€™re interested in giving this special boy the home he deserves or other VRC cat, please email [email protected]. If you would like to purchase our Kajun Kitties Tee, please click on the link below! All money raised with this purchase goes to helping us vet the Kajun Kitties.

๐Ÿพ ๐‡๐ž๐ฅ๐ฉ ๐ญ๐ก๐ž ๐•๐‘๐‚ ๐Š๐ข๐๐ฌ ๐†๐ข๐ฏ๐ž ๐๐š๐œ๐ค! ๐Ÿพ

This month, two of our amazing VRC kids are celebrating their birthdays! ๐ŸŽ‰ 

Amelia (turning 11) and Mikayela (turning 10) have one wish this yearโ€”not for gifts, but to give back.

These incredible girls spend their afternoons helping their mom care for the dogs at VRC, running to the vet for checkups and emergencies, and making a difference every single day. Instead of presents, they want to help cover some of our ever-growing vet billsโ€”and trust us, we have plenty!

๐“๐จ ๐ก๐จ๐ง๐จ๐ซ ๐ญ๐ก๐ž๐ข๐ซ ๐ฌ๐ž๐ฅ๐Ÿ๐ฅ๐ž๐ฌ๐ฌ ๐ฐ๐ข๐ฌ๐ก, ๐ฐ๐žโ€™๐ซ๐ž ๐ฅ๐š๐ฎ๐ง๐œ๐ก๐ข๐ง๐  ๐š ๐†๐ข๐ฏ๐ข๐ง๐  ๐†๐ซ๐ข๐ ๐Ÿ๐ฎ๐ง๐๐ซ๐š๐ข๐ฌ๐ž๐ซ ๐ฐ๐ข๐ญ๐ก ๐š ๐ ๐จ๐š๐ฅ ๐จ๐Ÿ $๐Ÿ“,๐Ÿ“๐ŸŽ๐ŸŽ ๐ญ๐จ ๐ฌ๐ฎ๐ฉ๐ฉ๐จ๐ซ๐ญ ๐ญ๐ก๐ž ๐ฆ๐ž๐๐ข๐œ๐š๐ฅ ๐œ๐š๐ซ๐ž ๐จ๐Ÿ ๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ ๐ซ๐ž๐ฌ๐œ๐ฎ๐ž๐ฌ. ๐„๐ฏ๐ž๐ซ๐ฒ ๐๐จ๐ง๐š๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง, ๐›๐ข๐  ๐จ๐ซ ๐ฌ๐ฆ๐š๐ฅ๐ฅ, ๐ก๐ž๐ฅ๐ฉ๐ฌ ๐ฎ๐ฌ ๐ฉ๐ซ๐จ๐ฏ๐ข๐๐ž ๐ฅ๐ข๐Ÿ๐ž-๐ฌ๐š๐ฏ๐ข๐ง๐  ๐ญ๐ซ๐ž๐š๐ญ๐ฆ๐ž๐ง๐ญ ๐Ÿ๐จ๐ซ ๐ญ๐ก๐ž ๐๐จ๐ ๐ฌ ๐ฐ๐ก๐จ ๐ง๐ž๐ž๐ ๐ข๐ญ ๐ฆ๐จ๐ฌ๐ญ.

Letโ€™s make Amelia and Mikayelaโ€™s birthday wish come true! ๐ŸŽ‚๐Ÿถโค๏ธ Donate today and help the VRC kids help the dogs!

VRCkids #HelpTheDogs #BirthdayWishForRescue #GivingGrid

๐ŸŽญ๐Ÿถ Does Your Dog Love to Dress Up? ๐Ÿถ๐ŸŽญ

If your pup enjoys turning heads in a stylish outfit (or if you just love seeing them in one ๐Ÿ˜†), weโ€™ve got the perfect look! There are still some Mardi Gras muscle tees left from our pittie clothing collabโ€”because who says the party has to stop? ๐ŸŽ‰๐Ÿ’œ๐Ÿ’›๐Ÿ’š Bonus: $10 from each dog tee or human pants sold goes straight to VRC to support the dogs who need it most.

Snag one before theyโ€™re gone! https://pittieclothing.com/collections/mardi-gras

#DressUpYourDog #MardiGrasVibes #ShopForACause #VRC

What is VRC Vintage?

If not for the kindness and generosity of our fans and supporters, VRC Vintage would not exist.  It is through donations of their treasures from times past, that we can offer up some amazing memories in the way of clothing, shoes, and jewelry. All of the money raised from these sales goes 100% to the dogs of Villalobos Rescue Center.

Check out our Collection: From the Closet ofโ€ฆ

All items have been personally worn and used by cast members of Pit Bulls and Parolees and may have appeared on the show.

REMINDER:

IMPORTANT UPDATE FOR ALL OF OUR DONATIONS, PACKAGES ETC.

We are NO LONGER receiving mail at our old Claiborne or Galvez addresses in New Orleans. All packages, donations and mail can be shipped directly to us at:

 VRC (Villalobos Rescue Center)

  5541 Hwy 1, Napoleonville, LA 70390

 WHERE CAN YOU FIND US?

๐Ÿถ๐ŸชHealthy Dog Treat Baking๐Ÿช๐Ÿถ

Tired of your dog judging you while you eat cookies? Make them their own! Hereโ€™s a super simple, tail-waggingly delicious dog cookie recipe:

โœจ Ingredients:

โœ”๏ธ 1 banana ๐ŸŒ (preferably not stolen off the counter)

โœ”๏ธ ยฝ cup peanut butter ๐Ÿฅœ (no xylitol!)

โœ”๏ธ 1 cup whole wheat flour ๐ŸŒพ (fancy, right?)

๐Ÿ”ฅ Instructions:

1๏ธโƒฃ Preheat oven to 350ยฐF (or just let your dog stare at you while you figure it out).

2๏ธโƒฃ Mash banana & peanut butter together until it looks like something vaguely edible.

3๏ธโƒฃ Add whole wheat flour and mix until you get a dough-like substance (technical term).

4๏ธโƒฃ Roll it out and cut into cute shapes: bones, hearts, your dogโ€™s arch-nemesis, etc.

5๏ธโƒฃ Place on baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes (aka one eternity in dog time).

6๏ธโƒฃ Let cool, then let your pup enjoy! ๐Ÿ•๐Ÿ’–

Warning: May cause excessive drooling, polite begging, and a sudden interest in baking. ๐Ÿช๐Ÿพ

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