notes: The Crown Fire - Villalobos Rescue Center, July 30, 2010 The fire broke out suddenly this afternoon, Only myself, Jake, Billy and Lil Richard were here at the time. The fire at first blew toward my next door neighbor's house so we ran and I got out his 3 horses and then Jake and I went back for his dogs. Billy and Lil Richard began to hose down the dog kennels closet to the fire. Jake then began evacuating dogs from my daughter's/parolee house by putting them all in every available vehicle. By now I had put out calls to fellow friends rescuers, etc. both by phone and email. By this time fire fighters began to show up and though our mountain was now fully engulfed in flames and having the fire crews here gave me some relief. By now some of my other employees began to show up and neighbors and friends of my kids, etc. We began to get all the crates ready for dogs. The fire Cpt then came over to me and said we needed to get ready to leave. That's when I became hysterical and said NO WAY NO HOW. I told him he needed to give us a Plan B and that we would under no circumstances leave the animals behind. He gave in and said..."well okay then. Let's do it!!!" He told us to start at the top of the property and get those animals down first. So we began with the 20 plus wolves and wolfdogs that now belong to the Wolf Connection group. I then called my friends who keep their exotic animals here and they came up and began to get them out in trailers. Then a neighbor from down the road came up with a big horse trailer and offered to load the crates up and take them down the road into his barn. I was hesitant because I was waiting for all of my normal evacuation people and hell the wolf people still weren't here. I couldn't figure out where the hell they were so I caved in and let this cowboy from Heaven who I was just meeting for the first time, take off with the first load of animals and a couple of my guys to assist. We then began to get the dogs out of the kennels and get them ready for the next load. But where were my regular volunteers, dog handlers, wolf people?? Then I get a panicked call from my older daughter. She had gone down the road to take a load of dogs to our cowboy's house and the cops had blocked the road and wouldn't let her, my workers, volunteers and evacuators with trailers and crates come up the road. Despite the orders from our fire fighters telling us to get the animals out the cops at the end of our dirt road wouldn't let anyone up. The Fire Captain sent word down the road to let our people up and yet this power hungry and angry cop made comments like "you dog people are crazy. I wouldn't risk my life for a dog". My daughter became hysterically insane and he got out his handcuffs and tried to put her under arrest but I guess decided against it in front of an almost angry mob. So we sat there like sitting ducks waiting for help not knowing that our help was being held up by this asshole. Unfortunately there was no cell phone service at that end of the road so no one could call us. So some of our people including my younger daughter hiked thru the mountains and got past the road block. Then our cowboy came back up for his second load and for some reason this cop liked him and what he didn't know was that the cowboy this time was bringing up more than a trailer for more dogs.......he was carrying human cargo! My older daughter, volunteers and anyone else who wanted to help hid in the horse trailer like illegal immigrants and sat among the horse shit just to get up here to help the dogs. They arrived safe and ready to roll. We took down several more loads and back to cowboy's barn. Because asshole cop still wouldn't let our trailers with cages and crates come up, we continued to send the cowboy back and forth on the road. By this time the fire fighters were starting to get a handle on the fire. Then came the inmate fire fighters who work the ground crews. Orange jumpsuits never looked so good as I watch them "suit up" to take on the battle. Then I saw them whisper among each other and look back at me as if they wanted to say something. Then one of them got the nerve and said, "we love what you do Tia. We watch your show and we love it" I about fell over.....they were going to risk their lives to save our dogs. Between them and the fire fighters I began to breathe a sigh of relief. But the Captain told me we weren't out of the woods yet and we needed to remove all of the animals from the mountain area but we could leave the dogs in the main kennel, He said they would do their best to keep the fire away but the dogs might take in alot of smoke. Then I began to panic again; After an amount of time that I couldn't tell you, Mother Nature changed her mind and went back over the mountain right up the side of our kennel area. The Fire Captain asked me if there were any houses on the other side and I told them there was a big cattle ranch. Within minutes as the fire went over the mountain we heard a big explosion and a big flash. I don't even want to know what it was but it shook us all up. So we were given the go ahead to start to bring the dogs back first. Then as night came, the wolves and exotics made their way back up the road. It is late now and the fire crews are still out there putting out hot spots. The air reeks with smoke but its to be expected. We are all exhausted and a little bit traumatized. Maybe even in shock. Our place is a mess right now with all the chaos so it will take a day to get things settled again. The animals are VERY VERY stressed right now so hopefully tomorrow will be a peaceful one. I want to apologize to all of you that I yelled at on the phone It was totally insane here. And to those that tried to come up to help, I plan on filing a complaint with the supervisor of that cop at the end of our road. The response from all of you has been OVERWHELMING and if my eyes weren't so dry from smoke, I'd cry :-) We're okay now and thank you isn't even good enough for those of who who cared so much about us. I just love Pit Bull people!!! Hugs and drools, Tia Maria Torres ---------------------------------- For assistance in placing your dog, please contact: placement @vrcpitbull.com For information on our training programs or to ask for training advice, please contact: training @vrcpitbull.com If you would like to volunteer with Villalobos Rescue Center or to arrange donations, please contact: volunteer @vrcpitbull.com For visits/tours & misc. questions or comments about the center, please contact: jessica @vrcpitbull.com For media and interviews, please contact our Entertainment & Public Relations Manager: Michael Dinco mailbox at: michaeldinco @verizon.net For all other questions please use our general mailbox at: info @vrcpitbull.com -> SEE WEBSITE FOR CURRENT INFORMATION - They MOVED to New Orleans, LA ===== The Crown Fire - Villalobos Rescue Center, July 30, 2010 The fire broke out suddenly this afternoon, Only myself, Jake, Billy and Lil Richard were here at the time. The fire at first blew toward my next door neighbor's house so we ran and I got out his 3 horses and then Jake and I went back for his dogs. Billy and Lil Richard began to hose down the dog kennels closet to the fire. Jake then began evacuating dogs from my daughter's/parolee house by putting them all in every available vehicle. By now I had put out calls to fellow friends rescuers, etc. both by phone and email. By this time fire fighters began to show up and though our mountain was now fully engulfed in flames and having the fire crews here gave me some relief. By now some of my other employees began to show up and neighbors and friends of my kids, etc. We began to get all the crates ready for dogs. The fire Cpt then came over to me and said we needed to get ready to leave. That's when I became hysterical and said NO WAY NO HOW. I told him he needed to give us a Plan B and that we would under no circumstances leave the animals behind. He gave in and said..."well okay then. Let's do it!!!" He told us to start at the top of the property and get those animals down first. So we began with the 20 plus wolves and wolfdogs that now belong to the Wolf Connection group. I then called my friends who keep their exotic animals here and they came up and began to get them out in trailers. Then a neighbor from down the road came up with a big horse trailer and offered to load the crates up and take them down the road into his barn. I was hesitant because I was waiting for all of my normal evacuation people and hell the wolf people still weren't here. I couldn't figure out where the hell they were so I caved in and let this cowboy from Heaven who I was just meeting for the first time, take off with the first load of animals and a couple of my guys to assist. We then began to get the dogs out of the kennels and get them ready for the next load. But where were my regular volunteers, dog handlers, wolf people?? Then I get a panicked call from my older daughter. She had gone down the road to take a load of dogs to our cowboy's house and the cops had blocked the road and wouldn't let her, my workers, volunteers and evacuators with trailers and crates come up the road. Despite the orders from our fire fighters telling us to get the animals out the cops at the end of our dirt road wouldn't let anyone up. The Fire Captain sent word down the road to let our people up and yet this power hungry and angry cop made comments like "you dog people are crazy. I wouldn't risk my life for a dog". My daughter became hysterically insane and he got out his handcuffs and tried to put her under arrest but I guess decided against it in front of an almost angry mob. So we sat there like sitting ducks waiting for help not knowing that our help was being held up by this asshole. Unfortunately there was no cell phone service at that end of the road so no one could call us. So some of our people including my younger daughter hiked thru the mountains and got past the road block. Then our cowboy came back up for his second load and for some reason this cop liked him and what he didn't know was that the cowboy this time was bringing up more than a trailer for more dogs.......he was carrying human cargo! My older daughter, volunteers and anyone else who wanted to help hid in the horse trailer like illegal immigrants and sat among the horse shit just to get up here to help the dogs. They arrived safe and ready to roll. We took down several more loads and back to cowboy's barn. Because asshole cop still wouldn't let our trailers with cages and crates come up, we continued to send the cowboy back and forth on the road. By this time the fire fighters were starting to get a handle on the fire. Then came the inmate fire fighters who work the ground crews. Orange jumpsuits never looked so good as I watch them "suit up" to take on the battle. Then I saw them whisper among each other and look back at me as if they wanted to say something. Then one of them got the nerve and said, "we love what you do Tia. We watch your show and we love it" I about fell over.....they were going to risk their lives to save our dogs. Between them and the fire fighters I began to breathe a sigh of relief. But the Captain told me we weren't out of the woods yet and we needed to remove all of the animals from the mountain area but we could leave the dogs in the main kennel, He said they would do their best to keep the fire away but the dogs might take in alot of smoke. Then I began to panic again; After an amount of time that I couldn't tell you, Mother Nature changed her mind and went back over the mountain right up the side of our kennel area. The Fire Captain asked me if there were any houses on the other side and I told them there was a big cattle ranch. Within minutes as the fire went over the mountain we heard a big explosion and a big flash. I don't even want to know what it was but it shook us all up. So we were given the go ahead to start to bring the dogs back first. Then as night came, the wolves and exotics made their way back up the road. It is late now and the fire crews are still out there putting out hot spots. The air reeks with smoke but its to be expected. We are all exhausted and a little bit traumatized. Maybe even in shock. Our place is a mess right now with all the chaos so it will take a day to get things settled again. The animals are VERY VERY stressed right now so hopefully tomorrow will be a peaceful one. I want to apologize to all of you that I yelled at on the phone It was totally insane here. And to those that tried to come up to help, I plan on filing a complaint with the supervisor of that cop at the end of our road. The response from all of you has been OVERWHELMING and if my eyes weren't so dry from smoke, I'd cry :-) We're okay now and thank you isn't even good enough for those of who who cared so much about us. I just love Pit Bull people!!! Hugs and drools, Tia Maria Torres ---------------------------------- For assistance in placing your dog, please contact: placement @vrcpitbull.com For information on our training programs or to ask for training advice, please contact: training @vrcpitbull.com If you would like to volunteer with Villalobos Rescue Center or to arrange donations, please contact: volunteer @vrcpitbull.com For visits/tours & misc. questions or comments about the center, please contact: jessica @vrcpitbull.com For media and interviews, please contact our Entertainment & Public Relations Manager: Michael Dinco mailbox at: michaeldinco @verizon.net For all other questions please use our general mailbox at: info @vrcpitbull.com
website: http://www.vrcpitbull.com/home.htm -> http://animal.discovery.com/tv/pitbulls-and-parolees/
mission: VRC works ceaselessly to give Pit Bulls another chance in life. Each and EVERY dog taken in, gets spayed or neutered, and given any medical treatment necessary. We work patiently to reacclimatize fearful dogs to the loving care of a human, so that they may eventually be adopted. In some cases, these dogs have never had a kind word or touch, and it is a slow process. After determining temperaments and compatibility factors, we begin that long search for the perfect home. The placement process is extremely slow. Unfortunately Pit Bulls are their own worst enemy - their loyalty and devotion make them the perfect victim. Have we already forgotten about Petey? He was the loyal ring eyed dog of the Lil Rascals. Yes, Petey was a Pit Bull! You see the dogs themselves haven't changed - we have! We've turned these All American Family dogs into the killing machines of the '90's. It is our responsibility to turn this around. We owe it to them. After all, aren't they man's best friend? On any given day, VRC has between 150-200 Pit Bulls here at our 10 acre facility. As you can imagine, the costs for running an operation of this magnitude are overwhelming. Our monthly operating expenses have now increased to $15,000.00 and our vet bills stay at an average of $5,000.00. Here nestled in the hills of the high desert, those who have suffered in silence will never hear another gun shot or the siren of a pursuing police car. Every night they will fall asleep to the yipping of coyotes and the soothing hoot of the owl. They are safe and content. The only thing missing is a home of their own. Please help us to help them. VILLALOBOS FACTS 1. Our average adoption rate is about 5 dogs per month. 2. It costs $600/day to run Villalobos Rescue Center 3. We go through 2100 lbs. plus, of dog food a week 4. "Unfortunately" we are the largest Pit Bull facility in the world with a daily average of 200 dogs. 5. The name "Villalobos" means House of Wolves (in Spanish) as we started off as a wolf rescue back in the early 90's. We then became a Pit Bull rescue in 1994 and decided to keep the name:) THE PIT BULLS OF LOS ANGELES NEED YOUR HELP!!! -> also: http://www.vrcpitbull.net/dog/ VRC works ceaselessly to give Pit Bulls another chance in life. Each and EVERY dog taken in, gets spayed or neutered, and given any medical treatment necessary. We work patiently to reacclimatize fearful dogs to the loving care of a human, so that they may eventually be adopted. In some cases, these dogs have never had a kind word or touch, and it is a slow process. After determining temperaments and compatibility factors, we begin that long search for the perfect home. The placement process is extremely slow. Unfortunately Pit Bulls are their own worst enemy - their loyalty and devotion make them the perfect victim. Have we already forgotten about Petey? He was the loyal ring eyed dog of the Lil Rascals. Yes, Petey was a Pit Bull! You see the dogs themselves haven't changed - we have! We've turned these All American Family dogs into the killing machines of the '90's. It is our responsibility to turn this around. We owe it to them. After all, aren't they man's best friend? On any given day, VRC has between 150-200 Pit Bulls here at our 10 acre facility. As you can imagine, the costs for running an operation of this magnitude are overwhelming. Our monthly operating expenses have now increased to $15,000.00 and our vet bills stay at an average of $5,000.00. Here nestled in the hills of the high desert, those who have suffered in silence will never hear another gun shot or the siren of a pursuing police car. Every night they will fall asleep to the yipping of coyotes and the soothing hoot of the owl. They are safe and content. The only thing missing is a home of their own. Please help us to help them. VILLALOBOS FACTS 1. Our average adoption rate is about 5 dogs per month. 2. It costs $600/day to run Villalobos Rescue Center 3. We go through 2100 lbs. plus, of dog food a week 4. "Unfortunately" we are the largest Pit Bull facility in the world with a daily average of 200 dogs. 5. The name "Villalobos" means House of Wolves (in Spanish) as we started off as a wolf rescue back in the early 90's. We then became a Pit Bull rescue in 1994 and decided to keep the name:) THE PIT BULLS OF LOS ANGELES NEED YOUR HELP!!!
cat_notes: -> old website - http://www.vrcpitbull.com/home.htm

organization: Animal Rescue -> Animal Rescue/Sanctuary

mission: VRC works ceaselessly to give Pit Bulls another chance in life. Each and EVERY dog taken in, gets spayed or neutered, and given any medical treatment necessary. We work patiently to reacclimatize fearful dogs to the loving care of a human, so that they may eventually be adopted. In some cases, these dogs have never had a kind word or touch, and it is a slow process. After determining temperaments and compatibility factors, we begin that long search for the perfect home. The placement process is extremely slow. Unfortunately Pit Bulls are their own worst enemy - their loyalty and devotion make them the perfect victim. Have we already forgotten about Petey? He was the loyal ring eyed dog of the Lil Rascals. Yes, Petey was a Pit Bull! You see the dogs themselves haven't changed - we have! We've turned these All American Family dogs into the killing machines of the '90's. It is our responsibility to turn this around. We owe it to them. After all, aren't they man's best friend? On any given day, VRC has between 150-200 Pit Bulls here at our 10 acre facility. As you can imagine, the costs for running an operation of this magnitude are overwhelming. Our monthly operating expenses have now increased to $15,000.00 and our vet bills stay at an average of $5,000.00. Here nestled in the hills of the high desert, those who have suffered in silence will never hear another gun shot or the siren of a pursuing police car. Every night they will fall asleep to the yipping of coyotes and the soothing hoot of the owl. They are safe and content. The only thing missing is a home of their own. Please help us to help them. -> VRC works ceaselessly to give Pit Bulls another chance in life. Each and EVERY dog taken in, gets spayed or neutered, and given any medical treatment necessary. We work patiently to reacclimatize fearful dogs to the loving care of a human, so that they may eventually be adopted. In some cases, these dogs have never had a kind word or touch, and it is a slow process. After determining temperaments and compatibility factors, we begin that long search for the perfect home. The placement process is extremely slow. Unfortunately Pit Bulls are their own worst enemy - their loyalty and devotion make them the perfect victim. Have we already forgotten about Petey? He was the loyal ring eyed dog of the Lil Rascals. Yes, Petey was a Pit Bull! You see the dogs themselves haven't changed - we have! We've turned these All American Family dogs into the killing machines of the '90's. It is our responsibility to turn this around. We owe it to them. After all, aren't they man's best friend? On any given day, VRC has between 150-200 Pit Bulls here at our 10 acre facility. As you can imagine, the costs for running an operation of this magnitude are overwhelming. Our monthly operating expenses have now increased to $15,000.00 and our vet bills stay at an average of $5,000.00. Here nestled in the hills of the high desert, those who have suffered in silence will never hear another gun shot or the siren of a pursuing police car. Every night they will fall asleep to the yipping of coyotes and the soothing hoot of the owl. They are safe and content. The only thing missing is a home of their own. Please help us to help them. VILLALOBOS FACTS 1. Our average adoption rate is about 5 dogs per month. 2. It costs $600/day to run Villalobos Rescue Center 3. We go through 2100 lbs. plus, of dog food a week 4. "Unfortunately" we are the largest Pit Bull facility in the world with a daily average of 200 dogs. 5. The name "Villalobos" means House of Wolves (in Spanish) as we started off as a wolf rescue back in the early 90's. We then became a Pit Bull rescue in 1994 and decided to keep the name:) THE PIT BULLS OF LOS ANGELES NEED YOUR HELP!!!

notes: The Crown Fire - Villalobos Rescue Center, July 30, 2010 The fire broke out suddenly this afternoon, Only myself, Jake, Billy and Lil Richard were here at the time. The fire at first blew toward my next door neighbor's house so we ran and I got out his 3 horses and then Jake and I went back for his dogs. Billy and Lil Richard began to hose down the dog kennels closet to the fire. Jake then began evacuating dogs from my daughter's/parolee house by putting them all in every available vehicle. By now I had put out calls to fellow friends rescuers, etc. both by phone and email. By this time fire fighters began to show up and though our mountain was now fully engulfed in flames and having the fire crews here gave me some relief. By now some of my other employees began to show up and neighbors and friends of my kids, etc. We began to get all the crates ready for dogs. The fire Cpt then came over to me and said we needed to get ready to leave. That's when I became hysterical and said NO WAY NO HOW. I told him he needed to give us a Plan B and that we would under no circumstances leave the animals behind. He gave in and said..."well okay then. Let's do it!!!" He told us to start at the top of the property and get those animals down first. So we began with the 20 plus wolves and wolfdogs that now belong to the Wolf Connection group. I then called my friends who keep their exotic animals here and they came up and began to get them out in trailers. Then a neighbor from down the road came up with a big horse trailer and offered to load the crates up and take them down the road into his barn. I was hesitant because I was waiting for all of my normal evacuation people and hell the wolf people still weren't here. I couldn't figure out where the hell they were so I caved in and let this cowboy from Heaven who I was just meeting for the first time, take off with the first load of animals and a couple of my guys to assist. We then began to get the dogs out of the kennels and get them ready for the next load. But where were my regular volunteers, dog handlers, wolf people?? Then I get a panicked call from my older daughter. She had gone down the road to take a load of dogs to our cowboy's house and the cops had blocked the road and wouldn't let her, my workers, volunteers and evacuators with trailers and crates come up the road. Despite the orders from our fire fighters telling us to get the animals out the cops at the end of our dirt road wouldn't let anyone up. The Fire Captain sent word down the road to let our people up and yet this power hungry and angry cop made comments like "you dog people are crazy. I wouldn't risk my life for a dog". My daughter became hysterically insane and he got out his handcuffs and tried to put her under arrest but I guess decided against it in front of an almost angry mob. So we sat there like sitting ducks waiting for help not knowing that our help was being held up by this asshole. Unfortunately there was no cell phone service at that end of the road so no one could call us. So some of our people including my younger daughter hiked thru the mountains and got past the road block. Then our cowboy came back up for his second load and for some reason this cop liked him and what he didn't know was that the cowboy this time was bringing up more than a trailer for more dogs.......he was carrying human cargo! My older daughter, volunteers and anyone else who wanted to help hid in the horse trailer like illegal immigrants and sat among the horse shit just to get up here to help the dogs. They arrived safe and ready to roll. We took down several more loads and back to cowboy's barn. Because asshole cop still wouldn't let our trailers with cages and crates come up, we continued to send the cowboy back and forth on the road. By this time the fire fighters were starting to get a handle on the fire. Then came the inmate fire fighters who work the ground crews. Orange jumpsuits never looked so good as I watch them "suit up" to take on the battle. Then I saw them whisper among each other and look back at me as if they wanted to say something. Then one of them got the nerve and said, "we love what you do Tia. We watch your show and we love it" I about fell over.....they were going to risk their lives to save our dogs. Between them and the fire fighters I began to breathe a sigh of relief. But the Captain told me we weren't out of the woods yet and we needed to remove all of the animals from the mountain area but we could leave the dogs in the main kennel, He said they would do their best to keep the fire away but the dogs might take in alot of smoke. Then I began to panic again; After an amount of time that I couldn't tell you, Mother Nature changed her mind and went back over the mountain right up the side of our kennel area. The Fire Captain asked me if there were any houses on the other side and I told them there was a big cattle ranch. Within minutes as the fire went over the mountain we heard a big explosion and a big flash. I don't even want to know what it was but it shook us all up. So we were given the go ahead to start to bring the dogs back first. Then as night came, the wolves and exotics made their way back up the road. It is late now and the fire crews are still out there putting out hot spots. The air reeks with smoke but its to be expected. We are all exhausted and a little bit traumatized. Maybe even in shock. Our place is a mess right now with all the chaos so it will take a day to get things settled again. The animals are VERY VERY stressed right now so hopefully tomorrow will be a peaceful one. I want to apologize to all of you that I yelled at on the phone It was totally insane here. And to those that tried to come up to help, I plan on filing a complaint with the supervisor of that cop at the end of our road. The response from all of you has been OVERWHELMING and if my eyes weren't so dry from smoke, I'd cry :-) We're okay now and thank you isn't even good enough for those of who who cared so much about us. I just love Pit Bull people!!! Hugs and drools, Tia Maria Torres -> The Crown Fire - Villalobos Rescue Center, July 30, 2010 The fire broke out suddenly this afternoon, Only myself, Jake, Billy and Lil Richard were here at the time. The fire at first blew toward my next door neighbor's house so we ran and I got out his 3 horses and then Jake and I went back for his dogs. Billy and Lil Richard began to hose down the dog kennels closet to the fire. Jake then began evacuating dogs from my daughter's/parolee house by putting them all in every available vehicle. By now I had put out calls to fellow friends rescuers, etc. both by phone and email. By this time fire fighters began to show up and though our mountain was now fully engulfed in flames and having the fire crews here gave me some relief. By now some of my other employees began to show up and neighbors and friends of my kids, etc. We began to get all the crates ready for dogs. The fire Cpt then came over to me and said we needed to get ready to leave. That's when I became hysterical and said NO WAY NO HOW. I told him he needed to give us a Plan B and that we would under no circumstances leave the animals behind. He gave in and said..."well okay then. Let's do it!!!" He told us to start at the top of the property and get those animals down first. So we began with the 20 plus wolves and wolfdogs that now belong to the Wolf Connection group. I then called my friends who keep their exotic animals here and they came up and began to get them out in trailers. Then a neighbor from down the road came up with a big horse trailer and offered to load the crates up and take them down the road into his barn. I was hesitant because I was waiting for all of my normal evacuation people and hell the wolf people still weren't here. I couldn't figure out where the hell they were so I caved in and let this cowboy from Heaven who I was just meeting for the first time, take off with the first load of animals and a couple of my guys to assist. We then began to get the dogs out of the kennels and get them ready for the next load. But where were my regular volunteers, dog handlers, wolf people?? Then I get a panicked call from my older daughter. She had gone down the road to take a load of dogs to our cowboy's house and the cops had blocked the road and wouldn't let her, my workers, volunteers and evacuators with trailers and crates come up the road. Despite the orders from our fire fighters telling us to get the animals out the cops at the end of our dirt road wouldn't let anyone up. The Fire Captain sent word down the road to let our people up and yet this power hungry and angry cop made comments like "you dog people are crazy. I wouldn't risk my life for a dog". My daughter became hysterically insane and he got out his handcuffs and tried to put her under arrest but I guess decided against it in front of an almost angry mob. So we sat there like sitting ducks waiting for help not knowing that our help was being held up by this asshole. Unfortunately there was no cell phone service at that end of the road so no one could call us. So some of our people including my younger daughter hiked thru the mountains and got past the road block. Then our cowboy came back up for his second load and for some reason this cop liked him and what he didn't know was that the cowboy this time was bringing up more than a trailer for more dogs.......he was carrying human cargo! My older daughter, volunteers and anyone else who wanted to help hid in the horse trailer like illegal immigrants and sat among the horse shit just to get up here to help the dogs. They arrived safe and ready to roll. We took down several more loads and back to cowboy's barn. Because asshole cop still wouldn't let our trailers with cages and crates come up, we continued to send the cowboy back and forth on the road. By this time the fire fighters were starting to get a handle on the fire. Then came the inmate fire fighters who work the ground crews. Orange jumpsuits never looked so good as I watch them "suit up" to take on the battle. Then I saw them whisper among each other and look back at me as if they wanted to say something. Then one of them got the nerve and said, "we love what you do Tia. We watch your show and we love it" I about fell over.....they were going to risk their lives to save our dogs. Between them and the fire fighters I began to breathe a sigh of relief. But the Captain told me we weren't out of the woods yet and we needed to remove all of the animals from the mountain area but we could leave the dogs in the main kennel, He said they would do their best to keep the fire away but the dogs might take in alot of smoke. Then I began to panic again; After an amount of time that I couldn't tell you, Mother Nature changed her mind and went back over the mountain right up the side of our kennel area. The Fire Captain asked me if there were any houses on the other side and I told them there was a big cattle ranch. Within minutes as the fire went over the mountain we heard a big explosion and a big flash. I don't even want to know what it was but it shook us all up. So we were given the go ahead to start to bring the dogs back first. Then as night came, the wolves and exotics made their way back up the road. It is late now and the fire crews are still out there putting out hot spots. The air reeks with smoke but its to be expected. We are all exhausted and a little bit traumatized. Maybe even in shock. Our place is a mess right now with all the chaos so it will take a day to get things settled again. The animals are VERY VERY stressed right now so hopefully tomorrow will be a peaceful one. I want to apologize to all of you that I yelled at on the phone It was totally insane here. And to those that tried to come up to help, I plan on filing a complaint with the supervisor of that cop at the end of our road. The response from all of you has been OVERWHELMING and if my eyes weren't so dry from smoke, I'd cry :-) We're okay now and thank you isn't even good enough for those of who who cared so much about us. I just love Pit Bull people!!! Hugs and drools, Tia Maria Torres ---------------------------------- For assistance in placing your dog, please contact: placement @vrcpitbull.com For information on our training programs or to ask for training advice, please contact: training @vrcpitbull.com If you would like to volunteer with Villalobos Rescue Center or to arrange donations, please contact: volunteer @vrcpitbull.com For visits/tours & misc. questions or comments about the center, please contact: jessica @vrcpitbull.com For media and interviews, please contact our Entertainment & Public Relations Manager: Michael Dinco mailbox at: michaeldinco @verizon.net For all other questions please use our general mailbox at: info @vrcpitbull.com
mission: VRC works ceaselessly to give Pit Bulls another chance in life. Each and EVERY dog taken in, gets spayed or neutered, and given any medical treatment necessary. We work patiently to reacclimatize fearful dogs to the loving care of a human, so that they may eventually be adopted. In some cases, these dogs have never had a kind word or touch, and it is a slow process. After determining temperaments and compatibility factors, we begin that long search for the perfect home. The placement process is extremely slow. Unfortunately Pit Bulls are their own worst enemy - their loyalty and devotion make them the perfect victim. Have we already forgotten about Petey? He was the loyal ring eyed dog of the Lil Rascals. Yes, Petey was a Pit Bull! You see the dogs themselves haven't changed - we have! We've turned these All American Family dogs into the killing machines of the '90's. It is our responsibility to turn this around. We owe it to them. After all, aren't they man's best friend? On any given day, VRC has between 150-200 Pit Bulls here at our 10 acre facility. As you can imagine, the costs for running an operation of this magnitude are overwhelming. Our monthly operating expenses have now increased to $15,000.00 and our vet bills stay at an average of $5,000.00. Here nestled in the hills of the high desert, those who have suffered in silence will never hear another gun shot or the siren of a pursuing police car. Every night they will fall asleep to the yipping of coyotes and the soothing hoot of the owl. They are safe and content. The only thing missing is a home of their own. Please help us to help them. -> VRC works ceaselessly to give Pit Bulls another chance in life. Each and EVERY dog taken in, gets spayed or neutered, and given any medical treatment necessary. We work patiently to reacclimatize fearful dogs to the loving care of a human, so that they may eventually be adopted. In some cases, these dogs have never had a kind word or touch, and it is a slow process. After determining temperaments and compatibility factors, we begin that long search for the perfect home. The placement process is extremely slow. Unfortunately Pit Bulls are their own worst enemy - their loyalty and devotion make them the perfect victim. Have we already forgotten about Petey? He was the loyal ring eyed dog of the Lil Rascals. Yes, Petey was a Pit Bull! You see the dogs themselves haven't changed - we have! We've turned these All American Family dogs into the killing machines of the '90's. It is our responsibility to turn this around. We owe it to them. After all, aren't they man's best friend? On any given day, VRC has between 150-200 Pit Bulls here at our 10 acre facility. As you can imagine, the costs for running an operation of this magnitude are overwhelming. Our monthly operating expenses have now increased to $15,000.00 and our vet bills stay at an average of $5,000.00. Here nestled in the hills of the high desert, those who have suffered in silence will never hear another gun shot or the siren of a pursuing police car. Every night they will fall asleep to the yipping of coyotes and the soothing hoot of the owl. They are safe and content. The only thing missing is a home of their own. Please help us to help them.

mission: -> VRC works ceaselessly to give Pit Bulls another chance in life. Each and EVERY dog taken in, gets spayed or neutered, and given any medical treatment necessary. We work patiently to reacclimatize fearful dogs to the loving care of a human, so that they may eventually be adopted. In some cases, these dogs have never had a kind word or touch, and it is a slow process. After determining temperaments and compatibility factors, we begin that long search for the perfect home. The placement process is extremely slow. Unfortunately Pit Bulls are their own worst enemy - their loyalty and devotion make them the perfect victim. Have we already forgotten about Petey? He was the loyal ring eyed dog of the Lil Rascals. Yes, Petey was a Pit Bull! You see the dogs themselves haven't changed - we have! We've turned these All American Family dogs into the killing machines of the '90's. It is our responsibility to turn this around. We owe it to them. After all, aren't they man's best friend? On any given day, VRC has between 150-200 Pit Bulls here at our 10 acre facility. As you can imagine, the costs for running an operation of this magnitude are overwhelming. Our monthly operating expenses have now increased to $15,000.00 and our vet bills stay at an average of $5,000.00. Here nestled in the hills of the high desert, those who have suffered in silence will never hear another gun shot or the siren of a pursuing police car. Every night they will fall asleep to the yipping of coyotes and the soothing hoot of the owl. They are safe and content. The only thing missing is a home of their own. Please help us to help them.