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The Assistant Dog Care Manager tells Ellen how he came to be an animal lover. He then describes how he helped rescue 22 of the canines involved in the Michael Vick dogfighting scandal.
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DogTown's John Garcia Shares His Story
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I was so happy to see John on the Ellen Show. I also was amazed at the fact that Ellen did not know about Best Friends until now. Best Friends is truly heaven on earth for the animals. I have been blessed to have travel yearly to Best Friends to volunteer for one week for the last 10 years. I am a supporter of Best Friends and help spread the word about their mission. John along with all the others including the founders are wonderful dedicated people who truly do care about the animals. Thank you Ellen for spreading the word. Ellen...why not come out to visit when we go out in April...the Jersey Girls will show you the ropes!! Love your show. Love you John!!!
Joyce Moyer
New Jersey
Hi, I too was really interested in seeing this show. Last week when I spoke to my Mother she said she was watching Dogtown. I had never heard of it before, but always feel an extra tug on my heart strings when it comes to animals. I loved watching the Dog Whisperer too. It really enlightened me to what a dog needs in order to be happy.
I own my second cat, as I have a health condition so care for a dog. So for everyone who would like to own a dog but can't for what ever reasons, try a cat! :-) Cats are a lot like dogs. They will great you at the door every day when you come home, and are VERY playful. Mine still played fetch with a toy mouse at the age of 17!!!
My new black and white cat loves to play hide and seek. He jumps out from behind a door or the couch, stands up on his hing legs with his front paws wide open. He sort of looks like a big bat. He thinks he is so clever...:) Plus I now know the true meaning of unconditional love.
I wanted to check out giving to Dogtown because for the first time in my life I asked for money this Christmas instead of a material gift so I could donate to a worthy cause. Don't know why it took me so long, but I'm really glad it finally dawned on me to ask.
I'm betting choosing where to donate will be one of the highlites of my Christmas.
Love to all,
Ange
After watching the show I was in tears as I refused a Pitt bull puppy once. When I was 3 yrs old I was attacked by 3 small scottish terriers and have always had a fear of dogs.
My partner of 13 years has taught me how NOT to be afraid and to love them. We have friends with an adult Pitt Bull and he is gorgeous - I actually give him cuddles and kisses. Never thought it would happen.
We are now PROUD owners of a Staffordshire Bull Terrier (3 months old) and love her to pieces, like Michael said on the show they are like little teddy bears who just want fun and affection.
My partner was amazed at my reaction as deep down I knew that it comes down to the 'training' not the breed of how a dog reacts.
Dog fighting is INHUMANE and who gets caught should be charged with MURDER as that's what they are doing - murdering innocent dogs that need love.
Thank you for the story, Ellen and GREAT work to Michael and his team. If only the world had more people like you.
For anyone who ever has the chance, they should definitely visit Best Friends. In addition to the care they give the dogs, they have a facility to rehabilitate cats too. They also have some horses and other anilmals there too. I try to take my kids there once a year to visit. Of course they always find an animal that they would like to bring home, and it is soooo hard to tell them no. However, we tell all our family and friends adopt a pet from Best Friends. Hopefully there will be some people from your audience who will find it in their hearts to send donations to this great facility so they can continue to take of these animals who need the special care and love that Best Friends provides!
I became a member of this amazing organization after the Indonesian Tsunami of 2004. They were instrumental in rescuing the animals in that region. Then came Hurricane Katrina. This is the group that went into New Orleans and surrounding areas and heroically rescued the abandoned/starving pets that were left behind. They were able to reunite some of them with their owners, and kept the rest at the sanctuary for adoption. You all know about the Michael Vick dogs.
I donate as often as I can, their "Best Friends" monthly magazine is just terrific.... and.... don't forget the cats that are up for adoption too. There are photos on the website, so I suggest taking a look. You can even sponsor one if interested.
Thanks to John Garcia for all of his work and to all of the Best Friends staff for their tireless contributions as well. Thanks to Ellen for giving such great exposure for such a terrific organization.
I am so glad that there are people in this world like John, the volunteers at Dogtown and you Ellen. We need more of you:)
Way to go John and all of the awesome caregivers at Best Friends. These guys work tirelessly every single day and truly deserve this wonderful recognition. I am so happy that the entire world will now see the amazing work of Best Friends and I am so very proud to be a part of it all.
I watch & praise all of you who have the will, the means, the love to put this type of place into place! Here in the USA & I'm sure around the world there is such a need to help the animals & strays in this world. I myself dream of starting an organization or connecting to an organization to help with the numerous strays in my area ALONG w/helping low-income pet owners get help w/food & Vet care for our babies.... Our economy has made it SOOOO hard to take care of our pets. Between making ends meet & food costs, paying bills, electric, insurances, taxes, etc. etc. & the HIGHER cost of living today i find myself filled with joy from the love i recv. from my 6 cats, 2 dogs, & Trixy our bunny! ALL STRAYS we have accumulated in the past few yrs. but my pockets empty. We couldn't bear giving them up just because food & vet visits are just to hard to come by.I have a neighbor who is extremely unfortunate but has 35 + cats, 5 dogs, only because "They keep coming" we feed them bread soaked in chicken broth most times because the money for dry food is just not there. We are both on Social Sec. & can barely take care of our needs, & family members needs. Here in Live Oak, N. Central FLA there is limited or no help with our struggles. Stray dogs & cats are everywhere. Our small local Animal Shelter just cant keep up. We have an idea for "Underprivileged Pets" have spoke to my church, the Animal Shelter, local Vets everyone we can think of but they will get back to me is what i hear. I would be willing to do all involved to get this in place in my area, but its early in my search & so many to write....that's why today i thought of you, Miss Ellen ! My heart breaks DAILY here in the town where i live, i carry a little dog/cat food, water w/me & have fed 100's of strays around dumpsters, churches, the library, WalMart parking lot, only to be in tears that i cannot take on anymore & hope they are not killed. I have seen the numbers increase since our "Economic Hardships" here in the world we live. This is a result of not enough to get by. I have found "Chow Wagons" on the internet food banks for people & pets in PA & CA but nothing in our area. Nothing. Ellen i have admired you since i saw you on Johnny Carson sometime in the 80's when my daughter was born. You too fill my heart with joy & love like my babies.I will not rest until someone hears & HELPS! God save these neglected, underprivileged children. Seemingly so alone in this, Rebecca & Laura Hunt
Unfortunately I did not get to see the show, but I am a Member of Best Friends, I've visited the sanctuary twice and my best buddy is a dog that lived at the sanctuary for 5 years before he came home to me; his name is Jiminy.
Best Friends does amazing work, they have amazing hearts, passion and compassion.
Thank you so much for having John on your show. He is a part of what makes Best Friends so special.
I am not usually around a tv when your show is on -- but I made an effort today to see John Garcia and Georgia! I am a proud volunteer with Best Friends and am always happy to talk about them and their work. And I am thrilled that you have now introduced them to such a huge audience! Happy holidays, and thank you!
I am so glad to see Best Friends on national tv. Having visited there this year and donating to them for several years I can say that it is an amazing place. My daughter and I were just amazed at everything that is done there. I would recommend anyone who loves animals to visit this place and volunteer while you are there. Thank you Ellen for having them on your show. Now more people will now about this wonderful place.
Best Friends Animal Society is one of, if not the, most legit animal welfare organizations out there. It truly saddens me to see this slanderous posts. Best Friends, like so many other companies/organizations, are experiencing financial challenges. They have had to make cuts to ensure the best care of the 2000+ animals they have in Kanab and keep the ground-breaking, model programs they have in Los Angeles going. These hateful posts will do nothing but take away from the animals. One of my dearest friends works for Best Friends. He loves his job, and loves the organization. Please donate to this very worthy cause and don't be swayed by bitter, individuals who can't see the big picture and seem to be unaware that the entire country is doing lay offs!
Thank you so much for having John Garcia of Dogtown at BestFriends.org on your show today! I LOVE this show, although, I have to admit that I usually watch it with tears streaming down my face. It was wonderful to see Georgia again and see how well she is doing now! It is beyond comprehension how humans can be so despicably abusive to innocent animals, but encouraging to know that there are people in our world, like John, who devote their lives to trying to help these poor dogs. I have followed the full story of the Michael Vicks dogs and would just LOVE to get HIM chained up in a pen with dogs trained to attack. I wish they could have locked that creep up for life, but unfortunately, I hear that he is going to be released soon - harder to believe that the NFL is actually considering allowing him to play again! If so, then ALL his earnings should be turned over to BestFriends.org and other rescue organizations to support the dogs who have suffered at his hands and the hands of other cretons like him.... I know Cesar Millan has also taken in a couple of the Vicks dogs and has also done an amazing job of reshaping the public perceptions of not only pitbulls, but Rotties, German Shepards, etc who have been maligned.
Please keep up the good work and I also fully support donations to this and other rescue organizations.
I saw all the episodes of Dogtown and was totally amazed to see how the dedicated workers at Best Friends care for the animals finding sanctuary there. I wish that they would treat their empolees as well as their animals. Great work but bad, bad morale as employees see many of colleagues [terminated] for no reason whatsoever.
I have to say that I agree that these poor dogs get a bad rap. It all has to do with the owners of the dogs and what they do to the dogs, how they treat them and how they are raised. It's so bad that many tv court shows (like Judge Joe Brown) recite these statistics about pit bulls that are outrageous. Those statistics don't take into account how the dogs are raised and by whom. I've had a pit bull/black lab mix for the past 9 years and I have to say that she is one of the sweetest dogs I've ever had and ever known. Pit bulls are wonderful dogs.....they are just getting a bad rap like doberman pinchers and german shepards used to.
Hi Ellen,
We have 2 rescued pitbulls that are the light of our life. I would like to see all the footage on Georgia and this clip stops in the middle. Is there anyway to send me the remainder of the clip to share with our rescue group: Out of the Pits? Cydney Cross is a wonderful advocate of the breed (President of OOTP). Our pitties are both from OOTP. One is a therapy dog (Abby) and Toby will be as soon as her mom can get her act together to get him tested. He is a natural (Big Daddy persona).
Please send more video of John Garcia.
Gisele
The animals and the animal care givers at Best Friends are indeed wonderful people. Unfortunetly the same can not be said for the CEO and it is indeed a very unhappy place. When I visited recently they had just laid off several people and the staff all feel they have all been in fear of their jobs for a couple of years now. I was very saddened by this. Several more are planning on leaving as soon as they can find a job elsewhere.
As a long time supporter of and most recently a volunteer Ambassador for Best Friends, I am thrilled to see the wonderful coverage your show is giving to these sweet misunderstood dogs. Thank you, Ellen. You rock!
And please, for those of you that love the "bully breeds", adopt one from a rescue group or shelter. There are far too many great dogs being given the death penalty when their only sin is being born.
It's all about education.
Marie
San Diego
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i was really happy to see pitbulls being shown as the kind gentle souls they are. im an owner of an 8yr old pit named angel. she truely is my angel we have made it thru a custody battle, i won her! we went thru an abusive marrige, she would do her best to defend me.we made it thru angel having to have her 3 breasts removed she had puppies that were stolen from us. but after all the pain and let down she has been thru,she is kind to others and very loyal. i hope we can change peoples misconceptions about these wonderful dogs.lauri a pitowner forever
Posted by lauri rustand | December 15, 2008 10:56 PM