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Wednesday, December 2, 2009 • 10:45 AM • 
The Amazing Tia Torres Talks Pit Bulls with Ellen RT @TheEllenShow
Today Ellen welcomed Tia Torres to the show to talk about her amazing work at the Villalobos Rescue Center. She rescues pit bulls from terrible situations and rehabilitates them with the help of recently paroled convicts. Watch now as she shares her incredible work with Ellen.
Next Story: "New Moon's" Ashley Greene Chats with Ellen
I saw your show and fell in love with that dog and I REALLY want to adopt him... Can you email me the info to make this happen..Thanks, Mike
Hi there-
I commend Tia for attempting to portray this misunderstood, magnificent breed in a more positive light. As the responsible, felony-free, ethical owner of a rescued pit, I fully believe that these dogs deserve a second chance.
The parolees, however do not. Felons, unlike pit bulls, are not innocent "underdogs" who have been unfairly judged by society. These are people who completely and absolutely deserve any and all consequences of their actions.
Comparing felons to abused, neglected, mistreated and/or tortured animals is ridiculous.
Felons are judged because they DESERVE to be judged. Pit bulls are judged because unethical people have given them a bad rap.
I think that having pit bulls associated with parolees is going to do nothing than further damage the breeds' already stained reputation.
I had initially considered making a sizeable donation to the organization, but the fact that it employs ex-cons gave me pause. Do I really WANT my credit card information to be possibly available to the employees of this organization? Is it safe to mail in a check? If I send cash, will Tia actually ever see it? Or will it end up in the pocket of yet another "misunderstood" ex-felon?
If Tia wants to portray these dogs in a more positive light, she needs to hire respectable, responsible people to represent them. Don't associate pits with "thugs" any more than they already are.
Ellen: Thank you so much for having Tia on your show. I own an 11 month old pit puppy who has been put through the ringer. Our neighbors Chihuahua (who was old and sick) came into our yard, precipitated a fight with our pit, our pit chased it back to it's own yard, they got into a playful scuffle when the Chihuahua went after our puppy and the Chihuahua passed away. We believe the dog died from age, not injury. Anyway, my pit has now been deemed "dangerous". She is 30 lbs and a baby. These dogs get such a bad rap Ellen. This puppy plays with my 18 month old neice and my 6 and 10 year old nephews. She has been temperament tested by the SPCA for both humas agression and dog agression and she showed NO signs of agression whatsoever. When the DCO came to seize her, she licked him and jumped in his car (now that's ferocious). This was an incident where my dog was protecting what was hers and the neighbors dog should not have been running at large (of course they lied in court and said it was not). I want to get the word out to people that they need to be very careful. Owning a pit can become a legal and financial nightmare because of the stigmatism put on these dogs and it just isn't fair. However, I will NOT give up my puppy and believe that pits are EXCELLENT pets.
HEY Ellen I love your show,you make laugh every day I m from new brunswick canada Wish I could be there for one of your show or the 12 days of chrismas but can't afford to go realy even do.
Ican't be there I watch you every day and you make my day .
paulette boudreau
3 dec.2009
hi ellen. thank you for having this topic on your show. everyone needs to know that not all pitbulls are violent. i grew up with a pitbull and she was the most loving dog and everyone knew that as well. she past away 6 years ago and we have not since then found a dog like her. when i saw snorky on the show i fell in love. i would love to adopt him. please help me try and give my dad a best friend again. thanks for everything you do.
Ellen you have no idea how you made my day.. As a mommy of two sweet pits I almost fell off my chair when I seen you bring a pitbull on your show and then Tia who Ive been watching Animal Planet and Love-Love-Love her show.. Its the best real TV show Ive seen since my hero "Dog the Bounty Hunter" but even better because its a SHE.. lol
Big thanks and mucho love for the Holidays..
DP
Is there anyway that Tia could get Michael Vick to work at her rescue? He should have to give back, and I don't mean, out of his pocket. He needs to give up some blood, sweat and some tears for the breed that he took advantage of for so long.
He wants to own a dog again and I think that voulunteering at her rescue would be good for him and free help for her. Who knows, Tia and her staff may rescue him too.
Just a thought. I think there is a place in heaven for Tia.
Thank Ellen for your show with Tia the pit lady.. Ive seen her show a few times and WOW what dedication it must take.. I have friends who have GOOD Pit Bulls and it takes all the time and energy to be responsible big dog owners..As this breed is not for everybody thanks to you and Animal Planet to help educate the unaware we can all do are part to help.. Bravo you are the coolest talk show EVER..
I want to thank you so much for having pit bulls on your show. I have two myself. The one will be 3 and the other just turned one. I don't know what I would do without them. Mine are excellent with kids and love being noticed. My oldest is a big attention getter. Alot of people I know really look down on them and it is very hard. Especially if I walk them. People who are walking down the street will stare at them and say things about them but honestly I don't care. They really are my life and I couldn't give them up. They are like my kids. I just wish everyone could be understanding about them. Yes they can be mean but it is all on how they are raised and treated. Any dog can lash out and attack it is just the bigger breeds that can do real harm so backs are turned at them. So once again thank you so much.
Hi,
I think todays show was fanatstic!! I have an 18 month old pitbull, and I wouldnt trade her for the world. She is the most caring, gentle dog.. I would like to donate to Tia's charity to help with the fanatstic job she is doing. Could someone please help me with where I do this?? I think for anyone who says that pitbulls dont deserve a chance, think of anything wrong you have done in regards to how you were brought up... U didnt get put down did you?? The dog is as its owner, they do as they are taught and the owner of bad dogs (of any breed) should take responsibility, not the dog who knows no better!!!
Thanks Ellen, U rock, keep doing what ur doing!!
Opal Greenwood
Australia
Please Ellen could you tell Mrs. Torres to come to New London Ct, to save like 6 pitbulls that were involved in a drug bust, they already put 1 down and is going to put the rest in 6 days. I heard in the interview that she is from the west coast, so does that mean she just cater to that part of the globe please contact news channel 8 in Conn for more details or contact me at tbchocolate3@gmail.com Thank you and may god be with this letter
My husband and I are HUGE dog lovers. We saw an article in TIME about pits for second chances. It was so awesome. And now your show? Is God trying to tell us something? This woman is amazing! And I am like you in that I love to see anyone doing better for the environment they live in. My husband and I want to open a home for GLBT youth who have been displaced. DREAMS! But noting gets done without just a small start huh? This woman has put her DREAMS to work! Thank you to her!!
ELLEN!
Yeah! I've seen this Awesome tearful show! I cry all the time I see it... because these men are learning what love is about and I think sometimes people just get frustrated in life and don't know love and take it out on themselves...sabatage their life.. and take it out on society because they feel society has cheated them from love.. the one thing we all need and crave.. unconditional..accept me for all my faults and inspire me to be the kind of person I want to be and know I can be if I wasn't cheated...neglected..beaten..and so these men have something in common with these dogs as these dogs too are "victims" of society and judgement. Dogs do love unconditionally and teach us a lot about ourselves and what love can do... conquer! heal... teach...build up..motivate..help us grow into a beautiful human being that has been fed love ... full of love so they can give what they have received and learned to those around them and it grows and grows and the light in each of us shines a little brighter and we find out that even though we aren't perfect and we fail ourselves, God, and those we love, and strangers that we do deserve love... a happy life and realize we have to stop punishing ourselves and others and just accept this love and embrace ourselves and those around us in all our differences and have compassion and accept unconditionally as God and dogs accept!
Thank you Ellen for having Tia and her adorable Snorky on your show. I have literally been raised with Pit Bulls my entire life since my parents got our first one when I was 1 year old. Since her, we've had 3 more. I've converted my husband to loving the breed and we now have 2 along with a 6 pound cat and 9 month old baby (that neither dog has eaten!). We need more people like Tia and the others who have posted their praises for this breed. There are too many people who abuse these dogs and make them mean and it's a shame that you only hear about the bad ones. I've been told that this breed is actually outlawed in some parts of Colorado and Hawaii. Wow, talk about discrimination. If only we could outlaw the scumbags that abuse them instead of the specific breed. There's also a sterotype of the owners. Well, here's some news, most of us are loving pet owners. That's why you don't hear about our dogs because we know how to raise them. For those out there who know nothing of the breed, but think that they do, consider all of the famous people who own or have owned them. If they were the "killers" that some of you claim, would so many decent people (and by decent, I mean the people who love the dogs and know how to treat them, not fight them like some others out there) have them? Here's a list for you to look at:
Celebrities Who Own Pit Bulls
Jon Stewart of The Daily Show with Jon Stewart owns two pit bulls: Shamsky & Monkey.
Ken Howard, award-winning actor from Crossing Jordon, was saved by his pit bull Shadow during a medical crisis.
Movie star Alicia Silverstone owns a rescued pit bull named Samson.
Adam Brody gave girlfriend and O.C. co-star Rachel Bilson a pit bull named Penny Lane as a birthday gift.
Oscar winner Jamie Foxx, TV Personality Rachael Ray and Pittsburgh Steelers Linebacker Joey Porter all own two pit bulls!
Jessica Biel has a pit bull named Tina, and Jessica Alba owns a pit bull puppy.
President Theodore Roosevelt, President Woodrow Wilson, singer Kevin Federline, radio personality Ira Glass, actor Fred Astaire, General George Patton, actor Michael J. Fox, actor Jan Michael Vincent, actor Jack Dempsy, Thomas Edison, singer Madonna, movie star Brad Pitt, actress Bernadette Peters, comedian Sinbad, actress Linda Blair, actor Humphrey Bogart, musician Usher, comedian Mel Brooks, actress Ann Bancroft, actor Jan Michael Vincent, singer Pink, actress Eliza Dushku and actress Kelli Williams are just a few other celebrities who own or have owned a pit bull
Tia married at least two murders. She divorced one in Florida, and married one in CA.
The second one (CA) was out on paroled, violated and got back in jail again. the rules. Tia paid a lot of money to fight getting this husband/murder out again.
New people will donate money. Previous donors would not donate any more. It's a part of why donation is low for the shelter. Folks don't want their hard earned money going to lawyer fees for a murder.
Ask Tia about her previous, current husbands - the murders
--
http://www.dogsbite.org/blog/2008/10/valencia-high-school-vice-principal.html
Pit Bull Rescuer's Husband Arrested
UPDATE 10/03/08: Comments left at this post have called attention to another matter regarding the Villalobos Rescue Center. On September 6th, 2007, the facility was raided and searched. The husband of Tia Torres, Aren Marcus Jackson, and one of her employees was subsequently arrested. Jackson served about 14 years in prison for attempting to murder two Orange County sheriff's deputies. He got out of prison in 2005.
http://www.topix.com/forum/city/canyon-country-ca/TPQUD8G1CHVGBCQ3V
Hello all. Let me start off by saying THANK YOU to Ellen for having Tia on the show. I am always excited to see other people working to help this breed over come the problems it faces. ^_^ I am posting mainly however to comment on something that someone has said on these comments. SCOTT CHILDS, I URGE YOU TO GET YOUR FACTS STRAIGHT BEFORE YOU GO ABOUT POSTING NONSENSE ABOUT THINGS YOU CLEARLY KNOW NOTHING OF. I ask that you look at ANY dog bite studies. You will see that Pit Bulls are infact NOT high up on that list. Generally, smaller dogs bite more. Infact, I have come across more aggressive Labradors, Chihuahuas, Dachshunds, and Shih Tzus than I have Pit Bulls. Also, I find it a little disturbing that you value the life of one animal over another. Horse or dog, regardless of breed, all deserve to be helped. Thankfully, not everyone in this world believes everything the media says. On that note, do you know why you hear of Pit Bull attacks more so than other breeds? Makes for a better story. "____ Nearly Mauled to Death by Pit Bull" sounds a lot more interesting and dramatic than "_____ Bit on ankle by vicious Chihuahua" ........Thankfully, there are still people out there who realize that the media isn't all it's cracked up to be. Thankfully, there are people out there that understand the nature of this breed. Uggh that just irritates me (what Scott Childs said), "COULD OF SPENT THAT MONEY BETTER" --- How arrogant! Once again, THANK YOU ELLEN for having them on your show and spreading the word, you have no idea how much it means to people such as myself who dedicate most if not all of their lives to rescuing and rehoming our furry friends. (and yes im aware no one will read this long post lol... i was venting for my own sanity i suppose)
Heather Eddinger
xHouseRemix@gmail.com
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Hi, my son raises pitbulls. I think it is wonderful what tia an the guys an gals are doing. Keep up the good work an don't let know one discourage you to stop. There needs to be more loving an caring people like you all in the world.
Posted by Debi Barr | January 7, 2012 12:05 PM