Feel Good Friday - Villalobos Rescue Center

Happy Feel Good Friday from New Orleans, Louisiana! If you've ever watched the show "... " then you're already familiar with today's organization, the Villalobos Rescue Center.

With locations in New Orleans and Assumption Parish, the Villalobos Rescue Center (VRC) is the country's largest rescue facility for pit bulls. The center is run by Tia Torres, who started it as a wolf and wolf hybrid rescue center in California in the 1990s.

While working as a youth gang counselor for the City of Los Angeles, she had a chance encounter with a very friendly pit bull at the animal shelter and petitioned animal control to release the dog to her. Tatanka was the start of the pit bull rescue.

In 1999, in partnership with Los Angeles City Animal Services, Tia formed "The Pit Bull Support Group" to help owners with spaying, neutering and training their pets and in 2006 she started employees parolees to help rehabilitate and retrain the dogs at VRC.

VRC relocated to New Orleans in 2011 due to rising costs in California and has now expanded to take in dogs of all breeds. Each month they take in 60 dogs, adopt out 30-40 and spend $280,000 to keep the center running. Adopted dogs get added to their "happy endings" alumni page of the website.

If you want to support the work of the Villalobos Rescue Center you can make a donation, sponsor an individual dog or adopt a dog. If you happen to live in, or be visiting New Orleans, you can volunteer as a dog walker, take a tour of the facility or shop for merchandise and dog treats. No matter where you are, you can like their Facebook page and watch Pit Bulls and Parolees!