OUR JR FANS

So with my hectic life, not much makes me smile these days. But when I open up mail and I see the drawings that these kids make for us, well it just makes me laugh at loud. They're so damn cute that I just can't stand it! Here are a couple of adorable masterpieces. One is of our Puma who has been waiting for a home of her own for years. The other is a "portrait" of me!!!! OMG, I about died when I saw that one. Soooooooooooooooo cute!!

ROXY FROM RHODE ISLAND

So I've decided to try and become organized and be more pro-active with our friends from around the country who send in their photos of their dogs and share them with all of you. This is Roxy from Rhode Island who is owned by 14 year old Briana. She wanted everyone to know how much she lives Pit Bulls. Two thumbs up for our East Coast friends!!!

TIA'S SEASON FINALE PARTY

Well its my version of a party. But then again, I tend to be all work and no play. Last weekend a hard working and very dedicated group of volunteers came up to the mountain and helped prepare for the first exercise areas for the dogs. What a surprise for me when I only expected them to get thru one area when they.....GOT THRU FOUR AREAS!! We made some great new friends and if not for them, our dogs wouldn't have a great surprise to look forward to. In the next couple of weeks, everyone will get to see the results of their hard work!

BIG TRUCKS, BIG DOGS AND EVEN BIGGER FRIENDSHIPS

This winter has been a tough one. Probably one of the hardest we've ever been thru. And as always, the dogs are always tucked in and warm and toasty. They are the priority here. I tell my staff and kids...the dogs come first....I don't care how cold and wet you get, just make sure those dogs aren't subjected to Mother Nature. But let's face it, without the proper equipment our lives are miserable and difficult. With the new move to 5800 feet elevation, snow is a given....though not as much as we experienced a few weeks ago. So a group of people got together to make the VRC family "bigger" and "tougher". A few weeks ago we were given approximately $20,000 worth of equipment and upgrades to our vehicles to prepare us for mountain living and our next Winter Wonderland. The twins: Kanani and Keli'i took our work vehicles up North to hang out with the folks at BenLifted. Not only are Ben and Kendra awesome truck people, Kendra is also the adopter of our dog Barbie!! So for a week straight the twins and Barbie's people, made our trucks into "Monster Mountain Trucks" with big tires, lift kids, heavy duty suspension and equipment to pull us out of every mud/snow/stuck in a ravine situation you could think of. Now we're ready for the new location and we couldn't have done it without the following people:

BENLIFTED

BDS SUSPENSIONS

IRON CROSS BUMPERS

WARN WINCH

MICKEY THOMPSON WHEELS

BIG O TIRES

BRO PRINTING

FIRST ADOPTION OF 2011 !!!!!!

A very happy day today. Harrison our "Plab" (that's a Pit/Lab mix or at least that's what we call them) went to a new home today. But not just any home. He left for Washington to learn what it takes to become a narcotics detection dog (drug dog). Harrison has been here for about a year and he has been one of our more difficult dogs to adopt out. This is due to his "working" behavior: meaning this dog constantly wanted a job to do. He was 24/7 on!!!! And if not for the dedication of our volunteer trainer Melanie from Paws to Luv, we never would've known how insane Harrison was for a ball or toy. These are the characteristics needed to become a good drug or bomb dog and Harrison appears to have what it takes. Thank you Don Leahan from North West LawDog Rescue for taking him but most importantly thank you Melanie for seeing Harrison's talent and not giving up on him. It is because of you an only you, that he is now on his way to being a cool dog with a cool job.

THE SEEING EYE, INC. SAVES THE DAY

They say that sometimes help comes from places unexpected. So imagine our surprise when UPS brought us a garage full of warm and snuggly blankets from The Seeing Eye, Inc., an organization that assists with dogs that assist the visual impaired. And of course Jake just had to try them out and they absolutely got his stamp of approval. Thank you sooooo much Michelle Barlak and Nancy Fondaco.

THE BIRTH OF VILLALOBOS

In 1993, I fell in love with a dog who took my breath away. He was given to me by a relative who had wanted him for a guard dog but felt he was too nice. Ironically his name was Cujo and he was the exact opposite of the killer dog depicted in the Stephen King book. He was part wolf, part dog and weighed around 150 lbs. My little "polar bear" loved every dog, cat, bird, child and plant he met. Cujo is who inspired me to start rescuing dogs. And though I first began my "rescue career" saving wolfdogs, he taught me everything about compassion and love for all canine. It was then I decided on the name "Villalobos" for my rescue title. The meaning....village of wolves. Who would've ever known that after the passing of this magnificent animal, that Villalobos would then transcend into the largest Pit Bull rescue in the country. And because the "village of wolves" meant so much to me, I just couldn't bring myself to change the name. Oh sure, I thought of "The Pit Stop" or "Lil' Rascals" and so many more. And as some of the wolfdogs passed away from old age and I was down to a small pack, they watched as an even larger "pack" of Pit Bulls began to move in. It didn't take long for the Pit Bulls to pick up on the behavior of the wolfdogs. Before long, the Pit Bulls soon learned to howl into the night just like the wolfdogs and the coyotes that lived in the hills. My two leaders "Nashaka" the wolfdog and "Duke" the Pit Bull became the best of buddies. They both went with me everywhere. But as the years traveled, the boys became old and feeble and eventually passed away leaving a huge hole in my heart. My remaining small pack of wolfdogs were then taken over by Wolf Connection (http://www.wolfconnection.org/) and Villalobos remained with the Pit Bulls. Living among the most controversial dogs in the world have taught me that all things are not what they appear. And all I can think of is that silly old cliche' of "Don't judge a book by its cover". If only our cruel society would take the time to open that book and read the pages within. The world would be a better place. So on the next full moon, think of Villalobos and the "first dog" created. Remember it is they who are responsible for saving your breed, your favorite dog - The American Pit Bull Terrier.