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Busy unscripted TV production outfit 44 Blue has named veteran business exec Lee Straus as executive VP and head of business and legal affairs. In his new role, Straus will coordinate all legal and business affair functions for the banner behind shows ranging from Animal Planet’s “Pitbulls and Parolees” to A&e’s “Wahlburgers” to NBC’s “L.A. Fire & Rescue,” from producer Dick Wolf.

44 Blue is now part of North Road Co., a new venture from Peter Chernin that aspires to be a new mini-major with an emphasis on unscripted and documentary content for the global market. 44 Blue, founded in 1984 by husband-and-wife producing partners Rasha Drachkovitch and Stephanie Noonan Drachkovitch, was acquired by North Road in 2022.

“After many years of working together, we’re thrilled to have Lee join 44 Blue,” said Drachkovitch and Noonan Drachkovitch, CEOs and founder of 44 Blue. “With his deep relationships in the industry and diverse experience...

The Fox animated series Housebroken, about a dog who leads therapy sessions for the other animals in the neighborhood, is set to return for its second season in November. Like many other series, it offers a fascinating look at just how much people enjoy seeing animals on their television screens.

However, this is but one example of the many great series about animals that have recently made their appearance on television. As the users of Reddit have pointed out, there are actually quite a few shows worth watching, many of which are a heartwarming way to spend an afternoon.

All Creatures Great And Small (2020 - Present) Stream On BritBox

All Creatures Great And Small is actually the second time that the enormously popular novels by James Herriot has been adapted for television. And, as with the novels and the earlier television series, this iteration focuses on the (mis)adventures of...

After 18 seasons of helping pit bulls find forever homes, Animal Planet‘s Pit Bulls and Parolees will end with Season 19, TV Insider can exclusively reveal. The Pit Bulls and Parolees final season announcement also comes with the trailer for the upcoming season, premiering Saturday, October 22 on Animal Planet. Check out the sweet pups and their parolee handlers in the Season 19 trailer, above. For over 30 years, Tia Torres and her family have gone above and beyond to give a second chance at life to pit bulls at Villalobos Rescue Center, the largest Pit Bull rescue center in the U.S., while also offering parolees a new start as staff and volunteers. In Pit Bulls and Parolees Season 19, audiences will witness higher stakes as Tia and the Villalobos crew strive to give every dog an opportunity to find their forever home and a second chance at life. And while this may be the end of one chapter,...

Make sure you have some tissues on hand before watching this Saturday’s episode of Animal Planet’s “Pit Bulls and Parolees.”

In an exclusive clip obtained by TheWrap, a homeless woman named Samantha is forced to make the heartbreaking decision to give up her sweet pit bull, Emma, in order to return to England for a liver transplant. Apparently there are very strict rules about bringing pit bulls across the pond, and she is doing everything in her power to make sure that her beloved pup ends up in a caring new home.

“My main thing is my dog has a happy life, because she’s not been inside — we’ve been homeless under the bridge for quite a while,” she said. “I have to go home and start fighting for my life, and if I could take Emma with me, I would.”

Despite living on the streets, Samantha...

Pit Bulls and Parolees star Tia Torres has thanked fans for raising thousands of dollars to help rescue dogs through the show’s “You Watch. We Give” initiative last week. The annual event sees Animal Planet paying out donations based on how many people view the special episode. Tia, the founder of the Villalobos Rescue Center near New Orleans, which helps hundred of dogs and also aids parolees by taking them in as workers at the center, said it would not be able to run without the fans. She said the money raised would go towards paying the center’s annual $600,000...read more...

The oldest dog at the Villalobos Rescue Center on Animal Planet’s Pit Bulls and Parolees finally gets a chance at a forever home on this week’s episode. Summer, who is 14, has lived almost her entire life at the center but this week sees her finally getting a chance at finding an owner. She has severe arthritis and when she undergoes checks it is clear that there isn’t much time before Summer’s quality of life deteriorates. But if she comes out of the tests successfully and it’s agreed that she can be adopted she will get the chance to live...read more...

Pit Bulls and Parolees, Sui is finding it tough to say goodbye to Villalobos but it’s time to go home. Leaving a place you’ve grown to love is never easy and so it proves for Sui. Earl remembers Sui when he was “out doin, what he was doin” but says he always had a good heart, always a genuine guy. Sui reckons it was Earl’s guidance that stopped him going back on the streets. Reminding him that anything could happen out there and that he a girl and kids. He says Earl really changed his life and tearfully he expresses...read more...

This week on Pit Bulls and Parolees, Melfi is back at Villalobos but the pooch is struggling to adjust back to life at the center. After being found on the streets and taken to a shelter in Mississippi, Melfi is back with the rescue center. However, Tia’s daughter Tania is a little bit concerned after she fails to settle over a few days. She and Earl decide to take her to the vet, just to be sure there is no underlying reason for her behaviour. They are concerned she might have picked something up on the street and her weight is...read more...

This week on Pit Bulls and Parolees, parolee Joe is left in shock after getting between two stray dogs who are fighting. The two dogs fighting has left him shaken, or as he says “scared s*****ss” and so he is glad when help shows up. Another employee shows up with the van and together they try to get the two animals into some transport cages. This proves a little trickier than Joe anticipated, even a starving dog is wary about getting into a cage. But the other employee gives the dog a quick shove and it’s all over. One of...read more...

This week on Pit Bulls and Parolees, Tia’s leg injury is hampering her attempts to rescue a stray dog. A cute beagle has been found on a fairly busy road and Tia is trying to rescue the dog, but with injured leg that is easier said than done. Using a leash is not working so instead Tia decides to use a standard dog trap, baited with some fish. Also on this episode, a couple are having a bit of trouble finding a good match as they look to adopt a dog for their daughter. Plus a new parolee is struggling with his...read more...

If you’re looking for the perfect excuse to stay in this New Year’s Eve, or are looking for a way to get through your New Year’s Day hangover— we have you covered.

We’ve rounded up all the movie and TV show marathons to indulge in this holiday weekend.

As is tradition, The Twilight Zone marathon will be serving up frights continuously from Dec. 31-Jan. 2. Whether you want to catch your favorite installments in the Harry Potter series, entire seasons of Game of Thrones or episodes of Law & Order, there’s something for everyone to enjoy.

And...

In this Christmas episode of Pit Bulls and Parolees, a road trip to find a forever home for one dog makes everyone’s Christmas that much better. Tia is headed across the U.S. after she got a touching email to try and help find a forever home for a pit bull before Christmas comes. Also on this episode, the family’s partners get together to provide an amazing present for everyone. Check this bonus scene where Tia and Earl bond over a shared experience as Tia shares how she had withdrawal symptoms after being on pain meds in hospital. It really shocked her...read more...

A former skinhead bank-robber with a Swastika tattoo on his back tells the emotional story on Pit Bulls and Parolees this week of how he had his life transformed by dogs. David McMurtrie used to spout hate on a daily basis, and ended up spending 12 years behind bars for robbing banks and credit unions. But after being released from prison he bought a pit bull called Odin who helped him completely turn his life around. On Pit Bulls and Parolees, Dave recalls how owning a pit bull suddenly made him realize what he had been putting others through —...read more...

This week on Pit Bulls and Parolees the center has to deal with flooding in the area and they help a local woman with her dogs. Heavy floods in Louisiana see Tia and Villalobos help a family of former-adopters who have lost everything. They help clear out the ruined items and install fans and other equipment to get the place dried out as quick as possible. Also on this episode, a woman who has become separated from her dogs turns to them for help. Catch Pit Bulls and Parolees – Down Below at 9:00 Pm on Animal Planet.

The latest Pit Bulls and Parolees is an emotional ride as we see star Earl Moffett come out of rehab and trying to get sober with the help of his canine friends. Earl has just spent 90 days in rehab and is now on the path to sobriety, but is taking it one day at a time. And that means filling his life with other activities to fill the space that being on the wagon has brought. Watch the clip below as he spends time with pit-bulls Tiwi and Pee Wee at home, and talks about the amazing progress he’s...read more...

Pit Bulls and Parolees returns for Season 8 and sees the kids take over Villalobos whilst Tia recovers. Tia is out of action following surgery and it is down to her children to make sure the rescue center continues to run smoothy until she can get back on her feet. She tells the camera: “I don’t know what the future will bring but I just know this is where we all belong.” In this first episode they have to capture a dog that has been hiding out at a warehouse, but phantom is well named. If you’ve never seen the...read more...

The eighth season of the Pit Bulls and Parolees TV show premieres on Animal Planet, Saturday, November 12, 2016 at 9:00pm Et/Pt. The reality series follows Tia Torres at her Villalobos Rescue Center, in New Orleans, La. Because Torres is injured in the season debut, her family must step up to keep the center running.The rescue tries to rehabilitate abused Pit Bulls who are frequently demonized as a dangerous breed. Torres staffs Villalobos with parolees, who also find a new lease on life, working with the dogs. Rasha Drachkovitch, Billy Cooper and Dave Luce executive produce for 44 Blue Productions. Lisa Lucas executive produces for Animal Planet.Read More…...

Furball lovers and tree huggers rejoice — Animal Planet has renewed “Treehouse Masters” and “Yankee Jungle,” as well as ordered special “Panda Republic,” TheWrap has learned exclusively. “Treehouse Masters” will return on Friday, Jan. 15 at 10 p.m. The following Saturday, “Yankee Jungle’s” second season breathes new life at 9 p.m. On Tuesday, Jan. 26, Animal Planet will premiere two-hour special “Panda Republic,” which chronicles the challenges and triumphs at two Chinese panda centers dedicated to saving the species. Also Read: 'Pit Bulls and Parolees' Renewed by Animal Planet for Season 8 (Exclusive) Here are the series and special descriptions, per...

Animal Planet wants reality series “Pit Bulls and Parolees” to “stay.” The cable channel has renewed the show for a 10-episode Season 8, ahead of its milestone 100th episode. The 100th episode will air on Saturday, Jan. 2 at 10 p.m. Immediately after, Fox Sports TV personality and pit bull advocate Jay Glazer will host an 11 o’clock special from the Villalobos Rescue Center. “Pit Bulls and Parolees” follows Tia Torres and her family, who operate the rescue center — the largest facility for the breed in the U.S. Not only has Torres helped hundreds of abused or discarded dogs, she’s.

Let’s hear it for Botox, Radiesse, Voluma and Restylane as the 90210’s biggest fans of these minimally invasive procedures are back on BravoTV… bring on the ladies of “The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” spewing their vitriol without cracking a laugh line!The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills will see all the usual suspects who will feign shock, horror and outrage as the show’s designated trainwreck – Kim Richards – the alleged drinky pants of the bunch, proves that alcohol ages women quickly. Someone call Tia Torres of Animal Planet’s “Pit Bulls and Parolees” to sort that dog bite incident out […]...

Animal Planet is doggedly determined to carry on with “Pit Bulls and Parolees.” The network has given a sixth season to the series, which will premiere later this year, Animal Planet said Tuesday. Also read: Animal Planet Wrangles Its Own ‘Duck Dynasty’ With ‘Alaska Bush Family’ The new season will follow Tia Torres after she rebuilds her Villalobos rescue facility and life in New Orleans, following a relocation from Northern California. The fifth season of the series, which kicked off in November and ended late last month, averaged 1 million total viewers, and hit a series high in the women 25-...

After a day of giving thanks, eating turkey, and watching TV with the family, a common impulse is to get out of the house and go shopping. Just kidding! Instead of braving the Black Friday brawls, sit back and relax with even more TV marathons. (That’s what Cyber Monday is for, isn’t it?) Standouts include complete(-ish) sets of favorite franchises such as Harry Potter, Pirates of the Caribbean, Star Wars, and Star Trek, as well as guilty-pleasure reality series like House Hunters International and Say Yes to the Dress: Atlanta.

Check out the weekend guide to binge-watching...