Smallscreen Reviews
Review: Nat Geo's 'Dogtown' a no miss, no kill oasis for dog lovers
By April MacIntyre
Dec 30, 2007, 23:01 GMT

The latest documentary from National Geographic, "Dogtown", takes you inside a magnificent facility in Utah funded by animal benefactors so that no dog is denied even the costliest medical treatment, while they are psychologically reprogrammed and physically groomed in hopes of being adopted to a loving home.

Dogtown was created as one of the largest no-kill animal facilities in the United States; the spacious grounds are in Southern Utah canyon country.

The sanctuary is funded by the Best Friends Animal Society — and hosts hundreds of dogs from all around the country, along with cats, horses, rabbits, goats and various other farm animals — about 1,500 animals at any one time.

On the front lines of Dogtown is a dedicated team of experts, including medical director Dr. Mike Dix; veterinarian Dr. Patti Iampietro; animal behavior consultant Sherry Woodard; trainer John Garcia; head vet tech Jeffrey Popowich; Dogtown manager Michelle Besmehn; and handler Thomas Foyles. 

When it comes to treating sick animals, Dogtown's policy is to do everything possible once a dog is accepted for treatment.

The National Geographic series lifts up the rug on the rampant abuse that lurks out there.  Callous attitudes and abusive behavior that some unlucky animals are on the receiving end of. 

The eyes of these discarded pets says it all; you’d be a fool to think they didn’t have feelings and emotions, withering from neglect as their body language reveals their fear from unspeakable cruelty.

There is a caveat for watching this eye-opening and heartwarming series, if you recently put down an ailing pet as I had done a few months ago, this show will wreck you.  I was sobbing during one particular segment in “Second Chances,” about an old, docile Chow named Bruno.

They did everything under the sun for this old guy taken in from a shelter.  But in the end, all involved had to accept his time had come.  This was not easy to watch.

The sad facts are that thanks to still legal puppy mills, backyard breeders, irresponsible owners and human stupidity, 3 and 4 million unwanted pets are euthanized every year.

It doesn’t have to be this way. 

There is a good chance that a mall pet store selling purebred puppies got those cute little furry displays from a horrific puppy mill, where animals are locked in a two square foot cage their entire lives as they are force-mated, then killed after their last litter. 

I was sent two episodes, “Crisis Dogs” and “Second Chances” for review. 

One of the more interesting cases highlighted in the first one is that of ‘Animal,” a little terrier saved from a mill, and so traumatized by the lack of any human touch or even normal dog socialization that welding gloves and several people were needed just to get him into a pet carrier. 

Animal's story is a classic puppy "Pygmalion" tale of salvation.  The footage illustrates the step-by-step dedication of one facility trainer, Sherry Woodard, as she quietly brings this snapping, snarling matted tiny bag of teeth to a normal, calm state of healthy dog pack play and tail-wagging acceptance of human affection. 

This first episode brings home the enormity of the damage inflicted by the puppy mills and backyard breeders.

Another interesting aspect of Dogtown is their outreach program with the Navajo Indian Nation.

The Dogtown crew gains the tribe’s trust to hand over their dogs for spaying, neutering and re-education so that the common practice of puppies being abandoned in dumpsters and tire piles and the shooting of perfectly healthy but unwanted dogs in the head comes to an end.

There are great stories with happy and not-so happy endings, but in all a truly rewarding television series for the whole family that will educate viewers about common mistakes made in selecting, training and the proper caring for animals. 

Also please note, that the kindness and ability for Dogtown to accept their four-legged charges is due to the generosity of the Best Friends Animal Society.  To learn more and give, you can visit them at www.bestfriends.org

Premiering Friday, January 4, at 9 p.m. ET/PT, each episode of National Geographic Channel's (NGC) new series Dogtown takes viewers on a journey inside the bustling grounds to meet the dogs and the skilled professional team dedicated to ensuring that even the toughest cases survive.

Episode schedule:
DOGTOWN: Crisis Dogs
Friday, January 4, at 9 PM ET/PT
A puppy mill — a facility that mass breeds dogs — is raided by Nebraska state authorities. Over a hundred and seventy dogs are found in terrible conditions. Dogtown arranges an emergency flight for trainer Sherry Woodard to bring back some of the most traumatized dogs. Among them is a terrier mix she names Animal, who's been driven to the brink of madness. Meanwhile, Dogtown's head veterinarian Dr. Mike Dix faces a baffling medical mystery: a gentle male dog named Porto suffering from an undiagnosed illness. If Porto's ever going to find a home, his condition has to be diagnosed and treated. And two sibling hounds — Remington and Ruger — have been rescued from a polygamist sect where unwanted dogs are often shot. They're safe in Dogtown, but to have any hope of adoption, they have to be split up. Trainer John Garcia has the difficult job of separating two dogs that have never lived apart.

DOGTOWN: Second Chances
Friday, January 11, at 9 PM ET/PT
An older chow named Bruno heads to Dogtown for much-needed medical attention. His extensive ailments include a sunken eye and balance problems — symptoms indicative of a possible brain tumor. Veterinarian Mike Dix and his staff do all they can for him, but will it be too late for Bruno? The staff faces a decision every family dreads — when is it time to let a beloved animal go? Meanwhile, Dogtown heads out on a rescue mission to a local Indian reservation. As the midday sun beats down on them, Dogtown manager Michelle Besmehn and other staff members search a garbage dump, hoping to save any abandoned dogs. Hiding among the trash the team finds two scared puppies on the brink of dehydration. Back at the sanctuary, Sherry Woodard fosters 1-year-old Annie, a behaviorally challenged dog with a serious history of biting an infant. Annie's next challenge will bring her face-to-face with one of her biggest fears — a 2-year-old child.

DOGTOWN: The Outsiders
Friday, January 18, at 9 PM ET/PT
A 1-year-old bulldog named Wiggles arrives at Dogtown from a California shelter with unusual symptoms: he falls frequently and can't control his bowels. Head veterinarian Mike Dix must determine if Wiggles' condition is life threatening, or if he's stable enough to live in a home. Trainer Pat Whitacre faces a different kind of challenge: to transform spaniel-mix Jolene from a painfully shy, fearful dog into a happy, friendly one. Step by step, Pat attempts to socialize Jolene so she has a chance at adoption. Zoey, a rotweiller/hound mix, suffers from crippling allergies to the environment and to humans. Her family in New York State had tried everything, but no allergy medication worked. At Dogtown, Dr. Mike Dix works on a new plan of attack. As a caregiver at Dogtown, Thomas Foyles feels a connection with the most aggressive dogs, like Bones, a vizsla street dog who was rescued and brought to Dogtown 11 years ago. When he arrived, Bones was known for attacking other dogs, but in the last few years he has mellowed. Now, Thomas believes Bones could live in a home for his last few years. So Bones will undergo an official assessment to see if his violent tendencies are truly gone.

Grade: A, and family friendly