A Second Chance At Life, National Geographic Channel's Hit Series DOGTOWN Follows Desperate Dogs And Their Dedicated Caregivers

Misfit and Traumatized Dogs; Puppy Mill Rescues; War-Zone Trauma Cases; Lovable But Leaky Bladders ― Are All Transformed Into Adoptable Pets

10 New Episodes Begin Friday, March 20, 2009, at 10 PM ET/PT

National Geographic Channel's hit series DogTown is back with 10 new episodes following the transformation of rejected, misfit dogs into adoptable pets with a second chance at life.  Last season, viewers watched the amazing rehabilitation of the Michael Vick dogs at Dogtown, the last-hope shelter that's part of the Best Friends Animal Sanctuary, the largest facility for homeless animals in the country.  Here, dedicated vets, caregivers and trainers tackle cases most deem too difficult.  "It just takes a lot of patience, a lot of TLC ... and a pocket full of chicken!" says dog care manager and trainer John Garcia.

Starting Friday, March 20 at 10 p.m. ET/PT, meet some of DogTown's most challenging cases yet - Aristotle, a scab-covered terrier mix rescued from a hoarding situation; Waylon, an aggressive chow mix who lashes out unpredictably; Rush, a traumatized shepherd mix airlifted from a Middle Eastern war zone; and Gertie, a bulgy-eyed puppy mill shih tzu who snorts.  Plus, later this season we'll see how the Michael Vick dogs are progressing.  On the front lines along with Garcia are dog care manager Michelle Besmehn; veterinarians Dr. Michael Dix and Dr. Patti Iampietro; and trainers Sherry Woodard, Pat Whitacre and Ann Allums.

It's the series that has won the hearts of animal lovers everywhere, including Ellen DeGeneres, who calls it one of her favorite shows and tells viewers, "You have to please, PLEASE watch this show!"  DogTown has also been nominated for a 2009 Genesis® Award as best "Unscripted Television Series" for the Michael Vick Dogs episode.

New episodes this season  include:

DOGTOWN: THE SURVIVORS
Friday, March 20, 2009 at 10 PM ET/PT

Aristotle, a terrier mix rescued from a hoarding situation, comes to Dogtown with a skin condition that is one of the worst cases Dr. Mike Dix has ever seen.  His hair has fallen out and his skin is covered in scabs.  But with special meds and extra care, watch this shy puppy transform into a "bouncing not-itching monkey" with a bright future.  Then, behavior consultant Sherry Woodard rescues eight beagles from euthanasia.  While most of the pooches are healthy, one, named Electra, has a potentially fatal illness caused by parasitic worms.  Later, an aggressive chow mix named Waylon lashes out unpredictably, but trainer Pat Whitacre is hoping to find an endearing personality waiting to come out.

DOGTOWN: AGAINST THE ODDS
Friday, March 27, 2009 at 10 PM ET/PT

Dog care manager Michelle Besmehn travels to Los Angeles to rescue several older dogs from an overcrowded puppy mill.  Many have severe medical issues and haven't seen a vet before.  One younger dog, a Chihuahua named Mei Mei, likely spent her life in a cage, and needs Michelle's training to become house-trained; and Gertie, a bulgy-eyed shih tzu, requires the right home for her special needs.  Then, Charro, an adult Lab mix with a persistent cough, is rescued from a neglectful home by an animal welfare group.  Dr. Mike performs a risky lung surgery on Charro that he's never done before.

DOGTOWN: STARTING OVER
Friday, April 3, 2009 at 10 PM ET/PT

Two homeless dogs named Haley and Hana are rescued from an underground cave in Ethiopia, where it is believed they survived for more than two months after being dumped there by locals.  Can behavior consultant Sherry Woodard help the street dogs overcome their fears and improve their social skills in order to take on a domestic world?  Hugo, a 100-pound bloodhound, is returned to Dogtown after seriously biting a family member.  Trainer Pat Whitacre teaches him a safer way to interact.  And a golden retriever, Ava, has just arrived with a paw ripped apart by a coyote trap.  Dr. Patti Iampietro will take a chance and remove just two of Ava's toes in an attempt to save the leg.  Will this playful dog get back her full and active life?

DOGTOWN: NEW HOPE
Friday, April 10, 2009 at 10 PM ET/PT

Rush, a shepherd mix airlifted from a Middle East war zone, is withdrawn and frightened of loud noises - a suspected canine case of post-traumatic stress.  After being bitten by the dog, trainer John Garcia begins to work with Rush so that he can teach him to trust.  Then, adoption specialist Kristi Litrell meets a rejected beagle named Jasmine who stumbles when she walks and can't control her bladder.  Kristi test-drives a possible solution - doggy diapers.  And Scruffy, a terrier mix, managed to survive Hurricane Katrina but is now petrified of new situations, from walking through doorways and onto floor surfaces to getting into cars.

DOGTOWN: A FIGHTING CHANCE
Friday, April 17, 2009 at 10 PM ET/PT

Music star Emmylou Harris calls for help with a vicious shepherd mix named Gunnar, leaving animal behavior specialist Sherry Woodard only a few days to come up with a plan to overcome his aggression.  Theresa, an abandoned pit bull, has a mysterious mass in her belly.  The dog has a history of skin cancer, so vet Dr. Patti Iampietro must do exploratory surgery to see if the cancer has spread internally. The unlikely combination of boisterous trainer John Garcia and painfully shy Little Girl proves rewarding for both, as John teaches the Catahoula leopard dog mix to trust the world - one person at a time.

For more information, visit www.natgeotv.com/dogtown.

DogTown is produced by National Geographic Television for the National Geographic Channel.  For National Geographic Television, executive producer is Kim Woodard, and series producer is Darcy Dennett.  For the National Geographic Channel, executive producer is Chris Valentini, senior vice president, production and development is Juliet Blake and executive vice president of content is Steve Burns.

Best Friends Animal Sanctuary

Dogtown, a shelter for lost canine souls, is part of Best Friends Animal Sanctuary, one of the largest no-kill animal facilities in the country.  Located on 33,000 acres of southern Utah canyon country, the sanctuary hosts hundreds of dogs from all around the country, along with cats, horses, rabbits, goats and various other farm animals - about  2,000 animals at any one time.  For the animals that find a home here, a huge staff oversees their every need - including medical attention, training and rehabilitation - with the eventual hope of placing as many as possible with loving owners.  Dogtown is often the last hope for dogs requiring specialized or urgent medical attention or for abused and neglected animals.  For more information, please visit: www.bestfriends.org/dogtown.