A mother and son travel from Boston with hopes of adopting a dog, but Tia struggles to find a good fit for the family; Lizzy rescues a maggot-covered dog that was found lying on the road and races to the vet, hoping to save it.

A new inmate starts working at VRC, hoping to fill the big shoes that Country Matt left behind; Lizzy and Joe struggle to catch a stray in a nearby neighborhood; A family comes to Villalobos to adopt a dog, hoping to fill a void in their hearts.

A couple from New Jersey falls in love with a new best friend but the adoption gets put on the line when Dr. Kristen discovers a heart murmur; Tia heads out to the swamps to rescue a dog in need of medical attention and the diagnosis shocks her.