A woman travels all the way from San Diego to give one of Villalobos' senior dogs a chance at a home; Lizzy and Marcel search for a mama dog's lost puppies out in the country; a new parolee makes a helpful discovery on his first day.

Tia heads to Detroit to help a rescue facility at risk of being shut down; the Villalobos team looks for a stray pit bull in a nearby neighborhood; a grieving adopter comes to VRC, hoping to find a dog to fill the void in her heart.

When Tia receives an adoption email unlike any she's seen before, she makes a cross-country trip to find a dog a special home in time for Christmas; the kids' significant others band together to give the family an unforgettable present.