I stopped watching "Dogtown" in March.  I still support Best Friends, which I discovered through "Dogtown", but now find the show far too heartbreaking to watch.  It was seeing dogs in Ethiopia get thrown down a pit and left for dead that made me turn off the show for good.  I also never watch "Rescue Ink" or "Animal Cops". 

I don't think the makers of these shows get the point -- people who love animals do not want to see them killed or mutilated on television.  Seeing confrontations between animal abusers and animal rescuers just makes me reach for the Xanax.  The shows seem to be getting more and more about showing gore than about healing and rehoming animals.  "Animal Cops" started this trend.  It's really unnecessary and will turn off the core audience, leaving people watching who enjoy seeing hurt and dead animals. 

Show some film of the animal when they were rescued and then show how they look now.  We really don't need all of the gory details. Remember, animal show producers -- you're preaching to the choir already.

One show that gets it right is only available in the UK -- Channel 4's "Pet Rescue".  They chronicle animals as they are dropped off or picked up by RSPCA officers and then checked in on.  Not every one has a happy ending, but at least they detail some capture-release programs, retaining abused animals or showing viewer just where their contribution dollars go.  Unfortunately, the series ended in 2002.  There really needs to be something like this in the US.