Episode Descriptions
The Smith Family
The Smith Family wants a new pet. As their two teenage daughters, Lauren and Danielle, go away to college, Mom (Nikki) wants a pet to soothe her empty-nest syndrome. Ten-year-old son, Dorian, wants a big dog, and Dad (Darnell) wants a talking bird. More importantly, the Smith's biggest challenge is to find a pet that’s compatible with Wednesday – their ferocious, two-pound teacup yorkie.
PETFINDER co-host Jarod Miller is heading out solo to the Smith's house to find the ideal pet for their home. With so many family members and so many different opinions, Jarod’s will need some very special Teacher’s Pets to back him up. From a feathered troublemaker to a very unique cat, we watch as the Smiths learn more about animals and gain a better understanding about what will work and what definitely will not work in their home.
After all the hard work and tough lessons, the family has an emotional meeting with their final pet and more importantly adopts an animal from a local shelter.
Divinity & Greg
Divinity and Greg are a newly engaged couple looking for a new pet to add to their home. The problem is these two are searching for completely different animals. Divinity has been around animals her entire life; she grew up with great danes and, at one point, owned four of them at once! She is also drawn to exotics and wants to take this opportunity to get a non-traditional pet. Greg, on the other hand, is searching for a pet to bring out the life in Nesta, his beloved 12-year-old mutt.
Can Jarod and Dina find a pet that’s exotic enough for Divinity, be appropriate for their lifestyle and be compatible with Nesta? Good thing PETFINDER has some special Teacher’s Pets lined up! And in the end, another animal is adopted from a local shelter.
The Gee Family
The Gee Family is looking to PETFINDER to solve the prickly dilemma of what animal to adopt for their very first family pet.
The Gee household consists of Steve and Jenny (the parents), Jenny’s parents (the grandparents) and three adorable young children – for a total of seven people in the household! And they all have different ideas regarding the perfect family pet. Steve desperately wants a dog, but Jenny isn’t sure they are ready for one. The couple had two dogs when they were first married but felt they couldn't care for them with the added responsibility of a child and so found them another home. Jenny still feels painful guilt about this and is adamant that history does not repeat itself. Jenny wants to be 100 percent sure they can handle a dog before bringing one into the family. As for the rest of the family: nine-year-old Ben wants a hamster; three-year old Rebekah wants a bunny rabbit; and six-year-old Lydia only wants an animal that fits in the palm of her hand. Grandma and Grandpa think pets have no business inside the house with humans although he has a special fondness for turtles.
With so many people to please, Jarod and Dina are counting on their Teacher’s Pets to help them decide what pet to adopt that would be the best fit for them all!
The Hopwood Family
Brenda and Steve Hopwood are newlyweds who have two adopted cats and are looking to have children in the very near future. First and foremost, they want to adopt another pet to prove to themselves that they are ready for the responsibilities of parenthood. The problem is that Brenda and Steve have very different ideas about their perfect pet. Steve wants an exotic pet similar to what he's encountered in his travels to the Amazon, and Brenda has her heart set on a teacup yorkie. She's even bought a stroller and diapers in preparation for dog-mommy duties. And then, of course, they need a pet that will get along with their adorable cats!
Co-hosts Jarod and Dina have their work cut out for them as they try to find some common ground between the newlyweds. Can Brenda handle the exotic pets that PETFINDER brings into her home? Will Steve warm up to the idea of adopting a stereotypical girly dog? Through the process, the Hopwoods discover that the best addition to their family is completely unexpected.
The Bissell Family
The Bissell family home already is full of pets. They own a golden retriever named Champ; a bearded dragon lizard named Dash; a turtle named Juliet; a pond fish; and two American dog ticks named Dracula and Fred. Their pet motto is “the more the merrier” especially when they know they will be adopting an animal in need! The problem is they can’t agree on the specie of their next pet. Mom (Martha) wants a goat because she used to own one as a child. Nine-year-old daughter, Elizabeth, wants a pony. Dad (Jim) wants another dog to be Champ’s playmate. Ten-year-old son, Alexander (“Xander”), loves all things reptile; he’s even a card-carrying member of the Herpetological Society.
Will PETFINDER be able to find one pet that satisfies the whole family?
Find out as Jarod and Dina bring some of the coolest Teacher’s Pets to satisfy Xander’s love of exotic animals and to explore his family's motley crew of desired pets. Each Teacher’s Pet ultimately will get the family closer to their most suitable pet, but are they ready for what PETFINDER has in store for them?
The Venice Couple
Jarod and Dina head to sunny Venice Beach, Calif. to help a beachside couple Steve and his girlfriend, Tamara, find the ultimate pet for their home. They already have a cute six-month-old maltese named Jimmy Choo. Tamara is yearning for another bunny rabbit to mend her broken heart since her beloved pet bunny passed away. On the other hand, Steve is interested in bringing back something from his childhood: a golden retriever. Clearly, their pet tastes are worlds apart.
From an intense, pet-proofing saga to a crew of pet-loving friends to lend support and opinions, Jarod and Dina have their hands full with these two. The PETFINDER team soon discovers that finding the perfect pet for Steve and Tamara is one of the toughest assignments ever!
The Barring Family
The Barring Family is looking to adopt a family pet that will serve two dramatically different functions: 1) to fit seamlessly into their busy lives; and 2) to serve as a mascot for 13-year-old Grant’s lacrosse team, the Pioneers. The family’s two pomeranians, Precious and Mac, tried out for the position, but they were more like pom-poms than the fierce animal that the team requires to intimidate their opponents. And while most of the family is leaning toward another dog, ten-year-old Sara thinks a cold-blooded animal might do the trick.
PETFINDER suspects Sara might be on the right track and provides the family and the team the full spectrum of options before making their expert decision. After all, it’s not every day they need to find a pet to serve double-duty! So with the help of their feathered, scaly and furry Teacher’s Pets, Jarod and Dina broaden everyone’s perception of what a “mascot” and help guide the family to decide what adoptable pet is most compatible with them.
The Finns
Heath and Darlene Finn are as different as a couple can be. Heath is goofy and lovable, and he desperately wants a dog, maybe even two. Darlene is blunt and doesn't mince words. She is set on adopting a black cat to replace Moose, a beloved kitty who recently passed away. Moose helped Darlene through some emotionally traumatic changes in her life, including the passing of her mother. Even several months later, Darlene still is heavily mourning Moose’s passing.
With each Teacher’s Pet that Jarod and Dina bring into their home, the Finns grapple with their emotions and come to terms with the fact that no pet can replace Moose. Is it possible for the Finns to achieve closure and find a pet to help them start a new chapter in their lives? In the end, Darlene adopts a new love of her life that surprises Heath, surprises PETFINDER and even surprises Darlene herself!
The Carless Family
Fullerton, Calif. is home to single mom Julie Carless and her two daughters, 11-year-old Allysa and eight-year-old Star. Their situation is unique because they actually need a pet for health reasons.
Star has a rare disability called juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, which is causing her bones and joints to deteriorate. It’s painful for her to run and play like other little girls, and the disability has caused other complications such as slight autism, sensory integration disorder and ligament laxity. One of the best activities she can do to help her body is ride horses. Riding forces her to use all her muscles yet spares her fragile joints the stress of impact. The more Star rides, the healthier she becomes. If Star had her own horse, she could ride anytime. Star has been saving recyclable cans in hopes of redeeming them for a horse, but she needs about 120,000 more cans! PETFINDER will help Star get and care for the horse she so desperately needs.
Through the most emotional mission on the PETFINDER schedule, this girl learns and grows with each Teacher’s Pet. When the final animal is presented, Jarod and Dina make Star's dreams come true.
The Hoffman Family
The Hoffmans are a rare bunch. Within their Malibu Canyon home, there's Jon, the father, and Crystal, the mother. Jon never had pets growing up and only recently adopted his first pet, thanks to Crystal. Growing up on a farm, Crystal has been surrounded by animals her entire life, and she is studying to be an exotic animal handler similar to Jarod.
Then there's Justin, the seven-year-old son who wants to adopt one more animal. The big issue here is that Mom wants a tiger or something wild and crazy, but Dad and Justin feel that she needs to learn the difference between a pet and a wild animal. Crystal's mission is for Jon to accept and open his heart to the idea of adopting a new pet.
Jarod and Dina not only have to teach Crystal that it’s not all right to have a pet tiger, but they need to determine if ultimately Jon can open his mind and heart to accept a new pet. By introducing a true exotic as the first Teacher’s Pet, we see the lengths Crystal will go toward adopting an exotic animal. It’s going to have to be the right mix of exotic and “who knows what” to satisfy this family. Good thing PETFINDER is here to help!
Laura and Brandon James
Laura James and her 15-year-old son, Brandon, are looking to the PETFINDER team to help them adopt a pet. For years, Brandon has been begging his mom for a dog. However, Laura (a busy single mom with a demanding career) always has been concerned about the amount of work a dog requires and the amount of mess a dog makes. After years of apartment living, the family recently bought their own house with a great big yard, and they are ready to take the plunge.
The only hitch is they can’t agree on anything! Both mother and son admit they are very competitive – if she says black, he says white. And the same goes for their taste in canines – Laura is asking for a tiny, purse-sized dog while Brandon wants an enormous hound that can run and play ball. There is, however, one thing on which they can agree: they both loved Busy, an inquisitive, little ferret they had five years ago.
Jarod and Dina think maybe if they found an alternative to a dog, they might get Laura and Brandon on the same page. Trouble comes into play with the topic of ferrets – as they are not legal in California. Jarod, Dina and the Teacher’s Pets have their work cut out for them as they try hard to mediate between stubborn mother and strong-willed son to find the perfect pet for them to adopt together.
The Morris Family
The Morris Family of Los Angeles wants to surprise their 22-year-old daughter, Kamilah, with a pet when she returns home from her European vacation. Trouble is… agreeing on the perfect pet. Making things more complicated is their seven-year-old grandson, Alex III, who is begging for an anaconda – even though Mom (Vanessa) is terrified of snakes. She also doesn’t want a big animal that’s going to ruin her beautiful home. The only thing Alex Sr. really cares about is finding a pet that won’t poop a lot because he’s afraid of becoming a human pooper scooper.
Can PETFINDER help the Morrises surprise their daughter and satisfy their grandson without destroying the house?
You will have to find out…as Jarod and Dina introduce two ends of the spectrum with a giant-sized pet and one of the smallest pets on the planet. The surprise element here is, in addition to adopting an amazing animal at the end of the show, the Morrises also adopt one of their Teacher's Pets.
The Kirchners
The Kirchners are a family of animal lovers. Dad (Mike) is a biology teacher at a private high school, and he wants to adopt a pet (preferably a reptile) to bring to his classroom to help teach his students more about animals. Nine-year-old daughter, Jennifer, loves all animals and is fearless when it comes to handling snakes and iguanas, but she really wants a small rodent as her own. The 20-year-old twins, Kate and Beth, attend Pepperdine University but are at home most weekends. When they were younger, the family lived on a farm, and the girls took care of everything from cows to ostriches. The sisters feel little Jennifer missed out on the country-living experience and thus want little sis to have a pet of her own. The only one standing in the way is Mom (Caroline). She's always been tolerant of her family having pets, but she is strongly against adding another one as she believes Jennifer is not ready to handle a pet of her own.
Jarod and Dina bring the Kirchners a menagerie of Teacher’s Pets for both their home and the classroom, but can they find a pet for them to adopt that piques Jennifer's interest, fits in Mike's classroom and doesn't drive Caroline crazy? There are lots of people to please, but once again, PETFINDER is up to the task!