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– Audience Drives $50,000 Donation to Villalobos Rescue Center in Fifth Consecutive “You Watch. We Give.” Initiative –

(New York, New York) – On Saturday, a record average of 1.6 million P2+ viewers watched Animal Planet’s “Giving Thanks” Thanksgiving special, generating $50,000 in donations towards Villalobos Rescue Center in New Orleans through the “You Watch. We Give.” initiative. 

“Giving Thanks” ranks as the series’ most-watched episode ever among multiple demos, including P2+ viewers (1.6M), P18-49 (830K), P25-54 (777K), W18-49 (527K), and W25-54 (492K). In addition, the episode ranked as the #1 original cable series for the night with P25-54, W25-54, P18-49, and W18-49 delivery and also helped Animal Planet rank #4 among all ad-supported cable networks in the 10 PM timeslot.

PIT BULLS & PAROLEES fans are among the most enthusiastic Animal Planet viewers, and they took to Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to make Saturday's premiere the second-most social program in all TV*. Continuing the #ShowUsYourPits call to action across platforms, fans shared pictures of their beloved pit bulls – with a select few featured on Animal Planet throughout the episode – garnering tens of thousands of social mentions, generating global and U.S. Trending Topics on Twitter, filling up the PIT BULLS & PAROLEES Facebook page (with more than 1.2 million fans) and lighting up Instagram.

Through the “You Watch. We Give.” campaign, Animal Planet committed to make a donation for every viewer who watched Saturday’s live premiere of PIT BULLS & PAROLEES. As a result, Animal Planet, in partnership with Cox Communications, donated $50,000 to Villalobos Rescue Center, the 501c3 nonprofit organization featured in the series. The “You Watch. We Give.” initiative marks the fifth consecutive year of Animal Planet’s on-going commitment to make a positive impact on the animal world with the non-profit initiative “Reach Out. Act. Respond.” (R.O.A.R.).

“Villalobos has grown exponentially since we moved to New Orleans, and this donation from Animal Planet and Cox will tremendously help our cause,” said Torres. “We can’t thank our fans enough for supporting us and the pit bull breed for all these years by tuning in and being loyal viewers.”  

*Excluding sports. Source: Nielsen SocialGuide

About Pit Bulls & Parolees

Tia Torres is a firm believer in second chances. She has dedicated the past two decades to building Villalobos Rescue Center, the largest pit bull rescue center in the U.S. Torres gives a new lease on life to dogs that were discarded, demonized and abused, often due solely to the reputation of their breed. Villalobos also has offered a fresh start to the more than 50 parolees that Tia has employed – each trying to get their life on the right track despite them also being stigmatized by society for their past. New episodes of PIT BULLS & PAROLEES air Saturdays at 10 PM (ET/PT).

About Animal Planet

Animal Planet, a multi-media business unit of Discovery Communications, is the world's only entertainment brand that immerses viewers in the full range of life in the animal kingdom with rich, deep content via multiple platforms and offers animal lovers and pet owners access to a centralized online, television and mobile community for immersive, engaging, high-quality entertainment, information and enrichment. Animal Planet consists of the Animal Planet television network, available in more than 94 million homes in the US; online assets www.animalplanet.com, the ultimate online destination for all things animal; Animal Planet L!VE, the go-to digital destination for round-the-clock, unfiltered access to the animal kingdom; and other media platforms including a robust Video-on-Demand (VOD) service, and merchandising extensions.

About Reach Out. Act. Respond. (R.O.A.R.).

Established in 2006, Animal Planet's R.O.A.R., is dedicated to improving the lives of animals in our communities and in the wild. The R.O.A.R. partners benefiting from this program help wild and domestic animals in the U.S. and abroad. The campaign aligns Animal Planet with a powerful roster of leading animal and environmental organizations. R.O.A.R. is a key component of Discovery's overall Impact initiative which strives to celebrate, support and sustain the majesty of the earth's people, animals and natural beauty through innovative programs and events. For more information about how Discovery is making an impact, please visit: impact.discovery.com.

About Discovery Impact

Through its Discovery Impact programs, Discovery Communications (Nasdaq: DISCA, DISCB, DISCK) leverages the power of its brands, businesses and employees to give back to the world. From programming that inspires and educates to annual events that make a direct impact on the communities in which we live and work, Discovery strives to celebrate, support and sustain the majesty of the earth's people, animals and natural beauty. For more information about how Discovery is making an impact, please visit: impact.discovery.com.

About Cox

Cox Communications is a broadband communications and entertainment company, providing advanced digital video, Internet and telephone services over its own nationwide IP network. The third-largest U.S. cable TV company, Cox serves approximately 6 million residences and businesses. Cox Business is a facilities-based provider of voice, video and data solutions for commercial customers, and Cox Media is a full-service provider of national and local cable spot and new media advertising. Cox is known for its pioneering efforts in cable telephone and commercial services, industry-leading customer care and its outstanding workplaces. For seven years, Cox has been recognized as the top operator for women by Women in Cable Telecommunications; Cox has ranked among DiversityInc's Top 50 Companies for Diversity seven times, including the last six years. More information about Cox Communications, a wholly owned subsidiary of Cox Enterprises, is available at www.cox.com and www.coxmedia.com.

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