Animal Planet’s New Series ‘The Guardians’ Features An Animal Rescue And Advocacy Team

The Guardians of Rescue is made up of a diverse group of people, ranging from ex-military personnel and retired police detectives to former convicts and gang members. According to Broadway World, the Guardians of Rescue team, which is located in Smithtown, New York, is united in their passion and dedication in helping animals when they are in distress and can’t help themselves. The Guardians features the founder and president of the Guardians of Rescue, Rob Misseri, and his dedicated team of volunteers: Dori, Dr. Moose, Brian, Face, Marceline, Ms. Elle, Amanda, and Bill.

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According to the Guardians of Rescue website, their goal is to provide assistance in a “broad range of scenarios, to educate and motivate, and to advocate for those who cannot speak for themselves.” John Soltes from Hollywood SOAPBOX recently conducted a phone interview with Misseri, discussing what he and his Guardians of Rescue team go through as they navigate through the different scenarios of animal neglect and abuse that they often face.

“I see a big void and a need in the animal-rescue community where there was a big disconnection in so many unique cases, whether it would be feral cats being poisoned, or there’s a person who may have kept dogs in a yard for protection. They were drug dealers, and [the dogs] were there to provide an alert system. So if the police would come to raid their house, this would give them a heads-up, and law enforcement can’t do much about it, especially if they have somewhat of shelter and they were being fed on a regular basis. It was that big void, and I felt there was a need to go in, and really intervene and put the necessary legal pressure on them.”

There is nothing the Guardians crew won’t do if it helps or protects an animal in need. On The Guardians, viewers will come along as the team does everything from neutering feral cats, removing puppies from a violent situation, to renovating an RV for a veteran and his dogs. These are just some of the tasks the Guardians team willingly performs at any time or at any hour. They are also in a partnership with Save-A-Pet Rescue, located in Long Island, and are part of a larger network of volunteers from all over the world. The Guardians of Rescue also strive to educate and motivate pet owners in ways both big and small on how to improve the lives of their animals.

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“Guardians of Rescue are everyday heroes. Their passion for helping and protecting animals makes us proud to share their rescue stories with our audiences,” said Patrice Andrews, the general manager of Animal Planet.

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Fortunately for the Guardians of Rescue, most of the people they interact with are sincerely wanting to do the right things for their pets. Sometimes it comes down to a lack of resources or money to continue to care for them properly, and on this season of The Guardians, the team will step in to provide much-needed support. They also provide vital information and training to pet owners, as well as spreading the message regarding the importance of spaying and neutering pets.

“We change their lives through our process,” Misseri told HSB. “We make a difference. We show them that we’re here to help. We’re not always there to look to take an animal away. We’re there to look to keep the animal in your life, but this is the way you do it. Even if we have to put them on a program where we get the food sent to their house every week through Amazon or through one of these delivery services. … We’re able to keep that animal in their life, so that it doesn’t wind up in a shelter or doesn’t wind up a dog that we can’t get adopted. It works out. It works out for everybody, and we see people coming around.”

In the end, the Guardians of Rescue have one main mission, and according to their website, that is to facilitate and foster programs and activities that further the unique benefits of interaction between people and animals. Although many of the Guardians of Rescue team members present a tough facade to the public, they are all about what they call compassionate action, where people are helping animals and, in return, animals are helping people. The Guardians will follow this committed team as they strive to help all animals big or small.

Will you be watching The Guardians? Leave your comments, thoughts, and opinions concerning The Guardians below. The series premieres on Saturday, January 7 at 10 p.m. ET on Animal Planet.

[Featured Image by Guardians of Rescue/Facebook]