ANIMAL COPS: PHOENIX

Deep in the Sonoran desert, in the Valley of the Sun, lies Phoenix, Ariz. It's a city of newcomers, growing rapidly over the past decade to become America's fifth-largest city, yet it still has a pioneering spirit about it. And with the people of Phoenix come their animals. Protecting their interests is the job of the Arizona Humane Society.

The AHS's mission is to rescue sick, injured and abused animals. The 18-strong field operations team covers an area of 11,000 square miles. Their specialty is emergency rescue and they are all fully trained to give medical treatment out in the field. They save precious time by administering immediate care for the injured animals before driving them to the AHS hospital, which is often a lifesaver. All of the team members are also trained to carry out investigations, to prevent animal cruelty and neglect, and to bring to justice those who perpetrate the crimes. Four specialist investigators work closely with the Phoenix police department on the more serious cases.

Animal Cops: Phoenix follows the work of the AHS investigators and emergency animal medical technicians. The field team is backed up by a fully staffed and equipped hospital, and an adoptions team dedicated to providing the rescued animals' stories with the happy endings everyone is striving for.