THE PIT BOSS is Back and With a Bigger Bark and Bite Than Ever as Animal Planet Unleashes New Episodes This Summer

-- Beginning with All-New Episodes July 17, Shorty -- The 'PIT BOSS' -- and His Staff of Little People Prove that Small People Can Do Big Things for Pit Bulls --

SILVER SPRING, Md., June 22 -- Animal Planet's supersized Shorty Rossi, also known as THE PIT BOSS, is back for much-anticipated new episodes of PIT BOSS beginning July 17 -- and this summer, Shorty and crew are raising the stakes and upping their game! Shorty, a successful talent manager and pit bull rescuer, proves that height is the only thing that's small about him! Combining his huge passion for pit bulls and love of Hollywood, Shorty runs both his businesses with an iron fist. Always unapologetically outspoken and full of his special brand of tough love, Shorty makes it quite clear that he's fiercely committed to helping pit bulls and raising awareness for these misunderstood dogs.

New episodes of PIT BOSS take viewers along for the ride as Shorty continues to rescue pit bulls from neglectful and dangerous situations while taking on tough issues like dog fighting, over-breeding, anti-pit bull (breed specific) legislation and the overall negative portrayal of pit bulls as mean, aggressive dogs. Shorty's love and devotion to pit bulls becomes more evident as PIT BOSS delves deeper into his rough past and time in prison. His deeply emotional connection to these particular dogs is what drove him to turn his life around. Now, with a tough-as-nails attitude and a big heart, Shorty does everything in his power to dispel the common misconceptions that are often associated with little people and the lovable, "underdogs" known as pit bulls.

"Pit bulls are incredible protectors and friends," says Shorty, "but there's a general stereotype that as a breed, they are vicious, uncontrollable animals. As a little person, I especially can relate to snap judgments, and I know how hard it is to debunk misperceptions. Similar to little people and ex-cons, pit bulls are harshly misjudged. I want the world to see them for the loveable, loyal companions they can be."

This summer, PIT BOSS goes beyond the rescues and fundraising to spotlight the personal lives of Shorty and the gang as they embark on journeys of their own. Sebastian focuses on his relationship with his long-distance girlfriend; Ronald steps up and proves himself to the boss, but still tries Shorty's patience; Ashley tests the waters to see if she can make it as a stand-up comedian; and Shorty opens a window into his personal life as never before and introduces the world to his foster family. But through all their individual ups and downs, Shorty keeps the group focused on their most important goal: helping pit bulls. Through launching Shorty's Charities, Shorty has made it a personal mission to demolish existing misconceptions about this breed, as well as rescue pit bulls; over 350 dogs have been saved to date.

PIT BOSS is produced for Animal Planet by Intuitive Entertainment. Mechelle Collins and Kevin Dill are executive producers for Intuitive Entertainment. Executive producer for Animal Planet is Erin Wanner.

Animal Planet Media (APM), 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. APM consists of the Animal Planet television network, available in more than 96 million homes in the US; online assets www.animalplanet.com, the ultimate online destination for all things animal; the 24/7 broadband channel, Animal Planet Beyond; Petfinder.com, the #1 pet-related Web property globally that facilitates pet adoption; and other media platforms including a robust Video-on-Demand (VOD) service; mobile content; and merchandising extensions.

Get the latest updates and exclusive features from PIT BOSS and Shorty Rossi on AnimalPlanet.com, Facebook and Twitter.