Arisa Thomas: Age, Dog Groomer Career, The Traitors: New Blood Status & Elimination
Arisa Thomas entered The Traitors: New Blood with one of the cast's most recognizable personalities and a very specific social strategy. The 36-year-old Los Angeles dog groomer believed her friendly image could make people trust her, while her ability to read body language might help her notice when someone was hiding something.
She did not get the Traitor role she said she wanted before entering the castle. Instead, Arisa was a Faithful and became the second player banished at a Round Table. Her elimination came in Episode 4 after a conversation with Victor Vollbrechthausen became connected to the season's Accomplice twist and a clue about a Traitor recruitment happening in plain sight.
Exit: Episode 4
Exit method: Banished at the Round Table
Votes: Arisa 13, Victor 6, Michael 1
Pre-show preferred role: Traitor
Final game status: Her run is complete and this profile is now a historical record.
Latest Episode Update: Arisa Is Banished as a Faithful
Arisa's elimination was driven by a misunderstanding that began with a playful attempt to read another contestant's behavior. During the game, Arisa held Victor Vollbrechthausen's hands and asked him whether he was a Traitor while watching his reaction. Niyyah Hayes found the exchange suspicious and suggested that Arisa might have been involved in a possible recruitment of Victor.
The suspicion became stronger after Michael Foote and Ben McDonnell obtained a clue suggesting that two players had recently battled in plain sight for the opportunity to become a Traitor. The clue actually pointed toward the Accomplice twist involving Xavier Scruggs and Katie Fites, but the Faithfuls did not have that information at the time.
At the Episode 4 Round Table, Arisa received 13 votes. Victor received six and Michael one. Arisa then confirmed what she had maintained throughout the vote: she was a Faithful.
Arisa Thomas Quick Facts
| Fact | Details |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Arisa Thomas |
| Age | 36 |
| Hometown | Los Angeles, California |
| Occupation | Professional dog groomer and digital creator |
| Business | Blue Pooch, the family-owned Los Angeles grooming business |
| Education | Georgia State University Perimeter College |
| The Traitors Role | Faithful |
| Outcome | Banished at the Episode 4 Round Table |
| Round Table Votes | 13 votes |
| Self-Declared Superlative | Most Likely to Overpack |
| @arisathegroomer |
Who Is Arisa Thomas?
Arisa Thomas is a Los Angeles-based professional dog groomer and online creator. Her work is closely associated with Blue Pooch, a family-owned grooming business founded by her mother, Yuri Thomas, in 2013. Blue Pooch says Arisa works alongside her mother while her sister Aya manages the store.
Arisa had already built a public identity around dog grooming before appearing on television. Her professional pages describe her as an Asian-fusion grooming specialist, and she has used social media to share grooming techniques, dog transformations and educational content.
Arisa Thomas' Dog Grooming Career
Arisa began her grooming career in 2010, following in her mother's footsteps. Groom Haüs describes her as a Los Angeles-based groomer and social media influencer known for stylized trims that turn dogs into teddy-bear-like looks.
Blue Pooch specializes in Japanese-style and Asian-fusion dog grooming. Its official site says the family business has locations in West Los Angeles and at Centinela, with Arisa working alongside her mother and sister.
Her grooming work also expanded into education. Public professional pages list courses and seminars featuring Arisa, including training covering Bichon, Poodle, Schnauzer and Doodle grooming.
Education
Arisa's public LinkedIn profile lists Georgia State University Perimeter College as her college education, with attendance from 2010 to 2013. Her profile also identifies her as a professional dog stylist and content creator and lists her experience with Blue Pooch Inc.
Arisa's Pre-Show Traitors Strategy
Before the season began, Arisa said she would rather be a Traitor. Her reasoning was tied to how she believed people perceived her: friendly, bubbly and easy to trust. The official cast material described her plan as using that friendly image as cover while she secretly played a more deceptive game.
Arisa also described herself as having “golden retriever energy,” contrasting that with the idea of being a mischievous Chihuahua. The point was not to look like an obvious strategist. She wanted the rest of the cast to underestimate her.
That pre-show preference is important to keep separate from her actual role. Arisa was a Faithful on the show and never received the opportunity to play as a Traitor.
Arisa's Actual Strategy in the Castle
As a Faithful, Arisa leaned into one of the skills she identified before entering the game: reading behavior. She was attentive to body language and tried to test contestants directly rather than simply accepting verbal answers.
The problem was that the same behavior she believed could help identify a Traitor became evidence against her. Her hand-holding truth test with Victor looked significant to other Faithfuls, especially after Michael and Ben received the recruitment clue.
There was no actual Traitor recruitment involving Arisa and Victor. The earlier Accomplice competition had involved Xavier Scruggs and Katie Fites, with Katie ultimately selected as the third Traitor. Xavier was murdered instead. The Episode 4 Faithfuls did not have the full picture when they were evaluating Arisa.
Why Arisa Was Banished
The main case against Arisa developed from her interaction with Victor and the belief that she might have known something about recruitment in plain sight. Niyyah Hayes was one of the contestants who found the interaction unusual. Michael Foote then connected it to the clue he and Ben had received during the mission.
That interpretation was incorrect. Arisa and Victor were not secretly being recruited as Traitors. Nevertheless, the theory gathered enough support at the Round Table to produce a 13-vote majority against Arisa. Victor received six votes and Michael received one.
Arisa and Victor Vollbrechthausen
Victor became central to Arisa's elimination because of their interaction during the body-language test. Arisa's intention was to look for a reaction that could help her judge whether he was telling the truth. Instead, the visible test gave other Faithfuls a reason to connect the two players.
The later vote demonstrated how quickly an innocent interaction could be interpreted as evidence in a game where nobody knew which relationships were genuine and which might conceal the Traitor team.
Arisa's Social and Professional Identity
Outside the show, Arisa's public presence revolves heavily around dogs. Her Instagram account, professional Linktree and Blue Pooch work all use the same recognizable identity, @arisathegroomer. Her Linktree also connects visitors with TikTok, YouTube, grooming courses and other professional projects.
TV Insider described Arisa as a Los Angeles dog groomer at her family-owned salon before the season. Her public relationship status was listed as unclear, so there is no need to speculate about her personal life beyond what she has publicly shared.
Arisa's Game Profile
Pre-show preference: Arisa wanted to be a Traitor and planned to use her friendly image to stay underestimated.
Actual role: Faithful.
Information-gathering approach: She tried to read body language and directly test other contestants.
Key vulnerability: Her attempt to test Victor was interpreted as evidence that she knew about the recruitment twist.
Exit: Second Round Table banishment, with 13 votes.
Episode-by-Episode Timeline
Episode 1 — Enters as a Faithful
Arisa entered the castle as a Faithful. She began building relationships while bringing the same behavioral-reading approach she had described before the season. The original Traitors were Joe Vanella and Tomica Adams.
Episode 2 — Survives the First Round Table
Arisa remained in the game while Madeline Kostopulos was banished as the first Faithful at the Round Table. Arisa continued developing her social network and observing the other contestants.
Episode 3 — Body-Language Test Raises Questions
During the episode's castle developments, Arisa and Victor became the focus of suspicion after Arisa held Victor's hands and asked whether he was a Traitor while studying his reaction. Niyyah Hayes questioned the interaction and linked it to a possible recruitment theory.
Episode 4 — The Recruitment Clue Fuels Suspicion
Michael Foote and Ben McDonnell obtained a clue indicating that two players had recently battled in plain sight to become a Traitor. The clue actually referred to the Xavier-Katie Accomplice twist, but it reinforced the theory surrounding Arisa and Victor.
Episode 4 — Arisa Is Banished
At the Round Table, Arisa received 13 votes, compared with six for Victor and one for Michael Foote. She was revealed as a Faithful after leaving the game.
Arisa Thomas on Social Media
Related Traitors: New Blood Profiles
Frequently Asked Questions
Was Arisa Thomas a Traitor or Faithful?
Arisa Thomas was a Faithful.
When was Arisa Thomas eliminated?
Arisa was banished at the second Round Table in Episode 4.
How many votes did Arisa receive?
Arisa received 13 votes. Victor Vollbrechthausen received six and Michael Foote received one.
Why was Arisa banished?
The main suspicion centered on her interaction with Victor, when she tested his response while asking whether he was a Traitor. A clue about a recruitment in plain sight then made the interaction look more significant to several Faithfuls.
Did Arisa want to be a Traitor?
Yes. Before entering the castle, Arisa said she would prefer the Traitor role because she believed her friendly and bubbly personality could help her stay underestimated.
What does Arisa Thomas do outside The Traitors?
She is a professional dog groomer and digital creator based in Los Angeles. She works with the family-owned Blue Pooch grooming business.
What is Arisa Thomas known for?
She is known professionally as a dog groomer and social media creator, with a focus on stylized Asian-fusion grooming and dog-care content.
Sources
TV Insider: Cast information, Arisa's dog-grooming background and pre-show game details: TV Insider cast guide.
TV Insider: Episode 3 and Episode 4 recap documenting the recruitment clue, Arisa's suspicion and the 13-vote banishment: TV Insider recap.
Entertainment Weekly: Official civilian cast announcement and contestant introductions: Entertainment Weekly.
TheWrap: Arisa's hometown, profession and official cast superlative: TheWrap.
Blue Pooch: Family business history, locations and Arisa's role alongside her mother and sister: Blue Pooch.
Arisa The Groomer: Public professional links, grooming courses, media features and social accounts: Linktree.
LinkedIn: Arisa's public professional profile, Blue Pooch experience and Georgia State University Perimeter College education: LinkedIn.
Groom Haüs: Professional biography and grooming education featuring Arisa Thomas: Groom Haüs.