Tauranga vets reality TV show to debut

Tauranga Vets veterinarian Holly Rabone features in new show Pet Medics debuting next week. Photo/supplied

A reality TV show featuring Tauranga pets and vets is coming to screens next week.

On September 3 at 4pm, TV1 will debut Pet Medics - a show through the eyes of vets, looking at the challenges, heartbreak, skill and animal cuteness of their everyday job.

A dog with a gunshot wound and a calf receiving a blood transfusion from a cow were among the pets and farm animals featuring on the show.

"For our vets, it's what they do everyday but often most people don't see things through the eyes of the vets," Joanne Hill, Tauranga Vets marketing manager, said.

She promised bunnies, dogs, cats, a mouse and a range of farm animals like horses and cows.

It was not just a show of vaccinations or spaying, rather it followed stories of hurt animals with unknown outcomes.

"We have pets coming into the clinic but also we go out and about onto farms or lifestyle blocks so its a showcase for the Bay of Plenty," Ms Hill said.

Finally a reality TV show not based in Auckland - "instead in the beautiful Bay of Plenty", she said.

The show had also been bought internationally.

As so many people have pets and love animals, she hoped audiences would be able to relate to the show.

She said the vet team at Tauranga Vets were nervous when filming began in March but after three months of having a camera following them around "the team really got on board."

"Customers were amazing too, most of them were really happy to be involved and share their story with us," Ms Hill said.

Ms Hill said if the show went well they were hoping for a second season.

If people were unable to tune in on Saturdays at 4pm, Pet Medics was available to watch on demand on the TVNZ website or app.

The cameraman and director of photography was Tauranga's Paul Griffin, who has been filming reality TV shows such as Road Cops, Dog Squad and Border Patrol for the past 10 years.