M.A.D mayhem captured in new vet show

A seagull hit by a car is ready to be released back into the wild thanks to the efforts of Animal Rescue and Rehabilitation Centre manager Sue Mackay and Holistic Vets director Dr Liza Schneider

A TV series kicks off next week featuring the sometimes funny, sometimes heartwarming but never boring story of Tauranga's Holistic Vets and its offshoot, the Animal Rescue and Rehabilitation Centre (ARRC).

Holistic Vets director Dr Liza Schneider said the five episodes would showcase the inspirational and sad moments that are part of the daily tapestry of life at a vet clinic with a difference.

A special fundraiser for ARRC capturing the highlights of each episode will screen tomorrow at Rialto for friends and supporters of the rescue charity and vet practice.

The series has been called M.A.D Vets 24/7 and stands for the Holistic Vets and ARRC team that 'Make A Difference' to the lives of the animals and the people who care for them.

Making a TV series was something that had been on Dr Schneider's mind for a while and the opportunity arose when producer Stonewall Productions was filming the story of black swans run over by a speedboat on Tauranga Harbour.

"They approached me and we struck up a good bond."

Filming for the TV series began mid November and lasted six weeks, with the producers never knowing what was going to happen each day.

"The camera crew was really awesome to work with. The series shaped itself on what happened on a day-to-day basis."

Rescued animals featured in the programmes will include a heron and a penguin, with the story of the cat from Whitianga who was hit by a car and lost the use of her back legs becoming a central theme of all the episodes.

Sponsors vital to the making of the series were Healthy Pet Foods, Petcurean, Bush Forbes law firm, Chris Forbes and regional councillor Paula Thompson.

The first episode, "A Day in the Life", would show daily goings on at Holistic Vets. The second episode was about saving lives and making a difference, followed by a close look at the work of ARRC in the third week. Week four was called 'Spreading the Wings' and looked at the award-winning work of Dr Schneider. The final episode was 'The Power and the Passion" and her hopes for the future.

Where to find the first episode of M.A.D. Vets:

Monday, March 10, 8.30pm: TV Central; Wednesday, March 12, 8pm: Country TV; Friday, March 14, 8pm: Sky Cue 200.