The first episode of a television series documenting the ups and downs of a veterinary hospital near Stockton has been aired.
24/7 Pet Hospital was filmed at Wear Referrals in Bradbury, near Stockton, and gives an honest behind the scenes look at the vets, nurses, and staff who keep the practice ticking over.
The crew filmed life at the veterinary hospital over two months and cover both day and night shifts.
The series will allow viewers to get to know the close-knit team that devotes precious time and resources to saving animals, and some of the joyous, and heart-breaking stories behind these.
Juliette Lowther, a member of the clinical care team, said: “The crew was amazing. They were very sensitive and considerate to the needs of the practice. They were there everyday for a couple of months and they really got to see the highs and lows of the work we do.
“It’s always amazing for us to see a pet owner’s demeanour change when their pet either gets the treatment they need or when they recover, and I’ll never get bored of seeing that.”
Ben Harris, clinical director, said: “The team was really careful and unintrusive. They saw some of the great work we do and also captured the emotional situations that often goes with the territory.
“I’m really looking forward to watching the series. I think I’ll feel a great sense of pride in the team and the work we do.
“Animals play such a huge part in people’s lives and I think what we’ll see in the series is a very real look at what life is like here. Seeing pet owner’s reunited with their pets is such a wonderful thing, especially if the owner is dependant on their pet, and we’ll see Denise and her guide dog Sherpa in the series.”
Denise Ross is a pet owner who appears in the series with her guide dog, Sherpa, who is a Labrador-Golden Retriever cross.
Denise said: “The crew was very accommodating and understanding with my disability, I had a great experience. If I didn’t understand anything they’d explain it again and there was no pressure. When Sherpa was recovering from surgery, they were very considerate of my needs living independently. Everything was taken into consideration.”
24/7 Pet Hospital started today, Monday, February 6, and continued tomorrow at 10am on BBC One.
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