March 29, 2024
Local News

Cable TV show to feature Plainfield’s Animal Care Center

Show to air later in March

Image 1 of 2

A show on the cable network, Nat Geo WILD, focusing on veterinarians saving the lives of animals will feature an emergency center in Plainfield.

The National Geographic network’s new show, “Animal ER Live,” will feature animal emergency rooms from across the country, including the Animal Care Center, located on Route 59 in Plainfield.

The show aims to capture the “fast-paced” drama and intensity of a hospital mixed with the unbreakable bonds between pets and their owners,” according to a news release.

The show will star Emmy Award-winning journalist Mark Steines to host the four-week live event series.

It will air Saturday and Sunday nights at 10 p.m. local time, starting March 30. The other centers featured include ones in Portland, Oregon; Boston, Massachusetts; Kanab, Utah; Fort Bragg, California; Waller, Texas; and Charleston, South Carolina.

“Nat Geo WILD always celebrates animals and the people who love them, and now, we’re taking that further by going live with the compassionate animal caregivers who help our beloved pets when they need us the most,” said Geoff Daniels, executive vice president of Global Unscripted Entertainment.

Steines, also seen on “Entertainment Tonight,” will partner with veterinary experts Dr. Justine Lee and Dr. Will Draper as they guide viewers through the program, giving commentary on what they’re seeing in real time. The show is anchored in a New York City studio.

“As an animal lover and advocate myself, I’m looking forward to showcasing the realities, drama and heartwarming moments these urgent care teams face on a daily basis as they work tirelessly to save the lives of animals in need,” Steines said.

Lee is a board-certified veterinary specialist in both emergency critical care and toxicology. She works as a criticalist, or specialist, at Animal Emergency and Referral Center of Minnesota and is a consultant for the ASPCA and Animal Poison Control Center.

Draper is the co-founder and CEO of “The Village Vets” practice group, the largest privately owned small animal general and emergency/critical care practice in the metro Atlanta area.

Alex Ortiz

Alex Ortiz

Alex Ortiz is a reporter for The Herald-News in Joliet. Originally from Romeoville, Ill., he joined The Herald-News in 2017 and mostly covers Will County government, politics, education and more. He earned his bachelor's degree at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and a master's degree from Northwestern University.