WINNIPEG - Everyone’s favorite vet will return to Animal Planet next year for a second season of hit documentary series, Dr. Keri: Prairie Vet. Considered “right up there with the best of family TV viewing” by former Toronto Star critic James Bawden, the made-in-Manitoba series follows Dr. Keri as she travels the rural roads of northern Manitoba in her high-tech mobile clinic, on call 24/7 for patients big and small. The show was produced by Winnipeg’s Merit Motion Pictures, and received the second-highest ratings of Animal Planet’s Free Preview period this past December.
For the first time, the crew will be embedded at Dr. Keri’s ranch, allowing them to capture every medical emergency and unusual encounter that the vet faces day-to-day. In addition to introducing new patients (and new challenges), the season will delve deeper into the characters’ stories. Dr. Keri makes the emotionally fraught decision not to compete in any dog or horse shows; Jenna must consider her options after graduating in a couple years’ time; and Laura takes on new responsibilities at the clinic, showcasing not only her knowledge but her great sense of humour.
Three new characters join Dr. Keri: Prairie Vet: Brad, Calvin’s nephew, is now a partner in the family’s 600-head cattle ranch; Alexis is Dr. Keri’s receptionist; and Brittany, a young woman with Down Syndrome is now helping in Dr. Keri’s Ashern clinic. We’ll also meet a whole new group of unique and quirky characters that make up Dr. Keri’s circle of clients: ranchers, hobby-farmers, breeders and pet owners.
Season II of Dr. Keri: Prairie Vet promises exciting new stories featuring emotionally raw and strikingly heart-warming material with one common element - Dr. Keri’s lifelong commitment to caring for all animals.
Dr Keri: Prairie Vet is produced by Merit Motion Pictures in association with Animal Planet Canada, and with the participation of the Canada Media Fund, the Rogers Cable Network Fund, the Manitoba Films & Video Production Tax Credit, the Canadian Film & Video Production Tax Credit, and the financial investment of Manitoba Film & Music. For Merit Motion Pictures, Merit Jensen Carr is Executive Producer and Mary Margaret Frymire is Series Director and Show Runner. For Animal Planet, Heather Williamson is Production Executive. Ken MacDonald is Vice-President and General Manager, Discovery Networks.
Merit Motion Pictures is one of Canada’s leading producers of factual entertainment programming. Founded by executive producer and industry veteran Merit Jensen Carr, Merit Motion Pictures is known for producing multi-platform programs that amaze, inform and delight. Recent highlights include the feature documentaries Call of the Forest: The Forgotten Wisdom of Trees and Beyond the Spectrum: A Family’s Year Confronting Autism, as well as the television special Smarty Plants: Uncovering the Secret World of Plant Behaviour and the multi-award winning CBC co-produced One Ocean series.
