MADISON, N.J.--Five livestock veterinarians and about 20 of their client
farms in four states volunteered to be filmed for a new reality series,
to give consumers a personal and up-close view of responsible livestock
farming in the U.S.
The series, “Veterinarians on Call,” captures the pride and
responsibility of veterinarians in their day-to-day work on U.S. farms
and ranches, working with their client livestock farmers and other
professionals raising pork, beef and dairy animals. Presented by Pfizer
Animal Health, Veterinarians On Call premiered in September on channel YouTube.com/VetsOnCall
or YouTube.com/VeterinariansOnCall.
“We as veterinarians and farmers have great stories to tell of the care
we provide to animals on the farm,” said veterinarian Dr. Paul Ruen of
Fairmont, Minn., immediate past president of the American Association of
Swine Veterinarians (AASV), one of five veterinarians who volunteered to
host a film crew on his job. “I am proud to explain that I wear several
hats as a pig veterinarian including diagnostician, animal welfare
advocate, and public health officer. My hope is that the consumers of
America’s meat products will feel a bit more connected to the families
and farms that work professionally and with care in raising food for
their tables.”
Another featured “Veterinarian On Call” is Dr. Peter Ostrum, recognized
by millions of movie fans as “Charlie” from the classic 1971 film Willy
Wonka & The Chocolate Factory. Today, Dr. Ostrum has transitioned from
“candy man” to milk man and is practicing as a dairy cow veterinarian in
Lowville, N.Y.
“By participating in this project, I hoped to draw the public's
attention to the hard working men and women who own and operate our
country's family farms,” says Dr. Ostrum. “We want consumers to know
that food safety and animal welfare issues are top priorities for both
veterinarians and dairy farmers alike.”
Dr. Angie Supple, self-proclaimed “city girl turned pig vet” with
degrees from Notre Dame and Purdue Universities, serves a variety of
clients from small operations to big commercial facilities.
“My clients and other hog producers take a lot of pride in what they do.
It’s important to them to raise pigs with the animals’ welfare in mind,”
she says. “At the end of the day, it’s important for the consumer to
know that the animals were raised humanely and safely.”
The first season of Veterinarians On Call also features two other
veterinarians who volunteered to allow a film crew to document their
work:
The Veterinarians On Call reality series is part of Pfizer Animal
Health’s Commitment to Veterinarians™ platform, which offers support to
the veterinary and animal health industry through training and
education, research and development, investing in the future of the
profession, and philanthropy.
“A key part of our mission at Pfizer Animal Health is to help our
customers raise healthy animals,” said Clint Lewis, President, U.S.
operations, who personally helped develop the series during the past two
years. “We want to help showcase to the public the valuable, critical
work of veterinarians and farmers dedicated to responsible and safe care
of livestock animals.”
For more about Pfizer’s Commitment to Veterinarians™ platform, visit:
Viewers can watch the series at YouTube.com/VeterinariansOnCall.
Funding for this series is provided by Pfizer Animal Health, a world
leader in discovering and developing innovative animal vaccines and
prescription medicines. Pfizer Animal Health works to ensure a safe,
high quality food supply from healthy livestock, fish and poultry; and
helps companion animals and horses live longer, healthier lives.
The series is produced by Essex Television, a full-service media
production and communications company based in Old Lyme, CT. Its
award-winning HD broadcast division produces the popular TV series
Chasing Classic Cars on Discovery's Velocity channel (formerly Discovery
HD Theater).
Pfizer Inc: Working together for a healthier world™
At Pfizer, we apply science and our global resources to improve health
and well-being at every stage of life. We strive to set the standard for
quality, safety and value in the discovery, development and
manufacturing of medicines for people and animals. Our diversified
global health care portfolio includes human and animal biologic and
small molecule medicines and vaccines, as well as nutritional products
and many of the world's best-known consumer products. Every day, Pfizer
colleagues work across developed and emerging markets to advance
wellness, prevention, treatments and cures that challenge the most
feared diseases of our time. Consistent with our responsibility as the
world's leading biopharmaceutical company, we also collaborate with
health care providers, governments and local communities to support and
expand access to reliable, affordable health care around the world. For
more than 150 years, Pfizer has worked to make a difference for all who
rely on us. To learn more about our commitments to animal health, please
visit us at www.pfizerAH.com.
Media Contacts:
Rebecca Cisek
(973) 660-5565
rebecca.cisek@pfizer.com
or
John Courtmanche
(860) 778-4508
jcourtmanche@essextelevision.com