Veterinary scene down under: Animal ambulance team to star in limited series, plus Animal Health Australia releases annual report

New veterinary TV show rides with an animal ambulance team

The veterinary team at Ready Vet Go, a mobile veterinary urgent care clinic and pet ambulance in Melbourne, are set to star in an 8-part television series to be aired on Channel 9 Gem. The television program will highlight the team’s emergency response work in the community where they provide veterinary medical care to pets at home.

“The series will give viewers a behind-the-scenes look at a day in our shoes and scrubs as we treat the pets of Melbourne and provide clinical support to pets and referring vets who need help with transporting their animals from hospital to hospital,” explained Paul Cunningham, DVM, MANZCVS (ECC), the co-founder and chief veterinarian of Ready Vet Go, to dvm360®.

A member of the Ready Vet Go team filming scene from the television series (image courtesy of Ready Vet Go)

“The program follows our pet patients as we provide critical care, stabilization and paramedicine support, and also the palliative care and humane euthanasia aspect of our service which we are fortunate to be able to provide to pets at their homes.”

Cunningham works in both a clinical and managerial role at Ready Vet Go, alongside his partner and co-founder Nic Saunders, BN/BP. Saunders brought a wealth of knowledge from the human paramedic world where he previously worked, which helped to form the foundation of Ready Vet Go’s veterinary ambulance service in line with current evidence-based human paramedic practices.

It was whilst the duo was working out on the road that they were approached by a local television producer interested to create a factual reality show that would highlight the varied day-to-day work of their service.

“Filming a television show is hard work, especially when doing so with particularly sensitive situations like critical emergencies and emotional pet owners. There are a lot of logistical considerations when shooting footage from within an ambulance or in a pet owner's home,” said Cunningham.

“Ultimately, we were surprised at how often pet owners were enthusiastic about showcasing the particular situation that their pet was dealing with, and viewers will get to see both gut-wrenching and heart-warming moments with the different cases that are featured on the show.”

The television series will be narrated by Yvie Jones, well-known from television programs House of Wellness, I'm A Celebrity Australia, Gogglebox, Postcards, and the podcast Can I Pat Your Dog?

“We've met many incredible veterinarians and veterinary nurses during the filming of the television show, and we’re looking forward to a second series where we will be able to highlight our growing team and the great partnerships we've formed with the veterinary care providers of Melbourne,” Cunningham concluded.

A scene from the television series showing the Ready Vet Go team in action

Veterinary news snippets

The Australian Veterinary Association (AVA) is holding a raft of member consultation sessions as part of their AVA Transition Project – a strategic approach to making the AVA simpler to engage with, more inclusive, and better aligned with the needs of a modern veterinary profession.

Through the transition project, the AVA will deliver a new all-inclusive membership model, incorporating a reduced membership cost with free access to all special interest groups. There will also be streamlined membership categories to reflect different career stages, work situations and level of involvement.

The AVA will also revamp its website and communications, strengthen the impact of its various branches and special interest groups, and align the organization’s constitution with its future direction.

The VetYogi Collective which provides on-demand and live yoga, meditation, and mindfulness sessions to support veterinary teams in the United Kingdom, Australia and globally, has released its own market research which shows that veterinary professionals highly value workplace wellness initiatives, with many seeking out employers who prioritize wellbeing.

Detailing how yoga, meditation, and mindfulness have been widely recognized as effective tools for reducing stress and enhancing overall wellbeing, the VetYogi Collective highlighted how integrating these practices into veterinary practices offers a holistic and accessible approach to managing the unique stressors of veterinary work – with benefits for veterinary teams, businesses – and ultimately clients and patients.

The 2024 edition of the Animal Health in Australia (AHiA) report, an annual report highlighting updates and innovations of Australia’s animal health system, was published by Animal Health Australia. The report is developed in collaboration with the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, and forms part of Australia’s official submission to the World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH), showcasing Australia’s favorable animal health status on the world stage.

At their recent annual General Session gathering in Paris, WOAH also launched its inaugural State of the World’s Animal Health Report 2025, which highlights the positive impact of vaccination on a selection of key important animal diseases and challenges – including avian influenza, brucellosis, foot-and-mouth disease, lumpy skin disease, rabies, peste des petits ruminants, and antimicrobial resistance.

Cover of The state of the world's animal health (image courtesy of Phil Tucak, BSc, BVMS)

The report provides a data-driven overview of global animal health, using WOAH’s core data systems to highlight trends, challenges and opportunities, promoting transparency and coordinated action. It also features animal health case studies from across the globe, detailing both challenges and successes. Two Australian veterinarians, Shyuan Seah, BSc, BVMS and the author of this article, were part of the team who wrote the flagship report located on the WOAH website.