There’s a Vanderhoof veterinarian who will be starring in a new docuseries called Wild Rose Vets that debuts Monday, Sept. 2.
Dr. Cori Stephen is one of three female Indigenous veterinarians in Western Canada featured in the show as they navigate the challenges of helping animals in need, while also exploring their rich heritage and cultural ties.
Stephen is the Métis owner-operator of Nechako Valley Animal Health Services in Vanderhoof, the only mixed animal clinic for 100 kilometres. She started the clinic in 2005.
The show is the latest 13-episode docuseries created by an Indigenous, female-led production company, Wapanatahk Media. The show is a spin-off of their popular first series Dr. Savannah: Wild Rose Vet.
The show is set to premiere across Canada on the Aboriginal People’s Television Network (APTN) in Cree and English.
Stephen said she can hardly believe that she’s on the show, saying it started with a text, an email, a Zoom meeting.
“And then six weeks later the camera crew showed up, the producer was here, we were wearing mics, there were lights, there were cameras and it took a bit of getting used to but then we realized they’re just here to follow us and see a day-in-the-life for me, for my team, for my clients and they wanted to see the true human to animal relationship and why it is so important to everybody,” Stephen said. “And here we are.”
Stephen believes things happen for a reason.
“And sometimes I am hesitant to say yes,” she said. “And in this situation I just thought well, let’s see where it goes.”
Stephen treats a variety of animals within the scope of her practice including dogs and cats, horses and production animals, like cow/calf, feed lot, sheep, goats, alpacas and llamas and outside of that scope she also does some wildlife work with local conservation and wildlife rescues, she said.
“For me the biggest thing is for the show to bring awareness to what happens behind the scenes at a vet clinic right here in our own home within the North,” Stephen said.
“The challenges, the diversity, the logistical challenges, the distance people have to travel for vet care, stresses we go through as veterinarians. As part of an animal health team, we help a family say good-bye to a pet which is a very emotional situation and then turn around and get kisses from a puppy - how we manage to compartmentalize and get through all that in a day. Or the owner that’s worried about their horse and we can offer them some answers and then get them on their way and then shut that door and go right back into seeing a puppy that jumped out of the back of a pickup and broke its leg. I hope it brings awareness and sensitivity from the public who are struggling right now because of the shortage of veterinarians.”
Stephen got a sneak peek at the series and said watching the show was a real eye-opener.
“One of the things the show really impressed on my heart and that of my team when we were reviewing the episodes is that sometimes we’re so busy just doing our jobs - you get through the day and helped all the people that are in need and the animals in need - and the show just made me take a step back and be like ‘wow, there’s a really great relationship between everyone of those animals and their owners and we play a role in that,” Stephen explained.
“Animals come in and we problem-solve, we critically think all day long, we solve these problems and are happy to do that, we want the animal to get out the door to get back home and get on with the next appointment but in the show they really portray what those animals really, truly mean to people, whether it’s a brand new puppy, an old dog, a horse - everybody has a story and they really did a great job of portraying that.”
The other female vets and stars of the show include Dr. Emma Jackson, a new veterinary graduate from Calgary who is jumping out of her comfort zone to help homeless animals find their forever families while also sharing her Cree heritage through her spiritual connection to the animals she cares for; and Dr. Allison Hay, an accomplished First Nations vet from Saskatoon with a real passion for surgery who is always pushing the envelope.
The first season of the show has been completed and Wapanatahk Media is preparing for the show’s second season now.
It was a great experience for Stephen, she said.
“We had a wonderful crew and everyone was wonderful to work with,” Stephen said.
“I’m so very honoured to be part of season two, we look forward to the new stories and what the team will do with them because they just come in and capture our lives and then what they do with it is out of our hands and they just literally follow us around. Everybody on the media side have been wonderful to work with, they’ve been very understanding and encouraging, and I hope we get a lot of positive feedback and I hope people do feel the feels when they watch the show.”
Wapanatahk Media is a recipient of funding from the Indigenous Screen Office (ISO). With this funding, it was possible to expand production of season 1 of Wild Rose Vets to include three crews on the ground in Saskatoon, Vanderhoof, and Calgary. Wapanatahk Media was able to create 10 new job opportunities for Indigenous creatives looking to break into the industry.
Co-producer Blue Ant Media will air the series in spring 2025 on Cottage Life in Canada during the channel’s nationwide free preview, with a subsequent window on the free streaming channel Love Pets in multiple territories worldwide. Blue Ant Studios rights division handles pre-sales and licensing opportunities worldwide for Wild Rose Vets.
For more information about the show visit https://www.aptn.ca/media-centre/shows/wild-rose-vets/
