I’ll get back to my regularly scheduled Wugga posts when I’ve got the dramatic flair to finish, but for right now I’d like to strongarm y’all into signing this petition.

Probably very few of the regular readers of UADN are regular watchers of the National Geographic Channel. Since it’s a Murdoch subsidiary, I’m sorry to say, NatGeo Channel is far more interested in sensation and strife than they are in good programming.
But their show “The Incredible Dr. Pol” is a low even for a Murdoch production.

So what’s got my knickers all in a twist?

Dr. Pol is an Olde Tyme veterinarian of the worst sort whose son, a wannabe movie producer, convinced NatGeo to produce a show about his dad.
His dad, who has worked in veterinary medicine for better than 40 years, is a disgrace to the profession. Dr. Pol’s veterinary license is currently under suspension (temporary, but regardless) and to refer to his medicine as substandard is giving the term substandard a lot of credit.
Dr. Pol is popular because Dr. Pol is genuinely a nice guy and he genuinely seems to care about his patients.
But he also is genuinely working with medical practices and procedures that were acceptable, barely, a century ago, but are so far behind the times now that he could be referred to as practicing vivisection not medicine.
The show is popular because the viewing public likes shows about fluffy little animals and the viewing public doesn’t know that what the incredible Doc is doing is outdated and horrifying.

THAT’S what’s got my knickers all in a twist.

The petition drive was started by a friend of mine after she watched part of one episode when Dr. Pol removed the eyeball of a dog who had been hit by a car with nonsterile instruments, minimal anesthesia, no fluid or heat support, and no postoperative analgesia. No addressing of the dog’s metabolic status and shock BEFORE removing the eyeball either.

So every time the petition is signed an e-mail goes to the following people:
-six NatGeo perosnnel (spokesperson, management, production staff)
-AVMA CEO Ron DeHaven
-AVMA Animal Welfare division director Gail Golab
-the Michigan state board
-and the Orbitz advertising department, since they are a sponsor of the show

We’re hoping to start adding in pressure on other show sponsors, but that hasn’t quite gotten organized yet.

I’m not sure how successful the petition will be, but we’ve at least got to try.