The only constants in Dr. Savannah's workday are her blue scrubs and goofy laugh. Day in
and day out, this young Métis veterinarian juggles everything from emergency surgery on a
fawn that was attacked by a cougar, to releasing an owl back into the wild after nursing it back
to health, to examining a schoolteacher's ailing classroom pet gecko...all before noon!
Nestled deep in rural Drayton Valley, Alberta, life at the mixed-practice Rocky Rapids Veterinary
Service is anything but predictable...and Dr. Savannah wouldn't have it any other way! Despite
graduating from vet school seven years ago, this young vet still can't believe she gets paid to
live out her childhood dream. Her childhood days were spent watching Dr. Doolittle and "saving"
the family dog with a toy stethoscope. Today, her house is an ever-growing menagerie of
rescued critters she can't resist bringing home.
When she isn't saving animals' lives, Dr. Savannah is exploring her Indigenous identity. Her
Métis bloodline was kept a close family secret for many years, and her true cultural roots weren't
confirmed until she was almost finished at vet school. Now, on a mission to learn everything she
can about her heritage, the series will follow Dr. Savannah on her quest to discover her new
identity, who her ancestors are, and what it means to be a Métis woman.
DR. SAVANNAH: WILD ROSE VET features a variety of characters who come into our vet's
world to help guide her journey. Her Aunt Jennifer will help Savannah to uncover the Howse
family's significant place in Métis history through a visit to Victoria Settlement, an historic
community in Alberta.
Dr. Savannah dedicates many hours to volunteering her time with organizations to help low income pet owners in the city of Edmonton with Connie Varnhagen and her organization Alberta
Helping Animals Society. The chatty and fun-loving duo also travel far to Canada's High Arctic
offering their services to keep northern pets healthy and pet owners happy in Cambridge Bay,
Nunavut.
At home in Drayton Valley, Dr. Savannah has a cherished friendship with Lil Dupperon, the local
wildlife animal rescuer. Together, they help and release wild birds - such as a majestic Great
Grey owl - and they help a baby fawn to get back in the wild via an innovative mother deer-fawn
adoption process.
A member of the Métis Nation of Alberta, Dr. Savannah believes strongly in volunteering her
expertise, doing so by visiting remote First Nations communities to help with the roaming dog
populations and providing free pet care for Indigenous families. It's a huge responsibility, but Dr.
Savannah is determined to connect with, and give back to, the people with whom she has
always - unknowingly - belonged.
