Animal Planet and the DODO premiere a new series DODO HEROES

Animal Planet and DODO, the #1 animal brand on digital, will premiere a new series ‘DODO HEROES’ which will feature inspiring stories of animals in need from around the world, and the compassionate humans who go to unimaginable lengths to give them hope. With each episode focusing on one inspiring and moving story of people who go to any lengths to help animals, the series will explore the personalities and emotions of both humans and animals, while highlighting their unique connection. DODO HEROES marks Animal Planet’s first-ever global series launch which will premiere on Friday, June 15 at 9 PM in India and in over 220 countries and territories worldwide.

In India, Animal Planet is launching a campaign ‘Be Kind to All Kind’ in its endeavor to raise support for select NGOS dedicated to the welfare of stray animals. The channel has roped in celebrities Soha Ali Khan and Kunal Kapoor to create awareness about this sensitive issue.

“The situation of stray animals in India is a matter of concern, and we will all have to come together to help these lovely beings. I have personally met many people who would like to support stray animals but can’t because they don’t know how to. The campaign ‘Be Kind to All Kind’ aims to reach out to people, and provide access so that they can support the cause they believe in,” said, Soha Ali Khan. “Animals are surprisingly human in the way they emote, they express. Infact, I don’t pamper my dogs (3 pets), they pamper me with unending selfless love. I enjoy each moment that I spend with them. It is amazing how much satisfaction one can gain by just being ‘natural’ with the most adorable creatures God has created.”

Kunal Kapoor, added, “It is our responsibility to stand up for all living beings especially animals. We can’t just look the other way when the situation demands help…infact we need to take a decisive action. There are NGOs who work towards the rescue and rehabilitation of needy animals who run shelters, ambulance services, sterilization programs, treatment camps and disaster rescue missions. If we cannot personally go and help these animals then least we can do is support the NGOs dedicated to animal welfare. I hope more and more people joins hands contribute to this genuine cause, and help make India a better place to live for all animals.”

As a part of Be Kind to All Kind campaign, Animal Planet will urge people to directly support NGOs including ‘World For All’ to raise funds to run their monthly rescue and treatment programme and fostering first aid to the needy strays, ‘The Feline Foundation’ to help control the population of stray cats and dogs in Mumbai and ‘Wild Life Rescue and Rehabilitation Centre’ to help them feed and care for 5 elephants rescued from a life in chains. To donate, visit www.animalplanet.in and lend a helping hand!

DODO HEROES episodes will include:

Derrick’s Elephant Challenge- Derrick Campana runs Animal OrthoCare and is one of only a handful of people in the world who specialize in designing prosthetics and orthotic braces for animals. Jabu, a 30-year-old bull elephant living in Botswana, has a life-threatening leg injury. His caretakers, Doug and Sandi Groves who run Living with Elephants Foundation, have reached out to Derrick in the hopes that he can help. Chi Chi is a quadriplegic dog rescued from the meat trade in South Korean who now lives with her loving owners in Phoenix. After having all four of her legs amputated, Derrick built four prosthetic legs so Chi Chi can walk and run again. Derrick meets with Chi Chi to adjust her prosthetics and check her progress before flying to Botswana to fit Jabu with the world’s first elephant orthotic leg brace – which he hopes can save his life.

Izzy the Koala Whisperer- Crikey the koala was just a baby when he was found all alone and very sick on Australia’s Magnetic Island. But luckily for Crikey there’s a remarkable family there who spend their time rescuing koalas and rehabilitating them in their home so that they can eventually go back to the wild. Ali Bee, a veterinarian with Magnetic Island Koala Hospital, and her family are fighting to save Australia’s rapidly declining koala population. And she, her husband Tim, and their 10-year-old daughter Izzy, took Crikey in a year ago. Izzy became Crikey’s surrogate mother and helped nurse him back to health. Now, the Bee family is preparing for the emotionally difficult but important and inspiring task of releasing Crickey back to his natural habitat. Saying goodbye won’t be easy, for both Izzy and Crikey.

Pen and the Dogs of War- Sebastian Fluieras, a U.S. soldier deployed in Afghanistan, finds a litter of six puppies and wants to rescue them – but it’s against military rules for him to care for them on the base. Sebastian turns to British Marine Pen Farthing and his girlfriend Hannah Surowinski for help.  Pen and Hannah run Nowzad, Afghanistan’s first and only official animal sanctuary which houses over 150 animals rescued from the streets of Kabul. Pen and Hannah’s goal is to rescue and transport the puppies from Afghanistan to Texas, where they’ll be reunited with the U.S. soldier who saved them.

 Jan and Tim’s Greatest Show on Earth- Pepe the spider monkey has lived his entire life on a short chain in a Peruvian circus. At the same circus, six lions, including a female lion named Kiara and her two cubs, are kept in cages and forced to perform. Animal Defenders International (ADI), led by Jan Creamer and Tim Phillips, arrives in Peru to rescue the animals. Their organization has already helped ban the animal circus industry in over 40 countries – and they are determined for Pepe, Kiara and her cubs to live a life free of chains and cages. 

 Katherine’s Big Animal Eden- Katherine Connor and her five children run and live within a one-of-a-kind elephant sanctuary, Boon Lott Elephant Sanctuary, which rescues and rehabilitates elephants from Thailand’s tourism and logging industries. Katherine’s latest project is to rescue the majestic Pang Fai, an elephant who has spent her lifetime logging and in chains. She desperately wants to retire Pang Fai and bring her live out her life with other elephants and her family at the sanctuary, but her owner depends on Pang Fai for income and isn’t sure that he’s willing to give her up. 

 Estelle’s Favorite Chimp- Ponso lives alone on an island in the Ivory Coast and has been dubbed the loneliest chimp in the world. In 2015, chimpanzee expert Estelle Raballand met Ponso and the two now share an incredible bond. Estelle’s long-term goal is to set up a chimp sanctuary in the Ivory Coast where Ponso and other chimps can live freely with each other – but in the meantime, she’s determined to find a companion for Ponso. Estelle thinks Nikla, a chimp recently rescued, might be the perfect match.