The Incredible Dr. Pol

The Incredible Dr. Pol
Starring Jan Pol
Diane Pol
Charles Pol
Brenda Grettenberger
Emily Thomas
Narrated by Ari Rubin
Country of origin  United States
Original language(s) English, Dutch
No. of seasons 12
No. of episodes 100+
Production
Producer(s) Charles Pol
Production location(s) Weidman, Michigan
Release
Original network Nat Geo Wild
Original release 2011–present
External links
Website

The Incredible Dr. Pol is a reality television show on Nat Geo Wild. The show, which premiered in 2011,[1] follows Dutch-American veterinarian Jan Pol, and his family and employees, at his practice in rural Weidman, Michigan.[1][2] The series has two seasons every year, for a total of 12 through January 2018.[3]

Cast

Dr. Jan-Harm Pol (/poʊl/ "pole";[4] born 4 September 1942) was born in the province of Drenthe in the agricultural northeast of the Netherlands, where he was raised on a family dairy farm. He studied veterinary medicine at Utrecht University, graduating with a DVM degree and going on to work as a veterinarian. He and his wife Diane relocated to Harbor Beach, Michigan, where Dr. Pol worked for another veterinarian for more than 10 years. They then moved to Weidman, Michigan where they started their own practice, Pol Veterinary Services, out of their home in 1981. Dr. Pol is color-blind, unable to accurately distinguish the colors green and brown. Currently, Pol's practice has over 22,000 clients.[5][6]

In April 2015, regulators in Michigan found Pol negligent in his treatment of a dog struck by a car in May 2011. A disciplinary subcommittee of the Michigan Board of Veterinary Medicine voted on March 26 to fine Pol $500 and put his license on probation for violating minimal standards of care in his treatment of a Boston terrier which sustained an eye proptosis and broken pelvis. Pol was also mandated to complete continuing-education courses.[1][2][7] However, these disciplinary actions and the decision were overturned by the Michigan Court of Appeals, which noted that the dog's owners were happy with the care it received and called the initial ruling "arbitrary and capricious".[2]

Diane Pol was born in Mayville, Michigan in 1943, and met Jan Pol when he was a foreign exchange student at Mayville High School in 1961 during her senior year. She has a master's degree in Special Reading and used to be a schoolteacher at Harbor Beach Elementary Schools. They have been married for 50 years.[8]

All of the Pol children are adopted, daughter Kathy and son Charles at birth and daughter Diane at age 18, after having been the Pols' foster child for ten years.[9]

Charles Pol is the family's youngest child and only son. He pitched the show to the National Geographic channel and became one of its producers. Born and raised in Central Michigan’s farm country, Charles was his father’s constant sidekick as a child. Starting at the age of 5, he began assisting his father at the clinic, helping out on farm calls, and in charge of caring for the Pol family’s vast array of pets and farm animals. Though Charles enjoyed working with animals, he knew from an early age he didn’t want to follow in his father’s footsteps, and his parents encouraged him to pursue a career he would love. In 2003, he graduated from the University of Miami in Florida.[10] Charles was an intern for the late Sydney Pollack. Charles became engaged to his girlfriend Beth Oaks in 2018.

Dr. Brenda Grettenberger was born in Eaton Rapids, Michigan, in 1967. After graduating from Michigan State University College of Veterinary Medicine in 1992, Dr. Brenda began working at Pol Veterinary Services. At the time, the majority of the business at Pol Veterinary Services was large animal medicine, and Dr. Brenda says it took time for some of the older farmers to adjust to having a female veterinarian. Though she did win the farmers over, the number of the dairy farms in the area began to decline, and Dr. Brenda began to treat more small animals. Like Dr. Pol, Dr. Brenda enjoys the mixed practice and plans to continue working at Pol Veterinarian Services for the foreseeable future.[11]

Dr. Emily Thomas was born in 1984 in Warner Robins, Georgia. She graduated from the University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine in 2010, where she completed an internship in large animal field services and spent time studying equine reproduction. She then worked at a small private practice in Newberry, South Carolina before making the move to Pol Veterinary Services. She married her high school sweetheart Tony in 2007; they have three children together.[12]

References

    1. 1 2 3 Zimlich, Rachael (November 1, 2011). "The Incredible Dr. Pol". DVM360 Magazine. Retrieved 22 January 2017.
    2. 1 2 3 James, Katie (July 1, 2016). "Michigan appeals court finds in favor of Dr. Pol Overturns disciplinary action ordered by state regulatory board in relation to negligence, incompetence findings". dvm360 Magazine. Retrieved October 18, 2017.
    3. ↑ "Full Episode Guide". The Incredible Dr. Pol. Weidman, Michigan. Retrieved 21 January 2018. S1.E1: Oct 29, 2011 ... S12.E4: Jan 27, 2018
    4. ↑ As heard in announcements during the show and in the people's speech. Accessed 27 December 2017.
    5. ↑ "Meet the Pol Team-Dr.Pol". 19 July 2012. Retrieved 22 January 2017.
    6. ↑ Meet Dr.Pol - website Santee School District (pdf)
    7. ↑ Zimlich., Rachael. "Some reviews of 'The Incredible Dr. Pol' reality show not so incredible". Retrieved 22 January 2017.
    8. ↑ "Facts vet and Wild". 29 September 2011. Retrieved 28 April 2017.
    9. ↑ "Facts vet and Wild". 29 September 2011. Retrieved 28 April 2017.
    10. ↑ Arnold, Carrie (28 February 2014). "Q&A: The Real Story of "The Incredible Dr. Pol"". Retrieved 26 December 2017.
    11. ↑ "Meet the Pol Team– Dr.Brenda". 19 July 2012. Retrieved 28 April 2017.
    12. ↑ "Meet the Pol Team-Dr.Emily". 19 July 2012. Retrieved 28 April 2017.
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