Toronto Star Article: Television Series Fido & Wine
NEW PET NETWORK SERIES “FIDO & WINE” HELPS DOG OWNERS CREATE
HEALTHY DISHES THEY CAN ENJOY WITH THEIR PET
“Fido & Wine” premieres Tues., Sept. 27 at 8 p.m. ET/PT on The Pet Network -
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Toronto. Oct. 4, 2011 –Does your precious pooch turn up their nose at chow time? Why not set a place at the table? Ok, maybe under it! Join Laura Ducharme on her exciting journey to find inspiration to create mouth-watering dishes for both you and your dog in the new Pet Network series, “Fido & Wine”. From Doga to Dock Diving to Dogtoberfest to Puppy Showers – it’s a lot of fun. Laura takes her newfound knowledge and inspiration and prepares recipes that will have tails wagging. Your pet won’t be the only one licking the plate! A Stornoway Communications original production, “Fido & Wine” (13×30’) airs Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET/PT beginning Sept. 27 on The Pet Network.
Two winters ago, the creator, producer & director of the show, Jen Mitchell was alarmed when her dog Hank, a nine-year-old chocolate lab didn’t come through the winter well. His coat looked dulland shabby, he began to whine constantly, and was having difficulty walking. The vet told her that he had arthritic hips which would require a lifetime of medication, and that she shouldn’t expect him to ever be able to run again. It was devastating. Not a fan of prescribing long termmedication to pets, Jen was hesitant to start down that path. When her friend suggested she try home cooking for him, it was like a light bulb went off. After researching what was in processed pet food, she was alarmed at the lack of pet food regulations and the often substandard and sometimes scary ingredients being used. There is also the undeniable fact that dogs should be
eating mostly meat rather than the fillers you find in a lot of those bags of food. Jen was
convinced that with the right diet, rich with meat and glucosamine, she could help heal Hank with food. Within two weeks, his coat began to shine once again, and the whining stopped. Within a couple of months he was running alongside her bike on the trails. “To watch your pet decline suddenly is so incredibly sad and stressful. I can’t tell you how relieved I was to get my boy back to his healthy and happy self. The experience sparked me to create Fido & Wine,” says Jen.
With host Laura Ducharme, Jen and the team are on a mission to get people to consider
alternatives to feeding their pets processed food. “We treat our dogs like members of our
family,” says Jen, “If you wouldn’t feed your family fast food every day, why would you feed your dog like that? We just want people to start thinking about it, and help break the myths that they don’t have the time to cook for Fido or that it’s too expensive.”
From first time puppy parents to experienced dog owners, “Fido & Wine” understands that
people want more for their dogs than processed kibble or can foods. Dog owners want to feed their dog something they would eat, and that doesn’t mean you need to be a master chef. In addition to the recipes Laura prepares, she encourages the audience to send their recipes and post their own cooking videos on the “Fido & Wine” website.
Update: after a successful season, Fido & Wine is currently in production on another 13 episodes for The Pet Network. A number of episodes will be available to watch online at thepetnetwork.tv WOOF!! BOL!!