INTERVIEW: From lions in Africa to puppies in Virginia with Dave Salmoni
Dave Salmoni, a common presence on Animal Planet, is know for his documentaries about lions in Africa and other large predators. This past summer, he hosted a marathon of feline programming on World Lion Day, and now he’s back on the network with a slightly different and more cuddly project.
Pet Nation Renovation, which premieres Saturday, Sept. 17 at 10 p.m. on Animal Planet, follows Salmoni and his team as they renovate animal rescue shelters in the United States. The two-part special begins with Bandit’s Adoption and Rescue of K-9s (BARK) in Ashland, Virginia. The second part will find Salmoni and company in Pontiac, Michigan, at Michigan Animal Rescue League (MARL).
The shelters profiled on the two specials are remarkable businesses, but they’re in need of some help. For example, BARK has rescued more than 4,500 dogs in the past decade, according to the network, but their facilities are in need of repair. That’s when Salmoni and the team stop by and offer a top-to-bottom renovation.
For Salmoni, Pet Nation Renovation is a bit of a reversal for his career.
“Typically people have always asked me, ‘Hey, how did you get into working with lions, and tigers and these types of things,'” he said recently in a phone interview. “And I was like, ‘Hey, I had a normal upbringing. I had a dog and a cat. I didn’t have a lion and an elephant, so, of course, I’ve grown up with pets and love pets.’ But it’s never been work for me, so it was an interesting ask when they said, ‘Hey, would you like to do this build show that’s also rescuing dogs and cats?’ Probably the only other passion that I have outside of sports and wildlife is building, so it was a weird ask and a perfect combination of things that I like to do. I’ve always said, if you’re passionate about something, it makes great TV.”
Pet Nation Renovation, according to Salmoni, has all of the ingredients one would hope for in a reality series about pet rescues. For example, the folks running the shelters are good people who care deeply about the animals in their care.
“If you like people, and you like animals and you want to see good people doing nice things for animals that have had a bad shake in life, this is that show,” he said. “You are going to be rooting for these people and these animals from the get-go, and the interesting thing I think about this show is that it is absolutely a make-good story because in the end we are going to do everything we can to make sure that these dogs find forever homes.”
However, Pet Nation Renovation is not simply an animal show. It also has that feel of a construction-renovation series, so the big reveals at the end are exciting for the audience and shelter owners. The promised happy ending is good for both human and animal.
Salmoni has built a career out of combining adventure with conservation. He understands this paradigm and is always trying to share a special message with his TV audience. Whether he’s bringing exotic animals to the desk of Jimmy Kimmel or leading a marathon of feline-centric shows on Animal Planet, Salmoni marries substance with a call to action. “I try to sell the conservation side of it in the backdoor while I entertain, meaning let’s go on this great adventure, and let me show you how amazing these animals are,” he said. “Oh and by the way, they need help.”
Pet Nation Renovation switches this formula around a bit. From the get-go, audience members will learn of the hardships facing these pets. Viewers will also see the difficult realities of the shelter’s staff and their professional surroundings. However, the show is not simply interested in grabbing at those tear ducts. Pet Nation Renovation has that all too rare quality for a TV show: It’s positive in its outlook.
“So it is a really refreshing change,” Salmoni said. “I feel like now you’re going to ask an audience to sit down and watch a TV show for an hour. I feel like you want to leave them with a smile rather than a hole in their heart.”
Salmoni also comes from a place of personal pet companionship. He recently became married, and his wife’s dog is now a regular presence in the house. His own travels around the world prevented a personal pet for years, but now with a growing family, he has become proud pet owner once again. Salmoni even divulged that he brings a little friend home in the second part of Pet Nation Renovation.
Here’s how he describes the new addition: “My son needs a dog that will hang out with him and let him crawl all over him, and they’ll play together. So I wanted a bigger dog for my son, but also traveling away, it makes my wife feel more confident. … The dog that I have now, if she comes to the door and gives you a look, you’re going to think twice, so she’s been a great addition to the family. She’s been perfect for my son and perfect for my wife in a lot different ways.”
Salmoni makes no illusions about what he wants to happen with Pet Nation Renovation, and the unfortunate reality about pets means are plenty of animals in need of rescuing and plenty of shelters in need of renovating. “These specials I’m really, really hoping maybe turn into a series because Pet Nation Renovation, it’s definitely one of the most feel-good shows I’ve ever done,” he said. “It’s a fun show to work on.”
By John Soltes / Publisher / John@HollywoodSoapbox.com
Pet Nation Renovation premieres Saturday, Sept. 17 at 10 p.m. on Animal Planet. Click here for more information. Click here for Hollywood Soapbox’s previous interviews with Dave Salmoni.
