Watch Animal Intervention

Animal Intervention was a reality television show that aired on National Geographic Wild in 2012. The show centered around animal activist and filmmaker Alison Eastwood, who traveled around the country to help people who were struggling to care for their exotic pets. Eastwood worked with a team of experts to rehabilitate the animals and find them new homes where they could live happily.

Each episode of Animal Intervention focused on a different animal or group of animals that were being kept as pets. Eastwood would meet with the owner and assess the animal's living conditions and behavior. She would then work with specialists in animal nutrition, veterinary medicine, and habitat design to create a plan for rehabilitating the animal and finding it a new home.

One of the key themes of the show was the danger of keeping exotic animals as pets. Eastwood often encountered animals that were being kept in cramped, unsanitary conditions with inadequate food and water. Many of the animals had developed health problems as a result of poor care, and some were even dangerous to their owners and the people around them.

In one episode, Eastwood traveled to Alabama to help a couple who had purchased a pet chimpanzee. The chimp, named Moe, had been raised in a human home and had developed aggressive tendencies as he got older. The couple was struggling to care for Moe and was concerned about their safety. Eastwood worked with a team of experts to create a new habitat for Moe and found him a new home in a sanctuary where he could live with other chimps.

Another episode focused on a family in Florida who had purchased a pet lion cub. The lion, named Simba, quickly outgrew his enclosure and became destructive to the family's home. Eastwood helped the family build a new, larger enclosure for Simba and found him a new home at a wildlife sanctuary.

Animal Intervention also tackled issues related to animal trafficking and black market trade. In one episode, Eastwood worked with law enforcement officials to shut down a black market exotic animal auction. She rescued several animals from the auction, including a baby snow leopard and a tiger cub, and found them new homes at accredited sanctuaries.

Throughout the show, Eastwood highlighted the importance of responsible pet ownership and encouraged viewers to adopt animals from shelters rather than buying them from pet stores or breeders. She also emphasized the need for stricter regulations on the exotic animal trade and the importance of supporting accredited sanctuaries and rescue organizations.

Animal Intervention was praised by animal rights activists for shining a light on the dangers of keeping exotic animals as pets and for promoting responsible pet ownership. However, the show was also criticized for sensationalizing the issue and putting Eastwood and her team in dangerous situations. Despite these criticisms, Animal Intervention was well-received by viewers and remains a popular show among animal lovers.