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Returning: Dodo Heroes

Season 2 of animal welfare series includes two episodes filmed in Australia.

Season 2 of animal welfare series Dodo Heroes begins on Animal Planet next week.

The first episode at 6.30pm Saturday 8 June features “Seal Rescue Ireland.”

There are two upcoming Australian based episodes.

If you ever needed a reminder of the good in the world, then Dodo Heroes is it. The series responsible for putting a smile on your face and tugging at your heart strings returns to Animal Planet Saturday 8 June at 6:30pm for a second season. The collaboration between Animal Planet and The Dodo – the #1 digital animal brand making caring about animals a viral cause – spotlights the powerful bonds between animals and humans, featuring new stories of animals in need across the globe and the people going to extraordinary lengths to help them.

Proving that not all heroes wear capes, Dodo Heroes explores the unique connections that are forged between these animals and the people who dedicate their lives to protecting and saving them. Each inspiring story shows how a little bit of kindness goes a long way. This season features two Australian organisations making a difference in the rescue and rehabilitation of some our iconic native animals; Sleepy Burrows Wombat Sanctuary in NSW and Our Haven Wildlife Shelter in VIC. The 6-part series also travels to Ireland to follow a seal rescue team; Kenya where a conservation organisation rescues orphaned elephants, and the USA where we meet the 7-year-old giving dogs in kill shelters a second shot at life, as well as a very special dwarf pony who will win your heart.

These are the stories of true heroes and the animals they help.

“Sleepy Burrows Wombat Sanctuary” 6.30pm Saturday 29 June
In New South Wales we meet Nomad and Sizzle, two baby wombats struggling to survive. For Donna Stepan and her husband Phil Melzer who run the Sleepy Burrows Wombat Sanctuary, this is all too common. Their house is a play pen for wombats who call it home until they’re strong enough to be released into the wild. Inquisitive, the wombats enjoy investigating their surroundings – and they even get along well with dogs! The sanctuary cares for orphaned and injured marsupials, specialising in treating wombats, particularly those suffering from mange. The couple started the facility after realising how many wombats are sadly orphaned when their mothers are killed either on the roads or in illegal shooting. It can take years to prepare the wombats for release into the wild, so they quickly become like children; Donna carrying the babies with her at all-hours to replicate the warmth they miss from their mother, while Phil looks after wombats who are fully grown and exploring the outdoors.

“Our Haven Wildlife Shelter” 6:30pm Saturday 13 July
Our Haven Wildlife Shelter in Victoria began when Theresa and Tony Matthews were handed an unfurred eastern grey kangaroo joey by a passerby without explanation. Unable to find a centre that would take him in, they couldn’t bear to euthanise the healthy joey, so instead armed themselves with knowledge to become carers. Rescuing and raising orphaned and injured wildlife, the shelter predominantly looks after kangaroo joeys and swamp wallabies until they’re ready to be released back into the wild. Joeys like Lisa – a baby kangaroo who was only a month old when she was orphaned and taken into their care. Thanks to Tony and Theresa’s rescue shelter, the kangaroos, including Lisa, will stay in excellent hands until they regain their strength for release.

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