Awoooooooo! Animal Planet has ordered new series “Wolves & Warriors,” which will pair combat vets suffering from PTSD with rescued wolves, TheWrap has learned exclusively.
Premiering later this year, “Wolves & Warriors” features U.S. Navy veteran Matt Simmons and Dr. Lorin Lindner, a clinical psychologist, the husband and wife team behind the Lockwood Animal Rescue Center (LARC). LARC has a unique purpose: to rescue wolves from dangerous domestic situations, illegal breeding operations, petting zoos and abuse or neglect scenarios and then introduce them to combat veterans suffering from PTSD, per Animal Planet’s official logline.
The program provides veterans the opportunity to heal the wounds of war, by personally caring for the 50 wolves at the sanctuary, it continued. LARC is closed to the public so rescue wolves and warriors meet in a safe and private space as they begin their journeys to recovery after the traumas they’ve suffered.
“Wolves & Warriors” is produced for Animal Planet by Leftfield Pictures where Gretchen Palek, Shawn Witt, Jason Carey, Dave Luce and Justin Comins serve as executive producers. For Animal Planet, Keith Hoffman is executive producer and Sarah Russell is producer.
All of the Discovery-owned channels — yes, including the new ones — will present their new slates to advertisers on Tuesday at the company’s annual upfront event.