New RTÉ show celebrating extraordinary pets comes to Donegal

A new RTÉ kids series, The Big Pet Project — a wild celebration of Ireland’s most extraordinary pets and the people who love them, will this week visit Donegal.

From surfing dogs to painting ponies and goal-scoring turtles, The Big Pet Project introduces viewers to Ireland’s weirdest, wackiest and most talented animals.

Join actress Demi Oviawe (The Young Offenders) and content creator Adam Beales (Bro’s in Control) as they jump into their “Pet Mobile” and travel across Ireland to meet the nation’s most pet-obsessed people.

But with Adam terrified of rodents and spiders — and Demi still learning the difference between a pony and a horse — what could possibly go wrong?

In this week’s Donegal-based episode, the presenters will face their fears with a real-life tarantula, go head-to-head with a Shetland pony in a painting competition and visit a local family with more animals than a petting zoo.

Demi and Adam face their fears with a real-life tarantula in Donegal.

Produced by County Antrim’s HopSkip Studios and filmed across Dublin, Wicklow, Tipperary, Galway, Donegal and Belfast, The Big Pet Project is a fast-paced, feel-good celebration of the bond between people and their pets.

Expect axolotls in Belfast, turtles in Tipperary, hawks in Wicklow, pygmy goats in Donegal, a giant millipede in Galway and an oversized pig in Dublin!

Each episode also features a fascinating visit to the veterinary surgery of  exotic animal specialist Dr Bobby Ortiz, who opens up the medical files on some incredible creatures — from macaws to African pygmy hedgehogs.

And it’s not just the public who are pet crazy! Every episode includes a celebrity challenge with influencer Miriam Mullins and her adorable dog Lucy, inviting audiences at home to join in the fun.

“I had so much fun on The Big Pet Project,” says presenter Demi Oviawe, “I was so shook at some of the unusual pets people keep! We even had a teenager with three generations of garden snails!”

“You’ve heard the saying ‘Never work with children or animals’ -well, we decided to do both!” laughs producer Kate Finn.

“And it’s proved to be a magic combination. Every episode of this series is packed full of unusual, talented and adorable animals and equally adorable and talented people!”

The Big Pet Project is a six-part series for RTÉ Kids that premiered on RTÉ One at 5:15pm on Saturday.

This week’s Donegal episode airs on Saturday, November 22 at 5:15 p.m. on RTÉ One, and afterwards on RTÉ Player and the RTÉ Kids YouTube channel.