Insight

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`Vet School Confidential'

A local veterinary student's love of animals is showcased
on Animal Planet's new show.

BILL CARROLL

Special to the Jewish News

A

veterinarian uncle, Dr. Ronald Mehler of West Bloomfield.
Steve Mehler is in his last year of vet school, taking only
seven years to complete the combined eight-year courses of
undergraduate and vet school studies. He spent two years in
a seven-day-a-week rotation from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. He now
works in a clinic for most of the week and has worked in
clinics in Florida and Idaho during his final year.
The MSU College of Veterinary Medicine, established in
1910, graduates about 100 new veterinarians annually.
People fly in their dogs and other pets from countries
around the world and from other states to get treatment at
the college's clinics.
A few cases for the TV show include Jackie, a black
Labrador, who has surgery for a rare muscle condition, and
Bauer, a chocolate Labrador, who gets emergency room

s a youngster, Steve Mehler loved animals so much
he used to catch frogs, turtles and snakes, stash
them in his pockets or socks, and sneak them past
his parents into the house to keep as pets.
When he got older and thought seriously about a career
as a veterinarian, he saw a photograph of his grandmother,
then a young teacher, with a live boa constrictor wrapped
around her body as part of a science experiment. That left
an indelible impression on him and clinched his decision.
He was off to Michigan State University's College of
Veterinary Medicine, one of a handful of Jewish vet stu-
dents in the college.
Nov, Mehler, 24, of Farmington Hills, is a tel-
evision star. He and four MSU vet students co-
star on Vet School Confidential, which debuted
on the Animal Planet Channel on Aug. 7. The
half-hour program will continue for 12 weeks at
9:30 p.m. on Tuesdays.
Vet School Confidential, filmed entirely at
MSU, gives a behind-the-scenes look at what it's
like to attend veterinary school. A production
crew from Rocket Pictures spent months gather-
ing 5,000 hours of footage while following
Mehler and the other students around their class-
es, clinics, during animal surgeries and in their
leisure time.
Mehler, a North Farmington High School gradu-
ate, is the son of Dr. Jerome and Karen Mehler. She
is a registered nurse who works in her husband's
Northville dental office. They belong to Temple
Steve Mehler with fellow veterinary student and fiancee Linzie Brown,
Israel, where Steve next June will marry Linzie
left, and Chris Oldroyd, a producer for Rocket Pictures.
Brown of Missouri, a fellow veterinary student. She
coaxed him into interviewing for the Animal Plant
treatment for multiple pelvis fractures after being hit by a
show last summer and filming began in December.
car. Other segments will show cataract surgery on dogs, the
"Veterinary medicine is a great career because most peo-
birth of a foal and the de-horning of a goat.
ple everywhere just love animals," Mehler declared. "I've
The Animal Planet producers checked several other
always been interested in all kinds of animals and wildlife.
schools before selecting MSU.
I've breeded reptiles and rescued injured wild birds, fixed
Dr. Lonnie King, dean of MSU's College of Veterinary
them up and sent them on their way."
Medicine,
said he's proud the college was selected. "It's
He's also been bitten many times by dogs, snakes, birds
appropriate that, in addition to basketball and football, TV
and even tarantulas, but none were venomous. His pets at
should highlight MSU in an academic sense. This show gives
his East Lansing house include two dogs, two cats, two
a real insight into the quality of our students and depicts
snakes and an iguana.
their transformation in four years into skilled veterinarians."
As a teenager, Mehler wasn't too sure about pursuing a
King praised Mehler as "an exceptional young man, who is
veterinary career because it was "not cool" among his
unusual in that he has a strong interest in reptiles and other
friends to spend so much time with animals. He dropped
animals as well as dogs and cats. He and his fiancee are to be
the idea for a while, but got interested again at MSU.
complimented for their community service work, taking the
The photo of his grandmother, Arlene Levenson of West
animals to visit youth homes and senior citizen residences.
Bloomfield, with the boa constrictor years ago was a big inspi-
They are a credit to the school and their profession."
ration. She died recently at age 80. Also inspiring him is his

From the pages of the Jewish. News for
this week 10, 20, 30, 40 and 50
years ago.

1991

Israeli police prevented a clash
between Arabs and Jews on the
Temple Mount just before U.S.
Secretary of State James Baker was
due to arrive in Jerusalem.
Andrew Margolick, graduate of
North Farmington High School,
signed to play baseball for the
University of Southern California.
Detroiter Stan Meretsky was
elected to a three-year term on the
board of directors of the Friends of
the Detroit Public Library.

1981

What is reportedly the oldest sacred
ark yet found was uncovered by
American archaeologists in the
upper Galilee in Israel.
Cantor Israel I. Idelsohn became the
cantor at the Downtown Synagogue
in Detroit.

1971

The consul general of the Israeli
embassy in Denmark, Shlomo
Arnon, was named the new Israeli
ambassador to Tanzania.
A commission to study the possi-
bility of banning cigarette and tobac-
co advertising in Israel has been insti-
tuted by Israel's attorney general.

Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy
indicated that he was opposed to
listing George Lincoln Rockwell's
American Nazi Party as subversive.
A cache of centuries-old Hebrew
books was discovered in a Greek
Orthodox church in Byelorussia.

1951

Israel's Premier David Ben-Gurion
dedicated a new library in Tel Aviv,
the gift of Detroiters Morris and
Emma Schaver.
Detroiter Dr. Joseph Epel was
awarded a doctorate degree from
Wayne University.
Detroiter Leon Hoffman, a first
lieutenant in the U.S. Army, was
awarded the Bronze Star for gal-
lantry in action in Korea.

— Compiled by Sy Marietta,
editorial assistant

TU"

8/10
2001

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