0:00:02 > 0:00:05Pets...don't you just love them?
0:00:07 > 0:00:09In this series, we're going to meet
0:00:09 > 0:00:12plenty of people who really really do.
0:00:12 > 0:00:13It's like having more children.
0:00:13 > 0:00:16It's as easy to have two or three as it is to have four or five.
0:00:18 > 0:00:22Our obsession with them has even turned some pets into celebrities.
0:00:22 > 0:00:25The internet love her. She always gets loads of compliments.
0:00:25 > 0:00:27We would have a sort of core following,
0:00:27 > 0:00:28the ones that read it every day.
0:00:28 > 0:00:32Our love for them appears to have no bounds.
0:00:34 > 0:00:35Later, we meet a racoon
0:00:35 > 0:00:37with impeccable manners.
0:00:39 > 0:00:41Sometimes Lola likes to wash her hands.
0:00:43 > 0:00:46We make a jumper out of dog's wool.
0:00:46 > 0:00:49I'm amazed that this is Guapo's fur, his wool.
0:00:49 > 0:00:51And we meet a former agony aunt who
0:00:51 > 0:00:54dreams of being a Roman empress.
0:00:54 > 0:00:55What do you think?
0:00:55 > 0:00:58Tina, you look brilliant. That's gorgeous, it's fantastic.
0:01:05 > 0:01:07In Rathdrum, County Wicklow, lives
0:01:07 > 0:01:10Tina Koumarianos and her daughter, Suzie.
0:01:12 > 0:01:13Guess who?
0:01:15 > 0:01:16People always wait until
0:01:16 > 0:01:18family members have died
0:01:18 > 0:01:20and then they do it and it's not really...
0:01:20 > 0:01:23If you're going to do it, do it now. What's the point in waiting?
0:01:23 > 0:01:25I'm not mad about tattoos
0:01:25 > 0:01:28but I do think it's very lovely of her to do that.
0:01:28 > 0:01:31Not to get skulls or something and that's lovely.
0:01:33 > 0:01:35As well as sharing a love for tattoos,
0:01:35 > 0:01:39they also share a passion for all sorts of pets.
0:01:40 > 0:01:42We've had quite a few dogs here,
0:01:42 > 0:01:45we've had a beautiful Saint Bernard, Monty
0:01:45 > 0:01:47and now we have Domina, who is very
0:01:47 > 0:01:50beautiful and has lots of skin.
0:01:50 > 0:01:54Stumpy, who somebody threw over our gate
0:01:54 > 0:01:57and our old lurcher, Sid.
0:01:57 > 0:02:00This is Jasper, he loved me very much
0:02:00 > 0:02:04for many many years we were very much in love
0:02:04 > 0:02:07but when I adopted Monty, our Saint Bernard...
0:02:07 > 0:02:09He just hates me, now.
0:02:09 > 0:02:12I'm very surprised he's letting me stroke him
0:02:12 > 0:02:14but he puts up with so much
0:02:14 > 0:02:17and then he'll suddenly savage me.
0:02:17 > 0:02:21Unfortunately, he's going to live until he's about 65
0:02:21 > 0:02:25and he's about 23 now, so we have many unhappy years left together,
0:02:25 > 0:02:27haven't we, Jasp?
0:02:27 > 0:02:31So, we thought we'd get him a little friend, which is Timothy.
0:02:31 > 0:02:33He's an Amazon.
0:02:33 > 0:02:37but, unfortunately, he looks on Timmy as an hors d'oeuvre
0:02:37 > 0:02:40so we have to keep them very much apart.
0:02:40 > 0:02:43Do you know, no matter what kind of day you've had, when you open
0:02:43 > 0:02:47that door you know you're going to get an incredible greeting.
0:02:47 > 0:02:48They never seem to have a bad day.
0:02:48 > 0:02:52They're just so happy to see you when you arrive home.
0:02:52 > 0:02:55The true love of Tina's life was Monty,
0:02:55 > 0:02:58a Saint Bernard, who has sadly passed away.
0:02:58 > 0:03:01He did all sorts of charity work. There he is, look.
0:03:08 > 0:03:10And, of course, he is in my sitting room now
0:03:10 > 0:03:12because I had him cremated
0:03:12 > 0:03:15and he's next to my mother.
0:03:15 > 0:03:19My lovely mother, who I was so close to,
0:03:19 > 0:03:22when she was dying, I asked her where she'd like to be buried and
0:03:22 > 0:03:25she said, "No, I want to be out of this house
0:03:25 > 0:03:27"and back in as quickly as possible."
0:03:27 > 0:03:29And I said, "Right. Where would you like to go?"
0:03:29 > 0:03:31She said, "I know exactly.
0:03:31 > 0:03:34"Up here, where I can see the fire, the
0:03:34 > 0:03:36"television and the garden outside."
0:03:36 > 0:03:40And, then, when my beautiful big dog, Monty...
0:03:40 > 0:03:42Oh no, he meant so much to me,
0:03:42 > 0:03:45so I had him cremated and I put him down next to my mother
0:03:45 > 0:03:47and I said, "There you are mum,
0:03:47 > 0:03:49"now you've got a dog to walk."
0:03:49 > 0:03:51So, the two of them are next to each other
0:03:51 > 0:03:53and I've said to Suzie, whenever
0:03:53 > 0:03:58anything happens to me, I want these two in with me wherever I go.
0:03:58 > 0:04:02Sometimes I come in here and I just pat him on the box and I say,
0:04:02 > 0:04:04"Ah, Mont. I miss you."
0:04:04 > 0:04:05I loved him best of all.
0:04:07 > 0:04:10Tina and the gang are going to Glendalough,
0:04:10 > 0:04:12one of Domina's favourite haunts.
0:04:12 > 0:04:16Come on guys. Let's go to church.
0:04:16 > 0:04:19Do you know... Yes, she won't come in.
0:04:19 > 0:04:20She's a little bit nervous
0:04:20 > 0:04:23about coming into a church.
0:04:23 > 0:04:27The Romans had them as war dogs and, then, they had them
0:04:27 > 0:04:32eating Christians and fighting lions in the colosseum.
0:04:32 > 0:04:37So, I have to keep her away from churches on a Sunday, just in case.
0:04:37 > 0:04:39Don't I, Domski?
0:04:39 > 0:04:43People are nervous of her but she loves other dogs.
0:04:43 > 0:04:45She loves children, all children.
0:04:45 > 0:04:47She thinks they're great.
0:04:49 > 0:04:51Beautiful.
0:04:51 > 0:04:53Look, there's Stumpy going in.
0:04:53 > 0:04:55Good boy, Stumps.
0:04:55 > 0:04:58This is very good for her joints, you know.
0:04:58 > 0:05:01It's great to get the mobility
0:05:01 > 0:05:03and in the water there's no...
0:05:03 > 0:05:06- It builds muscle.- It really builds muscle.
0:05:06 > 0:05:08She loves this.
0:05:08 > 0:05:11I'm not into exercise or any of those things,
0:05:11 > 0:05:12so you ca...
0:05:12 > 0:05:14Oh God! He's having problems.
0:05:29 > 0:05:30Hi honey, how are you?
0:05:30 > 0:05:34Tina has always dreamed of doing a photo shoot with Domina
0:05:34 > 0:05:37and, later on Pet Island, her dream comes true.
0:05:40 > 0:05:43In Kildare lives Martin Bailey with his beloved dog, Guapo.
0:05:45 > 0:05:46Guapo has twice been crowned
0:05:46 > 0:05:49Old English Sheepdog Of The Year in Ireland
0:05:49 > 0:05:52and is famous across the nation for his wonderful coat.
0:05:52 > 0:05:55I've been saving Guapo's wool since he was a puppy
0:05:55 > 0:05:57because I always knew you can get wool spun.
0:05:57 > 0:06:00I don't know where I've seen it but I know you can get it done.
0:06:00 > 0:06:02So, I've been saving it for long long time.
0:06:02 > 0:06:03This is just a little bit I have.
0:06:03 > 0:06:06It's not like a hair, it's like wool. It's very very soft.
0:06:06 > 0:06:09I've always known it's possible so I've contacted a lady
0:06:09 > 0:06:11and she actually spins the wool.
0:06:11 > 0:06:14I've been saving her bags of it. I've had it for over six years.
0:06:14 > 0:06:18I'd like to get a jacket or a jumper or something made, maybe something I could show in...
0:06:18 > 0:06:21I can't wait to see what he gets because he's been saying he wants
0:06:21 > 0:06:23something for years now,
0:06:23 > 0:06:24so, it will be nice to see
0:06:24 > 0:06:27the result of all the hair.
0:06:27 > 0:06:29But I've been talking to some Russian people at show and stuff and
0:06:29 > 0:06:33they all do it in their own countries and it's supposed to have healing properties.
0:06:33 > 0:06:37They'll make packs of it and put it on their back if they've arthritis and stuff like that.
0:06:37 > 0:06:40So, I don't know how true that is but they use it for stuff like that.
0:06:43 > 0:06:46Martin has travelled to meet Christine Casey in County Down,
0:06:46 > 0:06:50who specialises in spinning and knitting with dog wool.
0:06:50 > 0:06:54- Hiya, how are you?- Hi. Christine, is it?- Christine, absolutely.- I'm Martin.
0:06:54 > 0:06:56- Nice to meet you.- Pleased to meet you.- Do you want to head in?
0:06:56 > 0:07:00So, this is your wool. It's all done. A black bin bag full.
0:07:00 > 0:07:04How does the process work, how do you come to this from the bag of hair that I gave you?
0:07:04 > 0:07:07It's a process that's done in a number of different stages.
0:07:07 > 0:07:10- This is an old-fashioned Donegal style spinning wheel.- Right.
0:07:10 > 0:07:12And once you twist it, it turns into wool.
0:07:12 > 0:07:16- The fibres all connect into each other and stick.- Right.
0:07:16 > 0:07:19So, you just keep going.
0:07:19 > 0:07:21So, you've brought a jumper up to let me have a look at?
0:07:21 > 0:07:23- I've just bought this.- That's great because that helps
0:07:23 > 0:07:27- give me a size to work from. - Right.- Do you want a pattern similar to that on it?
0:07:27 > 0:07:29- Well, if you can, yeah, then whatever...- Oh yes.
0:07:29 > 0:07:31The size is quite good, I'd just like the waist
0:07:31 > 0:07:32just a slight bit longer.
0:07:32 > 0:07:34- OK, that's not a problem. I can do that.- Brilliant.
0:07:34 > 0:07:37- Thank you very much, I'm sure we'll see you soon.- Lovely to meet you, Martin.
0:07:37 > 0:07:41- You're very welcome.- Take care. Cheers!- Alright. I'll see you out.
0:07:44 > 0:07:46In Kilkenny, lives James Hennessy,
0:07:46 > 0:07:50owner of one of Ireland's most exotic collections of pets.
0:07:51 > 0:07:53Bubo is a Eurasian eagle owl.
0:07:53 > 0:07:54They're the biggest species of owl.
0:07:54 > 0:07:56You find them in Northern Russia, Siberia,
0:07:56 > 0:07:59so our cold Irish weather is mild for her.
0:07:59 > 0:08:02She's fed every day, so I'm out with her at least once a day.
0:08:02 > 0:08:04I actually often like to come out at night-time,
0:08:04 > 0:08:07when it's nice and dark, because it's more natural for her.
0:08:07 > 0:08:10It's nice in the night-time having her silently swoop in, take the food
0:08:10 > 0:08:12and fly back. It just seems more natural
0:08:12 > 0:08:13and it's nice to be part of it.
0:08:13 > 0:08:15People have this thing about owls being wise,
0:08:15 > 0:08:16they've got those big eyes
0:08:16 > 0:08:19but she's fairly basic, a simple animal, you know.
0:08:19 > 0:08:22If you haven't got food, she doesn't care, she just turns her back on you
0:08:22 > 0:08:25and just walks away and sits in the corner of her roost,
0:08:25 > 0:08:28indifferent to you and the world just passes her by.
0:08:29 > 0:08:31With pets from all over the globe,
0:08:31 > 0:08:34James has fitted out his house appropriately.
0:08:37 > 0:08:39He comes from the savannahs in Africa, so he's a grass-eater.
0:08:39 > 0:08:42We keep him outside most of the time and if he gets too cold,
0:08:42 > 0:08:44and our Irish winters don't really suit him too well,
0:08:44 > 0:08:46so, on the cold days, we'll bring him inside.
0:08:46 > 0:08:47Personality wise,
0:08:47 > 0:08:50he is your stereotypical grumpy old man tortoise.
0:08:50 > 0:08:52He's quite hard to deal with sometimes but you leave him to
0:08:52 > 0:08:56himself, he just does his own thing and he's happy enough to plod along
0:08:56 > 0:08:58as tortoise do.
0:09:00 > 0:09:03This is our female Chinese alligator.
0:09:03 > 0:09:05She's here a couple of years now.
0:09:05 > 0:09:08As far as I'm aware, there's only about 3,000 left in the wild.
0:09:08 > 0:09:09If even that, actually.
0:09:09 > 0:09:13She gets fed about two to three times a week, it's usually small mice or rats.
0:09:13 > 0:09:15She'll digest pretty much all of it except the fur.
0:09:15 > 0:09:17When she goes to the toilet, the fur comes out the other end.
0:09:17 > 0:09:21I won't use my bare hands in case she misses.
0:09:21 > 0:09:23We'll see if we can get her over.
0:09:23 > 0:09:27MUSIC: Get Lucky by Daft Punk Ft Pharrell Williams
0:09:27 > 0:09:30Reptiles can't chew. Their jaws, they won't go from side to side,
0:09:30 > 0:09:32they'll only open and close,
0:09:32 > 0:09:34you'll see her throwing it around in her mouth,
0:09:34 > 0:09:38closing down, crushing it a bit and, then, swallows it whole.
0:09:38 > 0:09:42And it is not just James who loves the pets.
0:09:42 > 0:09:45This is Fred, and Fred is a Fijian iguana,
0:09:45 > 0:09:47a critically endangered species in the wild.
0:09:47 > 0:09:50They're gorgeous lizards but a little bit rare.
0:09:50 > 0:09:53But pretty chilled out, pretty easy-going. He doesn't get handled a whole lot.
0:09:53 > 0:09:55Oh, he's going to jump.
0:09:55 > 0:09:57Yeah, so, hold your hand up there.
0:09:57 > 0:09:59Up you go now. Bye-bye.
0:09:59 > 0:10:00If someone was to buy one
0:10:00 > 0:10:03and wanted to feed it, what would you tell them to feed it?
0:10:03 > 0:10:05Dandelions,
0:10:05 > 0:10:06strawberries
0:10:06 > 0:10:07and berries.
0:10:09 > 0:10:13And, making the house her own, is Lola, the raccoon.
0:10:13 > 0:10:15We should be getting a leaf...
0:10:15 > 0:10:17This is Lola and she's one and a half years old.
0:10:17 > 0:10:20At the start it wasn't really my raccoon but then I started to
0:10:20 > 0:10:24feed it and take care of her so then I decided it was my racoon
0:10:24 > 0:10:25so they agreed to it.
0:10:25 > 0:10:28This is a bowl of water and the reason why I'm putting down is
0:10:28 > 0:10:31because sometimes Lola likes to wash her hands.
0:10:33 > 0:10:36MUSIC: Wash My Hands by Kormac
0:10:36 > 0:10:39Most of my best friends have seen her but I don't think
0:10:39 > 0:10:41everyone has seen her. She can be grumpy at times because
0:10:41 > 0:10:43in the morning she's just like...
0:10:44 > 0:10:46But mostly...
0:10:46 > 0:10:48It's quite sleepy most of the time.
0:10:48 > 0:10:49I don't really go near her face
0:10:49 > 0:10:51just in case anything happens but...
0:10:51 > 0:10:54She likes it. She's like a mat.
0:10:55 > 0:10:57Everyone loves having her around
0:10:57 > 0:11:00but she is slightly Jekyll and Hyde.
0:11:00 > 0:11:03If she's hungry, she'll try everything as food
0:11:03 > 0:11:06including fingers. So she's nipped a few people, like that...
0:11:08 > 0:11:10I'd love to have a baby elephant.
0:11:10 > 0:11:13Ha, they don't stay babies so that's not going to happen.
0:11:13 > 0:11:17You have crocodiles around the house but baby elephants aren't...?
0:11:17 > 0:11:19I'd be very careful as to what the predator was,
0:11:19 > 0:11:20its size, its capabilities.
0:11:20 > 0:11:22The alligator that's in the house is this size...
0:11:22 > 0:11:24You know, a cat would do more damage.
0:11:24 > 0:11:27I would seriously weigh up the pros and cons of what the animal was and
0:11:27 > 0:11:29make sure it was feasible to keep it
0:11:29 > 0:11:32and that it wasn't ever - at any point could ever - be a threat.
0:11:32 > 0:11:34If it was a safety issue, I wouldn't keep it.
0:11:39 > 0:11:43Previously on Pet Island, we met foster puppy, Fred,
0:11:43 > 0:11:46a Bichon Frise in need of serious medical care.
0:11:47 > 0:11:51It is finally time for Fred's operation.
0:11:51 > 0:11:54Fred was a congenital heart defect, he was born with,
0:11:54 > 0:11:56essentially, like a shunt in the heart.
0:11:56 > 0:11:59Whenever we're inside our mother's womb, our lungs are non-functional
0:11:59 > 0:12:03and there is a normal, natural shunt that is present in the heart,
0:12:03 > 0:12:06which diverts blood away from the lungs.
0:12:06 > 0:12:09Whenever we're born, that's supposed to close off.
0:12:09 > 0:12:11In a small percentage of individuals, however,
0:12:11 > 0:12:15that doesn't happen. Fred, unfortunately, was one of the poor individuals that had
0:12:15 > 0:12:18this problem and had to go through surgery to correct it.
0:12:20 > 0:12:23Fred was quite tiny at the time of the surgery
0:12:23 > 0:12:25so we decided on this particular occasion
0:12:25 > 0:12:27actually to do a more traditional surgery.
0:12:27 > 0:12:29So, his surgery involved actually opening up his chest
0:12:29 > 0:12:34and putting little silk threads round the shunt and tying it off.
0:12:35 > 0:12:37So, we can already see the wee gap
0:12:37 > 0:12:40- that we're going to be going down cranially.- Mm-hmm.- Just there.
0:12:40 > 0:12:42'The way that it has been is that we've very much
0:12:42 > 0:12:44'followed the trends in human medicine.
0:12:44 > 0:12:46'If you look at human cardiology,
0:12:46 > 0:12:48'there are some fairly traumatic
0:12:48 > 0:12:51'procedures that will be available that will revolutionise
0:12:51 > 0:12:54'cardiac surgery and also the treatment of heart failure in dogs.
0:12:54 > 0:12:57'I think that procedure as a whole, is very much dedicated to
0:12:57 > 0:12:59'give pets a good quality of life.'
0:12:59 > 0:13:02There's no point, necessarily, living if you can't enjoy life
0:13:02 > 0:13:06so our aim is always to get animals back so that they can
0:13:06 > 0:13:10physically and mentally enjoy their lives and have fun in the process.
0:13:17 > 0:13:20Three weeks later and Fred is fighting fit.
0:13:20 > 0:13:23Fred is absolutely fantastic, he's 100%
0:13:23 > 0:13:25since he's had the operation.
0:13:25 > 0:13:27Even a couple of days after the operation,
0:13:27 > 0:13:29you could tell a big difference in him.
0:13:29 > 0:13:32The scar is running from here...
0:13:32 > 0:13:34All the way down to here...
0:13:34 > 0:13:37It just healed so well that you can barely see it.
0:13:37 > 0:13:40He didn't need to stay in the vets even that day,
0:13:40 > 0:13:44he just recovered at home, went back to the vets every couple of days.
0:13:44 > 0:13:46His heart rate has been fantastic -
0:13:46 > 0:13:49there's no lasting damage, there's no murmur.
0:13:49 > 0:13:52The vet said that the PDA was about to burst.
0:13:52 > 0:13:55If they hadn't have got him then, he wouldn't have made it.
0:13:55 > 0:13:58He was lucky to have made it over a year.
0:13:58 > 0:14:00Well Fred will be staying with me long term,
0:14:00 > 0:14:02until he's completely fit to be rehomed
0:14:02 > 0:14:04and hopefully that won't be too long.
0:14:11 > 0:14:15Tina Koumarianos lives in Wicklow with bullmastiff, Domina.
0:14:15 > 0:14:18When I first got her, for the first two and a half years,
0:14:18 > 0:14:19she was a nightmare.
0:14:19 > 0:14:22And I said to my sister, "Do you know what,
0:14:22 > 0:14:25"this dog is getting the better of me." She said "Tina, no.
0:14:25 > 0:14:30"Think of her as the big fat ugly schoolgirl nobody wants to play
0:14:30 > 0:14:33"with and you'll look on her in a whole new light."
0:14:33 > 0:14:35And, do you know what, when she drives me mad
0:14:35 > 0:14:38I just think, "Yeah, nobody wants to play with you."
0:14:38 > 0:14:40Poor old Domina, I love her.
0:14:40 > 0:14:41DOORBELL RINGS
0:14:41 > 0:14:46So, I have a very good friend called Beatrix, who is a photographer.
0:14:46 > 0:14:50- Hi honey, how are you?- Hi Tina, how are you? It's lovely to see you.
0:14:50 > 0:14:52Lovely to see you. Hiya. How are you doing, honey?
0:14:52 > 0:14:54'And she said, "Would you like a picture with Domina?"
0:14:54 > 0:14:56'And I said yes.
0:14:56 > 0:14:58'I said, "Listen, let's go all out."
0:14:58 > 0:15:02'I'm going to dress up as a Roman empress and we'll have the'
0:15:02 > 0:15:08dog beside us and have a picture that it'll be real fun to show.
0:15:08 > 0:15:09Just hop over there.
0:15:10 > 0:15:12OK, well, the jewellery is gorgeous.
0:15:12 > 0:15:17This is the dress. I reran some of the Spartacus episodes
0:15:17 > 0:15:19to see what the ladies were wearing
0:15:19 > 0:15:21and it seemed to be a lot of very plunging necklines
0:15:21 > 0:15:26and cap sleeves and flowing. A lot of jewellery.
0:15:26 > 0:15:28I think the colour is very important, I think
0:15:28 > 0:15:31- this could work great.- Yes, yes.
0:15:31 > 0:15:32Really fantastic, especially
0:15:32 > 0:15:34if it's going down over you.
0:15:34 > 0:15:35I'll do like that
0:15:35 > 0:15:39and then have that clasped in place.
0:15:39 > 0:15:40Yeah, that 's excellent.
0:15:40 > 0:15:42Brilliant. Well, I'll get changed.
0:15:42 > 0:15:44OK, cool. You've done brilliantly, well done.
0:15:44 > 0:15:47What's really worrying is that I have all this lunatic
0:15:47 > 0:15:49stuff in my wardrobe.
0:15:49 > 0:15:51Where did I think I was going?
0:15:51 > 0:15:53Now, what about this?
0:15:55 > 0:15:57- What do you think? - BEATRIX GASPS
0:15:57 > 0:15:59Tina, you look brilliant. That's gorgeous, it's fantastic.
0:15:59 > 0:16:03You've done awesome. You're just brilliant! Well done.
0:16:03 > 0:16:04Now we'll have a bit of fun,
0:16:04 > 0:16:07we'll frighten people in Glendalough.
0:16:10 > 0:16:12I feel like a Roman empress with my slaves.
0:16:17 > 0:16:18OK, lovely. Hold that Tina.
0:16:18 > 0:16:21Wonderful. Tina, give your head a swing.
0:16:21 > 0:16:23Lovely, gorgeous.
0:16:23 > 0:16:26If you're actually looking away and then you turn,
0:16:26 > 0:16:29it gives it an aliveness that you will love.
0:16:29 > 0:16:31Brilliant!
0:16:31 > 0:16:32Gorgeous.
0:16:32 > 0:16:34There that's lovely. Oh, gorgeous.
0:16:34 > 0:16:36OK, turn away again.
0:16:36 > 0:16:37Turn and swing one more time.
0:16:37 > 0:16:39One, two, three...go!
0:16:39 > 0:16:42I think we probably have our photograph, in all honesty,
0:16:42 > 0:16:43I think we have it.
0:16:43 > 0:16:47Oh, that was lovely, yes, and I thought she behaved impeccably.
0:16:47 > 0:16:49Normally, she's here with the other two dogs
0:16:49 > 0:16:52and she goes wild, running round the place.
0:16:52 > 0:16:54I think we'll get exactly what we're looking for and,
0:16:54 > 0:16:58so, what I'm looking forward to now is going back and editing them and,
0:16:58 > 0:17:01then, getting Tina in to choose her favourite photograph because
0:17:01 > 0:17:05I think she's going to have quite a lot of favourite photographs.
0:17:10 > 0:17:13Earlier, we met James Hennessy and his menagerie of pets.
0:17:15 > 0:17:18James loves exotic pets so much that he's set up
0:17:18 > 0:17:21the National Reptile Zoo, which is based in Kilkenny.
0:17:23 > 0:17:26Today they are checking the health of the zoo's top predator,
0:17:26 > 0:17:28Battle the alligator.
0:17:30 > 0:17:32Listen exactly to what I say
0:17:32 > 0:17:34and if I have to say something,
0:17:34 > 0:17:37if you need to act on it, act on it straight off.
0:17:37 > 0:17:39If it goes wrong, it'll go really wrong.
0:17:39 > 0:17:43He's a big alligator - his jaw is as long as this
0:17:43 > 0:17:45and the power in his jaw is enough to remove an arm clean off.
0:17:45 > 0:17:49For his own safety, as well, obviously, we don't want to stress the animal out.
0:17:49 > 0:17:52If we're doing it correctly, if we're doing it smoothly and efficiently,
0:17:52 > 0:17:56the less time he's restrained, the less stressed he is, as well.
0:18:02 > 0:18:05He knows something is going on so he's hissing there,
0:18:05 > 0:18:08basically telling us to get out of his exhibit.
0:18:08 > 0:18:10He's a big animal, so he knows he's bigger than us and he knows
0:18:10 > 0:18:14he's well able to defend himself so he's kind of assessing the threat.
0:18:14 > 0:18:17The first thing we're going to do, we'll get a rope on his top jaw.
0:18:17 > 0:18:19it might seem like it's a bit extreme but he's a big tough animal
0:18:19 > 0:18:21and it's not going to bother him in the slightest.
0:18:21 > 0:18:25Hopefully he's going to open his mouth to me.
0:18:25 > 0:18:26Good man, Battle. Come on.
0:18:26 > 0:18:28Don't go over there.
0:18:28 > 0:18:30MUSIC: Psycho Killer by Talking Heads
0:18:31 > 0:18:33OK.
0:18:35 > 0:18:37Can you grab as well?
0:18:37 > 0:18:39We've really have got to pull, we have to get him over here.
0:18:41 > 0:18:43OK. That's it, walk over. Are you ready?
0:18:47 > 0:18:48Alright, keep the strain on.
0:18:48 > 0:18:50Hold on.
0:18:50 > 0:18:51Pull it back a bit.
0:18:51 > 0:18:54I wouldn't like Battle to get a hold of my ankles.
0:18:54 > 0:18:58But, thankfully, everything seems to be going to plan.
0:18:58 > 0:18:59I want you to take his back legs.
0:18:59 > 0:19:02If he starts to pull, lift his feet off the ground.
0:19:02 > 0:19:04- OK.- That'll stop him from pulling backwards.
0:19:04 > 0:19:06Now, you can release a little bit.
0:19:06 > 0:19:08He's restrained, he can't open his jaws.
0:19:08 > 0:19:11His head, it's about the weight of a concrete block.
0:19:11 > 0:19:13He can still swing it side to side.
0:19:13 > 0:19:15I couldn't sit here on my own with him,
0:19:15 > 0:19:17he's actually strong enough to just pick me up and walk off with me
0:19:17 > 0:19:20but we can now have a good look, physically, and make sure
0:19:20 > 0:19:22he is as he's supposed to be, that he's 100%,
0:19:22 > 0:19:25he's no injuries, which we can't do if he's in the water.
0:19:25 > 0:19:28You can feel it when you're dealing with crocodiles and alligators,
0:19:28 > 0:19:31you can feel when he builds up, when he gets upset, when he's annoyed.
0:19:31 > 0:19:32It's very hard to explain the feeling
0:19:32 > 0:19:34but you know when he's not happy.
0:19:34 > 0:19:36So, he's pretty chilled and pretty relaxed.
0:19:36 > 0:19:37We're going to measure him.
0:19:37 > 0:19:40The first thing we're going to do is get his length.
0:19:40 > 0:19:42Either estimate it down or go underneath.
0:19:42 > 0:19:43Pull it nice and tight.
0:19:43 > 0:19:45I want to double-check that underneath, as well.
0:19:45 > 0:19:472,570.
0:19:49 > 0:19:50Ooh, careful there, lads!
0:19:51 > 0:19:53You got him? Happy?
0:19:53 > 0:19:56Yeah, that's grand.
0:20:01 > 0:20:04Thankfully, Battle's only problem is a broken nail.
0:20:04 > 0:20:06You see here, just one of his nails.
0:20:06 > 0:20:11It looks like it may be a bite from CC. He's just got a little mark in his nail, a little hole in his nail
0:20:11 > 0:20:14so we're just going to note that so we can keep an eye on it, if we see
0:20:14 > 0:20:17swelling around the toe, a sign of infection or anything like that.
0:20:17 > 0:20:21Generally, he's in great condition. Really good condition, nice and healthy. Nice big fat tail but not
0:20:21 > 0:20:23too fat, he's not overweight, he's not skinny.
0:20:23 > 0:20:25No issues at all with young Battle.
0:20:25 > 0:20:28I wouldn't say they feel like pets in the traditional sense how people
0:20:28 > 0:20:30would see them as pets but you
0:20:30 > 0:20:31definitely get attached to them.
0:20:31 > 0:20:33After a few years opening the zoo,
0:20:33 > 0:20:36I actually tried to make a conscious effort where I would separate the two
0:20:36 > 0:20:37and try not to have animals at home,
0:20:37 > 0:20:39apart from the family dogs and stuff.
0:20:39 > 0:20:40And it didn't work.
0:20:40 > 0:20:44It was just one of those things where I felt like they should be
0:20:44 > 0:20:47that little bit more and they eventually filtered their way in
0:20:47 > 0:20:48like they always do
0:20:48 > 0:20:51and before we knew it there was crocs in the house.
0:20:55 > 0:20:57Back in County Down, it is time for
0:20:57 > 0:20:59Martin to pick up his jumper.
0:21:04 > 0:21:07- Hey Martin.- Hi Christine, how are you?- Grand and you brought the dog.
0:21:07 > 0:21:11Oh, lovely. Brilliant.
0:21:11 > 0:21:12Oh, wow.
0:21:12 > 0:21:15And would you take it out of the bag? To see what do you think?
0:21:15 > 0:21:17It's really heavy.
0:21:17 > 0:21:20- Yes. There's a lot of...- It's extremely heavy.
0:21:20 > 0:21:22Wow. It's gorgeous.
0:21:22 > 0:21:24It's so heavy, I can't believe it's so heavy.
0:21:24 > 0:21:27Yeah. I've put a diamond design down the front and two wee
0:21:27 > 0:21:30- cables down the side, just to give it something a bit different.- Yeah.
0:21:30 > 0:21:32I gave you a wee brown stripe down the back of it there, too.
0:21:32 > 0:21:35I love it. I love the stripe. Actually the stripe really stands out for me.
0:21:35 > 0:21:36And that's just random,
0:21:36 > 0:21:39that's just the way it came out and the way it spun.
0:21:39 > 0:21:42How long would it have taken though from start to finish?
0:21:42 > 0:21:47Well, it's probably altogether about 90-100 hours
0:21:47 > 0:21:49from the bag of hair that you gave me
0:21:49 > 0:21:51through to the finished garment now.
0:21:51 > 0:21:52That's a lot of nights.
0:21:52 > 0:21:56You have to do something to keep your mind off your work. You need something a bit different.
0:21:56 > 0:22:00- I think you should try it on and see...- I can't wait to try it on. - ..what it's like.
0:22:00 > 0:22:03- Can I go to the bathroom and pop it on?- Absolutely, you go ahead
0:22:03 > 0:22:05- and see what do you think. Yes. - Cheers.
0:22:05 > 0:22:07Stay here, Jewel. I'll be back in a minute.
0:22:09 > 0:22:11Oh my goodness, that looks really good on you.
0:22:11 > 0:22:14It's so big, I feel like I've been to the gym for six months...
0:22:14 > 0:22:16Yes, that's the quality of the hair itself.
0:22:16 > 0:22:18Because it's quite thick wool, it will knit up that bit bigger.
0:22:18 > 0:22:21It fits like a glove, it fits just like the black one only for its...
0:22:21 > 0:22:24Yes, I used the black one as a good template when I was siding it.
0:22:24 > 0:22:27It feels like I've nothing on. It doesn't feel like I've any jumper on...
0:22:27 > 0:22:30You feel it when you're holding it, you don't feel it once it's on.
0:22:30 > 0:22:32It feels quite natural...
0:22:32 > 0:22:35It's really warm because, as you say, it sits up a little bit
0:22:35 > 0:22:38so that holds the heat in, traps the air.
0:22:38 > 0:22:40You were right it needed the two or three inches more.
0:22:40 > 0:22:43I did because, the black one, when I bend over, it comes up me back.
0:22:43 > 0:22:46It was quite short and you are tall, so the wee bit extra length...
0:22:46 > 0:22:49- I love it, it's brilliant. It's great.- That's good, I'm pleased.
0:22:49 > 0:22:52Jennifer will be delighted to see it because she really wanted to see
0:22:52 > 0:22:55what it would look like as a finished product.
0:22:55 > 0:22:57Yes.
0:22:57 > 0:22:59Martin is clearly in love with his new jumper
0:22:59 > 0:23:03but will fiance Jennifer feel the same?
0:23:03 > 0:23:05I have an image in my head what...
0:23:07 > 0:23:08Yeah.
0:23:10 > 0:23:13Well, babe. What do you think?
0:23:13 > 0:23:16Wow, it's gorgeous. Turn around.
0:23:16 > 0:23:18I like the stripe on the back that she did.
0:23:18 > 0:23:19DOGS BARKING
0:23:19 > 0:23:21Oh, it's real.
0:23:21 > 0:23:22OK, princess.
0:23:22 > 0:23:24Is it itchy and scratchy?
0:23:24 > 0:23:26- No.- Ohh, it's lovely.
0:23:26 > 0:23:28I love the colours.
0:23:28 > 0:23:31The light and the contrast of the grey, it's really nice.
0:23:31 > 0:23:34It's not what I thought it would be.
0:23:34 > 0:23:35It's much thicker.
0:23:35 > 0:23:37It's absolutely gorgeous.
0:23:37 > 0:23:40It's like seven years, nearly, of saving his wool and we end up with this.
0:23:40 > 0:23:41Good job, Guapo.
0:23:41 > 0:23:43Yes, this is your jumper.
0:23:46 > 0:23:49It is time for Tina to choose her photo.
0:23:51 > 0:23:56- Hi, how are you?- Great, thank you it's lovely to see you again.
0:23:56 > 0:23:57Always lovely to see you, Tina.
0:23:57 > 0:23:59How did it go, honey?
0:23:59 > 0:24:01Fine, thank you. It went well
0:24:01 > 0:24:03If you grab a chair and come and have a look.
0:24:03 > 0:24:04Lovely.
0:24:04 > 0:24:06Oh, that's nice!
0:24:06 > 0:24:08- I like her in that.- OK.
0:24:08 > 0:24:10She looks good and wrinkly like her mother.
0:24:10 > 0:24:12Ha ha. Don't be saying that.
0:24:12 > 0:24:15Now, this one here, I really like this one...
0:24:15 > 0:24:17- Yes, I like...- Because it's got the turn of your body in it,
0:24:17 > 0:24:22- I love how the red...- Yes.- ..is the whole way down your body.
0:24:22 > 0:24:24Yes, it's really great.
0:24:24 > 0:24:27Basically, we're down to three, so we'll just...
0:24:27 > 0:24:31I like the stance on the left and the middle.
0:24:31 > 0:24:33OK, it's your choice.
0:24:33 > 0:24:36I think this one here. Yes.
0:24:36 > 0:24:37'The problem is there were
0:24:37 > 0:24:41'so many lovely pictures that it's very difficult to know which one'
0:24:41 > 0:24:46to choose but I've think taking the whole scene into account -
0:24:46 > 0:24:50Roman and this, that and the other - the red was very important.
0:24:50 > 0:24:53So, although I liked the one sort of side on,
0:24:53 > 0:24:56you couldn't see much of the red and...
0:24:56 > 0:24:59No, the one I've chosen, I think, will look great.
0:25:00 > 0:25:03Now, it's over to Vlad, the framer.
0:25:05 > 0:25:08- Hi, Vlad. How are you? - Hello, Tina. How are you?
0:25:08 > 0:25:10Did you manage to get it finished?
0:25:10 > 0:25:11Yeah.
0:25:11 > 0:25:14Oh my God, that's fantastic.
0:25:14 > 0:25:16I love the frame.
0:25:16 > 0:25:20That's much much better than I thought it would be.
0:25:20 > 0:25:22I think that looks brilliant.
0:25:22 > 0:25:26That'll definitely take pride of place in the house now.
0:25:26 > 0:25:27I think it's great.
0:25:27 > 0:25:29And what scenery!
0:25:29 > 0:25:31And what a fabulous model.
0:25:34 > 0:25:38Right, are you ready for the reveal?
0:25:38 > 0:25:40I know you were against this.
0:25:40 > 0:25:42I'm not against it.
0:25:42 > 0:25:46Right, what do you think of that?
0:25:46 > 0:25:49Ohh.
0:25:49 > 0:25:51That's great, isn't it?
0:25:51 > 0:25:53Well done.
0:25:53 > 0:25:55I think it's lovely. It's a really artistic,
0:25:55 > 0:25:58well-taken photo. I think it's really great.
0:25:58 > 0:25:59You did awesome, Tina.
0:25:59 > 0:26:01Woo, hooray!
0:26:01 > 0:26:03We're happy, we're happy.
0:26:03 > 0:26:04It's great.
0:26:08 > 0:26:12In Belfast, Fred's recovery is going from strength to strength
0:26:12 > 0:26:14and he has found his forever home.
0:26:20 > 0:26:23This is his favourite teddy, he loves it.
0:26:23 > 0:26:26Simon plays with it all the time.
0:26:26 > 0:26:30We first met Fred when I joined Cavaliers and became a fosterer.
0:26:30 > 0:26:34His foster mum at the time, that was looking after him,
0:26:34 > 0:26:36done my house check so she knew me
0:26:36 > 0:26:40and because he was so unwell the other dogs had caught kennel cough
0:26:40 > 0:26:42and he wasn't allowed to be in the house at all with them
0:26:42 > 0:26:46so she had asked me to take him and we totally fell in love with him.
0:26:49 > 0:26:50He knows exactly what he's doing,
0:26:50 > 0:26:53so he does. Where's he going to. Where you going?
0:26:53 > 0:26:56Then I found out his foster mum was going on holidays
0:26:56 > 0:26:59and I slipped it in there about looking after him.
0:26:59 > 0:27:03For a couple of days, to be a week, to be forever.
0:27:03 > 0:27:06He came and stayed for a week and then fitted into the family
0:27:06 > 0:27:08and just always stayed there. He's going nowhere now.
0:27:08 > 0:27:11He never left.
0:27:13 > 0:27:16This is the way he is when he sees other dogs
0:27:16 > 0:27:20and we try to let him go over and speak and
0:27:20 > 0:27:21it kind of calms him down after that
0:27:21 > 0:27:23but he just gets so excited.
0:27:23 > 0:27:25He just wants to be a part of it.
0:27:25 > 0:27:27He's got small man syndrome.
0:27:27 > 0:27:29Because see if there was a smaller dog, it wouldn't bother him at all
0:27:29 > 0:27:32but because they're the bigger, the better.
0:27:32 > 0:27:35We do have to go every six months and have him checked out.
0:27:35 > 0:27:37He was at the vets about two weeks ago...
0:27:37 > 0:27:40Two, three weeks ago he got checked out and they said he was
0:27:40 > 0:27:44spot-on. He sounded everything and said, "This bits fine."
0:27:44 > 0:27:46so, just be every six months just keep going back
0:27:46 > 0:27:48and getting it checked but he seems perfect,
0:27:48 > 0:27:51he seems happy at the moment, so he does.
0:27:51 > 0:27:52Couldn't get a better wee dog otherwise.
0:27:52 > 0:27:55He's just so peaceful, he'll play as much as you want
0:27:55 > 0:27:59and if you don't want to, he'll just lie on your knee and watch TV, as well, so he will.
0:27:59 > 0:28:00He's brilliant.
0:28:00 > 0:28:03Could not and will not ever think of ever being with out him.
0:28:06 > 0:28:09Next time on Pet Island, we're in Cork expecting a new baby.
0:28:09 > 0:28:12This is a good way to show them that good things happen when the baby's crying,
0:28:12 > 0:28:15so they start feeling good when they hear the sound of the baby crying.
0:28:15 > 0:28:18In Belfast, our Chihuahuas face the snip...
0:28:18 > 0:28:22There us a possibility the dog can also become more aggressive.
0:28:22 > 0:28:25And we meet Taylor-Rae and her valentine...
0:28:25 > 0:28:28She's spoilt rotten. She gets a bath three times a week,
0:28:28 > 0:28:31- she gets Coco Chanel perfume sprayed on her. - SHE LAUGHS