You can not just go wrong with Dr. Pol, the veteran veterinarian who manages Pol Vet Services and is a beloved figure on television. For years, man has catered to the needs of animals and has built quite a reputation in the process. His adventure is well documented in the television series “The Incredible Dr. Pol.” The reality show follows the life and work of Jan Pol, a veterinarian in rural Michigan, and his staff as they treat various animals, from pets to livestock, in the clinic and on farms. The show premiered on October 29, 2011, on Nat Geo Wild and has been airing for 22 seasons. The show has won several awards and nominations, such as the Critics’ Choice Real TV Award for Best Animal/Nature Show in 2019 and 2020. The show is also known for its humor, drama, and educational value, as it showcases the challenges and joys of veterinary medicine. Among non-technical personnel Charles Pol, Diane Pol, and Beth Pol are from the Pol family. It also has a good mix of veterinarians from veterans like Dr. Pol, and Dr. Brenda to young blood like Dr.Arcy and Dr. Lisa Jones. And while these are the current cast members, over the years the show has seen the departures of some well-known names. The list of the cast who no longer appear on the show includes Emily Thomas, Michele Sharkey, Elizabeth Grammar, and Dr. Sandra Wisniewski. At this point, it is unlikely for these cast members to return since they are currently content with their life away from the camera. As for the replacement, showrunners have never rushed to replace the old cast with star doctors, indeed, they have injected new faces who are following in the footsteps of the former and are stars in the making. In this article, we take a closer look at the cast of “The Incredible Dr.Pol” who are also staff members at Pol Veterinary Service, a clinic in rural Michigan. Also, we will cover cast members who have left the show until 2023.
“The Incredible Dr. Pol” Cast Member as of 2023
Dr. Jan Harm Pol:
Jan Harm Pol, also known as Dr. Pol, is the flag bearer of the Pol Vet Services. As the leading man of the farm, Dr. Pol is responsible for making sure things run smoothly. The 80-year-old began the clinic in 1981 after moving to Michigan. With thousands of cases in his bag, Jan Pol continues to work on the farm. Dr. Pol is the cast member with the most appearances having 226 credits from 2011-2022.
| The Incredible Dr. Pol Cast | Years active | Episodes Appearance | Currently Active (Yes/No) |
| Dr. Jan Harm Pol | 2011-2023 | 226 | Yes |
Diane Pol:
The second in command, Diane Pol is the wife of Jan Pol. Born on the 6th of February 1944, Diane was born and raised in Mayville, Michigan. An animal enthusiast, the Pol Vet Services wouldn’t have reached the heights it is today without Diane. She moves behind the scenes and works as a managerial figure for the clinic. Although Diane stays away from the medical side of things, her managerial skills certainly come in handy during the day-to-day workings.
| The Incredible Dr. Pol Cast | Years active | Episodes Appearance | Currently Active (Yes/No) |
| Diane Pol | 2011-2023 | 206 | Yes |
Dr. Brenda Grettenberger:
A senior staff member, Dr. Brenda Grettenberger has spent most of her professional life in the clinic. Brenda was born on the 23rd of February 1967 and is a native of Michigan. She began her job at the clinic in 1992 and has climbed her way to senior staff veterinary doctor. Early on, Brenda found it difficult to assert her authority in a field dominated by men. While farmers were skeptical she slowly asserted her authority in the clinic and has been an integral part of the TV series as well.
| The Incredible Dr. Pol Cast | Years active | Episodes Appearance | Currently Active (Yes/No) |
| Brenda Grettenberger | 2011-2023 | 210 | Yes |
Dr. Nicole Arcy:
The mixed animal veterinarian Nicole Arcy officially joined the animal care facility “Pol Veterinary Service” in July 2018. She made her TV appearance in late 2019 and has gone on to establish herself as a fan favorite.
In her brief time at the clinic, Nicole has helped Dr. Pol with surgeries and taking care of the farm. An alma mater of the University of Missouri, Arcy joined the clinic as an intern before permanently settling there. Besides having a DVM degree, Dr. Arcy boosts her educational credential as a graduate with a Master’s degree in Public health, and at her age sky is the limit. Dr. Arcy made 68 episode appearances from 2019 to 2023.
| The Incredible Dr. Pol Cast | Years active | Episodes Appearance | Currently Active (Yes/No) |
| Dr. Nicole Arcy | 2019-2023 | 68 | Yes |
Charles Pol:
Charles Pol is the adopted son of Dr. Jan Harm Pol and Diane Pol. He is a regular cast member and performed as executive producer of “The Incredible Dr. Pol.”
| The Incredible Dr. Pol Cast | Years active | Episodes Appearance | Currently Active (Yes/No) |
| Charles Pol | 2011-2023 | 213 | Yes |
Beth Pol:
Beth Oakes began her “The Incredible Dr. Pol” journey as Charles’s girlfriend in 2018. Over the years her relationship transitioned from fiancée to wife so have her show credits. Beth Pol appears as Charles’s wife as she assists him on farm calls.
| The Incredible Dr. Pol Cast | Years active | Episodes Appearance | Currently Active (Yes/No) |
| Brenda Grettenberger | 2018-2022 | 17 | Yes |
Dr. Lisa Jones:
Dr. Lisa Jones joined Dr. Pol in the same as Dr. Ray did. Like Dr. Ray, Dr. Jones is an associate veterinarian and began working at Pol Veterinary Service form the 1st of July, 2019. Before joining Dr. Pol the information on Dr. Jones virtually does not exist. Judging by her appearances on the show, we can say Dr. Jones is a budding young veterinarian. Since her TV debut in 2020, Dr. Lisa has shown she is to stay and has appeared in 62 episodes from 2020 to 2022. She has veteran Dr. Brenda Grettenberger to look forward to and learn from her experience. As a matter of fact, being the only female veterinarian in the area Dr. Brenda had a hard time getting the trust of farmers but she eventually won them over. Dr. Lisa would be glad she does not have to face the mistrust and convince farmers as Dr. Brenda did in her early days.
| The Incredible Dr. Pol Cast | Years active | Episodes Appearance | Currently Active (Yes/No) |
| Lisa Jones | 2020-2023 | 62 | Yes |
Abigail Pol:
Having been born into a family of reality television actors Abigail was thrust into the limelight the moment she step into this world. Her parents Charles Pol and Beth Pol have no issues giving her stardom as a child actor. Abigail has appeared in 12 episodes from 2020-2022.
| The Incredible Dr. Pol Cast | Years active | Episodes Appearance | Currently Active (Yes/No) |
| Dr. Nicole Arcy | 2020-2022 | 14 | Yes |
The cast who left “The Incredible Dr. Pol
It is heartbreaking to bid farewell to the cast we are so used to. Over the years several cast members have left the show due to personal reasons, and some looking for new adventures. Credit goes to fans who have been loyal despite big-name departures. Following is the list of the cast who left the show.
Dr. Ray Harp:
Dr. Ray Harp joined Dr. Pol as an associate veterinarian and started working on July 1, 2019. Dr. Ray loved Dr. Pol’s show and was encouraged to pursue veterinary school. Born and raised in Kansas, Dr. Harp graduated with a bachelor of science degree in biology from Kansas State University. Following his time at the University, Dr. Harp began working at a dog daycare in Philadelphia, before returning to KSU to earn his degree as a vet technician. Dr. Harp began to feature on the show in 2020 and has 17 episodes until 2021. While fellow newcomers Dr. Nicole Arcy and Dr. Lisa Jones returned for the 20th season, Dr. Ray did not. Has Dr. Harp left the show? Dr. Harp has not returned for season 21 as well, looks like he has left the show and likely showrunners won’t give any explanation for his departure.
| The Incredible Dr. Pol Cast | Years active | Episode Appearance | Currently Active (Yes/No) |
| Ray Harp | 2020-2021 | 17 | No |
Dr. Emily Thomas:
A staff DVM at Pol veterinary service, Dr. Emily Thomas did leave the show with her last appearance coming in season 15 episode 11 entitled “Little Pol Peep”. Dr. Emily was born Emily Keene on April 1, 1984, in Georgia, the southeastern state of the U.S. Mother of three, Emily made her show debut in 2015 and gained popularity as a Television veterinarian with many following appearances. Her husband Tony Thomas even became part of her work and assisted with farm calls.
Dr. Emily left the show to pursue a career opportunity that does not require filming in front of the camera. Also, she wanted to spend more time with her family.
Dr. Emily and her family moved to Virginia around June 2019. She now works at Virginia Warren County Veterinary Clinic. We Hope she misses her camera days and returns to Michigan and the show “Dr. Pol.”
There were other popular employees like Dr. Sandra Wisniewski and Dr. Elizabeth Grammar who also left the show.
| The Incredible Dr. Pol Cast | Years active | Episodes Appearance | Currently Active (Yes/No) |
| Emily Thomas | 2015-2019 | 95 | No |
Tony Thomas:
Tony Thomas is not a veterinary medicine practitioner however he got his chance on the show as a veterinary assistant. He helped his wife Emily Thomas with farm calls and other vet work.
| The Incredible Dr. Pol Cast | Years active | Episodes Appearance | Currently Active (Yes/No) |
| Tony Thomas | 2016-2019 | 20 | No |
Dr. Michele Sharkey:
Michele Sharkey graduated from the Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine in 2017. Following her graduation, she took her first job at Pol Veterinary Service. There she worked as a mixed animal veterinarian in the mixed animal field.
During her time at the Pol’s clinic, she also made it to television. Dr. Sharkey was introduced to “Dr.Pol” as DVM Veterinarian in 2018 during the 13th season. However this was not her first time on the show, in 2011, she was seen on the show discussing problems with her horses. Sharkey regularly appeared in the series until 2019 before her exit from the show.
| The Incredible Dr. Pol Cast | Years active | Episodes Appearance | Currently Active (Yes/No) |
| Michelle Sharkey | 2011-2019 | 11 | No |
Even though Michigan was her home, Dr. Sharkey always dreamed of living in Colorado state. She moved to Colorado where she currently works at SouthPark Animal Clinic.
Dr. Sandra Wisniewski:
Dr. Sandra debuted in 2012 in season 2 as a veterinary student. She transitioned from an aspiring student to a staff DVM while still on the show. She appeared in 14 episodes before her last appearance in 2017. The primary reason why she left is down to her family commitment.
Dr. Sandra was engaged to her fiancé Chris Shindorf soon-to-be husband. The couple got married in 2014. The problem began to arise as Sandra had to maintain her work and spend less time with Chris. Her husband was living in the city of Belding, Michigan while she had to attend her job in Weidman Michigan. While still on the show she got pregnant with her first child Madilynn born in 2016. After the birth of her child, she left the show in 2017. She had her second child a baby boy Sam Shindorf in 2019. Sandra is a current resident of Belding, Michigan where she lives with her husband and children.
| The Incredible Dr. Pol Cast | Years active | Episodes Appearance | Currently Active (Yes/No) |
| Sandra Wisniewski | 2012-2017 | 14 | No |
Dr. Elizabeth Grammar
Dr. Elizabeth is a DVM and former staff veterinarian at Pol Veterinary Service. She regularly appeared in the show during her debut year in 2016. However personal tragedy shattered her television career. Her husband passed away on December 30, 2016. Following the tragedy, she confined herself and also tried to commit suicide. She was kept under observation and was later shifted to a psychiatric ward at Macon Medical Center. She took her time away from veterinary work altogether for some time. Currently, she works for “Animal Amour Veterinary Hospital and Pet Lodge” in Georgia, Hampton. Dr. Elizabeth was last seen on “The Incredible Dr. Pol” in 2017.
| The Incredible Dr. Pol Cast | Years active | Episodes Appearance | Currently Active (Yes/No) |
| Brenda Grettenberger | 2016-2017 | 9 | No |
That’s it for this update on “The Incredible Dr. Pol” cast.