A rheological model for fibre suspensions in viscoelastic media is developed. The model is based on two second order tensors: one for the viscoelastic matrix and the other for the fibre orientation. Several specific features of fibre-polymeric systems are included in the model. Model predictions in stress growth and steady shear flows are illustrated in the case of an FENE-P type polymeric matrix and the results obtained are in qualitatively good agreement with experimental observations on short fibre thermoplastic composites. Predictions in stress growth shear flows show that the short time behaviour is completely dominated by the behaviour of the viscoelastic matrix. Secondary transitions for both the viscosity and the first normal stress coefficient were observed at low shear rates before the steady state is reached. Steady shear predictions show that the presence of fibres has an important effect on the first normal stress coefficient mainly in the low shear rate region. In the high shear rate region, the behaviour is completely dominated by that of the viscoelastic matrix. The presence of fibres was found to increase the steady shear viscosity over the whole range of shear rates. However, the unbounded values of viscosity in the low shear rate region were not predicted. Several other characteristics of fibre suspensions in polymeric materials are presented.