'They bring unconditional love': U of M veterinarian on how animals open our hearts  

For many people, pets are a part of the family. Sometimes they drive us wild, but overall, they can fill a house with joy. They give comfort and a cuddle when we’re feeling down and don't judge us for anything.  

Dr. Jody Lulich is a veterinarian and professor of internal medicine at the University of Minnesota’s College of Veterinary Medicine where he’s also director of the Minnesota Urolith Center. He has a new book called “In the Company of Grace: A Veterinarian's Memoir of Trauma and Healing.” MPR News host Angela Davis talks with him about our relationships with animals.   

The following transcript has been edited for length and clarity. Use the audio player above to listen to the full conversation.     

How do pets bring us joy and comfort? How different is their companionship?

Dr. Jody Lulich: Pets bring us joy because they bring unconditional love. They don't hold any grudges. They sort of just want to be near you. You can tell them your life story and they look at you with such intense eyes and appreciation and no judgment. And we need that today, especially today.

When I'm down, when I'm depressed, when I'm tired in the morning, they get me moving and excited and they want to go for that walk. So they're a very important part of my life. The wonderful thing is, I get to take my dogs to work. Not many people can say that, but they make my whole day.

Your stories about animal companionship

Some of you shared your personal experiences with your four-legged friends through calls or social media. Here are some of them:

Bonnie helped John through the hardest years of his life

About eight years ago, I got run over by a car and I had just a couple of months earlier purchased a new hunting dog. My leg had to be rebuilt, and they discovered cancer in my kidney and in my brain. And then I had a heart attack and bypass surgery. But [my Labrador retriever] transitioned from being a hunting dog into the greatest companion animal I've ever seen. She will lean lightly on me, against my leg just to say: “Hey, I'm here and I love you.” When I had my leg in a cast and I had to elevate it, she would crawl up and let me rest my leg on top of her. And to this day, it seems like she'll check on me every morning. Just a remarkable loving animal that has helped me through a difficult eight years of my life.

— John in West St. Paul

Mochi knows how to help Dana cope with stress

We have this dog that is just has been the best. We got him at the early end of the pandemic as a puppy. And I was a little reluctant because I have been teaching special ed online, with the school and raising two teenage boys, and trying to navigate them through that. And it's like Mochi just knew that he couldn't be a regular puppy. He was such a good boy and so easy to train. He never leaves my side and my mental health has struggled a lot. He's just so in tune that he knows when it's time to play and time to just be with me.

— Dana in Minneapolis

Ranger is Dan’s best friend

I have a 4-year-old Irish setter named Ranger. I am a partially handicapped senior citizen and this little guy wiggled his way into my heart at a shelter four years ago. He is now fully grown, he is obedience trained and he follows me around the house like he's a 4-year-old little boy. It's just the most wonderful thing because I am a widower. If you are talking about a companion, he's the guy. I love him and I wouldn't trade him for all the tea in China.

— Dan in St. Charles, Minn.

Mabel’s unconditional love helped Maggie in her substance use recovery

At the beginning of the year 2021 I went through a breakup, I was dealing with a substance use disorder and I really didn't feel like I belonged anywhere. I was really trying to seclude and sequester myself. And then I moved in with a friend and she had this dog and the dog didn’t care that I felt this way. So every day when I get home, she's there to greet me and just give me her love and it was a time that I didn't even think I deserved it. That was a really incredible gift and the role that animals play in recovering from addiction is so huge. It means so much to me.

— Maggie in Minneapolis

Rutherford, Beth’s dog-like cat, changed her life forever

I started fostering cats during the pandemic and with my third foster, we just immediately had a unique bond. He's a very doggish cat, as my nephew would say. He loves belly rubs and he chases after people, begging them to pet him. He's the perfect cat for a dog person and I ended up adopting him. In addition, he's my little miracle boy, he's only four years old, but he has a very rare congenital heart defect. He was given six to 18 months to live when I adopted him and that was two years ago. He's kept me sane as an extrovert. He's really helped me face a lot of fears about loving something, even though I know I'm gonna lose him because he could basically die at any time. He's helped me unwind some trauma that I didn't even know was there. I'm going to be so sad when I lose him, but I'm so grateful for every day that I get with him. He's changed my life.

— Beth in St. Paul

Jasmine inspired Mary to quit an abusive relationship

Years ago, I was in an abusive relationship and I adopted this cat. I had always wanted a cat and she was one of those pets you have a soul connection with. She was a snuggler, she was wonderful. My personal life was challenging. I was in this bad relationship and the reason I was able to end it was because of the cat. He had threatened me many times, but I never protected myself, but when he threatened to kill the cat, I sought out a protective order and ended the relationship. Years after that, I ended up finding a very healthy relationship. I'm now married to this person. And the weird part about it all was the week before I got married to my now husband, my cat passed away. She was such a beautiful cat and a great companion, but it just felt like she knew that I was going to be OK.

— Mary in St. Paul

Venus and Apollo made Mohammed overcome his substance use addiction

Animals have helped me out so much in my life. I suffer from anxiety and depression and I have suffered a little bit of addiction in the past. One way that I was able to get over it was by working with animals. I was down in Florida, getting my vet tech certification and I had the opportunity of working with wild animals in the zoological and rehab setting. And my mentor down there, Todd, as I'm working with these animals decided one day I was ready enough to walk into this enclosure with these two panthers named Venus and Apollo, brother and sister. So that was one way that I was able to actually quit cold turkey from cigarettes and any sort of other substances that I was taking.

— Mohammed in Dayton, Minn.

Dr. Lulich will read and sign his memoir at 7 p.m. Monday, April 24 at Subtext Books, 6 West Fifth Street, St. Paul.

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