Dr. Jan Pol

If you’re an animal lover, you’re probably a fan of the veterinarian who stars in The Incredible Dr. Pol. If not, you should be! Back for its 13th season on Saturday nights on Nat Geo Wild, the show follows the large-animal specialist, 75, as he serves the community around his home in rural central Michigan, demonstrating his down-to-earth approach to life and working some strange cases—including leaving his dinner table to stitch up a pet boa that had been attacked by a rat.

When did your love of animals begin?

My sister tells me that before I was 3 years old, I took care of a crippled chicken. I don’t remember it.

How dangerous is your job working around big animals?

It’s not very dangerous if you know what you’re doing. You look in their eyes. Most animals, when you look in their eyes, you know what they’re going to do to you. Except cats.

How many animals do you have personally?

We have three dogs—a Great Dane, a Newfie [Newfoundland] and a Saint Bernard—in the house. Their total weight is 500 pounds. We have three cats, ducks, geese, peacocks, pheasants, chickens, of course—because I like my eggs fresh—and we have horses and a turkey.

What is the best part of your TV fame?

The show makes people happy. My wife, Diane, and I treat others like we want to be treated: honestly and fairly. I think it comes through how we have positive attitudes. My glass is half full, never half empty. What’s his surprising advice for dog and cat owners? Go to Parade.com/drpol to find out.