Dr. Bob’s best friend in his youth was a little brown non-descript dog with an amputated foreleg, whose ancestory would confound even today’s high tech canine DNA progeny tests! To turn back the clock, if a social worker from today were to hear of these two inseparable companions and their frequent sightings wandering the alleyways of Springfield, Illinois neighborhood searching for treasures, the two might have been intercepted and ‘redirected’ to who-knows-what end! Instead, the covenant that was formed between the pair gave that boy an appreciation for the ‘human-companion animal bond’ long before the term became fashionable. It also led to a lifelong partnership with “more good dogs, cats, and horses than a fellow deserves in one lifetime” as he frequently says.
Dr. Bullard graduated from the University of Illinois in 1973 and established the Cornelius Veterinary Clinic, PC in 1975 as a mixed animal practic that served the needs of both large and small animal owners. In 1980 the practice moved to its current location to concentrate solely on small animal care.
While he is actively engaged in all aspects of the practice, Dr. Bob maintains special interests in surgery, orthopedics, reproduction and behavior problems. He performs many of our orthopedic surgeries (he actually likes broken bones!), is TPLO trained and certified (to correct cranial cruciate ligament rupture), and his other interests relate closely to having actively bred and trained dogs for over thirty years.
He is active in the community and has served in numerous capacities including past president of both Dove Lewis Emergency Animal Hospital and Washington County Veterinary Medical Association. He is active in the Springer Spaniel community competing with his dogs, and occasionally breeding them and has judged three National Championship field trials.
He gets to live with his wife, Shelley, a pack of Springers, one Golden Retriever, about a dozen Morgan horses and one very exceptional mule! Their two adult daughters are active with the horses and visit frequently.