Steve Dale … That Pet World Guy!

Steve currently hosts Pet Central on WGN-AM, interacting with listeners from Chicago, and via email from around the world. Guests are leading experts on topics like pet behavior, nutrition and veterinary medicine. Steve is proud that he delivers the most qualified specialists in the nation to answer listener questions and discuss newsworthy topics. Of course, all the topics aren’t exactly newsworthy, such as his weekly “Pet Joke” segment, or his annual singing pet contest.

The Pet News With Steve Dale is a short-form daily radio feature with helpful tips on companion animal care, ranging from ferrets to dogs and cats. Daily nuggets have included pieces on howto entertain an iguana to a new treatment for feline diabetes. This show is currently airing on 70 stations. Steve is also the host of Animal Planet Radio, where guests include many of the most respected veterinarians in the nation, top selling pet book authors and celebrities like Doris Roberts and Betty White – as well as the stars of Animal Planet on TV. Both Animal Planet Radio and The Pet News with Steve Dale are syndicated by Matrix Media, Chicago.

My Pet World, syndicated to more than 100 newspapers by Tribune Media Services, includes Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Detroit, Fort Lauderdale, Indianapolis, Las Vegas, Montreal Orlando San Diego, Tacoma and Toronto markets. He’s even made front-page news with breaking stories, like his email correspondences with a woman in Bosnia as her neighborhood was being bombed and her dogs panicked. His reports on the search and rescue dogs following September 11 received national attention and acclaim. Each week Steve produces both a Q & A piece as well as a feature story. Steve authors the most well-read pet column in the nation.

Steve’s influence and expertise prompted an invitation to present a seminar on cat behavior at the prestigious Western Veterinary Conference in Las Vegas (2001), and to speak at the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine Annual Meeting(1999). He also emceed the Dog Writer’s Association Awards Banquet (2000 and 2002) and was the keynote speaker at the Cat Writers’Association Banquet (1998). Steve speaks to local shelters andhumane groups regularly. For eight years, he’s announced theInternational Kennel Club of Chicago Dog Show, and hosted a publicforum in conjunction with veterinarians at the Chicagoland FamilyPet Show.

His television appearances include The Oprah Winfrey Show, National Geographic Explorer, Pets: Part of the Family, and Petsburgh USA and A Pet Story, both on Animal Planet. Steve has also appeared on all Chicago TV stations, including a two-year stint as the Pet Expert on super station WGN-TV morning news. He was twice featured in Paul Harvey’s ‘The Rest of the Story,’ and his radio guest appearances number over 100 on stations large and small across the United States and Canada.

Steve is the Special Correspondent and columnist at Dog World and Senior Columnist at Pet Life magazines, and National Correspondent for Chicago land Tails. He’s also been a regular contributor to USA Today, USA Weekend and People. His stories have appeared in Self, Visa a Vis, Minc. Zoo Life, Academy of Science Agenda,Lincoln Park Zoo Bulletin, Stage bill, Video Times, American Kennel Club Gazette, Cats, Cat Fancy, Dog Fancy, Puppies ’98 Annual, Puppies’97 Annual, allpets.com, pets.com.

aSteve’s previous radio experience includes five years at WCFL Radio, weekend air talent/executive producer. He also reported on entertainment at WLS Radio, and weekend or full time air talent at WCLR, WONX, WLTD, WYCA and WWMM Radio.

Books:

Dog Gone Chicago: Sniffing Out the Best Places To Take Your Best Friend (NTC Contemporary Books, 1999, 2001); American Zoos (Bantam-Doubleday-Dell, 1992); The Wacky World of Bart Simpson (1992), Simpson Mania (1990), “All Time Movie Favorites” (1986), Movie Trivia Mania (1984), published by Publications International, contributing author: The Best of Chicago, (Gault Milau, 1995).

Community Action:

Steve has testified about breed specific legislation several times, including at City Hall in Chicago. He organized a ‘Blue Ribbon Panel’ to help craft and ultimately pass a new animal control act in Chicago at direction of a city Alderman, and the city’s Commissioner of Animal Care and Control.

Steve worked with the Chicago Park District and Mayor’s Office to help create dog parks in Chicago. Steve is now a board member of the Dog Advisory Work group, and was involved in the ‘Scoop the Poop’ campaign.

In conjunction with the American Veterinary Medical Association,Steve launched a campaign for pet owners to give money to help children in Afghanistan. Funds were sent directly to the White House.

At the direction of Mayor Richard M. Daley, Steve worked with the Commissioner of the Office of Consumer Affairs in Chicago to mandate signage in all Chicago cabs that indicates ‘Chicago Welcomes Service Dogs.’ He also formed a committee to encourage employers at restaurants and hotels to educate employees about service dogs.

1997 through present: Vice President Board of Directors and Advisory Board Member of The Chenny Troupe, an animal assisted therapy group. 1980 through 1988: Advisory Board Member, editor,internal newsletter and docent, Lincoln Park Zoo.

Honors:

Recipient of the 2002 American Veterinary Medical Association(AVMA) Humane Award

Best Syndicated General Feature Newspaper Column, from Editor& Publisher, 2001

Best Radio Show, Dog and Cat Writer’s Associations, 1998, 1999,2000, 2001

Best Newspaper Columnist/Publication of the Year Award CatWriters’ Association, Inc., 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000

Special Award Columnist/Publication of the Year Dog WritersAssociation of America, 1996, 1999

Maxwell Medallion Best Newspaper Column Dog Writer’sAssociation, 1996, 1999

Anti-Cruelty Society Media Person of the Year, 1997
Pawlitzer Prize for Journalism Coverage of Canine Frisbee, 1996,1997

Cats Chicago Special Achievement Award, 1992

Animal Protection Institute Extraordinary Performance inBroadcasting for “All About Animals,” feature, 1984

GoodNewForPets.com:

Steve has contributed stories to this website from its inception,topics range from news about Hoof and Mouth Disease to how to care for beta fish. Steve is an advocate for promoting good books aboutcompanion animals; his book reviews are in each issue.