Four Questions with WGN Radio's Steve Dale

Subject:

Comments:
: From WGN's "The Voice": : WEEKEND SPOTLIGHT : Pet Central : This month we chat with Steve Dale, host of Pet Central, heard Sundays from 8-10pm. : : What's your background in the pet industry and what's your background in radio? : Ever since I remember, I've wanted to work in radio. When I was a kid, and I mean a little kid, I would sit with a friend in front of the TV and turn down the sound on Cubs and Blackhawks games. We'd pretend to be on the radio "announcing" the broadcasts into our cassette recorders on our made up radio station, WKKS. : My first radio job was producing and doing live sports reports with the legendary Joel Sebastian. I had the best teachers on the planet, too numerous to include all here. I was actually paid (ok - barely paid) for keeping a radio log for the Roy Leonard and Wally Phillips shows at 'GN. Years later, when Wally did his show from Mike Ditka's restaurant, producer Marilyn was kind enough to book me as a frequent guest. I produced for the great Fred Winston, and for Bob and Betty Sanders. I worked with Dean Richards well before WGN. And the same is true for Christopher Michael, who I met when I played music as a fill in deejay at the old WCLR and played tunes for lots of stations, mostly suburban. : I always had an interest in animals - I have a science background in school, and eventually when I was able to write about pets full time and became a certified dog and cat behavior consultant, I thought my background in radio might make it possible for me to work on the radio as the host of a pet show. Now, it's 11 years later! : : What do you enjoy most about doing your show? : Making a difference on two levels: : Helping individual pets owners, and when I do that making a difference for families. I know (because many listeners have told me) my advice on the air has saved lives in cases where people otherwise might have relinquished their pet. Or my advice has just helped make life easier - as the annoying dog stops barking incessantly or the annoying cat stops traveling across the dining room table. : Pet Central has been and continues to be directly involved in too many national and local initiatives to even list - they include twice helping to convince Chicago public officials that breed bans are not the way to go; encouraging the idea of a city ordinance to allow dogs to dine outdoors; the start of dog parks in Chicago (dog friendly areas); creating a fundraiser post Hurricane Katrina called "Mardi Growl" which prompted others like it around America; and I hope now to argue against mandatory spay/neuter. : : When you're not behind the mic, what can we find you doing? : Authoring my twice weekly syndicated newspaper column. I also host two syndicated radio shows. I am a contributing editor at USA Weekend. I am currently working on another book. : I am honored to be on the Board of Directors of the American Humane Association, Winn Feline Foundation, CATalyst Council, Angel on a Leash and the Tree House Humane Society in Chicago. I am also an attendee at Chicago Animal Shelter Alliance Meetings and an active member of the International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants. I frequently speak at veterinary and animal welfare conferences. And what I need to do more of is to spend more time with my own pets. : : When it comes to pet care, what's your #1 tip to listeners? : Love your pets and they will love you back at least twice as much - or your money back!

Optional Link URL:
Link Title:
Optional Image URL:

Enter verification code: