Articles: Steve Dale

I think National Mutt Day is just the right day for me to re-tell this story about our “pure bred” King Daly Shepherd. It was 14-years ago when my wife Robin and I were called by friend at Chicago Animal Care & Control, saying a box of Australian Shepherd puppies have just been dropped off.…

At the Conference of the Animal Behavior Society, I met Dr. Erica Feuerbacher, assistant professor of Companion Animal Welfare and Behavior in the Department of Animal and Poultry Science at Virginia Tech. Her talk at the conference was great, and I was thrilled when I heard she’d come on my WGN Radio Steve Dale’s Pet…

It’s called the Million Cat Challenge, and Dr. Kare Hurley, director of Koret Shelter Medicine Program University of California Davis explains on my national Steve Dale’s Pet World radio show. They exceeded their expectations – by FAR! Dr.Hurley is talks about paying attention in a new way to the cats’ environments, and meeting their needs…

Certified veterinary technician Mary Ann Minnick and I talk HERE on WGN Radio about how veterinary medicine is changing. Beginning with talking about all pets’ wellness, how integrative medicine is more important than ever. We mean integrating modalities like physical therapy or acupuncture – as just two examples – combined with traditional medicine. We discuss…

On the Purr Podcast, Dr Jolle Kirpensteijn and Dr. Susan Little ask me many questions in part two of our conversation. Listen HERE, as we begin by talking about the Winn Feline Foundation. I offer a few examples of the difference Winn Feline has made for cats, and one easy and dramatic story is how…

The message is “take it easy,” as the weather heats up again. As people need to acclimate to heath, so do our dogs, according Dr. Kurt Venator, chief veterinary officer at Purina. Is there a link between how much exercise your dog gets and nutrition? Seems like an easy thing to know, but studies demonstrate…

On HouseSmarts TV I talk about the increasing zoonotic threat of leptospirosis with Dr. Natalie Marks. We’ve talked about leptospirosis before, but it seems to be worsening. City rats, weather and who knows what other contributing factors. But it’s really an increasingly serious problem in major metro areas, according at least one study. Of course,…

New York State is now the first U.S. state to ban declawing cats. In June, state lawmakers passed Assembly person Linda Rosenthal (D)Manhattan bill to ban the procedure, which truly amputates cat’s claws. Governor Cuomo not only signed the bill, but he called the declaw procedure “archaic, inhumane and unnecessary.” “Declawing is a cruel and…

Dr. Kendall Houlihan, assistant director of animal welfare of the American Veterinary Medical Association chats on my national Steve Dale’s Pet World radio show about how to choose the right pet for you.  We talk about it all, from Guinea pigs to cats and dogs. And do your homework. People get rabbits when little kids…

For the past few years, whenever I write a piece about leaving pets in hot cars, I actually get criticized for writing about the same old same old boring thing. Well, it may be boring – but it’s still happening! I don’t quote People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals often – but they’re the…