Steve Dale, a contributing member of IDEXX’s Pet Health Network team, is a certified animal behavior consultant, and co-editor of “Decoding Your Dog,” authored by the American College of Veterinary Behaviorists,” and is host of several pet radio shows. Steve’s blog is www.stevedale.tv
Steve Dale, CABC (certified animal behavior consultant), reaches more pet owners than any other pet journalist in America.
Steve writes a twice-weekly, syndicated newspaper column (Tribune Content Agency, since 1995); He is the host of two nationally syndicated radio shows (Steve Dale’s Pet World and The Pet Minute [together heard on over 100 radio stations, syndicated Black Dog Radio Productions, since 2005]). He’s also a special contributor and program host, Steve Dale’s Pet World, on WGN Radio, Chicago. And he formerly hosted nationally broadcast Animal Planet Radio.
For five years, he was a Chicago Tribune blogger, and he contributes blogs on various other websites, including for Victoria Stilwell.
On TV he’s appeared on The Oprah Winfrey Show; National Geographic Explorer; Pets Part of the Family (PBS); Fox News, various Animal Planet shows and many others. For several years, Steve was a regular contributor to Superstation WGN-TV morning news, then appeared regularly on WMAQ-TV, Chicago. Currently, he’s a contributor to syndicated HouseSmarts TV. Steve’s also a frequent host of satellite media tours.
In print, he’s been quoted in, the Wall Street Journal, USA Today, Los Angeles Times, Redbook, various veterinary publications and dozens more.
Steve co-edited “Decoding Your Dog,” written by the American College of Veterinary Behaviorists (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2014). Steve’s the author of ebooks, “Good Dog!” and “Good Cat!” (Chicago Tribune, 2011). He’s the author of several other books including “DogGone Chicago” and “American Zoos.”
He’s written introductions or contributed chapters to over 20 books, including “Bonding With Your Dog,” “Dog Spelled Backwards,” “The Compassion of Dogs,” “Raising My Furry Children,” “Christmas Cats” and “Angel Animals and the Kids Who Love Them.”
Steve was a contributing editor, USA Weekend (2002 to 2014), and regular columnist at Cat Fancy magazine (2006 to 2014), and has written for a long list of magazines, from People to Dog World (where he was a columnist). He’s currently a columnist for CATster and Rescue Proud.
He was an external reviewer for “Feline Behavior Guidelines” (American Association of Feline Practitioners, 2005), and is a contributor to the textbook “The Cat: Clinical Medicine and Management” (edited Dr. Susan Little, 2011). He’s the primary author of the CATegorical Care: An Owner’s Guide to America’s Number #1 Companion (reviewers include AVMA, SAWA), published American Humane Association/CATalyst Council, 2010). He co-authored (with Dr. Sagi Denenberg) the American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior Position Statement on Breed-Specific Legislation (2014).
Steve is a founder of the CATalyst Council and served on the Board of Directors from 2008 to 2012. He’s also on the Board of Directors of the Winn Feline Foundation, and Tree House Humane Society in Chicago. In 2012, after six years, he cycled off the Board of the American Humane Association and served as a National Ambassador. He also serves the advisory board for national animal assisted therapy organization, Angel on A Leash.
Steve is also a part of an AVMA/AAHA initiative to encourage preventive care veterinary care, called Partners for Healthy Pets. In 2014, Steve co-founded Veterinary Professionals Against Puppy Mills. Steve is a member of the Pet Partners Human-Animal Bond National Advisory Board (2015).
In Chicago, Steve created the Chicago Task Force on Companion Animals and Public Safety (2000-2010), where three-times proposed breed bans were over-turned, and twice over-turned proposed mandated pediatric spay/neuter, as well as proposed pet limit laws. The Task Force also created guidelines for ‘doggy day care.’ As a pet advocate, Steve has testified many times against breed specific bans, pet limit laws, etc. Steve personally advised Illinois Governor Pat Quinn regarding pet-related issues.
Among Steve’s many awards: the AVMA Humane Award (the only AVMA honor bestowed to a non-veterinarian), Editor and Publisher syndicated newspaper Feature Writer of the Year Award, AKC Responsible Dog Ownership Public Service Award, HSUS Pets for Life Award. He has also been honored with over 15 Maxwell’s Awards from the Dog Writers Association of America and over 15 Muse Awards from the Cat Writers’ Association of America. He’s also been honored by the Chicago Veterinary Medical Association, University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine, and was the first recipient of the Winn Feline Foundation Media Appreciation Award, and many others.
In 2012, Steve became the youngest person ever inducted into the Dog Writers Association of America Hall of Fame.
After his beloved cat Ricky passed away in 2002 of feline hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), Steve created a fund to raise money to research this often-fatal disease. He’s raised well over $100,000 – and as a direct result a genetic test was created to determine if a gene defect for HCM exists for two breeds.
Steve’s a regular speaker at veterinary and shelter conferences around the world, and for shelter fundraisers, and other special events. Steve’s presented at each of the major U.S. veterinary conferences (numerous times), and several times for the International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants. He’s also spoken at the World Small Animal Veterinary Association Conference, Caribbean Veterinary Conference and many others.
Steve’s persistence convinced the Chicago White Sox to allow dogs at a major league baseball game. Today, ball parks around America have periodic “dog day” promotions. In 2004, he suggested Mercury Skyline Cruiseline create “The Canine Cruise,” a dog-friendly architecture cruise for dogs on Lake Michigan/Chicago River, also replicated in other cities.
Two of Steve’s favorite honors: Commencement Speaker at Madison Square Garden for Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine (2008), and appearing (in 2012) as 59 across in a TV Guide Crossword Puzzle (pet journalist Steve _ _ _ _).