Steve Dale's Pet World

Vera Junge, Volunteer Coordinator of Unity Hospice and Palliative Care, explains their novel program which cares for pets of clients who happen to be in hospice called Pets Peace of Mind. Volunteers walk dogs, feed pets, change cat litter, play with pets, change the paper for Guinea pigs, whatever it takes. The organization also will drive pets […]

Dr. Michael Bailey, President of the American Veterinary Medical Association talks with Steve from a meeting in Brazil. Some tough topics are discussed, including affordability of veterinary care, vaccine hesitancy of pets, and the trend of virtual pet care. Also, can pets have autistic spectrum disorder? https://serve.castfire.com/audio/7744929/7744929_2025-10-04-185129.64kmono.mp3

Diane Keaton, an Oscar-winning actress whose career spanned more than five decades, has died at age 79. In 2004, Keaton, an animal lover, spoke with WGN Radio’s Steve Dale about “Home 4 the Holidays,” a campaign to adopt pets from shelters during the holiday season.

If it wasn’t for the human animal bond, why would we have pets? It’s a powerful conversation with Dr. Rustin Moore, Rita Jean Wolfe Endowed Dean of the Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine about his book Unleashing the Bond: Harnessing the Power of Human-Animal Interactions. Steve and Dr. Moore attempt to unpack the complex evolving relationships […]

The story of a once mysterious and until-recently fatal feline disease called feline infectious peritonitis has enough twists and tuns to be a Netflix movie. A treatment for the now-treatable disease even saved humans with COVID-19. Dr. Sam Evans, assistant professor of veterinary medicine Colorado State University College of Veterinary Medicine, and Peter Cohen, founder of the […]

Jane Goodall, the legendary chimpanzee researcher, has died at age 91. Here are a couple of conversations between Goodall and WGN Radio’s Steve Dale: November, 2003: May, 2019:

Veterinary behaviorist Dr. Amy Pike answers what it’s like to be dog parent with real-life issues. From day one with a puppy or an adult dog, how to best connect with your dog. What are the devices products to never use when training dogs. Specific issues, included resource guarding, and the best way to walk […]

Jill Rappaport, formerly of the Today Show, is an avenger to senior dogs with the Grey Muzzle Organization. She talks about adopting senior dogs, and how dental health actually make them far more adoptable (not to mention healthier). Phil Arkow, co-founder of the non-profit National Link Coalition, offers an important legislative update regarding the Link. Arkow helped to establish […]

Veterinary behaviorist Dr. Theresa DePorter talks pheromones to fish. Dr. DePorter is responsible for one of the definitive studies on the consequences of punishment-based dog training and the use of equipment, such as shock collars. And we also talk about the language of cats. Are cats really from another planet? She has two pet owner […]

We have more senior pets in the U.S. than ever before. How do you even define senior pets? That’s where Dr. Heidi Lobprise, author Small Animal Senior Care: Blackwell’s Five-Minute Veterinary Consult Clinical Companion begins. I was honored to author two chapters in this having to do with the importance of enrichment in aging pets. We also […]

By using buttons, Christina Hunger says you can communicate with your dog in ways never previously thought possible. She’s the author of, Your Dog Can Talk: A Step-by-Step Guide to Button Training and explains it all, step-by-step. It’s called brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome and increasingly in the U.S., this is a cause of early death […]

Dr. Michael Lappin, Professor of Internal Medicine at Colorado State University College of Veterinary Medicine discusses an upcoming symposium on Feline Infectious Peritonitis: Has Purrsistence Cured FIP: What We Know So Far, co-hosted by the EveryCat Health Foundation. And also, if you are allergic to cats, how by feeding a specific cat food that sneezing may […]

It’s a dog show like none other – the Great American Dog Show will be heldin Cantigy Park in Wheaton, September 5 to 7. Scott Pfeil, president of the Great American Dog Show explains how this show is so different, and welcoming of pet dogs, perhaps your dog. And the show is outdoors, and hugely family friendly. […]

Wayne Pacelle, founder Center for a Humane Economy and Animal Wellness Action, has fueled the effort to stop using millions of kangaroos for making the athletic shoes. He launched the #kangaroos are not skins campaign. Today, most major manufacturers, as he explains, are no longer supporting killing kangaroos. He also makes an announcement, that he’s working – in a […]

It’s one of the tougher issues to deal with, reactive or aggressive dogs. Increasingly some might sooner or later seek out a trainer who says, “I will help by using a shock collar.” Dr. Zazie Todd states that is the exact wrong approach. She is the author of Bark! The Science of Helping Your Anxious, Fearful […]

Dot Baisly, Executive Director of the International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants (IAABC) talks about why this organization stands strongly behind their science-based positive reinforcement approaches to dog training, and against the use of devices like shock collars. She also explains that IAABC certification isn’t only about dogs, there are also certified experts in equine and […]

Jenny Schlueter is the Executive Director of Heartland Animal Shelter in Wheeling. And the comeback story there is quite incredible. After suffering from a devastating flood (all animals were heroically rescued but the facility suffered serious damage); this is a comeback story of perseverance featuring record adoption numbers. Anti Cruelty is the most established animal shelter in Chicago […]

Dr. Patricia McConnell is the GOAT of dog training. Among her books, the classic, The Other End of the Leash. She discusses the state of dog training today, and her feelings about a movement among a vocal and perhaps increasing minority to use shock and prong collars. She also talks about the magic relationship we have with dogs. […]

Kathy Callahan and Helen St. Pierre, co-authors Old Dog, New Dog: Supporting Your Aging Best Friend and Welcoming a New One talk about everything from “puppy proofing a home” to adjusting homes for senior pets to whether or not to mix it up, do you bring in a young dog to share space with an old dog? […]

It turns out that by learning about cancer in dogs, we can help people with cancer too, it’s called comparative medicine. By studying and researching cancers dogs naturally get, we can save their lives and human lives – and it’s happening. Dr. Timothy Fan, veterinary oncologist and professor veterinary oncology University of Illinois College of […]