My Pet World, Tribune Media Services

April 1995 to present:

Steve’s twice-weekly newspaper column consists of a feature story and also a
Q & A, published in more than100 papers, reaching an estimated 16 million readers.

Steve’s award winning features have earned him national recognition, and positioning on news pages.

Within 48-hours after 9/11, he was interviewing search and rescue dog handlers at Ground Zero and from the lawn of the Pentagon via cell phone, beating all other reporters. The impact of these emotional and graphic stories played a role in capturing America’s attention. Like so many of Steve’s articles, these traveled across the wire service, and were soon picked up by TV outlets. As a result of his 9/11 coverage, Steve was asked to honor search and rescue dogs at the Tufts Animal Expo in 2001.

His 9/11 reporting figured significantly in Steve being named Special Features Columnist of the Year by Editor & Publisher, 2001.

“It’s his reporting that sets him apart from most other animal writers. This was especially apparent after Sept. 11, when the Tribune Media Service (TMS) columnist did several powerful pieces about search and rescue dogs at the World Trade Center.” Dave Astor, Editor & Publisher, November 26, 2001.

Steve’s piece on how search and rescue dogs were getting depressed when they didn’t find living survivors after the 1995 bombing of the Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City made the network morning programs. That same year, Steve spoke via the Internet with a woman in Yugoslavia as bombs fell outside her home.

“A dog looks to the sky and begins to circle, still looking up. In Phoenix, AZ or Boston, MA, you’d think nothing of this. But not in Belgrade (Serbia, Yugoslavia). This is the signal for Marijana Mihailovic to gather her two children, and huddle nervously in a corner. Marijana listens from an open window. As if on the cue of an invisible conductor in the sky, the birds stop singing. Moments later, the air raid sirens blare.”

Pet dumps in Tennessee were a local story in 2003, until Steve created a national fervor to close what amounted to trash bins for pets. And he succeeded.

Steve isn’t afraid to express his views with stories admonishing de-clawing cats, and offering alternatives to breed-specific legislation. Steve’s 2003 op-ed piece countering a a Consumer Reports story on veterinary medicine was photo copied and handed out at countless veterinary clinics around America.

Steve’s also interviewed celebrities about their pets, including LeAnn Rimes, Diane Keaton, Doris Roberts, Audrey Meadows, Lucille Ball and others.

Steve handles his Q & A column as a reporter, and interviews the top names in veterinary medicine. Steve goes to the source – often the researchers or veterinary specialists who discover new treatments. Steve has been known to publish findings in his columns before they are published in scientific journals. Steve works closely with the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine and the American College of Veterinary Behaviorists.

USA Weekend, Contributing Editor

April 2002 to present

Pet stories regularly appearing in 600 Sunday newspapers reaching over 50 million people (and many more pets).

Examples of stories include: “Is Fido Family,” a story asking ‘Are we going overboard with love for our pets?’ “Cutting Edge Medicine,” examples of how nearly any medical procedure available for people is now available for pets. “Critters to Consider,” featured peculiar pets like the corn snake and Steve’s own Northern blue-tongue skink, Cosette.

PawPrints, Editor-in-Chief

January 2004 to present

Partnering with Merial and the American Veterinary Medical Association, Steve created this newsletter distributed to veterinary practices globally. The newsletter is either available online (to be used as a marketing tool for vet practices) or is printed out and made available in vet office waiting rooms.

Cat Fancy, Special Correspondent

June 2006 to present

Steve contributes feature and news stories.

www.Goodnewsforpets.com, Editorial Consultant

March, 2000 to present

Steve contributes stories for this website designed to support and promote media reporting of companion animals.

American Association Feline Practitioners Behavior Guidelines, Contributing Author

June, 2005

Published in the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, and made available to all veterinarians throughout the U.S.
Feline Behavior Guidelines

Dog World magazine, Special Correspondent/Columnist

August, 2001 to 2005

Steve wrote dozens of stories over the years for Dog World. In 2003 he began a a monthly column called “Show Nation.” His personality profiles spotlighted legends, including the founder of Association of Pet Dog Trainers, Dr. Ian Dunbar; breeder; geneticist Dr. Carmen Battaglia; clicker training pioneer Karen Pryor; Chris Walkowicz, author, dog show judge and past president of the Dog Writer’s Associaiton; dog trainer Captain Haggerty and many others.

www.animalplanet.com, Columnist

May 1, 2001 to February, 2005

Contributed his weekly newspaper feature stories to Animal Planet website.

Pet Life magazine, senior columnist

January, 1996 to September, 2003

Authored monthly Q & A column, and wrote frequent feature stories.

www.pets.com, National Correspondent

June 2000 to November 2000

“My Pet World” feature stories appeared on this site. His award winning four-part series on Rimadyl scored their record for most ‘hits.’ Steve also did media interviews on behalf of the website, and owns a personal pets.com sock puppet (a collector’s item)

People magazine, entertainment/reporter/chatter column contributor

April 1987 to January 1997

Steve contributed to or authored feature stories, including many about Oprah Winfrey. Other features included “Inventing a Lizard,” “Cats Who Watch TV,” and the death of Michael Jordan’s father. For the “Chatter” column, Steve interviewed dozens of celebrities, including Jimmy Stewart, Sally Field and Lily Tomlin.

Chicago Tribune

October 1977 to 1997

Feature articles appeared in Friday, KidNews, Tempo, Video, Arts and Travel Sections…in all, hundreds of stories.

1993-1995: “TGIF” weekly column in Friday Section.

1988-1993: “Celebrity Watch” weekly column in Friday Section.

Steve tallied 32 Friday Section cover stories.

From 1988 through 1995, Steve was responsible for nearly all stories on pets and zoos on the feature side of the Chicago Tribune. He also wrote a special pet series for the Home Section.

Steve authored many stories for the front page of Tempo, from a “Guide to Grant Park Picnicking” to “Increasing Costs of Veterinary Care.”

Features in the Friday Section ranged from “Spending A Day in Chicago with the Pooch” to “Where to Pick Apples.” His celebrity spotlights included Steve Allen, Lucie Arnaz, Tony Bennett, Gladys Knight (sans Pips), Smokey Robinson, Dionne Warwick, Pia Zadora, Lassie, Elvis Presley impersonators and many others.

North Shore magazine

September 1992 to 1997

Dining Editor, feature stories.

USA Today

February 1983 to July 1989

Mostly celebrity pieces; interviews with Oprah Winfrey, Lucille Ball, Bob Hope, Ron Woods, Robert Conrad and others.

Crain’s Chicago Business:

February 1982 to September 1989

Restaurant critic, feature stories.

More Print Credits:

Self magazine, Reader’s Digest, Catnip, Cats, www.thedailycat.com, www.thedogdaily.com, Dog Fancy, American Kennel Club Gazette, Academy of Sciences Agenda, Puppies ’98 Annual, Puppies ’97 Annual, Minc, Zoo Monitor, www.allpets.com, Christian Science Monitor, Radius, Stagebill, Inside Chicago, Video Times, Teen Superstars, Chile Pepper, Talking to the Boss, Lerner/Skyline newspapers, Pioneer Press newspapers and Chicago Daily News. Currently: Steve is the National Correspondent for Pioneer Press newspapers, Chicago Daily News and National Correspondent Chicagoland Tails.