Michelle Fern reports live from the 2014 Global Pet Expo in Orlando, and chats with supermodel and entrepreneur Kathy Ireland about her new line of pet products from Worldwise, Today Show reporter and author Jill Rappaport, and radio host, author and animal behavior consultant Steve Dale.

Questions or Comments? Send them to: michelle@petliferadio.com.

Also, check out the Best Bets for Pets BLOG!

Kathy Ireland

Kathy Ireland, is CEO and Chief Designer of kathy ireland Worldwide® (kiWW®), a design and marketing firm.

Forbes Magazine reports kiWW® as a “2 billion dollar business model”.  License Global Magazine names kiWW® the 25th most powerfully licensed brand, globally.  kiWW® offers designs in Fashion, Weddings, Home, Office and More…

Founded in 1993, the kathy ireland Worldwide® brand, celebrates a lifestyle. The missions of “…finding solutions for families, especially busy moms™,” “…finding solutions for people in love™,” and “…finding solutions for business people™,”  translates to all kiWW® collections, including: fashion, fine jewelry, intimate apparel, accessories, weddings, home, office and more.

Jill Rappaport

Jill Rappaport has been on TODAY for 20 years. She was the entertainment correspondent for the first 17 of those years, but when her beloved dog Jack got bone cancer, her life and career changed forever.

While chronicling Jack's illness on the show, she realized that animal welfare issues were her calling, and so her path changed. In her popular "Bow To Wow" series, shelter dogs get a makeover and a second chance at life, and through her work, she helped to save hundreds of horses that were severly abused. She also keeps TODAY viewers informed about the latest health trends for pets.
Rappaport is also the best selling author of "People We Know, Horses they Love," and has written three others books, including "Jack & Jill: The Miracle Dog with a Happy Tail To Tell," and "500 Cats."

She has just come out with a clothing line for Pendleton for women and pets, which will benefit the Jack and Jill Fund for animal cancer. Most recently Jill and TODAY received the coveted Genesis Award, which is the Oscars of the animal world, for her reporting on animal issues. Rappaport lives on a farm with her four dogs and nine horses, whom she refers to as her "fur angels."




Steve Dale

Pet Expert Steve Dale is the author of the twice weekly syndicated newspaper column “My Pet World” (Tribune Media Services). He’s also the host of nationally syndicated radio programs Steve Dale’s Pet World, The Pet Minute with Steve Dale; and Steve Dale’s Pet World on WLS Radio, Chicago.He’s also a contributing editor at USA Weekend.

Touted as reaching more pet owners than any other pet journalists, as a pet expert and holding passionate views, Steve’s a frequent guest on local and national radio shows. His TV appearances include The Oprah Winfrey Show; National Geographic Explorer; Pets Part of the Family, PBS; several Animal Planet Shows; Fox News Channel and CNN Headline News. He was a regular on WGN-TV, Chicago for two years, and hosted multi award winning Pet Central on WGN Radio for 12 years.  He’s been quoted in publications ranging from the Los Angeles Times to USA Today to Redbook.