Newsday columnist Marc Morrone brings pet expertise to TV

He's been called "a modern-day Dr. Doolittle," and now Newsday pets columnist Marc Morrone is bringing his expertise to the masses with a daily TV show on the Hallmark Channel. Executive produced by Martha Stewart, the half-hour "Petkeeping with Marc Morrone" will premiere Monday, January 3 at noon with an episode about moving and traveling with pets.

The show, which covers every topic from common cat and dog misconceptions to keeping children and pets safe and happy under the same roof, is filmed in Morrone's Rockville Centre pet shop, Parrots of the World, where he's often joined by top animal behaviorists and veterinarians, as well as his trademark menagerie of pets.

Through dialogue and demonstration, Morrone shares 30 years of accumulated knowledge and valuable tips for responsible and enjoyable petkeeping. This season, episodes will cover plus-sized pets, baby pets, older pets, high-maintenance pets, children and pets, common cat and dog problems, and more.

Morrone's television career began in 1994 with a pet show on a local New York cable access channel. Martha Stewart saw the show in 1998 and invited Morrone to make an appearance on her "Martha Stewart Living" television show, and he soon became her go-to pets guy and a regular guest. In the fall of 2003, Marc became host of his own nationally syndicated series, also called "Petkeeping with Marc Morrone." It aired for 3 years. In addition to the syndicated pets column he writes for Newsday, Morrone hosts "Ask Marc, the Petkeeper," on Martha Stewart Living Radio and has a weekly show on News 12 New York called Animal Island. He has written five books: “A Man for All Species: The Remarkable Adventures of an Animal Lover and Expert Pet Keeper”, “Ask the Dogkeeper”, “Ask the Catkeeper”, “Ask the Birdkeeper” and “Ask the Fishkeeper”.