Marc Morrone

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Marc Morrone handling a dog in a publicity photo.

Marc Morrone (born in Bronx, New York) is an American animal dealer and breeder and host of The Pet Shop with Marc Morrone for Mag Rack.

He also hosted Petkeeping with Marc Morrone, a television program produced by Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, which ended its run on September 17, 2006.

1 Background
2 Petkeeping with Marc Morrone
- 2.1 Pets which have appeared on Petkeeping
3 The Pet Shop with Marc Morrone
4 References
5 External links

[edit] Background

At age four, Morrone adopted his first pet, a parakeet named Jinxie. By age 18, Morrone’s pet collection had outgrown his parent’s house. In 1978, Morrone opened a pet store "Parrots of the World." with his business partner Nick Guerra in Rockville Centre, New York. In addition to importing and exporting exotic birds, mammals, and reptiles, the store breeds and sells hundreds of companion animals each year. Parrots of the World is now a 10,000 square-foot business.

Morrone’s television career began as a guest on the News 12 program The Family Pet. In 1994, he started a cable show, Extra Help Pet Show, later renamed Metro Pets. His practice of crowding dozens of animals in a small space on-camera was allegedly born of necessity — Morrone claimed it was needed to keep the animals warm in the unheated television studio. The local cable show led to Morrone’s guest appearances with Martha Stewart on her television program Martha Stewart Living, starting in 1997. In 2001, Hearst Entertainment began syndication of The Pet Shop With Marc Morrone.

Morrone has been criticized by animal welfare advocates for his promotion of animal purchases from pet shops over adoption from humane societies and other animal rescue organizations.

Marc Morrone is not to be confused with Marc A. Morrone, former Fordham University football player (97-00), who resides in Lyndhurst, NJ.

[edit] Petkeeping with Marc Morrone

In 2003, Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia gave him a half-hour show, Petkeeping with Marc Morrone. The program was taped on location in his pet store, and no longer is in production. [1] Morrone was also a frequent contributor to Kids magazine, also published by Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, and currently hosts a weekly radio program Petkeeping for Martha Stewart Living Radio, on Sirius Satellite Radio.

[edit] Pets which have appeared on Petkeeping

Bubbles and Squeak, prairie dogs
Chaunticleer, a rooster
Dante, a raven
Darwin, an African Grey parrot
Goofy, a Goffin's Cockatoo
Harry, a scarlet macaw
Harvey, a Flemish giant rabbit
Mel and Seymour Goldstein, guinea pigs
Murphy, a mixed breed dog
Prunella, an agouti
Splash, a ferret
The Three Musketeers, four chinchillas, which appear on television three at a time.

[edit] The Pet Shop with Marc Morrone

In March 2006 Morrone was featured on Mag Rack, in the Video On Demand series The Pet Shop with Marc Morrone. The program follows a similar format as Petkeeping, and aims to offer helpful advice on caring for a variety of animals. It also includes appearance by his pets including Harry, a scarlet macaw; Splash, a ferret; and Harvey, a 13-pound Flemish rabbit. Twenty five episodes were developed for the first season, and cover various topics such as alternatives to dogs as pets, housetraining pets, caring for smaller animals, and tips on setting up and maintaining aquariums.

[edit] References

Marc Morrone's Bio. Retrieved on January 14, 2006.
"The Wild World of Pet Retailing." Business Week Online. May 13, 2005.
"Talking to Animals, and About Them, on TV." New York Times (Late Edition (East Coast)). December 28, 2003. p. 4.
"If Only He Could Talk, Squeak or Squawk to the Animals." New York Times (Late Edition (East Coast)). January 4, 2004. p. 59.
Breen, V. The Battle Against 'Puppy Mills'