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 For many Birmingham residents, the first voice they hear every morning is that of the sassy Magic 96.5 morning radio host Shannon Stevens. On the air from 5:30 a.m. until nine, she has awakened more sleepy heads from their slumber, gotten more kids off to school and been that comforting conversation for motorists during their morning drive to work.
“The best part of my job is being able to help people,” Shannon says. Whereas thousands depend on her to help them get their day going, a great deal of Shannon’s support system comes from her two four-legged children- Bear, a 10-year-old Border Collie mix, and Brodie, a yellow, five-year-old Labrador Retriever.
“Bear is quiet and shy but became the alpha dog when Brodie came along. Bear is the boss. He is so good with kids,” says Stevens. “Brodie, on the other hand, would take your arm off up to your elbow if he knew there was some food on it. He wouldn't mean to hurt you but his life revolve s around food.”
Although Brodie’s hyperactivity is not so much a bad thing, he tends to constantly find himself in trouble because of his size mixed with the overzealous nature. “He is an 85-pound Lab that thinks he is a Chihuahua,” she says “He knocks things over with his tail. Brodie chews on everything. He can't be left unattended. He is a well-trained dog that can be unpredictable…. Brodie just wants to be wherever we are and the food is.”
A bit older and wiser than his little brother, Bear is more of the protector. Due to his herding nature, “Bear rounds us up for bed every night,” she says. “I brought Bear to the station because he knows how to behave.”
A professed dog fanatic, Shannon says that she has had dogs her entire life. Before Bear and Brodie, she has owned more than 15 dogs. At one point, she has had as many as seven at one time. Within her 16 years at Magic and 30 years in radio, she has always had a furry friend there to share her experiences.
“I’d have a million dogs if I could…I'd like to have 2 or three more but my husband is like "no," says Shannon. "We are too busy right now and it wouldn't be fair to the dogs."
But fair doesn’t begin to describe life for dogs in the Stevens household. They get spoiled rotten with doggie treats and doggie ice cream, full-blown body massages every day and regularly groomed.
“Bear prances around and thinks he is very cool,” Shannon says. “He loves it during the summer.”
At the radio station, along with her co-host Rob Conrad, she is committed to working events for the Birmingham Humane Society, Birmingham Anima Control and Shelby County Humane Society. “We are huge fans of these organizations and totally supportive.”
For Shannon, her biggest wish would be to own lots of land to care for unwanted animals.
“I'd love to do adoptive stuff. I’m a dog fanatic,” she confesses. “I wish our community had the resources and funds where we could have a no kill policy for humane societies for dogs.”
Shannon has never been biased to any particular breed. Her main concern is the welfare of the dogs. In fact, Brodie is the first purebred she has ever owned.
“I will have dogs to the day I die and they will be left in a very pampered state,” she says. “I highly recommend mutts.”
Photography by Tru Knight Vision
see more pics of Shannon Stevens in the photo gallery
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