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In 1997, the University of British Columbia launched its Animal Welfare Program, led by Drs. David Fraser and Dan Weary. Earlier this year the program received the “Animals and Society Course Award” from the Humane Society of the United States(HSUS). This award is given annually to one or more educational institutions that demonstrate excellence in teaching about animal issues at the post-secondary level. The specific course for which the award was presented is “Animal Welfare and the Ethics of Animal Use”, taught by Drs. Fraser and Weary. Andrew Rowan, Vice President of HSUS, noted that the UBC course was selected because it offers, “a solid academic grounding in animal protection issues.”
This undergraduate course introduces students to many contemporary animal issues. It analyses scientific, technical and philosophical debate about animal ethics, and examines societal forces and constraints that perpetuate or contribute to solving animal welfare concerns – such as economic demands, regulations and social activism.
The UBC Animal Welfare Program is part of the Faculty of Agricultural Sciences and the Centre for Applied Ethics. As stated in a recent report, its three areas of focus are: research to provide new information and analysis pertaining to the well-being of animals; public communication to stimulate knowledgeable public discussion and consensus-building on issues related to animal welfare and the ethics of animal use; and teaching to educate students to understand, research and resolve animal welfare problems. The award-winning undergraduate course is now in its fourth year, and ten undergraduate theses have been supervised. In addition, the program has enrolled eleven Masters and Doctoral students, two post-doctoral fellows, twelve visiting students, six visiting academics, and seven other research assistants. Graduate work has been conducted on topics ranging from the effects of eco-tourism on grizzly bears to the occurrence of laminitis in dairy cattle.
The BC SPCA played a key role in establishing the program, and provides ongoing financial and advisory assistance. “This program’s contribution to the Canadian humane movement is considerable and growing,” said CEO Doug Brimacombe. “To cite one example, Nadine Gourkow conducted her thesis research on handling and housing of cats in animal shelters, demonstrating how reducing stress in the animals led to better adoption rates and lower euthanasia. She is now working with the support of the BC SPCA and CFHS to develop a new feline handling protocol and training materials for shelters.” Faculty and students have also made a significant contribution to the BC SPCA’s humane labelling program. “Participation on the program advisory committee has given us a valuable opportunity to meet with industry groups on equal terms,” added Brimacombe.
Now in its fourth year, the program needs to raise $5 million in endowment funds to continue its work. Prospective donors should contact David Love at 604-822-8910.
