Catherine Schuppli, MSc. Ph.D. Assistant Professor Animal Welfare Program Faculty of Land and Food Systems University of British Columbia 2357 Main Mall Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z4 Phone: 604-827-5527 E-mail: schuppli@interchange.ubc.ca

Research Interests

Cathy’s personal and professional life has always been intertwined with animals, whether as a teenager living in Tanzania visiting the Serengeti for holidays, or at the stable caring for her dressage horse, or as a social scientist interviewing beef ranchers in Alberta. Combined with her compassion for animals and desire to safeguard their welfare, Cathy has been drawn towards research that explores the relationship of humans with animals.

Cathy is an interdisciplinary scholar bridging the social and natural sciences. She began her career as a wildlife biologist with a BSc (Guelph) and MSc (Alberta) in zoology. Over that time, her focus shifted towards the study of humans and their role in influencing the way in which animals are used, treated, protected, and managed. Her past research includes developing an ethical framework for evaluating the suitability of keeping ‘exotic’ pets, understanding how Canadian institutions make decisions about the ethical use of animals in science (PhD research in the Animal Welfare Program), and exploring overlapping governance issues related to the use of animals and humans in research.

Cathy joined as a faculty member in 2009. Her current research focuses on understanding attitudes towards animals and animal welfare, how our views are shaped, and how this influences the way in which animals are used in our society. In addition, she continues to research ethical issues related to the use of animals and humans in science, particularly in stem cell and genomic research. Ultimately her goal is to apply research findings to improve policy and practice related to the use of animals.

To participate in the study of attitudes towards the use of animals in research visit our survey site: Your views on the Use of Animals in Research.

Recent Publications and Reports

Ormandy, E.H., Schuppli, C.A. and Weary, D.M. Worldwide trends in the use of animal research. Accepted in Alternatives to Laboratory Animals October 2008.

Schuppli, CA. and Fraser D. 2007 Improving the effectiveness of Research Ethics Committees. Journal of Medical Ethics 33:294-301

Schuppli, CA. and McDonald, M. 2005. Contrasting modes of governance for the protection of humans and animals in Canada: lessons for reform. Health Law Review, Special Issue on Governance of Humans Involved in Research in Canada. 13 (2 & 3): 97-106

Schuppli, CA. and Fraser, D. 2005. The Interpretation and application of the Three Rs by Animal Ethics Committee members. Alternatives to Laboratory Animals 33:487-500

Schuppli, CA., Fraser, D. and McDonald, M. 2004. Expanding the Three Rs to meet new challenges in humane animal experimentation. Alternatives to Laboratory Animals 32: 525-532

Schuppli, CA. 2004.The Role of the Animal Ethics Committee in Achieving Humane Animal Experimentation. PhD Thesis, University of British Columbia pp. 162

Schuppli, CA. and Fraser, D. 2000. A framework for assessing the suitability of different species as companion animals. Animal Welfare 9:359-372

O’Hara, P. and Schuppli C.A. 2005. Report on NCEHR Site Visits: 1998 to 2004 13 pp. Report published by the National Council on the Ethics of Human Research: Ottawa, Canada.

Schuppli, CA. 1999. Report and Recommended Actions for Humane Angling in Canada. Report written for the Animal Welfare Foundation of Canada 24 pp.