Chairholders
Profile
David Fraser
Faculty of Agricultural Sciences and W. Maurice Young Centre for Applied Ethics
The University of British Columbia
Chair title
NSERC Industrial Research Chair in Animal Welfare
Chair program
Industrial Research Chairs program
Role
Senior Chairholder since 1997
Related Chair
Summary
The welfare of animals is a compelling and often divisive issue that involves both practical and ethical dimensions. This Chair is a broadly focused program of research, education, and public outreach that seeks practical improvements in animal welfare plus knowledge-based consensus-building on contentious issues of animal use.
The research program is generating wide-ranging benefits including improved housing for dairy cows, improved adoption success for dogs and cats in shelters, early detection of lameness in cattle, humane euthanasia of laboratory rodents, identifying training needs in wildlife rehabilitation, and identifying ways to reduce animal use in drug development.
In meeting its educational goals, the program has attracted over 75 graduate students and other researchers drawn from many countries.
Public outreach is achieved through publications, workshops, media interviews, and presentations at local, national, and international venues, typically averaging over 50 such activities per year.
The Chair program is supported by a wide range of organizations including the B.C. Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, the B.C. Veterinary Medical Association, the B.C. Dairy Foundation, and many other agricultural organizations. Despite their diversity, all the sponsoring organizations see improved animal welfare as an important goal.
David Fraser was appointed to this position in 1997 after
25 years of research on the behaviour and welfare of farm, wild, and laboratory animals. His outreach work includes serving as an advisor on animal welfare standards to a wide range of organizations including the Royal Society of Canada (Ottawa), the National Council of Chain Restaurants and Food Marketing Institute (Washington), the Burger King Corporation (Miami), and the World Organization for Animal Health (Paris).
Partners
- B.C. Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (B.C. SPCA)
- B.C. Veterinary Medical Association
- B.C. Dairy Foundation
- B.C. Milk Producers Association
- Canadian Federation of Humane Societies/Fédération des sociétés canadiennes d'assistance aux animaux
- South Coastal Dairy Education Association
- Alberta Farm Animal Care Association
- Westgen
- B.C. Egg Producers Association
- B.C. Broiler Hatching Egg Producers Association
- Unifeed Ltd.
Contact information
Faculty of Agricultural Sciences and W. Maurice Young Centre for Applied Ethics
The University of British Columbia
2357 Main Mall
Vancouver, British Columbia
V6T 1Z4
Tel.: 604-822-2040
Fax: 604-822-4400
Email: fraserd@interchange.ubc.ca
