UWindsor Anthrozoology Club

10/24/2022

Meeting now! Join the discussion and the club! We welcome ALL!

https://teams.microsoft.com/l/meetup-join/19%3ac8fe0ccb70ba4a14ba6e2031d3df0b36%40thread.tacv2/1643493636279?context=%7b%22Tid%22%3a%2212f933b3-3d61-4b19-9a4d-689021de8cc9%22%2c%22Oid%22%3a%22a370d2e1-afa8-433c-b22b-cf36338c03f9%22%7d

10/19/2022

Our next meeting is Monday Oct. 24th at 7pm on Teams! I hope we see some new faces - anyone can join!

09/23/2022

09/13/2022

Hello Anthrozoology students and welcome to fall semester 2022! For those that do not know me, my name is Tammie and I am excited to take over as President of the Anthrozoology club for Riley; although she left very big shoes to fill!

We are finally back to on campus learning and with that we now have the option to meet in person, if we so choose to. I am placing a poll below to gage everyone’s thoughts. Our first meeting will be announced soon as results from this poll come in. Meetings will be every other week. Our topic for the first meeting will be announced at a later date, and suggestions are always welcome. ALL ARE WELCOME and we are always open to new members!

Link to survey:
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/LHC9PP6

Please contact me with any questions or concerns at
[email protected]. I look forward to seeing everyone!

03/21/2022

Check out our feature in the UWindsor DailyNews!

Rob Laidlaw, founder of the wildlife protection organization Zoocheck, will discuss “Reflections on Wildlife Captivity and Advocacy” Monday, March 28. Presentation to reflect on wildlife captivity Mar 21st, 2022 Rob Laidlaw, founder of the wildlife protection organization Zoocheck, will discuss ...

03/17/2022

Check out our very own Liz Wheeler in the UWindsor DailyNews! 🎉

Anthrozoology student Liz Wheeler launched a podcast challenging listeners to address animal welfare issues. Student project advocates for animal welfare Mar 17th, 2022 What to do during a pandemic if you have always been interested in animal welfare issues and want to further your formal education....

03/14/2022

Mark your calendars, UWindsor Anthrozoology friends! Dr. Daly and I are thrilled to announce that Executive Director and Founder of Zoocheck Canada, Rob Laidlawand, will be joining us virtually on Monday, March 28th for a presentation titled “Reflections on Wildlife Captivity and Advocacy”! 🐅 Rob Laidlaw has spent more than 40 years working to protect the interests and well-being of animals in Canada and around the world. He is a Chartered Biologist, founder of the wildlife protection organization Zoocheck and a winner of the prestigious Frederic A. McGrand Lifetime Achievement Award for substantial contributions to animal welfare in Canada. Rob is also an award-winning author of ten children’s books about animal welfare and wildlife protection, as well as numerous articles, reports, book chapters and other materials. He has spoken to hundreds of audiences of all ages throughout the world and appeared in a broad range of media stories and documentary films. If you are interested in learning more about Rob’s work and asking him a question after his presentation, you can register for the event via email ([email protected]) or by using the Eventbrite link below. This event is free to attend and is open to the public. It will be taking place on Monday, March 28th from 7:00-8:00 p.m. EST via Microsoft Teams. I hope to see you there—this is an opportunity you will not want to miss!
-Riley

https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/297029111067

03/09/2022

The scale of the tragedy in Ukraine is still unfolding. While the focus is rightly on the humanitarian disaster, it’s meant some people have had to make agonizing decisions about what to take with them; this includes companion animals. Some families may be stranded in their homes, unwilling to leave their companion animals behind. Others refuse evacuation orders or attempt to re-enter evacuation sites illegally to rescue their non-human animals. Although several countries have eased entry regulations for humans and their companion animals seeking refuge from Ukraine—sadly, some companion animals have been separated from their families, and others have been abandoned. Psychopathologies such as grief, depression, and PTSD are associated with companion animal abandonment during an evacuation. Furthermore, zoonotic disease risk increases when companion animals are abandoned or left to roam, where they are more likely to encounter infected wildlife or unowned animals than they would if they were safely sheltered with their caretakers. As a result of this crisis, animal shelters and rescues in Ukraine are being overwhelmed with animals in need. With stores closing and supplies dwindling, animal shelters and rescues are racing to find food and medical necessities for the non-human animals in their care. Companion animals are an integral part of human society, but evacuation and sheltering methods are often overlooked when disaster strikes. This disregard for companion animal welfare during a disaster can have public health consequences. Please join us on Monday, March 14th at 7 pm via Teams to discuss companion animals in times of crisis and war. If you have any further questions, comments, and/or concerns, please don’t hesitate to contact me via email ([email protected]). I hope to see you there.
-Riley

02/27/2022

Hi UWindsor Anthrozoology friends! We hope you enjoyed your reading week and are refreshed for the last half of the semester! Tomorrow we will be discussing horses and their place in human society—both today and in the future. Long ago, humans domesticated horses and began using them as beasts of burden. They were used for everything from farming and transportation to war; humanity has been carried on the back of the horse. However, as we mechanized and became more reliant on machines, horses became a leisure item and a plaything for the wealthy. Tomorrow let's look at the future of horses and humans. Will they always be bred for our use and entertainment? Or will they ever be allowed to be free from humanity's grip? Let's talk horses!🐴 If you have any further questions, comments, and/or concerns, please don’t hesitate to contact Riley via email ([email protected]). We hope to see you there!
-Tammie & Riley

02/15/2022

Hi UWindsor Anthrozoology friends! Because Valentine’s Day fell on our usual meeting day, we decided to push back our club meeting to tonight, Tuesday, February 15th @ 7pm EST. Please join us for an engaging discussion about animals used for entertainment as romantic props. In recent years, the notion of participating in activities like dog-sledding and horse-drawn carriage rides has become increasingly controversial. From former New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio pushing to ban the horse-drawn carriage industry in Manhattan, to a recent W5-CTV News investigation that has uncovered the shocking treatment of sled dogs in Canada, we are experiencing a shift in societal opinion as tourists are asked to reconsider these forms of entertainment. If you have any further questions, comments, and/or concerns, please don’t hesitate to contact me via email ([email protected]). I hope to see you there!
-Riley

01/29/2022

Hi UWindsor Anthrozoology friends—long time, no see! I hope you have all enjoyed your winter break and have settled into second semester 😄 Tammie & I are happy to share that Anthrozoology Club meetings will be starting again this Monday, January 31st @ 7pm EST on Microsoft Teams. However, we have made the adjustment to meet *every other Monday* moving forward. Now let’s get into the topic for the week: In a world where artificial intelligence (AI) seems to be growing by leaps and bounds, robots may soon become commonplace in our homes. But what will our relationship with them be? How much of our ways with non-human animals will translate into our handling of robots? Will we anthropomorphize them as we do out companion animals? Will sharing our home with pets help ease us into sharing it with robots? Let's talk about the future of robots and our relationship with them! If you have any further questions, comments, and/or concerns, please don’t hesitate to contact me via email ([email protected]). We can’t wait to see you on Monday!
-Riley & Tammie

11/01/2021

Good Afternoon UWindsor Anthrozoology friends! Tonight we are honoured to be joined by Marena Wigmore from the Haliburton Forest & Wild Life Reserve. She will be talking all about the centre, the wolves, and their unique approach to public education. The Haliburton Forest is home to the Haliburton Wild Life Reserve & Wolf Centre. The Wolf Centre is a 5,000 square foot, all-indoor facility that houses self-guided, museum-style exhibits, a cinema and classroom, a souvenir shop, and a large indoor observatory. With live wolfcams and wolf exhibits, you can almost always catch a glimpse of wolves as they wander through their large, naturally forested environment. This is NOT your typical zoo! The facility is designed to mimic the wild as closely as possible, so people do not touch or interact with the wolves in any way. The wolves are unsocialized, and because of this, they maintain their fear of humans like a wild wolf. This also means they maintain much of the behaviour and social structures of wild packs, and we are able to observe them in a way that is not typically possible in a zoo environment. This is the future of animal sanctuaries! If you are interested in learning more about Marena’s work and asking her a question during the live session, you can access the event by scanning the QR code or sending an email to Riley ([email protected]). This event is free to attend and is open to the public. It will be taking place tonight, Monday, November 1st from 7:00-8:00 p.m. EST via Microsoft Teams. We hope to see you there—this is an opportunity you will not want to miss! Let's learn how to make captivity better for animals and more educational for humans!
-Tammie & Riley