Research how animals and shelters coped with the earthquakes
university-of-canterbury
Thu Nov 14 2013 13:00:00 GMT+1300 (New Zealand Daylight Time)
Research how animals and shelters coped with the earthquakes
Thursday, 14 November 2013, 1:05 pm
Press Release: University of Canterbury
UC summer student researching how animals and shelters coped with the earthquakes
November 14, 2013
A University of Canterbury (UC) scholarship student will spend summer researching how animals and shelters coped with the 2010 and 2011 earthquakes.
New Zealand has the highest levels of pet ownership per capita in the western world and many animals were affected by the earthquakes.
UC Associate Professor Annie Potts, who is co-director of the New Zealand Centre for Human-Animal Studies, says companion animals are a significant part of society and they warrant more research.
Masters student and former vet nurse Donelle Gadenne, Professor Potts’ summer student, will investigate how Christchurch people dealt with the safety and well-being of the city’s pets.
``We know that home owners who lived with companion animals in the CBD red zone were willing to break through the cordons to retrieve their pets,’’ Gadenne says.
``Also, many people went into the residential red zone houses afterwards to feed and rescue abandoned and lost animals.
``Pet owners were greatly helped by local animal shelters and veterinary clinics after the earthquakes. These agencies had not only supplied treatment or practical help to animals, but also provided vital emotional and social support for people.
``As one woman said, her local vet clinic was where `we shared happy and sad stories and memories of our animals’.
``The summer scholarship project will look at the accounts of veterinary staff and animal shelter volunteers, with the aim of providing a fuller and richer account of human-animal relationships post-quakes by including experiences of those at the front line of rescue and shelter.’’
Advertisement - scroll to continue reading
Professor Potts is a member of the National Animal Welfare in Emergency Management Advisory Group which advises government and other agencies about best practice for animal welfare in natural disasters and emergencies.
``I am hoping that the experiences of rescue professionals and pet owners in Christchurch will feed into and facilitate improved management of companion animals and, importantly, those animals in industries that are confined and unable to escape during emergencies,’’ Professor Potts says.
``The SPCA, SAFE, Dogwatch, Cats' Protection League and other cat rescue organisations did everything they could under the circumstances. They are the unsung heroes of the quakes. So are the city's veterinary clinics.’’
Canterbury University Press will be publishing a book next year written by Potts and Gadenne on how animals coped in the quakes.
About 150 UC students will be undertaking scholarship research projects this summer. On top of that almost 1000 students have applied to take part in summer courses. Around 600 tradesmen will be on campus over the summer as the University’s building remediation programme ramps up.
ENDS
Advertisement - scroll to continue reading
a.supporter:hover {background:#EC4438!important;} @media screen and (max-width: 480px) { #byline-block div.byline-block {padding-right:16px;}}
Using Scoop for work?
Scoop is free for personal use, but you’ll need a licence for work use. This is part of our Ethical Paywall and how we fund Scoop. Join today with plans starting from less than $3 per week, plus gain access to exclusive Pro features.
Join Pro Individual Find out more
Find more from University of Canterbury on InfoPages.