Approximately one-half of all Canadian families include a companion animal, so many of us care passionately about these animals and how to improve their care.
Who We Are
Lead Faculty
Alexandra (Sasha) Protopopova
Assistant Professor; NSERC/BC SPCA Industrial Research Chair in Animal Welfare
Graduate Students
What We Do
BC SPCA publications
Sasha Protopopova and her students contribute articles in each bi-annual issue of the BC SPCA’s Science & Policy Newsletter and AnimalSense magazine. Take a look at the most recent issues on BC SPCA’s website.
AnimalSense Science & PolicyCVMA’s West Coast Veterinarian
Members of the program often write articles in CMVA’s West Coast Veterinarian magazine. View past issues on CMVA’s website.
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Where We Work
Human-Animal Interaction Lab
This space opened in September 2022 thanks to federal and provincial funding via the Canada Foundation for Innovation and the BC Knowledge Development Fund. Led by Dr. Protopopova, this space invites pet dogs and their owners to engage in canine cognition research. It is has been approved by UBC veterinarians to ensure it is safe for pups and their humans.
Learn More
Latest News
Search Within Companion Animal News
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UBC AWP Post-Doc is Moving on as a UBC Lecturer!
Camila Cavalli obtained her PhD in Psychology at the University of Cordoba, Argentina, studying the sociocognitive abilities of therapy dogs. She joined the UBC Animal Welfare Program in 2022 to continue her research with therapy dogs, focusing on their welfare during Animal Assisted Interventions. She is now moving into a new position at UBC as…
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Congratulations to our PhD Graduate Dr. Lexis Ly!
We congratulate Dr. Lexis Ly on graduating in the spring of 2025 from the Animal Welfare Program! Lexis joined the UBC Animal Welfare Program in 2019 as a research assistant. She worked with various members of the program before starting her PhD with Dr. Protopopova. Her dissertation focused on the circumstances that lead to owner…
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Congratulations to two AWP graduates and to Dr. Marina (Nina) von Keyserlingk for receiving Killam Award for Excellence in Mentoring at graduation!
Last Friday at the UBC Land and Food Systems Winter 2023 convocation ceremony, we celebrated Dr. Nina von Keyserlingk, as well as PhD graduate Wali (Mohammad) Sahar and MSc graduate Kai von Rentzell. Congrats to all!
Thanks to our supporters! Companion animal welfare is an important area of concern of key donors including the BC SPCA and the BCVMA.