Please gather with the College of Arts and Sciences for its annual colloquia presentation, wine and cheese reception on Wednesday March 1 at 3:30 p.m. in the Regis Room. The colloquia will celebrate the work of Christy Hoffman, PhD, assistant professor of animal behavior, ecology and conversation (ABEC). Hoffman will present her research on “Thinking Outside the Kennel: Data-Driven Ways of Getting Pets Out of the Shelter…And Keeping Them Out.”
Animal shelters are commonly run on extremely tight budgets so maximizing efficiency means maximizing lives saved. Hoffman and her students took a critical look at common shelter practices. They evaluated whether marketing efforts featuring black dogs are worthwhile and whether photo quality impacts the amount of attention cats receive on websites such as Petfinder. The group also explored the challenges faced by shelter organizations that bring in dogs from distant locations. Hoffman will share the outcomes of these studies and will discuss some ways that shelters partner with their communities to reduce the numbers of dogs and cats in need of sheltering.
Hoffman’s research focuses on dog behavior and factors that contribute to the quality of humans’ relationships with companion animals. She completed her undergraduate studies in anthropology and biological psychology at the College of William and Mary, and her PhD in comparative human development at the University of Chicago. Hoffman conducts her dog behavior and shelter-based research in collaboration with Canisius College undergraduate and graduate students. These projects have resulted in numerous publications and conference presentations.
All faculty and staff are welcome! Please join us for this event!
Submitted by: Veronica Serwacki, executive associate, College of Arts and Sciences
