Renée D'Souza joined our research team in September 2016. Renée received her Bachelor of Science in Wildlife Biology and Conservation, University of Guelph in 2015 and spends her free time volunteering with animal rescue and welfare organizations. Driven by a passion for conservation and animal welfare, Renée Masters work focuses on the lives of dogs working for conservation in Canada.

Conservation canines have received attention in scholarly literature regarding their utility for biologists and ecologists in the field. Yet little research has focused on their circumstances and experiences in these roles. With guidance from Dr. Lee Neil at the University of Guelph, Renée explores the welfare of dogs working for conservation in various provinces across Canada through observational assessments, interviews with program managers, and surveys completed by dog handlers.

Renée brings to light an understudied topic in scholarly literature, and highlights  the potential for conservation canine roles to lead to humane job creation – jobs that are good for animals, people, and the environment.