----- Original Message -----
From: Jean Martin
To: dfraser@interchange.ubc.ca
Sent: Sunday, April 10, 2005 8:07 PM
Subject: Ethics and Research

Dear Professor Fraser,

I see your name at the top of this thesis proposal, so I am writing to you with some concerns about it.

I find that this thesis proposal on a rehabilitation programme for dogs is problematic for many reasons.

I think the results are predictable and that similar research has been conducted elsewhere.

The conditions for the dogs in the study are quite inadequate. Kennelling dogs for such long periods of time is undesirable and can distort any behaviours that will be demonstrated by the animals. Just how much difference can it make if a dog is kennelled for 23 hours or 23 1/2 hours? Judging results for any dog will be almost impossible and highly subjective. Even the initial selection of suitably aggressive dogs- a bit aggressive, but not too much- will be highly subjective. I note that two animals will be used who are already at the pound. One presumes that they will not have the opportunity to be adopted during the duration of this "experiment." Will the other dogs, either subjects or controls be denied the opportunity for adoption during the 45 days of the study? The role of the assistance dogs as "bait" to detect aggression is not ethical according to my standards.

I wonder how you can consider this science, which demands really high standards of proof. Everything in the study is subject to so many variables, from the personalities of the assessors, the interpretation of any observed behaviour, the health of a dog on a particular day, and interactions between testers and the tested. All the "measurements'" and judgements that will be made will be subjective. I realize that this is only a master's thesis, but high standards should be expected at this level.

I would appreciate your comments.

Jean Martin
Lantzville, BC