Bio

Hi there, my name is Riley :)

I recently graduated from Philosophy & Anthrozoology at the University of Windsor, and I'm incredibly passionate about understanding the philosophical views about our relationship to animals and evaluating moral principles and ethical theories; including notions of justice and rights. 

It may sound so cliché for me to say this, but I have always had a passion and admiration for non-human animals; however, I first got involved in Anthrozoology when I enrolled in a class called "Animals and Humans in Society" during my freshman year of university—and became obsessed! Soon enough, my schedule was filled with courses like "The Canine Impact: Evolution of the Dog-Human Relationship," "The Life and Times of the Honey Bee," and one of my absolute favourites, "Animals and Ethics." After I completed my sophomore year of university, I became more involved in Human-Animal Studies by joining the International Society for Anthrozoology, the Canadian Bioethics Society (specializing in protecting non-human animal interests), and more recently, the Animals & Society Institute, as a student affiliate. In 2020, I founded the UWindsor Anthrozoology Club and I served as club president for nearly two years. 

What really opened my eyes to Anthrozoology as an academic discipline was Peter Singer's Animal Liberation. Although I had been vegetarian for 4+ years prior to reading his philosophical bombshell, my understanding of ethical eating was extremely surface-level. Animal Liberation not only enlightened me morally and ethically, but also academically and changed the trajectory of my life. 

This September, I will begin my Master's of Science at the University of Winchester where I'll be studying Animal Welfare, Behaviour, Ethics and Law! I intend to devote my graduate studies and career to advocating for the rights and ethical treatment of non-human animals who have been used in biomedical research, for entertainment, for food production and agriculture, and have been overall neglected or subjected to the abuse and cruelties of humanity. I hope to use this website and blog to document my academic journey and share important matters of Human-Animal Studies with the general public.

I look forward to growing alongside you! 

Cheers!