The National Canine Research Council is committed to preserving the human-canine bond. We publish, underwrite, and reprint accurate, documented, reliable research to promote a better understanding of our relationship with dogs.

We make grants to universities, independent research organizations and independent scholars. We also conduct our own research on contemporary issues that impact the human-canine bond, including the dynamics of popular attitudes toward dogs and canine aggression; public health reporting on dog bites; public policy concerning companion animals;and media reporting on dogs.

The National Canine Research Council is committed to preserving the human-canine bond. We publish, underwrite, and reprint accurate, documented, reliable research to promote a better understanding of our relationship with dogs.

Recent Gifts and Grants

- A directed gift to Western University of Health Sciences, to support research by Dr. Victoria Voith, DVM PhD DACVB with respect to the inter-observer reliability and validity of visual breed identification of mixed-breed dogs. As Dr. Voith has written: "The discrepancy between breed identifications based on opinion and DNA analysis, as well as concerns about reliability of data collected based on media reports, draws into question the validity and enforcement of public and private policies pertaining to dog breeds."

- Grants to the University of Illinois Center for Public Safety and Justice Institute of Government and Public Affairs; the Best Friends Animal Society; and Safe Humane Chicago to develop, in collaboration with NCRC, a manual for the U.S. Department of Justice Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS). The manual, "The Problem of Dog-Related Incidents and Encounters," was published in September 2011.

- A five-year grant to the Animals & Society Institute to support Human-Animal Studies Fellowships at the Wesleyan University College of Environment.

- A grant in support of a national survey of dog experts, also investigating the accuracy of visual breed identification, conducted by the Maddie's Shelter Medicine Program at the University of Florida School of Veterinary Medicine. 

NCRC Vision Series

NCRC has just published "The Relevance of Breed in Selecting a Companion Dog" by Janis Bradley: the first in a series of original papers examining aspects of the human-canine bond. Ms. Bradley's paper, and all Vision Series publications, are available at no charge on the NCRC website.

Lectures and Presentations

NCRC travels to animal welfare conferences, animal service agencies, professional associations, law schools and veterinary schools, speaking on a variety of topics related to the human-canine bond, including the history of canine discrimination, law and public policy, cultural issues in science, modern media, and the Responsible Pet Ownership Model. Click here to view our upcoming calender of events. 

Continuing Projects

• THE PIT BULL PLACEBO: THE MEDIA, MYTHS AND POLITICS OF CANINE AGGRESSION by Karen Delise. Available at no charge on the NCRC website.

• "Dog Bites: Problems and Solutions" by Janis Bradley, an Animals & Society Institute Policy Paper. Available at no charge on the NCRC website.

Karen Delise, Founder and Director of Research

More than twenty years of research and investigation have led to Ms. Delise being considered the nation's leading expert on dog bite-related fatalities. During this time, she has been instrumental in shitfing public attitudes toward canine aggression by focusing on reduction of risk through humane care, custody and control of companion dogs, as well as keeping the comparative risk of living with dogs in proper perspective. Ms. Delise has authored two books: Fatal Dog Attacks: The Stories Behind the Statistics and The Pit Bull Placebo: The Media, Myths and Politics of Canine Aggression.

Ms. Delise retired from the Suffolk County, NY Sheriff's Office after twenty-nine years of service. She earned a degree in Veterinary Science Technology and is a licensed veterinary technician. Ms. Delise has worked for the East End Small Animal Emergency Hospital, the Long Island Game Farm, and the New York State Marine Mammal Rescue Program. She also volunteered, for seven years, in the Bide-A-Wee Pet Therapy Program.

Click here to to read Ms. Delise's Research and Investigation Methodology.

Donald Cleary, Director of Communications and Publications

In addition to serving as the Director of Communications and Publications for the National Canine Research Council, Mr. Cleary serves as Treasurer for the Animal Farm Foundation. Mr. Cleary recently retired as Director of Business Affairs for the Jane Rotrosen Agency, a New York literary agency. In addition to researching, writing, and speaking for the animals, he offers lectures on ancient and modern military history in adult school programs. Mr. Cleary lives in New Jersey with his wife and their two adopted dogs.

Kara Gilmore, Manager and General Counsel

Ms. Gilmore graduated from law school in 1996 and spent her first two years as an attorney clerking for an 8th Circuit Court of Appeals Judge in Kansas City, Missouri. She spent the next nine years practicing corporate law, as an Associate Attorney with Stinson, Mag & Fizzell, Assistant General Counsel with Birch Telecom, Inc. and then as Assistant General Counsel and Vice President of Legal with AMC Entertainment, Inc. Kara was thrilled to merge her passion for dogs with her legal background when she joined the National Canine Research Council in 2010. She lives in Columbia County, New York with her partner and their eleven adopted dogs.

Emily Simmons, Publications & Communications Manager

Simmons has over six years of experience as a professional fundraiser for nonprofits,where she worked primarily with institutional donors and as a grantwriter/manager. She served as the Assistant Director of Development at the Pennsylvania SPCA, a high-intake shelter in Philadelphia, and as Director of Resource Development at the Schuylkill Center for Environmental Education, which operates the only all-species wildlife rehabilitation clinic in Philadelphia county. Before working in the nonprofit sector, she earned her Masters degree in English literature at the University of Connecticut where she was also an instructor of Freshman English. She obtained her BA in English and Theatre Arts from Gettysburg College. Simmons is thrilled to apply her talents as a writer to her role at NCRC improving the lives of dogs and their owners. Simmons lives near Philadelphia, Pennsylvania with her husband Jon, and their dog, Ollie.

Elizabeth Arps, Research and Publications Analyst  

Ms. Arps attained a B.A. in Biology from Hiram College in 2010, during which she worked at the college’s field station caring for endangered waterfowl. During college, she also interned at animal shelters and sanctuaries, and traveled abroad extensively, all of which broadened her interest in studying a wide variety of animal welfare issues. Elizabeth was able to explore those interests as she pursued a M.S. in Animals and Public Policy from Tufts Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine in 2011, where her thesis focused on the effects of a local dog breed-specific ordinance. She also spent time volunteering at feral cat clinics and with orphaned wildlife through the school’s wildlife rehabilitation clinic. Ms. Arps was delighted to join the National Canine Research Council in 2012, where she can apply her background in science and policy. Elizabeth lives in Dutchess County, New York with the occasional foster dog.

Cynthia Bathurst, Ph.D., is co-founder and executive director of Safe Humane Chicago, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit registered in the state of Illinois.  The Safe Humane concept that a humane community is safer grew out of her work with D.A.W.G. (Dog Advisory Work Group), which she co-founded as a nonprofit in 2000 and then started a court advocacy program for court cases involving animal abuse. In 2007 Safe Humane Chicago programs were piloted.  In 2008, after more than twenty-five years in contract mathematical analysis, Bathurst joined Best Friends Animal Society as national director of Project Safe Humane, which was designed to fully implement the successful model, first in Chicago and then in other cities.  In 2009 the American Veterinary Medical Association awarded her their Humane Award, an award given to a non-veterinarian who has advanced animal well-being, shown exemplary dedication to the care of animals, and contributed to the community and society. In 2010 a new program for Court Case Dogs was implemented.  This successful program for victims of animal abuse and neglect showcases Safe Humane programming for at-risk youth and companion animals in communities challenged by crime and lack of needed resources.  Bathurst has served on numerous public safety, community policing and animal welfare boards and task forces.  Bathurst currently serves as president of the Chicago Animal Shelter Alliance and vice-chair of Chicago’s Commission on Animal Care and Control.

Bill Bruce has been Director of Calgary Animal Services and By-Law Services since 2000. During his tenure, Mr. Bruce has been instrumental in the creation of a “responsible pet ownership” community, which has made Calgary one of the most companionable cities in North America for both people and their pets. Mr. Bruce addresses public officials, animal control conferences and humane associations throughout North America on the success of what has become known as “The Calgary Model of Responsible Pet Ownership.” He is currently completing a book on the subject.

Click here to read Mr. Bruce's Viewpoint.

Kristopher Irizarry received his Ph.D. from the department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at UCLA where he developed computational methods to identify functionally relevant genetic variations in the human genome. After completing his doctoral work, he accepted a Postdoctoral Fellowship in the Neuropsychiatric Institute in the College of Medicine at UCLA and focused his efforts on identifying specific genetic variants that were associated with susceptibility to depression, in an attempt to develop genetic diagnostics that could be used to predict patient response to antidepressant treatments. His work led to the identification of specific genomic regions that predicted clinical patterns of anxiety and depression. The results of that work were ultimately patented by the University. Afterwards, he accepted a genetics faculty position at the College of Veterinary Medicine at Western University of Health Sciences where he is the Director of The Applied Genomic Center, which studies comparative mammalian genomics with an emphasis on decoding the behavioral and anatomical information encoded in animal genomes. In 2009, his research expanded when Dr. Irizarry and a team of colleagues were awarded funding to sequence the genome of an endangered species, the Snow Leopard. The goal of the Snow Leopard Genome Project is to create genetic diagnostics that can be used to identify ideal breeding pairs, with a long term goal of improving the health and fitness of this endangered species through genetically informed captive breeding efforts within American zoos. 

Click here to read Dr. Irizarry's Viewpoint.

Bonnie Lutz is an attorney licensed in California. Her practice consists of defending veterinarians in malpractice and administrative actions and the provision of general legal services to several large humane societies and SPCAs in California. Prior to becoming an attorney, Ms. Lutz and her husband owned a medical device manufacturing company where she served as the scientific and regulatory affairs director. Prior to that, she was employed by the Orange County Health Care Agency Laboratory as the supervising microbiologist for the Mycobacteriology / Mycology Department. Ms. Lutz is currently the President of the American Veterinary Medical Law Association and a member of VetPartners, State Humane of California, California Veterinary Medical Association and Southern California Veterinary Medical Association.

Click here to read Ms. Lutz's Viewpoint.

Amy Marder, V.M.D., CAAB, is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania’s School of Veterinary Medicine.  Following graduation, she completed the University’s first behavior residency. She then went into private practice, and operated New England Veterinary Behavior Associates for 10 years.  She was also Vice-President of Behavioral Medicine at ASCPA.  She served as Director of the Behavioral Service at the Animal Rescue League of Boston, and has now accepted an appointment as Director of the Center for Shelter Dogs at ARL.

Click here to read Dr. Marder's Viewpoint.

Victoria Lea Voith, PhD, DVM, DACVB is a charter diplomate in the American College of Veterinary Behavior. Dr. Voith is one of the pioneer researchers and clinicians in the fields of applied animal and veterinary medical behavior. She has served as President of the American Veterinary Society of Animal Behaviorists, the American Association of Human-Animal Bond Veterinarians, and is currently an AAH-ABV director. She is a Professor of Animal Behavior at the College of Veterinary Medicine, Western University of Health Sciences.

Click here to read Dr. Voith's paper A Comparison of Visual and DNA Identification of Breeds of Dogs (AVMA July 2009).

Click here to see Dr. Voith's poster Comparison of Adoption Agency Breed Identification and DNA Breed Identification of Dogs (presented at ACVB/AVSAB July 2010).