I originally graduated from Ryerson University, Canada with a BComm (Hons) in International Business. After a career in technology consulting I undertook a MSc in Human Animal Interaction at the Íæż½ã½ã graduating with distinction in 2020. I am now undertaking a PhD investigating the shifting perceptions of dogs shape their evolving roles in society and the decisions made on their behalf. My supervisors are Dr Sharon Kessler and Dr Clare Andrews.
My research seeks to uncover and critically examine the often-invisible decisions humans make on behalf of pets to support more ethical and positive human-animal interactions.
Article
Weir SA, McDevitt L, Andrews C & Kessler SE (2025) The creation of a systematic framework to assess dog laws and their relationship to societal changes in the United Kingdom. Animals, 15 (5), Art. No.: 647. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani15050647
Article
Weir S & Kessler SE (2022) The making of a (dog) movie star: The effect of the portrayal of dogs in movies on breed registrations in the United States. PLoS ONE, 17 (1), Art. No.: e0261916. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0261916